Chapter 23: We Don’t Eat
Two pots of dried sweet potatoes took turns steaming. After they were done, just like yesterday, the dried sweet potatoes were spread out to dry on bamboo trays.
As usual, Bai Zhuye stayed home to watch over things, while Su Mulan led the other three children to continue clearing the land at the same plot they worked on yesterday.
At noon, they returned home for a meal, rested for a while, and then went back to the fields in the afternoon, working until dusk.
They continued this busy routine for two consecutive days.
By evening, Su Mulan returned from the fields with sweat and exhaustion, leading the children back. She looked at the dried sweet potatoes filling one bamboo tray, picked one up, felt its texture, and assessed its dryness. Finally, she tore off a piece and chewed on it.
“Mmm, not bad.”
The sweet potatoes were indeed good, and the three steaming and three sunnings process had been perfectly managed. They were delicious and sweet.
“Have you all tried it?” Su Mulan held out the sweet potatoes for Bai Shuiliu and the other three children to taste.
Each child took a piece and tasted it.
“Mmm, delicious!” Bai Midou exclaimed, “It’s soft and sweet, not hard at all.”
“And the more you chew, the more flavorful it gets.”
“So tasty!”
“It really is delicious,” even Bai Lixia praised.
“Since there’s a market in town tomorrow, let’s try selling them there,” Su Mulan said as she packed up the dried sweet potatoes and took out some. “I’ll leave these for you as snacks.”
“Mom, we won’t eat them,” Bai Shuiliu said without hesitation, placing the sweet potatoes back. “We eat well at meals normally, we don’t need snacks. Let’s save them to sell for money.”
These days, Bai Shuiliu has been cooking, making meals like sticky cakes and flatbread, always preparing enough to fill everyone’s stomachs. The supply of corn flour and sweet potato flour in the jar noticeably decreased. If they didn’t earn money, by the time they harvested the corn, they would be living very tightly, maybe even struggling to have enough to eat.
‘At this time, earning money is crucial and they don’t need snacks or anything like that.’
“Yes, Mother, let’s save them to sell,” Bai Zhuye chimed in.
Seeing all four children insist, Su Mulan reluctantly took back the dried sweet potatoes. “Alright, we’ll sell them first.”
She would address her concern for the children later, when they had more financial flexibility.
However, these children were really mature and responsible, as the saying goes, ‘Children from poor families mature early,’ and they truly didn’t disappoint.
Su Mulan sighed inwardly, tied up the sack containing the dried sweet potatoes with a cloth, covered it with a bamboo tray, and then urged the four children to go to sleep quickly.
The next day, even before dawn, the family woke up early and had breakfast.
“Today we’re going to sell dried sweet potatoes in town,” Su Mulan said, picking up a bamboo basket and placing the dried sweet potatoes inside. After a moment of thought, she added, “Shuiliu, come with me to sell dried sweet potatoes in town. Lixia, you and the others don’t need to go clearing the land today. Just tidy up the weeds in the corn field again, turn over the sweet potato seedlings, and bring back some sweet potato leaves around noon.”
Moving forward, this small business had to be sustained long-term. Su Mulan knew she would soon be overwhelmed by the workload, so it was time to train an assistant early on. Bai Shuiliu was responsible, reliable, and steady in her work, qualities that Su Mulan greatly admired.
“Alright,” the four children responded. They each gathered their belongings and left the house.
“Lixia, take good care of your younger siblings at home. If the weather gets too hot, come back quickly and avoid heatstroke,” Su Mulan reminded as they departed.
“Don’t worry, Mother, I understand,” Bai Lixia assured, leading Bai Zhuye and Bai Midou towards the corn fields.
Su Mulan and Bai Shuiliu then proceeded towards the town together.