My 1995 Small Farm.

Chen Ling returned to the county town.

First, we heated up the roast chicken, then we got everyone together to clean the crabs.

Crabs are delicious, but they are a real pain to clean.

First, rinse them in clean water, then use a brush to clean their carapace, abdomen, claws, and legs one by one.

This process is no different from polishing leather shoes; no corner or edge can be overlooked.

And you have to be careful, because the wild crabs in the river are very fierce, and you can get pinched if you're not careful.

However, the big, fat crabs that Chen Ling brought were all very well-behaved.

So the whole family can hold it in their hands to wash it.

Even Rui Rui dared to grab it and play with it.

There's nothing surprising about that.

It was because Chen Ling got some ice water from the small water tower.

Once the ice water freezes, these crabs all become docile.

After carefully washing the crabs several times, I changed the water and turned them over so that I could put them back in the water to continue washing them. The main thing was to clean the dirt inside the crab's abdominal flap.

Of course, the water shouldn't be too hot either.

If it's too hot, the crab legs will fall off.

After washing them several times, the particularly fat crabs were picked out and steamed.

You can't just steam crabs haphazardly.

It's not as simple as just throwing it into a steamer, adding water to a pot, and turning on the heat.

We need to prepare the soup base first.

For steamed river crabs, Shaoxing wine is indispensable.

It can be said that the better the Shaoxing wine, the better the steamed crab will be.

Slice a few pieces of ginger.

Add some medicinal herbs to remove the fishy smell and enhance the aroma.

At this point, you can add some angelica root.

Chen Ling usually likes to use this when stewing pigeon soup.

It can also be used for steaming crabs.

Moreover, the added fragrance isn't just a little bit.

It tastes completely different from not having it.

The soup base is ready.

You have to be careful when putting the big, fat crabs into the steamer.

At this point, you need to turn the crabs over completely, belly up and back shell down.

Otherwise, once the pot boils, the crab roe will easily leak out and flow down the steamer's holes to the bottom of the pot.

This not only prevents you from getting good crabs, but also changes the flavor of the soup base.

Of course, if the fresh crabs are not dead, some may need to be tied up with grass stems to prevent them from crawling around in the steamer.

Chen Ling's arrangements don't need to be so complicated.

The ice water has already been chilled once.

After brushing, I washed and soaked it in warm water.

They're still steaming them now, and before the crabs can even catch their breath, they're already dead.

This is the weakness of aquatic crustaceans.

If it's frozen and then rapidly heated, it will die.

A pot of plump crabs steamed in a large pot.

The smaller crabs that remain are chopped up and deep-fried or braised.

Deep-fry and coat with egg and flour.

Braised dishes don't just involve crabs; you can also add pork, tofu, meatballs, and other ingredients to stew a pot of it.

One crab, three ways to eat it.

Anyway, crabs this season, even if they don't look that big or fat, have tons of roe.

But it's said that cooking takes a long time.

Deep-frying is definitely faster.

In the words of a gourmet, whether it flies in the sky, runs on the ground, or swims in the water, the less meat there is, the more delicious it is.

Crabs don't look like they have much meat.

Coated in flour and egg, then deep-fried until golden brown and crispy, the aroma fills the whole yard.

It tastes fragrant and crispy, and the more you eat, the more delicious it becomes, making it irresistible.

However, you shouldn't eat too many crabs.

Although Dujuan is here, it's just one more person; she won't eat much more.

Chen Ling kept half of the fried crabs and asked Wang Zhenzhen to deliver the rest to Qin Qiumei and Zhong Xiaoyun's families.

There are so many crabs today.

The ones Chen Ling caught probably weighed close to twenty pounds.

Their family can't possibly finish all of this.

While tending the stove in the kitchen, Chen Ling heated up the roast chicken and then took the opportunity to make a few flatbreads.

It will be very fragrant after soaking in crab broth.

"Dad, here it is."

Seeing him busy, Rui Rui grabbed a large piece of fried crab and ran in to give it to him.

"Okay, Rui Rui is such a good boy."

Chen Ling took the food and ate it while going to the side to add firewood.

The brat was so happy to receive the praise that he shook his head and jumped around with the crab in his hand.

She followed him into the kitchen, going wherever he went, holding the crab in her little hands and nibbling on it, savoring its flavor.

Ever since Rui Rui was able to eat solid food, he has especially loved eating small fish and shrimp, and he can never get enough of them.

I especially love eating fish.

When eating fish, he has never been pricked by a fish bone, which even Chen Ling, his father, is ashamed of.

He didn't eat many crabs.

However, I clearly liked it very much when I tasted it today.

exactly.

With its mouth full of oil, it still couldn't finish eating. It only ate the golden-brown fried dough on the outside, ate two crab legs, and then wanted to feed the rest to Heiwa and Xiaojin.

"Hey, you didn't finish it all, there's still some yellow in here."

Chen Ling stopped him, squatted down, took the piece from her hand, and showed it to him how to eat it.

Even the two big dogs looked incredibly tempted.

Pick out two large pieces of fried crab and toss them to them, let them go and gnaw on them.

The wood-fired stove cooks very quickly.

The steamed crabs and braised crabs were ready in no time.

Once the dipping sauce for the steamed crabs is prepared, they are served together.

Just then, Wang Zhenzhen returned with the crabs, and the whole family gathered around the table to eat happily.

“Susu eats roast chicken with flatbread, but you can’t eat crab right now.”

"Ah, I know I can't eat it, but it smells so good."

"Then you can soak it in the flatbread and eat it, and also eat some of the meat and tofu balls inside."

"...Come on, let me do it, you're so clumsy."

Seeing that his wife was having a hard time, Chen Ling took the bowl and chopsticks from her hands and served her food and flatbread.

“Look at what you’re saying, Fugui. Susu is clumsy, but isn’t she just trying to give your Chen family more babies?”

Du Juan glanced at him.

"That's right. You said you wanted to have eight or nine kids. You'd better take good care of me in the future, or I won't have that many for you."

Wang Susu pouted and snorted, then buried her head in her food.

The young couple were obviously joking.

Gao Xiulan took it seriously.

She just smiled and said, "It's good to have more children, it's good to have more children. The more children you have, the more successful they will be."

The old lady also has four children.

In her opinion, she could manage to take care of a few more.

It's not difficult at all.

"Mom, what are you saying? Giving birth isn't like buying a lottery ticket."

"Lottery? What's a lottery?"

"..."

The family ate and chatted.

However, Rui Rui is not very well-behaved. He rides a small stool around the yard, eating while driving back and forth.

However, he ate quite a lot.

We ate the crabs, the chicken, the beef, and even the flatbread.

I'll have a little of everything.

We were just eating like this, and after lunch we would rest for a while.

Unexpectedly, halfway through the meal, Han Chuang and his family of three arrived.

His baby is almost four months old now, and recently he has been vomiting a lot while drinking milk and crying a lot at night, so he came to the hospital to have him checked out.

After arriving here, Han Chuang remembered Chen Ling's family and knew that Wang Susu might know what was going on with the child, so he came to ask. Han Chuang also wanted to talk to Chen Ling about something.

The couple came here.

There were quite a few crabs left, but more than half of them were eaten in one go.

A lunch can take more than two hours.

Jiang Xiaoqing asked Wang Susu to take a look at her child to see what was wrong.

This is a minor issue.

In Wang Susu's opinion, there was no need to go to the hospital at all.

Han Chuang then pulled Chen Ling aside and started talking about the recent fish canning business.

Once summer is over, canned cold dishes become somewhat out of season.

Sales have dropped by half.

Fortunately, their canned fish has a unique and diverse flavor, so it hasn't declined and has maintained a stable sales volume that is neither high nor low.

He had originally planned to ask Chen Ling what to do next when they split the money next time.

Since I happened to be here today, let's discuss this matter.

Chen Ling asked him if he dared to gamble, and Han Chuang said he did.

Chen Ling has made so much money with his family, and the cannery has been brought back to life. How could he not believe it?

Chen Ling then brought up the topic of Hong Kong's return to China.

We're planning to do something special with the canning jars.

Sometimes, the difference between a good and bad business lies in the smallest details.

The bottle cap design is better.

Add a handle or something to the canning jar.

You can buy canned food and get a free water cup.

This year, we'll make another one to celebrate Hong Kong's return to China; it'll be a souvenir.

Chen Ling had mentioned this idea before.

But since it's not yet the end of the year, we can't see the money immediately.

Even if the idea is good, it's useless.

Now it's possible, let's put all our effort into it.

This wasn't difficult for Han Chuang and his team, as they knew several factories that made canning jars.

They are all old acquaintances.

Then Chen Ling talked about the wild fruits in the mountains.

Fruits like hawthorn and pears are also great for canning.

Han Chuang readily agreed, doing whatever Chen Ling said.

There's not much to say about business matters.

Chen Ling didn't find this kind of minor stunt troublesome, as it didn't require much effort.

After talking, I learned that the Han brothers knew many glass factories.

Then the topic turned to the fish tank.

Aquarium landscaping is so addictive! Even if you don't keep fish in the tank anymore, it's still nice to create a small display for indoor or outdoor spaces.

Most of these glass factories are located in other counties to the east, which are a bit far away.

I guess we'll have to wait until Wang Susu gives birth before we go.

After the meal, Han Chuang and his family left.

Chen Ling went back to the room and kept Wang Susu company while she took a nap.

After Wang Susu woke up, he leaned over and massaged her shoulders and legs. Pregnant women have all sorts of inconveniences; with less activity, their bodies become sore and uncomfortable.

Sometimes even scratching an itch is a struggle.

"It's good to have some savings; everything is more convenient that way. Otherwise, it would be so much more difficult to rush from the village to the hospital when you're about to give birth."

Chen Ling rubbed his wife's calves and said, "Look now, there's a yard here, it's so convenient to walk to the hospital."

"You're right. People weren't this delicate back then. People in the village always say that so-and-so's child was born while they were busy in the fields."

There's no need to go to the hospital.

Wang Susu held her belly and leaned against the pillow at the head of the bed.

"That's true, but there used to be many midwives in the village."

Chen Ling smiled and said, "Is it still okay now? There are only a lot of midwives in the mountains west of Chang Le Township. We are close to the county town, so who still hires midwives? Everyone goes to the hospital... Would you like to hire a midwife to give birth in the village?"

Wang Susu quickly shook her head: "I don't want to."

"Right, it's all so that the child can be born safely. If the township health center weren't so unethical, no one would hire a midwife there."

Chen Ling said, "When we went to the city this time, we had dinner at Yue Min's house. He said that Aunt Hongyu would be back in a while and wouldn't be going back to Beijing for the New Year anymore. She would just stay here with us from now on."

“That’s great! Sister Qiumei said the same thing. Aunt Hongyu’s cows are practically theirs now.”

"Haha, next time when we slaughter a cow, we can just split the meat in half."

"Sigh, I have to go to the hospital after the Mid-Autumn Festival. When Aunt Hongyu and the others come back, our two families won't be able to eat together. We won't have everyone together."

"...You know what Aunt Hongyu said? They've already started preparing clothes for the unborn baby. I told them your belly was big, and they prepared three sets, planning for triplets, hahaha..."

"What nonsense about triplets in one pregnancy? You're spouting nonsense."

Wang Susu scolded him playfully, but her face was full of smiles. "Speaking of which, Aunt Hongyu's family is really like our own. Teacher Zhao and the others always say they want to take you as their godson."

If Aunt Hongyu and her husband say that, I will definitely support you in finding a godmother.

"Come on, this is fine as it is. It would be too awkward to have a godmother."

Chen Ling quickly shook his head.

Then he massaged Wang Susu's other leg and said, "Our family has had a lot of income this year and has saved a lot of money. Right now, there's nothing we urgently need money for."

I was thinking of buying two houses in Beijing, and Yuemin and Aunt Hongyu were both very supportive.

I still need to ask for your opinion.

"Huh? Why do we have to buy another house? We already have houses in the county and the city, why do we have to buy one in Beijing? It's so far away, can we even live there?"

Wang Susu was clearly still not quite there yet; her first thought was that she had too many houses and couldn't live in them all.

"Not everyone needs to buy a house to live in, the main thing is to buy commercial properties..."

Chen Ling explained to her that Beijing is the capital and the political and economic center of the country, and no matter what happens in the future, housing prices will only rise and never fall.

Especially shops, which can be rented out without being lived in, are a way to make money effortlessly.

No one needs to worry about it at all.

The housing prices in Beijing haven't skyrocketed yet, and Chen Ling's savings of several hundred thousand yuan are enough to buy two commercial properties.

Sun Yanhong and the others asked him to buy arowana.

He couldn't bear to do that.

I know this is a sure-fire way to make money.

Even if there are more kids in the family in the future, he won't be in a hurry to make money. He can continue to live his life and do what he wants to do.

"Making money is secondary. What if our Rui Rui grows up to be successful and stays in Beijing? We need a place to live."

"Hmph, you're just trying to fool me. I bet you'll buy a house and a yard in every place you go, so the kids will have a place to live wherever they go."

When it came to their children, Wang Susu wasn't fooled by him, but she knew her husband's judgment was definitely sound.

“Spending so much money to buy a shop is no small amount. Let’s talk about it in person when Aunt Hongyu comes. We can ask them to find someone to give you some advice.”

Wang Susu was worried that Chen Ling would be scammed in Beijing because he was unfamiliar with the place.

Then all that hard-earned money will have gone down the drain.

Chen Ling knew her intentions, so he nodded and agreed. Liang Yuemin had also said that even if they didn't seek help from Liang Hongyu and the others, they should find other professionals to ensure that the purchase contract was in order.

Before the 15th of the eighth lunar month, the days are still relatively long and it gets dark late.

Wang Zhenzhen's school also allows students to take a lunch break until 3 PM. When she left, Chen Ling asked her to take some crabs for her teachers and classmates.

He went back to the village and cooked a big pot of the fish for his father-in-law and Zhao Yubao's family.

Otherwise, my father-in-law would be lonely at home all by himself. We have to invite both families over for a meal and drinks to make it lively.

Chen Ling was in high spirits as he caught fish and cooked crabs.

By the time we got back to the county town, it was already getting dark.

I was originally going to tell my family that I would have to go back to the village to check on the crops late tonight.

These days, it's already the seventh team's turn, and several teams from the seventh team have already made it.

Chen Ze and Chen Yuqiang were deliberately waiting for him to return from the city, saying that they would like to work together to keep watch again this year.

Chen Baoshuan and his cousin were also waiting, and they had approached him hesitantly several times.

Chen Ling naturally couldn't keep them waiting. It was a matter for the whole village, not just for one person, so he should contribute what he could.

But little did I expect that I hadn't even had a chance to sit down properly after getting home.

Inside the house, there were barking dogs, howling cows, and neighing horses, while outside, from the direction of the riverbank, came bursts of crying.

It was so lively!

"I'm going out to check. You all stay home and don't go out."

Chen Ling calmed the dogs and cows at home, told them to guard the house, and then took the horse out to see what was going on.

As a result, people on the riverbank lit torches and used flashlights, creating a bright and lively scene as they shouted something.

Only when I got closer could I make out what was going on amidst the noise.

"I'll beat you to death, you son of a bitch, for pretending to be a ghost and scaring people."

"Kill her! She scared my child half to death! What a terrible girl she is! Why does she have to dress up as a ghost and scare people at night? Doesn't she know she'll get her comeuppance?"

"..."

Chen Ling's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly dismounted. Unexpectedly, there really was a female ghost. Zhenzhen and the others were not mistaken; the female ghost was actually a person in disguise.

----

P.S.: Last day! Please vote with your monthly tickets! We're almost at 200 to reach 2000. Brothers and sisters, please cast your votes! (End of Chapter)