The kang (heated brick bed) for left-behind women

At noon that day, when the sun was shining brightly, Li Ruoxue carried a water bottle and some dry food to deliver a meal to Lin Dachun, who was reclaiming land at Yehuling.

On the way down the mountain, we passed under the old ginkgo tree in the center of the village, which is the village's information hub.

Don't let the small size of this village fool you; it's full of gossip and news.

Several village women were gathered around sewing shoe soles and picking wild vegetables, while the village doctor, Sun Xiangu, was also there, talking animatedly.

She didn't want to linger and quickened her pace to get past, but Sun Xiangu's shrill, high-pitched voice, mixed with a few words, pierced her ears like needles:

"...I'm not making this up! He came to me himself and asked if, at his age, he could still get a woman pregnant! Tsk tsk, tell me, what's he thinking..."

A plump auntie nearby immediately chimed in, her tone tinged with a vulgar excitement: "Really? He actually has that in mind? He seems perfectly healthy, he can handle anything going up the mountain or down to the fields... He'll definitely be fine!"

"Exactly, exactly," another thin-faced woman winked, "Didn't you see he's got the whole mountain under his belt now, he's got real energy!"

"Oh dear, who is he looking for? Widow Su? Or...?"

The conversation quickly turned to speculation and more explicit teasing, with several women letting out knowing snickers.

Sun Xiangu proudly raised her chin, as if she had discovered some exclusive secret: "I don't know who they asked, but they've definitely found out the details and are willing and able! Who knows, the Lin family's cave dwelling might actually be able to have more members in the future!"

"You examined him? What did you examine him for? Tell me quickly."

"I did the examination. A full examination." Village doctor Sun Xiangu was quite outspoken.

"Really? Tell me quickly, how is he?"

The village doctor, Mr. Sun, wasn't shy at all and immediately said, "Uncle Lin Dachun, him......"

Upon hearing this...

I don't know what these village women are talking about. Why are they talking about the men in their own homes?

At this moment, the villagers also noticed Widow Su and started shouting.

"Sister Su, come and sit down, we're just chatting about Da Chun," Auntie Pang called out.

Widow Su was so frightened that she waved her hand and ran away.

"Look at Widow Su, her face is all red. Haha."

These gossip stories first came from the village doctor, Sun Xiangu, and became increasingly exaggerated until almost the entire village knew about them.

Lin Dachun single-handedly reclaimed the wasteland he had contracted.

He was so exhausted that his bones felt like they were going to fall apart. When he got back to the cave dwelling, he collapsed.

Li Ruoxue quickly poured him some warm water.

"Take a rest and have some water," Li Ruoxue said, handing it to him.

"Okay, we've finally cleared the surface." Lin Dachun took a big gulp of water, then caught his breath and said, "But this land is too barren, too barren. Even if we plant sea buckthorn and it survives, it might not bear big fruit."

"We need fertilizer," Lin Dachun said, coughing violently.

"Are you alright? You look exhausted these past few days. I'll give you a massage tonight. It wouldn't be worth it if you ruined your health," Li Ruoxue said.

"Hmm. I'm fine, just tired, really tired." Lin Dachun was still strong; it was an enormous and seemingly impossible project for him to reclaim so much wasteland all by himself.

Those weeds, thorns, ferns, and the withered, hard earth were not easy to find.

Fortunately, sea buckthorn is a very resilient plant and can survive.

"I've been collecting some manure these past few days; I'll have to pour some on it."

"The contracted land is too big, and we don't have enough manure. How about we use ash instead? We don't have enough money either, and there are still many places where we'll need money later." Li Ruoxue felt that if she spent money now, she didn't know what she would do in the future.

"That makes sense. You've thought this through. We should be frugal. Let's use ash, let it dry in the sun for a couple of days, and then burn it," Lin Dachun said.

"Okay, come and eat. I've cooked dinner."

After dinner, it was already quite dark outside.

The cave dwelling was filled with mist, the air thick with the scent of water vapor and firewood.

A large pot of water was boiling on the stove, and in the center of the room, there was a heavy old wooden bathtub that was rarely used. It was already more than half full of warm water, and steam was rising from it.

"The hot water is ready. Please take a soak to relax." Li Ruoxue's voice was flat, revealing no emotion.

Lin Dachun paused for a moment, looking at the bathtub and the busy Li Ruoxue.

In the past, everyone did these chores themselves, at most boiling water and washing themselves.

This is the first time I've ever prepared a bathtub with such solemnity.

He was too tired, too tired to delve into the subtle changes. He simply mumbled an "hmm" and began to take off his filthy coat, which was practically standing on end.

Li Ruoxue walked over, naturally took the dirty clothes he had taken off, put them aside, and then picked up a clean old cloth.

Lin Dachun awkwardly tried to step into the bathtub.

"Oh dear, this water is very clean, so feel free to soak in it. I added some herbs to this hot water; it's good for your back," Li Ruoxue said, blushing.

"Really? You're so thoughtful, always considering my needs," Lin Dachun said.

"You're so tired, just sit down and relax with a bath. I'll take care of the rest. I'll also scrub you clean and get your skin clean," Li Ruoxue said dutifully.