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

Under the kerosene lamp, Lin Dachun and Li Ruoxue opened the old notebook filled with numbers again.

The seabuckthorn seedlings have been planted, but it will take at least another year or two before we see any benefits.

But they can't afford to waste a single day. The daily costs of eating grains, the small expenses of seedling transplanting, and the "five hundred dollars" promise hanging over their heads are like an invisible whip, urging them to find other ways to make money.

After taking stock of the accounts, apart from the food rations from the few acres of barren land, there was hardly any money left from selling wild game and syrup last year.

Sea buckthorn alone cannot quench our immediate thirst.

Lin Dachun thought that no matter what, he had to make some income. He couldn't just wait for the sea buckthorn to grow; what if the project failed?

There's still time in the process of growing up.

"Hunting won't work," Lin Dachun said, pointing with his rough fingers to the "prey income" column in his notebook, followed by several numbers spaced far apart. "It's all about the weather; six or seven out of ten times you come home empty-handed, and if you run into danger, you might even lose your life."

He shook his head, recalling the terrifying experience with the wild boar herd.

Li Ruoxue pointed to "malt syrup".

"That's a safe bet, but like you said, it's a small business. There are only so many people buying at the town market, and we have to work long hours to sell each batch, so we won't make much money."

"Making vinegar?" Li Ruoxue recalled that almost every household in the village made some kind of fermented vegetable juice. "Can we make it better?"

Lin Dachun shook his head again: "It's too common. Who doesn't pickle some sauerkraut and make some vinegar? It won't fetch a good price, and it won't show how good ours are."

"Brewing wine?" Li Ruoxue's eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed again. "The sea buckthorn wine we tried brewing tasted alright, but grain is precious. We don't have the capital or the skill to brew it on a large scale. Who would we sell it to? Who in the village would be willing to spend money to buy wine? We have no way of selling it outside."

This is the most practical problem.

They were like trapped in the remote mountain village of Linchangtun, unable to exert their strength or put their ideas into practice.

Lin Dachun silently smoked his pipe, and through the swirling smoke, his gaze passed over the low window of the cave dwelling, as if directed towards the tranquil mountains in the night.

He recalled his youth when he herded sheep for the brigade, the grassy slopes covered with white sheep that moved like clouds...

"Herding sheep," he suddenly said, his voice low but carrying a mature certainty.

Li Ruoxue looked at him.

"Besides Wild Fox Ridge, there are quite a few grassy slopes on the back mountain. Although they're not fertile, they're enough to raise some sheep." Lin Dachun's thoughts became clearer. "Sheep can grow by eating grass. The cost is just the money to buy lambs. Ewes can give birth, and the lambs can be raised to sell for meat. Their wool can also be sheared once a year. It's a steady and reliable source of income."

He paused, then added, "And it won't interfere with farming or tending the sea buckthorn. I used to herd sheep in my younger days, so I know a thing or two. During the day, I just drive the sheep to a place with good grass and watch them graze. I can also take care of the sea buckthorn field and patrol the mountains. This will free up your hands to do the delicate work at home and in the fields."

Li Ruoxue listened carefully, making plans in her mind.

Herding sheep is indeed more reliable than hunting, larger in scale than running a small business, and more practical than brewing wine.

Sheep manure is a good fertilizer and can enrich the soil.

"Yes, sheep manure is perfect for fertilizing sea buckthorn fields. We're desperately short of fertilizer, and fertilizer costs money. If the sheep manure is good, the sea buckthorn will grow well, which means a good harvest." Li Ruoxue had also thought of this.

"Yes, yes, although everyone has sheep, there is no conflict. Mutton is also a hard currency." Lin Dachun thinks raising sheep is the best option, mainly because it does not require feed and has low costs.

"But where will we get the capital to buy the lambs? We are now..." Li Ruoxue looked at the few numbers on the ledger.

Lin Dachun tapped his pipe: "I'll go into the mountains again, go hunting, get some good stuff, and sell some things back home. That should be enough to raise some money for the lambs. If not, I'll borrow some."

When he said the last sentence, his voice lowered for a moment, but quickly regained its firmness.

"Okay, I'll do as you say." She nodded emphatically. "Sheep herding is good, so let's raise sheep. Once the sheep have foals, we'll have some cash on hand. We can't slack off on the sea buckthorn business either; we need to manage both."

The plan was set, but reality proved harsh.