My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 946 Wild Feast, Ceremony [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Chen Ling and Liang Yuemin also helped out, and soon several small baskets were filled with a thick layer of mulberries.

Continuing upwards, on a sunny slope, they discovered wild strawberries, also known as mountain strawberries.

The bright red berries dotted among the green leaves, like tiny rubies.

"This one is sweeter!"

Wang Zhenzhen picked one and handed it to Liu Yinhuan: "Sister-in-law, have a taste."

Liu Yinhuan tasted it and nodded in praise, "Indeed, it has a unique and refreshing fragrance."

The wild strawberry plants are short, and the children squat on the ground, carefully searching for ripe fruit, which is a lot of fun.

Little Iron Egg also poked its head out of the basket, looking around curiously, occasionally sticking out its tongue as if to lick something, but Chen Ling gently pressed it back down.

Heiwa and Xiaojin patrolled the vicinity, occasionally startling a wild rabbit or pheasant, causing the children to exclaim in surprise.

Afu and Ashou weren't interested in picking fruit, but they seemed to enjoy the leisurely stroll through the mountains and forests, sometimes stopping to sniff the wildflowers by the roadside, sometimes looking up at the bird nests in the trees, lazy yet majestic.

After picking wild strawberries, Chen Ling led them to a patch of goat milk fruit bushes.

The branches are covered with bright orange spindle-shaped fruits, which are almost translucent when ripe.

"These are delicious too, sweet and sour." Chen Ling picked a few and shared them with everyone.

This was Zhang Lihua's first time eating these wild fruits. She tried them all and praised them highly: "This is the true taste of nature! The fruits in Hong Kong supermarkets may look pretty, but they taste nothing like them!"

He really has to compare everything.

Indeed, with the spiritual water diluted by Chen Ling radiating around the area, the taste of fruits and vegetables is far superior to that of other places.

They soon reaped a bountiful harvest, filling both bamboo baskets and hampers.

Chen Ling looked at the sky; it wasn't even noon yet.

"Come on, I'll take you to see a place."

Chen Ling led the group onto a more secluded path, heading towards the mountain lake.

After passing through a dense forest, the view suddenly opened up.

The vast lake is like an emerald set among the mountains, its clear blue waters reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and the surrounding verdant peaks.

A gentle breeze rippled across the lake.

"My God... Has the mountain lake changed so much?" Liang Yuemin was also stunned.

Although he knew that Chen Ling had taken over the mountain, he hadn't ventured in there many times. The last time he came was last spring.

"So beautiful..." Liu Yinhuan murmured.

The children excitedly ran to the lakeside, trying to collect water plants, but were quickly stopped by the adults.

Several red-crowned cranes were leisurely strolling among the reeds by the lake. Their long necks and crimson heads made them appear exceptionally elegant and otherworldly against the backdrop of green reeds and blue water.

"Cranes! There are so many cranes!"

Xiao Ming's voice changed with excitement: "When I came to my uncle's house last year, there weren't so many cranes, and they're this big!"

Seemingly sensing someone's approach, one of the red-crowned cranes raised its head and let out a long, clear cry that echoed across the lake.

The other birds also looked up, but they weren't alarmed. One of them even flapped its wings and took a few steps toward Chen Ling and the others.

“They recognize wealth,” Zhang Lihua said in a low voice, her tone filled with amazement.

Chen Ling took out a small bag of dried fish that he had prepared in advance to feed the mongooses from the basket and scattered it in the shallow water near the shore.

The red-crowned cranes gracefully walked over, lowered their heads to peck at the food, and occasionally let out a satisfied chirp.

The scene was as beautiful as a living landscape painting. Everyone held their breath, afraid to disturb this tranquility and harmony.

After lingering by the lake in the mountains for quite some time, the group reluctantly returned.

It was already noon when we returned to the farm.

Gao Xiulan had already steamed the rice and prepared the dishes, just waiting for Chen Ling to come back and cook.

"We agreed to have a whole fish feast today. Wait here, I'm going to catch some fish."

Chen Ling put down the bamboo basket, picked up the bucket and net, and walked towards the irrigation ditch in the orchard.

The canal is home to many fish, mainly crucian carp, common carp, and grass carp, as well as a small number of fine-scaled salmon that were moved from the mountain lake.

The pond water is drawn from a mountain spring, crystal clear, and the fish are plump and delicious.

Chen Ling was quick-witted and nimble-fingered, catching several large crucian carp, two fat carp, and two fine-scaled salmon that were over a foot long.

After thinking for a moment, he went to the ditch, lifted up a few stones, and grabbed half a bowl of plump river shrimp and small crabs.

In the kitchen, he tied on an apron and began to get busy.

The first large carp was cleaned, and diagonal cuts were made on both sides. It was then marinated with cooking wine, scallions, and ginger.

Heat a wok with plenty of oil, fry the fish until the skin is golden brown and crispy, then remove and drain the oil.

Leave some oil in the pan, sauté scallions, ginger, garlic, and dried chili peppers until fragrant, then add homemade fermented bean paste and stir-fry until the oil turns red.

Add cooking wine, soy sauce, and vinegar, along with an appropriate amount of water. Bring to a boil, then add the fried fish and simmer over low heat.

This is a classic braised carp dish.

Clean the crucian carp, fry it in lard until both sides are slightly golden brown, then pour in boiling water...

This is the key to the milky white color of the soup.

Add a few slices of ginger and a section of scallion, bring to a boil over high heat for ten minutes, then reduce to a simmer.

Once the soup turns a milky white color, add salt and a little pepper, and finally sprinkle with a handful of bright green scallions.

The milky white crucian carp soup smells incredibly delicious.

The flesh of the fine-scaled salmon is delicate and best suited for steaming.

Clean the two fish, make a few cuts on the fish, rub them with a little salt and cooking wine, put scallions and ginger on the bottom of the plate, put a few slices on the fish, and drizzle a little lard.

Once the water boils, place the steamer in a pot and steam over high heat for eight minutes.

After removing it from the steamer, pour off the water that has been steamed out of the plate and discard the scallions and ginger.

Fresh scallion shreds, ginger shreds, and red pepper shreds are added again, steamed fish soy sauce is poured over, and finally a spoonful of boiling hot oil is drizzled on top. With a "sizzle", the aroma fills the air.

Steamed fine-scaled salmon is all about enjoying its original, fresh flavor.

The river shrimp and small crabs were not large, but they were extremely fresh.

River shrimp can be simply blanched. Add scallions, ginger, and cooking wine to the water, and once the water boils, add the shrimp. Remove them as soon as they change color, and serve with a side of ginger and vinegar sauce. The shrimp meat is tender, bouncy, and sweet.

Clean the crabs thoroughly, cut them in half, coat the cut surfaces with cornstarch, and deep-fry them until golden brown and crispy.

Then stir-fry with minced ginger and garlic, dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, add a little soy sauce and sugar to taste, and you have a spicy little crab dish that goes well with both wine and rice.

In addition, Wang Susu used the mountain fungus and wild mushrooms that she had soaked in the morning to stir-fry a plate of mountain fungus and wood ear fungus to cleanse the palate and cut through the greasiness.

I made a cold salad of wild vegetables, which I picked on my way up the mountain this morning.

Finally, scrape off the remaining fine-scaled salmon meat, mince it, add egg white, starch, and a little water, stir until it becomes elastic, squeeze it into fish balls, and cook a pot of jade fish ball soup with blanched spinach.

As each dish, with its perfect color, aroma, and flavor, was served, the entire courtyard was filled with an irresistible fragrance.

A large round table was placed under the grape trellis, where the dense foliage blocked the midday sun, casting only dappled light.

A gentle breeze carries the fresh scent of fruits and vegetables.

Everyone sat around, and the children were already impatient.

"Wow! So many fish!" Xiaoming stared wide-eyed at the table full of fish dishes.

"They're all from our own water source, have a taste."

Chen Ling served each person a bowl of milky white crucian carp soup.

Liang Yuemin took a sip of soup, closed his eyes to savor the taste for a moment, and sighed, "Amazing! This soup... is indescribably delicious. It's all thanks to Fugui's cooking skills that I miss so much." "I've been busy lately, so I haven't been cooking much."

"The village school is under construction, and they told me to cook a few meals for the villagers, but I couldn't manage it..."

Chen Ling smiled and picked up a piece of steamed fine-scaled salmon belly meat, placing it in Liu Yinhuan's bowl: "Sister-in-law, try this, it has no small bones."

Liu Yinhuan tasted it and nodded repeatedly: "It's tender and fresh, with no fishy taste at all."

Zhang Lihua had a particular fondness for the spicy baby crabs, eating them until she was sweating profusely and exclaiming how delicious they were: "This is great! This is perfect with alcohol! Ah Ling, don't let the size of these crabs fool you, they're incredibly flavorful!"

The children preferred the crispy fried carp and the sweet fish balls.

Rui Rui scooped up the fish balls with a spoon and ate them until her cheeks were bulging.

Kang Kang and Lele also got their share of mashed fish and fish soup mixed with rice, which they ate with great relish.

Heiwa, Xiaojin, Xiaotiedan, and Afu Ashou, whose food bowls were located a little further away under the trees, also received some fish heads, fish bones, and specially cooked chunks of meat, and each buried their heads and ate heartily.

A gentle breeze, dappled sunlight, delicious food, and joyful laughter.

He raised his glass and clinked it with Liang Yuemin and Zhang Lihua.

My heart is filled with a deep sense of satisfaction.

……

in the afternoon.

The village received news of the 'over-the-mountain yellow' bird appearing.

But with Afu and Ashou in the village, the villagers were not afraid.

The expansion project of the village primary school started as scheduled.

Naturally, Chen Ling would be invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held on the leveled open space at the east end of the village.

There was no fanfare or ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Wang Laishun, along with several village officials, experienced construction workers, and many villagers, gathered together in a lively atmosphere.

When Chen Ling arrived with Liang Yuemin, Zhang Lihua, and others, the scene was already crowded with people.

The elderly stood on the perimeter, leaning on their canes and smiling with their eyes narrowed, while the young and middle-aged men helped the construction team move materials and organize tools.

The children excitedly ran around, chasing and playing, their little faces beaming with anticipation for their new school.

"Wealth and fortune are coming!"

Someone shouted, and everyone's eyes turned to look at them.

Chen Ling didn't ride a horse today, but Afu and Ashou followed behind him.

The appearance of the two tigers immediately caused a stir at the scene.

Some toddlers who have just learned to walk will hide behind adults when they see a tiger, filled with both curiosity and fear.

The adults had long regarded the two tigers as guardian deities of the mountain.

Smiling, they comforted their children: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, this is Uncle Fugui's tiger, the guardian tiger of our village..."

Wang Laishun came up to him, rubbing his hands together and saying with a smile, "Fugui, we've been waiting for you. Everyone says that you deserve the most credit for building this school, so you should say a few words."

"What am I saying, Fifth Uncle? You guys can take charge." Chen Ling quickly waved his hand.

"That won't work!"

Li Yongfu from the Li family also chimed in: "You're the face of our village. The new school was approved so quickly, with such support from the county and city, and big bosses and influential people from Hong Kong and Taiwan donating money. Isn't it all because of you? You have to come up and say a few words to encourage everyone!"

The surrounding villagers also chimed in:
"Yes, Fugui, say a few words!"

"Tell the children about it, let them know that getting into this new school wasn't easy!"

Unable to refuse, Chen Ling had no choice but to walk to the front of the crowd.

Looking at the familiar faces before him—elders, peers, and children gazing at him expectantly—a surge of warmth welled up in his heart.

"Fellow villagers, I don't really have much to say."

Chen Ling cleared his throat, his voice not loud but clear: "Building a school is so that the children in our village can have a better place to study, and it is for the future of Chenwangzhuang."

"It's only right that I put in some effort and thought. Which of you here hasn't worried about this? Who hasn't hoped your children would be successful?"

"So, this school was built by all of us together. The construction workers worked hard, and the men and women from our village who helped also worked hard."

He paused, looking at the bright-eyed children:
"Children, once the new school is built, you must study hard and not let down your parents' expectations, nor the hard work of so many uncles, elders, and grandfathers."

"When you grow up and become capable, don't forget Chenwangzhuang, and don't forget to give back to your hometown."

After he finished speaking, the room was quiet for a moment, then burst into enthusiastic applause.

Wang Laishun's eyes were a little red as he shouted, "Fugui is right! We people of Chenwangzhuang should have this spirit! Kids, your Uncle Fugui is your role model. Study hard and get to work!"

"Let's get to work!"

At a shout, the experienced construction workers were the first to get to work.

The first shovelful of soil being thrown up during the excavation of the foundation marked the official start of the village primary school expansion project.

Chen Ling was surrounded by a group of villagers talking to him. One asked when the school would be completed, and another asked if more teachers could be recruited in the future.

Liang Yuemin and Zhang Lihua watched from the sidelines, deeply moved.

"This kind of cohesion is rarely seen in the city," Liang Yuemin sighed softly.

“Yes.” Zhang Lihua nodded: “Ah Ling is truly treated like family here. That kind of trust and closeness can’t be faked.”

"In some places, you spend money but don't get any benefits, and you're even treated like a sucker..."

……

"Break ground!"

Wang Laishun gave another shout, and several experienced workers he had hired, along with strong laborers, wielded shovels and dug the first shovelful of soil within the marked white lines.

The villagers who had gathered around burst into enthusiastic applause and cheers, and the children jumped around excitedly, as if they could already see the brand-new, bright classroom.

"Fugui, come over and lend a hand. Check if the foundation is deep enough," Wang Laishun called to Chen Ling.

Chen Ling walked over, squatted down, and carefully examined the newly dug soil layer, then measured its depth with his hand:
"Fifth Uncle, this depth is fine. Our soil is hard and solid, and there's an old soil layer below, so it's very firm. The key is to make sure the drainage ditches around the perimeter are in place so that there won't be any water accumulation during the rainy season."

"Don't worry, we'll follow the blueprints exactly. The master craftsman is experienced."

Wang Laishun smiled and offered her a cigarette: "By the way, the start-of-work lunch... when is a convenient time? Everyone's been looking forward to your cooking."

Chen Ling took the cigarette but didn't light it, instead tucking it behind his ear:
"Let's do it the day after tomorrow. I need to take Afu and Ashou out for a walk later. We need to take care of things in Yangtougou. I'll come over early the day after tomorrow at noon and set up two big pots here. Let's make something substantial."

"Okay! It's settled!"

Wang Laishun beamed: "I'll have Lixian and Jusheng prepare the meat and vegetables, they'll be the freshest they can get!"

"Did you all hear that? The day after tomorrow at noon, Fugui is going to cook a big pot of food for us..."

"it is good!"

"Wealthy and righteous!"

A cheer and applause immediately erupted from below.

Chen Ling's cooking skills are recognized as unparalleled in the village. Since last year, people have been asking him to cook for every family's wedding or funeral.

Now that he has taken on the job, everyone is even more motivated.

As they were talking, Rui Rui and Xiao Ming, along with Liu Ni'er, Xi Zi, and a bunch of other mischievous kids, started playing on the mounds of earth dug out at the edge of the construction site.

Wang Zhenzhen, on the other hand, acted like a supervisor, with her hands behind her back, looking around and pointing at things, behaving like a little adult.

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