Transmigrated into the role of the matriarch, I ensured my family had enough to eat and wear during

Yang Gousheng noticed Tang Susu's gaze and felt increasingly uneasy. He simply put down the shovel in his hand, quickly walked to her side, pulled her a few steps to a quieter place, and said in a low voice, "Sister, the soil where Brother Dafu got stuck is particularly soft. I just dug a couple of times and dug out several thick and large lotus roots. Let's move to this side to dig; it'll save a lot of effort."

Tang Susu nodded and followed him over. She bent down and touched the soil, which was indeed much softer than other places.

This lotus pond has been dry for so long that most of it is cracked like a tortoise shell, but here it is covered with long and dense weeds, and it is located deep in the old forest, so no one had noticed it before.

Tang Susu, with a background in humanities, knew a bit about geography and instinctively felt that there might be a water source hidden beneath this soft soil.

If we can pinpoint the location of the water source, we can dig ditches to divert the water, which might irrigate the village's rice paddies and alleviate the drought.

Since she couldn't pinpoint the water source right now, she temporarily put aside the idea and focused on digging up lotus roots.

Before long, other villagers also discovered this soft patch of land and gathered around to dig it up.

With the help of loose soil, the efficiency of digging lotus roots was greatly improved. Originally, it was estimated that three to four thousand catties of lotus roots could be dug up, but in the end, four to five thousand catties were dug up, which was nearly a thousand catties more than expected.

In order to transport these life-saving grains home as soon as possible, the villagers put in all their effort and dug until midnight before they had completely dug up all the lotus roots in the entire lotus pond.

Although everyone was exhausted with aches and pains in their backs and numbness in their arms, looking at the abundance of lotus roots filled them with a warm feeling, and they didn't feel tired at all.

Everyone also took the initiative to help each other, packing up their lotus roots and transporting them to the village in trip after trip.

With every household having stockpiled enough food, the villagers of Yangqu Village finally felt relieved, and their sense of security greatly improved.

As dawn broke and the sky began to lighten, the villagers of Yangqu Village, exhausted, returned home and went straight to sleep.

Tang Susu also took her four boys home. She roughly estimated that the four boys had dug up about two hundred catties of lotus roots that day.

Fortunately, the family had a cellar used for storing grain, so she neatly placed the lotus roots, still covered in soil, into the cellar.

Storing it with the soil on helps preserve it better, and it can last for at least two months.

As for the lotus roots that had already been cleaned of mud, Tang Susu asked Miao Yulan to wash them, put them in a pot and steam them until cooked, intending to make dried lotus root, which would then be used to stir-fry with meat in the future, and the flavor would definitely be good.

The next morning, as the morning light streamed through the window into the courtyard, Miao Yulan was already busy in the kitchen.

Following Tang Susu's instructions, she cleaned the bamboo rat that Tang Susu had brought back yesterday, stewed it with lotus root, and also steamed a batch of plump white steamed buns.

The rich aroma of meat mixed with the sweet scent of lotus root filled the entire courtyard.

The four boys, who were still fast asleep, were so enticed by the aroma that they could no longer fall asleep. They rubbed their sleepy eyes, stumbled to the dining table, and sat down, their eyes fixed on the kitchen, eager to eat.

Tang Liqiang swallowed hard and reached out to pick up some food from the dish on the table, but Tang Susu gently slapped his hand as soon as he did so.

"What's the rush?" Tang Susu looked at him. "Grandpa and Grandma haven't eaten yet, let's send them a portion first."

Yang Xiaobao blinked his big, round eyes, tilted his little face up, and praised, "Mommy is so good to Grandpa and Grandma!"

Tang Susu patted his head and took the opportunity to educate the children: "Your grandparents are the ones who gave birth to your father. Your father sacrificed his life for the country on the battlefield and didn't have time to be filial to your parents. As his family, we should fulfill this filial duty on his behalf, understand?"

Yang Xiaobao nodded emphatically, his little face full of seriousness: "I understand, Mother! When I grow up, I will take good care of you!"

Tang Susu smiled, filled a bowl with bamboo rat stewed with lotus root, added two large white steamed buns, and handed it to Yang Xiaobao: "Take this to Grandpa and Grandma."

"Alright!" Yang Xiaobao carefully walked out of the yard with the steaming bowl in his hand and ran quickly towards Old Yang's house.

When he arrived at Old Yang's house, he immediately saw Old Yang's wife busy in the kitchen. He quickly ran over, shoved the bowl into her hands, and said only, "My mother asked me to deliver this," before turning to run away.

When Old Lady Yang looked down, she saw that the bowl contained oily meat and tenderly stewed lotus roots, which smelled delicious.

She overheard the villagers talking about it yesterday, saying that Tang Susu was lucky to have caught a large bamboo rat in the mountains, and it was obvious at a glance that it was bamboo rat meat.

She was never used to eating alone, so she immediately poured all the bamboo rat meat and broth from her bowl into the millet and vegetable porridge that was cooking in the pot, and then called out to Yang Xiaobao, who was trying to run away.

Just then, Madam Shen got up and went into the courtyard. Old Mrs. Yang turned to her and said, "Go to the cellar and fetch ten catties of lotus roots."

When Shen saw Yang Xiaobao standing to the side, she immediately understood that this was meant for the third branch of the family.

A surge of resentment welled up in her heart—Tang Susu hadn't done much work in the mountains yesterday, yet she had the nerve to send her child to the ancestral home to ask for lotus roots. How shameless!

Despite her dissatisfaction, she dared not disobey Old Lady Yang's orders and could only reluctantly turn around and go to the cellar to get the lotus root.

Old Mrs. Yang put the ten catties of lotus roots that Shen had brought into a basket and handed it to Yang Xiaobao. She was about to tell him to drive carefully when Yang Xiaobao took the basket, said "Thank you, Grandma," and ran off in a flash.

Old Mrs. Yang smiled helplessly, watching Xiao Bao's retreating figure. She noticed that the child was much more cheerful and lively than before, and his clothes were clean and tidy, no longer the dirty child he used to be.

As Shen swept the yard, she couldn't contain her resentment any longer. She muttered complaints under her breath as she swept, "They're unwilling to put in the effort to dig up the lotus roots, yet they have the nerve to come to the ancestral home and ask for them. They really know how to take advantage."

Old Mrs. Yang overheard this, and she frowned, thinking to herself that her second son's wife was too narrow-minded.

She saw the Shen family secretly going to the mountains to dig up lotus roots the night before last, but she didn't hold it against them. Now they're complaining that she's being biased.

Just as Old Mrs. Yang was about to say something to her, she heard Yang Erfu exclaim in surprise, "Mother! The millet and wild vegetable porridge this morning smells so good!"

Yang Fangjuan also crowded around the pot, her eyes wide with surprise, and exclaimed, "There's meat! There's meat in the porridge!"

Old Mrs. Yang smiled and said to the children, "I didn't make this. Your third aunt asked Bao'er to bring over bamboo rat meat, which she specially added to the porridge to improve everyone's meals."

As she spoke, she deliberately turned to Yang Dafu and asked, "Did I give Xiaobao too much lotus root to take back?"

Yang Dafu, who was holding a bowl of porridge, immediately shook his head vigorously upon hearing this, smacked his lips, and said, "Not much, not much! Even if I had to trade twenty catties of lotus roots for a bite of meat, I'd be happy!"

Standing to the side, Shen understood instantly that Old Lady Yang was making sarcastic remarks about her.

Her face flushed crimson instantly, so ashamed she wanted to disappear into a hole and never dared to utter another sound.

On the other side, the six members of the Tang family were already sitting around the dining table, on which was a large bowl of fragrant bamboo rat stewed with lotus root.

Bamboo rat meat is bright red in color and has a delicate texture, as if it carries the vibrant spirit of the mountains and forests;

The lotus root, soaked in the rich broth, is soft, sweet, and fragrant, with each slice glistening with an enticing sheen.

Everyone picked up a large white steamed bun, tore off a piece, soaked it in the bamboo rat meat soup, and then stuffed it into their mouths—the bun absorbed all the soup, becoming soft, chewy, and flavorful, perfectly complementing the tender bamboo rat meat.

Pick up a piece of bamboo rat meat and put it in your mouth. The tender and juicy taste instantly spreads on your tongue. The aroma of the meat and the fragrance of the seasonings intertwine, creating a rich and layered flavor. It also has a unique chewiness, and the more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes.

After the meal, the whole family ate until their bellies were round and full, leaning back in their chairs with satisfaction, and couldn't help but sigh and say, "These days are so wonderful, I hope we can live like this forever."

Just as the Tang family was enjoying their post-dinner leisurely time, Aunt Liu's voice called from outside the courtyard gate: "Is Tang Susu home?"

Tang Susu stood up and walked into the yard. She saw Aunt Liu carrying a basket with five large, long lotus roots inside. The roots were intact and looked very fresh.

"Aunt Liu, is there something you need?" Tang Susu asked with a smile.

Aunt Liu shoved the basket in her hand into her arms and said in a curt tone, "You gave our family half a basket of chestnuts two days ago, here's yours back."

Tang Susu quickly pushed the basket back and explained, "Aunt Liu, you're being too polite. The corn has helped me a lot these past few days, digging for wild vegetables, carrying water, and chopping firewood. It's more than enough to make up for those chestnuts. You should take the lotus root back with you."

Aunt Liu was a little embarrassed by what she said, her face flushed slightly. She stopped arguing with her, put the basket on the ground, said, "I've left the lotus roots here, you have to take them whether you want them or not," and then picked up the empty basket and walked away quickly.

Tang Susu watched her hurried departure and couldn't help but chuckle.

She bent down to pick up the basket from the ground, thinking to herself: This Aunt Liu, although she had a stern face and spoke in a harsh tone the whole time, is straightforward and sincere, and has no bad intentions. She is someone worth getting to know better.