Courtyard House: After disbanding the Elderly Care Gang, I went to the countryside to cultivate immo

With Lin Shengli's military guarantee, Shuanzi led them deeper and deeper into the mountains and forests in the days that followed.

At first, they just wandered around the back mountain, but gradually, they became familiar with the narrow paths and dared to venture into the old forest.

Needless to say, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and pine nuts were found, and they also discovered patches of wild pear trees, whose small fruits were sweet and sour.

On the sunny hillside, dark purple mountain grapes hang from the vines. Take a bite, and the rich fruity aroma will melt in your mouth.

Occasionally, you can find a few Schisandra chinensis plants, their bright red fruits strung together, serving as both a medicinal herb and a snack.

Lin Shengli's consciousness spread out quietly, like an invisible net.

Within a 100-meter radius, you can clearly see where there is a dense hazelnut grove, which old pine tree has the fullest pine cones, and even a few nuts hidden under the fallen leaves that have been forgotten by squirrels.

He didn't point it out directly, but subtly guided the conversation: "Shuanzi, shall we walk towards that hillside to the east? I see the woods are dense there."

Upon arrival, they indeed reaped a bountiful harvest.

After several attempts, even Shuanzi scratched his head and muttered, "Brother Shengli, your eyesight is amazing! It's even better than mine, who grew up in the mountains!"

The harvest was substantial. In one corner of the educated youth settlement courtyard, a simple shed was erected using old mats and tarpaulins, inside which chestnuts, hazelnuts, and pine nuts were piled up into small mounds.

The firewood stacks in Lin Shengli's own courtyard and Hu Liu's grandmother's house are even more spectacular, with the chopped firewood neatly stacked, almost as high as the courtyard wall.

The mountain produce was plentiful, and everyone received a substantial share, weighing over 200 jin (100 kg) each, including skin and husk.

This was an astonishing fortune in an era of scarcity.

Of course, this harvest comes from day after day of hard work.

After traversing mountains and valleys, venturing through forests and climbing slopes, one often suffers from backaches and sore waists by the end of the day.

Apart from Lin Shengli, whose physical abilities far surpass those of ordinary people, Li Kuiyong, Jiang Yuanchao, and Wei Jun all gritted their teeth and persevered.

Our bodies were exhausted, but our spirits were high. Every new achievement brought a sense of satisfaction that we had never experienced in the city.

Time passed by amidst the changing colors of the mountains and forests, and before we knew it, it was the end of the ninth lunar month.

That morning, Lin Shengli got up as usual.

As soon as I pushed open the door, a chilling blast of air hit me, accompanied by large snowflakes that seemed to seep into the room.

He looked outside and was taken aback—yesterday it was a world of vibrant autumn colors, but overnight it was covered in a blanket of white.

The snow was still falling steadily, covering the world in a white blanket. The woodpile and fence in the yard were covered with a thick layer of snow, which was estimated to be about ten centimeters deep.

He quickly closed the door to keep out the cold, then turned around and added a few pieces of hard firewood to the stove hole to make the fire burn brighter.

Then they lit the tin stove in the center of the room, and the orange-red flames leaped up, slowly dispelling the chill in the room.

Boil a kettle of water and wash up with the warm water.

Lin Shengli sat on a small stool by the stove, and with a slight thought, took out two sweet potatoes from his spatial storage.

These sweet potatoes, optimized by the cave space, have a purplish-red skin and are uniformly sized.

He used tongs to pry open the oven lid and placed the sweet potatoes on the edge of the oven plate to roast slowly.

Soon, a unique sweet fragrance filled the air.

The aroma was rich and warm, with a caramel-like allure, far more intense than that of ordinary sweet potatoes.

Once the sweet potato skin was slightly charred and wrinkled and the inside was soft and translucent, Lin Shengli picked one up with tongs and tossed it between his hands to cool it down.

Then carefully break it open, and the golden-red flesh is steaming hot, with the sugar syrup almost flowing out, instantly doubling the sweetness.

He took a small bite. The soft, delicate flesh melted in his mouth, the exquisite sweetness mixed with the unique aroma of charcoal roasting, instantly conquering his taste buds.

With the help of the soil and water, and the nourishment of spiritual energy, this sweet potato tastes absolutely divine.

Just as he finished eating, Li Kuiyong's loud shout rang out from outside the courtyard gate: "Victory! Open the gate! It's snowing heavily!"

Lin Shengli got up and opened the door. He saw Li Kuiyong wrapped in an old cotton-padded coat, his head covered in snow, and he was walking on his feet, his breath steaming in the air. Jiang Yuanchao and Wei Jun were nowhere to be seen.

"Why are you alone? Where are the other two?" Lin Shengli stepped aside to let him in.

Li Kuiyong shook the snow off his body and chuckled, "Those two lads, Yuanchao and Junzi, said they'd never seen snow this early and so thick in the city since they were kids. Once the novelty wore off, they chickened out, complaining of the cold, and huddled on the kang wrapped in blankets like quails! I couldn't stay inside anyway, so I wandered over."

Upon entering the house, I was greeted by a wave of warmth from the heating system.

Li Kuiyong immediately spotted another roasted sweet potato on the stove, its enticing aroma wafting into his nose.

"Wow! Your sweet potatoes... they smell so good!" He leaned closer and took a deep sniff, his face full of surprise. "I've never smelled sweet potatoes smell so good before!"

Lin Shengli laughed and said, "It smells good, but it's the taste that's amazing. This one is yours."

Li Kuiyong didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up the still-hot sweet potato, blew on it, and took a big bite.

"Mmm! Hot hot hot... Delicious! It smells fucking amazing!" He gasped, his words muffled. "Shengli, where did you get these sweet potatoes? I've never eaten anything this good in my life! They're sweet, soft, and have a sandy texture!"

"Don't worry about that. I'll give you some seedlings next spring. You can plant them in the vegetable garden behind the educated youth compound. This variety has a high yield and tastes good." Lin Shengli handed over a bowl of hot water.

Li Kuiyong nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining. The vegetable plot that the educated youth had cultivated was quite large; planting sweet potatoes would ensure a better supply of food and snacks for the autumn and winter.

The two were chatting around the stove, discussing their plans to go into the mountains in the snow, when footsteps and a familiar call came from outside the courtyard gate: "Shengli! Are you home?"

Lin Shengli opened the door again and saw production team leader Hu Guangming wearing a cotton coat, walking through the snow with uneven steps, his face showing some urgency, and his eyebrows and stubble covered with a layer of white frost.

"Captain, come inside quickly! Why did you come over in such heavy snow? Is there something urgent?" Lin Shengli hurriedly ushered Hu Guangming into the house.

Hu Guangming sat down by the stove, warmed his hands by the fire, and looked up with a smile: "Great news! Excellent news! The township just issued a notice asking each production team to recommend a politically reliable and educated young man to participate in barefoot doctor training in the county. As soon as I received the notice, you were the first person I thought of!"

He took a sip of the hot water Lin Shengli handed him and continued, "Although you've often treated the villagers' headaches and fevers, and done massages and bone setting, that's not a formal title. Once you attend this training, pass the exam, and get the certificate, you'll be our village's officially registered barefoot doctor! This is based on work points, and the pay is about the same as that of a strong laborer. You won't have to work in the fields like everyone else every day anymore."

Lin Shengli's heart skipped a beat.

He naturally knew about barefoot doctors, which was an important measure to solve the problem of lack of medical care and medicine in rural areas at that time. The training could systematically learn basic medical knowledge and obtain officially recognized qualifications, which was indeed a good cover and identity for him, allowing him to arrange his time for cultivation more freely.

"Captain, how long will this training last? Where will it be held?"

"At the township health center, it usually takes three months. Last year, our team recommended Hu Dongliang to go, but..." Hu Guangming shook his head and sighed, "That kid was a blockhead. He spent three months there, failed the assessment, and came back dejectedly. When I asked him, he said that those medical books gave him a headache and he never wanted to go again."

Three months... Lin Shengli frowned slightly; it was a considerable amount of time.

"Uncle Captain," Lin Shengli asked thoughtfully, "is it possible to skip the training and go directly to the assessment? If I can pass the assessment?"

Hu Guangming paused for a moment, then shook his head: "That won't do! Rules are rules. Training is a mandatory process. The county organizes it uniformly, and each township health center arranges the training. Food and accommodation are provided, and there are teachers to give lectures and guide practical exercises. It's all to lay a solid foundation. There's no precedent for skipping the training and going straight to the exam."

Lin Shengli fell silent, weighing the pros and cons.

The time cost of three months is indeed considerable, but in exchange for a legal and relatively free "barefoot doctor" status, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks in the long run.

With this identity, it will be much easier for him to collect herbs, study medicinal materials, and even do other things in the future.

More importantly, he can make a real contribution to the small mountain village that accepted him.

Thinking of this, he raised his head, his eyes hardening: "Okay, Captain, I'll go. When do we leave?"

When Hu Guangming saw him agree, his wrinkles widened into a smile: "Good! That's great! Shengli, I knew you were a responsible and conscientious guy! Becoming a barefoot doctor isn't just a good thing for you, it's a blessing for our whole village. From now on, the township health center can also provide us with some commonly used medicines every month based on the number of barefoot doctors, so the villagers won't have to travel far for minor illnesses." He calculated the days, "The training starts at the beginning of October, it'll be over in a few days. I'll have Dongliang hitch up the cart and take you to the township to catch the bus to the county."

Having accomplished this important task, Hu Guangming gave a few more instructions on the preparations before getting up with satisfaction and heading back through the thick snow.

The room fell silent again.

Li Kuiyong then spoke, his tone full of envy and joy for his brother: "Great job, Shengli! This good thing really fell into your lap! Barefoot doctor, that sounds awesome! From now on, we'll all be counting on you for any minor injuries or illnesses!"

Lin Shengli smiled and added a piece of firewood to the stove. The firelight illuminated his profile. "Opportunity favors the prepared mind. Kui Yong, if you want 'good things' to happen to you in the future, you'd better start preparing now."

Li Kuiyong was puzzled: "Prepare for what?"

"Study," Lin Shengli said seriously, his eyes earnest. "I have complete junior high and high school textbooks here. The country needs talent for development. Most of us educated youth have put down our books, but one day in the future, the country will definitely need people who pick up their books again. At that time, whoever is prepared will be able to seize the opportunity to change their destiny."

Li Kuiyong scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed: "Shengli, you know me, I get sleepy as soon as I start reading, and my grades were just so-so back in school..."

"You have to keep studying, even if you're tired!" Lin Shengli's tone became more forceful. "Kuiyong, we're brothers, that's why I'm telling you this. Think long-term. It's winter now, you have plenty of time. Even if you only study for an hour or two a day, if you keep at it, the accumulated points will be significant. It's better than being idle all day or only thinking about the work points you have right now. Do you want to spend your whole life toiling in the fields, or waiting for some unknown year to be recruited back to the city?"

Li Kuiyong lowered his head, unconsciously clutching the skin of a roasted sweet potato in his hand. He knew Lin Shengli meant well and that what he said made sense. After a while, he raised his head, a hint of determination in his eyes: "You're right. Anyway, with this heavy snow, there's not much we can do. You're at training, so we're even more idle. The book... I'll take it back and look at it, just to pass the time and keep my brain from rusting."

Lin Shengli smiled with satisfaction: "That's right. Learning isn't about being slow, it's about not stopping. You've already taken a step ahead of many people who have completely abandoned their books. If you keep moving fast, you'll be ahead in everything." He got up and went into the inner room, took out a set of junior high school textbooks wrapped in old newspapers, covering Chinese, math, English, physics, and chemistry, and handed them to Li Kuiyong.

"Kuiyong, it's snowing heavily and the roads are slippery today. Have lunch here with me, we'll make something hot. When you go back this afternoon, take this set of books with you. I think Yuanchao has a good foundation in learning. If you don't understand something, ask him more questions. If you build a solid foundation, you'll be able to seize opportunities when they come."

Li Kuiyong took the heavy stack of textbooks, nodded heavily, and felt the unique smell and weight of the paper, which gradually calmed him down.