dognovel Chapter 81 Catching Butterflies
Chapter 81 Catching Butterflies
"Mom, take a break and peel some peanuts for us. We plan to distribute some peanuts and peas and put them in mushroom oil. It will taste better this way."
"Okay, then bring me the peanuts." Old Mrs. Zhou agreed immediately. Adding some peanuts and peas to the mushroom oil would indeed increase the aroma. Her daughter-in-law was quite thoughtful.
Boss Zhou moved a few dusty cans from the corner of the woodshed and started to scrub them. It was not enough for him to scrub them clean inside and out, he also scalded them with hot water twice before he stopped.
If they filled all these jars, the family would not be able to finish them even if they lived through the winter.
Even though we were very tired, we were very happy.
The remaining work was to boil lard and mushroom oil. The children were unable to help, so they each went about their own business.
In addition to Zhou Mingqin, Zhou Mingzhi led his younger brothers and sisters to write on the ground. It was not him who was teaching his younger brothers and sisters, but his younger brothers and sisters who were teaching him.
Boss Zhou passed by his son and couldn't help laughing when he saw this scene. "Boss, what's wrong with your brain? Were you kicked by a cow when you were a child? I'm already 30 or 40 years old. Your brother taught you several times and I learned it by listening. Why haven't you learned it yet?"
Zhou Mingzhi scratched his head. He didn't know why, they were born by the same parents and taught by the same teacher, but others could learn it but he couldn't. He was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead.
"Dad, you can't say that about my brother. Can't you see that he is working hard to learn? He just learns slowly. San Ya said that we should 'teach students in accordance with their aptitude'."
Boss Zhou didn't understand what 'teaching students in accordance with their aptitude' meant. Seeing his daughter defending her son so much, he had to walk away, choosing not to disturb them or annoy them.
Old Mrs. Zhou was watching her grandchildren learning to read, and suddenly she remembered that Youcai said he also wanted to learn to read. How could she have forgotten that?
"Boss, when you have time, tell Youcai that if his son and daughter want to learn to read, let them learn from Dazhi. Youcai is right. Teaching one is the same as teaching two. It doesn't matter how many children can recognize."
Boss Zhou responded while tidying up the chicken coop and said he would go and talk to him when he had time.
"Mom, it's not going to work for our chicken coop to stay like this. How about I go cut some bamboo and clean up the chicken coop?"
"You can decide on your own. I wanted you to make some adobe to make it sturdy. Since you want to use bamboo, you can use bamboo."
Zhou Mingqin and her aunt made some noodles together, added some bean sprouts and wild vegetables, and crushed eggs, and each of them had a bowl for a simple meal.
Boiling mushroom oil is the big project today. After the noodles are cooked and served, another pot is also filled with mushroom oil.
By the afternoon, except for Liu and Zhu who were still watching the mushroom oil in the pot, everyone else was busy with other things.
Old Mrs. Zhou was cutting clothes in the main room with her young daughter-in-law. They finally had some free time, so she had to cut out the cloth to make two sets of clothes for the children.
Zhou Lao Da took his two sons to the mountain to cut some bamboo, while Zhou Mingqin and her sister were bottling the ointment.
They just made these ointments yesterday. San Ya was busy working as a laborer in the town, so they had to make these things to fulfill their purpose.
When they finished all the work, it was still early, so she took out her sewing basket and started making sachets with her grandmother and aunt. She was also a person who couldn't sit still.
Seeing that everyone had something to do, Zhou Mingqi and Si Ya just sat together and stared blankly.
"Si Ya, let's take our small baskets and go out. Everyone is working, and we can't eat for free. We have to contribute to the Zhou family."
"Second sister, how can we help? But the sun is so strong now, can we wear hats?"
Zhou Minghua’s reminder was very timely, forcing Zhou Mingqi to change his steps.
Si Ya is right. The sun is so strong that you will get tanned even without a straw hat.
"Wait a minute, I'll get the straw hat."
The two sisters put on straw hats, carried small baskets and went to the foot of the mountain. Even if they were just digging some wild vegetables, they were not idle.
Zhou Minghua was young, and after digging wild vegetables for a while, his heart flew away like a butterfly.
After a while, her trouser legs were covered with cockleburs, which pricked her and made her scream.
"Second sister, there are so many 'little green hedgehogs' on my pants, they bit me..." Zhou Minghua curled his lips, his eyes were red, and he was about to cry.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. What 'little hedgehog'? This is cocklebur, a grass seed. It won't bite you. Second sister will pick it for you."
Zhou Minghua stretched out her short legs, and Zhou Mingqi pulled them down in handfuls, causing even her pants to become hairy.
"Look, your pants don't look good anymore after letting you run around."
"But there are so many beautiful butterflies over there. I want to catch one."
Zhou Mingqi looked in the direction of Si Ya's gesture, and indeed, as she said, there were many butterflies inside.
But that place is not close to the road, and most people are reluctant to go there. No wonder there are so many cockleburs there.
"Okay, let's go take a look. Watch your step and be careful of snakes."
Zhou Mingqi pulled Zhou Minghua and slowly approached the bushes in front. Wherever they walked, butterflies would fly up in droves. There were not only yellow butterflies, but also light blue, white and black butterflies.
Zhou Mingqi cut a handful of grass, avoided the cockleburs on the ground, and swung it back and forth a few times, and she easily caught a few butterflies.
They fell to the ground, flapping their wings slightly, looking a little pitiful.
Zhou Minghua held them carefully in his hands and took great care of them.
"Okay, now that we've caught them, let's go back."
Zhou Mingqi returned to the place where he had dug wild vegetables before and continued to dig purslane and viola yedoensis at hand, occasionally digging some dandelions.
Soon, the bamboo basket was full and the two sisters went home together.
"Second sister, what should we use to hold the butterflies? If I let go, they will fly away."
Zhou Mingqi looked around at the things at home, but couldn't find a suitable utensil.
Feng then found a small lantern that she had saved from the New Year in the house, sealed the bottom of it, and put the butterfly inside.
There are ventilation holes on top so the butterflies won't be suffocated and can be seen from outside.
"Erya, come here, let me watch and compare." Old Mrs. Zhou picked up a few pieces of cloth and called Zhou Mingqi.
Zhou Mingqi ran over with a big grin on his face. "Grandma, have my clothes been cut? How come it's so fast?"
Old Mrs. Zhou also laughed out loud, "It's done. How can you not be fast in cutting clothes? The slow ones are coming up."
Zhou Mingqi and Zhou Mingshu are of similar height and build, only half a year apart in age. Once the clothing pattern for one is determined, the other's can be made quickly as well.
So Old Mrs. Zhou cut the clothes for the two of them first, and gave the rest of the embroidery to Daya, who then sewed the clothes together to complete them.