Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Various green vegetables and radishes planted in September have grown very well after nearly a month.

Ever since they were seedlings, Wen Qian had been picking vegetables from the fields.

The young greens were very tender and juicy. She pulled out some to set aside.

In addition to eating some, Wen Qian cleaned the rest and bundled them up to store in her space. She didn't buy many green vegetables since there were some growing in the fields that she kept picking.

The seeds had been sown very densely, so the greens grew crowded together. Auntie Chen told her that she needed to thin them.

Especially in winter, there really weren't many green vegetables that could be eaten in her hometown. Every year during the Spring Festival, the green peppers and celery sold on the street would cost 10 yuan per jin.

The colder the weather, the more expensive the greens became.

Wen Qian basically stored a batch every day. The young greens grew thickly clustered. If they weren't thinned, they wouldn't grow well later on.

Auntie Chen would also occasionally pick some tender ones from the field and bundle them to sell on the street, but there were quite a few people already selling these greens since they were seasonal. The price was very cheap.

The locals rarely grew off-season vegetables, so when certain vegetables became oversupplied in season, the price would drop.

In October, Uncle Chen told her that they could start making charcoal.

With their consent, Wen Qian began filming their charcoal-making process―hauling branches into the kiln pit, arranging them, sealing the opening, lighting the fire, and seeing smoke emerge from the vent holes on top. This kiln could only be opened the next day.

The results of the first batch actually turned out quite well. The charcoal pieces made a crisp tingling sound.

Uncle Chen said a second batch still needed to be made. He felt that since it would be cold this winter, making some more wouldn't hurt. It could be sold in town.

If Wen Qian wanted to make charcoal, she could go first.

She declined since the kiln was originally maintained and used by them. She told Uncle Chen to finish up before she started.

And after Uncle Chen made charcoal a few more times, she would watch and learn. Then she could try it herself. It was another skill to pick up―the more skills, the better.

Uncle Chen smiled. Many of the things they had learned in the past, young people nowadays didn't even know about, let alone seen them before.

Wen Qian had stored so much firewood, made charcoal, stocked up on coal, and hoarded vegetables. Along with the agricultural crops she had bought earlier that autumn, she had basically spent all the money she wanted to for now.

The self-defense equipment that had been on her mind―she had started purchasing materials and components ever since arriving in An City.

Tinkering with them all this time, she now basically had everything she needed.

However, most of the production was done behind closed doors. She would test them out in the mountains afterwards before storing them in her space.

Sometimes she would go out during the day, then hike in the mountains and eat lunch alone there, before heading back home before sunset.

In the past, she might have been scared. But now, she was constantly building up her courage.

The path ahead was one she would have to walk alone regardless of whether it went through woods or streams. She felt she was becoming more and more like those lone survivors in the videos.

When Auntie Fang came to find her and saw her watching these wilderness survival shows so often, she also asked why Wen Qian liked these kinds of programs.

Wen Qian said she didn't like lively shows with big crowds, not even rural living shows if there were too many people.

And survival shows were very educational―skills and methods that might never be used could be found in them. If anything unexpected happened one day, they might end up saving her life.

After Fang Ya came back, she set up a wireless network card to have Internet access when at home. She also taught her in-laws how to get online. Her father-in-law seemed quite interested in online shopping, while her mother-in-law really enjoyed watching shows.

It happened to be the off-season for farming at the moment, so they also had time for the Internet.

One morning after breakfast, Fang Ya was changing clothes upstairs, preparing to go chat with Wen Qian, when she heard the sound of a vehicle downstairs.

Glancing out the window, she saw someone parking a small car at their front door. Fang Ya assumed it was a family relative visiting.

"Who are you looking for?" Auntie Chen asked. Fang Ya listened in from the upstairs window.

"Um, let me ask, does a family with the surname Wen live here? Wen as in the character for culture?" A middle-aged woman got out from the car, smiling politely as she asked.

"Who are you? Why are you looking for the Wen family? What business?" Auntie Chen was wary of strangers.

It was very rare for outsiders to come here. Sometimes there would be scammers coming through, either claiming they dug up gold or peddling fake medicine and quack treatments.