Reborn in 1985: Starting from Contracting a Ranch

Chapter 64 A Leisurely Winter Day

Shan Yaowen then stayed at home, tinkering with his wife, then went to work at the sheep pen, and then wandered around the woods to see if there were any unlucky souls.

In this blizzard, there's no way to do other business.

He desperately wanted to search his memory to see who in the village had hunted prey around that time, but unfortunately, it had been too long and he had forgotten, except for those two guns.

Lately, I don't know if the wild animals in the mountains have found something to eat or if they've been hunted, but I haven't been able to find any pheasants or rabbits around the sheep pen.

After wandering around empty-handed, Shan Yaowen went back.

"Awen, Shizhang just arrived. He said we're going to his house for dinner tonight."

As soon as Shan Yaowen got home, he heard Lin Nian's words.

"What's wrong? Is his dad better?" Shan Yaowen remembered that Shi Zhang had said before that he would definitely treat them to another meal once his dad was better.

"Yes, they said they wanted my brother and me to go together." Lin Nian said as she sat in the courtyard embroidering with her mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

They mostly do handicrafts, such as sewing clothing fabric, which is a local tradition; in addition to these, they also knit sweaters, hats, and scarves.

After all, this area is an agro-pastoral transition zone, and traditional customs of farming and herding still exist to some extent. During the winter off-season, rural women would do some handicrafts to supplement their family income.

That is, his ranch was established. Otherwise, in winter, the skilled people who could process wool and spin yarn would feel dizzy. At that time, the ranch did not have many machines, and it was almost all done by hand.

"Then I won't cook dinner for you tonight?" Upon hearing this, Mother Shan bit off the needle and thread with her teeth and looked at her second son.

"No need to do it."

Dan Yaowen sat down next to Lin Nian and reached out to straighten the threads in front of her: "By the way, when is your due date, sister-in-law?"

At first, Shi Fang didn't react when she heard the due date. After thinking for a moment, she realized that they were asking about when she would give birth. "It will probably be around the Chinese New Year period, about a month or so."

"Then we need to prepare properly."

"Don't worry, I've been through this before, I know."

"Have you decided on a name yet?"

Upon hearing this, the mother waved her hand, "That's your older brother's business. But you, when are you going to get the baby out?"

"Mom, aren't you rushing us a bit too early? We've only been married for a short time, less than half a month, right?" Shan Yaowen was a little exasperated.

His mother is good in every other way, except that she always wants her two sons to get married and have children.

Although he had feelings for Lin Nian before, he never expected to get married so soon. When his mother found out, she immediately sent someone to propose marriage.

He planned to focus on his career first, but unexpectedly got married first.

But to be honest, sleeping with a partner is definitely more comfortable than sleeping alone.

With dinnertime approaching, Shan Yaowen and Lin Nian tidied up the house and prepared a jar of fruit and a box of steamed egg cakes.

These items were gifts from relatives and friends when the couple got married. To save themselves the trouble of shopping, they simply brought these.

At that time, canned fruit was a rare treat, and ordinary people wouldn't dare to eat it.

Leftover melon seeds and peanuts from the banquet were kept by the family for their own consumption, but more expensive items such as canned fruit and steamed egg cakes were basically locked in the cupboard and kept for giving as gifts.

"By the way, how much did we get paid for the banquet?" Shan Yaowen suddenly asked while Lin Nian was changing her clothes.

"What's wrong?" Lin Nian asked Shan Yaowen with a puzzled look after changing into clean clothes. "Do you need money?"

"No, let's see how much money we have now. I'll plan how many sheep to buy and maybe lease some pasture."

Upon hearing this, Lin Nian rummaged through her dowry chest and then took out a plastic bag wrapped in a new towel.

Inside the booklet was a personal record and a stack of loose change.

"I received a total of 378 yuan in gifts, spent 150 yuan on the banquet, and there's the more than 800 yuan you gave me. I now have more than 1,000 yuan at home."

While Lin Nian was counting the money, Shan Yaowen picked up the gift book and looked at it. The gifts were mostly 2 or 5 yuan, but his brother-in-law gave 10 yuan, which was considered a generous gift at the time.

Don't be fooled by the large sum of money you've received; you'll likely have to repay these favors later.

This booklet will also serve as proof of how much favors or gifts were given when attending banquets at other people's homes in the future.

"It's alright, a little over a thousand. I'll keep a few hundred for household expenses and daily costs. Later, I'll see if there's a chance to expand the ranch. Once the sheep flock is established, the cattle and horse herds can also be put on the agenda..."

Lin Nian felt incredibly satisfied watching Shan Yaowen mutter to himself. Her man was so ambitious. So she went over, cupped his face, and kissed him.

"What's wrong? Stop messing around. We're going to eat. We'll be back tonight..." Shan Yaowen said, but his hands were already wandering over his wife's body.

Before Shan Yaowen could finish speaking, Lin Nian slapped him. "I was just a little touched, and now you're talking about this? Can't you think of anything else besides what's going on in your crotch?"

"Didn't you start all this kissing and fussing here first?" Shan Yaowen looked at Lin Nian with a wronged expression. He was just thinking about something when she came up and kissed him. Who would have thought that it was obvious?

"That was a reward for your ambition."

"..."

Shan Yaowen finally learned what it felt like to not try to reason with a woman.

She kisses herself as encouragement, and touches herself a couple of times as a sign she wants to touch and have some fun.

Who is it that wants to touch and mess with every day?

Fortunately, the two of them knew they had important business to attend to, and after arguing for a while, they picked up their things and headed towards Team Five.

When they arrived at Shi Zhang's house, he was probably already waiting. He opened the door as soon as they knocked and warmly ushered Shan Yaowen and his wife inside, saying, "Come in, come in, the food is almost ready, we've been waiting for you two."

"It smells wonderful. Looks like I've come at just the right time," Shan Yaowen smiled.

Shi Zhang smiled and led the two inside, saying, "Indeed, the timing is perfect."

"Come on, let uncle see if your little penis has grown up yet?"

When Shan Yaowen went in, Lin Hao had already arrived and was playing with Shi Zhang's son in the main room.

Hearing the noise, he went inside and saw his mother taking off someone else's pants.

"No way, is this how you take care of a child as an uncle?" Lin Nian felt that her older brother was embarrassing, like a weird uncle.

Hearing the sound, Lin Hao turned to look at his sister and brother-in-law. "What's wrong? Just teasing the child."

"When my nephew is born, I'll be just as funny."

Lin Nian looked at her older brother warily: "Then I definitely won't let you, my uncle, take care of him, lest you corrupt my son."

Shan Yaowen put the things at Shi Zhang's house, then went to check on Shi Tingyue. "Uncle, are you feeling better now?"

Shi Tingyue chuckled and handed a pack of cigarettes to Shan Yaowen: "You're alright, your back still hurts a bit, but it won't stop you from working. How's your dad?"

"He's much better now, but he still needs some time to recover."

When Shan Yaowen arrived, Gou Dan stopped playing with the children and sat down to talk with them. Lin Nian went to find Shi Zhang's wife to keep her company while she cooked.

Before long, they heard Shi Zhang calling for dinner.

When Shan Yaowen arrived, the table was already set up. Although it looked a bit worn, it was clean.

Several dishes were laid out on the table: a plate of sauerkraut stewed with tofu, a plate of braised fish, a large pot of stewed chicken with potatoes, and a plate of fatty pork.

They were absolutely treated like guests, with chicken, fish, and a plate of fatty meat.

"Why is this so lavish?" Shan Yaowen looked at the table full of dishes and felt a little embarrassed.

I was still debating which canned fruit and sponge cake to bring, but they had prepared so many dishes.

"Of course, if it weren't for the three of you, I would have died on the mountain." Father Shi waved his hand and invited the others to sit down and eat.

"By the way, Yaowen, you have an eagle. How about we go into the mountains after the snow lightens a bit?"

During the meal, Shi Tingyue sent Shan Yaowen a hunting invitation.

"Going into the mountains?"

"Yes, last time I chased a group of roe deer and fell into a ravine. Recently, Little Stone spotted that group of roe deer again. What do you mean?"

"Hunting roe deer? That sounds like a good idea."

Roe deer are almost one of the easiest prey to hunt. As long as he can find their tracks, Shan Yaowen is confident that he can follow them and wipe them out in one fell swoop.

After a few drinks, the three of them agreed to go up the mountain the next day.

Since Shi's father wasn't fully recovered, he didn't go.