"Don't worry, Grandma."
The twins had grown another year older and weren’t as clingy to Yang Yufen as before. Besides, they already knew where the orchard was, so they weren’t afraid of losing track of their grandmother.
Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang had both moved into the orchard dormitory. Throughout the winter, everyone had kept busy, gathering anything that could be used as firewood and hauling it down the mountain.
Tree roots that had been dug up were sawed into pieces, split, and neatly stacked. They hadn’t needed to use coal all winter—just firewood—and there was still plenty left to last a long time.
Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang had also arranged with the agricultural college students to purchase several goats. Though they hadn’t raised geese, they had bought a few to add to the meals.
Unexpectedly, not only had the goats not been reduced in number, but a few kids had also been born. The old wooden shed hadn’t been torn down; instead, it had been reinforced to house the goats.
"Why haven’t these been slaughtered for meat?"
"When we heard you’d ordered goats for us, the students drove the whole herd over. We picked out these females—everyone says goat milk is good. After raising them for a month, they all gave birth. The students even came back to help with the deliveries. Later, when it’s time for breeding, they promised to bring a male goat too."
Yang Yufen exchanged a glance with Aunt Wang and couldn’t help but laugh. Those students were sharp—they really knew how to talk people into things.
Originally, they had just wanted to buy a few goats for warming meals in winter, to help everyone get through the cold. But now, looking at the two heavily pregnant goats with their round bellies, it seemed the plan had expanded.
In another shed, the geese stretched their long necks, honking loudly.
"Didn’t you slaughter the geese either?" Yang Yufen asked.
"Oh, we did! Two of them were especially aggressive, pecking at people. We stewed them for New Year’s—iron pot braised goose, delicious! But we only killed those two."
Aunt Wang was momentarily stunned.
"The student said that after the twelfth lunar month, the geese would start laying eggs. These geese give us eight huge eggs a day—plenty for extra dishes. It’s much better than just eating them!"
Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang realized their money hadn’t gone to waste at all.
"Another student mentioned that in spring, when his ducklings hatch, he’ll bring us some ducklings too. Since we’re planning to dig a pond for fish, he suggested building a duck shed by the water. The ducks can live on the pond, roosting in the shed at night. Feeding the ducks would also feed the fish, and vice versa."
Everyone chattered excitedly.
"Did anyone ask if we’re raising cows too?" Aunt Wang couldn’t resist asking.
"Yes, yes! And pigs too! But we don’t have enough space yet, and cows and pigs eat a lot. Once the fruit trees are planted this year, we can raise cows—they’ll just graze on grass."
The group chattered on, treating the orchard as their own home.
"Cows are patient—hauling fertilizer up the mountain would be easier with them than carrying it ourselves. We can’t always borrow vehicles, so having a cow and a cart would be really convenient."
Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang listened, nodding occasionally. Seeing that neither objected, the others grew even more enthusiastic.
"These are all great ideas. Let’s aim to plant the trees this year and raise everything we need—self-sufficiency from now on!" Aunt Wang agreed readily, and Yang Yufen nodded in approval.
No one needed to be told what to do. Before the sun even rose, everyone was already up. The kitchen staff started even earlier, so by the time people finished washing up, breakfast was ready.
The kitchen had additional subsidies, thanks to Hu Jun’s help in applying for them. During New Year’s, they had received plenty of meat and grain.
"Last year, we didn’t have time, but this year, we should set up a greenhouse for vegetables. That way, we won’t have to worry about winter shortages."
Yang Yufen checked the ledger—she could at least read numbers.
"We should do it. Winter vegetables aren’t cheap. Even if we don’t sell them, growing our own will save money. If we have extra funds later, we can build a couple more and sell the surplus."
Aunt Wang agreed with Yang Yufen’s suggestion. The land was vast—no point in wasting it.
In a corner of the kitchen, several wooden boxes filled with soil grew chives and garlic sprouts. The kitchen was next to the boiler room, so it stayed warm, and the greens thrived.
Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang’s first meal there included stir-fried chives with goose eggs.
The head cook, Old Zhou, also knew how to sprout beans and make tofu, keeping expenses as low as possible so the two women wouldn’t overspend.
"Little Zhang, you’re quick on your feet—go handle this."
Since blending in with the group, Little Zhang had become the designated errand-runner. He didn’t mind—in fact, he enjoyed it. Whenever something needed doing, he was always the first to volunteer.
He was also the youngest among them. The older folks often shared stories from their past, helping him see that even life-and-death matters weren’t always as dire as they seemed. Gradually, he had moved past his troubles.
Whenever supplies needed buying, he was the one sent to fetch them.
Hu Jun had Shen Xianjun’s team repair another motorized tricycle and deliver it to the orchard, not even asking Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang to pay for it.
Since Little Zhang handled most of the errands, he was usually the one driving the tricycle. The more he drove, the more skilled he became—the wind in his face felt so freeing that he didn’t even mind when his eyelashes froze.
Still, he tried not to use it unnecessarily—fuel wasn’t cheap.
"Got it, I’ll go right away."
Little Zhang responded briskly.
To avoid delays in transplanting the fruit trees, they needed to dig the holes first. Since the mountain was sloped, they also had to level the ground based on spacing.
"Little Zhang, where are you headed?"
Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang, returning from the agricultural college, ran into him.
"I was actually looking for you two! The tree holes are mostly dug. Everyone sent me to ask what’s next—when the fertilizer will be delivered."
Little Zhang quickly explained.
"We checked today—it’ll arrive tomorrow. For now, tell everyone to rest up. Once we start planting, we’ll have to work fast."
"Got it!"
With the answer in hand, Little Zhang headed back up the mountain.
With the weather favorable, construction on the livestock pens resumed, and work on the pond and irrigation channels began simultaneously.
Water supply was crucial. Once the trees were planted, they’d need watering. Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang bought water pumps and pipes.
With two mountains’ worth of land, manual watering wasn’t feasible—and it wasn’t a one-time task.
Reservoirs were built at the mountaintop and halfway up. Water would be pumped from the base to the reservoirs, then distributed for irrigation.
There were natural water sources on the mountain, but they wouldn’t suffice for large-scale irrigation. The reservoirs were essential—during droughts, water could be pumped up from below.
When water was plentiful, it would flow from the mountain sources into the reservoirs, then be channeled through pipes to where it was needed, ensuring nothing went to waste.
The agricultural college was also swamped this time of year. Preparations for spring planting kept everyone busy—even the dean could only be found out in the fields.
