On this day, laughter and joy filled every household in the Shen family village. The aroma of meat stewing in a large iron pot outside the village office wafted for miles.
It must be said, the cooks of this era were truly skilled. Even without the abundance of seasonings found in later times, the stir-fried pork kidneys and livers were incredibly fragrant. Chen Yang took a bite and followed it with several mouthfuls of steamed buns.
The braised offal was even better. It was remarkable how they managed to remove the fishy and unpleasant smells so effectively. Even the large intestines lacked the foul odor Chen Yang had anticipated.
However, the little milk娃 encountered her lifelong nemesis; she couldn't get used to any of it.
Little Chen Mengyan looked at her younger brother eating with gusto, her face puckered in a pout. Her two chubby hands were at a loss.
"Daddy will make you braised pork belly when we get back."
Seeing his daughter's pitiful expression, Chen Yang's heart ached. He hugged her and kissed her.
"Haohao, do you want to save some room for braised pork belly?"
Chen Yang glanced at his son, who was happily eating. This pork offal was no match for braised pork belly.
Chen Hao paused when he heard his father.
He looked down at his round belly and suddenly felt like crying.
He might not have any room left?
"It's okay, Dad will make braised pork belly later. Maybe your stomach will digest a bit, and Haohao can try a piece then."
As if sensing his son's worry, Chen Yang gently patted the little guy's head to comfort him.
The little guy had probably starved terribly when he was trafficked by kidnappers. When he found something he liked, he would eat it with all his might, not worrying about overeating.
Although Chen Yang felt sorry for him, he could only slowly guide his son to change this habit of gluttony. The emotional trauma would take time to heal.
"Daddy, you're so good."
Chen Hao's face lit up with a smile at Chen Yang's words.
"Silly boy, I'm your dad. If I'm not good to you, who will be?"
After saying that, Chen Yang went with his father-in-law to collect the meat and begin the distribution.
Uncle Shen Guangfu followed them, a wide smile on his face. He hadn't had a chance to participate in the last wild boar hunt. This time, he accompanied his elder brother, and the two brothers managed to deal with a wild boar that Chen Yang had shot and blinded. That was enough for him to boast about in the village.
Just like last time, Chen Yang and the hunters who faced the wild boar directly received a larger share. However, there were more people this time, and unlike the previous time when they received ten catties of meat, Chen Yang, Old Master Tu, and the other hunters received five catties, while those who shot the boar received three catties.
Most others received half a catty of meat per person, so a family of several people would get a jin or two of meat.
After dividing the meat, everyone happily went home. Those who were willing to eat would likely start cooking their meat that day. Some more thrifty individuals would probably cure some of it into preserved meat to impress guests during the New Year.
In those days, meat dishes were a rare luxury.
Many people probably never experienced a dish of braised pork belly being served from the first day of the Lunar New Year to the fifteenth.
Times were tough back then, but it was bad form to not have a meat dish to impress visiting relatives. Thus, a single dish of braised pork belly would be served for over ten days.
The relatives all knew this. They would eat other dishes at the table, and no one would touch that meat dish.
It wasn't until the fifteenth day, after the New Year festivities, when no more visitors came, that the children in the household would be happiest. That dish of braised pork belly could finally be eaten.
No one cared if the meat had gone bad after being out for more than ten days. Meat was a rare treat back then, eaten only a couple of times a year. Even if it had spoiled, they wouldn't bear to throw it away.
With the distribution of meat, everyone's spirits were lifted.
The next day, the task of digging the irrigation canal began, with every household sending people.
Chen Yang and his father-in-law joined in the digging. In those days, there were no excavators or bulldozers; it was all done with hoes and picks.
For large slopes, they had to request dynamite to blast them open. Mud and stones had to be carried on shoulders and by hand.
Despite the harsh conditions, everyone's enthusiasm was very high.
Because everyone understood that once the canal was completed, it would not only facilitate the raising of rice fish but also eliminate the worry of water for rice cultivation.
Previously, farming depended entirely on the weather. With the canal, as long as the Willow River didn't run dry, they wouldn't have to rely solely on heaven.
After digging the canal for nearly a month, Chen Yang's skin was almost peeling, and his hands were calloused. This was the first time he had truly integrated into the collective and deeply understood the hardships of farmers in that era.
Despite the immense hardship and fatigue, no one complained. Everyone worked diligently.
During breaks, villagers would gather and sing. This was a passion unique to the people of that era, something many people today might not understand.
Even amidst exhaustion, some people couldn't rest. They used their positive and optimistic attitude towards life to encourage those around them.
They were poor in material possessions, but rich in spirit.
The canal digging was far from over. In an era of low productivity, digging a water channel that ran through the entire village from the river with shoulder poles and human labor was not easy.
Fortunately, Shen family village was close to the Willow River and didn't have many rocks. It was mostly earth slopes and muddy ground. At this pace, it would likely be completed by the end of the year.
This was only because the project was not large and the terrain was not complex. The Red Flag Canal, built by the state, took nearly ten years to complete.
One day, the village was abuzz with the sound of gongs and drums; Shen Ermeng was getting married.
The marriage had been decided.
The old branch secretary and Old Master Tu acted as matchmakers.
Zhao Chunyan's husband had drowned while reinforcing the river embankment for the commune, and his body was never recovered. The old branch secretary had always felt guilty towards her and her two daughters.
Therefore, after confirming that Shen Ermeng was serious, and more importantly, that Zhao Chunyan might be pregnant – her period was late this month, and Shen Ermeng hadn't stayed at home for over a month. The pregnancy was too early to be certain.
Now, with this situation, Shen Laifu was at a loss. He could only turn to the old branch secretary, who decided to act as a matchmaker.
He was well aware that marrying a widow in rural areas during those times would attract criticism, especially since Shen Ermeng was a young man.
Therefore, he invited Old Master Tu, a respected elder in the village, to be a matchmaker as well. While they couldn't silence everyone's gossip, their involvement would prevent any open criticism of the couple in the future. As for what people said behind their backs, they couldn't control that.
The matter between Shen Ermeng and Zhao Chunyan caused quite a stir in the village.
Seeing everyone's gossiping faces, Chen Yang truly broke out in a cold sweat for Shen Ermeng.
However, when he attended the wedding banquet and saw the happy couple, Chen Yang felt he had worried for nothing.
Sometimes, people live within their own thoughts, fearing criticism and not daring to act.
But happiness is defined by oneself.
Shen Ermeng and Zhao Chunyan liked each other. They didn't care about the gossip and felt happy being together. Therefore, they were happy.
Just like the celebrity couples in later generations. From an outsider's perspective, they might seem like a perfect match, and with their wealth, they should be happy.
But were they truly happy? How much dirty business went on behind the scenes was something only the involved parties knew.
Chen Yang believed that the definition of happiness ultimately depends on one's own perspective. Some people live a simple life but feel happy.
For instance, scientists in later generations who donated their life savings to scientific research. Materially, they might not seem happy to everyone, but spiritually, they were richer and happier than anyone else!