Chapter 0002: Lamb Soup Fence Post

This child

The rural live broadcast room has been updated

At night, Li Feng lay on the familiar wooden bed, with the sounds of insects and birds, both familiar and strange, gradually rising in his ears. Occasionally, there were some peculiar beast roars from the mountains in the distance. The mountain village at night was not peaceful; without human activity, the small animals went about their own little lives, chattering and making a commotion. The familiar environment brought a sense of tranquility, and Li Feng soon fell asleep.

At the corner of the main street, there is a narrow alley, Wuling Street. The bluestone pavement is just over five meters wide, while the small street is only about two meters wide, with awnings almost blocking all sunlight. At the intersection, the old flag of Lao Guo's mutton offal soup hangs high. Li Feng reveals a faint smile, pulls his suitcase, and walks into the shop. "Boss, one bowl of mutton offal soup, less oil and more broth, and two baked pancakes."

The middle-aged man driving the donkey cart is in his fifties, slightly hunched with some gray hair, a square face of dark brown color, and a pair of large hands, smiling broadly. "What are we repairing? A few days ago, they said they wanted to develop the area, and the boss came over. The government said they need to protect the mountains and forests, insisting that it cannot be done. Everyone has left; who will come to repair it?"

Li Feng smiled slightly, saying that this matter is difficult to articulate. The ecological protection of this forest area cannot be effectively implemented if the external roads are not accessible, preventing outsiders from entering. Without development, the forest ecology remains intact. Ultimately, whether this is good or bad remains inconclusive

Alright, alright.

Mom, I am back

Walking along the old stone-paved street, Li Feng felt a mix of familiarity and strangeness. The shops on both sides of the street had hardly changed from ten years ago, except for the addition of some air conditioning units. Since entering high school, Li Feng had returned to Wuling only a handful of times. "I remember there was a lamb offal soup shop at the corner; I wonder if it is still there"

Li Feng thought to himself, "This is how feelings are. Well, Mom, I will go up the mountain in a bit to chop some tree stumps to properly reinforce our vegetable garden fence." Speaking of which, it has been a few years since Li Feng last used a saw, and to be honest, he has become somewhat unskilled at it.

Wuling Township is a small town located in a corner of the Qinling Mountain range, over 200 miles away from the city center. It belongs to an old mountainous area and has only one main street and one small street. Li Feng, carrying a small backpack and pulling two large suitcases, stands out quite noticeably.

Li Feng had a hearty appetite, his worries set aside, feeling at ease. "Nothing beats the comfort of eating mutton soup at home," the boss calculated the bill.

Ding dong

Li Feng was collecting change, pulling a suitcase, and had just exited the alley, hurrying back to Lijia Po. Lijia Po was still over ten miles away from the street of Wuling Township, but fortunately, he encountered his cousin from the same village who was coming to the market with a donkey cart.

A week later, sitting on the bus back to his hometown of Wuling, Li Feng bitterly smiled as he looked at the IOU tucked in his wallet. Wasn't this meant for Zhou Li? When did it end up back in his wallet? Li Feng took out his phone, hesitated for a moment, and thought it would be better to wait until he had enough money to call her.

Li Feng did not dare to think that, being completely destitute and having lost his job, Zhou Li would be interested in him. "Wuling Township has arrived," the conductor called out loudly as he was lost in thought. Li Feng quickly stood up and raised his hand. "Stop at the intersection of Shifu Street."

Master, when will we arrive at Wuling Township

Hehe, I'm going home, to Lijia Po.

When will you return

Uncle, when are they going to repair our road? Didn't they say last time that the county planned to fix it for us? Why hasn't there been any news?" Li Feng leaned against the donkey cart, his rear end raised, as the road was a bit bumpy. This broken road has been around for several years, and although they talked about repairing it a few years ago, there has been no sign of action.

The countryside appears quite vast, but in reality, it spans only about ten miles or so, and everyone can connect with some relatives. Old Guo, speaking joyfully, mentions the thousand sheets of jiaozi, the bean cakes, and the extra handful of small crispy round dumplings. A bowl of hearty lamb soup is brought up.

The vegetable garden is located more than 2 li away from Li Feng's home, on a hillside near the big river, covering nearly 1 mu, which is considered a sizable vegetable garden

Upon hearing that it was Li Jiapo, Old Guo loosened his grip on the sheep offal, taking a bit more. His aunt had married into Li Jiapo, so it could be said that they might even be relatives. Old Guo remarked that, not to mention, Li Feng would still have to call her aunt.

"Oh, Mom, what is going on here?" The vegetable garden is in disarray, with the cucumber vines leaning at odd angles, many of the cucumber seedlings have been pulled out, and the peppers, eggplants, green beans, and tomatoes are all in a mess, leaning this way and that, as if a strong wind has blown through.

Uncle Li Fu, the village head, is the head of over fifty households in Li Jiapo. Hearing about the wild boars descending the mountain and wreaking havoc on the crops, he was taken aback. "These black tigers that should be killed, I will report this to the town shortly"

As Li Feng took out twenty yuan and was about to leave, Old Guo's wife hurriedly called out, "Change!" Li Feng looked at the change he received back, which was fifteen yuan. This bowl of hearty lamb soup, along with two large sesame pancakes, only costs five yuan

The car was somewhat bumpy, and Li Feng leaned slightly forward, lifting his buttocks. This was better for the knife edge, as instructed by Zhou Li. Li Feng felt a warmth in his heart, secretly thinking about who would be so fortunate as to marry a wife like Dr. Zhou.

Li Feng was still being polite in front of Old Guo's wife, insisting on letting her go first, until Old Guo stepped in and said, "A big bowl of lamb soup costs 4 yuan, and two sesame cakes cost 1 yuan. This price is much cheaper than in the city; you wouldn't be able to get it for less than 15 yuan in the city."

Zhang Fengqin scolded a few times while supporting herself against the cucumber pole, saying, "Isn't it the wild boars causing trouble? In recent years, the number of wild boars in the mountains has been increasing, often running into the village. I originally planned to wait for your father to come back and go up the mountain to cut some tree stumps to rebuild the fence."

"It can be hunted. Now the wild boars are causing trouble, whoever hunts them keeps them. This was said by the town mayor in front of everyone," Li Fu said, looking at Li Feng, somewhat worried about Li Feng's youthful impulsiveness. "Xiao Feng, you must not act recklessly. This black tiger is no joke; it is even more formidable than a tiger."

"Forget it, forget it, I will treat you," Old Guo said with a smile. "It's not easy for the young man to come back once."

Old Guo's wife presented two large sesame cakes, which were roasted in a traditional clay oven using only firewood. The sesame cakes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and this statement is certainly not an exaggeration. The cakes are filled with minced pork and chopped scallions, wrapped tightly, pressed, pulled, and then baked in the oven. The exterior is crunchy, and with one bite, it is both crispy and fragrant. The filling, combined with the dough, is piping hot, and with another bite, the flavors of the pork and scallions burst in your mouth. Accompanying this with a bowl of lamb offal soup is simply exquisite. The sesame cakes are filled with minced pork and chopped scallions, wrapped tightly, pressed, pulled, and then baked in the oven. The exterior is crunchy, and with one bite, it is both crispy and fragrant. The filling, combined with the dough, is piping hot, and with another bite, the flavors of the pork and scallions burst in your mouth. Accompanying this with a bowl of lamb offal soup is simply exquisite.

Li Feng smiled and said that he was not foolish enough to go up the mountain to hunt wild boars without a shotgun, as that would be courting death. Li Fu still felt a bit uneasy and repeatedly reminded Li Feng before finally heading down the mountain to the town. Li Feng then pulled back several tree stumps about the thickness of a bowl, spending half a day’s effort to transport them back to his own vegetable garden

Li Feng's home is located at the eastern end of the village, not far from the village entrance. After a short while, he arrived at a small courtyard, which is constructed from piled stones. The courtyard contains three large houses with stone foundations and black tile roofs, while two small rooms serving as a kitchen are situated against the eastern wall of the courtyard

Li Feng ate three bowls in a row before finally putting them down. After finishing breakfast, Li Feng followed his mother to the vegetable garden to help with watering. Li Feng's father worked outside and rarely came home. His younger sister, Li Tong, was a boarding student in the county and could only return home once every month or so

The mutton soup is milky white, with bright red spicy mutton oil floating on top, adorned with finely chopped green onions. Li Feng lifts the bowl of mutton soup to his lips and slurps a mouthful; it is refreshing and fragrant, devoid of the usual mutton gamey taste. The rich mutton broth is intermingled with a hint of smoky spiciness, complemented by a sprinkle of green onions and cilantro. With another slurp, warmth spreads throughout his body, bringing a sense of comfort.

Tofu pudding

"Third Uncle, can we hunt wild boars now?"

Early in the morning, Li Feng got up early. The air in the mountains is fresh, and he slept soundly, feeling much more refreshed. "Mom, what are we having for breakfast?"

Li Feng said with a smile, his nose twitching. The lamb soup pot was opened, and a fragrant aroma wafted through the air. It is said that this lamb soup has been around for some years, with a genuine flavor derived from lamb bones simmered to perfection, unlike some places that add soup powder. It is rumored that his ancestors started serving lamb offal soup here, a tradition that has been passed down for several decades.

Old Guo was trimming the mutton head. He looked up at Li Feng, the bone knife struck the wooden table, and he smiled as he clapped his hands, wiping them on his apron. "Young man, are you here to play in Wuling?"

The residents of Duoshan Mountain certainly hope for development, as wealthy bosses from outside can provide enough for their basic needs. Along the way, they chatted while walking, covering a distance of over 10 miles in about an hour, until they reached the entrance of Lijia Po village, where Li Feng unloaded his luggage. "Uncle, come over to my house for a drink when you have time"

Alright

Li Feng was strenuously pulling the saw when a middle-aged man approached him. "Third Uncle, are you going into the mountains to gather herbs? I just returned yesterday. Haha, the vegetable garden at home was ravaged by wild boars, so I came to pull some tree stumps.

What are you talking about? The government is also in a dilemma. In recent years, the problem of wild boars damaging crops has become increasingly serious, and many people have taken to the streets to protest. Last autumn, the town mayor went around the villages, gathering people to hunt wild boars. However, the hunting rifles have long been surrendered to the government, and without rifles, who will go up the mountain to hunt the black tigers?" Zhang Fengqin said, as the number of wild boars increased. It's one thing for them to damage vegetable gardens, but if they start ruining the fields, the food supply for the entire family will be at risk.

A middle-aged woman was washing beans by the well in the yard. She looked up at the tall figure standing outside the door, momentarily stunned, causing the bamboo basket in her hand to fall to the ground, her face filled with disbelief and joy. "Xiao Feng is back?"

How can that be possible

What, has a wild boar entered the village

"Third Uncle, you can rest assured, I am not foolish; when this thing gets angry, it is more ferocious than a tiger"

Wild boars, Li Feng had seen when he was young, but he hadn't heard of them in the mountains for a long time. How is it that within just a few years, they have caused such trouble? Upon inquiry, he learned that in the past decade, the government has been promoting ecological protection, and wild boars have become protected animals, making it illegal to kill them. This has led to the current situation where wild boars are causing havoc. "We can't just sit back and watch these wild boars ruin the vegetable gardens and crops; the government has nothing to say about it."

Li Jiapo's tofu pudding is made from soybeans ground in-house, crafted by hand, soft and tender. It is topped with chopped pickled mustard greens and crispy crushed peanuts, complemented by bright red chili oil. A handful of chopped cilantro is sprinkled on top, creating an incredibly fragrant dish

What is this thing