Reborn with a Space: Building a Fortune Amidst Famine-Chapter 39 lambs
Chapter 39: 39 lambs
The plans never seem to keep up with changes. I originally thought I wouldn’t go back to the city.
I feel like a rabbit, ready to run at the first sign of danger.
Su Yuanyuan laughed as she ran, thinking that with this situation, she could train to be an athlete.
Once in the city, she dashed into the train station. After checking the situation, she saw there were nearly two hours before her train. The place was bustling with people.
Now that she had some downtime, she felt hungry, so she took a meat bun out of her bag, well, actually from her space, and squatted in a corner to eat it.
Finally, after boarding the train, she felt settled. Nothing happened during the journey, and she reached the county. This time, it was afternoon when she got off, so she went straight home without delay.
As she walked closer to home, Su Yuanyuan felt a little thrill. She was going home. Yes, this was home.
Even though she wasn’t warmly welcomed, she still felt a sense of belonging.
When she stepped into the courtyard, she finally felt at ease.
Seeing the sheep bleating at her, Su Yuanyuan quickly walked over and took out a big piece of pumpkin from her space, offering it to its mouth.
"I’m back. How’s everything at home?"
The sheep was too engrossed in eating to pay her any mind.
After opening the door, she immediately started a fire. It was too cold in the house. The water in the tank had frozen into ice.
After a lot of effort, she finally broke through it, allowing her to boil some water.
It took an hour before the kang got a bit warm. She had to keep working on it.
Suddenly, she heard a different bleating from outside. She immediately ran out and saw a sheep lying in the snow, its belly moving.
"Is it about to give birth?"
At this point, Su Yuanyuan was scared. She had never seen such a thing.
No, she couldn’t handle it alone. "Wait here, I’ll find someone."
In a panic, Su Yuanyuan ran to Hu Chunhua’s doorstep and shouted from outside.
"Yuanyuan, you’re back?"
"Aunt, my sheep is about to give birth."
Hu Chunhua looked at the frightened young girl, "Go home and boil some water, I’ll call your Uncle, we’ll be right there."
By the time Su Yuanyuan got home, she immediately gathered dry grass and branches, starting a fire in the sheep pen.
Seeing the sheep’s painful expression, she was anxious too; this was the only living creature here she could talk to.
"You have to keep going. I believe in you."
Su Yuanyuan finished speaking and patted her forehead, wondering what she was saying.
Just then, Hu Chunhua and her husband arrived. Yang Minggang squatted down to feel the sheep’s belly.
"It’s okay. It shouldn’t take long.
But girl, it’s not suitable for the lambs to stay outside after they’re born."
This was why the owner had sold the pregnant ewe; winter lambs are tough to raise.
"Uncle, should I bring them into the house?"
"Yes, where else is warm enough?"
Su Yuanyuan bit her lip, "Okay, fine." Even if she hesitated, she couldn’t let the lambs freeze to death, right?
Hu Chunhua helped her carry the dry grass to the house to make a bed for the sheep.
In no time, the first lamb was born. Hu Chunhua quickly brought it inside.
Within an hour, both lambs were born.
By then, the ewe stood up, and Yang Minggang led her into the house too.
"Alright, it’s all good. You don’t have to do much, just give the sheep some warm water and some grains."
"Got it, Uncle Auntie, thank you both."
The couple returned home, and Su Yuanyuan continued to tend the fire next to the stove. The room was still cold, which wouldn’t do.
When she went inside, the lambs were already nursing. Su Yuanyuan breathed a sigh of relief, took out a cup of water from her space, poured it into an aluminum basin, and felt reassured seeing them drink it all.
She took the basin out again to brew some cornmeal for the sheep. They needed something good to eat, especially now that there were two more living creatures in the house.
At night, Su Yuanyuan lay in bed, looking at the ewe and her two lambs under the kang, feeling speechless at the idea of sharing a room with sheep now.
"I tell you, you better not relieve yourself indoors, or else... or else..."
Su Yuanyuan couldn’t summon any threats.
The clever sheep immediately bleated at Su Yuanyuan.
She seemed to hear a promise in the sound, anyway, she huffed, "Make sure to teach your little ones well too."
It was already after nine o’clock. Su Yuanyuan went into her space to bathe and change. She stayed there for almost two hours, eating her fill before coming out.
The bed was already very warm, and she sighed in comfort. Time to sleep.
She had been tense for the past few days. Only now that she was home could she relax.
She slept dreamlessly through the night. The next morning, she was awakened by the bleating of sheep downstairs.
She could see the sheep’s urgency even without getting dressed, immediately running to open the door, watching as the sheep rushed outside, the two lambs shakily following.
Su Yuanyuan saw it dash into the sheep pen, then promptly relieve itself.
When the ewe led the two lambs back inside, Su Yuanyuan happily patted its head, "Good job, you deserve praise."
After tidying up the house, she made sure to prop the windows open a bit before starting a fire to cook.
Of course, she first served the sheep a meal since it had done such a great job.
Once everything was sorted at home, she washed up and had breakfast herself.
Sometime after eight, Hu Chunhua arrived to return the keys to Su Yuanyuan.
"Girl, how was your trip outside?"
"Hmm, I feel more secure being at home."
"Oh, by the way, there’s a big market tomorrow, are you going?"
"Yes, Aunt, I’ll go with you all."
"Alright, I’ll call you tomorrow. No one knew you went away these past few days."
Su Yuanyuan was grateful to Hu Chunhua and thought of repaying her. "Aunt, I’m going fishing tomorrow night. Will Uncle come too? It’s a chance to earn some money."
Hu Chunhua bit her lip, "Alright, your Uncle and I will go with you."
Hu Chunhua had noticed this girl’s luck was terrific; maybe they’d catch some big fish too.
Her family hadn’t yet split up the household, and with five people, they hadn’t seen any money at all.
Her husband was honest and not talkative, and who knew what the future held? If there was an opportunity, she had to start planning.
Last time, just because she said she lent the girl money, her mother-in-law was giving her attitude until the village head explained things. Otherwise, the holidays for the five of them would have been unpleasant.
"Aunt, why is the drainage at home so slow? Give more food to my siblings!"
"I couldn’t bear to yet."
"Aunt, if food sits for too long, it spoils. Let the kids have it; who knows, there might be better stuff down the line."
This time, Hu Chunhua brought back a lot of food without expecting more. She figured eating it now or later didn’t matter, as long as it was consumed. So, she planned to give it to her children over the next few days.