A small plot of land in a mountain village

Chapter 38 Plum Wine and Plain Water

Not long after returning to the front yard, the bamboo vendor had already delivered the first batch of bamboo. The bamboo workers were helping to unload the bamboo. This time, the bamboo was thick and straight, clearly from the previous few years.

Brother Ma walked over and picked up a bamboo stalk. He tapped it a few times. "Good. This bamboo is excellent; it's perfect for building a bamboo house." Even the bamboo vendor who delivered the bamboo praised it. It's rare to find someone who recognizes the value of bamboo.

When Zhang Niu arrived, the bamboo shop owner handed him a slip of paper. "Take a look. This is the weight of the first batch of bamboo. Sign it if it's correct. We'll settle the bill after you've used it all."

He took the slip of paper, scanned it, and quickly signed his name. But the name was truly unappealing. However, in the countryside, it didn't matter much. As long as he signed his name, that was enough.

The bamboo shop owner took the note. He folded it up and put it in his pocket. "Thud"—"Thud"—he drove his tractor, billowing black smoke, back to the village.

After unloading the bamboo, Brother Ma began preparing for the construction of the bamboo house. He didn't have time to chat with Zhang Niu. With nothing else to do, Zhang Niu went back inside to boil some water. They would drink quite a bit of boiled water after a day's work.

Now Zhang Niu uses water from his spatial dimension to boil water. The spatial pond is home to fish, eels, and other creatures. Yet the water remains crystal clear, without any murky hue or fishy smell. Drinking the boiled water makes one sweat profusely, leaving them feeling refreshed and cool. It's incredibly effective.

The water was boiled. It was poured directly into a bucket, the lid was put on, and it was taken out. Arriving at the pond, everyone was busy setting up tripods and other things.

He called out to those still busy, "Everyone who wants hot water, come here. You can drink it here after it cools down. Remember to put the lid back on the bucket when you're done."

"Understood." came the voices, some long and some short.

The bamboo frame was erected throughout the afternoon. It was already taking shape. A considerable amount of bamboo had also been cut and neatly stacked together.

We finished work in the evening. We'd almost finished the whole bucket of water at noon, and then someone kept filling their kettles with hot water. They said it tasted good, even better than the water they boiled at home, and that it made them feel refreshed.

The workers, finishing their shifts, mostly live in Wangjia Village. Drivers will take them home in large trucks.

Brother Ma, having driven his own work vehicle, wasn't going back anytime soon. Zhang Niu decided to have Brother Ma have dinner at his house that evening, hoping to build a closer relationship. Perhaps they could ask for help sometime in the future. In today's society, having more friends isn't a bad thing; it's having more hope.

There wasn't much food to eat that evening, so Zhang Niu was planning to kill a duck and make a "divine duck" dish. But then he saw the taro in the corner. He decided to just make taro rice instead. He also took out the plum wine from his storage space. Brother Ma wasn't picky about food; he'd eaten too much umami. Occasionally, he'd enjoy some simple vegetables like radishes.

Taro rice is truly delicious when cooked with lean pork bones, broad beans, and cabbage. And it absolutely must be cooked over a wood fire to taste the best.

When Zhang Niu came out with a bottle of plum wine.

Ma Ge, with his sharp eyes, spotted the fine wine in Zhang Niu's hand. "Goodness, this plum wine must have been sitting around for ages!" Without a word, he snatched the bottle, opened the cap, and poured a small amount into his bowl. The delicate aroma of plum wine wafted up. Ma Ge squinted, inhaling deeply, savoring the fragrance.

The rich aroma of the wine immediately filled the entire house, even drawing in the playful wild boars outside. It seems the wine's allure is truly potent.

Ma, who used to drink and eat heartily, was now sipping his wine in small sips, occasionally exclaiming, "Good wine!" Zhang Niu, watching from the side, was speechless. Did everyone drink like this?

After finishing a bowl, Brother Ma put it down. "It's a good thing you treated me to dinner tonight. Otherwise, I would have really missed out on this fine wine. Even Moutai might not be able to compare to this plum wine."

Zhang Niu shoveled rice grains from his bowl. "This plum wine... it's the first time it's been opened. You're really lucky."

"But this wine has quite a kick; even I, who's known for being able to drink a hundred cups without getting drunk, am starting to feel it." He poured more into the bowl. Looks like he wasn't ready to leave until he'd had his fill.

"How about you get me a bottle next time? I won't let you help for nothing. I'll give you a discount when I pay you, how about that?" The man with the red face, who resembled Guan Yu, said this.

"No need for that. The bamboo house will be finished in a few days. I'll give you two bottles." He'd barely finished speaking when Brother Ma slumped onto the table. Seeing him drunk only earned him Zhang Niu's scornful look. If you can't drink, don't brag. Looks like I'll be busy again.

I set out the rice bowl. With a great deal of effort, I dragged it into the inner room and threw it onto the bed. Whew—that was exhausting. I wiped the sweat from my brow. This head is ridiculously heavy!

I'll put the plum wine away. It smells nice, but I didn't expect it to be so potent. Next time I drink, I'll just use this to replace the other drinkers and I'll completely subdue them. Haha, that's so clever!

Just as they were about to put the wine into the wooden container, "Little One" ran out, stretched out its tiny paw, and pointed at the plum wine. Curious, Zhang Niu pointed at the wine and asked, "Little One, you don't want to drink it, do you?" "Little One" nodded in response. Zhang Niu happily took out a wooden bowl, poured half a bowl of wine, and handed it to "Little One." Actually, he wanted to see what "Little One" would be like when drunk.

It stretched out its little paws and took the wine bowl, gulping down half a bowl of wine. "Little One" then stretched out the wooden bowl again, seemingly wanting more. So, another bowl was poured. But this time, Little One didn't drink; instead, it ran outside, leaving behind a trail of fragrant wine.

Zhang Niu, who was following behind, realized that "Little One" had given the wine to the piglets. It seemed that the eldest son really shared the good fortune. Each wild boar took a small sip from the small bowl of wine, which earned them grunts in return.

The next morning, the cool air woke Ma Ge from his sleep. He found himself lying in an unfamiliar bed. He gradually remembered getting drunk on plum wine the night before. It seemed this must be his house. Strangely, the headache he had when he woke up was gone, replaced by a feeling of being full of energy.

Stepping outside, I saw the workers already at work. I quickly washed my face with cold water and headed over to them. Since they were starting work without a headache, I felt a little uneasy without him directing them.

Zhang Niu was busy cleaning the pigsty when he naturally saw Brother Ma leaving. He was surprised to see him up so early. Judging from his appearance, the plum wine from last night probably didn't harm him. It's common knowledge that drunk people usually have headaches the next day. It seems this plum wine had a strong aftereffect, but it wasn't too harmful.

All day long, Ma felt like he had inexhaustible energy. He really wanted to release it. He quickly realized it was probably the effect of the plum wine he drank last night.

By the time work was finished, a bamboo house shaped like the Chinese character "人" (ren, meaning person) was completed. The house wasn't tall, only about two stories. The staircase was made of bamboo. The bamboo staircase wasn't wide, just wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. The house was hollow underneath. It was supported by four pillars and a central roof beam. And so, the bamboo house, with its touch of Yunnan style, was completed.

Second update. I'll be gradually correcting some of the previous errors. While you're enjoying mooncakes tonight, please give me some recommendations and add this to your favorites!