Chapter 242: A Growing Appetite

“Just a little longer.”

Yan Lao’er pointed ahead. “Look over there, that’s the raft we built. Not bad, right?”

Li Xuemei squinted for a better look. “What’s that on top, bamboo beds?”

“Exactly! Two bamboo beds. The raft has holes carved in just the right spots to lock the bed legs in place. Right now, they’re set apart with a narrow path in the middle so we can move back and forth easily. But they can also be pushed together. The holes were all pre-measured.”

He led her over for a closer look.

Li Xuemei studied the structure carefully. “You’ll have to use a pole to push it, right?”

“Of course. Hu Er is carving one for me right now,” Yan Lao’er said with a grin.

“And me too! Uncle Hu Er made mine first!” Yan Yu proudly held up her own pole.

It was actually the same wooden stick she always carried, just modified at one end—sharpened a bit for pushing.

Her stick was already longer than the ones the other kids used, and since the river was shallow in this stretch, it should work just fine here.

For deeper waters, though, they’d need a much longer pole—the one Uncle Hu Er was currently carving for her father.

Li Xuemei, ever cautious, said, “It’d be best to have a couple spares, just in case one falls in. Better to be prepared.”

Yan Lao’er nodded quickly. “My wife is right. I’ll have Hu Er make two more.” After all, they already had the wood.

For poles of this length, ordinary timber wouldn’t do. Only the fir wood used for roof beams was long, straight, and sturdy enough—perfect for the job.

“Dad, when you get on the raft later, you have to act like it’s easy. Don’t show even a hint of struggle,” Yan Yu reminded him seriously.

“Why?” Yan Lao’er looked puzzled.

“Think about it. If you look like you can’t handle the raft, do you think the villagers will let you go out alone? They’ll insist someone goes with you. That’ll be such a hassle.”

Yan Lao’er instantly understood.

She was right. It would be a hassle. Sanbao was still in the water. If someone else came along, it would have to stay submerged the whole time. That thing had bionic skin—if it soaked too long, it might get damaged…

“Exactly. Even if I have to fake it, I’ll make it look good,” Yan Lao’er said.

He grew serious, carefully observing the flow of the water and peering through the clear river to study the riverbed.

Once the dock was finished and the poles were ready, the moment finally came. Yan Lao’er, the man of the hour, stepped onto the raft as everyone looked on.

All eyes followed his every move.

On the outside, Yan Lao’er looked calm and collected. Inside, he was panicking.

He stepped onto the raft. His body wobbled slightly with the current, and the sensation felt strangely unreal.

He untied the rope.

With the pole in hand, he braced it against a wooden stake and pushed hard.

The raft inched forward.

Yan Lao’er: “…”

He’d used real force, but it barely moved. How embarrassing!

Trying to stay cool, he lifted the pole again and pushed into the riverbed. This time, the raft began to glide, picking up speed as it floated steadily downstream.

The crowd on the riverbank erupted into cheers and applause.

You’d think he’d just accomplished something monumental.

Yan Lao’er panicked even more. He’d gone the wrong direction. He’d planned to cross to the opposite bank and then come back, a round trip to mark the raft’s maiden voyage.

But reality… was not cooperating.

He couldn’t let the raft drift any farther. If it did, he wasn’t confident he could bring it back without making a fool of himself.

Thinking quickly, he shifted between the two bamboo beds, then suddenly sprang up and began paddling back with rapid strokes.

Yan Yu, the world’s most attentive daughter, had been watching her father the whole time. The moment she saw him turning back, she dashed over, little hands reaching for the rope on the raft.

Qi Wu was standing closer and instinctively grabbed the rope, pulling the raft back in.

“This bed setup won’t do. It needs to be higher. Look at my clothes—they’re soaked. If we’re going to transport grain, this low won’t cut it. Gotta raise it,” Yan Lao’er said with a straight face.

Qi Wu nodded repeatedly. “I’ll swap in longer legs for them.”

The original height was about right, but the bed legs were set into holes for stability. The holes had been dug a bit deep, sacrificing height for security.

Yan Lao’er’s test run was short, but it revealed the problem—so overall, it was a success.

By now, the sky had darkened. With no more work to do, people began heading home one after another.

All the way back, they chatted excitedly about the raft, the river crossing, and buying grain…

The lively buzz chased away the chill of the night.

Qi Wu insisted on finishing the adjustments before leaving. Luckily, it was a small job, and a few others stayed to wait for him.

Once the raft was repaired, they tied it tightly to the wooden stakes. Qi Da, ever cautious, wrapped it around three stakes before he was satisfied and finally let the poor rope rest.

Yan Yu had been starving. She bolted home like a streak of lightning.

Her parents followed behind at a more leisurely pace.

When they arrived, Granny Rong brought out a steaming hot pot.

Yan Yu took advantage of the moment—no one was looking—and snuck a spoonful.

The slightly spicy broth was just right for their whole family.

The sliced lamb was perfectly even, with just the right balance of fat and lean, laid out in neat rows.

The fresh fish looked like it had just been pulled from the water. Granny Rong’s knife work was lightning-fast, and the fish slices went straight into the pot. Even the sound of them hitting the broth was music to the ears.

Yan Yu couldn’t stop herself from drooling.

“Big Brother, Eldest Sister, dinner’s ready!” she ran out to call them.

By the time Yan Xiangheng and Daya arrived, Yan Lao’er and Li Xuemei had also stepped through the door.

Yan Lao’er followed the scent straight to the pot.

Once everyone was seated, Granny Rong signaled for them to dig in.

Yan Lao’er didn’t hesitate. With one swift motion, he scooped up both lamb and fish in a single chopstick grab—sharp eyes and quick hands.

He dropped the food into Li Xuemei’s bowl. The couple exchanged a smile.

Yan Yu was force-fed a mouthful of dog food.

But she was used to it.

Even drowning in PDA wouldn’t stop her from demolishing her meal.

First came a wave of meat slices, then some vegetables to balance it out, and then—back to the meat again…

Once the pot had cooled down a bit, Granny Rong moved it over to the stove where water had been boiling steadily. She dropped in some finely pulled noodles. After a bubbling boil, she brought it back over.

Yan Yu began slurping down the noodles.

Her little mouth was soon surrounded by broth. Daya chuckled and used a handkerchief to wipe her face.

Er Ya, for once, blushed a little.

Even just eating a meal, she still had to be taken care of by Daya. Anyone with slightly thinner skin would want to crawl into a hole and disappear.

Granny Rong then brought out a massive basin of steamed buns.

Truly massive.

One look and it was clear the basin didn’t belong to their household. Its style was all too familiar.

Yan Yu had a vague guess.

Sure enough, Granny Rong gestured toward the Qi family’s side.

Everyone understood. The Qi family had steamed the buns and sent them over.

Old Mother Qi had clearly gone all out. The buns were made mostly with fine white flour, barely any coarse grain mixed in. Each one was hefty and solid in the hand.

Yan Yu fell into thought, then decisively tore one in half, then tore that half again.

A quarter would be enough for her. She could fill the rest of her belly with meat.

A dish of vinegar mixed with chive flowers was set out—perfect for cutting through the richness.

Every time Granny Rong added more lamb to the pot, Yan Yu would pick up a couple of pieces with her chopsticks.

When the fish slices arrived, she ate a few bites of those too.

As for the leafy greens, she picked at them here and there, adding a bit of color to her bowl.

Li Xuemei tugged on Yan Lao’er’s sleeve, motioning for him to look at their daughter.

Yan Lao’er gave her a small nod.

The couple exchanged a silent conversation with just their eyes.

(End of Chapter)