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Chapter 316: The Seventh Platform Opening

This was the first time since the Platform’s arrival that the timing had been changed; it didn’t open at midnight.

Instead, the notification scheduled it for the very tail end of the fifteenth day, the final hour: 11:00 PM.

After several rounds of reduced time, disconnections, and reconnections…

Yan Lao’er’s family had learned to accept every change with a calm heart.

No matter how long the interval or how short the duration, at least it was still there.

“I saved all the seeds from those hawthorns just now,” Yan Lao’er said. “When it’s almost time, my girl and I will head over to Granny Rong’s place. It’s closer to the mountains.”

The father-daughter duo would be the ones taking action again this time. Li Xuemei’s pregnancy was progressing, making it inconvenient for her to trek up the mountain at night.

Li Xuemei said, “I was thinking, should we scout out a spot first? Just to make sure you don’t make a mistake in the rush and end up selling an entire area empty again.”

“Then… should we head into the mountains early?” Yan Yu asked.

“What do you think about crossing the river?” Li Xuemei said thoughtfully. “People go to the northern hills every day; everyone knows those trails by heart. Hardly anyone goes to the opposite bank, and the trees are denser on that mountain.”

Yan Lao’er and Yan Yu exchanged a look, finding the suggestion solid.

“It mostly depends on the timing. If we’re short on time, we’ll just have to head up the nearest mountain,” Yan Yu noted.

They didn’t plan on bringing Sanbao this time; it would just be the two of them traveling light.

The prepared goods had already been quietly moved over the past few days into the cellar dug at Granny Rong’s house.

The stock consisted mostly of dried fish and charcoal.

The former was intended for trading with the Middle-aged Man, while the latter was a resource Sister Yu constantly needed.

“Have you really made up your mind about trading for a donkey?” Li Xuemei asked.

Yan Yu nodded emphatically. “I’ve thought it through. Given our family’s current situation, a donkey is the most suitable. It can work the fields, pull a cart, and be ridden. Later, when Dad and Big Brother go to Crouching Tiger to study, I can ride the donkey to visit them from time to time and bring them meals or something.”

Yan Lao’er felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

This was why raising a son couldn’t compare to a daughter; she always kept him in her thoughts no matter what.

“Driving a carriage won’t work; the target is too big,” Yan Yu said seriously. “My current age is a major disadvantage. If Dad and Uncle are on the cart, no one will say anything if I hold the reins, but if I go out by myself, it won’t do.”

“As long as you’ve thought it through,” Li Xuemei reminded her. “Even if you have a high balance, don’t just buy everything you see. We’ll be harvesting the vegetables soon. We need farm tools, but be selective—focus on ironware. Forget about the wooden ones; they aren’t worth it.”

“Also, don’t buy fishing nets. When the weather gets colder, the river will freeze over, and they’ll be useless.”

Yan Yu added, “Mom, let’s buy some cotton quilts. They’re such a good deal. Granny Rong said one of those quilts weighs fourteen jin. A thin one can be split into three, and even a thick one can make two. There are also all kinds of fabrics that are much cheaper than what the shops sell.”

Yan Lao’er cast a vote of approval.

“Mei, let’s buy them. It gets freezing here in the winter! One quilt is only 196; one tree is enough to cover it.”

“We have to make some new clothes for the New Year anyway. Our girl is right—the fabric here is too expensive, not nearly as cheap as what’s on the Platform,” Yan Lao’er said.

Li Xuemei thought back to her previous experiences buying fabric and nodded.

She added, “You can buy grain and seasonings, but skip the meat and eggs. As for vegetables and fruit, don’t buy those either—the mountains have everything.”

“And don’t trade for any more hand-copied books for now. Since you’ve already given that copied book to your Uncle, it won’t be easy to produce new ones later. It’s hard to achieve perfection in this world; having a few gaps might not be a bad thing.”

It would fit their fabricated story better.

Yan Lao’er and Yan Yu could only nod obediently.

…

“Tianyou, where are you going?”

The father and daughter, who were about to head out, ran straight into Yan Huaiwen, who had just returned from seeing off Master Tian.

“Big Brother, there’s something wrong with our donkey. I don’t know what it ate, but it’s got a bit of the runs. I need to lead it away first so it doesn’t stay with the other livestock and spread it to them.”

Yan Huaiwen became concerned as well.

The family kept quite a lot of poultry and livestock. If an illness broke out, it wouldn’t just be the animals at risk; the people would be in danger too, especially his sister-in-law, who was pregnant.

“It really should be moved. Where do you plan to take it?” Yan Huaiwen asked.

“I’ve discussed it with Madam Rong. I’ll leave it at her place for a few days. I’m letting her rest at our house tonight, while I take Xiao Er over there to get the donkey settled. We’ll be back right after,” Yan Lao’er explained.

Yan Huaiwen thought for a moment. “I’ll go with—”

Before he could finish, Yan Lao’er interrupted him.

“Brother, I’ve already called someone to help. Don’t come over; the smell is awful. Look, I’ve even changed into my work clothes.” Yan Lao’er pointed at his outfit.

Yan Yu also gave a sweet smile. “Look at me, Uncle, I’ve changed too.”

It was dark out, so Yan Huaiwen hadn’t noticed earlier. Looking closely now, he saw the two of them had dug out clothes with several layers of patches to change into. Their preparations were certainly thorough.

Right at that moment, a “splat” sound came from behind the hairless donkey.

A pungent odor began to waft through the air.

Yan Yu glanced behind the donkey and decisively pulled it toward the courtyard gate.

“Uncle, it’s no good, we have to go! The donkey can’t hold it anymore!”

Yan Lao’er also hurriedly waved to his brother. “Brother, don’t worry about it. I know how to handle this. We might be back a bit late, so I’m letting you know now. No need to come looking for us; we’ll be back as soon as we’re done.”

Yan Huaiwen watched the two of them hurry away.

He shook his head privately.

Xiao Er, that child, really had no filter when she spoke.

What did she mean by ‘Uncle is no good¹‘?

Her Uncle was doing just fine.

…

“Good thing you reacted fast. If your Uncle had taken one look, the cat would’ve been out of the bag,” Yan Lao’er said.

Yan Yu was smug. “I was just thinking this might be the donkey’s last meal, so I gave it plenty to eat and drink. Haha, our donkey is a real straight-shooter—it poops as soon as it eats.”

Yan Lao’er thought to himself that it might just have been the previous meal being squeezed out…

He decided to let it go.

Best not to discuss such smelly topics.

When the two arrived at Granny Rong’s house, they made themselves right at home.

The courtyard gate was shut, and the donkey was tied up.

They lifted the cellar door and climbed down.

Yan Lao’er scanned the surroundings.

“Tsk tsk! It’s a good thing Granny Rong is one of ours. Look at this—she’s quietly hidden so much stuff here, and not a soul in the village or our family noticed.”

Yan Yu said, “That’s because we helped keep it a secret. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”

“True enough.”

…

[Please confirm if the surroundings are safe?]

As soon as Yan Yu said “Yes,” Yan Lao’er snapped to attention.

After a quick scan of the interface, Yan Yu broke into a wide grin.

“Dad, thirty minutes.”

She quickly flipped through the shelves. “The items on the shelves are the same as last time. No change.”

Yan Lao’er looked at her with bright eyes, his face full of joy.

No change was a good thing; they wouldn’t have to waste time discussing things on the fly.

She clicked the flashing Free Market icon.

A familiar face appeared in her field of vision.

“Uncle! I’ve missed you to death²!”

Yan Yu’s exclamation was entirely from the heart, her tone sweet enough to burst.

The man on the other side chuckled. “Little sister! I’ve missed you to death too! Hurry up, it’s the festival today. What good food did your family make? Hook a brother up.”

Yan Yu was well-prepared.

She patted the wooden crate beside her.

“Look inside here, it’s all food. I specifically set aside four chicken drumsticks. When my family served the dishes today, there wasn’t a single drumstick left on the table, haha! There’s also braised fish—three of them, all big ones, at least five jin each. Fried tofu, starch noodles, and my family’s braised pig offal. Ta-da! And you can’t miss out on mooncakes—red bean paste and salted egg yolk. Which one do you like?”

(End of Chapter)

Translator’s Notes