NOVEL NEXT Chapter 235: Parents Arrive
Jiang Xiaoxiao shook her head, "Everyone, let's not think about anything else. We have to harvest this ginseng in the next few days. If I remember correctly, just yesterday when I came back from the county town, Xiao Wang from the supply and marketing cooperative said that they are currently collecting ginseng. I wonder if the harvest will be better this year.
After all, we just went through a disaster, and the prices are good. Since we have a bumper harvest, we might as well dig it all up and sell it early, so everyone can get their share sooner."
Jiang Xiaoxiao mentioned this because she knew they had to take the college entrance exam this year. After the exam, they would have to leave, and it was fortunate they could catch the autumn harvest. Leaving the ginseng in the ground would only benefit others.
Letting everyone earn money from their first labor is a great thing.
Otherwise, it won't be easy to dig up the ginseng later on.
Song Moting's eyes grew deep, suddenly recalling his grandparents' words yesterday about the first nationwide college entrance exam being reinstated this year. It turned out Jiang Xiaoxiao's information was true.
They needed to plan quickly.
Grandfather had already received definite news, and it was likely to be this winter.
Looking at it, they were already into August, which meant not much time was left. The ginseng couldn't remain in the ground any longer. With the autumn harvest and winter approaching.
Once the ground freezes, it would be impossible to dig out the ginseng, just as Jiang Xiaoxiao had said.
If they passed the college entrance exams, they would definitely go to university. Would they still stay here then?
They couldn't just leave this big sum of money to others for free; they wouldn't be happy about that.
After all, the ginseng seeds and seedlings were cultivated by them, bit by bit.
Song Moting made the decision.
"No more talking. In the next couple of days, we'll harvest all the ginseng in the field. But I estimate that digging up all the ginseng won't be accomplished in just a few days. Considering the quality of the ginseng this time, everyone needs to be cautious. The ginseng roots and whiskers can't be broken, or they won't fetch a good price.
With tens of acres of land, if we rely on just our manpower to dig, it'll surely be hard work. Plus, we're looking at just over a month before the autumn harvest. We've got a heavy task ahead."
Everyone laughed joyfully upon hearing this.
"Brother Song, even if I have to dig up the ginseng one by one by hand, I'm willing. This is real money! I estimated that, with our yield, at least 1,000 pounds can be produced per acre. With our dozens of acres, that's tens of thousands of pounds.
Even at fifty cents per pound, that's at least five to ten thousand dollars, amounting to at least 500 to 1,000 dollars per person. My goodness! Such a large amount; my parents in the city can't earn this much in a year.
If I can earn this in just a few months, I'm willing to endure any hardship.
"Exactly, Brother Song, just stop talking. We're no strangers to hard work in farming. When we first came to the countryside last year, which farm work didn't challenge us? We've made it through this far, so why fear a little hardship now? As long as we can earn money, no amount of hard work is too much."
Everyone felt suddenly energized, as if injected with excitement.
Song Moting smiled, "Alright then, no more talking. We start work tomorrow. Our group of educated youths only has two girls, and Jia Shu is on leave, so Jiang Xiaoxiao will be responsible for cooking. When she's free, she can help us in the fields; the rest is up to us men.
No complaints of fatigue from anyone, including Jiang Xiaoxiao. During these days, make sure we have a hearty diet. Use up our stockpile of bacon, sausages, eggs, wild chickens, and rabbits.
Let's eat well and keep everyone going without getting worn out."
The crowd cheered.
Jiang Xiaoxiao was delighted, thinking how it's impossible for the ginseng to just be fifty cents per pound.
After her special spring water nourished them, she noticed the ginseng seedlings weren't as plagued by insects this year.
Normally, the most serious issue with ginseng is insect infestation, but whether due to her spring water or last year's snow disaster freezing the bugs, there wasn't much of an infestation this year.
Having never grown ginseng, they naturally couldn't accurately estimate the yield per acre.
But Jiang Xiaoxiao knew well.
Once properly planted, ginseng can yield 5,000 to 6,000 pounds per acre, but given the current soil fertility, such a high yield wasn't realistic.
Estimating around 3,000 to 4,000 pounds shouldn't be a problem.
If their ginseng quality could fetch one to one and a half dollars, it wouldn't be an issue.
In short, after this bountiful ginseng harvest, each of them would become rich, even richer compared to many of those with grand incomes. Back then, having a thousand dollars made you wealthy.
Even she felt thrilled.
No more weeding needed, as they all merrily headed back to the dormitory.
Jiang Xiaoxiao then spotted two people standing eagerly at the dormitory door looking at them.
She dashed over quickly.
Song Moting was puzzled, wondering why she was running so fast.
Then he saw Jiang Xiaoxiao rushing over to the unfamiliar man and woman at the dormitory entrance, tightly embracing both of them.
"Mom and Dad, what brings you here? I missed you so much."
Seeing her adoptive parents, she couldn't help but feel emotional.
Fan Xiuying's tears fell as she saw the child she raised, now darker and thinner.
This child had changed so much in a little over half a year.
Although Jiang Xiaoxiao had relatively fair skin among the educated youths, to her mom, she still appeared sunburnt.
"Look at you, all dark and skinny. You insisted on leaving for the countryside, and now you know how tough it is, right? Come inside so I can take a good look at you."
Jiang Honest wasn't good with words, but seeing his daughter with red eyes, he spoke up.
"Come in quickly! Let your mom take a good look at you."
Song Moting recognized them.
They were his future father-in-law and mother-in-law. They knew each other all too well from previous encounters.
This was a prime opportunity to make a good impression in front of his future in-laws, so he stepped forward quickly!
"Uncle, Auntie, what brings you here from so far away?"
Fan Xiuying and Jiang Honest looked at the energetic young man before them, trying to remember who he was. After all, it had been a while since the incident.
They hadn't remembered clearly.
But since he called them Uncle and Auntie, the two couldn't ignore him.
"This is... this young man looks familiar, doesn't he?"
Song Moting smiled wryly inside, of course you remember, last time you didn't hold back when you beat me.
"Uncle, last time you gave me a good beating with a stick."
Jiang Honest immediately remembered.
"Oh, I remember, I remember! You are Xiao Song, right? Ah, it's true that friends are made through a fight; I never thought you and my daughter would end up together. You came to the countryside as well?"
Regardless of the past, their family was at fault back then, and he got beaten for no reason.
"Yes, Xiao Xiao and I are in the same production team. Now we've reported individual production to households, so we're a small group. Look, all of us youth here, there are 13 of us in total."
Jiang Honest was greatly pleased.
This young man wasn't bad, especially considering he got beaten for doing good.