Gao Shanshan couldn't help but swallow, a physiological reaction.
Gao Shanshan had been staying at Shen Yao's house for a few days and eating all her meals. Miraculously, Gao Shanshan, who had previously been unable to eat, managed to eat a bowl of rice!
Compared to the incredulity of Gao Shanshan and Gao Yang, Shen Yao was not surprised at all, as she had already placed spirit spring water in the water缸.
The food and dishes made with spirit spring water were naturally delicious, so it wasn't strange that Gao Shanshan could eat them.
After a few days of recuperation, although Gao Shanshan still looked thin, her complexion had clearly improved.
"Then I won't be polite," Gao Shanshan said, taking one and putting it in her mouth.
A bite of the bayberry immediately filled her taste buds with a sweet and sour flavor, bursting like popping boba upon biting.
After eating several, Shen's mother came out and quickly said, "Why are you eating them without washing?"
Shen Yao put another one into her mouth, her cheeks bulging as she mumbled, "If you're not clean, you won't get sick from eating."
Shen's mother: "You're so cheeky, stop eating. Don't worry, you won't be able to eat dinner later."
She then snatched the bayberries from Shen Yao's hand. Shen's mother knew her daughter well and was sure she had eaten quite a few.
"Shanshan, eating too many bayberries will make your teeth sensitive. You haven't eaten yet, so don't eat anything sour. After dinner, Auntie will get you some more," Shen's mother explained to Gao Shanshan.
"Okay."
Seeing that the bayberries had been confiscated, Shen Yao didn't dwell on it. She took a small stool and sat in the yard, with a pile of mugwort she had dried the day before beside her.
Although this mugwort had only stayed in the space for a few hours, it was no longer comparable to ordinary mugwort.
Shen Yao left the roots in the space and only cut off the stalks and leaves.
After drying for two days, the mugwort was almost dry. Shen Yao stripped the leaves off the mugwort stalks and piled them into a winnowing basket, setting them aside for later use.
Then, she mixed the mugwort stalks, which were now without leaves, with some fresh mugwort.
Shen Yao held a small bunch of mugwort in each hand, secured them, and began to twist them into a rope-like shape.
Shen Yao's speed was very fast. A small pile of mugwort was twisted into a long rope, and then she hung the mugwort rope to dry.
She then picked up the winnowing basket beside her, which was full of mugwort leaves. Shen Yao quickly rubbed them with her hands and then rolled them.
Soon, the mugwort leaves were rubbed into mugwort fluff. A large winnowing basket full of them reduced to a small amount.
Shen Yao then wrapped the mugwort fluff tightly in a piece of paper and made it into mugwort rolls.
Gao Shanshan watched Shen Yao's actions with wide eyes, her only thought being how amazing Shen Yao was!
Shen Yao handed the finished mugwort rolls to Gao Shanshan, and the remaining bit she turned and gave to Shen's mother.
These mugwort rolls were the best for moxibustion. How could she not share good things with her parents?
As for the mugwort rope, Shen Yao planned to use it to fumigate rooms. Making it into a rope shape was to make it burn longer, and the released scent was best for repelling mosquitoes.
As soon as the weather warmed up, mosquitoes, as if they hadn't eaten for years, swarmed in.
"Indeed, this mugwort is quite useful. In previous years, at this time, we would have already been feeding the mosquitoes. Since we started using mugwort, we haven't seen a single mosquito at our house," Huang Wan said in surprise.
Shen Yao didn't say anything when she heard this. How could the things she brought out from the space not be useful?
Because Shen Yao's family had too much land to reclaim, they began to hire a large number of workers. Almost all the middle-aged men and women who were idle in the vicinity came to help.
The benefits of having many people became apparent at this time. In half a month, three hilltops had been cleared.
The Shen family did not intend to bite off more than they could chew. They kept some of the villagers to continue clearing the land, and the rest were paid their wages and sent away.
"Yaoyao, have the fruit trees from your friend's side been prepared yet?" Shen Jun was getting anxious watching money being spent by the handful during this period.
In the past half month, only the wages for the land clearing workers had amounted to hundreds of thousands, and this was just the cost of clearing the land. The subsequent fruit trees, fertilizers, and so on...
Shen Jun dared not even think about it and was so anxious that he couldn't sleep.
However, there was good news. After using Shen Yao's mugwort rolls, Gao Shanshan's fetal position had returned to normal when she went for a check-up at the hospital the day before yesterday. Coupled with eating well at the Shen family's, her overall condition had improved.
Furthermore, as she was farther along in her pregnancy, Gao Yang's mother had gone to the county to take care of her daughter-in-law, so Gao Shanshan no longer stayed at the Shen family's.
"Don't worry, Dad. Not only have I secured the saplings, but I've also gotten some of the nutrient solution newly developed by the Academy of Agricultural Sciences."
Shen Yao wasn't lying. She had indeed contacted a senior student from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences who was staying to study. Upon learning that Shen Yao planned to grow things at home, he agreed to help her get a batch of saplings.
Those saplings were cultivated by old professors from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. They were said to be new varieties and were about to be promoted.
The senior student also said he would give her the biggest discount, ensuring she got great value for her money!
People at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences also needed to eat, so Shen Yao didn't actually try to take advantage of small benefits; the prices were as they should be.
As for the nutrient solution that would make plants grow faster, it was the spirit spring water she had taken out from her space. Since it was colorless and odorless, once the fruit trees were planted, it could be diluted and used.
"They should be arriving the day after tomorrow. Third brother, accompany me to the city tomorrow to find a truck to transport them back," Shen Yao said to Shen Huaisang.
Despite the advanced technology nowadays, which could deliver anything anywhere, their area only had logistics stations in the city.
So, they had to go to the logistics station and then find a truck to transport the saplings back.
"Alright."
Shen Huaisang replied without hesitation.
So, early the next morning, Shen Yao and Shen Huaisang set out with backpacks.
It was only a two-hour drive from here to the city, so Shen Yao and Shen Huaisang only brought one set of clothes to change into.
Upon arriving in the city, they booked two rooms, planning to stay there for the night.
"Third brother, let's go buy a car!"
Shen Yao knocked on Shen Huaisang's door and the first thing she said was to go buy a car.
"Buy what car?" Shen Huaisang replied instinctively, and then he remembered that his sister had indeed told him about buying a car a while ago. "Okay, let me change first."
After saying that, he went back to change his clothes before heading out with Shen Yao.
Outside the 4S shop, near the city's ring road, they hailed a taxi and went there.
The ring road not only had 4S shops but also a well-known used car market.
Shen Yao thought of buying a sedan for herself and her family, and then buying a few used cars for moving things later.
They arrived at the entrance of a 4S shop with a good reputation and pushed the door open.
The saleswoman inside politely welcomed them in, showing no neglect.
Although their clothes were not from big brands, their demeanor was outstanding, so the saleswomen dared not underestimate them.