Chen Lan quickly purchased two jin of pre-Qingming Longjing tea, fifty grams per bag, from the system. Two jin amounted to twenty small packets, which she bundled up and set aside.
She then bought large bags of biscuits, cakes, and bread from the system, suitable for eating on the road.
Later, she would ask Lin Mai to boil a hundred marinated eggs for them to eat during their journey, twenty per person.
After some thought, she also bought five Dezhou braised chickens from the system, along with five jin each of braised peanuts, braised kelp, braised lotus root, and braised dried tofu. These were all packed in one-jin portions for easy distribution among the five people. She had considered buying several jin of braised meat, but given the cold weather, she worried about them getting sick on the road, so she only bought a few types of vegetarian braised items.
She took a piece of inferior cloth from her family’s former textile shop’s inventory from the system warehouse and tore off several large pieces to wrap these items separately.
She also retrieved a bag of silver dollars from the system warehouse, collected before visiting the Longfu Temple fair. She estimated there were several dozen, if not close to a hundred. This was intended as travel expenses for the regimental commander's wife when she came.
When Chen Lan emerged from the inner bedroom, she was carrying six large bags on her shoulders and a small bag in her hand. This sight startled Teacher Zhou. Her mother-in-law and the twins also stared with wide eyes in surprise.
Teacher Zhou, upon hearing that Chen Lan had prepared food for them for the journey, no longer stood on ceremony, only repeatedly saying, "This is too much, too much! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
However, when it came to the silver dollars, Teacher Zhou adamantly refused to accept them. Chen Lan could only say helplessly, "Teacher Zhou, you know that our whole family plans to settle here in Changbai Mountain for decades without leaving. What do we need this money for? We have nowhere to spend it even if we wanted to. Should we just let it rust if we don't spend it?
Besides, this is for the regimental commander's wife's travel expenses, not for you. The regimental commander's wife needs this now, and we are in a position to help. We are all military families, how should I put it? We're kindred spirits in misfortune!"
Seeing that Chen Lan had explained it so thoroughly, and that the regimental commander's wife indeed needed these silver dollars to settle her home affairs and cover her travel expenses, Teacher Zhou finally relented and accepted the silver dollars.
Chen Lan saw that Teacher Zhou had accepted the silver dollars.
She then stopped bringing up the money, to avoid further awkwardness.
She moved on to another matter, saying, "Teacher Zhou, I have two things I'd like to ask for your help with?"
Seeing Teacher Zhou's slightly changed expression, Chen Lan quickly explained, "Oh! Please don't misunderstand. It's not about anything else. When you return to the capital or your hometown, could you please keep an eye out for any good doctors and teachers? Whether they are traditional Chinese medicine practitioners or Western doctors, as long as they are willing to settle in Changbai Mountain, we will provide for their whole family with the 'three guarantees.' Of course, the prerequisite is that they must have good character and excellent medical skills. Teachers will receive the same treatment."
Teacher Zhou pondered for a moment and said, "Xiao Lan, you're right. Our valley is too remote, too far from people. We do need a doctor or a physician. If anyone falls ill, we'd be in trouble. We should indeed invite a doctor to the valley, just in case. And even more so for teachers."
Chen Lan repeatedly agreed, "Yes! Yes! If Jia Hui hadn't fallen ill the other day, and the child was unwell for half the night, I wouldn't have even thought about needing a doctor in our valley.
I believe that since we plan to live here for decades, inviting several doctors to the mountain is very necessary.
As for teachers, Ming Zhe, Wen Kai, and Wen Qi have all reached the age of enlightenment. Although we have all moved to the valley, we haven't neglected their studies. However, I still hope they can receive formal and professional education."
Teacher Zhou then asked, "Xiao Lan, do you have any specific requirements for the teachers and doctors, such as age limits?"
Chen Lan smiled and said, "Of course, good health is the most important thing. Age is not a major concern. You can decide based on the situation."
Teacher Zhou nodded and said, "That makes sense. Don't worry, I will take your requests to heart, after all, our entire family will be living here for decades." Sudancn.com
Just as he was about to leave, Teacher Zhou remembered something he had forgotten to mention. He said, "Xiao Lan, there's one more thing I forgot to tell you. I noticed that the sunlight isn't strong now, and the wind is quite strong, so I asked Zhao Qimin and the others to convert the solar power generation unit to wind power generation. Please remember to tell Xiang Dong and Er Hu not to convert it back."
Upon hearing this, Chen Lan repeatedly expressed her gratitude, "Thank you! Teacher Zhou, thank you so much!"
With all matters settled, Teacher Zhou’s mission was successfully completed. Amidst Chen Lan's thanks, Teacher Zhou happily hoisted the six large bundles on his shoulders and, holding the small cloth bag, strode away.
Around three o'clock in the afternoon, people from the border defense battalion arrived.
Chen Lan watched as five people carried backpacks and shouldered large loads. Each person was carrying a full back basket and two large bags. They looked quite comical, and she felt a bit puzzled as to why there were so many things.
Her mother-in-law said proudly from the side, "Xiao Lan, what do you think? Is this wedding gift presentable?"
Chen Lan asked curiously, "Mother-in-law, so much? What good things did you pack for them?"
Her mother-in-law said proudly, "Of course, they are good things. They might not be considered rare here, but when they take them back to the capital, they will definitely be considered treasures."
Seeing Chen Lan still waiting for more information, she no longer played coy and said, "I gave each of them a dried spicy wild goat, three packs of braised dried rabbit, three packs of spicy dried wild chicken, and a bag containing three jin of dried mushrooms, one jin of dried wood ear fungus, and one jin of linden flower tea."
As she spoke, she whispered, "Teacher Zhou received an extra spicy wild goat and a wild ginseng root prepared by me, with five leaves."
Chen Lan gave her mother-in-law a thumbs-up, "Mother-in-law, you are truly generous!"
Her mother-in-law said proudly in a low voice, "What do you know? You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing your child."
After the people from the battalion took over the loads shouldered by Teacher Zhou and the others and prepared to depart, Chen Lan saw Xiang Xi, Xiang Dong, Er Hu, Xiao Shuan, Lin Mao, and Xiao Shan run forward to hug and bid farewell to each of them. As everyone watched their receding figures disappear into the mountain forest, a trace of sadness and reluctance inevitably welled up in their hearts.
Despite their sadness and sorrow, life had to go on. Everyone dispersed and returned to their respective tasks.
Chen Lan found her mother-in-law and Cui Mama in the wood ear mushroom shed, scattering lime to disinfect the ground. She noticed that the wood ear mushrooms on the linden trees had already grown considerably, about the size of an adult’s fingernail.