PFC Chapter 246 The Pond is Dig
Chapter 246 The Pond is Dig
Li Xiangyang wiped his sweat and felt a little guilty seeing everyone working so hard.
With so many people helping, this is a huge favor.
Li Xiangyang specially found some lime and sprinkled it from the bottom up along the slope of the pond.
The group then hurriedly moved the stones.
Everyone chatted and laughed, but their work wasn't delayed at all.
After another hour or so of work, the pond was finally finished.
Looking at the mud all over everyone's bodies and their clothes soaked through, Li Xiangyang felt even more grateful.
After the pond was dug, everyone went home to get carrying poles and buckets, split into two groups, and began to fetch water back.
This is a huge project; it's not only tiring but also slow, but there's no better way.
Fortunately, the road from the water source to Li Xiangyang's house wasn't too difficult to travel.
Nevertheless, it still takes about 1,000 to 2,000 steps to go back and forth.
The people carrying water lined up in a row, their wooden buckets filled to the brim, each carrying at least forty or fifty pounds.
It was hot, and my clothes were soaked with sweat in no time.
The carrying pole was digging into my shoulders, causing a sharp pain.
Especially when going uphill, the water sloshes around, making it slow to walk and requiring you to keep your back straight for fear of spilling water.
"Everyone's worked hard. After dinner tonight, take some meat home with you."
After walking back and forth several times, Li Xiangyang said embarrassedly.
Hearing that they could not only eat meat but also take it home, everyone became even more enthusiastic.
"Thank you all for your hard work. That's all for today. Let's take a break, have our meal, and we can continue with the water tomorrow when it's cooler."
Seeing that the water level in the pool had already risen above their knees, Li Xiangyang quickly told everyone to rest.
A short while later, Li Xiaoyun came home from school and saw that the yard was full of villagers helping to fetch water. She quickly went to the kitchen to help add water and cook.
Seeing this, Li Xiangyang quickly stopped her: "You rest, I can do it."
“You’ve been busy all day, let me do it,” Li Xiaoyun said, already rolling up her sleeves.
Before long, the two quickly ladled a large pot of stewed meat into several large basins and placed them on the makeshift dining table in the yard.
"Come on, come on, don't be shy," Li Xiangyang said, "Eat your fill, and take some home with you."
"Xiangyang, you're too honest." Someone picked up a piece of meat and put it in their mouth, savoring it with satisfaction.
"What are you saying? You've all helped me so much, it's only right." Li Xiangyang put a piece of meat in everyone's bowl.
Li Xiaoyun added water to the table, watching the lively scene in the courtyard with a smile on her lips.
After the meal, Li Xiangyang distributed the remaining meat to everyone to take home.
Everyone said they would come to help again tomorrow.
"Alright, then come back tomorrow when the sun isn't so strong." Li Xiangyang saw everyone off as they left the courtyard.
Turning around, he looked at the half-full pond and said to Li Xiaoyun, "That's about enough. Let the water settle for a few days, then we can plant some aquatic plants and lotus flowers, and that'll be fine."
"So particular?" Li Xiaoyun was somewhat surprised.
"It wouldn't be an exaggeration to be even more meticulous; aquaculture is no easy task, and we must simulate the natural environment as closely as possible. This is stagnant water, after all, so I'm thinking of digging another pond for water purification."
"The two pools will have their water exchanged, so we won't need to go to the trouble of having people fetch water anymore. But there's no rush; let's wait until the first pool is stable."
……
The villagers arrived one after another early the next morning.
There are even more people coming back this time than yesterday.
As the sun rose high in the sky, the water level in the pond gradually increased.
The line of people carrying water stretched from the pond at the village entrance all the way to Li Xiangyang's yard. They chatted and laughed along the way, and didn't seem tired at all.
"How long will it take to pick this out?" someone asked.
"Almost there, about another hour," Li Xiangyang replied as he shifted his shoulder.
"Xiangyang, how much water do we need for this pool?" Li Daqiang asked as he walked over.
“Just one foot from the shore,” Li Xiangyang gestured with a wooden stick.
After searching for a long time, the pond was finally filled with water.
Li Xiangyang told everyone to rest while he went to the stove to get busy.
As the sun set, Li Xiangyang's courtyard was bustling with activity.
Several large pots of stewed meat were placed on the makeshift dining table, filling the air with their aroma.
"Listen to me, everyone," Li Xiangyang stood up. "Thanks to everyone's help these past two days, but I thought about it last night and decided I need to trouble you all one more time."
"What's the matter?" someone asked.
"Here's the thing, I'm thinking that just one pool won't be enough. After all, it's stagnant water, and the water quality will deteriorate over time. I'm thinking of digging another pool and filling it with lime to purify the water, circulating the water between the two pools, so that we won't have to keep asking people to fetch water."
"Wow!" Li Daqiang's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea! Xiangyang's got a sharp mind."
"That's right. No wonder they've managed to make a living like this. You just decide to dig, and everyone helps you."
"Yeah, we're doing it anyway." Everyone chimed in.
"Alright, thank you all then," Li Xiangyang said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.
The next morning, everyone arrived early and had a clear division of labor: some dug soil, some pushed carts, and others were responsible for piling up soil.
As the sun rose higher, the second pond was also mostly dug.
The excavated soil was piled up in the yard, gradually forming the shape of a small hill.
By evening, the second pond had also been dug.
Everyone nodded in approval as they looked at the newly renovated courtyard.
For aesthetic purposes, the two pools were dug symmetrically, and the excavated soil was piled in the middle to form a small hill shape.
Although the mound is bare now, everyone can imagine what it will look like when it is shaded by green trees in the future.
After seeing off the villagers who had helped him, Li Xiangyang stood on a small hill between the two ponds and nodded in satisfaction.
With everyone's help, it took another two days for the second pond to be filled with water.
Right now, the water in the pond is still murky, but that's okay; it will clear up after a few days of settling.
The main task now is to tidy up that small mound of earth in the middle.
Li Xiangyang carried a shovel up the mountain and specially selected some vigorous flowers and plants, digging them up along with the soil.
These wildflowers and weeds grow vigorously on the mountain; they'll definitely thrive if transplanted to the yard.
On his way back, he found several wild daylilies by a ditch at the foot of the mountain, their orange-yellow flowers in full bloom, and he dug them up as well.
At noon, Li Xiaoyun returned from school and stood at the gate of the courtyard for a long time in a daze.
Looking at the newly transplanted wildflowers filling the yard, Li Xiaoyun couldn't help but nod and say, "It does look much better this way, but will these flowers survive?"
"It should be fine. I specifically chose these; they're all very vigorous and have complete root systems," Li Xiangyang said with a smile. "Once the water clears, I'll find some more lotus flowers to plant; it'll look even better then."
"Let's go, that's enough, let's eat first." Li Xiangyang pulled Li Xiaoyun towards the house. "There are plenty of flowers and grass on the mountain. Even if this batch doesn't survive, I can just go up the mountain and get more another day."