Ch 45: Daily Farm Life After Returning from Interstellar

Childlike Innocence

As the wood turns into charcoal, it releases a tremendous amount of heat. The bamboo tubes are buried in the charcoal ashes and are gradually heated from the outside to the inside, layer by layer. The rice inside the tubes continues to expand. Fortunately, Su Mu has abundant experience, and she only fills each bamboo tube halfway. As the glutinous rice expands, it gradually fills the entire tube.

If too much rice is packed in, the banana leaf used to seal the tube’s opening might be pushed off by the swelling rice, allowing dust to enter the tube, contaminating the outer layer. However, after removing the dirty rice from the tube’s opening, the rest is still edible.

Gazing intently at the buried bamboo tubes, Gu Shi and his companions occasionally flip them. When they use their hands to turn the tubes, they are sometimes scalded due to the heat, causing them to grimace.

Su Mu tidied up the bamboo pieces she had shaved and walked out, only to be met with three large gray cats covered in ash. They also had clothes soaked with sweat from the intense heat, looking pitiable.

“You guys don’t need to keep watching the fire all the time,” she said, holding back her laughter.

All three of them looked up at her and chimed in unison, “It’s interesting.”

They had grown up in the city, receiving various lessons and activities arranged by their parents since they were three or four years old. Playtime wasn’t non-existent, but it usually involved building blocks, puzzles, or trips to amusement parks and zoos.

They hadn’t experienced anything as interesting as roasting bamboo tube rice before. The bamboo tubes heated up, emitting steam, and a faint scent of bamboo being roasted could be detected. They found the process extremely fascinating.

Su Mu chuckled, “As long as you’re having fun. Oh, wait a moment, I’ll fetch something that will make you even happier.”

Turning back, she entered the storage room where her mother usually kept things. Grabbing a small basket, she skillfully filled it with dried corn and peanuts. Spotting some sweet potatoes in a corner, she grabbed a few of those too.

Returning to the fire with the half-filled basket, she smiled, “Just waiting for the bamboo tube rice to cook can be dull, right? How about we eat some snacks while we wait? What do you think?”

Eyes brightening, Gu Shi and the others nodded enthusiastically, “Sounds great!”

After burying the sweet potatoes in the charcoal ashes, she moved on to the corner of the fire and sprinkled a small handful of corn and peanuts, using a wooden stick to mix them with the charcoal.

She said, “You guys can also fashion some makeshift chopsticks out of wooden sticks. We’ll have popcorn in no time. Just remember, slow hands won’t work here.”

Beside her were the bamboo pieces she had shaved earlier. Gu Shi, He Fu, and Tang Hui fashioned the bamboo pieces into makeshift chopsticks, their eyes unblinking as they stared at where the popcorn and nuts were roasting.

Indeed, in no time, bursts of white popcorn appeared on the dark charcoal ashes. Su Mu quickly scooped them up, placed them in her palm, and gently shook them to remove any ash clinging to the popcorn. Then she placed them in her mouth to taste.

They weren’t as sweet as the ones sold at the cinema entrance, but the satisfaction came from making them by hand and enjoying their natural flavor – soft, crispy, and fragrant.

Corn popped one after another, and the three big men were just as competitive, snatching popcorn eagerly.

“This is mine, don’t grab it.”

“What do you mean yours? Your name isn’t written on it.”

“That’s right, it’s only yours once you grab it.”

“Hey, hey, hey, the dust is splattering.”

Gu Shi was quite clumsy in this aspect. Every time, he was a step behind He Fu and Tang Hui. He only managed to get a few pieces of popcorn into his mouth. When he was feeling down about this, a small hand appeared before him, holding a handful of fluffy white popcorn.

As he lifted his head, he met a pair of eyes brimming with a joyful smile. “Here, for you,” Su Mu said softly.

Gu Shi felt a bit embarrassed and pushed her hand back toward her. “No need, you have it.”

He, a grown man, being helped out by a girl, felt a bit embarrassed.

Seeing his hesitation, Su Mu grabbed his hand with her left hand, using her right hand to place the popcorn from her palm into his. “Go ahead, eat.”

“Hey, hey, hey, Mu Mu, I want some too.”

“Seconded.”

With just a glance from Gu Shi, the two teasing fellows quieted down.

A faint blush spread across Su Mu’s face, but she wasn’t overly shy. It was perfectly natural to openly show kindness to someone she liked.

“Thanks, let’s eat together,” Gu Shi responded to her kindness. Su Mu nodded, and they began eating the popcorn from his palm, taking turns.

By this time, the peanuts were nearly roasted as well. The group set them aside and let them cool slightly before peeling off the outer shells.

Su Mu was about to try a peanut when her phone rang. She answered it, and Chen Guo’s excited voice burst through the line. “Mu Mu, ahhh, where did you get the autograph? I’m so happy!”

Su Mu had sent Chen Guo Tang Hui’s autograph not on her birthday but a day or two later.

Initially, Chen Guo had wondered. In previous years, Su Mu never forgot to get her a gift for her birthday. Why hadn’t she received anything this year? Later, she thought that Su Mu, busy with farming back in her hometown, might have forgotten. However, two days later, she received a small package with Su Mu’s name as the sender.

That was when Chen Guo understood that Su Mu hadn’t forgotten her birthday after all.

With a sense of guilt, she carefully opened the small wooden box and found an instant photo inside. The person in the photo was her idol — Tang Hui!

On the back of the photo was a line of text:

“To Chen Guo: Happy Birthday! Best wishes for your work!”

Signed with Tang Hui’s charismatic name and the date.

As a devoted fan of Tang Hui, Chen Guo would never mistake her idol’s handwriting. A signed photo of her beloved idol! And she was holding it so lightly in her hands?

After a few seconds of being stunned, she couldn’t contain her excitement. Inside the box, she saw a beautiful piece of letter paper with Su Mu’s handwriting.

“Hey there, Guo Guo, do you like the birthday gift I got you? Haha, even though my words can’t compare to your idol’s, I still want to wish you a happy birthday! Don’t get too worked up. Take a deep breath before calling me, alright? Be good~”

Feeling the playful and teasing tone of her friend between the lines, Chen Guo’s heart swelled with even more gratitude.

Following her friend’s advice, Chen Guo took quite some time to compose herself before making the call to Su Mu. However, as soon as the call connected, her excitement overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t help but let out a scream.

On Su Mu’s end, there was a brief silence. Although she hadn’t put her phone on speaker, Chen Guo’s voice was still audible to everyone.

Tang Hui couldn’t help but hold back a chuckle. “Mu Mu, your friend has the potential to be an opera singer.”

Su Mu chuckled awkwardly and brought the phone to her ear. “Guo Guo, you should try to be a bit more ladylike. Otherwise, you might regret it.”

Chen Guo was still lost in her ecstasy, and she wasn’t really paying attention to what Su Mu was saying.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Mu Mu, Tang Hui! My idol! I love him the most!!! Thank you, I’m so happy. By the way, how did you get his autographed photo? And it even says ‘To’! I can’t handle this, I feel like I’m going to pass out from happiness.”

Su Mu’s expression was hard to describe. She spoke up, “Guo Guo, listen to me first.”

“Hmm? What do you want to say?”

“Your heartfelt confession just now was heard by someone. There are others around me.”

“That’s fine, I like Tang Hui, and there’s nothing embarrassing about that!”

“Well, what I mean is that Tang Hui himself heard your confession.”

“Who? Who!”

Su Mu could only hear a commotion and the sound of something heavy falling on the other end, then the call was hung up.

Tang Hui smiled and asked, “Was that your friend?”

“Yeah, she’s a huge fan of yours.”

After hearing that, Tang Hui nodded without saying anything. His face showed a rare trace of perplexity.

The entertainment industry was an ever-changing field, and he had been out of the public eye for four or five years. He hadn’t expected that there would still be fans who genuinely liked him.

It would be a lie to say he didn’t hope to return to the screen, but at the same time, he was also afraid. What exactly he was afraid of, only he knew.

Su Mu thought Chen Guo would call back soon, but even after the bamboo tube rice was ready, her phone still hadn’t rung.

“These bamboo tubes are charred. Can we still eat them?” Hearing He Fu’s confusion, Su Mu snapped back to reality and smiled, “Of course, they’re still edible, and they’ll be especially delicious.”

The outer layer of charred rice was crispy and fragrant, much like the crispy rice at the bottom of a pot. Seeing their disbelief, Su Mu put on gloves, took a knife, and lightly scraped the charred surface of the bamboo tube. The golden sticky rice underneath was revealed, and the aromatic essence of the ingredients burst forth. The fragrance of the sticky rice mixed with the unique aroma of preserved sausages and cured meats was mouthwatering.

In truth, the bamboo tubes hadn’t been charred all the way through. A thin layer of membrane inside the bamboo held the sticky rice tightly, much like the outer layer of the White Rabbit candy, and it was also edible.

Su Mu easily tore the bamboo tubes into pieces, completely peeling the sticky rice away from the bamboo. The whole roll of rice was round and steaming, placed on a clean banana leaf.

“This is bamboo tube rice. Divide it and enjoy. I’ll peel a sweet one for myself.”

He Fu and the others didn’t hesitate, dividing the bamboo tube rice into three portions and starting to eat.

The outer layer was charred and crispy, with a rich rice fragrance bursting with every bite. However, the rice inside was soft, encapsulating the essence of the ingredients. The preserved sausages and cured meats offered a satisfying chewiness, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

They finished one bamboo tube in just a few mouthfuls and then eagerly watched Su Mu, drooling.

Giving both of them a sideways glance, Gu Shi said, “Do it yourselves!”

Asking a girl to do such rough work – how could they be okay with that!

After hearing Gu Shi’s words, He Fu and Tang Hui each chose a bamboo tube, imitating Su Mu’s actions to clumsily peel the tubes.

Taking over the task from Su Mu, Gu Shi said, “Let me do it. You can just wait and eat.”

It was rare for him to offer help, and Su Mu was naturally grateful. She stood by and observed his movements.

In reality, what seemed simple wasn’t as easy to do. He Fu’s bamboo tube ended up in a mess, so he simply used the bamboo pieces to pick at the remaining sticky rice. Tang Hui’s had occasional damage, but it was still largely intact.

Gu Shi’s movements were slow, but his completion was the best. The inner membrane of the bamboo was completely undamaged.

Su Mu gave him a thumbs up and said, “Impressive.”

As the temperature of the fire gradually dropped, everyone placed the cooked bamboo tube rice, peanuts, and sweet potatoes in a basket. Su Mu’s impromptu bamboo tube rice-making came to an end.

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Thingyan: I WANNA EATTTTTTTT