Time went by unnoticed, and lately Shen Chengyao's family had been busier than ever. The wasteland had been fully reclaimed, and apart from paying the workers' wages, Shen Chengyao even used the bait Xiao'er made to catch a large bucket of fish from the river. He gave every family a fish, weighing two to three pounds, as a thank-you gift. Consequently, the river was bustling with people carrying baskets to fish, but sadly they returned empty-handed.
Today was Mr. Shen's birthday. Shen Chengyao bought chickens, ducks, fish, and other groceries from the town before dawn; now, in the courtyard, Mrs. Liu and Mrs. Li were plucking feathers from the chickens and ducks that had been scalded in hot water. Mrs. Lu was killing the fish, and Mrs. Lan was washing the vegetables.
