Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 872 - 445 Frost Flower

The second update, seeking pink hearts

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When winter came, everything froze. Lian Manman’s family used glazed windows, and for the sake of warmth during winter, they did not hesitate to spend silver coin on double-glazed windows. Even so, if there was less firewood burned one night, the next morning, they would still see frost patterns covering the glazed windows.

Lian Manman really enjoyed looking at the frost patterns because they weren’t just plain layers of frost but naturally formed various patterns, which of course required a pair of eyes good at discovering them.

Large leaves or feathers were the most common, followed by flowers, and sometimes one could even see layered buildings. And when the sun rose and the temperature inside the house also climbed, the frost patterns on the glazed windows would slowly melt, revealing yet another fascinating spectacle.

Because they melted at different rates, the frost patterns gradually became enriched, forming a sense of depth with varying proximity. The most magical sight Lian Manman ever saw was in the center of a glazed window, where there was a beauty up close, surrounded by flowers and trees, with pavilions further away, almost like a vivid Daiyu Burying Flowers Picture.

However, the days Lian Manman could see frost patterns were not too many, as the heating in her room was excellent.

The heated brick bed in the outer room of the west wing was warmed by the coal stove from the outer room. During the day, they would stoke the stove to make the bed warmer. If Lian Manman and Lian Zhizhi were sitting in this outer room, they would add a brazier on the floor.

At night, when Lian Manman and Lian Zhizhi went to the inner room to sleep, the fire in the outer stove would be reduced. The inner room’s heating at night did not rely on the outer coal stove but had a separate small stove instead. The mouth of the small stove was located beneath the window sill outside, with a tunnel leading directly under the bed in the inner room. Before going to sleep at night, they first burned firewood to heat the bed in the inner room, and then piled it with enough coal to burn through the night. In this way, the inner room, which served as the bedroom for the two sisters, was warm the whole night through.

Because of this, the glazed windows in the inner room didn’t have the chance to frost over. Only those in the outer room could gather frost flowers on those envious, cold nights.

Lady Zhang also called frost patterns "window flowers," but Lian Manman still preferred to say "frost flowers," as in her eyes, "window flowers" specifically referred to the kind made from paper-cutting.

The saying goes, "In spring one grows, in summer one thrives, in autumn one harvests, and in winter one stores." Winter is a season for conservation. Especially in places like Thirty Mile Camp, where winters are extremely cold, people have the habit of "hibernating."

Lian Manman enjoyed "hibernating." Every day, other than inspecting Lian’s Shop and the Pickled Vegetable Workshop, she would manage the day’s accounts, and then, she’d enjoy herself just like now...

On the hotly heated brick bed was placed a small bed table, atop which lay two or three volumes of books, with hot tea on the side, and a large box brimming with dates, duck pears, dried persimmons, sunflower seeds, peanuts, rice cake strips, and walnut crisp, among other fruits and snacks. Lian Manman sat next to the table, dressed in warm cotton clothes and trousers, with her legs stretched under the bed table, and her legs and feet covered with a small quilt made of new cotton. Just like this, she cuddled the fluffy cat Da Hua while reading a book and nibbling on snacks.

"Manman, do you want some hot tea?" Lian Zhizhi came in from outside and saw Lian Manman enjoying herself, so she asked with a smile.

"Yeah." Lian Manman nodded.

Lian Zhizhi took Lian Manman’s teacup, went out to get a fresh cup of tea, and brought it back to her.

"Sister, what are we eating tonight?" Lian Manman, biting into a large duck pear, asked Lian Zhizhi.

"I just went to the vegetable cellar with Mom. She brought out a winter melon, saying that we’ll make shrimp and braised winter melon tonight," Lian Zhizhi replied, "It’s both yours and Xiao Qi’s favorite."

During winter in Thirty Mile Camp, the majority of households have very monotonous meals, mostly consisting of pickled cabbage, potatoes, and Chinese cabbage, with the more abundant households having dried vegetables from the autumn. But Lian Manman’s family’s meals this winter were much more diverse because they had dug a large vegetable cellar.

The tenant farmers in Thirty Mile Camp also had vegetable cellars, mainly used to store Chinese cabbage. There are differences between vegetable cellars too; one type is simple, which involves digging a square pit in the ground, then covering it tightly with planks, grass mats, straw, etc., leaving an opening. This opening is also sealed tightly most of the time. When they need to get vegetables from the cellar, they lift the opening and climb down with a ladder.

This type of cellar is simple, easy to dig, and about the height of one person. They are usually not very large and store Chinese cabbage quite well. Farmsteads usually dig such cellars in their vegetable gardens. Come the next spring, they fill the cellar back in and continue to grow vegetables.