The stoves used in Chinese rural areas for thousands of years mostly have the same flaws as the stove in Brian Cooper's home, resulting in extremely low thermal efficiency—on average, less than 10%. This is also the main reason why fuel is often insufficient in many rural parts of China. The fuel-saving stove promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture was jointly developed by a group of experts. Its structure is simple and it requires almost no extra investment, yet it can increase the stove’s thermal efficiency to over 25%.

When farmers use the fuel-saving stove, they can save more than 60% of straw, and basically no longer need to chop firewood, which is greatly beneficial for soil and water conservation in rural areas.

Moreover, with improved thermal efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions are also greatly reduced. In later generations, the United Nations specifically studied China’s experience in promoting fuel-saving stoves and regarded it as a truly great undertaking.

Brian Cooper was someone who liked to learn new things in his previous life. When he was in the countryside, he had specifically learned about fuel-saving stoves from the technicians promoting them, so now, upon seeing his own stove, he naturally understood the problems with it.

As for this knowledge, Brian Cooper naturally couldn’t explain it to Emily Scott. Based on his understanding of Emily Scott, he knew that if he suggested building a new stove at home, Emily Scott would definitely oppose it. This was partly due to her lack of trust in his skills, and partly because she cared for him and was unwilling to let him do hard work.

Having figured this out, Brian Cooper said nothing more. He tended the fire while chatting idly with Emily Scott. The mother and son laughed and talked, feeling quite happy.

When Grace Parker returned with firewood, Emily Scott had already finished cooking. She served the food in three large bowls and placed them on the Eight Immortals table in the main room—one bowl for each of the three family members. As for the side dishes, there was a small plate of fermented black beans and two pieces of moldy tofu.

“Hurry and eat, didn’t you say you were hungry?” Emily Scott said to Brian Cooper.

“Why is your porridge like this?” Brian Cooper looked at his own bowl, then at those of Emily Scott and Grace Parker, feeling a sting in his eyes.

For dinner, they had vegetable porridge. Brian Cooper’s bowl was filled with thick rice grains, while Emily Scott and Grace Parker’s bowls were mostly vegetable leaves, with only a few scattered grains of rice. Actually, this was how meals at home had always been. In the past, the scholar Brian Cooper took it for granted and never gave it a second thought. But now, this Brian Cooper simply couldn’t accept being cared for in this way—he, a grown man, eating thick porridge while his mother and sister ate thin gruel. How could anyone accept that?

“Haor, you need to study and use your brain, so you should eat more. It’s fine if Xiu’er and I eat less,” Emily Scott explained.

“Just eat. When is it ever not like this?” Grace Parker said sourly.

Brian Cooper picked up his bowl and, without a word, scooped a third of his rice into Emily Scott’s bowl, and another third into Grace Parker’s bowl. Both Emily Scott and Grace Parker were stunned by his action. After a long moment, Emily Scott finally said, “Haor, you…”

“Mom, you and Xiu’er work in the fields and use up more energy, so you should eat more. From now on, when our family eats, we’ll be full together or hungry together,” Brian Cooper said.

“Silly child.” Emily Scott didn’t know whether to be happy or sad. She wanted to scoop the rice back into Brian Cooper’s bowl, but the determined look in his eyes made her hesitate.

“Mom, your son was ignorant and lazy in the past, making you and Xiu’er suffer. Don’t worry, from now on, I’ll turn over a new leaf. I swear, within a month, I’ll make sure you both have good food and drink, and never go hungry again!” Brian Cooper solemnly promised his mother.

Chapter 006: Repairing the Stove

The night passed uneventfully. Early the next morning, Emily Scott and Grace Parker went out carrying buckets. They had to fetch water from a nearly dried-up mountain pond several miles from the village to water the fields. Brian Cooper wanted to go with them, but after considering his own physical condition, he knew it was just a nice thought—he was still far from being able to actually do it. Poor guy, seventeen years old, yet not as strong as Grace Parker. Carrying a load of water, he couldn’t even make it from the village entrance to home without spilling more than half.

Unable to help with the fieldwork, Brian Cooper began to think about the stove at home. He had all the know-how for building a fuel-saving stove in his head. After all, the stove designed by the Ministry of Agriculture back then was meant for rural promotion, so the technology wasn’t complicated. As long as you grasped a few key points, you could make one.

Brian Cooper first went to the well-digging site. He saw several piles of burnt ashes near the well, knowing the craftsmen had worked through the night by lamplight. He approached Edward Harris and asked, “Master Harris, how’s it going down in the well?”

Edward Harris looked exhausted, but his spirits were high. Seeing Brian Cooper, he quickly cupped his hands in greeting and replied, “Young scholar, your chosen well site is spot on. We’ve already dug thirty feet and have hit wet soil. In my experience, this well is sure to succeed.”