70s Delicate Girl: A Guide to Being a Rich Woman-Chapter 346: Wild Loquat Jelly

Xu Mumu tossed and turned all night and couldn’t sleep, but the little brat slept soundly.

Xu Mumu felt a bit complicated. If she continued like this, it wouldn’t work. How could she get married in the future? She had to overcome this mentality.

Staring at the little one’s peaceful sleeping face, Xu Mumu reached out and poked the little guy’s face, making a small dimple. The little guy seemed to feel uncomfortable, moved slightly, not wanting his sister to keep poking him.

It was only in the second half of the night that Xu Mumu reluctantly fell asleep. Still, she didn’t sleep well. As soon as the sky started to brighten, and the sound of fetching water came from outside, Xu Mumu got up.

After not sleeping well all night, she just felt exhausted, her back aching severely, as if she’d been fighting zombies all night.

"Mumu, how come you’re up so early?" Xu He saw Xu Mumu up so early, noticing her big dark circles, "Didn’t sleep well last night?"

"No, Uncle, you’re up early to fetch water." Xu Mumu shook her head with a smile.

"Yes, the water in the house tank needs to be changed daily. Getting up early allows me to do more work." Xu He nodded. The large water tank they used at home was made by someone he hired after they divided land. It was quite large, and filling it with water every morning was enough for the whole day.

Xu Mumu nodded, not saying much more. This uncle just knew how to bury his head in work.

Over on this side, Xu Po also got up. At the threshing ground of the brigade, there was an old well with very sweet water. Almost everyone in the brigade drew water from there, only the brigade leader’s household having the old well at home.

"Mumu, it’s still early, go back and sleep a bit more." Xu Po came out carrying water buckets, smiling at Xu Mumu.

"No, I can’t sleep. I’ll go for a walk up the mountain." Xu Mumu shook her head. The little one was still on her bed; she definitely couldn’t fall back to sleep.

After Xu He and his brother went out, Xu Mumu grabbed a vegetable basket and a sickle and went out. The bloodstains on the sickle from previously killing a wild chicken had long been cleaned off.

Walking up the mountain, the air was still humid, and it wasn’t hot at all in the early morning. Occasionally a breeze blew, feeling very comfortable. As she walked, Xu Mumu collected the tender wild vegetables into the basket.

Seeing the wild loquat tree not far off, Xu Mumu’s eyes lit up. There were still quite a few fruits on the wild loquat tree. Perhaps people here didn’t know how to eat them, for many had fallen to the ground, still green.

Xu Mumu quickly picked up the edible ones from the ground into the basket, then shook the tree trunk a few times, causing many wild loquats to fall. Only when her basket was full did Xu Mumu contentedly return home.

Back in her previous life, there were wild loquats at her grandmother’s place, and she remembered eating ice powder made from wild loquats when she was a child.

On the walk back home, Xu Mumu had a spring in her step. Once the ice powder was made, the little brat should really enjoy it. Thinking about the little one’s greedy look, Xu Mumu’s lips curled into a slight smile, feeling quite good.

When she returned home, everyone in the house was already up, even the little one.

"Big sis, why did you go up the mountain so early by yourself? What’s this?" Xu Jiaojiao asked curiously, thinking if she had known her big sister was going, she would have gotten up early to go with her.

"This is called wild loquat. I’ll make ice powder for you all later." Xu Mumu said with a cheerful smile.

"What’s ice powder?" Xu Minglei swallowed, thinking about the spicy crab from last night, wanting more. Maybe later, he’d go to the river to catch some crabs himself, considering not many ate them.

"You’ll see soon enough." Xu Mumu pinched Xu Minglei’s cheek.

Breakfast was simple, just some sweet potato porridge, but Xu Mumu ate with appetite.

After breakfast, Xu Mumu took Xu Wan to start processing the wild loquats. Meanwhile, Xu Jiaojiao and others went to the mountain to find mushrooms, that’s a way to make money, can’t give that up, besides the ice powder couldn’t be eaten immediately anyway.

The picked wild loquats were washed, the stems removed, then mashed for use. The mashed wild loquats were wrapped in gauze and placed in cold boiled water, kneading until the pectin juice flowed out, then put into the water tank to chill for 2 hours.

Xu Mumu worked meticulously, and Xu Wan learned earnestly as well.

When the ice powder finally set, Xu Jiaojiao and the others had already returned.

After working all morning, Xu Mumu felt very satisfied with her labor’s result. She got some brown sugar from Qian Ying and melted it in a pot.

She called the two people working on the roof down, then divided the ice powder into small chunks, serving each with brown sugar. Besides a few tangerines, there weren’t any other fruits at home, so they had to make do with just that.

"Wow, sis, this is so tasty, cool and refreshing, not hot at all after eating it." Xu Minglei said excitedly.

"If you like it, we can pick some more tomorrow." Xu Mumu said with a smile, being quite indulgent with her brother.

"Then we’ll have more tomorrow. Big sis, where’s the wild loquat?" Xu Jiaojiao was even more excited, thinking her big sister was amazing, knowing how to make so many delicious things.

Xu Mumu told the position of the wild loquats to the kids. Watching their eager looks, they seemed to wish they could run off right now to fetch a basket of wild loquats back.

Everyone in the house really liked the ice powder. Though a bit troublesome to make, it was definitely a great heat reliever.

Madam Chen didn’t say much. After all, it didn’t cost much. The spices just needed some brown sugar, and she’d brought back a packet. Next time she’d bring it out to use.

Xu Xue finished her bowl of ice powder too, generally knowing how ice powder was made. She didn’t expect wild loquats could be used this way. Xu Xue glanced at Xu Mumu then withdrew her gaze; she wasn’t daring enough to cross Xu Mumu.

Xu Mumu wiped her little brother’s mouth. The little guy really liked the ice powder, his face covered in brown sugar.

After eating, the little guy wanted more, but with none left in the basin, he naturally couldn’t be served another bowl. Besides, it was close to lunchtime. If he ate more, he wouldn’t have room for lunch.

Regarding Kangkang, neither Xu Mumu nor Xu Xue gave him any. Kangkang was too frail, with a weak stomach, it wasn’t suitable for him to eat cold stuff. If he felt unwell after, what then?

Fortunately, the little guy didn’t mind, happily playing with a small rattle drum on his own.

The basin of ice powder wasn’t large, and with many in the Xu Family, it was consumed quickly.

"Next time, when you make it again, send some over to your granduncle’s house," Madam Chen said as she gathered the dishes. The granduncle’s house had helped their family a lot back then, and the Xu family would send over some good stuff occasionally.