Little Miss Fortune: I Will Bring Prosperity to My Tang Family!-Chapter 38: Tang Xiaolin Likes to Eat Turtle Eggs

Chapter 37

Tang Xiaolin Likes to Eat Turtle Eggs

After the chubby girl dropped a bomb of hunger among the voracious men for her delicious fried rice the evening before, the next morning, they were all over the kitchen begging Hui Ning to make them egg fried rice. The commotion lasted until Zhang Ruo, annoyed, shouted them out of the kitchen.

"Mom, they just want some fried rice," Hui Ning said, laughing, while Zhang Ruo grumbled about their constant obsession with food.

"All day long, fussing over nothing but food. Sigh."

Hui Ning prepared a large pot of egg fried rice with cured pork and sunny-side-up eggs for them. Duck eggs were always available at home since Tianchen would collect them early every morning. Although the ducks were less active in the mornings now, there were still enough eggs for daily collection, no less than ten eggs a day.

Aside from using the eggs fresh, they also made salted eggs with them, as the ones Xiaolin made before had all been sold. Some villagers still came to buy, so they continued making them, albeit not in as large quantities as when sold in the city.

Selling salted eggs was quite profitable for them as it required no capital investment. The duck eggs were collected from the wild, and the salt was boiled at the beach. It only required labor without any cost, resulting in pure profit.

Once the breakfast was ready, the mother and daughter carried it out to the dining hall. Today’s breakfast wasn’t very elaborate, but there was a large pot of fried rice for the men of the house and two sunny-side-up eggs each.

The gluttonous men, who breathed as if their life depended on food, eyed the beautiful plate of fried rice eagerly. They ignored the other dishes completely. Xiaolin, yawning as she came out of her room, looked puzzled but laughed merrily upon seeing them devour the fried rice voraciously.

"Come here, dear. Today, Mommy made you seaweed soup too," Hui Ning pulled her plump daughter to sit beside her and slid a small bowl of soup towards her. There was also fried dried squid and stir-fried dried mussel with basil.

"Thank you, Mommy," Xiaolin sipped the soup to warm her stomach.

"Mmm, it warms up the stomach so nicely."

"Eat as much as you want. And what are you planning to do today?" Zhang Ruo added food to his granddaughter’s bowl, indifferent to the gluttonous men who were shoveling fried rice into their mouths as if they hadn’t eaten in three years.

"I’m going to plant vegetables from beans."

"Will they sprout?"

"It will. I’ll be planting them in the basins I bought. I soaked the seeds last night."

"Well then, let me help you with that."

"Thank you, Grandma."

The plump child waddled with joy at the thought of having a simple but delicious meal.

The food at the beautiful auntie’s house was good too, but it was all greasy dishes. It’s probably normal for people here. Luckily, her family wasn’t wealthy enough to buy oil for cooking before, or else she would have turned into an oil-bloated pig by now.

The wealthy probably prefer cooking with a lot of oil and use fatty pork in all their dishes, vegetables fried until they’re swimming in oil, and even some soups have oil as a component. Having lived in Thailand in a past life, a land of diverse and delicious food, she’d rather wave goodbye.

After breakfast, Tianrong and Hui Song went to the beach to help dry squids, while Tianchen stayed behind to help with his niece’s project at home and wait for his afternoon lessons.

Xiaolin went out to clean the soaked seeds with her young uncle’s help. After cleaning and ensuring the water was clear, they picked out the bad seeds. Then, they placed the good ones in the basins, covering them with damp cloth to keep moist throughout the day.

"Now we only have the water spinach left. Let’s go dig up some soil, Uncle," the chubby child led the way outside with a belly protruding, instructing her young uncle to dig up half a bucket of soil. She didn’t need much, just enough for the seedlings to get some nutrients.

After getting the soil, they continued with the coconut husks with her mother and grandmother’s help, while Tianchen was tasked with chopping the coconut husks into usable chips.

She planned to plant the pea shoots using only coconut chips because she vaguely remembered seeing on social media that planting in soil could cause mold. So, she decided to try using coconut chips for planting.

Once they had the coconut chips, they mixed them with soil in the bottom of the basins, followed by the water spinach seeds that had been soaked in water, spreading them out to avoid overcrowding. They then covered the basins with damp cloth, similar to the mung and soybeans.

"What about the pea seeds?" Tianchen asked, noticing some leftover pea seeds that had been soaked in water.

"Those are the trickiest, but if we plant them properly, they should sprout easily. May I borrow a small basin from you?"

"Sure."

Xiaolin placed the damp coconut husks into the basin, followed by a few pea seeds, and covered them with a damp cloth, completing the setup. The plump child hoped for success, fearing she wouldn’t survive the winter without it.

Because without vegetables, she might not be able to poop!

Whoops! Just thinking about it made her stomach hurt.

Before Tianchen could ask anything further, he saw his niece clutching her bottom and running into the bathroom. He just stood scratching his head before returning to chopping coconut husks, knowing his niece would still need a lot more.

Xiaolin walked out, rubbing her stomach after relieving herself, her belly now flat. She inspected the work and saw the three workers diligently at their tasks.

"Do your vegetables need watering?" Tianchen asked, ready to help his niece take care of these plants.

"No need to water them in the morning and evening like other vegetables," she explained. "Just sprinkle water on the cloth to keep it moist. The cloth must stay damp at all times."

Understanding, the young man nodded. Xiaolin then disappeared into the kitchen. When she returned, her belly was bulging again because she had stuffed oranges inside her shirt. Her plump hands peeled an orange before offering slices to everyone, including herself.

"How nice to work with someone feeding you fruits," Zhang Ruo commented with a smile.

"It seems it’s not someone, but rather a pig, ugh!" he hadn’t finished his sentence when his niece tackled him from behind, almost dunking his head into the water basin soaking the coconut husks.

"You’re a pig too, Uncle!"

"Both of you are pigs then. You eat so much the rice is almost gone," Hui Ning pulled her daughter away before Tianchen could be flattened. The little girl, hearing this, laughed with squinted eyes.

"I’m just growing, mommy."

"Yes, I know, eat a lot and grow fast, alright, sweetie?"

"You’re not helping your uncle with work at all, Xiaolin," Tianchen teased his niece, who was still chopping coconut husks non-stop. The chubby girl crossed her arms and scowled.

"I pay you so much; why should I have to do it too?" Her statement left Tianchen speechless. Laughing loudly, Xiaolin disappeared back into the house.

"This naughty niece! Is this why you gave me money?"

In the afternoon, Xiaolin asked her mother to take her to the beach because she wanted to stroll, and her beautiful mother also brought food for her father and grandfather. The plump child walked around, eating a roasted sweet potato deliciously while observing her five uncles flipping squid to dry them thoroughly.

"Aren’t you cold walking by the sea, Xiaolin?" Hui Song asked his niece. Even though the sun was still out, the constant wind made the air cooler.

"No, look at me. I’m dressed in so many layers," she said, bundled up in clothes that made her look even rounder, how could she possibly be cold?

"I’m just worried you might get cold," Hui Ning chuckled, seeing her daughter puffed up in layers.

"Little piggy of the Tang family."

Xiaolin pouted upon hearing her grandfather say that, ignoring him and continuing to eat her sweet potato.

Seeing her father collecting dried squid into a fabric bag, she ran to hug his leg, beckoning him to bend down. Tianrong, seeing his daughter’s gesture, sat down to be on the same level as her.

"If you want a little brother for me, you must eat oysters often, dad. Actually, there are fruits that are good for men’s health too, but I’ve never seen them," the plump child pondered. Where would she find avocados?

"That’s good enough. And what about women’s nourishment? What’s there?" Tianchen looked at his daughter with eager eyes, hoping to have another son and relying on his little daughter for help.

"Hmm, what we can find around this time are eggs and cow’s milk, but they might be hard to find and expensive. The cow at great-grandmother’s house doesn’t produce milk anymore. Women can also eat oysters. There are oranges and beans," she advised. For other nutrients, they could search after the winter if her mother wasn’t pregnant by then. Green leafy vegetables are also beneficial but she just sowed the seeds today; it might take a week before they could eat them.

"Vegetables can help too. I’m planting some."

"That’s great. We’ll make sure mother eats a lot of them so the baby comes quickly."

"Then, you must drink soy milk every day too. You have to help mom make it, dad. I will teach you how."

"Sure thing. I’ll pay attention. Is there anything else?"

"Seafood is good too."

"Then, I’ll ask Uncle Zhong to catch some fish for us. Thanks a lot, my dear." Tianrong kissed his daughter’s cheek loudly before quickly getting up to talk to his friends.

"Oh right, there are bananas too, but I’ve never seen them," she thought, munching on her roasted sweet potato.

The plump child leisurely walked along the beach but in the opposite direction of Hai Pin Village, hoping to avoid running into that old lady again.

"Oh! There’s also a snapping turtle," Xiaolin stumbled upon a large snapping turtle about to enter the water. She stood watching it for a long while until it disappeared into the sea.

"Did it come up to sunbathe or lay eggs, hmm?"

"Xiaolin! You’ve wandered too far," Tianrong called out to his daughter. Hearing this, Xiaolin turned back to the same direction.

"Tang Xiaolin likes to eat turtle eggsss," the round child sang an odd song all the way back to their small hut, repeating the same line over and over, making Tianrong wonder if his daughter really liked eating turtle eggs, though he remembered never bringing turtle eggs home for his wife to cook.

"Tang Xiaolin likes to eat turtle eggs, oh yay~"

"Where did you eat turtle eggs?" Unable to contain his curiosity, Tianrong finally asked. Xiaolin laughed merrily before answering, "I’ve never eaten them, father. I just saw a sea turtle earlier and made up the song."

"Is that so?" Tianrong nodded, understandingly, thinking someone had given his daughter turtle eggs to eat.

"Don’t forget the oysters, father. Absolutely essential," she reminded him. "Alright, I’ll collect a lot before we head back. Sounds good?" Tianrong pinched his daughter’s cheek affectionately.

"Perfect," the plump child stood watching her father work for a moment before turning to leave.

"Lost and wandering, lost and confused," she continued singing cheerfully around the hut, possibly influenced by the sweet potato or some wee... Just kidding!

Her little voice caught everyone’s attention as the bundled-up child in several layers of clothing roamed around, her mouth endlessly producing strange songs.

Hui Song sighed and rubbed his temples, relieved she was only singing and not dancing, which would have embarrassed them further.

Hui Ning, who had never seen her daughter sing before, watched her gently. Her daughter was truly adorable.

Once they saw their daughter uncontrollably shouting and singing, Tianrong quickly picked her up to take her home, deeming it time for her afternoon nap rather than letting her continue her bizarre concert, potentially startling the neighbors.

Hui Ning followed but couldn’t keep up due to her husband’s long strides.

"Tian mi mi, there’s candles but no incense~"

"Oh dear, why would my daughter sing about wanting incense candles?" Tianrong felt a headache coming on from his daughter’s singing.

The plump child giggled while being carried by her father, clinging to his shoulder and looking back at her trailing mother, continuing to sing all the way home, causing Tianrong a throbbing headache.

"It’s just a song, father. I don’t actually want incense candles."

"Then why sing about having candles but no incense? Hmm?" He playfully spanked her plump bottom as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Father, don’t be so serious. It’s just a funny song."

"Sigh."

"I didn’t want everyone to be stressed about work, so I sang to entertain," Xiaolin explained.

Tianrong thought to himself whether singing songs to relieve stress might end up causing more stress instead. The young man quickened his steps to get home sooner so that the plump child could finally take her afternoon nap.

"Likes to eat turtle eggs,"

"Oh dear, child."

"Hehehe."

By the time they got back home, Tianrong was nearly at his wit’s end. He quickly made the plump child wash her hands and feet, then put her to bed in her little bed, tucked her in neatly, and instructed his daughter before hastily leaving the room.

"Go to sleep now. You’ve missed your nap time. Children need lots of sleep."

"But I still want to sing for you,dad."

"Maybe another time. Close your eyes and sleep now."

Seeing her father’s demeanor, Xiaolin laughed out loud, happy to have teased him. She then grabbed her chubby pillow, hugged it, and fell asleep.

"What’s wrong, dear? Are you feeling unwell?" Hui Ning entered the living room to find her husband holding his head and asked with concern.

"It’s nothing. But you eat eggs and beans every day. And I’ll also get some oysters for you to eat."

"Why do we have to eat them?"

"Xiaolin said they’re nourishing for women. Having a strong body means we could possibly have a chubby little brother for Xiaolin to play with," Tianrong looked at his wife with affection.

"Honey, it’s been too much lately," Hui Ning glanced at her husband, wondering if he wasn’t satisfied with her waking up late almost every day.

"Doing it more often might bring our stubborn child into this world sooner. Now, let’s go," the young man stood up, picked up his wife, and they disappeared into the room together.

Xiaolin was oblivious to the battles from the next room as she dreamed of her great-grandmother smiling at her. The round child hurriedly ran to embrace the elderly woman wearing a traditional Thai floral blouse and dark sarong.

"Grandma,"

"Don’t dwell on the past. People over there are doing well. Live your life, child," the wrinkled hand gently stroked her head.

"I miss you and everyone so much," Xiaolin’s round face looked up at her great-grandmother, and tears were about to spill.

"It’s okay to miss it but don’t cling to it. You have a new life now. Think about and care for the family you’re with now. Think good thoughts and do good things."

The figure of the elderly woman gradually faded into the air. The plump girl wanted to grasp it but clenched her fists instead. She pressed her lips together to prevent a sob from escaping.

"Yes, great-grandma."

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