The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 793 - 792 Delicious

As the two were talking, they heard footsteps in the yard, accompanied by Old Granny Zhang’s loud voice, "I forgot! I haven’t brought you the bedding yet. Look at my memory—"

She then bustled into the main house and soon came out with the bedding, "Chongjin, come and take this—"

Song Chongjin quickly ran out to take the bedding. Old Granny Zhang patted him on the arm and softly reminded him, "Treat them well, don’t neglect them."

Song Chongjin felt like a mirror in his heart, "Mother, don’t worry!"

Only then did Old Granny Zhang dust off the dirt on herself and went into the kitchen to continue working.

Feeling grateful, Old Granny Zhang used all her cooking skills, frying, steaming, boiling, and deep-frying without sparing any effort. The person who usually felt distressed over wasting even a few drops of oil had used half a jar of oil today without batting an eye.

Not to mention, she had to make her specialty meatballs.

It was getting late, and there wasn’t time to go out and buy chicken, duck, fish, and meat, but that didn’t stop Old Granny Zhang.

In the courtyard, there were two empty water tanks that Wang Yongzhu had planned to use to grow lotus flowers. They had been empty ever since he went to the county.

After returning, Old Granny Zhang had Wang Yongping fill the tanks with water and breed some finger-long crucian carps.

In the past, when there were no wells at home, they fetched water from the river and used to keep two crucian carps in the big kitchen water tank as a precaution, to check if the water was clean.

If there were fish in the tank, you could tell if the water was safe.

Besides, raising fish in tanks during summertime also helped in keeping the water fresh.

Moreover, some elders said that river water and well water were considered living water, once brought home and stored in a tank, it became dead water. By keeping crucian carp in the water, it not only made the water lively but also symbolized surplus fish and rice, which held a good meaning.

Nowadays, many families in Qilidun still kept fish in their water tanks. They caught fish from the river, and if they couldn’t finish eating them, they would keep them alive in the tanks.

When there were guests or on special occasions, they would fish out a couple to cook.

Although Old Granny Zhang didn’t use water from the tank for drinking, she kept two fish there for good luck.

At this moment, she couldn’t care less and fished the crucian carps out.

She scraped off their scales, cleaned the insides, removed the skin, minced the fish meat, adding a little flour and an egg, seasoning with just salt, and stirred it with chopsticks until it was sticky.

The water in the pot was already boiling. Old Granny Zhang scooped up a handful of fish paste with her left hand, squeezed it gently between her fingers and thumb, creating a white fishball, and scooped it into the pot with a spoon.

Her hands moved quickly, and soon the pot was full of white fishballs, emitting a fragrant aroma.

She then added freshly washed greens to the pot, briefly blanched them until they changed color, quickly lifting them out, topping with finely chopped scallions, and drizzling sesame oil.

White, plump fishballs, bright green greens, with golden sesame oil floating on the soup—it was an appetizing sight.

Wang Yongzhu couldn’t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

Old Granny Zhang felt sorry for her daughter but restrained herself, softly coaxing, "My dear, let’s bear with it! Once the mourning period is over, I’ll make it up to you!"

Wang Yongzhu eagerly nodded.

The mother and daughter were busy in the kitchen. The aroma was slowly carried by the wind to the front yard.

After so many days of mourning, everyone’s taste buds were craving. Even though there were eggs and tofu to alleviate their hunger, they couldn’t compare to the temptation of meat.

Not only the children but even the adults couldn’t help but swallow their saliva at the smell of meat.

Wang Yonggui looked at his three kids. The eldest could barely hold back, but Little Jinshao couldn’t control himself, drooling and wetting a large patch of his shirt front.

"Smelling this aroma, it seems to be coming from the backyard? Maybe because Laosi just got back, his family is feeling sorry for him and secretly cooking something good for him?" Wang Yonggui muttered as he paced towards the back yard.

He had been avoiding such indulgent foods during the mourning period. In his heart, he thought, if Laosi’s family had broken the ban, then he didn’t need to stick to it either.

Since the burial was done and the fifth seven days had passed, in a peasant family, there was no need for so many customs. Did they really have to mourn for three years?

He figured after the hundred days, it would be appropriate to end the mourning, and he would already be considered a notable filial son in Qilidun.

He hadn’t thought that Laosi, who seemed honest, was the first to give in?

While speculating, he didn’t slow down. Just as he reached Wang Yongping’s courtyard, he saw Wang Yongping coming out with a puzzled look, sniffing the aroma intently.

Wang Yonggui instantly knew he had misunderstood his brother. Laosi wasn’t that kind of person.

But then, where did the delicious aroma come from? Could it be the eldest household?

Wang Yonggui quickly dismissed his own guess. Their family couldn’t eat due to mourning, and the eldest house was too frugal to indulge in such food.

The brothers exchanged glances, "Who’s cooking?"

The aroma was so tempting, how could anyone stand it?

After a while, Wang Yongping hesitantly spoke, "The smell seems to come from the backyard, maybe it’s mother—" He quickly swallowed the last part of his sentence.

Perhaps their mother, Old Granny Zhang, was feeling sorry for their little sister and brother-in-law and decided to make something nice for them. How could they as elder brothers spread such a thing around?

Wang Yongping and Wang Yonggui exchanged knowing looks.

Wang Yongping was still hesitant, but Wang Yonggui, with his craving aroused, didn’t care if he got scolded. He dragged Wang Yongping towards the backyard, "Let’s go check it out?"

Wang Yongping was reluctant, but when he turned, he saw Eldest Brother Wang Yongfu, Jinhoo, and Jindou all drawn by the smell.

Wang Yonggui quickly gathered everyone, "Let’s all go to the backyard. Little Sister is back; as brothers, we should go see her—"

It sounded good, but everyone knew the real intent was to get some of that food.

Everyone tacitly agreed and followed behind.

A whole group marched into the backyard, and the aroma grew even stronger.

Upon entering the backyard, they saw a table under the porch already laden with dishes.

At the center of the table was the appetizing meatball soup. Next to it, with the leftover fish bones and fish frame, was fish crisps, deep-fried to a tile-like shape, the flour mixed with finely ground chili powder, giving off a tangy and spicy aroma.

There was also leftover New Year’s cured meat, sausages, and cured chicken, all cut into slices and chunks, neatly arranged in bowls, with potatoes at the bottom.

The three kinds of cured meat steamed until the fat was almost translucent, glistening, and aromatic. The grease from steaming seeped into the potatoes, making them greasy and incredibly tempting.

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