Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 171 - 170: Loving the Good Father

Qin Yao was awoken by the enticing aroma of food.

When she got up and looked, oh wow, there were three dishes and a soup on the dining table in the main room, and the sounds of frying still emanated from the kitchen. Was it an early New Year?

"Wifey, you’re awake," Liu Ji cheerfully greeted, reminding her to wash up with the warm water he had prepared. "The meal’s ready. If you’re hungry, we can start right away. I’ll just finish frying these meatballs; you all can start eating first."

Qin Yao yawned and instinctively asked, "Why are you frying meatballs?"

"It’s almost New Year, so we’re prepping early. Don’t you love hot pot? I sent Da Lang to Sister-in-law Zhou’s house to buy tofu. When the time comes, I’ll make a broth from big bones, and the tofu will taste amazing."

Qin Yao reached out and poked Second Lang, who was practicing calligraphy at the empty spot at the table. "Did your dad get a spell cast on him?"

How did he suddenly become so diligent and sensible?

Previously, Liu Ji would do housework and cook, but only if prodded like a reluctant toad.

But now, he was actually showing initiative!

Second Lang forced a wry smile, "He’s been like this since early morning. Maybe he’s really possessed."

Saying this, he pointed to the washbasin stand, where water and a toothbrush with toothpaste ready awaited. "Once he heard movement in your room, he came running to prepare everything in advance, being especially attentive."

Qin Yao went over and checked the water. The temperature was just right—not scorching. Washing her face with such warm water in winter was incredibly comforting.

After Qin Yao finished washing up, Liu Ji rushed in, snatched the washbasin from her hands, poured the water into the drainage, then returned it, chuckling, "I’ll go serve the rice. Second Lang, you go call Sanlang and Si Niang. If they sleep any longer, they’ll fall into a stupor."

Kids love to sleep, especially in winter; if no one calls them, they won’t get up.

Second Lang agreed, tidied up his calligraphy tools, and took them back to his room, waking the Dragon and Phoenix Twins along the way.

Da Lang returned with the tofu, and the tableware was already set. The family of six gathered around the table for a meal.

The delicious food left the mother and her five children thoroughly satisfied, all giving Liu Ji thumbs up.

Liu Ji responded with a gentle and virtuous smile, "If you like it, eat more. You all eat first; I’ll go keep an eye on the fire in the kitchen."

Saying so, he picked up his bowl of rice and headed to the kitchen.

To make tasty fried meatballs, you must control the heat well; overcooked ones turn hard, undercooked ones leave the meat raw and might upset the stomach.

The outer layer must be crispy, and the inside should be juicy for a perfect meatball.

The late-rising Sanlang and Si Niang watched their father enter the kitchen as if seeing a ghost. Sanlang rubbed his eyes, "Mother, I dreamt Dad became better."

Si Niang tapped her brother on the head, "Silly, this isn’t a dream!"

Although, Dad does seem to have changed.

"Mother, now that Dad’s better, you won’t hit him anymore, right?" Si Niang blinked her innocent eyes, earnestly pleading.

Qin Yao was munching on marinated ribs, shoveling a large bite of rice into her mouth. The chewy rice mixed with the savory meat sauce was so delicious it nearly brought her to tears.

While enjoying the meal, she thought, cheering up the kids couldn’t hurt, and nodded in response:

"Si Niang, don’t worry. Every beating your dad gets, he brings upon himself."

The implication was that it’s not that she loves to hit people, but someone was asking for it.

Si Niang, half-understanding, uttered an "oh" and turned to peek through the main room door at the kitchen. Her lips curled, her chubby cheeks propped up, "I like the good Dad～"

In the kitchen, the father turned his back on the family, his hands momentarily stopped, feeling a surge of emotion.

Some oil from the pan splashed onto the back of his hand, snapping him back to reality, and he continued fishing out the meatballs.

After breakfast, as soon as Liu Ji finished frying the meatballs, he served a bowl for the kids to eat. The rest he covered with a cloth and stored away, convenient to grab when needed.

With cold weather, they would keep for quite a while, definitely until New Year.

The family didn’t have much in terms of vegetables; Qin Yao’s small plot wasn’t enough to sustain them. At that moment, only two baskets of large white radishes, which Qin Yao had just harvested from the fields, were in the courtyard.

As for the radishes, they were planted with the help of Granny Wang, and she only gave a few coins for seeds.

What the family had in abundance was meat—fresh pork belly, big bone sections, and little pork ribs filling the long table-like cutting board.

Liu Ji pondered, it’s not good to eat just meat for New Year, and awkwardly went to Second Lang to ask for money to buy vegetables.

Second Lang didn’t make it difficult for him, unlocking and accessing the jar, and handed him fifty cents.

But he had one condition: whatever vegetables were bought, and how much per pound, everything had to be reported back.

Liu Ji raised his hand, waving it as if to give him a knock on the head, and Second Lang’s chattering mouth finally ceased.

"You’re turning the world upside down, talking to your father like that," Liu Ji hummed softly in Second Lang’s ear.

Second Lang immediately stood by Qin Yao’s side, pretending to be fierce, forcing his father to retreat.

"Wait a minute."

As Liu Ji just stepped out the door, Qin Yao called out to him. His heart racing, he almost thought she had seen through his plans to secretly keep some of the vegetable money for himself.

Feigning composure, he turned back, only to realize that she was going out too.

"Wifey, where are you going?" Liu Ji inquired, noting the rope and bow and arrow Qin Yao held.

Qin Yao looked towards the distant mountains, "Heading into the mountains for some New Year’s goods."

Conveniently, since she’d be passing through the whole village, she’d see which shops Liu Ji would visit and what he would buy.

Recalling her mentioning the importance of the soap recipe last night, and now her meaning to gather New Year’s goods when it’s not even a festival, Liu Ji probed:

"Who’s the New Year’s gift for?"

Qin Yao impatiently glanced at him, and just as Liu Ji thought she wouldn’t answer, she said quietly, "Old Madam Ding’s knees get cold every winter; she’s in need of good knee guards."

Knee guards made from combined deerskin and rabbit skin are excellent for warmth and protection.

Liu Ji remembered that the Ding family’s academy was almost finished.

"Is it for enrolling Da Lang and Second Lang in school? Can the old lady really decide?"

Qin Yao nodded, "Of course."

Otherwise, why would she be trying to please an old lady?

Liu Ji rubbed his hands, blowing on them, warm breath clouding, "In such cold weather, wouldn’t the mountains be devoid of the skins you need?"

Qin Yao didn’t answer; she had her ways.

"I might return late. Make sure the four siblings go to bed early; studying at night is bad for their eyes." After instructing Liu Ji and seeing him buy two bunches of greens from Granny Wang and her granddaughter, Qin Yao waved goodbye and ventured into the mountains.

Liu Ji thought when she said late, she meant until the dead of night.

He didn’t expect that she’d actually come back the next morning at dawn.

Though the sky hadn’t yet brightened, it could be considered nighttime... right?

Qin Yao dumped her load on the open space in the courtyard with a "thud."

A fully dead mountain deer, two half-dead gray rabbits, and a skinny, tightly bound wild goat lay there.

The wild goat was sheer luck. As she descended the mountain, she passed through a thicket when the silly creature got its head stuck in the brush, struggling in vain to free itself.

Faced with such fortune, Qin Yao wasn’t going to let it go.

She rushed over, tied it up, and brought it home. Now they had the main dish for the New Year feast!