Chapter 23: A New Business Opportunity
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
This trip into the mountains had been quite fruitful. Not only had they caught a large number of fish and dug up even more winter bamboo shoots, they had also picked some wild mountain fungi. It wasn’t the time for fungi to grow yet, so they didn’t pick much, but it was enough for the whole family to eat.
“It’s getting dark. Let’s go back,” Yu Feng said as he looked at the dark sky.
Yu Wan nodded. “It’s time to go back.”
“Aren’t we going to catch more fish?” Yu Song knew that the crucian carp here could be sold for a good price. There aren’t that many times to go marketing anymore. He hoped that he could get more fish this time.
Yu Feng said, “It’s not safe in the mountains. Once it gets dark, everything will come out. If we don’t go back now, Father and Mother will be worried.”!!
Although Yu Song was unwilling, he thought that his mother might be standing in front of the door looking around worriedly. He pursed his lips and went down the mountain with them.
As soon as the three of them entered Ah Wan’s backyard, the sky began to snow.
Yu Song opened his mouth. Luckily he was back!
Today, they were having lunch at the old mansion. Madam Jiang and Little Bruiser had already gone over before lunch. Yu Wan asked Yu Feng and Yu Song to go over first while she placed the winter bamboo shoots properly. After feeding the pigs, chickens, and rabbits, she brought the two catties of wild mountain fungus she picked to the old mansion.
Along the way, they met Aunt Zhang, who was collecting dried corn sticks. Aunt Zhang smiled. “Are you having dinner at your uncle’s place?”
“Yes, Aunt Zhang, have you eaten?” Yu Wan greeted her warmly.
Aunt Zhang smiled. “I was just about to go home.”
Yu Wan said, “Then Aunt Zhang, you should hurry up and go.”
Aunt Zhang left after agreeing. After Yu Wan had walked far away, she turned around and looked at her back. Just now, she actually wanted to ask this girl what had happened between her and the Zhao family. Why did she stop being close to them overnight and start getting close to her uncle’s family again? Although it wasn’t a bad thing, the villagers were still curious.
Yu Wan was focused on earning money, so she naturally wouldn’t think too much about anything else. Moreover, her personality was very different from before, and she would inevitably attract gossip. However, everyone didn’t have any ill intentions, so there was no need for her to be calculative.
As she approached the old mansion, Yu Wan smelled a strong fragrance of braised meat. This was the first time she smelled such an alluring fragrance after coming to Lotus Flower Village for so long.
Yu Wan instantly felt hungry.
In the central room of the old mansion, Aunt Yu was bringing dishes to the table one by one. Madam Jiang helped take care of her youngest daughter while Little Bruiser followed Yu Feng and Yu Song to the water vat and bucket in the backyard to store the fish.
It had been a long time since the two families had such a lively atmosphere. The adults could still maintain their composure, but the children could not. The daughter, who’s still learning how to speak, followed behind Madam Jiang. She grabbed onto Madam Jiang’s skirt and kept babbling. From the backyard came the laughter of Yu Song and Little Bruiser.
It was not the New Year’s yet, but it already felt like it was.
In the central hall, Aunt was serving dishes. Yu Wan went to help. Aunt Yu placed a bowl of piping hot vegetable and egg soup on the table and said to Yu Wan, “It’s all done. Have a seat! What did you bring over again? Don’t keep bringing things home. It’s enough to eat!”
“A little wild fungus.” Yu Wan smiled and handed the basket to Auntie. “Where’s Uncle?”
“Yes, Mother, where’s Father?” Yu Song had finished storing the crucian carp and came over with his forehead full of sweat.
Aunt Yu took the basket and placed it properly. “There’s still one last dish. He’ll come over once it’s done.”
Yu Song and Yu Feng were stunned. What did their mother say just now? Their father was cooking? Their father cooked?!
Yu Wan looked at the two brothers with a strange expression. Madam Jiang walked over with the youngest daughter and whispered into Yu Wan’s ear, “Your uncle’s culinary skills are very good. He was a chef in the Capital, but after his leg was injured, he didn’t cook anymore. Your uncle was happy because you came today, that’s why he’s cooking.”
Because of… her? Yu Wan was stunned.
Yu Feng and Yu Song looked at Yu Wan at the same time. Needless to say, they knew why their father was so happy. Little Bruiser often came over, and they had never seen their father personally cook before. It couldn’t be just for Third Aunt. After counting all the times, it could only be this ungrateful girl.
Yu Song snorted.
“Brown Sugar Pig Knuckle is here!” Uncle Yu carried a big steaming bowl and limped into the hall.
“Didn’t I tell you to leave it!” Aunt Yu shouted. She rushed over and took the bowl from him. “Little Feng, come and help your father!”
Yu Feng had already walked towards his father before his mother could say anything. He held out his hand.
Uncle Yu looked at his son calmly and raised his chin. “I don’t need your help.”
The despised son : “…”
Yu Wan curled her lips and walked over to help her uncle sit down.
Her uncle’s culinary skills were indeed very good. He had cooked those few unremarkable vegetables in the field into tasteful dishes. A plate of stir-fried corn with green peppers was so spicy that it was refreshing and sweet to the heart. The sweet and spicy taste of the ingredients had been perfectly cooked. The corn grain was dried under the sun, but it didn’t have any dryness or hardness when eaten. It was simply like freshly peeled corn today.
What made Yu Wan unable to stop was the plate of chives scrambled eggs. It’s as big as the round plate with a slightly burnt yellow side, but the center was so tender that one could suck it in in one mouthful. Her uncle had used the salt bought from the shop, but Yu Wan could barely taste the bitterness.
“Egg.” His youngest daughter still wanted to eat. Yu Wan picked up a large piece for her and she started eating it clumsily with her chopsticks.
Of course, the most popular dish was still the bowl of rock sugar braised pork knuckle. Just looking at the glossy red pig knuckle skin was enough to make one drool. This was the most delicious pork knuckle that Yu Wan had ever eaten. Even the braised meat of the White Jade Restaurant and Jadeite Pavilion was less than one-tenth of it.
Moreover, her uncle used the most astringent salt. If he could exchange it for snowflake salt, Yu Wan could not imagine how delicious this dish would be.
“I have an idea.” Yu Wan finished the last piece of pork knuckle meat in her bowl and put down her chopsticks. She looked at her family solemnly and said, “We won’t sell pork tomorrow.”
“Pork?” Yu Feng was stunned. “Wait, when did we decide to sell pork? We didn’t…” He paused. How could he forget that his third aunt had just extorted a pig from the Zhao family?
Yu Wan smiled and looked at Yu Feng, “That’s right. It’s the pig that the Zhao Family compensated us with. I originally planned to keep half of it and sell the other half at the market. But now, I’ve changed my mind. Uncle’s culinary skills are so good, it’s a pity if he doesn’t show his skills. We won’t sell raw meat anymore. Let’s sell braised meat. Braised meat is more profitable than raw meat. We just have to work hard to make braised marinade.”
Selling braised meat was indeed a good idea, but would his father agree? His father had sworn that he would never—
“What’s so hard about that!” Uncle Yu slammed the table. “Ah Wan, how much do you want? I’ll cook it for you right away!”