Chapter 136: Thoroughly Satisfied (You can skip this chapter if you’ve just had your meal!)

Chapter 136: Thoroughly Satisfied (You can skip this chapter if you've just had your meal!)

This pot of sautéed rice with Boletus mushrooms and cured pork used up every last bit of the preserved Boletus mushrooms that Peach Blossom had dried and stored, along with more than half of the cured pork. Just slicing it and then dicing into smaller pieces took considerable effort.

In truth, slices of cured pork would have sufficed, but considering the little ones at home, Peach Blossom diced it into small cubes instead. The method was simple: after heating oil in the pan, she tossed in the finely chopped Boletus mushrooms and cured pork cubes that had been soaked beforehand. Then, she added rinsed rice to the pan with water, poured in the sauce she had prepared earlier, and simmered it all with the lid on.

A whole large pot of sautéed rice with Boletus mushrooms and cured pork—no need for braised pig knuckles or stewed pig trotters, this dish alone was incredibly appetizing. It wasn't just Big Tiger Wei who was experiencing this dish for the first time; no one else knew this method of cooking either. Apart from the mushrooms not being particularly rare—given enough diligence, one could easily gather a basketful after the rain—the rice and cured pork were different matters. They were truly precious dishes reserved for the New Year, yet they both represented the highest level of hospitality when served individually.

"This is so delicious." Ox Iron couldn't stop shoveling the rice into his mouth, paying no attention to the braised pig knuckles. The freshness of the Boletus mushrooms and the aroma of the cured pork, paired with the slightly chewy rice soaked in sauce, made him exclaim in delight, "Oh, my dear mother! How can Auntie Peach Blossom's cooking be so fragrant!"

Dog, sitting next to him, was similarly engrossed in his meal. He was even more adept at eating than Ox Iron, wrapping a serving of pig knuckle meat around the sautéed rice with his chopsticks before stuffing it into his mouth. With his cheeks puffed out and eyes squinting, he chewed away, savoring the rich texture spreading throughout his mouth. His dangling legs swung back and forth, as if he didn't know how to express his comfort, feeling as though he could fly.

Even Little Girl, who had just learned her first word, "whole," was held in her mother's arms, gripping a piece of pig knuckle meat and shoving it into her mouth bite by bite. She mimicked the words "delicious" that her uncle had taught her, but these two words were still beyond her grasp, resulting in drool dripping down her chin.

If the children were like this, the adults were even more so.

Big Tiger Wei didn't even bother with the leftover sauce to mix with rice this time. Why bother soaking it? This sautéed rice, in his humble opinion, was unmatched in taste compared to any other woman's cooking combined. His wife's cooking was incomparable, and he struggled to find words to describe it. He held his bowl and shoveled the rice into his mouth continuously, getting up every now and then to fetch more rice from the kitchen, making him the most diligent one in doing so.

Peach Blossom felt her stomach swell just watching him eat with such gusto; two bowls were enough for her, and she found them a bit cloying. She picked up a radish, rolled it in the dipping sauce—spiced with chili peppers and vinegar—which perfectly balanced the greasy rice, making each bite delightfully refreshing.

Once the initial fervor of those engrossed in their meals subsided, the atmosphere shifted to drinking, and people began changing seats. Men gathered in groups to play drinking games, while women chatted around their children. Only the adolescents, neither fully grown nor still children, found themselves excluded from both circles, quietly focused on their food.

The oil lamps flickered weakly, the air filled with the aroma of alcohol and the fragrance of food.

ManCang took his empty bowl to the kitchen for more rice, only to see his cousin SanHua, from his maternal uncle's family, sipping soup from a bowl there. He usually followed his brother-in-law’s lead in addressing others as "big brother" or "second brother," terms he used affectionately. But with this elder sister, who was older than him yet shorter, as delicate and lovely as a flower, he always kept his distance.

Though they were family, he felt awkward around her, avoiding her whenever possible, whether eating or doing anything else. When she was in the courtyard, he would stay inside, and when she was indoors, he dared venture outside.

He didn't know why he felt this way, perhaps because they were roughly the same age? Back in the village, he had never dared look at girls his age either. Whenever a girl carrying pig fodder passed by him, he would shy away, scared.

This moment was rather awkward.

SanHua also felt uneasy holding her bowl. Her father and second uncle's loud cheering from their drinking game echoed nearby, and she disliked the pungent smell of alcohol. Her mother and her aunts were happily drinking fruit wine, tipsy with joy. Because she was still young, she wasn’t keen on drinking herself. Even the little kids had their own fun, leaving her feeling out of place in both groups. So, she decided to step out for some fresh air.

The winter wind was biting cold. After standing under the eaves for a while, she couldn't bear it anymore and came into the kitchen for shelter. She heated a pot of water, which would be useful later for washing dishes, or for washing her face and soaking her feet.

The people who had come to the mountains, aside from Uncle Lin, Cousin-in-Law's mother, and her two brothers, were all relatives and clan members, familiar to one another. Due to often working together on sewing projects, she and Aunt Zhao frequently conversed, without much awkwardness. Among these three people—Uncle Lin, the elder who spoke little but worked hard, did not need her to call him for meals. After eating, he would either return to his room to sleep or take his hoe along with her father to weed, leaving no opportunity for interaction. The same went for DogZi, who only played with TieNiu, DuckEgg, and GooseEgg. Being younger, he had nothing much to say to her, and there was no awkwardness in their interactions.

Mancang was the exception; despite his young age, he already looked like a teenager, making it easy to overlook how young he truly was. She had heard from her mother that Cousin's younger brother was ten this year, twelve in the traditional counting, and would only turn thirteen after his birthday next year. Yet, he was tall for his age, and his features were well-developed. He had still carried a hint of childishness during their first meeting, but now, any trace of youthfulness was gone. Like a slender poplar quietly shooting up, he had transformed into a different person in just a few short months.

Perhaps it was due to the good food and constant running around that he had grown taller these days. His temperament was also more mature than the energetic Dogzi's, making him seem like a little adult. It was difficult for her to view him as a younger brother.

Girls at this age were naturally sensitive, especially when facing boys their own age. In a crowd, it might not be an issue, but when they were alone together, she found herself at a loss, unsure where to place her hands or feet, her heart beating faster than usual.

It wasn't that she had any ulterior motives; it was simply an uncontrollable physiological response.

Both were tense, feeling awkward and unsure of what to do with their hands.

"I, I'll get the rice," Mancang said, his voice dry. He didn't dare back away, afraid that if he did, nothing would turn into something.

"Uh-huh." Sanhua stood by the stove, within reach of the ladle. Instinctively, she put down the bowl in her hand and reached out, "I can help you?" This was the natural reaction born of her diligent and helpful nature, her discomfort momentarily forgotten as she offered to assist him.

Mancang felt his head heating up and swelling, yet he actually handed over his empty bowl. Sanhua took it and glanced at his plate, noting that it was completely clean, without a single grain of rice left. Satisfied, she nodded and scooped up a ladle full of rice, piling it high. With him standing right there, she made sure to choose portions with plenty of meat, pressing down on the mound to make it even fuller. This caused Mancang to break out in a sweat; he knew he wouldn't be able to finish it all.

"Is this enough?" Sanhua was still worried it wouldn't be sufficient. Her two brothers had big appetites, always wanting more, never less. Whenever she served them rice, she had to press it down, which always earned her a teasing scolding from her mother, who said they must have been reincarnated from bottomless pits.

"Enough, it's enough." Mancang carefully took the bowl, his fingers trembling. "Thank you, Sister Sanhua."

"Pfft." Sanhua covered her mouth, and upon noticing his gaze, she hurriedly waved her hand, saying it was nothing. It was the first time someone had called her Big Sis Sanhua, and it felt oddly wondrous, stirring up an indescribable sensation in her heart. If Dogzi were to call her that way, she might not have felt much, but hearing ManCang do so... Ah, she couldn't quite put it into words, but she just couldn't help smiling.

With the food served, ManCang didn’t want to linger in the kitchen any longer. The place was eerily quiet, illuminated only by the flickering light from the hearth. Remembering that girls were often afraid of the dark, he hesitated for a moment before suggesting, "The front room is lively with people. There’s no rush to heat water until after we finish eating."

Sanhua picked up on his concern, two small dimples appearing at the corners of her cheeks as she nodded. "Mm-hmm."

Not knowing what else to say, ManCang carried the steaming pot of braised rice back to the front room.

After half a bowl of liquor, PeachBlossom felt a bit dizzy. Her sister-in-law, who had been talking to her earlier, had gone to the outhouse, giving her the chance to switch seats and sit next to ManCang. Seeing him staring off into space with a chopstick in his mouth, occasionally glancing outside, she asked out of concern, "What are you looking at?"

It was then that ManCang noticed his sister had moved over. Coincidentally, Sanhua had just returned to the front room, which relieved him. He turned to his sister and said, somewhat embarrassed, "Sis, I can’t finish this." He felt a little ashamed – a bowl of braised rice filled with diced cured meat was a real treat, something he’d never dreamed of having before. He hated to waste it, but his stomach was full. Mother was drinking with his aunt, and he didn’t want to bother her. So, like when he was a child, he turned to his sister whenever he encountered a problem he couldn’t solve himself.

PeachBlossom was delighted. She was more than happy to eat his leftovers. Reaching for her own bowl, she transferred the contents of his bowl into hers and teased him, "You shouldn’t have scooped so much if you couldn’t finish it. Good thing Mother didn’t see, or she would’ve scolded you for sure."

ManCang laughed too, huddling close to her and quietly sharing with her his feelings about learning archery over the past two days. "I think I’m starting to get the hang of it. After practicing for a few more days, I won’t miss the target anymore. Sis, I can do it. When I learn how, I’ll hunt wild chickens for you to eat."

Hearing this, PeachBlossom was secretly pleased. In a soft voice, she encouraged him, "Study hard. With a skill under your belt, you won’t have to worry about anything in the future. A man with abilities will never starve as long as he isn’t lazy. When you come of age, it will be easier to find a good match regardless of our family’s wealth. The girl’s parents will be willing to marry their daughter to you once they know you’re a capable man."

Why did she bring up this topic? ManCang blushed and grunted, "I, I’m still young."

"There's nothing to be shy about. Do you think everyone is like your brother-in-law, waiting until he was of age to marry? At his age, there are countless people in the village whispering behind his back, calling him an old cabbage stalk." She had no qualms about belittling her own husband, finishing the last grain of rice in her bowl before setting down her chopsticks. Leaning in close to her brother, she whispered, "Learn diligently from your brother-in-law. Don't fear hard work. He's a man of great skill. He may seem unassuming on a daily basis, not much different from any other hunter, but look at his huge appetite. Yet, food is never scarce in our home. Hunting boars, killing wolves, catching sheep... he..."

Plum Blossom felt an itch on her neck and reached up to scratch it, continuing, "He's amazing..."

Full Granary noticed his brother-in-law sitting beside his sister, gently playing with her hair and tickling her neck. His face flushed red as he desperately tried to signal his sister. Plum Blossom, slightly tipsy from the alcohol, was slow to react, swatting away the pesky mosquito again without giving much thought to how mosquitoes could appear in winter. She continued teaching her brother, "He's incredibly skilled! Full Granary, pay attention and work hard. Learn all your brother-in-law's skills. When you fancy a girl, sis... burp, your sister will arrange a marriage for you!" She let out a belch after saying this, suddenly feeling queasy and vomiting a little. Embarrassed, she quickly covered her mouth, grinning foolishly at her brother.

"It's alright, I just vomited..." She waved her hand, trying to reassure Full Granary, but before she could finish speaking, another wave of nausea hit her and she turned away, covering her mouth again.

Full Granary was terrified, thinking that his leftover food had upset his sister. Great Tiger Wei stopped teasing his wife and immediately supported her shoulders, gently patting her back. He gave Full Granary a meaningful look, prompting him to quickly get up and fetch some hot water.

"Since when have you been...?" Taohua glared, intending to ask when he had sat down beside her, but the moment she opened her mouth, a wave of nausea hit her.

"From now on, you're not to touch a drop of alcohol. Last time, you slept for a whole day after drinking, and this time, it's even worse—you've been sick," Wei Dahu said anxiously, his large hands soothingly rubbing her back. "I've asked Mother to keep that jar of fruit wine well out of your reach, so you won't have a chance to take even a sip again."

Taohua grew anxious, on the verge of retorting, when a wave of nausea surged within her. She reflexively pushed him away and turned to vomit.

This time, it was the real deal; the commotion was rather loud, causing quite a start for both those drinking and those who weren't. All heads turned in unison to see what had happened.

"Author's Note"