Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Lin Chunyan picked some bitter melons and placed them on the wooden cart that Second Son was pushing. She planned to take care of the garlic cloves after she returned.

She intended to make bitter melon stuffed with meat that day. In summer, people tend to have more internal heat or "fire" in their system. Bitter melon is just right to clear that heat. Moreover, there's a principle of "bitter before sweet" in everything, and bitter melon stuffed with meat embodies that.

She cut the bitter melon into thick, thick slices, scooped out the pulp, and added just a drop of oil to the pot. This way, the color of the bitter melon would remain vibrant when blanched.

After taking them out, she rinsed the slices with cold water and placed the prepared meat filling in the middle of the melon slices before frying them on both sides in a pan.

With a sizzling sound, the kitchen was filled with a tempting aroma. Until the bitter melon slices were golden brown on both sides, she added a well-mixed sauce and reduced it over high heat until the sauce was thick.

The kitchen was extremely hot now, unlike in winter when everyone liked to gather around the stove for warmth. Now, they wished they could stay as far away from the kitchen as possible. But for those who relied on cooking skills for a living, whether it was the cold of winter or the heat of summer, they could never escape the stove.

Fearing heatstroke, Lin Chunyan placed several blocks of ice in the kitchen. However, the ice melted quickly, with a block disappearing in just half a day. With the rising temperatures, much of the ice stored in the cellar had already melted, and at this rate, it wouldn’t last long.

Lin Chunyan became reluctant to use the remaining ice and instead prepared drinks chilled with well water to keep everyone cool, urging them to drink frequently.

Both Lin Cuixiang and Zhao Zilan thought this was bearable. Lin Cuixiang said, “In a few weeks, when it gets even hotter, we used to cut wheat in the fields. That was real suffering. The sun would beat down on us, and the wheat stalks were particularly prickly. Now, working in this kitchen is a blessing in comparison.”

Zhao Zilan nodded in agreement, “Exactly. I hate going to the fields the most. There are always bugs biting, and even if you wear thin clothes, they still manage to bite through. And you’d always be worried about harvesting the wheat before it rained, or the whole year’s harvest would be ruined.”

Ding Hui Niang smiled and shook her head, “You’ve only been to the fields for a few years. In our time, we’d rather work in the fields every day than stay home and starve. We were all eager to go.”

Hearing this, Lin Chunyan didn’t feel the heat was as unbearable anymore. “I was worried for nothing, thinking you all might not be able to handle it.”

They all laughed, and Lin Cuixiang added, “Every year when it’s time to harvest wheat, I would fight with Sanlang. We both wanted to stay home and cook instead. But he couldn’t beat me, and my second brother always took my side.”

Zhao Zilan looked envious, “In our family, Dan the Kid doesn’t have to go to the fields, but this year, it’s uncertain; he might have to go as well!”

They also talked about watermelons. Before long, the watermelons in the field would be ready to eat. Thinking about chilling a couple in the well water was a kind of comfort that couldn’t be described.

Lin Chunyan loves eating watermelons the most. But honestly, the watermelons at this time aren't that delicious. They were sweet with a slight bitterness, and the seeds inside were particularly numerous. Still, Lin Chunyan always clung to them and wouldn’t let go.

This year, they didn’t plant as many watermelons. Mrs. Zhang had already spoken to Liu Niangzi ahead of time, asking her to send over a few watermelons once they were ripe.

Liu Niangzi, knowing how much Lin Chunyan loved watermelons, laughed and said, “We have plenty in our fields. Feel free to eat as much as you want.”

She and Mrs. Zhang were close friends. While others found Liu Niangzi untidy and avoided her, Mrs. Zhang had never looked down on her. Now, with their improving lives and having moved closer to each other, their friendship had grown even deeper.

Sometimes, when Mrs. Zhang made something delicious, she would bring some to the second household and Liu Niangzi, slowly learning the ways of social etiquette.

Lin Taohong, on the other hand, was thinking about pumpkins and asked Lin Chunyan, “When will we be able to eat them?”

Seeing the flowers blooming now, she eagerly awaited the fruits to satisfy her craving.

Lin Chunyan calculated the days and said, “I’ll stir-fry some pumpkin shoots for you as soon as we get back.”

“Can the shoots be eaten?”

Seeing their surprise, Lin Chunyan nodded, “Yes, they can be eaten, and they taste pretty good too. Moreover, the flowers can also be cooked into dishes.”

Although the pumpkin yield wasn’t as good as it would be later, it was still higher compared to other crops, and Lin Chunyan was very much looking forward to the pumpkins.

“I’ll make some as soon as we return,” Lin Taohong immediately jumped up, eager to eat the pumpkin shoots.

After going back, Lin Chunyan put down the things she was carrying, washed her hands, and then headed to the field to pick quite a few pumpkin flowers and young shoots.

Lin Cuixiang also came over to watch the fun and help out.

Lin Chunyan removed the stamens from the pumpkin flowers and immediately dipped them in batter.

"It's like the fried leaves we had before."

Lin Chunyan nodded, "It’s made the same way, but fried pumpkin flowers turn out even tastier."

After frying for just a moment, the battered pumpkin flowers turned golden. The sisters, not afraid of the heat, each grabbed one.

With a bite, there was a crunch. The outer layer was extremely crispy, and a distinct pumpkin fragrance filled their mouths, with a touch of sweetness.

"Delicious!"

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, it was very refreshing. The sisters fried and ate them right by the stove.

"Luckily, these aren't very filling, so we can still eat other dishes."

Lin Cuixiang took over and fried the rest, while Lin Chunyan began making stuffed pumpkin flowers.

She also cleaned the pumpkin shoots, planning to make a clear pumpkin shoot soup later.

Smelling the aroma from inside the house, Mrs. Zhang lifted the curtain and entered, asking Wang Yingniang, "Goddaughter, what good food are you making? Why didn’t you call me?"

Wang Yingniang quickly made room for her. "We're watching Chunyan make pumpkin flowers. These pumpkin flowers are truly something wonderful."

As she spoke, she handed Mrs. Zhang a fried pumpkin flower.

After eating one, Mrs. Zhang found it delicious and said she would go to the backyard to pick more. "We can keep them as snacks."

Lin Chunyan hurriedly stopped her, "Don't go again, we've picked enough for today. In a couple of days, we can pick more. I’ll also prepare stuffed pumpkin flowers and a pumpkin shoot soup, so there will be plenty for everyone to eat."

Hearing this, Mrs. Zhang sat down with a small stool and waited to eat.

Stuffed pumpkin flowers are made with minced meat, preferably pork belly, mixed with tofu and eggs. Wang Yingniang and Lin Cuixiang helped again, and they quickly filled several racks with the stuffed pumpkin flowers.

"Is the water boiling?"

"It is."

Lin Taohong was stoking the fire, her forehead beaded with sweat. She felt sticky all over and mentioned taking a bath later to cool down.

"Why do you sweat so easily?" Lin Chunyan noticed that Lin Taohong really couldn’t handle the heat. When it got a bit hotter, her temper flared. She had even snapped at the family dog earlier for no reason, leaving everyone speechless.

Mrs. Zhang remarked, "She has a lady’s body but a servant’s fate. She can’t handle heat or cold, really hard to please."

Mrs. Zhang, on the other hand, had a robust constitution. She wasn’t bothered by the cold in winter or the heat in summer and was happy to chat under a tree even during the hottest days.

Luckily, the pot had boiled, and Lin Taohong went outside to cool down.

Lin Chunyan brought the stuffed pumpkin flowers to a boil over high heat, then reduced it to a simmer for a short while.

When they were ready, no additional seasoning was needed. They were fragrant, with the distinctive taste of pumpkin.

Lin Chunyan didn’t rush to eat. She first put the pumpkin leaves and vines into the pot.

"Even this can be eaten?"

"Yes, that's why I treasure this pumpkin so much. When the pumpkins mature, their flavor is truly exceptional."

The pumpkin seedling soup had just a few eggs added, light and refreshing, just right to cut through the richness.

The stuffed pumpkin flowers had cooled enough, and Lin Chunyan took one, eating both the flower and the meat filling together.

"Truly fragrant."

"The meat filling is different from the ones we usually eat."

Naturally, it was different. Hardly any special seasonings were used, allowing the natural flavors to shine.

Lin Chunyan ate three and then stopped, finishing off the pumpkin seedling soup in her bowl.

With some leftovers, she asked Lin Cuixiang to take them home for Second Aunt to try.

Lin Cuixiang didn’t hesitate and brought them home.

Wang Yingniang pointed to the flowers they had planted outside and asked, "Are those flowers edible too?"

Lin Chunyan chuckled, "Not all of them can be eaten. Some flowers might cause a stomachache if eaten. It’s best not to experiment."

Wang Yingniang then dropped the subject.

The next morning, Uncle Lin finished his fieldwork and transplanted some young willow and poplar saplings from the mountain to the road leading to town.

He intended to dig holes and plant them one at a time.

The sun soon climbed high, and Uncle Lin, with only a hat on, had sweat continuously rolling down his face.

There wasn't a single idle person in the family. He had heard Lin Chunyan and Lin Cuixiang mention that walking this road to town would inevitably result in getting tanned. They had already started wearing hats, but walking in the shade was much cooler.

With the wheat harvest not yet here, Uncle Lin seized the opportunity to come and plant two rows of trees.

However, it was rather late in the season for planting trees, and he wasn’t certain how many would survive.

Uncle Lin let his thoughts wander. If not many of these trees survived, he would return to replant them when the weather cooled down.

As he worked, many villagers who passed by stopped to exchange a few words and learned that he was planting trees.

Those who weren’t in a hurry to get back to work came over to lend a hand. After all, there was no real distinction between 'yours' and 'mine' in this kind of work. Once the trees were planted, everyone would benefit.

The two sons of Old Lady Wu came over to help voluntarily. Even after half a year, people still teased them, "Is your family still raising pigs?"

Wu Dalang chuckled softly and continued digging without saying much.

At first, the Wu family was worried about holding grudges, but seeing that Lin Chunyan didn’t hold any grudges and was so generous, they were sincerely willing to help.

By the time the Village Headman learned of this, several trees had already been planted, and he hurried over to see a lively scene of people working energetically.

The Village Headman cursed inwardly, "Who plants trees in this heat? It’s pointless; none of them will survive."

He thought the Lin family was his innate antagonist, each one more respected than he was. Just look, so many people had gathered in just a short while.

Though these thoughts ran through his mind, he smiled and approached the group. "Everyone, you've been working so hard. I originally intended to have you all plant trees here, but the heat today is too much. I didn’t want to trouble you, but you’ve come to plant them anyway."

Lin Ershen had prepared snow-chilled mung bean water and placed it by the roadside, worried they might suffer from heatstroke. The villagers were very grateful. Drenched in sweat, they found the cool mung bean water helped dispel much of their heat. No one paid him any mind; they simply drank the water and urged him to help.

The Village Headman came from a well-off family, and with a scholar like Zhang Tianhe at home, he liked to show off his literary skills from time to time. He hadn’t done manual labor in years.

However, since he had been called out, he couldn’t refuse directly. He couldn’t let others think he was worse than Lin Ershu, so he rolled up the hem of his long shirt and got ready to help dig.

But Lin Sanshu stepped in to stop him. "Uncle, we’ve got enough people. You’re getting on in years, and your clothes are made of fine material. We wouldn’t want to damage them."

The Village Headman cursed inwardly again, 'What does he mean by "old"?' What does he mean by ‘old’? I’m in my prime and can serve as Village Headman for a long time. But he forced a smile and said, "Nephew, don’t talk like that. Although I don’t do fieldwork anymore, I’ve never shirked hard work in the past. It’s just a hole, that’s all."

Lin Ershu, not understanding why the Village Headman was smiling so eerily, repeated, "Yes, but it’s already noon, and it’s hot. We can plant the rest of the trees when it’s cooler in the evening. This road is long, and we won’t finish it in one go."

Fearing the Village Headman might misunderstand and think he was being stopped from working, Lin Ershu explained, "Uncle, if you want to help, I’ll call you when it’s cooler."

The Village Headman forced a smile and managed a weak "Okay."

Inwardly, he screamed, ‘Who wants to work? Who wants to dig holes? I’m the Village Headman!’

Hearing Lin Ershu’s words, the others put down their tools, drank another bowl of mung bean water, and headed home.

This time, the Village Headman snorted and walked back home with his hands behind his back.

When he returned, Lin Ershu remarked to Lin Ershen, "The villagers are very enthusiastic. They’re willing to help with everything. Even the Village Headman, despite his age, insisted on digging. I had to stop him from planting more."

Lin Ershen agreed, "In that case, in the afternoon, you should let the Village Headman plant a few more trees. He probably hasn’t worked in the fields for a long time and is itching to do so. We shouldn’t hold him back."

Dong Xiaoniang got out of her sedan chair and, rather than asking for food, inquired of Hu Daqiang, "Is Miss Lin busy in the kitchen?"

Hu Daqiang, thinking she had something important to discuss, called out twice toward the courtyard behind the curtain. Before Dong Xiaoniang could stop him, Lin Chunyan wiped her hands and came out.

The kitchen work had already been completed. The three of them had become quite efficient, finishing their tasks quickly and earning a good rest.

Lin Chunyan had brought out some thick-shelled walnuts and was carefully picking out the kernels. These walnuts were brought back by Dog Dan's Father when he was collecting oranges. They were similar to the walnuts that grew on the west mountain of their village. The kernels were small but quite fragrant.

The three sisters chatted as they worked, and it took them half a day to gather a bowl of walnut kernels. Still, it was a better result compared to collecting pine pollen.

Lin Taohong loved amber walnuts the most. Even while delivering dishes, she had come over several times to check on them.

Seeing Lin Chunyan come out, Dong Xiaoniang felt a little embarrassed. "I just asked casually and didn’t mean to disturb your work."

Lin Chunyan smiled, "It’s nothing. We were just resting in the courtyard. I notice your complexion looks much better today. Is there something to be happy about?"

The last time Dong Xiaoniang visited, she barely ate and looked troubled. But today, she seemed radiant, her eyes full of life.

Dong Xiaoniang then shared the news that Madam Chen had greatly recovered. "I don’t know how it happened, but one day she suddenly got much better, though she’s still a bit weak. In a few more days, she’ll be able to walk normally."

She thanked Lin Chunyan again, "If it weren’t for the meals delivered three times a day, who knows when she would have recovered? Madam Chen said she’ll come to thank you once she’s fully recovered."

Lin Chunyan hurriedly shook her head, "I merely asked the staff to keep track of some things, but it was the young miss who paid for everything. It has little to do with me."

Yet, Dong Xiaoniang knew that Lin Chunyan had been a great help. The food that was delivered had to be neither too cold nor cause internal heat, and it also needed to be nutritious. It required considerable effort and was far from a simple matter.

The maid standing next to Dong Xiaoniang was always quick-witted and didn’t hold back with Lin Chunyan. She directly said, "I’ve always found Madam Chen’s illness suspicious. It’s possible that someone poisoned her. Otherwise, how could she suddenly get better? One day she's bedridden, the next day she’s suffering from diarrhea. It’s all very strange."

Dong Xiaoniang glared at her maid, "Speak less nonsense. Madam Chen has always been kind and has never offended anyone. Why would someone poison her without reason? You’re just indulging in baseless speculations based on rumors."

The maid pouted but stepped back, showing more restraint than before.

Seeing this, Dong Xiaoniang turned back to Lin Chunyan and continued, "She’s just been through a lot. This maid was often beaten and scolded, so she tends to assume the worst of people." Dong Xiaoniang then mentioned the old woman from Old Lady Wang’s household, "Even she went to see Madam Chen multiple times."

Lin Chunyan seemed to react strongly to this and asked directly, "Does Madam Chen know the old woman from Old Lady Wang’s household?"

Dong Xiaoniang nodded, "Of course. Madam Chen occasionally sent maids to their household. They've known each other for ten or so years. This time, when Madam Chen fell ill, the old woman visited her a few times. She’s quite sentimental and even said she'd go and visit Madam Chen for a drink once she fully recovered."

At first, the old woman thought Madam Chen wouldn’t recover enough to drink again, as there was a point when Madam Chen was so weak that even opening her eyes was a struggle. She feared she was about to pass away but miraculously recovered. Madam Chen attributed her recovery to the good deeds she had done, believing the Bodhisattva had blessed her.

Lin Chunyan managed a smile, trying not to let Dong Xiaoniang notice anything amiss. She took out a box of peach gum from behind the counter and handed it to Dong Xiaoniang, "I don’t have much else to offer, but I recently collected a lot of peach gum. It’s great for boiling into a drink."

Dong Xiaoniang, who used to do the same at home, felt a deep sense of nostalgia. Back then, they wouldn’t keep the peach gum for themselves but exchanged it for candy for their younger brother.

Peddlers who went door-to-door would collect the peach gum, exchanging a piece of malt candy for a large handful. When she and her five sisters were still at home, they would whisper about the taste of the malt candy, but none of them dared to try it.

Now, receiving this peach gum from Lin Chunyan, meant to be boiled for drinking, filled her with emotions. Her current life felt like living in a castle in the sky. The day Li Yuánwài passed away, she would lose everything. Furthermore, because Li Yuánwài doted on her a bit more, the eldest son and eldest daughter-in-law of the Li family resented her, thinking she was wasteful.

If they could only show some mercy and sell her to Madam Chen, it wouldn’t be in vain for all the worry she had endured for Madam Chen.

The two of them left with their items, needing a reason to avoid gossip.

Lin Chunyan returned to the backyard, where they had more peeled walnuts now. Seeing her pale face, Zhao Zilan asked with concern, "Are you feeling hot? I feel the air is stuffy. It might rain in a few days."

Lin Chunyan shook her head, "It’s nothing. I think we have enough walnuts. Let’s make some walnut buns."

The walnut kernels were baked in the bread kiln, and the outer skins were removed while they were still warm.

Though the bread kiln was in the yard, Lin Chunyan still felt a layer of sweat on her forehead as the temperature rose. She rarely sweated, but the air felt stifling, just as Zhao Zilan had predicted, perhaps a sign of an impending rainstorm.

After kneading the dough, she set it aside to rise. The dough had some red sugar in it, giving it a darker color.

Later, they wrapped the filling inside the dough, shaping it to look like a walnut.

Apart from walnuts and sesame, the filling also contained some previously made clarified butter.

The clarified butter had turned yellow and gave off the unique aroma of dairy products, enhancing the flavor of the filling.

Lin Taohong no longer asked for the amber walnuts but instead waited eagerly for the walnut buns to be ready.

Seeing that there was still some clarified butter left, Lin Chunyan kneaded another batch of dough and added some egg whites to it.

This would increase the gluten content, making the bread firmer and chewier.

The fire in the bread kiln remained lit throughout, and the dough was kneaded until it formed a gluten membrane. During the process, both Lin Cuixiang and Zhao Zilan each came and kneaded the dough for a bit. Seeing the dough become more elastic and resilient, they expressed surprise.

Once the second fermentation was complete, three diagonal slashes were cut into the dough with a knife, and a bit of dry flour was sprinkled over it. It was then placed into the bread kiln.

Unfortunately, there were no grapes available. The grapes they had been able to find before were scarce, and it had been nearly six months since they last had any.

But having some regrets might be a good thing, as the next time they tasted it, they would appreciate it even more.

The walnut buns were steamed first because their shape was like that of a walnut, and the filling was also walnut kernels. They looked especially interesting.

After adding the ghee, the flavor became even richer, and the walnut and sesame seeds were particularly aromatic.

Covered in sweat, Lin Chunyan felt comforted after eating a walnut bun.

She thought that after returning home and taking a shower, she would feel even more refreshed.