Chapter 151: Double Chapter (Bonus Chapter Included)

Chapter 151: Double Chapter (Bonus Chapter Included)

Honestly, at this moment, Lin Shu wished she could find a hole to crawl into.

While she enjoyed teasing straightforward people, watching them blush and fluster, and boldly expressing her own emotions, this definitely didn't extend to doing such things in front of a child.

Simply put: it was embarrassing.

In short: she was corrupting the nation's youth.

Her mind had been muddled earlier, focused solely on the extra wild duck, and she had inadvertently forgotten about Xiao Pu.

When people are caught up in emotion, they are prone to making mistakes—just like her at this moment.

However, there was no hole in the ground for Lin Shu to hide in. She could only rely on her thick-skinned nature, jumping down from Zhou Ye as if nothing had happened, and smiling at the stunned Lin Xiaopu. "Xiao Pu did great too. If you hadn't hit the duck's wing first, A Ye wouldn't have been able to finish it off just now. So this duck counts for both of you. In this wild duck hunting competition, it's a tie between the two of you."

Lin Xiaopu thought to herself: *A-Jie is the truly impressive one! She was getting all lovey-dovey with A Ye right in front of me, and even after being caught, she didn't bat an eye and acted as if nothing happened!*

She was completely astonished, utterly astonished. Her sister must have been so caught up in the moment earlier that she forgot Lin Xiaopu was there, but—

Was A-Jie usually this passionate and bold when she was alone with A Ye?!

But whenever A-Jie mentioned A Ye in front of her, she always acted so reserved, as if she would never let A Ye get the better of her easily.

Yet... in private, it was the complete opposite??

But no matter what, A-Jie was always right. In fact, Lin Xiaopu felt a little envious of A Ye.

A Ye was one lucky guy!

If she were a man, and a beauty like A-Jie threw herself into his arms and even puckered up for kisses, he would be on cloud nine!

Zhou Ye definitely felt warm and fuzzy inside, but having Lin Xiaopu witness that scene, as sweet as it was, was still somewhat awkward.

A-Shu had moved too quickly; even he hadn't expected her to jump into his arms like that, so he hadn't been able to warn her in time.

"This duck counts as your hunt," Zhou Ye said to Lin Xiaopu, taking Lin Shu's cue in changing the subject.

Seeing this, Lin Xiaopu quickly put on a straight face and replied, "A Ye, let's go with what A-Jie said. This duck counts as one we hunted together."

And just like that, the incident was swept under the rug.

Lin Xiaopu had many good qualities, but her ability to read a situation was unquestionable.

Back when Lin Shu was just checking out Zhou Ye's physique with appreciative eyes and hadn't yet started flirting with him, this little one already knew how to create opportunities for the two to be alone.

Now, she was once again being the considerate little sister—knowing full well what was going on but not asking a single question about it.

"Are we still hunting ducks?" Lin Shu asked, squinting up at the bright sun.

Time sure flies—it was already noon, and they had been hunting ducks all morning.

After a moment's thought, Lin Xiaopu said without hesitation, "No more hunting. Let's head back."

Lin Shu looked at her in surprise. Given how fired up Xiao Pu had been earlier, she had assumed they would stay until dusk.

Lin Xiaopu coughed lightly and explained, "A-Jie, I want to eat some ice jelly. Let's go back and make some."

Lin Shu nodded—she wanted some too.

Although they had brought water with them, it was nothing compared to ice jelly chilled with mountain spring water. But she suspected that Xiao Pu wasn't returning just for the ice jelly—she probably wanted to go back and brag about the duck she had hunted.

Hmph, she knew all too well—kids that age love to show off.

There weren't many villagers out and about at noon, but even if only one or two saw them, given how fond of gossip the villagers were, word would surely spread throughout the entire village in no time flat.

On their way back, the three of them picked large wild taro leaves, each using one as a sunhat.

Zhou Ye initially didn't want to wear a leaf—he was used to being out in the elements, and the sun couldn't crack his skin like it could A-Shu's, whose delicate skin would peel from too much sun. But since A-Shu insisted, he went along with it.

As for the three ducks, Zhou Ye tied their feet together with grass rope and carried them upside down. He held two, while Lin Xiaopu carried the one she had hunted first.

Just like that, the three of them strutted back to Sweetwater Village with their ducks, turning plenty of heads along the way.

The villagers—some splashing water in front of their homes, others cooling off under trees—stared in amazement at the ducks in their hands.

Wild ducks?!

And three of them!

"A Ye, boy, where'd you get those ducks?" an auntie asked curiously.

Zhou Ye replied, "Auntie, Xiao Pu and I hunted them by the river."

"Well I'll be! You really hunted them yourselves? All three of them? How'd you manage it? I didn't see you carrying any tools!"

It was no wonder the auntie was so surprised and curious—no one in the village had ever hunted wild ducks before. Even hunters from other villages who made their living as hunters rarely went after wild ducks, preferring pheasants and rabbits—animals that stay on the ground. Birds were extremely difficult to hunt.

She wondered what wild duck tasted like and how it differed from the domestic ducks they raised.

Zhou Ye answered succinctly, "We used homemade bamboo slingshots. Two of them were hunted by Xiao Pu."

At this, the village woman's jaw dropped. "What? Little Xiao Pu hunted them?"

Lin Xiaopu, blushing, explained, "One of the three was hunted by me—this one I'm holding. The other one was hunted by A Ye and me together."

The village woman: !!

That wasn't the point! The point was that Lin Xiaopu, a nine-year-old girl, had managed to hunt a wild duck all by herself?!

If Zhou Ye had hunted the ducks, it wouldn't have been as shocking—after all, the young man was always capable—but Lin Xiaopu?

Not only was this auntie astonished, but the other villagers who asked were equally amazed.

Using bamboo slingshots to hunt wild ducks was surprising enough, but to learn that one of the three ducks had been hunted by Lin Laoer's youngest daughter was even more unbelievable!

When the three of them returned to the courtyard, Lin Zhaodi, Li Chunmiao, and even He Guixiang—Xiao Pu's own mother—had the same reaction upon hearing the news.

They had actually hunted wild ducks—and one of them was hunted by Lin Xiaopu??!!

"Oh my heavens, Xiao Pu, did you really hunt this one yourself? With that bamboo slingshot?" Li Chunmiao asked, her eyes wide.

Her own Yingen plays with that bamboo slingshot every day—why didn't he have this skill?

Although many families in Sweetwater Village raised ducks, and ducks were cheaper than chickens at the market, this was a wild duck—a rare delicacy! If sold at the market, it could easily go for fifty or sixty wen, maybe even a hundred wen!

The more Li Chunmiao thought about it, the more impressed she was with Lin Xiaopu, and the more she disliked her own mischievous son in comparison.

Just as she was talking to herself, her son Wang Yingen came running boisterously with a group of kids, shouting even before entering the yard gate, "Lin Xiaopu! Lin Xiaopu, I heard you hunted a wild duck—really?!"

In his shock, he even forgot to call her Sister Xiao Pu and directly used her full name.

Wang Yingen was well-informed and rushed over as soon as he got the news.

It wasn't just him who was astonished; the group of kids who often played with him were also dumbstruck.

When the children saw the three wild ducks lying in the courtyard with their own eyes, they all excitedly gathered around, staring at the ducks.

"They really were wild ducks!"

Lin Xiaopu folded her arms, lifted her chin, and said, "No need to doubt it. The one with a bloody wound on its head from a stone is the one I hunted, using the very bamboo slingshot we play with every day."

"Wow, Sister Xiao Pu, you're incredible!"

"Sister Xiao Pu, can you teach me? I want to hunt wild ducks too!"

"Stewed wild duck must be delicious—I've never tasted it before, though…"

"I don't even have a bamboo slingshot yet. Sister Xiao Pu, when are you gonna give me one? I've been on my best behavior lately!"

"Sister Xiao Pu, I'll listen to you from now on. Can you give me a bamboo slingshot tomorrow?!"

"…"

Lin Xiaopu was now pretty good at handling these kids. She didn't make promises she couldn't keep, but for things she could decide herself, she used them like a carrot on a stick—as long as Wang Yingen and the other kids did what she said, they would get rewards.

"Don't you know how busy my brother A Ye is?" she asked. "How could he possibly have time to make so many bamboo slingshots? So, as I've said, if you practice with the bamboo slingshots every day, after half a month, the best performer will get one. Another half-month later, the second-best will also get one. Keep this up, and even the least accurate among you will eventually get one, though it'll take much longer. If you don't want to wait that long, you're gonna have to work harder."

Before, Lin Xiaopu had only said she would give bamboo slingshots to those who performed well but hadn't given such a specific schedule. This was like giving those without slingshots a peace of mind.

If not for the wild ducks today, they would have been happy enough—just a little waiting, right?

But after seeing these wild ducks today, how could they be willing to wait? They all wanted bamboo slingshots right away so they could go hunt wild ducks too. Like Wang Yingen, he was already thinking about hunting a wild duck to show off to everyone.

Though eager for the slingshots, no one made a fuss. They had figured out Lin Xiaopu's temper—the more someone fusses, the less likely they are to get anything. They just had to listen to her.

Seeing how envious they looked, Lin Xiaopu suddenly waved her hand and said, "I can't decide about the other two wild ducks, but the one I hunted is mine. Tomorrow, when my sister cooks the duck, I'll save a piece for each of you—my treat!"

Wang Yingen and the others hadn't expected such a nice surprise and cheered excitedly.

Sister Xiao Pu was so generous! This was duck meat—actual meat!

Even among those whose families raised ducks, they only got to eat it on special occasions. On ordinary days, how could they have any? And now, just by following Sister Xiao Pu, they were going to taste duck meat—wild duck meat, no less!

In the future, when they met kids from neighboring villages, they could totally boast about this!

Lin Zhaodi immediately looked at Lin Shu upon hearing this and asked, "A-Shu, are we really gonna cook the wild duck tomorrow morning?"

"Of course," Lin Shu replied. "Xiao Pu promised it herself. Everyone who's here gets a share of the duck meat."

Lin Zhaodi looked somewhat disapproving. This was duck meat—a treat they might not even get to eat during holidays. And now it was going to be cooked and shared with so many people?

Lin Shu smiled and said, "Aunt Lin, think of it this way: these ducks weren't bought—they were hunted by A Ye and Xiao Pu. They were already dead when brought back, and dead ducks can't be stored. If we don't eat them, they'll spoil. Besides, there are three of them—plenty to share."

"Even so, this…" Lin Zhaodi began. "Since she and Zhao San are building the house and using Sister-in-law He's stove, firewood, rice, and oil, I already feel bad enough. How could I let them cook their hunted wild ducks to treat others?"

"A-Shu, you should just cook and eat them yourselves," she insisted. "Three wild ducks aren't that much. Wild ducks are small, and A Ye has a big appetite—how could you not finish them?"

"How about this, Aunt Lin," Lin Shu suggested. "I'll give you one duck. Consider it as buying it from me. We'll cook all three together, and I'll set aside one duck's worth on a plate. You can decide how to share that plate, and the rest I'll give to A Ye."

Only then did Lin Zhaodi reluctantly agree, but she knew that with all three ducks cooked together, Lin Shu would surely give her a large portion, meaning she'd still end up taking advantage.

If they were going to cook the ducks tomorrow, they could start preparing them now.

Without a word, He Guixiang lit the fire in the large stove and heated water in the iron pot.

Seeing Wang Yingen still squatting there, staring at the wild ducks and reluctant to leave, Li Chunmiao couldn't help but laugh and scold, "You little rascal, what are you doing here crowding around?"

She had heard Lin Xiaopu's words. That girl was something else—generous enough to share duck meat with these naughty kids. Her son had done nothing but was getting a free taste of meat. As a mother, she was naturally pleased too.

"Sister-in-law He, Zhao Di, do you still need me here?" Li Chunmiao asked, planning to drag her no-account son Wang Yingen back with her. "If not, I'll head back first."

He Guixiang immediately glanced at Lin Shu, who paused for a moment before smiling and saying, "Aunt Li, please don't go. Plucking wild duck feathers is the hardest part. You should stay and help Mom and Aunt Lin. With just the two of them, who knows how long it'll take?"

He Guixiang and Lin Zhaodi also insisted she stay.

Only then did Li Chunmiao agree to remain.

In the village, when asked to stay and help with tasks like slaughtering pigs or poultry, helpers usually received some small reward afterward—like organ meats for slaughtering pigs, or chicken/duck intestines and blood for poultry.

But Li Chunmiao wasn't expecting anything. She would leave after helping pluck the feathers.

The wild ducks had been brought back with grass ropes tightly bound around their necks, so no blood was wasted. He Guixiang brought out a big bowl, removed the grass ropes from the ducks' necks, used a kitchen knife to enlarge the wound on each neck, and then worked with Lin Zhaodi to drain the blood.

The blood from all three wild ducks filled just over half of the big bowl. They added a pinch of salt, stirred well, and let it sit for about fifteen minutes until the blood coagulated into blocks.

Meanwhile, Lin Zhaodi had swiftly fetched a bucket of cold water.

After draining the blood, the wild ducks were soaked in cold water to wet all their feathers, making it easier to scald them later.

Li Chunmiao helped by adding firewood to the stove. When the water in the pot was nearly ready, she used a ladle to scoop it into a wooden basin.

The water for scalding duck feathers shouldn't be boiling, or it would break the skin, making plucking even harder.

Li Chunmiao had experience in this. When lots of small bubbles appeared in the iron pot and the water surface showed clear movement, the temperature was about right.

"Aunt Li, this pot is heavy. I'll pour the water," Zhou Ye said, walking over unexpectedly and offering to help.

Having been scalded last time and scolded by Lin Shu for it, Zhou Ye remembered to wrap two layers of cloth around the pot handles before lifting it.

He carried the entire iron pot, along with the hot water, off the stove and poured it all into the large wooden basin usually used for washing clothes.

After helping pour the water, he stepped aside and said to He Guixiang and the others, "Plucking duck feathers is detailed work and will take a long time. You ladies, why don't you bring bamboo chairs to sit on?"

"Alright, sure," He Guixiang replied with a smile.

"Mom, Aunt He, Aunt Lin, I'll bring chairs for you!" Wang Yingen called out, and several boys eagerly brought over bamboo chairs, extremely enthusiastic.

Lin Xiaopu was speechless. Those were her family's bamboo chairs, and here they were, totally sucking up.

"Alright, quit crowding around here," she said. "If you've got nothing to do, let's go outside and practice using the bamboo slingshots!"

At Lin Xiaopu's words, Wang Yingen and the others immediately agreed.

In the blink of an eye, the group of kids had cleared out.

Lin Shu smiled and shook her head, taking over the task of simmering the niter solution while Aunt Lin went to scald the wild ducks for plucking. They had been out for half the day, and the niter solution in the clay pot had only reduced by a small portion—there was still a long way to go.

"A-Shu, I'll keep an eye on it for you. Go inside and rest for a while," Zhou Ye said as he approached.

Lin Shu poked him discreetly and replied in a low voice, "No need. I already dozed off against your shoulder earlier, so I'm not sleepy now."

"Really not sleepy?"

"Really."

"Then if you get tired, call me anytime." Zhou Ye gazed at her for a long moment, as if he could never tire of looking at her. Only after he had his fill did he return to his bamboo crafting.

If nothing else came up, the bamboo rocking chair would be mostly done by today.

Lin Shu didn't stay by the clay pot the entire time. After adding firewood, she went over to watch them pluck the ducks, staying for a while before returning to tend the fire.

Li Chunmiao was experienced with processing ducks, so He Guixiang and Lin Zhaodi followed her lead. They added a few handfuls of ashes to the hot water in the large wooden basin before scalding the ducks, as this made the feathers easier to pluck. The wild ducks were fully submerged in the hot water, but since the basin wasn't large enough, they used a wooden stick to stir them, ensuring every part was scalded and the feathers thoroughly soaked.

When the scalding was nearly done, they tested by plucking a feather from the duck's head. If it came off easily, the duck was ready.

Plucking the feathers required even more skill. First, they removed the hard skin from the duck's feet and beak, then the large, stiff wing feathers. If delayed even slightly, these feathers would become difficult to pull out.

Next, while the duck was still warm, they started plucking from the head, where the feathers were finest, moving down the neck. The plucking had to follow the direction of the feathers.

Lin Shu watched with great interest. Although the scalded ducks gave off a strong gamey smell, the plucking process was oddly satisfying to watch, especially Aunt Li's deft movements—it was like effortlessly undressing the ducks.

Oh, it was time to add more firewood to the small firepit.

After adding a handful of firewood, Lin Shu hurried back to watch the three women pluck the ducks.

He Guixiang was amused by her back-and-forth movements. "A-Shu, what's so interesting about plucking duck feathers?"

"It's fascinating! When I think about turning them into tasty meals tomorrow morning, their smooth, plucked bodies look absolutely tempting!"

Her words made everyone laugh.

Zhou Ye, quietly working on his bamboo craft in the corner of the yard, was also smiling. Taking advantage of no one paying him any attention, his usually calm and serious expression softened, his eyes brimming with tender affection.

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Author's Note: Thank you, dear readers, for the nutrition drinks!!! Mwah mwah mwah mwah