Many people from Yijia Village were also at the market. Seeing how much Xia Chunmei had brought back, it would be a lie to say they weren't envious.

Especially the new clothes and that piece of fatty pork, they look so tempting!

"We adults are not even as well off as these kids," a sour remark came from the crowd.

Aunt Lihua chimed in, "Who told you your father not to bless you? You're just jealous. If you're jealous, go and acknowledge Xia Ping'an as your father."

"Ha ha……"

Aunt Pear Blossom's words made everyone burst into laughter.

The woman who made sarcastic remarks was utterly humiliated.

Seeing this scene, Xia Chenshi and her daughter Xia Xiumei felt a pang of sadness and simultaneously asked: So, was Xia Chunmei's ability to escape that night after being drugged due to Xia Ping'an's protection?

Xia Chunmei possesses amazing culinary skills, which she showcased at Wang Dagui's birthday banquet, leading many to plan to invite her to host their own banquets.

{Mrs. Fan Jiang herself expressed that she was very satisfied with this daughter-in-law.}

Suddenly, a passage flashed through Xia Chenshi's mind.

She heard this from Fan Jiangshi's cousin-in-law when she went to the market today.

Xia Chunmei's life is getting better and better. Madam Fan Jiang likes her. What if Fan Baowen doesn't want to break off the engagement?

Xia Chunmei will be of marriageable age in two months…

It seems we must speed things up...

Back home, Xia Qiumei and Xia Dongmei couldn't wait to try on the clothes.

It's rare for the two sisters to have new clothes to wear, so they washed their hands and faces before trying them on, afraid of getting their new clothes dirty.

Seeing that the sisters had new clothes to wear and fatty pork ribs to eat, Xia Pingan couldn't help but tear up.

When the children were with him, they couldn't even eat meat or wear new clothes during the New Year.

Xia Pingan floated to Xia Chunmei's side: "Girl, thank you. They haven't been this happy in a long time."

“I said I would take responsibility, but if I want to live a peaceful life in the future, I must deal with Xia Changjiang’s family,” Xia Chunmei said in a low voice.

"Big sister, what are you saying?"

I said I'd wash and dry the new clothes and wear them tomorrow.

As soon as Xia Chunmei finished speaking, Xia Qiumei volunteered to go wash.

Xia Dongmei stayed home to take care of her younger sister, while Xia Chunmei started cooking.

Before setting off in the morning, the four sisters each ate a boiled egg, and now they were starving.

Yaomei has started to make a fuss because she's hungry.

Xia Chunmei quickly lit a fire and steamed a bowl of egg custard for Yaomei.

Steamed eggs cook quickly, taking only a few minutes.

Xia Dongmei fed her younger sister, while Xia Chunmei started washing the bones, cutting the yam, and preparing to make soup.

When Xia Qiumei returned after washing the clothes, she immediately started the fire. The stove in the house had three burners: one in front for stewing soup, one in the back for cooking porridge, and one for boiling water.

Xia Chunmei killed the fish, and waited until the porridge and soup were ready before stewing the fish.

The bone and yam soup simmered for more than half an hour. As soon as the lid was lifted, the aroma filled the air and looked incredibly tempting.

Yaomei, who had just eaten steamed egg custard, was already craving it.

"Qiu Mei, please serve some to your little sister to cool down before feeding her. Be careful not to burn yourself."

Then Xia Chunmei started stewing the carp. The fish cooked quickly, but it was a pity that there weren't enough seasonings at home, otherwise the carp would have tasted even better.

"Qiu Mei, take these two bowls of food to Aunt Li Hua's house, and I'll take them to Uncle Huo Hua's house."

"Big sister, you're giving away so many people such a small amount of food," Xia Qiumei said, feeling very reluctant.

Although Xia Dongmei didn't say anything, her eyes showed her reluctance to part.

Xia Chunmei felt it was necessary to give them a proper lesson.

"The fish we brought to the market today weighed about 70 jin (35 kg), and with the wooden buckets, basins, and water, the total weight is at least 120 jin (60 kg). Do you know how heavy 100 jin (50 kg) is?"

The two sisters shook their heads in unison.

"It's about the weight of three buckets of water that we usually carry. You can't even walk with one bucket, let alone three."

If it weren't for Uncle Huohua and Uncle Qiang's help today, how do you think we would have gotten this fish to the market to sell?

If the fish aren't transported to the market, they can't be sold, and we can't exchange them for so many other things.

Moreover, without their help, how could we have gotten back what we exchanged?

And last night, when we went fishing, Dongmei said she was scared, so Guixiang came to keep her company.

We must not forget our roots, and we must not take the kindness of others for granted.

No one in this world is obligated to help anyone else, especially since they are not our parents. Helping is a favor, not helping is our right.

We benefited from their help, so we must repay them, otherwise we're ungrateful. Do you two want to be ungrateful?

"Big sister, you go deliver it. I won't be ungrateful," Xia Dongmei said first.

Xia Qiumei was still reluctant to part, but she gritted her teeth and said, "Then... I'll send it to you."

Luckily, these two listened to reason, otherwise their butts would definitely have been bruised and battered today.

Xia Ping'an was deeply moved when he heard Xia Chunmei patiently educating his two daughters.

Xia Chunmei is capable, has her own opinions, and is an upright person. With her around, I can really rest assured.

...

The two families initially refused to accept the two dishes, but Xia Chunmei said that she would have to trouble the two uncles again in the future, so they accepted them.

However, they didn't accept it for nothing; they each gave Xia Chunmei some eggplants and cowpeas from their own garden. It's about giving and receiving, because that's how a relationship lasts.

Chen Erlan sold all of Xia Chunmei's land, leaving not even a vegetable garden, so she is now short of vegetables to eat.

So I didn't stand on ceremony with them and accepted them all. The cowpeas can be blanched in boiling water and then dried in the sun. In winter, they can be used to make braised pork with dried cowpeas.

Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

Yes, she can also change the dishes.

Xia Chunmei slapped her forehead: Why didn't I think of that before?

She has no vegetables or chili peppers. If she can't exchange fish for grain or sell them for money, she can exchange them for chili peppers and cowpeas.

The chili peppers we get back can be made into chili powder and pickled chili peppers, and the cowpeas can be made into pickled cowpeas or dried cowpeas, which are also a dish in winter.

Yes, you can also exchange it for firewood.

The original story mentions that this winter will be very cold, and a lot of firewood will be needed. The sisters are thin and frail; they won't have the strength to chop wood.

At most, you can collect some branches or pine needles, but branches and pine needles don't burn very well, so you can stock up on more long-burning firewood for the winter.

After going to the market once, Xia Chunmei was worried about what to do with the fish she caught. Now it's all good. She can exchange them for vegetables and firewood on ordinary days, and exchange them for money when she goes to the market. Perfect!

Back home, after a delicious and satisfying meal, Xia Chunmei began rendering lard.

Pork from that era was completely different from modern pork; it was incredibly fragrant.

The neighborhood children were so envious they cried.

Adults also crave it, but they can control themselves; however, they are definitely envious.

The lard was stored in a jar, weighing about a pound. The cracklings were saved to stir-fry wild vegetables tomorrow.

"Chunmei, your life is getting better and better."

Just as Xia Chunmei scooped out the oil residue, Lin Xiaojuan arrived, accompanied by an acquaintance—Lin Qianhong.