Xiao Yunying squatted down, clutching the cloak: "Mother, don't talk about being private or not. Even if you don't invite Aunt Yang and the others to eat, I will still send them over."

Aunt Yang said, "Yun Ying often brings us fresh food, so often that she gets upset when I say I don't want it."

Fang Rou also said, "Yes, it's made my two naughty boys happier to see Yun Ying than to see me."

Xiao Yunying said kindly, "As the old saying goes, a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative. Auntie has helped me a lot in the past. I was ignorant before and always refused Auntie's kindness. Now that I've figured it out, I have to take good care of our relationship."

Mu Lianrong said while scratching the fish scales, "Yunyun is right. Just take what she gives you. There's no need to be embarrassed. She's not short of money anyway. I'll take whatever she gives me."

Aunt Yang deliberately said, "You are her mother, so it is only right that she is filial to you. Who am I? How can I keep accepting things from Yunying? They were all bought with money. Don't you feel bad about it?"

“What’s the use of feeling sorry for her? I can’t control her. She’s the same way as me. She has to accept things when offered them, and if she doesn’t, she gets all sullen. She seems easy to talk to and always smiling, but when she puts on a stern face, she can be quite intimidating. I don’t know where she learned that from.”

Besides, you see my Yunyun spending money so extravagantly, as if she doesn't know how to save, but actually she knows what she's doing. She's not this generous to everyone, she's just like that to your family.

"I've been fortunate to know you; you've helped my daughter a lot in the past. I don't mind my Yunyun sending you things."

Aunt Yang placed the washed scallions and ginger on the stove, and gave Mu Lianrong a smiling, disapproving look: "As you get older, you've certainly gotten better at talking."

Xiao Yunying chuckled and said, "Who else can I learn from? Of course, I learn from my mother. When my mother has a dark face, my father and brothers all behave themselves and dare not say a word."

Aunt Yang said, "Yun Ying is right. Her personality is just like yours."

Mu Lianrong put the cleaned fish into the wooden basin: "That's right, she's my daughter, who else would she take after if not me?"

Xiao Yunying poked the untreated fish tail with her hand: "Auntie, it's so cold, the river is frozen, where did you get this fish?"

The ice on the river is very thick, and it's safe to walk on it; it's not easy to break it.

“My second son went to the river at the foot of the mountain to catch it. The current there is strong and the ice on the surface is thin, so it is easy to break.”

Xiao Yunying's hand, which was pointing at the fish tail, stopped in mid-air. She wiped her fingers on the towel next to her and withdrew her hand.

Mu Lianrong pointed to the wooden bucket in the corner: "There are still a few live ones inside. Your aunt said that these two big ones were put in the water too late and froze to death. I figured that not all children would like to eat mutton, so I just cooked them."

She had already thought about this; the children might not like the smell of mutton, so she planned to cook a few stir-fries.

"Mom is so thoughtful."

"What kind of thoughtfulness is this? Even adults might not like to eat mutton, let alone children."

Mu Lianrong put another fish on the cutting board, and the carp's tail suddenly flicked.

Xiao Yunying moved to the side, quickly wiped the water off her cloak, and leaned in to smell it.

Alright, now I have to wash it whether I want to or not.

Those who are greedy should not have gone into the kitchen first. They should have left the cloak inside. Now, it smells not only of mutton but also of fish.

Mu Lianrong said, "Stay away. This fish is frozen solid but not completely dead. It's still smelling fishy. Don't get your new clothes dirty."

Fang Rou wiped the water off her hands and came over to examine the cloak in her arms closely: "Yun Ying, did you buy this when you came to town? This is a man's cloak, right? What's it called again?"

"A cloak worn over a cotton-padded coat."

"Yes, a cloak. I've seen young men and women in the city wearing them. Aren't you going to buy a men's cloak that drags on the ground?"

Mu Lianrong patted the fish twice with the back of her knife: "The man's clothes are big, they can cover my daughter up completely, that's good."

She felt that as long as the money was spent on her daughter, it wasn't considered a waste of money. She had been worried that the wind outside might make her daughter cold, but she was relieved to see her daughter come back wearing a cloak.

"I didn't buy it. Yuancheng lent it to me to keep out the wind. I have to return it later."

Mu Lianrong stopped scaling the fish: "Did Young Master Chen lend you this? How did he lend it to you?"

Xiao Yunying took off her cloak, held it up, and simply folded it: "I met him on the street. It was windy then, and he said that the oxcart had no shelter and he would be cold on the way back, so he took off his cloak and lent it to me. Mother, you go ahead and do your work. I'll put the cloak away and then come back to cook."

After Xiao Yunying finished speaking, she left the kitchen and returned to her room. Mu Lianrong waited until she left before saying:

“This child is still clueless. How could she accept a man’s cloak off in the street? I have to talk to her about this.”

What Mu Lianrong didn't know was that her clueless daughter didn't take it with her hands; Chen Yuancheng simply draped it over her shoulders and tied it for her.

Aunt Yang quickly stopped her: "What's the rush? We've already picked them up and they're back. It's too late to rush now."

We're still here, outsiders. After we finish eating and leave, you can talk to her privately and calmly. Don't get angry, understand?

Mu Lianrong listened to her friend's advice: "I'll listen to you."

Xiao Yunying went back to her room, put away her cloak, closed the door, and went to the study to take a look.

"Strange, where are the children?"

She went back to the kitchen, took the apron hanging on the wall, and put it on: "Mother, where have the children gone?"

Mu Lianrong cleaned the fish that had been scored and set it aside: "I went to the greenhouse with your second brother to pick cherry radishes. Your little girl said she wanted to eat sweet and sour radish salad."

Xiao Yunying sensed something was off about her mother's tone: "Mother, what's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

Everything was fine just now.

Aunt Yang nudged Mu Lianrong's arm, and Mu Lianrong's tone softened a bit: "I'm not upset, I'm just a little tired after preparing all morning's meals."

"Then, Mother, you go and rest for a while. I'll cook the rest of the dishes."

Zhang said, "I don't need you. Just tell me how you want it done, and I'll do it."

Xiao Yunying washed her hands and went to the big iron pot: "My wrist is almost healed, so cooking is no problem. Sister-in-law, go and do other things. I haven't cooked for several days. Let me show off my skills."

One large iron pot contained a milky-white bone broth, while another large iron pot simmered mutton, sheep's head, and sheep's trotters.

Fang Rou went over and said, "How was it? Aunt Mu said it was stewed according to your method."

Xiao Yunying scooped up some soup with a spoon, tasted it herself, and then cut a piece of mutton for Fang Rou: "What do you think?"

Fang Rou chewed on the mutton in her mouth: "It has a slightly gamey smell, but it's not bad, it's quite fragrant."

Xiao Yunying put the lid on the pot: "Every animal has its own unique taste, including chicken, duck, goose, fish and pig. It's just that we often eat these kinds of meat, especially pork, and we've gotten used to its taste, so we don't find it strange."

Lamb is not commonly eaten, and many people don't know how to cook it properly, resulting in a strong gamey smell that first-timers find unacceptable and won't want to eat it again.

Actually, as long as you use the right amount of spices and seasonings, the lamb can be quite delicious.