Chapter 77 The Fragrance Makes Me Confused

Wang Xueying stood frozen in the middle of the courtyard, unsure whether to go forward or backward, but unwilling to leave just like that. The thought of those eggs and big carp made her mouth water uncontrollably.

"Why aren't you leaving yet?" Xia Qianqian looked at Wang Xueying, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Could it be that you're empty-handed, trying to freeload at my house? I think the real pauper is you!"

Wang Xueying's face turned pale and then red after being rebuked by Xia Qianqian. She stomped her foot angrily and ran out.

She was indignant: they were all educated youth from the south of the city, so why did Xia Qianqian get to eat eggs every meal? Looking at herself, since arriving in the countryside, no one had ever brought her eggs, and even when she was tired from work, no one would offer her a glass of water…

With Wang Xueying gone, the atmosphere in the room immediately relaxed, and everyone started chatting and laughing. Li Aiqin and the others worked quickly and efficiently, soon cleaning the two large carp thoroughly.

Xia Qianqian asked, "Who among you knows how to cook on a traditional earthen stove?"

Li Aiqin immediately raised her hand, patted her chest, and said, "I can! I've been cooking at the youth center for a long time, this little thing is my responsibility!"

Xia Qianqian's eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "That's perfect, teach me!"

Today, while her mother-in-law and the children were away, she insisted on learning how to light the earthen stove.

“Okay!” Li Aiqin readily agreed. Little did she know about Xia Qianqian’s “glorious deeds” of almost burning down the kitchen while tinkering with the earthen stove. She simply assumed that Xia Qianqian was a new bride who wanted to learn how to cook, so she started by teaching her how to start a fire and how to control the firewood.

Xia Qianqian got the hang of it quickly, and after two tries she got the fire going. Looking at the flames dancing in the stove, her eyes sparkled, and the little voice in her heart was already rubbing her hands together: It’s finally time for me to show off my skills!

She turned to Li Aiqin and smiled, "I'll take care of the rest. Do you know how to cook rice?"

Li Aiqin's eyes widened suddenly: "You don't...have any rice at home, do you?"

In their current situation, they'd be grateful if they could eat coarse grain pancakes every meal at their educated youth settlement. Rice? That's a precious thing they wouldn't even dare to dream of during the New Year! She didn't believe Xia Qianqian could eat white rice at the Lu family's house.

Xia Qianqian nodded with a smile: "We do have rice, but it's still rice with the husk on. We'll have to trouble you to find some tools to husk it."

Before Li Aiqin could even speak, the two educated youths beside her patted their chests and eagerly declared, "Leave this to us! We know our shell-removing machines inside and out!"

Xia Qianqian turned around and went back into the inner room. She took out the ripe rice from the Peach Blossom Spring and handed it to the two educated youths. Then, she asked Li Aiqin to pick a few fresh scallions from the vegetable garden, while she tied on an apron and busied herself at the stove, preparing to make a fragrant dish of scallion and egg stir-fry.

The rich aroma of the eggs, stimulated by the scallions, burst forth instantly, spreading like wings and wafting far and wide, enticing half the village to crane their necks in anticipation.

The villagers were all amazed by the smell, but they couldn't help but murmur among themselves: "The new bride of the Lu family is really something. She's secretly eating alone at home while her husband and mother-in-law are not at home!"

Several gossipy women huddled around Mrs. Lu, who was working in the field, and said in a sarcastic tone, "Aunt Lu, why don't you hurry home and check on things? Be careful that your daughter-in-law doesn't squander all the family's savings!"

Lu's mother straightened up, wiped her sweat, and said slowly, "It's not like that at all. Qianqian's friend came today, and it's only natural for her to cook some delicious food to entertain her guests."

When the topic turned to cooking, she suddenly stopped talking: "Wait a minute! That girl Qianqian... she wouldn't be using the earthen stove again, would she?"

Thinking of this, Lu's mother became anxious and said to Daya and Erya, "Daya, Erya, come quickly, let's go home with Grandma!"

The two children were afraid that their house would be set on fire again, so when they heard what their mother said, they ran home as fast as they could.

After Lu's mother left, those gossipy women sneered, "I told you! This daughter-in-law and mother-in-law are natural enemies! They talk a good game, but as soon as they hear their daughter-in-law is cooking something delicious at home, they rush home in a hurry."

Two women nearby chimed in with a laugh, "That's right! We've just finished our work, why don't we go check out the Lu family's place and see what's going on?"

Villagers love to join in the fun and see something new, especially gossip about everyday life, which is the most captivating.

Upon hearing this, the others quickly patted the mud off their hands, pushed and shoved each other, and followed in the direction of the Lu family.

In the kitchen, Xia Qianqian had just put the golden scrambled eggs with scallions into a rough porcelain plate when she immediately set up an iron pot and began to make braised carp in soy sauce.

The aroma of the eggs was already enticing enough, but now the smell of the braised carp is even more irresistible—the salty and savory flavor of the soy sauce, the rich and mellow flavor of the fermented bean paste, all mixed with the natural sweetness of the fish, simmering in the hot oil, filling your nose with fragrance and making you dizzy with its aroma.

Li Aiqin simply moved a small stool and sat in front of the stove, her eyes glued to the bubbling fish pot, wishing she could bury her head directly into it: "My God... this tastes! Qianqian, how can you cook so well!"

Li Aiqin knew Xia Qianqian's past identity and thought she was just a pampered young lady who never lifted a finger. Who would have thought that she would have such good cooking skills!

This made her incredibly envious. Although she also cooked at the youth center, she only made bland, tasteless communal meals, nothing compared to the vibrant and delicious food before her.

Now, as soon as she smelled the aroma of Xia Qianqian's stir-fried dishes, she knew that this person was definitely a hidden master! They were truly in for a treat today!

Xia Qianqian smiled and sprinkled some chopped green onions into the pot as she said, "Back when I was at home, I specially learned a few tricks from the family chef. Today, I'll let you test my skills."

Li Aiqin nodded repeatedly at these words, like a chick pecking at rice.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar, accompanied by shouts from Daya and Erya.

"Qianqian! Are you alright?" Before Lu's mother even entered the door, her anxious voice rang out.

Xia Qianqian went out to greet them upon hearing the sound, only to see Lu's mother and two children running back breathlessly, their foreheads covered in sweat. She asked with some confusion, "Mom, didn't you go to tidy the vegetable garden? Why are you back so soon?"

Lu's mother had no time to answer her question and rushed into the kitchen.

Her biggest worry is the kitchen!

She looked around and, seeing no black smoke or smelling anything burning, breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and finally felt relieved.

When Lu's mother saw Li Aiqin and the two male educated youths busy in the kitchen, she immediately understood: it must be these children who helped Qianqian cook!

She couldn't help but feel a little dumbfounded, realizing that all her worries had gone unanswered and that she had made a wasted trip.