Chapter 63

The snow was getting heavier and heavier. When Old Man Sun returned home after a walk around the town, there was a layer of snow on his raincoat.

He stood outside, shaking the snow off his straw raincoat, then turned to take the basket off the oxcart. Naturally, snow had piled up on top, and with a yank, it fell all over the ground. Under the large basket was half a sheep and some roasted nuts and candies. Old Man Sun thought his cellar wasn't full, so after visiting the sheep and candy vendors, he stopped by a tofu seller and bought a fair amount.

Lin Zeyu came from the back kitchen and silently took the things down from above. The mutton and tofu were sent to the back kitchen, and the candies were brought into the house.

Ye Jia watched the fish leaping in the water, wondering how to eat it. When she looked up and saw tofu, her thoughts were at rest. Since it was cold, it was best to have a pot of fish. She decided to make some tofu stew.

Ye Wumei had already squatted down to clean up, and Ye Simei went to the well to wash the vegetables she had taken out.

That's the good thing about well water: warm in winter and cool in summer. On hot days, it's chilly when you scoop it up, but even on this cold day, the well water feels warm to the touch. Fourth Sister Ye was quick and nimble, washing each cabbage leaf one by one.

Someone helped to clean up, and Ye Jia brought in the meat that was frozen outside.

Lamb hot pot is delicious, and we happened to have some dried chili powder at home. We couldn't finish the harvest, so we dried it. Fourth Sister Ye and Yu grind it up at home in their spare time. They store it in small ceramic pots with tight lids, making it easy to scoop out spoonfuls when needed. I'd saved it for the sauce for pancakes and fruit cakes, and I ground two large pots. Now that we haven't been setting up a stall all winter, we've just eaten it all at home.

"I'm not going to move the sheep for now. I'm going to go kill the chickens." The family had a large yard, so they kept a lot of chickens. They hadn't eaten much this year, so there were still a dozen or so chickens left. After thinking about it, Ye Jia went to the chicken coop and took out the noisy rooster that crowed every day and killed it.

After adding half a bowl of chicken blood, Ye Jia came back with boiling water. Ye Wumei had cleaned up the fish and said, "Sister, let me cook the fish this time."

Ye Wumei will be going to Luntai in the early spring of next year, and her stay at the Zhou family won't be long. She used to cook a lot of meat and vegetables, but her sister hasn't taught her how to cook fish yet. Ye Wumei had eaten fish cooked by Ye Jia a long time ago, but she didn't dare to learn it secretly because she and her sister were not so close at that time. Now that she has been with Ye Jia for a long time, she dares to say some things directly: "It's a good opportunity for sister to teach me how to cook fish."

"That's fine," Ye Jia said. She seemed to know how to cook many dishes, but she was actually standing on the shoulders of giants. The eight major cuisines of later generations had evolved and perfected over thousands of years, and she had the opportunity to travel far and wide, learning many recipes unknown to the ancients. She didn't dare to say what she had to offer. There was no intention of teaching her. "I say, just follow."

This was how Ye Jia had taught her in the past, and Ye Wumei already had some talent in this area. She listened to Ye Jia's instructions, and even if it was her first time, she could still do it well.

After finishing the vegetarian dishes, Fourth Sister Ye heard that Ye Jia was going to teach Fifth Sister how to cook fish. After thinking for a moment, she wiped her hands and walked over: "Sister, let me come and see too."

"Look, look."

After Fifth Sister Ye left, who knows, the Zhou family's business might need Fourth Sister's help in the future. It would be good to learn more, and Fifth Sister Ye had told her many times that Fourth Sister was better at cooking than she was. Ye Jiayu instructed Fifth Sister to first inspect the fish's abdominal cavity. Seeing that the black skin inside had been cleaned, she nodded, "When cooking fish, this area must be cleaned thoroughly, otherwise the fish will taste fishy and bitter. Clean the gills as well."

Ye Wumei did as she was told, and Ye Jia then asked her to make some fancy cuts on the fish's back. This made it easier to make the fish later.

Heat the oil and fry the fish until both sides are golden brown, then add hot water to cover the fish. I have to say that the smell of fried protein is really delicious. With a sizzling sound, the fish meat is cooked, and the smell that permeates the air is so tempting that it makes people drool. Ye Simei has never eaten the fish cooked by Ye Jia. She swallowed her saliva at the smell and said it was delicious. Ye Wumei smiled and said, "Not only is the fish delicious, but my shrimp is also delicious."

After pouring in the hot water, Ye Jia used a spatula to flatten the fish body, and asked Ye Wumei to put in the green onion, ginger, chili and tofu.

Once the ingredients are added, they float. Add a little cooking wine and soy sauce, and simmer. It's actually quite simple; just add salt to taste before serving. Ye Jia used to prefer stronger flavors and would add broad bean paste to this dish. However, too much broad bean paste can mask the fish's freshness. Now, without the broad bean paste, adding a little more salt will still work.

“Stew it, and reduce the sauce when it’s almost done.” It’s not difficult, it’s just an ordinary home-cooked dish.

While Ye Wumei was busy, Ye Jia went to get some spices. They were going to make a pot of mutton soup. They were going to have some hot pot with the mutton. But the job of slicing the mutton still fell to Ye Wumei and Ye Simei. They were both very skilled with knives. Honestly, better than Ye Jia's.

Ye Jia didn't need to teach this. The Zhou family had eaten it countless times, and both of them knew how to make it.

There was nothing for Ye Jia to do in the kitchen, so she simply tidied up and went to the cellar to get some wine. A meal can be prepared quickly, but it can also be slow. By the time the hot dishes were served, it was already dark.

Naturally, two tables were set up. Yu Shi's Ye Jia, along with her fifth and fourth sisters, along with Old Man Sun and his grandchildren, sat at one. Zhou Jingchen and Ajiu led their group of men to another. Ajiu had initially been reluctant to go over there, primarily because those people were all officers stationed there, and they were quite different. If they were discussing military affairs, it would be awkward for a commoner like him to sit in the middle.

Yu felt that it was inappropriate for a man like him to sit at the same table with a woman, so she insisted on asking him to leave.

There was only one jar of wine, so naturally, it was given to the man. Seeing that Yu was a little greedy for wine, Ye Jia took a bite of meat and said, "It's just right that we have to rest until the beginning of next spring. When we have some free time tomorrow, it wouldn't be a problem for us to brew some wine at home."

"Sister, can you make wine?" Fourth Sister Ye was surprised. Why did they feel that they didn't know anything about Ye Jia, their sister? It seemed that her sister knew so many things. No wonder one or two wealthy men were so interested in her.

"No." Ye Jia didn't feel guilty at all. Guilty feelings would arouse suspicion. "But I can figure it out."

"Oh." Ye Simei nodded. "I've seen Auntie San next door brew sorghum wine twice before, but I only have vague memories of it."

At this point, Fifth Sister Ye paused while eating and raised her eyes to look at Fourth Sister Ye. She had secretly run away from home and taken refuge with her sister. No one in the family knew where she had gone. Later, she met her fourth sister and her husband who came to seek refuge with her, but when they saw her, they didn't ask anything. She had been living in the Zhou family for so long, without knowing what was going on at home.

Ye Wumei licked her lips and lowered her head.

Speaking of which, this time Libei Town was attacked by the Turks, and no one knew what the situation was in Yejiazhuang.

Ye Jia was so busy back home that she hadn't paid any attention to the situation in Luntai while she was stocking up. It wasn't that she hadn't paid any attention, but honestly, she simply hadn't been paying attention to the Ye family. Those who don't care naturally forget about them when they're busy. But Ye Wumei and Ye Simei were her daughters after all, so they were definitely a little worried. But they also knew their own limitations and didn't dare go over, nor would they cause trouble for Ye Jia.

Yu Shi saw through the two sisters' thoughts, glanced at Ye Jia, and suddenly said, "Come to think of it, I asked someone to inquire about the situation in Yejiazhuang a few days ago."

Ye Jia's hand holding the chopsticks froze. He blinked and immediately came to his senses: "How?"

"As for my in-laws..." Yu's eyes fell on the faces of Ye Wumei and Ye Simei. The worry in their eyes was almost flowing out. Ye Jia, on the other hand, stared blankly with his eyes open. Yu didn't doubt Ye Jia's intentions, but she felt that her daughter-in-law had a strong character and could handle the situation. "Nothing happened to them. They just lost their two children."

"Two children?" Ye Simei immediately became anxious. No matter how bad their parents were, family members were still family members. "Which two are missing?"

"One is naturally Di Niang." Although Yu Shi's temperament is weak and she seems not to be the master of the family, she was once the Princess of Jing. Even when she was busy, she could still think of everything. Besides, she was someone who could hold on even when her entire family was wiped out. She still has some tenacity in her bones. "The other is my brother-in-law."

"Qinghe is lost?" Ye Simei was really anxious!

The youngest child of the Ye family was not only doted on by his parents, but also by his older brothers and sisters. Fourth Sister Ye had taken care of his younger brother the most since he was little, and to put it bluntly, she treated him like the child she had raised herself: "Where is he going when his leg isn't fully healed yet? This kid!"

Yu Shi couldn't say where it could have gone, she had someone to inquire about it. What she found out was what she heard from others, not what she saw with her own eyes.

Fourth Sister Ye was so anxious that the delicious food in her mouth tasted dull. Fifth Sister Ye was also a little worried, but she didn't panic and let her mind get confused. "Qinghe has been a calculating person since he was a child. He must have either disappeared or run away. With the chaos outside, staying home might not be any better than being outside. Qinghe learned some martial arts from others, so he should be fine."

"Where do you think this kid can run to?" Ye Simei thought about it and it made sense. When Ye Qinghe broke his leg before, he ran out to get mountain products by himself.

Ye Jia didn't say anything. She was not familiar with the Ye family and couldn't explain it.

The meal ended in silence. Fifth Sister Ye packed up early and returned to her room. Fourth Sister Ye, worried, didn't eat much and went back to wait. She thought she'd talk to Ah Jiu when she got back, and told her to go to Yejiazhuang in Libei Town and ask for clarification.

Seeing that Ye Jia hadn't interrupted, Yu Madam thought she was upset and comforted her, "Don't worry, Jia Niang. Qinghe might have gone to look for your brother."

The rest of the sentence was naturally her guess. She hadn't said it at the dinner table because she was afraid she'd guess wrong and then dash hope, which would be a bad outcome. But in front of Ye Jia, she didn't hesitate to bring it up.

It wasn't that Ye Jia didn't care at all, but his feelings weren't that deep. But a fourteen-year-old boy running away during this chaotic time was indeed worrying. However, if Ye Qinghe went looking for Ye Qingshan, perhaps Zhou Jingchen could find out. Ye Qingshan had been assigned to the western border town of Suiye, which was only two days and one night away from Dongxiang Town.

It may be slower on days with heavy snow, but in the past it only took four or five days.

"I'll ask my husband tonight. Maybe he can think of a way to find out." Ye Jia said after pondering for a moment.

Yu nodded and patted her shoulder: "Relax."

They had rested, but the man hadn't yet. Someone was drinking and making a lot of noise in the main room, so Ye Jia couldn't go back to wash up. After all, the main room was only separated from her room by a wall, and it would be embarrassing if she accidentally saw something.

Ye Jia closed the door of the kitchen and washed up here before returning to the room.

The dishes on the table had been swept away, especially the large plate of lamb and tofu stewed with fish. Fish and lamb are said to be the most delicious, and these two dishes were incredibly delicious. As Liu Yuan ate, she envied Zhou Jingchen; he always had such good things happen to him. By the end, the group was simply dipping their multi-grain steamed buns into the fish soup, devouring the entire pot.

When they saw him off, they were all a little tipsy. When they saw Ye Jia coming out of the house, they quickly smiled and greeted him.

Before leaving, Sun Yushan went to Old Man Sun's house to talk to his father. Liu Yuan and Bazatu were less formal. They supported each other as they walked out the door. Chen Shiqing was returning for the first time, and before leaving, Zhou Jingchen introduced her to someone. Chen Shiqing was the captain of the cavalry battalion, someone brought over from Luntai by Ogus. After getting to know Bazatu, he gradually became acquainted with Zhou Jingchen and the others.

Don't be fooled by his short stature and handsome face. He is actually an excellent rider and archer. He can shoot an arrow through a target from a hundred paces away.

His cheeks were red from drinking, and when he saw Ye Jia, he politely called her "Mrs. Sima." He didn't resort to the familiar, unruly Liu Yuan, who kept calling her "brother-in-law." Ye Jia also greeted him, and then he turned and hurried after Liu Yuan Bazatu into the snow.

Zhou Jingchen sat beside the table, with his head hung and not saying a word.

He looked exactly like he did back in Wangjia Village, Libei Town. Back then, even drunk, he sat at the table for a long time without saying a word, answering every question Ye Jia asked him. He seemed to be walking steadily, but in reality, he was already drunk.

Lin Zeyu came out of the room and collected the leftovers from the table. Actually, there was no food left, except for fish bones, sheep bones, and even vegetable leaves. Lin Zeyu put the bowls and dishes in a basin and took them out. Ye Jia walked over to Zhou Jingchen and waved her hand in front of him: "Husband, can you get up? What is this?"

Zhou Jingchen's eyes were misty and he looked at Ye Jia hazily.

"Come on, he's just drunk." Ye Jia lifted one of his arms and placed it over her shoulder, half-holding his waist to pull him up. It had to be said that his waist was really thin; she could wrap her arm around it. But it was also really strong; the muscles felt stiff when she pressed on them. This man was very heavy, and it took a long time to pull him up. He moved his head and his chin rested on Ye Jia's shoulder.

"Get up, stand up." Ye Jia tried to hold him up twice but failed. She gasped and poked his waist, "I can't hold you up."

I had initially assumed he wouldn't listen, but the moment Ye Jia said that, he actually staggered to his feet. He then pressed his weight heavily against Ye Jia, the rich aroma of alcohol spraying against the side of his neck. He didn't say a word, and his movements weren't overly clingy, yet there was an inexplicable feeling of clinginess.

Ye Jia's cheeks felt hot and he cleared his throat: "Come on, take a few steps and follow me into the house."

The man mumbled a "hmm" as he spoke, holding back his words. He then let Ye Jia hold him and slowly walked into the house.

The door to the west room where Yu lived was ajar, and she peeked out. Seeing their backs almost overlapping, she nodded in satisfaction. Turning back to see Ye Wumei glaring at her, she smoothed over her somewhat unserious expression and said, "It's getting late, let's go to bed."

Ye Wumei nodded, lay down obediently, and hugged Rui Jie'er who was already asleep.

Yu closed the door and locked her room.

When Ye Jia brought Zhou Jingchen into the house, she discovered that there was a small table on the kang with several account books piled on it. She had done her accounting on the kang in the morning and hadn't cleaned up yet, and there was no other place for Zhou Jingchen to lie down. So he led him to the table and asked him to stand against it. The man didn't make any noise, but he leaned against the table unsteadily and didn't move. Perhaps he was dizzy or had a brain seizure, Ye Jia didn't know what he was thinking, but he took out a stick from behind the door. Then he went back to Zhou Jingchen and drew a circle around him on the ground.

Oh, this stick was the same one Ye Jia had used to hit him earlier. He had kept it behind the door because it was so handy.

"Do you know Journey to the West? Do you know the circle drawn by the Monkey King's golden hoop?" Ye Jia pointed at the unclear circle mark on the ground with his stick and said to the drunk man, "This is the circle I drew for you with the golden hoop."

After saying that, Ye Jia turned around and went to clean the kang.

Zhou Jingchen, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up: "What is Journey to the West? And what is Sun Wukong's golden cudgel?"

"It's okay if I don't know." Ye Jia put the small table on the table and put away the account books. "Just stand here and don't move."

"Why?"

...Do drunk people have so many problems? Ye Jia turned her head and looked at him: "Because as long as you don't leave this circle, no female demon will eat you."

Zhou Jingchen seemed to understand: "Oh..."

Then, he suddenly stretched out a leg and slowly stepped out of the circle.

Ye Jia: “???”

Zhou Jingchen lowered his eyes and looked at her confidently: "I've stepped out, where's the female demon?"

Ye Jia's face flushed red. She pursed her lips and frowned at Zhou Jingchen. Zhou Jingchen still looked confused, but his eyes were fixed on Ye Jia. Ye Jia narrowed her eyes and twisted her face: "Zhou Jingchen, you are really good at pretending! You use the same trick twice. You are using all your tricks on me, right?"

Zhou Jingchen didn't expect her to expose him directly. His misty eyes gradually cleared up and his expression changed.

"How can I test your feelings for me without being a little cunning?" After a pause, he admitted faintly.

Ye Jia's cheeks went from red to burning, and even the tips of her ears were burning.

She didn't want to pay attention to him and turned back to make her bed. Zhou Jingchen stared at her back silently for a long time. Suddenly, his lips moved together and he uttered a resounding word: "Coward!"

The person making the bed froze, but the person on the other side didn't let her go and added fuel to the fire: "What a coward!"

Ye Jia was straightforward and had a short temper. She suddenly threw the quilt onto the kang, turned around and grabbed Zhou Jingchen by the collar. No one knew where she got the strength from, or if someone had deliberately let her go. Ye Jia pushed Zhou Jingchen onto the kang. The man lay on his back, his long legs stretched out far away. With such a big move, Ye Jia's lower body was unstable, and he was swept and fell on top of him.

The man groaned, curled his eyes, and smiled at Ye Jia. He pointed downwards.

Ye Jia looked down along his hand, and landed on his belt.

Zhou Jingchen raised his eyes, and asked her with a smile on his lips: "Do you dare to solve it, Jia Niang?"

Zhou Jingchen raised his eyes, and asked her with a smile on his lips: "Do you dare to solve it, Jia Niang?"