Chapter 41 Smoked Small Fish

Having raised enough money was a happy thing for the whole family.

Qiao Mianmian went out to call for help, and Qiao Mancang's lips curled up so wide he couldn't suppress it, "Good, very good!" So good that he couldn't say anything else.

Lin came out quickly, she was very anxious, "Hurry up, Mianmian, you go too."

As the person in the family who knew the most characters, Qiao Mianmian also wanted to go. She originally just wanted to join in the fun and happily follow along.

Qiao Jiaxing ran after them, while Qiao Jiawang said with a smile that it was enough that his parents were there. Lin Xiahe said she wanted to cook some braised dishes.

The family of four went to the Wu family's house. Just then, Wu Ermao returned. Lin nudged Qiao Mancang's arm and said, "You are the head of the family, so you should speak."

Qiao Mancang: ...You thought of him at this time?

However, knowing his wife was still feeling awkward, he cleared his throat and chuckled, "Sister-in-law, Er Mao, we've raised enough money. We came here specifically to tell you that if you're free tomorrow, we can go to the government office together to get the property deed. What do you think?"

"How could it be so fast?" Aunt Wu was stunned. They had given the Qiao family more than a month, and now, in less than half a month, the Qiao family had raised the money.

They had lived next door to each other for so many years, and she could roughly estimate the Qiao family's wealth. None of the Qiao family's relatives were rich.

The Qiao family's collaboration with Chunxilou was never publicized. Madam Lin always adhered to the principle of keeping her wealth hidden and did not want anyone to know how much money her family had made. Although this matter would eventually be known, she never brought it up herself.

“These days, I’ve been visiting all my relatives, and luckily, an old customer knew about this and offered to lend me money.” Lin said, afraid that Qiao Mancang might not say it well. “I just managed to gather the money. When I went back to my parents’ home, my eldest brother didn’t have any money. Today, he sold some grain and brought me the money.”

Aunt Wu asked which regular customer it was, and when she learned it was the Luo family from Tongluo Lane, she knew they were wealthy. "Those who can live in Tongluo Lane must be well-off. You're really lucky, so paying some interest is only fair. But you raised the money too quickly; my family hasn't decided which house to buy yet. What are we going to do?"

She subconsciously assumed that the Luo family must charge interest on the loan, which explained why it was so quick.

Qiao Mancang said that the Wu family could stay for the time being. "We'll get the contract done first, and you can continue to live here. Anyway, it's supposed to be until the end of the year. We're all neighbors, and since you've thought of us, we should give you some convenience too."

But the formalities need to be completed first; only then will we feel at ease. Jiawang won't get married until next year, so his family isn't in a hurry, and it's even more inconvenient for them to collect rent from others.

Wu Ermao said he could pay rent, but Aunt Wu didn't want to. "Why bother with all that trouble? Let's stay here for now, and go to the government office once we find a new house."

Lin also didn't want to delay. "Er Mao, I don't like hearing what you're saying. We've been neighbors for so many years. If I were to collect rent from you, people would gossip about me. To be honest, I just want to settle things as soon as possible so I can sleep soundly at night. As for the rent, I definitely won't take yours. You can take your time choosing. There are still three months until the New Year."

"It won't take that long." Aunt Wu was relieved to hear that there was no rent. She hadn't needed to pay rent anyway if she sold later. "We've already found a few houses that we like and are comparing and negotiating the prices."

I've already made arrangements with the Qiao family; we'll go to the government office tomorrow.

With the matter settled, a great weight was finally lifted from Lin's heart.

Qiao Mianmian glanced at the Wu family's residence. Upon entering, there was a small courtyard, separated from the Qiao family's courtyard by only a wall. With the wall removed, the courtyards on both sides instantly became wider.

Moreover, with three more rooms, she'll have her own place to live, and the Wu family's kitchen can be used as a woodshed. If possible, she'd like to build a latrine in her own house so she doesn't have to empty the chamber pot every day.

Even before the house was handed over, Qiao Mianmian had already figured out how to live there, and the family of four happily went home.

The next day, they went to the government office with the Wu family mother and son to process the house deed, and even paid an extra two taels of silver for taxes and tea fees.

Having received the property deed, Lin was overjoyed, but she didn't forget about setting up the stall. "Mianmian, hurry to the market. Your fourth sister and eldest brother might not be able to handle things without us. I'll go home, put the property deed away, and then head over."

“Mother, don’t think of them as useless. My fourth sister is very capable now,” Qiao Mianmian said.

"Then you should hurry up and go too. Without you, who will cook when the guests come?" Lin felt pressured, thinking about the huge debt she was in.

She hurried home, eager to start earning money as soon as possible.

Qiao Mianmian went to the market and watched from afar as her fourth sister sold braised food. Although her eldest brother couldn't shout out his wares, he was busy working with his hands.

She jogged over and said, "Big brother, fourth sister, I'm back."

"How's it going? Is everything done?" Lin Xiahe was also very concerned about the property deed.

Qiao Jiawang looked over as well.

"It's all done." Qiao Mianmian took the long chopsticks from her fourth sister's hand. "Aren't you going to the temple to pray for your third sister? Go ahead, I'll take care of the rest."

As Lin Wangchun neared her due date, Lin Xiahe felt uneasy and wanted to pray for her sister's safety. Qiao Mianmian didn't believe in such things, but she felt there was no better option than worse, so she gave Lin Xiahe five copper coins to buy a peace amulet for her third sister to wear.

"I'll be right back." Lin Xiahe accepted the money. "Boss Yu from the hairpin shop wants stir-fried mixed fish, and the sugar cake shop wants braised pork. Remember that, don't forget."

Qiao Mianmian nodded and said she understood. "I'll get ready now. You should go quickly, or you won't be back in time for lunch."

Their family now eats three meals a day, and everyone is used to this routine. Qiao Mianmian put the cleaned small fish into a pan and fried them in oil. Soon, the aroma filled the air. These were small fish that her grandfather had caught over three days, totaling five or six pounds. Qiao Mianmian planned to keep a bowl for herself.

Fry the small fish until golden brown on both sides, leave a little oil in the pan, add a handful of glutinous rice, and then put the small fish on bamboo strips to smoke.

The smoked small fish lose their oil quickly in the smoke, making their flesh firmer and giving them a unique smoky flavor.

The smoke was pungent, and several stall owners pinched their noses and asked Qiao Mianmian what she was doing.

"Smoked small fish, we'll stir-fry them with chili peppers later, it'll be especially delicious with rice!" Qiao Mianmian said there were only two bowls left, "If you want some, you'd better order early!"

The small fish varied in color, with the lighter parts hidden by the bamboo strips. The sauce on them had dried out and would fall off at the slightest touch.

The strong smoky smell has disappeared, replaced by a fishy aroma, along with the unique rich fragrance of ginger, garlic, and other seasonings that have been smoked.

Even like this, it's edible. Qiao Mianmian ate one small fish at a time, each bite crunchy and fragrant, making her crave a bowl of rice. "Not bad."

Qiao Mianmian picked out a bowl of small mixed fish, added lard to the pot, and first sautéed chili peppers until fragrant. Unfortunately, there were no green chili peppers this season, so she could only add a small amount of dried chili peppers. After the dried chili peppers released their aroma, she added the small mixed fish. She only used a little soy sauce to bring out the savory flavor. The small mixed fish were already marinated, so they didn't need any special seasoning.

"Big brother, take this to the hairpin shop." As soon as Qiao Mianmian finished speaking, the other stall owners, seeing how delicious it was, ordered the other two bowls as well.

"Miss Qiao, your cooking skills are getting better and better. When you're not around, I don't even have anywhere to go if I want to treat myself."

"Yes, we can't afford to go to restaurants. When we want something a little more flavorful, we can only come to Qiao's. But you'll be busier in the future, right? I heard from your mother that you've helped organize several banquets. I imagine you'll be getting more requests from people in the future."

Qiao Mianmian: "Even if I get busy, I'm not afraid. I'm already teaching my older brother and the others how to cook. Once they've mastered their skills, I can go to other places and everyone will still be able to enjoy delicious food!"

"Then you should teach us properly. We can't have your cooking now!" Qiao's Food Shop is delicious and inexpensive, and people from the market come to patronize it every few days. If they didn't have too much money, they would definitely come to eat there every day.

Speaking of coming every day, Lu Zhao and his servant have been coming much more frequently lately.

Qiao Mianmian had just finished stir-frying the remaining small fish when she saw Qingjiu coming over with a smile.

Behind Qingjiu, besides Lu Zhao, was another person who looked to be about the same age as Lu Zhao and was also wearing official robes.

"Lord Ning, this is Miss Qiao Wu, who makes scallion pancakes." Qingjiu proudly introduced her to her two colleagues. "I, Qingjiu, never exaggerate. Miss Qiao Wu's cooking skills are far better than the restaurants we've been to, but you don't believe me. If I hadn't brought scallion pancakes, you wouldn't have come."

The scallion pancakes from Qingjiu were taken out of the City God Temple and were immediately snatched up and shared by Ning Yi and his friends. Ning Yi was the favorite, and when he learned that they were made from a small food stall in the market, he was very curious and asked Lu Zhao and the other to take him to see them.

Just then, Qiao Mianmian ladled out the spicy stir-fried smoked small fish. Amber-colored broth dripped from the fish, and the small fish had a faint smoky flavor. Ning Yi subconsciously drooled, "Lord Lu, this looks delicious."

Lu Zhao said he was treating everyone today and asked Qiao Mianmian if there were any small fish left. Qiao Mianmian regretfully said no, "But we have large crucian carp and grass carp, which can be used to make soup or sweet and sour dishes. This is the last bowl of smoked small fish, and I want to try it myself."

She only tasted what she had made before, but today she deliberately saved extra so she could eat her fill. While doing business is important, satisfying one's appetite is also important.

Lu Zhao went to look at Ning Yi, "Take a look at the other dishes."

Ning Yi said regretfully, "I've never been here before, you order." He knew Lu Zhao wasn't well-off, and besides, a roadside stall like this probably couldn't cook many dishes well. Although the small mixed fish looked somewhat tempting, he wasn't particularly looking forward to the rest.

Lu Zhao ordered a sweet and sour fish, a bowl of braised pork, and egg drop soup, which was the most dishes he had ever ordered.

The braised pork was ready, and Qiao Mianmian gave Lu Zhao some extra broth. Lu Zhao and Qingjiu skillfully mixed the broth with their rice. "The sweet and sour fish will be ready in a bit. You guys eat the braised pork first. This is the first time this gentleman has come, so please try it. If you like it, you can come back to support us more often."

She smiled brightly; she was naturally beautiful. Ning Yi hadn't even started eating yet, but he kept nodding at Qiao Mianmian.

Lu Zhao handed Ning Yi chopsticks and urged, "If you don't eat now, Qingjiu will eat them all."

Qingjiu, who had just picked up his chopsticks: ...My lord, don't I have any dignity?

"Huh?" Ning Yi glanced at Qingjiu. "It's alright, it's just dinner, no need to rush..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Qingjiu quickly stuff two pieces of meat into his mouth. Panicked, he hurriedly picked up a piece of meat. The first taste was a faint sweetness, followed by the rich aroma of the meat stewed in the sauce. With one bite, the broth burst in his mouth, and the deliciousness made his eyes widen instantly.

Before Ning Yi could react, Lu Zhao put two pieces of meat on his plate; otherwise, given Ning Yi's speed, he wouldn't have been able to eat more than a few pieces.

"Lord Lu, it's so delicious!" Ning Yi had just swallowed the meat when he saw Qiao Mianmian bringing over the sweet and sour fish. This time, he didn't care about his image and took a bite first.

Qiao Mianmian: "The fish will taste even better with some sauce."

"Okay, I'll give it a try." Ning Yi was a little impatient. The fish skin was crispy, but the fish meat was tender and juicy. He took a bite, and the sweet and sour taste instantly whetted his appetite. However, he still couldn't eat as fast as Qingjiu.

Qingjiu had already picked up a large piece of fish, was eating his third bowl of rice, and had also drunk a bowl of soup. "Lord Ning, if you don't like it, I'll have the master treat you to something else later. Leave these for me."

"Who said I don't like it!" Ning Yi shoveled rice into his mouth, no longer caring about his image.

At this time, the rest of the Qiao family arrived. They had a simple lunch; Qiao Mianmian only stir-fried some small fish and served it with some porridge.

Qiao Jiaxing stopped going to the dock to carry goods. Instead, he helped with chores at home and was always the most enthusiastic when it came to meals. "Fifth sister, I'll take care of it. Don't move."

Zhang and Qiao Youfu sat down first, and Qiao Youfu exclaimed, "Our family is so lucky to be able to eat three meals a day."

"Of course it's a blessing." Zhang happily took the bowl and chopsticks, looked around, and asked, "Where's Xia He? Where did she go?"

"Fourth Sister went to the temple to pray for Third Sister's well-being. She should be back soon." Qiao Mianmian glanced at the market but didn't see Fourth Sister. "I'll go meet her. You guys eat first."

"No rush, let's wait for Xia He to come back and do it together," Zhang said.

Qiao Mianmian walked towards the temple, but didn't see her fourth sister in the distance. She thought to herself that this shouldn't be the case. Her fourth sister wasn't a playful person. She knew that the whole family would be together before they would start eating. Her fourth sister would come back on time.

After walking for a while, she still didn't see her fourth sister. Instead, after turning out of the market, she encountered Wang Chuang, who had run over.

"Miss Qiao, I've finally found you!" Wang Chuang said, panting as he leaned against a pillar. "Your...your fourth sister is at my house right now."

"How did you end up in your house?" Qiao Mianmian frowned.

Wang Chuang took a deep breath and waited until he was calm before continuing, “My mother went to burn incense today. She and my third sister-in-law were so focused on praying that they didn’t even realize they were being targeted by a thief. Luckily, your fourth sister noticed in time and scared the thief away, but she twisted her ankle. You know my mother; she’s a kind-hearted person and insisted on getting a doctor for your fourth sister. But your fourth sister’s ankle was so bad that she said she wouldn’t be home on time, and her family would be worried, so I had to come and tell them.”

He ran the whole way, only stopping twice because Lin Xiahe was in a great hurry.

When Qiao Mianmian heard that her fourth sister had twisted her ankle, she was worried. "Then please go to my family's stall and tell them to eat first. I'll go pick up my fourth sister."

She rushed to the Wang family's house, and when she arrived, she was panting heavily.

When Zhou saw Qiao Mianmian, she quickly had someone pour tea. "Your fourth sister is fine, but she was really worried that you would be concerned. She wanted to go home after the doctor's visit. My mother-in-law refused, saying that she had helped my family a lot, and sent someone to fetch a sedan chair."

Qiao Mianmian didn't have time to drink her tea; she wanted to go see her fourth sister first.

"Your sisters have such a good relationship." Zhou took Qiao Mianmian to see Lin Xiahe.

Madam Wang was also inside. "If it weren't for your help, all the silver in my purse would be gone. There's also a lucky charm that my son got, that's the most important thing. It's not a big deal if you've never ridden in a sedan chair before, but once is enough. I can't let you limp back home."

Lin Xiahe felt nervous at the thought of riding in a sedan chair, but luckily her younger sister arrived and looked over for help.

As a result, Qiao Mianmian agreed with what Madam Wang said, "Fourth Sister, you should listen to Madam Wang. You twisted your ankle, don't hurt it again. I'm relieved to see that you're alright." Then she went to thank Madam Wang again.

Madam Wang was full of admiration for the Qiao family girls' politeness. "I was going to suggest that your fourth sister have a meal at my house, but she was in a hurry to go back. So I won't keep you any longer. I'll come to thank you in a couple of days. Xia He, you need to take good care of your foot, or it will be my fault."

Lin Xiahe's face flushed with embarrassment, but since both Madam Wang and her sister said so, she had no choice but to nod in agreement.

On her way home, she felt very uncomfortable, her whole body tense. By the time she got home, her palms were covered in beads of sweat.

The Qiao family had already packed up and returned. Lin was the first to rush over, "Are you alright? How could you be so bold? Aren't you afraid of being resented by the street thieves?"

"Mother, I didn't think that much." Lin Xiahe saw Madam Wang and her daughter-in-law and wanted to greet them out of politeness, but she happened to see a thief stealing Madam Wang's purse. She didn't care about anything else and quickly shouted out.

"Oh, you're such a kind-hearted child. It's good that it's nothing serious. Sit down and rest. Have you eaten? I saved some food for you. You have no idea how worried I was when I heard you twisted your ankle." Madam Lin brought over the food and fed it to Lin Xiahe.

Lin Xiahe said embarrassedly, "Mom, I twisted my ankle, I can eat by myself."

"Look at my brain, I get confused when I get anxious." Madam Lin handed over the bowl, then asked her youngest daughter, "What did the doctor say? Will it leave any lasting problems?"

Not having heard the doctor's words with her own ears, she felt uneasy. "How about we get another doctor to take a look?"

Lin Xiahe quickly said there was no need for such trouble, "Mother, it's really nothing serious, I don't feel any pain anymore." It was a lie that she didn't feel any pain, but Madam Wang had the doctor examine her carefully for a long time, and since the doctor said there was no major problem, then there definitely wasn't.

"The doctor said to rub it with medicated oil every day, and not to walk on this foot for the next few days, and it will gradually get better," Qiao Mianmian said. "Madam Wang sent some tonics, which I will put into the bone broth later."

She hadn't eaten, and her stomach was growling with hunger, so she picked up her bowl and chopsticks and started eating heartily. The smoked small fish, after being stir-fried, immediately awakened her taste buds with its spiciness, and since she was already hungry, she finished a bowl of rice in the blink of an eye.