Chapter 169 Let's dig up cicada nymphs!
"Listen carefully in class. You don't want to end up like her, standing outside as punishment, do you?" the teacher said threateningly, adjusting her glasses.
Snap! The boy closed the sheet music. "I'm sorry, I didn't know the price of Teacher Li's course beforehand. I feel really bad for coming to audit the class without knowing. I... I'll go stand outside as punishment!"
After saying that, he ignored the teacher who was fuming with anger and walked straight to the door, standing next to the girl.
"Why was a well-behaved student who was paying attention in class also punished?"
In class, Li Chen was a well-known good student. He listened attentively in class, did not act wildly after class, and was always the first to complete the tasks assigned by the teacher. His handwriting was neat and tidy, and there was not a single mistake that could be found.
“Let’s go. I’ll find a chance to play the piano for you next time. If Jiang Chao finds out that his most beloved sister was wronged at the Liu family, he’ll definitely kick me to death. My little body can’t take that kind of punishment…”
"Nonsense. After three years of training, your physique... has improved significantly. Have you eaten cicada pupae?"
What is a cicada pupa?
The girl pointed to the large black cicada on the tree, "Look, that's a cicada. Before it molts, it's a pupa. If you stir-fry it in hot oil with salt, the taste... I can't even describe it. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water."
The boy's lips twitched slightly, his eyes filled with terror. "Xiaxia, that... isn't it just a bug?"
"Well, I guess so, but...it's really delicious. Since the weather is cool and it rained a little last night, let's go dig for cicada nymphs."
The boy didn't want to agree, but the girl was too enthusiastic. When the music teacher finished teaching some knowledge points and came out to look for the two of them, he could only see an empty corridor.
The two men, carrying small buckets and shovels, arrived at the poplar grove on the back hill.
"Li Chen, here, I'll demonstrate it for you."
There was a round hole the size of a mung bean in the ground. The shovel scraped away the thin layer of soil layer by layer, and the hole got bigger and bigger until it was the size of a 50-cent coin. A cicada pupa covered in mud and waving its pincers appeared in front of the two of them.
Yunxia pinched it out and placed it in her palm. "Look, this is a cicada pupa. Deep-fried or stir-fried, it's extremely delicious. It's very expensive in restaurants outside."
Although the boy instinctively stepped back, his curiosity got the better of him, and he leaned forward to take a closer look. "Huh, it's so ugly. Can I eat it? And... won't eating it damage the ecosystem?"
"High in protein and rich in various nutrients, it's a rare find. Don't worry, it's a pest. Before it molts into a cicada, it lives by sucking tree sap, and there are so many of them that they can't be eradicated. Look, I found another small hole. Why don't you give it a try?"
Upon hearing this, Li Chen bent down and squatted down, imitating the girl's actions from before, slowly shoveling away the thin layer of soil. Finally, he used two toothpicks to pick out the cicada pupa.
"You...you even have toothpicks on hand?"
"Hiss, when facing unknown creatures, you always need some way to protect yourself, right? Xiaxia, I still have some toothpicks here, do you want them?"
"No, no need. Oh, I've found another one. Tsk tsk, this poplar grove is a real treasure trove!"
After digging several, the boy seemed to have found enjoyment and was no longer afraid of the cicada pupa, picking them up directly with his hands. "Xiaxia, the hole is getting bigger and bigger as we dig, there must be some great treasure inside."
The highly vigilant girl immediately sensed something was wrong and stepped forward to pull the boy away. Just then, a creature covered in pockmarks jumped out of the small hole, made a few cooing sounds, and then hopped into the grass.
"Xiaxia, what did you just jump over? A giant cicada pupa?" The boy gripped her arm, his expression terrified, clearly frightened.
"It's just a toad. I forgot to tell you, if the hole is bigger than a dime, what's hiding inside is very likely not a cicada nymph, but a toad, a frog, or even a small snake!"
"A snake?" Hearing her say that, the boy became even more frightened!
He patted the back of his hand and comforted him, "Don't worry, it's just a low-probability event. You won't be that unlucky. Come on, let's keep digging for cicada pupae and make a big plateful for lunch today."
Unfortunately, the boy couldn't be comforted. He refused to dig anymore and chose to help out. Yunxia didn't insist and picked up the shovel herself, bending down to look for small holes.
Around noon, after scooping out about half a bucket, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to hurry back to the villa.
"Goodness, so many cicada pupae, this is a rare find, but... the masters probably won't eat them."
The Liu family kitchen has no shortage of high-end ingredients such as bird's nest, shark fin, sea cucumber, vegetables, and top-quality fruits, but insects have never been served, which makes the cook somewhat worried.
"It's alright, just make it for yourself. I'll do it, Li Chen, help me out."
"OK!"
Wash the cicada pupae with clean water, drain and let them dry. Take half of them, marinate them with salt for a while, coat them with batter, and fry them in oil until golden brown.
The other half was stir-fried. The side dishes were added to the hot oil and stir-fried until fragrant. Then the cicada pupae were added and stir-fried until slightly dry and fragrant. A little salt was sprinkled on them. After serving, they asked the cook for four steamed buns. The two of them sat in the corridor and ate them with relish.
"Wow, the skin is crispy, the meat is tender and chewy, it's so delicious!" the boy exclaimed, puffing out his cheeks.
"That's right, it's the food I recommended, absolutely no doubt about it. It would be even better if you could add some chili powder."
Just as I was dozing off, the cook brought over a small packet of roasted chili powder. "It's how we eat it in my hometown. Sprinkling some chili powder on it makes it even more delicious. If it weren't for Young Master Chen, I wouldn't have been able to eat such a rare treat!"
"Aren't there plenty of them on the back hill? Why don't you dig them yourself?"
"The whole mountain belongs to the owner, how could I dare to touch it even a little bit? I still have things to do in the kitchen, so I'll head back first."
Perhaps sensing the girl's confusion, Li Chen patiently explained, "This mountain was bought by our great-grandfathers. Every blade of grass and every tree on the mountain belongs to the Liu family. No one else can touch it. Otherwise, they will be dismissed at best, and at worst... sent to prison."
Goodness, this is serious! Yunxia suddenly lost interest in the cicada nymphs on the plate and asked in a soft voice, "Then... is it against the rules for me to dig up cicada nymphs?"
The young man chuckled and shook his head. "Of course not. Gaixin... I also have a share in this mountain!"
"ah?"
"According to the Liu family's ancestral precepts, both men and women have the right to inherit the family property, it's just a matter of how much or how little. Years ago, my mother transferred her share to my name."
At this moment, Yunxia realized that the person next to her was not only a rich second-generation heir, but also a large landowner with countless assets under his name. She felt that the differences between people can sometimes be so great.
"Tsk tsk, some people are born in Rome, tsk tsk!"
"Huh, that smells sour! Xiaxia, did you put lemon in the cicada pupae?"
"Li Chen, you've become naughty; you've even started making fun of people!"
"One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black; I learned this from you."
Dear, everyone around her seems to be leaning towards the sharp-tongued Jiang Chao. Yun Xia shook her head helplessly, ignored him, and continued to eat the cicada pupae.
At noon, in the restaurant, the two, who had already eaten their fill, pretended to eat some food. After the meal, Old Master Liu asked them to stay for a talk.
"Ah Chen, is it because the food isn't to your liking today? You haven't taken much!"
The boy patted his slightly full stomach and shook his head. "Grandpa, no, the food was delicious. I was greedy at lunch and led Xiaxia to sneak a lot of food, so..."
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