Chapter 74: Can this man-eating bug be eaten?
The soapy water was slippery, and the crayfish slowly loosened its claws.
Shen Lingning was quick-witted and quick-handed. He picked it up by its back shell and threw it into the empty wild vegetable basket next to him. The guy was still showing his fangs and claws.
"Mom, catch them! Catch them all! They're delicious! They smell good!"
Fubao's voice became more anxious, even with a hint of greed.
Shen Lingning raised his head with a smile and saw that the little guy was so greedy that his saliva was dripping from the corners of his mouth.
Something in his heart moved him, so he leaned over to his daughter and asked in a low voice, "This man-eating bug is so scary to everyone, but can you really eat it?"
Fubao nodded with bright eyes, feeling even more anxious: "Mmm, mm, mm, it's delicious, a perfect midnight snack!"
night snack?
Shen Lingning felt a little greedy after hearing what Fubao said.
Shen Lingning looked at the river. After the commotion, the water was a little muddy, but if he looked closely, he could indeed see a similar red shadow flashing through the cracks in the rocks at the bottom of the water.
These days, this thing has not been served on the table on a large scale, especially in the north. Many people think it has too much shell and too little meat and is dirty, so basically no one eats it.
A thought instantly flashed through Shen Lingning’s mind.
She helped Tiedan deal with his toes. Fortunately, the skin was not broken, just a little red and swollen.
Then she stood up and looked into the river, a look of perfect surprise on her face: "Auntie Sun, there seem to be quite a few 'man-crushing bugs' in this river?"
"That's right. It's very annoying. Sometimes I get stuck while washing vegetables or clothes. It hurts when I get caught."
Aunt Sun didn't care.
"I think I saw it in a book about foreign customs."
Shen Lingning carefully considered his words and attributed the source of information to the illusory "book".
"People in some parts of the south love to eat this because it's very delicious. They stir-fry it with chili peppers and garlic until the shells are crispy. It can be eaten as a snack or as a side dish."
The method of making it is the recipe tutorial that Fubao remembered from his previous life.
"Ah? This thing can be eaten?"
Aunt Sun looked at the struggling crayfish in the basket with a look of suspicion, as if she was looking at something dirty.
"That's what it says in the book, who knows if it's true or not."
Shen Lingning smiled and didn't insist.
"But it looks like there's a lot. If it's really edible, it's like finding something for free. It might be a bit troublesome to handle though, as I have to scrub it clean."
She didn't say anything else, as if it was just a casual remark.
But looking at the vague red shadows in the river and Fubao's voice of "delicious", Shen Lingning's heart was already active.
Maybe this... is another opportunity?
This can be used to open up opportunities for contracting tea plantations, which is simpler and faster, and can also allow the people in the family compound to taste some of the benefits and see its value first.
She bent down, picked up the crayfish, threw it back into the river, and clapped her hands: "Let's go, Auntie. We have to steam the locust flowers when we get home."
But when she turned to leave, she looked back at the river deeply.
After picking two large cloth bags full of locust flowers, the three of them prepared to go down the mountain.
When passing by an area overgrown with weeds, Shen Lingning paused and glanced at several plants with special leaves.
"Mom, this grass is bitter and not tasty."
Fubao's little brows furrowed.
Shen Lingning's eyes narrowed slightly. That wasn't just any weed. The shape of its leaves... She quickly recalled the atlas of medicinal herbs she had seen.
Yes, it is a bit like Scutellaria baicalensis, a medicinal herb that clears away heat and dries dampness.
This thing is tenacious and drought-resistant, maybe it can be planted?
But she did nothing but silently noted the location.
Back at the family compound, Aunt Sun warmly invited Shen Lingning and her daughter to her home to cook locust flower rice together.
Aunt Sun's daughter-in-law was also there, and several women worked together to wash the locust flowers, drain the moisture, sprinkle cornmeal and white flour on them, mix them well, and then steam them in a steamer.
The fire in the stove crackled, and steam spread with the unique sweetness of locust flowers and the aroma of flour, making people's stomachs growl with greed.
The steamed locust flower rice is mixed with mashed garlic, salt, a little bit of precious sesame oil and vinegar. The aroma of locust flowers and noodles are mixed together, and the sour, spicy and refreshing fragrance are mixed together, which tastes great.
Fubao's mouth was greasy from eating so much that his eyes were narrowed.
Shen Lingning and Aunt Sun's family sat around the small table, eating a simple meal in a harmonious atmosphere.
However, this warmth was soon broken.
Clear the dishes, it's still early.
Tiedan was ready to take Fubao with him to show off to his friends that little Fubao could talk.
Worried Aunt Sun and Shen Lingning followed them for a walk in the family compound.
As they approached the Jiang family's house, they could faintly hear things being thrown around, Li Jianjun's muffled scolding, and Jiang Weiyi's shrill cries: "...Why! She, Shen Lingning, is a disaster! If it weren't for her...how could my brother...Brother Zhou clearly..."
The sound was choppy, but key information came through clearly enough.
Aunt Sun curled her lips and lowered her voice to Shen Lingning, "Have you heard? Technician Jiang... Oh, not anymore, Jiang Weimin, has been fired!
He said it was a major mistake at work, and…something wrong with his lifestyle. His sister has been going crazy in the family compound these past two days, biting everyone she sees.”
Shen Lingning paused as he picked up the food, his expression calm.
She had heard Zhou Weiguo briefly mention this matter. Jiang Weimin was dealt with seriously, which was naturally due to Zhou Weiguo's involvement, and it was also to completely eliminate the hidden dangers.
She had no sympathy for this.
But, Jiang Weiyi's reaction...
A trace of vigilance rose in Shen Lingning's heart.
People who turn from love to hate and suddenly fall from a high position are most likely to go to extremes.
She looked out the window and saw the sun setting and the sky getting darker.
Zhou Weiguo seems to be particularly busy today and has not returned yet.
As the sky gradually darkened, Shen Lingning carried Fubao, who was already a little sleepy, home.
She carefully placed Fubao on the kang, covered him with a blanket, and sat on the edge of the kang, lighting the dim kerosene lamp.
He took out the old notebook again and sketched the shape of the slope behind the mountain, with scattered words like "drought-resistant?", "tea tree (trial planting)?", "medicinal material?" etc. marked next to it.
It is not suitable to climb several hills with the children today to see the tea trees on the back mountain. I can only find an opportunity to go there in the next two days.
Her ideas were very clear. The tea mountain plan needed to be planned slowly, and the first step was to clarify the policies and land ownership.
But right now, there seemed to be more imminent trouble that needed to be guarded against. Jiang Weiyi's resentful eyes that day lingered in her mind.
It was late at night and the wind outside seemed to be getting stronger, making the window paper rustle.
Zhou Weiguo hasn't come back yet.
Shen Lingning blew out the lights and lay down beside Fubao with his clothes on, but he was not sleepy at all. His ears were alert for any unusual movements outside the yard.
This calm before the storm made her heart inexplicably tight.
Zhou Weiguo seemed to have gone out on an urgent mission, and sent his orderly Xiao Zhang over to say hello in the evening.
The next day was a sunny day.
The uneasiness in Shen Lingning's heart was slightly diluted by the busyness of the day and the unexpected "assist" brought by Fubao.
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