Chapter 33 Jinjiang first release Chapter 33 Carrying a bundle of firewood and running away...
By the time they left the South River, Fang Shu hadn't caught a single fish. So the other three had each caught a few, and if they put them together, there would be enough for several families to share.
Seeing that Fang Shu was still a little bit shaken up, Yu Qinglong gave him the two that he had touched: "Take these two and stew them."
It was just a coincidence that the fish that my elder brother and Wusheng caught were all grass carp or crucian carp, but he was the only one who caught a carp, and its tail was a little red.
The carp meat was sweeter and fresher than the other two, so Fang Shu wanted to save one for Yu Qinglong. Yu Qinglong insisted on giving him the whole thing, but he didn't explain why.
"Do you have any spices at home? If not, come to my house and get some. Many herbs themselves can be used as spices, and I have quite a few."
"Yes." Fang Shu certainly wanted to go to the Yu family, but he hadn't planned on meeting the elders when he came today, and he didn't bring anything with him. He felt that it would be impolite to go so rashly, so he declined with regret, "I'll go another day."
"Well, don't be so reluctant here. There are so many fish here. Come back in a few days to fish." Wu Sheng said with a smile, "Anyway, the 'fish' you want won't get away."
"Well, Long Ge'er, you and big brother should go back later. Chang Jie and I will go back first."
"Okay, you guys go back." Yu Qinglong said.
"Thank you, Brother Changjie, for your help today. Come back to my house someday and we'll have a couple of drinks together," Yu Qingjia said. "Brother Shoucheng, please remember to say hello to Uncle Fang and Aunt Fang while we're here."
"You're welcome, brother Yu. Goodbye." "I will, brother."
After the two of them left, Yu Qingjia carried the fish while Yu Qinglong took the wash basin. Yu Qinglong saw that the clothes sticking out of the basin had dried, were wrinkled, and even had a cloud of bird droppings on them. He said, "Brother, wait a moment. I'll rinse them again before taking them back."
Yu Qing's family knew his younger brother preferred cleanliness and tidiness, so they didn't say anything. Actually, he was going to re-dress the house with well water when he got home, but the bird droppings were an eyesore, a large mass that couldn't wait.
Yu Qinglong picked up a dry twig from the ground, thinking he'd pick out the bird droppings before washing them. Unexpectedly, as he did so, a few seed-like objects emerged from the inside. He swallowed his nausea and took a closer look; they looked familiar.
He remembered that when he was a child, he often heard his grandfather say that birds are straightforward and will poop after eating, thus accidentally spreading seeds everywhere. But he had never seen it before and didn't expect it to be true.
After struggling for a while between throwing away or collecting the seeds, Yu Qinglong picked a large poplar leaf, bent it into a cone shape, put the bird droppings into it, filled it with water, and gently stirred it to wash.
The eldest brother saw that he had put the clothes aside and was fiddling with the bird droppings, and asked in confusion: "Little brother, what are you doing?"
Yu Qinglong said, "I think I found some plant seeds that we don't have at home. I'll clean them up and plant them at home to see if they can produce anything."
Although it is a little late to plant in this season, the temperature is high and there is enough rain. If the planting is successful, it should be possible to harvest in autumn.
Yu Qinglong picked another leaf and collected the clean seeds. He washed out four seeds in total, but only three were relatively intact.
Yu Qingjia said with a smile, "If grass grows, all your manure washing will be in vain."
Yu Qinglong said, "No, it's definitely not grass."
He doesn't recognize other seeds, but it's hard for him to make a mistake with this one.
After washing his clothes, Yu Qinglong hurried home. Wild fish are very resilient and were still flapping their wings when he got home.
Yu Qing's family took the fish to be cleaned. His father, his father, and his wife were all out working. His second brother was catching insects in the backyard. He couldn't go far, but he could do the housework.
Yu Qingjia asked Yu Qinglong, "Little brother, how do you think we should eat this fish?"
Yu Qinglong said, "Can we just stew it in sauce, big brother? Add some greens and tofu, it will have a lighter fishy smell, and my sister-in-law should be able to eat it."
Yu Qingjia said okay. Seeing his younger brother hurriedly hanging up the clothes and taking out a piece of birch bark, he asked him what he was going to do. Yu Qinglong still said that he was getting seeds.
Yu Qinglong treasured these three seeds dearly, placing them on birch bark to dry in the sun, to avoid the lower success rate of planting them directly in the ground. He also covered them with a thin cotton cloth to keep out birds and insects, and placed them in a well-ventilated place, where they dried quickly.
Yu Qingjia didn't understand, but seeing how attentive he was, he felt that this must be a very important matter.
After Yu Qinglong finished, he went to pick up a large fish and said, "Brother, I'm going to go to Master's house to deliver the fish and buy some tofu. I'll be back soon. Don't let anyone at home touch the seeds."
The eldest brother said, "Don't worry, I'll remember it. Then how about I clean up this fish and put it aside?"
Yu Qinglong said, "Sprinkle some salt on it, inside and out. It's too hot, don't just leave it there. Sprinkling some salt on it will help it get the flavor in. If Dad and the others haven't come back by the time I get back, I'll stew the fish first and then try making pot stickers and steamed buns. Oh, I need to knead some dough first."
He'd been learning how to make it for a few days and felt it should be pretty similar. He also understood the principles of fermentation and had personally helped knead the dough to get a feel for it. At worst, if it failed, he could just use a harder or softer bun; it wouldn't be a waste.
After finishing the dough, Yu Qinglong hurried to his master's house, but his master didn't seem to be home. He heard Mo Xiaoning talking to a man inside. Since the door was open, he could clearly hear two people. Mo Xiaoning seemed to be chatting happily with the other person.
This senior sister rarely smiles, and Yu Qinglong immediately knew what was going on. It must be Liang Mo's father Liang Han who has returned.
He hesitated whether to go in or not - the young couple was feeling like newlyweds after a short separation, but here came a light bulb.
Mo Xiaoning came out first and called out to him, "Brother Long, what are you doing standing there? Come in quickly."
Yu Qinglong went in and handed the fish to Mo Xiaoning: "It sounded like my brother-in-law came back and I was afraid that he would interrupt your conversation. This fish was just caught this afternoon, so it's just right for you two to stew it together."
Liang Han also came out at this time. This man was strong and dark, with thick palms, and he looked like a hardworking man. He took the fish and said with a smile, "Brother Qinglong, please help me carry water for the time being. I heard from Mo'er's mother that you are learning medicine from my father-in-law."
Yu Qinglong said yes, and then said with a smile: "Now that you are back, my brother-in-law, I won't have to come to fetch water anymore."
Liang Han said, "Okay, I'll pick it. I'll trouble you to take care of my family these days. I also heard from Mo'er's mother that your family is planning to expand the house. If you need me, please come and let me know."
Yu Qinglong said, "I'm really welcome then. Thank you, brother-in-law."
He thanked me promptly and chatted for a while before leaving.
As he walked out the door, Liang Han asked his wife, "Why does Qinglong seem like a different person?"
Mo Xiaoning talked about Yu Qinglong's engagement being broken off by the Wang family, and sighed, "Maybe he was really pushed to the limit. If people encounter many things, they will always change."
Liang Han thought about the disaster that had struck his hometown, how he had lost all his family, and how he had become less talkative since then. Fortunately, he was lucky enough to meet his wife and her family, who had helped him recover. Not only did they give him a place to live, but they also had a child, and they even gave the child his last name.
"Then I'll go clean the fish. Father and Mo'er are just about to go buy some tofu. When they come back, we can stew it together."
"Okay. I'll go pick some vegetables."
Coincidentally, Yu Qinglong had the same idea. There was a tofu vendor in the village, selling to several neighboring villages, charging four wen for a piece. It was the most important source of protein in the countryside besides eggs, but four wen was a lot of money, so he didn't buy it often. It was usually sold in the morning, so he had no idea if it was out at this time.
Just as he was thinking about going home to soak the mushrooms and then add some mushrooms to stew, he heard someone calling him: "Yu Qinglong, what are you doing?"
Yu Qinglong said, "Why do you care about me?"
After he said that, he looked at the yard opposite... It seemed to be this house, but it also seemed not to be this one... There was no sign there either.
Is he the only one in the village who doesn't know the way? He has never been here before. In the past, it was always his sister-in-law or his father who came to buy things.
Hu Bo asked, "You want to buy tofu?"
Yu Qinglong held a basin in his hand.
This is the case in the countryside, where you often have to bring your own containers when buying things.
He asked, "What?"
Hu Bo said, "You're going the wrong way. The tofu seller is over there."
Yu Qinglong: “…”
Hu Bo was speechless and said, "You can't even find the village, which is only the size of a fingernail. You're worse than Liang Mo and Chuang'er."
Yu Qinglong hissed, "You evil creature, I've got you hooked again, haven't I? My legs are long, can't I just stroll around a few more times?"
After saying that, he changed direction and turned back to ask, "How's the window?"
Hu Bo said uncomfortably, "Okay."
Yu Qinglong didn't ask any more questions. He quickly walked over, smelled the tofu, and rushed in to buy a piece. When he came out, he didn't see Hu Bo. But he was afraid he had gone the wrong way, so he found Bai's house first and then walked through Bai's house, so he knew the way.
Hu Bo came out from the shadows. Seeing that he had been struggling for a long time before finding the correct direction, he blurted out, "You call me stupid? You're the stupid one!"
Fortunately, Qinglong had sharp ears and he heard it!
Fortunately, the seeds he found today were enough for him to forgive this old society for three days, including the people in it. So he pointed at Hu Bo and said, "What are you mumbling about? Be careful or I'll sew your mouth shut tonight!"
"You!" Hu Bo stomped his feet in anger.
After finishing his talk, Yu Qinglong hurried home, thinking about how to stew fish and make pot stickers and steamed buns.
When he got home, he found his father and grandfather still hadn't returned. His eldest sister-in-law had already returned, but the smell of fish made her vomit and she hid from the fish. Yu Qinglong didn't let her do anything. He would ask his sister-in-law if he didn't know how to do something. His second brother helped light the fire, while he stewed the fish on the clay stove outside.
As soon as the pot was heated, he put some lard in. This stuff was prepared when he received the betrothal gifts in order to treat the people who sent the betrothal gifts to a meal. He used it to cook a dish at that time, but he didn't use it up. There was still a small bowl left, so he put it in a cool place.
He added oil, watching the milky white mass melt rapidly in the wok. He then carefully placed the two fish in. With a sizzling sound, a fragrant aroma quickly rose from the wok. He placed some angelica root and ginger slices in the small oil pool beside the fish, along with a few small pieces of broken dried tangerine peel. These were precious ingredients, given to him by his senior sister for stewing meat.
After frying the fish on both sides, he poured enough water and began to stew it. Meanwhile, he prepared the sauce.
A large spoonful of soybean paste, two spoonfuls of soy sauce, and some wine.
The scene of watching his grandmother cook when he was a child flashed through his mind. But he didn't have the things that his grandmother put at the back, so he just put what was available here.
Salt, sugar, and a little wine.
I'll put this sauce in later and leave the rest to fate.
The second brother said, "Little brother, you are quite good at cooking. It seems that you have learned a lot from father and sister-in-law recently."
Yu Qinglong said: "It may just look like that, but it doesn't taste that good."
In reality, he wasn't sure. It was just that some memories were more etched in his mind, and it seemed to make sense based on his feelings.
There were a few dishes he particularly loved, and his grandmother would often cook them for him. He knew how to cook these dishes. Although he never cooked them properly, he would stand by the door and watch as she cooked. At the time, he had no one to care for him besides his grandparents. He was still young, and his grandfather hadn't retired from the procuratorate, so most of the time, it was his grandmother who took care of him. She would explain the cooking steps to him like a story. Unfortunately, he was a picky eater when he was young, so he only remembered his favorite dishes.
The second brother said, "Anyway, it smells delicious to me. Why don't you try the soup? I saw that father and eldest sister-in-law both made it this way."
Yu Qinglong said, "I'll try it after the water boils. This is still raw water, and there's raw fish in it. I can't taste raw soup."
The eldest sister-in-law stood far away and said: "Little brother, you will be the one to paste the steamed buns later, right?"
"Sure, sister-in-law, does it still smell fishy to you now?"
The sister-in-law took a quick sniff and said, "It's a little stronger than before, but it still has a fishy smell."
Yu Qinglong said, "I'll put the sauce in there and cook it until it's cooked. Then you can smell it. If you really can't stand the smell, I'll make you something else."
The eldest sister-in-law smiled and said, "Don't bother. I'll just eat some with pickled vegetables. Didn't you buy a piece of tofu? Leave a small piece for me."
Yu Qinglong said okay and didn't rush to say anything else.
The soup in the pot boiled, and he poured the sauce in, scraping the remaining ingredients from the bowl. Soon, the aroma of the sauce mixed with the fragrance of fruit and fish filled the air.
The second brother swallowed his saliva and said, "If you put some steamed buns on this, wouldn't it be so delicious?"
They don't always have access to solid staples like steamed buns and pancakes. They usually only eat vegetable porridge or vegetable porridge, unless it's a holiday or when guests come over. That's enough to fill them up, but they get hungry quickly.
It is a wonderful thing to be able to eat steamed buns and pancakes again, not to mention stewed fish.
Yu Qinglong was afraid that the dough would be wasted if he made it wrong, so he went to ask his sister-in-law if he had made it right. His sister-in-law was an expert at making noodles, so she checked his dough and told him it was okay.
The weather was hot, and the dough rose quickly. The dough he had mixed before leaving had already risen quite a bit. He picked it up, kneaded it again to release the air, and then formed each dough into a bun shape.
They weren't very pretty, some were too big, some were too small, but they all looked like steamed buns. He put them in a basin, covered them with a curtain, and let them sit for a while. After they had risen a second time, he put them all in the big pot.
One of the buns fell in the middle and got soaked in the soup. He quickly rescued the bun and put it back on top, but it slipped back down again!
This stubborn guy!
I can't control it anymore! It's hard to persuade the steamed buns that want to swim in the sea of soup. Yu Qinglong put the lid on the cauldron and let them do whatever they want.
About a quarter of an hour later, my father and my uncle returned. My uncle handed the cloth bag full of worms to my eldest brother, who emptied it out to feed the chickens.
Dad also brought back a small basket of raspberries.
Fruit is a rarity here. Watermelons are grown locally, but they haven't yet reached maturity. The only fruits you can usually find are seasonal wild fruits from the mountains, like raspberries, pears, apricots, and hawthorns. Some families may have crabapple trees, or plum trees. But none of these fruits are ripe yet.
The raspberries are bright red with hollow centers, a bit like Little Red Riding Hood made of fruit pulp. If you pour out all the contents of the basket, it will fill up almost a bowl and a half.
Zhou Yuehua smelled the aroma from the big pot and asked, "Is this stewed fish?"
Yu Qingye said, "Yes, Dad, it was my little brother who stewed it. I'm so greedy that I want to lick the lid of the pot."
Yu Dayou said: "Our Long Ge'er is becoming more and more capable."
Yu Qinglong washed the raspberries and put them on the table. "It's hard to say whether they taste good or not, father. If they don't, you'd better eat more, otherwise I won't dare to make it again next time."
"Hahahahaha, if it doesn't taste good, eat more. But what if it tastes good?" Yu Qingye laughed so hard, "If it tastes good, I can eat more."
"That's really unfilial. If it tastes good, father and dad can eat more. If it doesn't taste good, you can eat more, second brother." Yu Qinglong said, "You are my brother, you have to consider your younger brother's feelings."
"Then I won't be your brother today."
"It's too late. You are already my brother. It's not right for brothers to deny their responsibilities."
Yu Qinglong opened the pot and saw that the buns, though disastrously ugly, looked surprisingly soft. He quickly added a handful of vegetables his sister-in-law had picked and some diced tofu. The stubborn bun, seemingly soaked up the broth, lay softly nestled next to the fish head.
This smell is so fragrant that it makes me dizzy!
Yu Qinglong scooped a small spoonful of soup for Zhou Yuehua to taste: "Is it okay, Dad?"
Zhou Yuehua was quite surprised and said, "It's delicious, much better than what my father makes. How is this made?"
Yu Qinglong briefly explained the dish and took a bite himself. He found it truly delicious. Simmered in a large iron pot, the rich fish broth coated the tofu in a vibrant, light brown sauce. The vegetables were also cooked through, and the flavor was immediately palatable. It was a little strong, though.
Even my sister-in-law came over and said, "It smells so good. I think I can eat it again."
She could no longer smell much fishy smell, though there was still a little bit, which did not affect her appetite.
Yu Qinglong took a large bowl, cut one of the fish in half, put the fish in it, added some tofu and vegetables, and poured two spoonfuls of soup on it.
The eldest sister-in-law then took a wicker winnowing basket and put the steamed buns in it. The whole family sat together in the yard and ate the big bowl of food.
Yu Qinglong felt that the fish he stewed was not only a bit strong but also a bit tough, but overall it was an excellent result and everyone in his family liked it very much.
During the conversation, the eldest brother mentioned that Fang Shu and Wu Sheng came to the fields to help catch insects and weeds, and to collect firewood together: "I see Shoucheng is looking forward to marrying me as soon as possible. I said I was heavy, and Shoucheng said he would go back home to carry rice for exercise."
"Puff! Cough cough cough..." Yu Qingye turned his head and spit out, "Hahahahahaha, does he know how to be anxious now?"
"There's nothing wrong with being in a hurry." Zhou Yuehua said, "Boss, can we haul wood tomorrow?"
"Yes. I hope tomorrow's weather is good."
To expand the house, you need wood, mud, wheat straw, rice straw, etc., all of which have to be brought home in advance before construction can begin.
It doesn't sound like expanding a cabin is a big project, but in the countryside these days, there is a lot to do.
Yu Qinglong bit his steamed bun and looked at the mud house at home.
When he first came here, he felt very tortured sleeping here. He couldn't fall asleep at night. He always felt that when he moved, he could hear the rustling sound of the straw quilt in his ears, and the roof seemed like it was going to collapse at any moment.
Now I'm barely used to living here.
But you can't think about it too much, otherwise you will feel very anxious.
He had begun to gradually adapt to life here. But his previous life's living environment was far too safe. In terms of life safety, this place was still far behind. The comparison between the two made him feel uneasy.
He wanted to take his family away from here, at least to a safer place where they wouldn't have to worry about the storms and having enough food and clothing.
The family was originally chatting and laughing, but they saw Yu Qinglong become quiet. The second brother asked, "Little brother, what's wrong with you?"
Yu Qinglong said, "It's okay, I just ate a little too fast."
He had originally been somewhat hesitant about marrying Fang Shu, but now he no longer hesitates.
Now he just hopes Fang Shu can be more proactive.
The next morning, Yu Qinglong woke up and took the three seeds to the vegetable garden. He found a special spot to plant these three treasures, and repeatedly explained to his family how important these seeds were to him.
Only then did he have breakfast and go to study with his master.
At the same time, Fang Shu also woke up early.
Normally, he would read in his room after waking up. But not today. He said, "Mother, from now on, I will take your meals to the farmhands."
Fang Wu turned around, once again troubled by her rebellious son's words: "What did you say?"
Fang Shu said, "I'll go take the food. You can make it early and I'll carry it to you. This way you can get some exercise."
Fang Wu said, "What if the food spills? How are you supposed to handle the food for dozens of people? Besides, your time is precious, you can't spend it like this."
Fang Shu said, "Then find someone for me. I'll go with you to collect firewood today. I can carry the firewood and still study. Is that okay, mother? I need to get stronger quickly so I can carry Long Ge'er on my back when we get married."
Fang Wu was convinced and glared at him, "Look at how worthless you are! Then why don't you go with Fang Shan?"
Fang Shu said okay, ate breakfast quickly and went to find Fang Shan.
Fangshan was his long-term worker. He lost his parents when he was young, and happened to share the same surname. His father felt sorry for the child and supported him until he grew up. The 28-year-old man had already married and had children, but he was always grateful and treated his father and mother as benefactors and as filial as his biological parents.
Fang Shu also treated him as a half-brother. After they went there, they went into the mountains together to collect firewood.
I brought a book with me, but I didn't read it at all.
Fang Shu hurried to collect firewood to increase the weight on his body, and then ran towards Shangxi Village.
One trip in the morning and one trip in the afternoon.
You will look the same when you go out as when you come back, at most you will be a little tanned and sweat more.
Fang Wu asked him, "Son, where is the firewood you collected?"
Fang Shu said as a matter of course: "They were all sent to Long Ge'er's house. Don't we have some at home?"
Fang Wu and Fang Dingman: "..."
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The author has something to say: Fang Shu: Long Ge'er, before you get married, I will deliver all the firewood to your family. You can burn it as much as you want.
Qinglong: It's not about carrying rice [question mark]
Fang Shu: I didn’t grow the rice, but I did collect the firewood [shy]
Qinglong: [covering his face with laughter and crying]
Fang Shu: Collecting firewood every day takes strength. I'm begging for some nutrients and comments to help me collect ten bundles a day! [Please]
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