In June, the weather started to get hotter.

Every May and June, the mango trees on the roadside of Hailang Island begin to bear fruit. Rows of tall mango trees are filled with large, golden mangoes that bend the branches and emit a sweet mango fragrance.

Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo came back from buying groceries when they saw this scene. They couldn't help but licking the corners of their dry lips.

Seeing this, Mrs. Luo stood on tiptoe and picked a bunch of mangoes from the tree.

She picked four or five mangoes this time. Each brown mango branch was attached with golden and light purple mangoes, which was pleasing to the eye.

"Here, Xiao Ning."

Ning Tang was stunned. "Sister-in-law, this mango tree is planted by someone else. We can't pick the mangoes."

Mrs. Luo was happy, "This mango tree is planted by the roadside. No one will go home. If you want to eat it, just pick it yourself."

Ning Tang took the mango and said, "I thought they were planted by someone else or the military academy. Just like the last time we distributed pineapples, we had to pick them all before distributing them."

Mrs. Luo waved her hands, "That's different. The reason why pineapple honey is picked and distributed is because the quantity is small. Otherwise, some people picked it and ate it, while others didn't, and there would be a commotion."

Ning Tang nodded. So that's how it is.

Mrs. Luo continued, "You can eat as much as you want. If Da Wa and the others are hungry, they can also pick mangoes from the roadside. There is no limit on this. Look at the mango trees along the way. How can we eat all of them? If we don't eat them, they will become fertilizer for the flowers, which is a waste."

Ning Tang nodded. In order to ensure that these golden and sweet mangoes would not be wasted, she must work hard to consume them. She clenched her fist and said, "Sister-in-law, how about we pick some more?"

Mrs. Luo was happy, "Okay, I'll pick some to bring back for Lao Zhao and Qingqing."

Mrs. Luo picked mangoes with Ningtang and introduced the varieties of mangoes from Hailang Island to her.

There are the flat and smooth Tainong mangoes, the juicy green-skinned green mangoes, the ivory mangoes that are almost as long as an adult's palm, the sweet and refreshing golden mangoes, the waist mangoes that look like cashews, and even the egg mangoes that are the size of an egg...

Ning Tang drooled upon hearing this.

Unfortunately, the mangoes produced by the mango trees planted on the roadside are mainly ivory mangoes. For mangoes like Tainong mangoes, green-skinned mangoes, and egg mangoes, you have to go to the vegetable market to see if there are any vegetable farmers selling them. Then you can buy some and bring them back to taste them and experience the flavors of different varieties of mangoes.

After returning home, Ningtang and Da Wa looked at each other and both of them were happy.

Ning Tang was carrying a vegetable basket, one third of which was filled with vegetables, and two thirds of which was filled with freshly picked ivory awns.

The eldest boy had just come back from outside. No one knew where he had been. His whole body was covered with mud. The hem of his shirt was filled with mangoes.

Then he looked at Erniu and Sanwa following behind him, and they looked exactly the same.

Seeing Ning Tang staring at him, Da Wa quickly explained, "I packed it in old clothes."

Ning Tang was amused, "I don't blame you, go take a shower quickly, you are so dirty, how can you rub off a mud ball as big as a fist?"

Da Wa frowned, "It's not as dirty as you said."

However, he looked down at his body and found it a bit dirty. He put the mango on the table and shouted, "I'm going to take a shower." He turned and went into the bathroom.

Erniu and Sanwa were waiting in line behind him, waiting to take a bath.

Ning Tang collected the mangoes picked by the four of them. She picked ivory mangoes, while Da Wa and the other three picked green mangoes that they didn't know where they picked from.

The ivory mangoes she picked were ripe and easy to eat.

Wash the ivory mangoes clean, separate the mango flesh and core, and then use a knife to cut the flesh horizontally and vertically to form small grids. Then grab the sides and squeeze the mango grids into the bowl. It is very convenient and does not dirty your hands.

Now? The only green mangoes left were the ones picked by Da Wa and his friends. These mangoes were not fully ripe yet. Ning Tang tried to cut a piece and tasted it, and it almost made her teeth fall out from the sourness.

She remembered when Mrs. Luo introduced the mango varieties to her, she said that this kind of green mango can be eaten with chili salt, and she also told her how to make chili salt.

The ingredients needed are all available at home. Dissolve the chili powder into chili water, add sugar and water and bring to a boil in a pot over low heat. Add a little salt and stir evenly. Add the prepared chili water in batches and stir-fry slowly over low heat until dry. A dish of chili salt is ready.

The finished chili salt is light brown in color, dotted with red chili skins, and has a unique aroma.

Ning Tang tried dipping the green mango in chili salt. The sweet, salty and spicy taste of the chili salt neutralized the astringent taste of the green mango, making it more palatable. She couldn't help but taste it piece by piece.

Big Boy and his friends had also finished their baths and were all wearing short-sleeved tops and shorts.

The eldest boy ran to the electric fan, turned on the switch, and the fan shook its head to send out a gentle breeze.

The three little kids squatted in front of the electric fan, feeling the cool breeze and letting out comfortable sounds in unison.

Ning Tang shouted, "Come here and eat mango."

They ran over three times, took Mango away, and returned to the fan, obviously not wanting to leave the fan for a moment.

The sweet ivory mango and the sour green mango paired with chili salt have different flavors. The three kids were so satisfied with them.

The eldest boy waved his hand and said, "Let's go pick them tomorrow and pick all the mangoes on the island."

Ning Tang said, "We can't store all the fruits you picked, so please leave some for others, King of Children."

As they were talking, footsteps were heard at the door. It was Shen Lie coming back.

His hair was soaked with sweat, and the spot on his collar was the wettest, so wet that the outline of the white vest underneath could be seen through.

Shen Lie took off his outer clothes and shouted, "Is there anything to drink? I'm so thirsty." It was obvious that he was very hot.

Ning Tang said, "There are mint syrup and iced mung bean soup. Which one do you want?"

Shen Lie was hesitant. He wanted to drink both, but he also wanted to save space for food. He couldn't just drink water.

Ning Tang asked, "Drink mint water before dinner and green bean soup after dinner, okay?"

Shen Lie nodded, "Okay."

Ning Tang handed him an enamel jar filled with mint syrup, and Shen Lie took it and drank it all in one gulp.

Soak mint leaves in water and add half a piece of rock sugar. It has a refreshing mint aroma and a sweet taste.

After Shen Lie finished drinking, he tapped the enamel pot and smacked his lips. "Anything else?"

Ning Tang poured him another half cup.

Shen Lie didn't drink the second cup as quickly as the first. He sipped it carefully while sighing, "When you first said you wanted to grow that mint, I didn't quite agree. I thought it was not very practical. Now it seems that you are more forward-looking."

That's right. The effect of mint leaves is not obvious in winter, but it is very obvious in summer.

The fragrance can repel mosquitoes. There are obviously fewer mosquitoes this summer than in previous years. The leaves can be soaked in water, and the taste of mint water is praised by everyone who has tasted it.

Once you plant it in the yard, you don't have to take care of it. Just water it with a bucket every few days. It will grow wildly on its own, and it will grow lushly and greenly in a large patch, which is pleasing to the look of.

The last time Mrs. Luo came to their house, she tasted the mint water and heard about the effects of mint. She was so amazed that she took a few plants of wild mint back home. It is estimated that there is a large patch of wild mint growing in the Zhao family’s yard now.

Ning Tang said, "It's good that you know." He added, "If you like this mint water, take it to the troops to drink. It doesn't take much effort to make it. It's just mint leaves and two pieces of sugar."

Shen Lie said, "I think it's okay."

Summer is the peak season for training. He has to sweat a lot every day, and drinking ordinary water doesn't quench his thirst. This mint water is just right.

He put the enamel mug, which had been completely drained, on the table and said, "This summer is getting hotter."

But life became more comfortable.

If it were in the past, I wouldn't be able to drink sweet and refreshing mint water when I got home from get off work, and I wouldn't be taken care of so well.

Shen Lie didn't say anything, but his heart was blossoming.

He kicked the eldest child with his foot and said, "Go away! Make room for your dad."

Then she pushed the eldest kid away with her buttocks and sat in the middle of the three little kids, facing the electric fan. She also skewered a piece of mango dipped in chili salt from the second girl's bowl and ate it while smacking her lips. "Hmm, this mango tastes good. What's that salt-like thing on it?"

The eldest child was furious, "Dad, all you know is bullying us."

Shen Lie gave him a sidelong glance, and his meaning was obvious: So what if I bullied you?

When Shen Lie sat there, he occupied most of the space where the fan could reach.

Da Wa pushed him with his hand, but Shen Lie was not able to move at all.

Sanwa was smart. He got up and sat on Shen Lie, enjoying the best position to enjoy the fan.

Shen Lie did not stop him and let the little Sanwa sit on him. The old man and Erniu fanned themselves together, feeling very comfortable.

But the eldest child was so angry that he complained to Ning Tang, "Mom!"

Ning Tang patted Da Wa's head and said, "Don't bother with your father. He is even more childish than you."

After being comforted by Ningtang, Da Wa stopped whining and glanced at Shen Lie, with an obvious meaning: I have my mother to protect me.

Shen Lie didn't bother with him and asked Ning Tang, "What is this mango dipped in?"

Ning Tang explained to him, "It's chili salt, which is a dipping sauce made of chili, sugar and salt."

Shen Lie said, "It tastes good. I'll make this dipping sauce next time I eat mangoes."

"Then you have to ask Da Wa." Ning Tang said, "He picked half of these mangoes."

The eldest boy puffed out his small chest, looking very proud.

Shen Lie was amused and pinched his little face. "Then I'll trouble Comrade Shen Dawa to pick some mangoes for your father tomorrow."

The eldest boy snorted and said, "This is good enough. Wait, I'll pick more for you tomorrow."

Shen Lie really wanted to kick him, seeing how proud this kid was.

The next day, the eldest child got up early with the second and third children and prepared to go pick mangoes.

Ning Tang, still half asleep and half awake, called out, "Wear a straw hat and go."

The sun is shining brightly and we’re afraid they’ll get sunburned.

Da Wa's voice responded from the living room, and Ning Tang fell asleep again.

At nine o'clock, Ningtang got up and went to the yard to wash.

I bought a new toothbrush with black toothpaste, took a mouthful of water and spit out saliva. The three of them, Da Wa, just came back.

Ning Tang was delighted when he saw them. The eldest, second and third daughters were holding freshly picked mangoes. The eldest even had a mango tied together with two mango branches hanging around his neck. The golden mangoes hung right in front of his chest.

"Are you going to wipe out Mango's entire family?" Ning Tang asked.

The eldest boy waved his hands and said, "It's just this little, it's not enough for us to fill our stomachs."

"If you want to eat them, go pick them." Ning Tang said, "They are everywhere in the mountains anyway."

"But..." Ning Tang stretched out his voice, "If you eat so much, you might get a sore throat."

"Eat first, and we'll talk about it when you get angry." Erniu replied.

Ning Tang smiled, "When did our second daughter become a little greedy cat?"

Erniu blushed. It was really because mangoes were so delicious. Plus, there was nothing delicious at the beginning of this year, so she was counting on these fruits to sweeten her mouth.

Fortunately, they were born on an island, with abundant seafood to eat and a variety of fruits in all seasons. Anyway, they were much happier than the children in the mountain villages.

The three of them put the mangoes on the table. Then Da Wa stood on tiptoe and took out two dimes from the cabinet in the living room. He shouted, "Mom, let's go out and buy some groceries."

Ning Tang said, "I'll go with you guys."

Anyway, she got up early today and had nothing to do, so she went to see how Da Wa and the others bought groceries.

To be honest, she had just casually assigned the task of buying vegetables to Da Wa, but she didn't expect that he could actually buy the vegetables? Moreover, they were all fresh and delicious vegetables, which made Ning Tang curious.

On the way there, Da Wa and his two companions walked in front, and Ning Tang followed behind.

Each of them wore a large straw hat on his head, and the dazzling sunlight stretched their shadows long.

The eldest child first discussed with the second and third children what to eat today, and then asked Ningtang what she wanted to eat.

Ningtang said it was up to him, so the eldest child listened to the second and third children.

Decide on the menu, and have braised Spanish mackerel, steamed crab and blanched conch for lunch. So, what you need to buy are three kinds of seafood: Spanish mackerel, crab and conch.

After discussing it, they walked to the vegetable market.

Da Wa looked around and walked straight to a stall. "Uncle Zhou, give me a pound of snails."

The man whom Da Wa called Uncle Zhou was a male stall owner of medium height with a friendly smile. When he saw Da Wa, he immediately smiled and said, "Hey, it's Da Wa. You want conches, right? Okay, okay, I'll weigh them for you."

As he spoke, Uncle Zhou scooped up most of the snails in front of him with a net basket, then shook it a few times to drain the water, and then put the snails on the scale and said loudly, "Exactly one pound."

Ning Tang watched the whole process. The one pound of snails that Uncle Zhou mentioned must actually be much more than this amount.

There are about thirty snails in a pound of flower snails. Uncle Zhou gave at least forty snails to Da Wa, which must have been for his own benefit.

Da Wa took the conch handed to him by Uncle Zhou and gave him the money. A smile spread across his little face and he said in a crisp voice, "Thank you, Uncle Zhou."

Uncle Zhou smiled and waved his hands, "You're welcome."

Next, the eldest son bought crabs and mackerel.

Ning Tang discovered that he seemed to be familiar with every stall owner. No matter which stall he passed by, there would always be a stall owner greeting him. Da Wa was not annoyed and went back to greet them one by one.

After buying a lot of things, Ningtang was carrying crabs and mackerel in his hands, while Dawa was in charge of carrying snails.

Erniu and Sanwa led the way with empty hands.

Ning Tang was surprised and asked Da Wa, "How do you know? Who should I buy these seafood from? Aren't you afraid that they will rip you off?"

Not every stall owner is as kind as Uncle Zhou just now.

Ning Tang was cheated when he bought groceries when he first arrived.

The selected dishes were given to the stall owner for packing. When packing, the stall owner would swap the dishes under the stall where Ning Tang couldn't see and give her the bad ones.

The stall owner did a very concealed job, so Ning Tang naturally didn't notice it. But when he got home and opened the bag, he saw that it was full of rotten vegetables. Ning Tang was almost hurt by the anger.

Some stall owners like to sprinkle water on the vegetables, claiming that it is to maintain the freshness of the vegetables. However, some vegetables absorb water by nature, and if they are sprinkled with water, they will actually be heavier when weighed than vegetables that are not sprinkled with water.

It is said that there is no business without fraud. Sometimes, Ning Tang can understand the tricks used by these small vendors, who just want to make a little more money. But when they are cheated, he will still be very unhappy.

Da Wa pointed at his eyes and said, "I'm not afraid of being ripped off by others. I have eyes and I can see. If there are many people gathered in front of a stall, it means the stall owner is not a rip-off and the vegetables he sells are fresh. I will go there and buy from him."

"Uncle Zhou is like that. The seafood he sells is the best and he likes to give extras. Everyone likes to buy from him," said Da Wa. "But some stall owners like to cheat people. They like to play those little tricks. They give less here and deliberately weigh more there."

Ning Tang's eyes flashed with a gleam, and he deliberately tested him, "Then, if you were to start a vegetable business, what kind of stall owner would you like to be?"

Da Wa said without thinking, "Uncle Zhou's kind."

"Why?" Ning Tang deliberately asked, "Uncle Zhou gave a tip, so we are at a loss, right? On the contrary, those stall owners who didn't give a tip and shortchanged the goods by adding a little here and a little there, saved a lot of money. Over time, they will earn more than your Uncle Zhou."

Ning Tang pretended to sigh, "Alas, Uncle Zhou won the hearts of the people, but lost money. I don't know whether he won or lost."

The eldest child said, "Mom, you are wrong."

Ning Tang raised an eyebrow and asked him, "What's wrong with me?"

"I don't think Uncle Zhou lost." Da Wa said, "Uncle Zhou often sells good dishes to people and gives extra money. Word of mouth has spread. Everyone knows that Uncle Zhou's seafood is good and cheap. Over time, everyone recognizes his brand and likes to go to his shop to buy."

"If you don't believe me, remember, there were a lot of people lining up in front of Uncle Zhou's stall just now?" Da Wa said, "We waited in line for quite a while before we could buy food."

Ning Tang nodded, encouraging him to continue.

Da Wa smiled slyly, "Besides, I don't think Uncle Zhou makes little money. After all, he is a businessman. If there was really no profit, he would have gone bankrupt and returned home long ago. How could he be so happy to sell things at the stall every day?"

Who knows, maybe Uncle Zhou makes the most money among all the seafood stall owners.

The main goal is to make small profits but quick turnover.

After listening to what Da Wa said, Ning Tang was convinced and secretly sighed. He never thought that Da Wa, at such a young age, could be so insightful and have his own business acumen. This is something that many adults can hardly achieve.

Could it be that his good math skills have something to do with this?

After saying this, the eldest boy started skipping and hopping with the vegetables in his hand to catch up with the second and third boys.

Ning Tang looked at his little boy's back and raised his eyebrows. Maybe, although the eldest boy's academic performance is not good, he will have great potential in business. In the future, will their family produce a successful businessman?

Ning Tang followed them and asked Da Wa, "Hey, you go to the market every now and then to buy vegetables, but no one asks you why you come out to buy vegetables for the family at such a young age."

The eldest child nodded and shook his head. "Yes, they did. Every time they asked, I said I helped with the housework and bought groceries for you. Over time, they stopped asking. Every time they saw my expression, it was quite strange. It felt like they were pitying me."

"Sympathy?" Ning Tang was dumbfounded. "What should I sympathize with you for?"

The eldest child thought for a moment and said, "Maybe they feel sorry for me because I have to come out at such a young age and help me buy groceries."

Indeed, in the entire vegetable market, except for Da Wa, the only child, the rest were adults or elderly people. No wonder Uncle Zhou, who sold seafood, smiled as soon as he saw Da Wa, because it was so rare to see a child buying vegetables, and buying them so knowledgeably.

Da Wa also stood on tiptoe and patted Ning Tang's shoulder sympathetically. "They probably think that I have a bad stepmother, a lazy stepmother, who calls me out every day to buy groceries and do housework."

In fact, they don’t know that Da Wa also likes to buy groceries. Otherwise, how could Ning Tang urge him to do so just by saying a few words?

Ning Tang rolled her eyes. It seemed that in places she couldn't see, her reputation had become so bad since when.

I was really cheated by that naughty boy Da Wa.

Da Wa and Xiao? looked at Ning Tang's face cautiously, "Mom, are you not angry?"

Ning Tang said with a smile, "Why are you angry? I'm not angry. I'm your stepmother, not your biological mother. Even if I treat you very well, others will think that I'm mistreating you and will poke your feet with needles every day."

Erniu turned around and looked at Ningtang seriously, "Mom didn't treat us harshly, nor did she prick our feet with a needle."

Ning Tang asked, "So? Do you think I'm right? What do you think?"

Sanwa clenched his fist without hesitation and said, "Very good."

Ning Tang spread his hands and said, "That's it. We can't control what others say, but we know what we are doing. As for others, let them say whatever they want."

After returning home, Ningtang steamed or braised the dishes she had bought.

Soon, three kinds of delicious seafood were served on the table.

The eldest child held the conch in one hand and used a bamboo stick to pick out the conch meat with the other hand and ate it. While eating, he sighed, "Mom, your cooking skills have improved a lot."

Ning Tang snorted, "Don't you see who I am? It's just cooking a few dishes. How can it be difficult for me? I didn't want to do it before, but now I want to do it, so it's easy for me."

Erniu picked up a piece of Spanish mackerel with her chopsticks and said, "But it's still not as good as my dad's cooking skills."

Ning Tang was deflated. Indeed, Shen Lie's craftsmanship was top-notch and she felt that she would never be able to catch up with him in her lifetime.

However——

She lowered her head and glanced at the eldest and third children.

The eldest child was confused and asked, "What are you looking at us for?"

"You said that Captain Shen is a good cook." Ning Tang said, "Logically speaking, the cooking skills of the eldest and third children should also be good."

As soon as she finished speaking, she thought of the burnt dishes and the burnt pot that the eldest child had cooked, and shook her head, "Forget it. From now on, we can't rely on the eldest child for our family's meals. We have to rely on the third child."

The eldest boy puffed up his cheeks and said, "You look down on me! That's because no one has ever taught me. If you want to teach me, I can prepare three dishes and a soup for you in half an hour."

Ning Tang was happy and said to Erniu, "Look at the sky."

Erniu tilted her head, "The sky? There's nothing there, just blue sky and white clouds."

"Who said that? There's nothing better than Dawa's bragging." Ning Tang said, "Comrade Shen Dawa, when will you work hard to not burn the food? Then why don't you talk about three dishes and one soup?"

Da Wa puffed up his face and put his hands on his hips, wanting to retort, but when he thought of the performance of the last battle, he became deflated again.

Speaking of Sanwa, Ningtang glanced at Sanwa's little fleshy hands, which were chubby and soft. He didn't know when he would be able to grow up to the point where he could pick up a spatula. He felt that the road ahead was long and arduous.

Sanwa didn't understand what was going on. He thought Ningtang wanted to eat the food in his hand, so he picked up his chopsticks and put them close to her mouth. "Ah——"

Ning Tang saw the saliva on the food and refused decisively, "Be good, Sanwa, there's some in mom's bowl, eat it yourself."

Sanwa saw that Ningtang's bowl was indeed full of food, so he didn't put his chopsticks near her mouth, but ate it all in one gulp.