When An Moxue descended the mountain, the sun was setting. Even now, although she told herself to calm down, she still couldn't completely calm her excitement. Even fishing for two hours and climbing the mountain for several hours didn't help.
This treasure hunt is so exciting! The amount of treasure is one thing, but the fantastical process is the real highlight. The key is that green frog—how did our ancestors manage to do that?
Moreover, there's no one to share with, and you can't have anyone. It's like being the only one keeping a secret. How do I put it?
Excitement, joy, and a secret, indescribable pleasure.
An Moxue was in such a good mood that her whole body was practically screaming with joy. Instead of going home, she took out a fish, avoided the crowd, and jogged to Old Ma's house.
She dashed into the kitchen like a whirlwind, startling Aunt Ma who was cooking. The fact that another person had appeared so quietly was bound to make anyone nervous.
"Aunt Ma!"
"Oh my, how did you all do so quietly? You startled me. What good thing happened that makes you so happy?" Just by listening to her voice, Aunt Ma could tell how happy she was.
"Hey, let's have this for dinner!" She held up the big fish in her hand.
"Hey, you just walked in out of nowhere! I was so startled I didn't even notice this fish—it's huge! Where did you get it? No wonder you're so happy! I hope no one else noticed!"
After a long speech, Aunt Ma cautiously glanced outside, patted her chest, let out a sigh of relief, and then closed the door again.
The fish was really big, almost as long as An Moxue. But mainly, she was happy today, and a small fish wouldn't be enough to express her good mood; only a big fish could.
After a few moments, Aunt Ma asked, "Why are you here at this time? And with such a big fish, what if someone sees it? Where did you get it?" Aunt Ma was very excited to see the big fish, and she kept asking questions one after another, not giving An Moxue a chance to speak. She was not like her usual self.
An Moxue wanted to laugh as she watched her aunt circling the fish. She had never seen her aunt do this before; it was quite a novel sight.
"Auntie, don't worry, I ran here, avoiding the crowd. I'm fast! Even if someone saw me, they wouldn't be able to see what I was carrying. Hurry, what should we do with the fish?" An Moxue asked, lifting the fish in her hand again.
"Wait here, I'll go get a burlap sack to put on the ground, then we'll go to the backyard to do it. I'll call you when you come out!" Aunt Ma instructed anxiously. It was broad daylight, and she was still worried that someone might have seen them. This troublesome child, yet she couldn't bear to scold her.
Two minutes later, Aunt Ma's suppressed voice came from the back garden: "Mo Xue!"
An Moxue carried the fish and ran to the back garden. Behind the house, there was a haystack on one side and a bean trellis on the other, so she really wouldn't be noticed by anyone.
If it were inside the house, such a strong fishy smell would linger for days.
"Mo Xue, this fish is good, but it will smell very strong when it's cooked. What should we do?" Aunt Guo was a little troubled. She had to cook the fish well, and if others smelled it, she had to have a reasonable explanation. It was just that those new educated youth were too noisy and had made things very unsettling for the past six months.
"Auntie, we'll make tonight's food in a bit, and marinate the rest so you and Uncle can eat it slowly. Cooking the fish head will be enough for the three of us. If anyone asks, isn't this a ready-made excuse? Me? I brought it back." An Moxue comforted her with a smile.
"Yes, I was really scared by this big fish. I was a little stunned and scared myself silly. Nobody else saw the fish, so how would they know how big it was!" Aunt Ma said, then laughed, but she kept her voice down and didn't dare to laugh loudly.
The bigger the fish, the more edible parts it had. Aunt Ma didn't even let An Moxue throw away the fish scales, saying she would cook a separate dish for her later. The fish intestines were washed inside out and then washed again, and she wasn't allowed to throw them away either. It would be another dish.
Aunt Ma said, "I'll cook you a whole fish feast tonight. It's been a few years since I've done it, and I don't know if I can do it well."
"Auntie, you can even cook a whole fish feast! That's amazing!"
"That's right. Back in the Nalan family, I worked in the kitchen. Although I wasn't a master chef, I've learned something over time. Just you wait and see!"
"No wonder Auntie's cooking is so delicious!" The two chatted as they cleaned the fish.
"Do you eat raw fish? If you do, I'll make one dish; if not, I'll make something else."
"Auntie can make sashimi? Do you and Uncle Ma like it?"
“I don’t like it, but your uncle is alright. I remember he loved to have sashimi with his drinks back then.”
"So you love to eat it, huh? Make one! I'd like to broaden my horizons too." An Moxue thought to herself, she couldn't stop Uncle Ma from eating it even if she didn't want to!
"Okay, you'll be in charge of slicing the fish in a bit, the thinner the better."
"Okay, no problem."
It was quick for the two of them to clean a large fish weighing several dozen kilograms. After preparing the seasonings, Aunt Ma was in charge of cooking, while An Moxue was in charge of the knife skills. They also took care of the fire, completely following Aunt Ma's instructions.
"Auntie, after this meal, will you have any oil left?" An Moxue realized that Aunt Ma was really going all out, even considering what she would use for the next few months!
"It's alright, we have your Uncle Ma here! Let him come up with a plan!" Okay, your aunt is still your aunt, you have someone to rely on, so generous.
"It's alright, Auntie, I'll bring you some oil tomorrow, just use it. I haven't used my coupons much in the last six months, Auntie, do you need any? Otherwise, some of them will expire and I won't be able to use them."
Aunt Ma thought that since she knew he was her own child, there was no reason to be polite. "Give me all the tickets you don't need. I'll keep the ones I need, and I'll exchange the ones you don't need for you, so they don't expire and become worthless. What do you want to exchange them for?"
"Mushrooms, dried wild vegetables, money, anything will do. I'll organize them when I get back tonight and bring them to you when I have time."
"Okay, so should this sashimi be made with vinegar or wine?"
"Auntie, I don't know anything about this either! You decide what to do!"
"How about using wine? There's just enough wine left to marinate the fish, then the old man won't have any wine to drink."
"Auntie, what kind of wine is this? Will I get drunk if I drink it?" An Moxue felt sorry for Uncle Ma for a second and tried to salvage the situation.
"Oh dear, I was so focused on not giving him any wine that I forgot about you. That's strong liquor, it's really potent. Let's use vinegar instead."
An Moxue breathed a sigh of relief. "Uncle Ma, you have wine to drink tonight, it's all thanks to me."
Anmo Snowflakes and fish fillets are ready, Aunt Ma's fish scale jelly is cooking, and the fish head is stewing. Time to start making sashimi.
When Old Ma returned, although he had closed the door, he could smell the aroma of fish as soon as he stepped into the yard, and his pace quickened.
"Old woman, what are you making? Is Mo Xue back yet?" The door opened, and the question came before she even entered.
"Look, he's a dog, and just as we're about to finish eating, he's back," Aunt Ma joked.
"Oh my, it really is Mo Xue back!"
"How's it going, Uncle Ma? Are you satisfied with the food I brought you home?"
"I'm satisfied, I couldn't be more satisfied!"
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