"I didn't name names, so whoever answers is whoever it is," Huang Yan said smugly, raising her eyebrows.
She secretly praised herself for being so clever; otherwise, if Director Li had found out that she had taken Fang Qiao's chicken, she would have been punished by having to work at the brick kiln.
However, Huang Yan realized that she had been too happy too soon.
The wicked little girl jumped out and accused, "Grandma, you're lying! Duck feathers are white, but these are red and spotted; they're clearly chicken feathers."
Huang Yan was so angry that her teeth itched. She held her breath and softened her tone: "Grandma didn't lie. This, this is a wild duck. Wild ducks have mottled feathers."
"No, no, that's not true!" Sweetie was so angry she was almost crying.
Huang Yan lied without batting an eye: "That's right! You're a child, you don't understand."
Fang Qiao took Tian Tian's hand and pulled her behind her.
She looked directly into Huang Yan's eyes, her gaze cold: "Grandma, we adults know whether it's a chicken or a duck. It's no fun bullying a child."
“It’s pointless. I heard you arguing when I came here, and I understand what happened,” Director Li said decisively. “Huang Yan, take the chicken out and give it back to Comrade Fang Qiao.”
"Director Li, it really isn't..." Huang Yan was reluctant to return it.
A big rooster, fat and strong, weighing at least four or five pounds, can be stewed sparingly and feed the whole family for several meals.
"Stop talking nonsense, stop bullying Lie..."
The words were on the tip of his tongue when Director Li suddenly remembered that Fang Qiao was pregnant and had fainted once at noon. He changed his tone when he mentioned "family member of a martyr," saying, "Anything that bullies women and children is not allowed in Chengzhuang Village."
Huang Yan's face turned pale and then red, but under Director Li's stern gaze, she finally went home reluctantly and took out the half-chopped chicken from her house.
She had originally intended to hide a few pieces, but unexpectedly, Director Li followed her into the house. Under her very nose, Huang Yan had no chance to make any underhanded moves.
The big, fat chicken that was practically in her mouth was forcibly returned to her, which was tantamount to tearing flesh from Huang Yan's body, making her feel so distressed that she felt tightness in her chest, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing.
With the dispute resolved, Director Li returned home. Before leaving, she told Qiao that she could come to the brigade headquarters to find her anytime she encountered difficulties.
Fang Qiao nodded in agreement.
After Director Li left, Fang Qiao, carrying a chicken in one hand and holding Tian Tian's hand in the other, smiled and said to her third aunt, "Third aunt, come to my house for lunch."
Auntie waved her hand: "I'm not going. I've already prepared dinner at home and am just waiting for my daughter to come home from work."
It was just a polite remark, and since her aunt declined, Fang Qiao nodded in agreement: "Third Aunt, I'll be going now."
"Let's go, let's hurry back, Sweetie will get hungry if it gets any later."
Back home, Fang Qiao brought Tian Tian a small stool and a small abacus, letting her sit by the kitchen door and play by herself, while she took the chicken into the kitchen.
My seven-month-old belly is bulging high, which looks scary, but I'm actually still a long way from giving birth, so it won't stop me from cooking.
Huang Yan had chopped most of the chicken, and Fang Qiao cut the remaining pieces along the joints. She had learned to cook from her family since childhood and was skilled at cutting poultry bones. So, once she mastered the technique, cutting meat didn't take much effort.
Cut the chicken into pieces, wash and dry the peppercorns and star anise, slice the ginger, and Fang Qiao also picked a few scallions from the small vegetable garden in the yard, washed and cut them into sections.
Unfortunately, the planned economy was implemented in the 1970s, so you needed not only money but also coupons to buy things. There was a shortage of spices for stewing meat, and many things were unavailable even if you had the money.
If we had hazel mushrooms, that would be perfect; chicken goes best with hazel mushrooms.
Even if we don't have hazelnut mushrooms, other mushrooms will do.
Unfortunately, it's already winter, not the season for mushrooms to grow.
Fang Qiao was secretly regretting it when, in the next second, a thick white mist suddenly appeared in front of her. When the mist dissipated, she was suddenly found in a warm 'Wizard of Oz'.
The mountains are densely forested, with lush foliage and distant mountain peaks shrouded in mist, where a cascading waterfall flows down. And at your feet, there is a cluster of enormous white mushrooms.
Fang Qiao had never seen such a large white mushroom before; one segment was as wide as an adult's arm.
Everything before her eyes was too surreal, beyond Fang Qiao's limited understanding. For a moment, she felt dazed, and three questions arose in her mind—
who I am?
Where am I?
What is this?
Looking around, her questions remained unanswered. Just then, the familiar mist rose again. After a brief moment of dizziness, Fang Qiao returned to the kitchen.
My body was enveloped in cold again. On the cutting board in front of me were chopped scallions and ginger slices. Everything that had just happened seemed like a dream.
Fang Qiao was somewhat stunned when suddenly there was a knock on the door outside the courtyard.
She snapped out of her daze and put the fantastical scene she had just witnessed out of her mind.
As I came out of the kitchen to open the door, I had only taken a few steps when I heard Huang Yan talking to someone outside.
Her voice was loud, immediately drowning out the other person's voice.
"Are you looking for Fang Qiao?"
"Yes, Aunt Cheng, I need to talk to her about something."
"She...she's still not awake. You should leave now and come back later."
"She's not awake yet? I'll go in, put my things down, and leave." The woman's voice was gentle and soft, and Fang Qiao immediately recognized it as Wang Yun's voice.
Wang Yun was in the same batch of educated youth sent to the countryside as her. Before Fang Qiao married Cheng Baidong, she lived in the same room as her.
The two had always had a good relationship; their friendship from their past lives had lasted for decades.
"What are you going in for? She's not even awake yet. If you put the things down, she won't even know it's from you. Just bring them with you next time."
"No, it's too heavy to carry back and forth. I'll go in first and put my things down before I leave," Wang Yun said, her voice low but firm.
Through the door, Fang Qiao heard the sound of banging on it, and Huang Yan immediately became angry: "I already said the person isn't awake, why are you still pushing the door? You're making a racket and waking them up again. You're from the city, don't you have any sense of propriety? You're just asking for trouble."
Wang Yun teaches at the village primary school and has more influence than Huang Yan in the village, so he's not afraid of her at all.
"If you're annoying, fine, as long as Fang Qiao isn't annoyed, that's fine. Everyone knows what kind of person you are. Calling you 'Auntie' is just me being polite. Don't take yourself too seriously."
Huang Yan got angry, and Wang Yun got annoyed too. He shoved Huang Yan aside without any politeness and said, "Get out of the way, don't block the way."
Seeing the two people outside arguing, Fang Qiao, supporting her back, quickly took a few steps and opened the door from the inside.
"Xiaoyun, you're here! I could hear your voice even through the wall. Come in quickly." Fang Qiao smiled and welcomed Wang Yun in, deliberately ignoring Huang Yan.
"Alright." Wang Yun glanced at Huang Yan smugly. "Aunt Cheng, I'm going in now. Goodbye."
Huang Yan's eyelids twitched, and she felt a surge of anger rising within her.
She followed closely behind Wang Yun, wanting to go in as well, but Fang Qiao quickly held the door open and stopped her, saying politely, "It's noon, Grandma, you should go home now. Your whole family is probably waiting for you to cook, so I won't keep you any longer."
When Huang Yan saw Fang Qiao standing at the door with her big pregnant belly, she really wanted to just push her away without a care in the world.
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