Chapter 63
Upon hearing this, Wu Xiu was both happy and at a loss: "A-Zhi... Ah-Zhi, I... I don't know what to say. Thank you for always thinking of your brother..."
Although her son no longer had feelings for Yang Zhiqian, the things that woman did would make even strangers angry, let alone the person involved.
Although Jiang Jun didn't say it, how could Wu Xiu, as his mother, not know about her son's depressed mood?
Now that Jiang Zhi can help find a suitable job for Jiang Jun, Wu Xiu couldn't be happier.
Even Jiang Hai had a smile on his face.
Jiang Jun was very tempted, but couldn't help feeling a little uneasy: "Azhi, my leg... is inconvenient. Does the Lin family not know about my situation?"
Jiang Shu then said, "Brother, don't worry. Grandpa Lin knows your situation. As long as your hands are steady enough and you can endure the loneliness, that's enough."
Jiang Jun still found it hard to believe.
He never expected that anyone would be willing to hire a disabled person like him!
His face flushed with excitement. "Thank you, Azhi! I... I will work hard to learn how to make a spacecraft!"
Jiang Jun knew that this was very likely his last chance to turn his life around.
He also wanted to do something for the Jiang family.
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "Big brother, it's such a pity that your talent is being buried like this. Go and study some more, and then our family's quality of life will depend on you to improve it."
Jiang Jun smiled and nodded, "Okay, leave it to me."
Grandma Jiang looked at her eldest grandson, whose face had regained its confidence, and felt a mix of warmth and sadness in her heart.
Yuan Ying said with a smile, "It's no wonder that everyone in our family dotes on Azhi. You rascals, look at Azhi, she's our sweet little cotton-padded jacket."
Jiang Shu was displeased: "Second Aunt, how come you didn't see me? I went to the Lin family with Azhi."
Everyone laughed: "Alright, alright, you deserve some credit too."
As everyone was chatting and laughing, Jiang Wen, holding Xu Na's hand, walked solemnly in front of them.
Everyone was stunned, somewhat confused.
Yuan Ying asked with a smile, "What are you two doing? If you want to show your affection, go back to your room. Why are you doing this in front of us?"
Hearing this teasing remark, Xu Na blushed and tried to pull her wrist away from Jiang Wen's hand.
Jiang Wen gripped it even tighter.
"Mom, um, we want to tell you something."
Both of them looked tense and very serious, and everyone finally sensed something unusual.
Grandma Jiang wiped her hands, her heart pounding, and asked, "What are you doing? What happened? Don't scare me."
Jiang Wen mustered his courage: "Grandma, I... um, Xiao Na... she's pregnant."
The courtyard fell silent for a while.
Yuan Ying, who was washing horseshoes, suddenly dropped the plane she was holding onto the ground.
Jiang Wen's heart also skipped a beat.
Previously, the family was poor, and Yuan Ying had privately and sternly instructed them not to cause any deaths, for fear that they would not be able to raise the child and would also burden the pregnant woman.
After being taken back to their own residential area by their third uncle, the couple had their own room. Plus, since they had no other means of livelihood to sell, that's why...
Before deciding to be honest with his family, Jiang Wen had already made plans: if his family felt uncomfortable, he and his wife would move out.
If all else fails, I'll swallow my pride and ask my brother Han Lei for a salary; at least I won't let my mother and daughter go hungry.
Jiang Si was too young to understand what this meant, so she tugged at Grandma Jiang's sleeve and asked, "Great-Grandma, does Second Uncle mean we're going to have a younger brother or sister?"
Everyone seemed to awaken from a dream.
"Ah, Ah Wen, is it true!?" Yuan Ying suddenly stood up, her face full of disbelief. "I... I'm going to be a grandma!?"
"Ahe, Ahe, did you hear that? You're going to be a grandfather!" Yuan Ying shouted excitedly, while Jiang Hezhi stood there dumbfounded.
Jiang Shu realized what was happening, picked up Jiang Si beside him, and spun her around, excitedly saying, "Si Si, you have a younger brother and sister now! I have nephews and nieces again!!"
Grandma Jiang was so happy she didn't know what to say: "Oh my! Xiao Na, when did you find out? Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Do you feel like throwing up?"
Xu Na blushed and shook her head, replying softly, "Grandma, I'm fine, it's just that I've been feeling sleepy these past few days."
Grandma Jiang smiled and said, "That's normal. Don't do any work these days. Rest at home and let Awen do whatever he needs to do."
Everyone was very happy.
This is the newest member of the Jiang family.
Wu Xiu laughed and said, "No wonder Xiao Na kept saying she wasn't feeling well the other day, it turns out she's pregnant."
Xu Na quickly replied, "Auntie, I'm not that delicate. I can still keep working."
Jiangzhi was also very happy, as their family was finally going to have another member.
"Second sister-in-law, congratulations on becoming a mother!"
Grandpa Jiang slapped his thigh: "Excellent! Excellent! It's good to have a child. Although life is a bit tough now, our whole family will work hard and we won't let him suffer too much."
Looking at everyone's smiling faces, Jiang Wen was still uneasy: "You...you all agree that we should have the baby?"
Grandma Jiang went over and grabbed Xu Na's hand. Hearing this, she couldn't help but scold, "You brat, this is a good thing! What do you mean by 'we agree' or 'we disagree'? Do you think we won't have your child?"
Jiang Wen touched his nose and also found his struggles of the past two days somewhat amusing.
In fact, at first, the couple were unsure whether they wanted to have the baby.
It's currently the time of year when the seasons are changing and food is scarce. With the baby born, the family will not only have to shoulder an extra burden of food, but also worry that the couple will have difficulty raising the child due to the climate.
Jiang Wen couldn't help but defend himself, saying, "I was also afraid that the child would cause trouble for my family after it was born..."
Yuan Ying was so angry that she hit him a few times. "What nonsense are you talking about? How is this troublesome? Xiao Na, don't listen to his nonsense. Your father and I would rather starve than let the child go hungry."
Xu Na's eyes reddened slightly, "Thank you, Mom..."
Jiang Hai smiled and said, "Awen, this is wonderful news! You two shouldn't overthink it. With so many people in the Jiang family, how could we not take care of a little baby?"
Jiang He nodded repeatedly: "That makes sense."
In this world, who isn't carrying a handful of barley, calculating their next meal?
In many families, the knots on the adults' belts get tighter and tighter, and the soles of the children's shoes with their toes worn through are shiny.
Even so, when a child clutches the patched corner of an adult's clothes and cries out that he's hungry, the father's eyes light up no matter how hard he's working—this child is like a tender seedling sprouting from a crack in the rock; even if he shivers in the wind and rain, his roots cling tightly to the dampness in the soil.
Just like Jiang Sui and Jiang Si back then.
Why is the family struggling so hard? Isn't it all for the sake of their two children?
Yesterday, Jiang He wove a grasshopper out of wild grass. When his two children giggled, everyone in the yard came over to watch. The laughter was like prying open a rusty lock, letting people see a sliver of the morning sun outside the door.
Back when things weren't better, everyone knew there wouldn't be any food in the pot tomorrow. But as long as you saw the children running around freely, falling on their bottoms, getting up and grinning, you felt that even in this world full of pebbles, you could still make a way through.
Grandpa Jiang said, "Alright, it's getting late. Let's make dinner first, so Xiao Na doesn't go hungry."
Upon hearing that dinner hadn't been prepared yet, Jiang Shu immediately said, "Mom, today is the big day for my eldest and second eldest brothers, shall we have crayfish?"
Ye Qingyun: "I still want to eat dragon meat. You have to squander everything you have at home right away, right? Can't you be a little more frugal?"
"Mom~~~~~~" Jiang Shu drawled out.
"Ask Xiaona if she wants to eat first."
Xu Na was surprised to receive special treatment and couldn't help but blush again.
"Auntie, I love them all."
Jiang Shu seemed to have found her people, and raised her head, "Mom, look, Second Sister-in-law loves to eat too!"
Ye Qingyun couldn't stand his appearance. "Alright, alright, you two go take a shower. You're filthy and smelly, you're making the whole house stink."
The brother and sister looked so disheveled that it was unbearable to look at them.
Jiang Zhi immediately said, "I'll go wash first."
With that, she turned around and went back to her room to pack her toiletries.
Ye Qingyun and Grandma Jiang then began preparing dinner.
Ye Qingyun was a bit sharp-tongued when her son wanted to eat crayfish, but she also felt sorry for the two of them who were out looking for food every day.
In the end, she couldn't bear to refuse.
The siblings brought back crayfish, and cleaning them alone exhausted the women in charge of the household.
When distributing the ginger, the Zhang family was given a whole shrimp with moderate toxicity and seven or eight scattered shrimp bodies and claws.
The remaining three moderately toxic whole shrimp, the low-toxicity crayfish, and the two large baskets full of crayfish parts and ginger were all bought up.
In this kind of weather, shrimp meat doesn't keep for long, especially those that are missing limbs.
The safe at home was also full, so Ye Qingyun had no choice but to process all the shrimp meat.
The group first poured the crayfish into a basin and added water to cover them.
Yuan Ying was responsible for cleaning the sandbags that hadn't been cleaned out of the shrimp's bodies, and she used a toothbrush to scrub the shrimp's belly hard, especially the mud and dirt in the crevices, which she had to dig out bit by bit.
A large basin of clear water turned pitch black in no time.
Wu Xiu said, "It's only at this time of year that these crayfish feel rare. In the past, I wouldn't have taken them even if they were given to me for free; they're too dirty."
Jiang Shu retorted, "Auntie, you're so out of touch! You don't know how many people in big cities used to love ordering crayfish for delivery. Stir-fried crayfish was a must-order dish for young people's late-night snacks."
Wu Xiu looked disgusted. "These crayfish used to be only the size of a finger, not even enough to fill a gap between my teeth. I didn't like them."
As Yuan Ying washed the mud off the crayfish, she said with a smile, "Now these crayfish have grown bigger. Sister-in-law, you can try them. I guarantee you'll eat your fill."
Although crayfish are difficult to clean, working together made it less tiring.
The group rinsed their hands three or four times with clean water until the water became clear. Their hands smelled fishy, but they also had a fresh, lively aroma.
The two children didn't play around; they carried small stools and followed the adults to wash, and soon their hands and faces were covered in mud and water.
Xu Na quickly led the children away. The two children had already taken a bath, so they wouldn't have to take another one later.
After cleaning all the crayfish, Ye Qingyun picked out the shells from the bodies of the crayfish and twisted off the vein from the middle of the tail.
The mutated crayfish had a dark, fishy-smelling intestinal tract as thick as a rope.
Fortunately, before Jiang Zhi and her brother brought back these crayfish, they had already twisted off the highly toxic parts; otherwise, Ye Qingyun and the others would have had to spend even more time processing them.
The heads of shrimp with moderate toxins looked like reddish, hard-shelled lumps, with pitted and uneven textures on the shell, reddish with a hint of brown, and felt very rough to the touch. The two long antennae on top looked like two thin wires.
A single shrimp head is about the size of a palm.
Ye Qingyun tried to pry open the shrimp's head, but found it to be as hard as a block of iron. In the end, Jiang Wen pried it open with pliers.
The husks and leaves removed from the leaves were not wasted; instead, they were piled in a basin, to be ground into powder and used as a seasoning later.
Once the shrimp head is opened, the most eye-catching part is the yellowish shrimp roe, which looks like a salted duck egg yolk, oily and emitting a sweet and fresh aroma.
However, there was also a grayish-brown shrimp stomach wrapped around it, like a small sandbag, and dark green gills. You have to clean these dirty things out when you're cleaning it, otherwise it will taste bitter.
Jiang Shu looked at the bright yellow shrimp brains and swallowed hard. "Mom, can we braise the shrimp meat and steam the shrimp brains?"
Ye Qingyun used to be a nurse, so she was particular about food. She never liked crayfish, which had little nutritional value. Moreover, if you wanted it to taste good, it had to be made spicy or braised in oil, which she found unhealthy.
Upon hearing Jiang Shu's request, he was both amused and annoyed: "Do you think you're in a five-star hotel? You're being picky?"
The oil we use at home is the rapeseed oil we bought at the base store before. Now the government has limited the purchase, and each household can only buy 10 jin (5 catties) per month.
What can you do with 10 jin of oil? Ye Qingyun was worried about what to do after he used it up when his silly son bumped into him.
"Once you've used up all the oil in the house, the whole family will have to eat boiled vegetables with you every day."
Jiang Shu was startled, "How come there's no oil left?"
Jiang Wen said, "Most households now use rapeseed oil, but because the rapeseed produced in the base is not abundant, it is usually expensive. Now that there are purchase restrictions, not only has the price increased, but the quantity has also decreased."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu felt as if the sky had fallen.
Why did they go through all that trouble to find food?
Isn't it all so that there's something delicious to eat when you get home?
The thought that his family might eat boiled meat slices and boiled wild vegetables every day after winter made Jiang Shu's scalp tingle.
No way—we have to find a way to stockpile some oil!
"Mom, how many points do we have left?"
While tearing the blanched shrimp meat into strips, Ye Qingyun said without looking up, "Don't even think about it. All our family's points have been used to stockpile supplies. The rest should be kept for emergencies and can't be touched."
Jiang Shu let out a mournful cry.
He secretly decided that on his way to Hunan Province, he would do everything he could to bring back something that could be replaced.
Ye Qingyun said irritably, "Alright, look at you, so useless. When has your mother's cooking ever disappointed you? Go wash off this mud, and we'll be able to eat soon."
Jiang Shu responded dejectedly.
Even if I trust my mom's cooking skills, I'll always miss it if I don't get to eat a bite of spicy crayfish.
Ye Qingyun ignored him.
That brat is so pretentious; he's just been spoiled.
Ye Qingyun plans to use these shrimp meats to make a cold seafood salad.
The sauce used for tossing is crucial.
Ye Qingyun put minced garlic, millet peppers and chopped chives into the basin, then added the sour water from the pickled stalks, half a spoonful of sugar and a little salt.
After adjusting the seasoning to the right consistency, Ye Qingyun instructed Xu Na to take a few ice cubes from the cellar and put them in.
Finally, add some cold water, and the essential sauce is done.
Ye Qingyun poured a large bowl of shrimp meat and diced water chestnuts into the soul sauce, sealed it, and refrigerated it for half an hour.
Jiang Zhi happened to come out of the bathroom and was taken aback when she saw the several ice cubes emitting cold air.
"Second sister-in-law, where did you get this ice?"
Before today, their family had never even drunk cold water. Now, they've gone straight to a comfortable life.
Grandma Jiang said with a smile, "Your uncle ran into this at the store in Block B next door today. I heard it was some kind of ice-type mutant who was selling ice to exchange for food in order to stock up on food for his family."
After hearing what Grandma Jiang said, Jiang Zhi wasn't so surprised.
With the changing of the seasons approaching, everyone is putting in a lot of effort to stock up on food, and even those with superpowers are no exception.
She asked curiously, "How many points is this ice cube worth?"
"They didn't want to exchange points, they just wanted the grain," Wu Xiu said with a smile.
Jiang Hai said with a smile, "I wasn't planning to buy any originally, but after discussing it with your grandparents, we figured they weren't expensive, so I brought a few back."
Jiangzhi asked, "What food did you change to?"
Jiang Hai said, "Twenty catties of pure, moderately toxic highland barley in exchange for a small bucket of ice."
This is really not expensive.
Jiang Zhi was somewhat surprised: "Those people actually agreed?"
You know, most of these mutants are a bit arrogant, so it was hard for her to believe that they were selling their abilities so cheaply.
Jiang Hai: "There's nothing I'm unwilling to do. There are quite a few mutants in Area B who sell superpower products, just like that ice-type superpower user, and there are even more buyers."
Jiang Sui became interested. "What else do you sell?"
Jiang Hai said, "Insulated walls, metal weapons... but those things are too expensive. Each one costs several hundred kilograms of grain. The family discussed it and decided to just buy some cheaper things to try out."
The residents of Block B are different from those in Block D.
The residents inside are all wealthy and powerful, and most of their families have mutants, so it's understandable that they have plenty of surplus food.
Wu Xiu: "You guys just didn't see how outrageous those people in Zone B are. They buy things without even blinking an eye."
That's why people say comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable.
They originally thought they were doing quite well by stockpiling so much grain, but they never expected that someone could exchange it all away with just a few clicks.
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "Auntie, don't feel bad. Those mutants eat much more than ordinary people. They need to stockpile more low-toxicity food."
Wu Xiu felt much better after thinking about it, but then she thought of something else and quickly asked, "Azhi, you and Dashu are also mutants, so should we switch to some low-toxicity food?"
Upon hearing this, Grandma Jiang immediately became extremely nervous. "Oh dear, how could I have forgotten about that?"
She hurriedly took the account book out of the house.
The above lists all the low-toxin foods in my home.
The majority of them were dried earthworms, but these dried earthworms were clearly not enough.
Grandma Jiang was immediately filled with remorse.
I've been so busy these days that I completely forgot about my two children.
Grandma Jiang would often make lunchboxes for Jiang Zhi and her siblings that contained low levels of toxins, but due to a moment of carelessness, she neglected the most important matter.
The old lady immediately made the decision, "Change! We must change to more low-toxin foods."
Jiang Wen then said, "I'll contact A Lei again and ask him."
Yuan Ying also said, "Let's go to the black market again tomorrow morning and see if we can get some."
Seeing her family members looking on high alert, Jiang Zhi felt a warm glow in her heart. She chuckled and said, "Grandma, don't bother. Low-toxin grains aren't easy to find these days. Besides, my brother and I don't necessarily need to eat low-toxin grains. It's just that we eat a lot of regular grains. Please don't think we're gluttons."
Grandma Jiang scolded, "You child, what nonsense are you talking about? The food in this house is all earned by you two siblings. Eat whatever you want. If anyone dares to say anything, I'll break their legs."
Wu Xiu joked, "Mom, why are you making us sound like the bad guys? We're on your side."
“Go away, I’m not joking,” Grandma Jiang wouldn’t back down on this point. “No matter what, we still need to find a way to get more low-toxicity food tomorrow. Not to mention filling Azhi and Dashu’s stomachs, at least we need to make sure they can eat something every day. Didn’t those people say that mutants should eat low-toxicity food every day so they won’t easily…” Grandma Jiang paused, “…what do you mean by collapse?”
Ye Qingyun said helplessly, "Mom, it's a genetic breakdown."
"Yes, yes, it's genetic breakdown."
Jiang Zhi was both amused and exasperated, but she couldn't say for sure that with her and her brother's training methods, such a genetic breakdown was unlikely, and she figured they wouldn't believe her anyway.
In any case, it feels really good to be cared for by family.
Even without concerns about genetic collapse, Jiang Zhi still plans to collect some low-toxicity foods during this trip to Hunan Province.
After all, consuming foods with low levels of toxins is always beneficial to the body.
Putting everything else aside, Jiang Zhi was still worried about whether Grandma Jiang and Grandpa Jiang could get through the winter safely.
Both of them are in their late seventies or early eighties, and they have some health problems.
If we can stock up on more low-toxin foods, the health of the two elders can be better protected.
Ye Qingyun smiled and said, "Mom, let's worry about these things tomorrow. Let's take care of dinner first."
The horse hooves that the brother and sister brought back today will keep them busy enough.
Jiang Zhi stood behind her mother and asked, "Mom, what should we do with that giant salamander? It weighs seventy or eighty pounds."
Ye Qingyun also had a headache when this was mentioned, as his family now had so much seafood that they couldn't fit it all in.
Dealing with these short-lived ingredients is a sweet trouble for Ye Qingyun every time.
"Bring that fish over here so I can take a look."
Jiangzhi is the strongest in the family right now; she can easily grab a 70-80 pound salamander with her bare hands.
She brought the giant salamander to the water tank.
In the dim light of the living room, everyone looked at the ugly fish with a hint of disgust.
Wu Xiu: "This giant salamander looks like an alien fish after it mutates, which is quite scary."
Jiang Hai and Jiang He, however, were quite interested.
"In the past, giant salamanders were a Class II protected animal in our country. Not to mention eating them, even if they died in someone's hands after being caught, you would be fined. I never thought that we could eat them now."
Ye Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief. "Big brothers, you've come at the right time. I dare not handle this stuff. Please help me remove all the meat, preferably cut it into brick-sized pieces. Mom and I will make it into salted fish later."
Jiang Hai: "No problem."
After Jiang Hai and Jiang He used brooms to wash the mud off the giant salamander, they began to work with great enthusiasm.
The mutated giant salamander has a flat and long body, like an enlarged version of a lizard, and it's quite plump.
It has a flat head, a very big mouth, but small eyes and no eyelids. It's a pity that there's a big hole in its head, otherwise it would look a bit cute.
The fish has distinct skin folds on both sides of its body, like wrinkles. It has four short legs, with four fingers on the forelimbs and five toes on the hind limbs, and small webbing between the toes.
Jiang He severed all four limbs and was about to throw them away when Old Mrs. Jiang stopped him, "Ahe, why are you throwing away these feet? We can use them to make soup later! What a waste!"
Jiang He was stunned for a moment, "Mom, is this edible?"
"Why can't this be eaten? Use it to make soup for your daughter-in-law and give her some nourishment."
Jiang He didn't know much about food, so he just did whatever the old lady said.
The skin of the giant salamander is very smooth, without scales, but with various patterns. Even after it dies, once the mud on it is washed off, it quickly becomes covered with mucus again, making it feel slippery to the touch.
Grandma Jiang directed the two people to dissect the giant salamander, rinse the blood out of the meat, and remove the internal organs.
Dead fish smell worse than live fish, so they need to be handled more carefully, otherwise they won't taste good.
Jiang He and Jiang Hai cut the fish according to the old lady's instructions, and then used wire to hang the pieces on the rack to drain the water.
Meanwhile, while waiting for the crayfish to marinate, Ye Qingyun soaked the dried snake meat in water and made a snake soup.
Ye Qingyun is becoming increasingly adept at making simple and delicious dishes with limited ingredients.
Now that we have a wider variety of ingredients at home, we can make even more dishes.
The thickening starch used to make snake soup was extracted from the rhizomes of calamus that Jiang Zhi and his sister collected on their first trip.
Li Na was tending the fire with her two children when Ye Qingyun said, "Xiao Na, it's not good for pregnant women to eat snake. Don't eat it later. I'll make you steamed eggs with goat milk."
The mutated wild duck eggs that Jiang Hai and his friends found in the collection area earlier haven't been eaten yet.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Ying happily said, "Xiao Na, you should thank your aunt. My cooking is not as good as your aunt's."
Xu Na's eyes reddened slightly, and she quickly wiped them away with her sleeve—not from sadness, but from a feeling in her heart like a freshly baked sweet cake, warm and sweet, almost overflowing. This feeling of being cared for by her family, having them eat and worry about her well-being, always gave her the illusion of being in a dream.
Xu Na married far away and was not well received by her family when she was young. She thought that it was already good enough that she was not bullied by her husband's family. She never expected that after the great catastrophe, in an environment where everyone knows the coldness and warmth of life, she could still live such a good life.
She sincerely said to the two of them, "Thank you, Auntie. Thank you, Mom."
Ye Qingyun knew that Xu Na was shy, so she didn't tease her too much. She scolded, "Don't listen to your mother's words. My son, Azhi, grew up eating the food cooked by your mother and aunt. When we brought them back to the city, they would often say they wanted to eat their cooking. She's just saying this to avoid the headache of what to cook for you every day."
Wu Xiu laughed, "That's easy. As long as others are willing, we're fine with making it. The only concern is that if they get used to your cooking, they might eat ours instead. That would be like eating pig swill."
Wu Xiu's words made everyone laugh.
This isn't just random talk.
Wu Xiu and Yuan Ying's cooking skills are average. Nowadays, there are fewer seasonings available, and they are reluctant to use too much. When cooking for them, they mostly stir-fry or boil the food.
The Jiang family members have all developed picky palates, so they naturally find this kind of food tasteless.
Once the snake soup and steamed egg with goat milk are ready, and the crayfish in the sauce have soaked up the flavor, the final dish is steamed shrimp brains, water chestnuts with sour rice noodles, and wild vegetable soup. That completes today's feast.
Jiang Wen and his group brought the food to the table. Looking at the dishes, Old Master Jiang said regretfully, "If we had some wine, it would be perfect."
Grandpa Jiang's brewed wine will not be opened for a while.
Ye Qingyun smiled and said, "Dad, if there's no wine, let's have some fruit juice first."
Grandpa Jiang said with a smile, "Come, come, today is a double celebration. This meal prepared by Qingyun and the old lady is a celebration for the second son and the eldest son's family."
Grandma Jiang rolled her eyes at him. "Qingyun, did you set aside Dashan's share?"
Ye Qingyun smiled and said, "Mom, it's all been prepared, don't worry."
Grandma Jiang: "Alright, then there's no need to wait, everyone start eating."
The group sat down at the table, and this was the first time in many years that they had eaten such a sumptuous meal.
Not only is it all meat, but the taste is also absolutely amazing.
Everyone held their bowls and eagerly reached for their favorite dish with their chopsticks.
Given the current conditions, their cuisine is already considered quite good.
Jiang Shu picked up a piece of crayfish meat. The meat, soaked in sauce, was so bouncy and juicy when bitten into. It was tangy with the kick of millet chili, followed by a sweet aftertaste, and her mouth was filled with the aroma of garlic and the refreshing taste of apple.
Jiang Shu's eyes widened. "Mom, you put apples in these crayfish?"
Ye Qingyun said with a hint of pride, "How is it? Not bad, right?"
Grandpa Jiang also took a bite and was immediately impressed by the fresh and sweet taste of the crayfish. "Qingyun, you really have a talent for cooking. This tastes great."
With her mouth full of shrimp, Jiang Sui mumbled, "Auntie, it's delicious, so delicious!"
Jiang Si was so busy eating that she didn't have time to say a word.
Ye Qingyun smiled and ladled a bowl of steamed eggs for the two children, then gave the rest to Xu Na.
"Xiao Na, you're carrying twins now, so eat more egg custard and goat milk."
After finishing the shrimp meat in his mouth, Jiang Shu licked his chopsticks clean and wanted to lick them a couple more times. He wished he could mix the soup with a bowl of noodles. It was so satisfying!
"Mom, didn't we have some taro at home before? Why don't we make some vermicelli? This broth would be so delicious for making cold vermicelli salad."
Ye Qingyun glared at him irritably: "You think you know how to eat?"
Jiang Shu didn't care; his mother was all bark and no bite anyway.
Jiang Jun was also very happy today and took the initiative to get a serving of steamed shrimp brains.
He carefully picked up the spoon and scooped it out to eat. It was as smooth as tender tofu, with a hint of shrimp saltiness. He could even eat a few more mouthfuls with a bowl of barley porridge!
Every bite is meat, and your mouth is full of meaty flavor.
This time, no one had any intention of talking about anything at the dinner table.
My mind is filled with thoughts of "meat, meat, meat" and "delicious, delicious."
Every time Ye Qingyun makes a new dish, everyone thinks it's the best they've eaten in years.
The snake soup was served with a warm, fragrant aroma. Tender yellow egg flowers wrapped around strands of snake meat floated in the soup like wisps of clouds. Taking a spoonful, it was so smooth that it went down the throat without chewing. The snake meat was so tender that it seemed to melt in the soup, with a hint of freshness from scallions and ginger and a touch of spiciness from pepper. It warmed the stomach.
Even though they were sweating profusely from the heat, it couldn't dampen their enthusiasm for eating.
Sure enough, meat is the most delicious, bar none!
Everyone thought the same thing.
But when I tasted the sweet and sour rice noodles with mutated water chestnuts, I suddenly felt that the vegetarian dish was refreshing and delicious, with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy and salty flavors, and it was also a delicacy!
Enjoying large chunks of meat while having refreshing fruit to cut through the richness is pure bliss!
"Mom, what did you put in these water chestnuts? Why are they sweet, sour, and a little spicy?"
Ye Qingyun smiled and said, "This is my own special sweet and sour powder. I dry pickled stalks and millet peppers, grind them into powder with sugar, and then mix it with salt. How is it? Does it taste similar to the sour plum powder I used to have?"
Before the cataclysm, their family would occasionally sprinkle some plum powder on their fruit to make it sweeter.
Unexpectedly, Ye Qingyun actually replicated this seasoning.
The key point is that when paired with mutated hooves, it's absolutely amazing!!
The crisp flesh bursts with sweet juice as soon as you chew it.
Jiang Shu couldn't describe the taste. It was a bit like a pear, but more delicate. Every bite was sweet and juicy, mixed with the sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors of the powder. It was especially delicious, and every bite was a delight for the taste buds.
Jiang Si ate so much that juice dripped down her chin, "Auntie, this dark thing is so delicious! It's so good!"
Jiang Sui corrected her: "Sisi, this is called a horse hoof."
Jiang Si nodded vigorously: "Water chestnuts are delicious, delicious!"
The little glutton's appearance made everyone laugh.
With more grain in the house, Ye Qingyun, the cook, and Grandma Jiang were more willing to use more seasonings than before.
Life wasn't so rushed, and occasionally having a nice meal could make everyone happy for a long time.
Tonight's meal left everyone with round bellies. The three dishes and soup were eaten clean, and everyone even wanted to lick the chopped scallions off the bottom of the bowls.
After the meal, Jiang Shu picked his teeth and said, "Mom, the crayfish would have tasted even better if you had added some chopped chives."
Life is really good these days; this kid has even started giving his opinions.
Ye Qingyun raised an eyebrow: "Didn't I put chopped scallions in it?"
Since purchasing the mutated scallions in Collection Area 1, Ye Qingyun has stopped using chopped chives as a substitute.
After being cultivated at the base, the mutated scallions, apart from being larger in size, taste almost the same as before.
The mutated chives, however, are like wasabi, with a unique spicy flavor.
People who are used to eating it will feel a little nostalgic after they stop eating it.
He muttered to himself, "Chopped chives are delicious too."
During the day today, Luo Yonghui called to say that the report for the two of them to travel together had been approved by the higher-ups.
The brother and sister didn't have much time to prepare the items.
The thought that he wouldn't be able to enjoy his mother's cooking for a long time starting tomorrow made Jiang Shu feel a little melancholy.
If only Dad were here...
Thinking of this, Jiang Shu suddenly had a flash of inspiration and came up with an idea.
He sneakily approached his mother and said, "Mom, Dad is going to be working in a closed office tomorrow. Let's prepare more lunchboxes for him. It'll be so pitiful if he doesn't get to eat your cooking for so long."
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingyun immediately felt a pang of heartache.
"You reminded me, I'll do it right away." Ye Qingyun pushed the bowl and chopsticks in her hands into Jiang Shu's arms. "It's your turn to clean up today, no slacking off!"
After saying that, he rushed off to the cellar to select ingredients.
Jiang Shu called out to his mother's retreating figure, "Mom, Dad loves braised crayfish, grilled snake meat, and mashed potatoes with goat milk..."
He listed all the foods he liked to eat.
Ye Qingyun: "You brat, stop causing trouble!"
Jiang Shu smacked his lips. Anyway, half of the dishes he ordered were his dad's favorites. As for what his mom would end up making, he couldn't interfere.
While her family was busy in the yard, Jiang Zhi went back into the house and packed all the camping gear she had used at the campsite into her space device.
Tent, sleeping bag, cooking pot...
Jiang Zhi was glad that she had put all these things in her room beforehand, otherwise her mother would definitely have become suspicious if such a large number of things had disappeared.
After doing all this, Jiang Zhi took out the mantis pliers she got from the Zhang family and went to find Jiang Jun.
"Brother, could you help me modify these pliers tonight?"
Jiang Jun looked at it and nodded: "Yes."
He didn't ask anything else. Jiang Zhi looked at her older brother, who had unconditionally supported them since childhood, and her expression relaxed.
Without saying a word, Jiang Jun took out his work kit and began to modify it.
Jiang Zhi squatted to the side, watching Jiang Jun's smooth and flowing movements, and couldn't help but say, "Big brother, you will definitely become a space artifact maker in the future."
Jiang Jun laughed, "You trust me that much?"
"Of course, aside from everything else, you can sell the weapons you modified."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Jun was somewhat excited: "Really?"
Jiang Zhi nodded, "Really."
She wasn't lying; Jiang Jun's modified weapons always maximized their strengths and minimized their weaknesses, allowing them to unleash their full power.
Just like the mutated snake's teeth, she's been using them quite well. If they weren't so short, she wouldn't be planning to change weapons.
But now that she has these mantis pincers, Jiang Zhi plans to give her father the teeth from the mutated snake.
Jiang Jun was a little embarrassed: "Actually, I had this idea before when I saw my second uncle taking on carpentry work, and I thought about taking on some weapon modification work."
Jiang Zhi was surprised, not expecting her elder brother to have such an idea.
"Brother, why didn't you say so earlier? We could have asked Brother Lei for help. He has a wide network of connections, and with your skills, we would definitely have gotten a lot of orders."
Jiang Jun laughed, "It's alright. Now that you've helped me find an apprenticeship, I might be able to improve my skills."
Jiang Zhi nodded repeatedly, "Brother, don't worry. Grandpa Lin may not have many other skills, but his craftsmanship is definitely top-notch."
Jiang Jun smiled again: "Alright, then I'll take Ah Zhi's good wishes with me."
Jiang Zhi chuckled as well.
He secretly thought that he needed to help his older brother awaken his spatial abilities as soon as possible.
However, she learned that spatial abilities are extremely rare, requiring not only a diet rich in low-toxicity foods but also frequent contact with spatial stones.
Jiang Zhi wasn't worried about getting in touch with space stones; she believed that Grandpa Lin had no shortage of space artifacts and space stones.
It's about low-toxin foods...
Jiang Zhi was having a bit of a headache; the dried earthworms and snake meat at home were simply not enough for them to eat.
We still need to make the most of this trip to Hunan Province.
No wonder the mutants in the base don't seem to be doing very well; they struggle to even support themselves. If it weren't for the base's support, they probably wouldn't be able to develop on their own.
No wonder those mutants who didn't join the official ranks also formed their own teams.
In this era, sticking together and helping each other is the way to go.
Before long, Jiang Jun had modified the mantis pliers, adding a hand gripping iron part and some rivets. If he encountered a mutated beast, he could swing his hand and the sharp mantis pliers could cut through the mutated beast's fur, and the rivets could scrape off a lot of flesh.
Just thinking about it makes me feel pain.
I like ginger more and more the more I look at it.
"Big brother! You're a genius!"
Jiang Jun smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it."
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