Chapter 193:
She looked around; there were quite a few people today, enough to keep her busy.
Didn’t Wang Jiji say they were coming for a picnic?
Recalling how she had encountered some wild fennel while picking mushrooms in the mountains a few days ago, she had picked it and brought it back, and now it was already sun-dried!
How about doing a barbecue, treating it as a picnic? She had originally wanted to try making it herself when she had time.
These people were probably tired of staying in the city, and since they had come to her home, she should entertain the noble guests well and let them experience some different rural customs.
“Miaomiao, help Mother find the lettuce and wash it.”
“Okay, Mother!”
Luo Zhi’er went to find the utensils for baking bread.
After comparing, she found an iron plate that was flat with a sheltered edge.
She then found the green bricks left from repairing the bread kiln last time, rolled up her sleeves, and set up a simple stove not far from the sunshade.
She roughly estimated that the flames wouldn’t rise high enough to burn the sunshade, and placing the flat pan on top to heat would be just right.
While looking for utensils, she also found the pine nuts she had sun-dried before, and thought that she had also prepared some dough last night!
Perfect, soak some glutinous rice, and later make some siu mai to steam and eat.
After soaking the glutinous rice, she gathered firewood to fire up the bread kiln, kneaded the dough that had risen last night well, and shaped it into pizza form.
She scattered on tomato chunks, potato chunks, something like bacon, meat chunks, loin slices, and so on, placed them on the cutting board to ferment again…
After making the pizza, she made siu mai together with Miaomiao…
Servants are people too; after running around all day, they needed something to fill their stomachs.
She reheated the remaining egg tarts from yesterday, and baked a few large homemade pizzas, which should be enough for them!
Next, she sliced and chunked the meat to be grilled in various ways, marinated it with seasonings, picked vegetables, and washed vegetables.
Yesterday’s big purchase had come just in time, otherwise there would have been a joke today…
While the mother and daughter were busy, there were always people wandering in front of their door.
Now that the village meeting had ended, the entire village was in an uproar.
Luo Zhi’er was speechless; the yard entrance was surrounded by quite a few women and old women, very lively, pointing and whispering, coyly joking around noisily…
“Make way, make way! What are you women doing crowding here?”
“Hehe! Village Chief, we haven’t seen what Young Master Ye looks like!”
“Where is he?”
Li Zhengxin frowned; what kind of decorum was this?
“Do you men know?”
“Tch, everyone’s here, what’s there to fear?”
Li Zhengxin glanced over; how had his wife Aunt Yinxing dolled herself up so brightly in this short time and followed him here?
He was furious with furrowed brows; he had come specifically because the message via Li Sanmao had no confirmation, so he came to check personally.
Too lazy to deal with them, he squeezed in,
“San Mao’s Wife, what about that matter? Where are they?”
“Hehe, Uncle Zhengxin, they said they won’t go eat at unfamiliar people’s homes!”
“Oh, like that!”
Actually, thinking deeply about it, these were all people of noble identity; if something happened while eating at his home, could he take responsibility?
It was just that the village chief had gotten the wrong idea about this rare opportunity.
“Mm… then no trouble for Uncle Zhengxin and Aunt. Earlier they went to see the back mountain; San Mao accompanied them to climb, so they didn’t have time to reply to you!”
“Oh, alright then! San Mao’s Wife, you properly apologize to the Young Master for me!” Li Zhengxin said disappointedly. They weren’t willing, how could he force it? He only hoped Luo Zhi’er would entertain them well and maintain the relationship.
Don’t let what happened earlier give them any bad feelings about Zhao Li Village!
Luo Zhi’er nodded reluctantly: “Actually, I don’t know their preferences either; I’m just preparing now. As for Second Uncle’s matter, I’ll reluctantly beg his forgiveness!”
“Eh, it can’t be helped; this matter will trouble you, San Mao’s Wife!” That damned Li Zheng Sen!
Li Zhengxin left with a disappointed mood, uneasily instructing her, seeing she was also in a difficult spot.
“Endure things a bit, don’t push forward or talk back!”
“Oh!”
Earlier the county magistrate’s young master had been so fierce to her; these few were probably not easy to deal with either, let alone the Young Master. After instructing Luo Zhi’er to entertain them well, he left!
At the yard entrance, seeing so many villagers crowding like watching a monkey show, if seen by the Young Master and others, what decorum would that be?
“All go home; are you all bored at home? Yinxing, what are you hiding for? Come home with me!”
He also vented that pent-up resentment, “Oh!”
“You all hurry home too; what scenery hasn’t the Young Master seen? Look at your own poor appearances! Don’t stand here in the way! Think carefully yourselves; if you accidentally offend the noble person, what consequences will there be!”
“Yes, yes!” Those villagers, seeing the village chief angry, went back; these were people they couldn’t afford to offend.
“Ma Shi, wipe your drool!”
Ma Shenzi was unhappy; it wasn’t just her, why single her out?
Zhao Fengjiao, He Hua, and the others had just been crowding in the throng to watch.
Seeing the others leave, the two boldly entered the yard arm in arm; Zhao Fengjiao was extremely enthusiastic, “Sister-in-law, shall we help you pick vegetables?”
Luo Zhi’er acted as if she didn’t know her, sitting with her back to them picking cabbage leaves, “Who is your sister-in-law?”
“You!… Hehe, Luo Zhi’er, we’re just here to help you…”
The tear stains on Zhao Fengjiao’s face were long gone; she wanted to seize this opportunity to make those who laughed at her bow down…
“Thanks, no need!”
“Look at you, no need to be polite!”
Zhao Fengjiao forcefully snatched the cabbage leaf from her hand, nearly making her stumble, and started picking on her own… “Damn!”
“Hey, I said no need!”
Zhao Fengjiao pretended not to hear, her eyes darting around.
He Hua also squatted down to help pick, asking,
“San Mao’s Wife, just pick off the leaves?”
“Mm.”
He Hua picked a bit and saw there wasn’t much vegetable left, “San Mao’s Wife, shall I go pull some garlic sprouts for you!”
Luo Zhi’er looked at this He Hua; He Hua seemed decent! Since she couldn’t drive them away, she let them be and see what they really wanted.
“Oh! Alright!”
He Hua had recently started to change her view of Luo Zhi’er a bit; she knew nothing about Zhao Fengjiao seducing Li Sanmao, and the two of them could be considered little girlfriends, unlike Ma Shenzi who felt from a different world…
The two often gossiped privately about how Luo Zhi’er wasn’t good enough for Li Sanmao and such, growing closer.
Moreover, among rural women, helping with picking vegetables or small chores was normal to build relationships.
She felt the food needed garlic sprouts to taste good, and the vegetables were almost picked!
He Hua left, and Zhao Fengjiao asked in a low voice only the two could hear,
“Luo Zhi’er! Be honest, did the Young Master and them go back so quickly?”
Zhao Fengjiao had just checked; no sign of their group inside or outside the yard, and no sound of Li Sanmao entertaining guests in the house.
But what was Luo Zhi’er busying herself with?
Luo Zhi’er calmly wondered whether to tell her or not.
“Hmph! Don’t think of fooling us; I just saw that horse carriage still parked at the village entrance!”
Damn, Luo Zhi’er thought speechlessly; the target changed too fast, and she had even gone to scout specifically? This woman had been eyeing her husband just a few days ago!
A pungent fragrance wafted over; Luo Zhi’er glared at her irritably! She sneezed and uncomfortably rubbed her nose.
“Tell me quick! Are you jealous of me, afraid they’ll like me, so deliberately not telling me?”
“Hehe, anyway, it won’t be your turn! Luo Zhi’er, telling me does you no harm; after all, I haven’t married yet. Be smart, and later if I can get something, you won’t miss out; what do you mean by hiding it?”
“They went climbing!”
Zhao Fengjiao’s eyes lit up, “Which way up?”
Luo Zhi’er pointed upward, “That way!”
Hearing this, Zhao Fengjiao glanced at He Hua bending over pulling garlic sprouts on the spot, immediately ran over and said: “Oh, He Hua, I have something to do first and need to go back; you all keep busy!”
“Hey, didn’t you want me to come help pick vegetables with you?”
“Hehe, I just remembered something at home; He Hua, pick slowly!”
Zhao Fengjiao ran to a deserted roadside spot and climbed up the hillside from the side…
