Chapter 4:
“You this woman, can’t you see what time it is?”
If he doesn’t come back soon, the matter of his Old Li Family home not being harmonious will probably be gossiped about in the village again…
“Instead of yelling like that, you could have finished making breakfast long ago!”
Thinking of the villagers he met on the road earlier, Zhao Er with that meaningful look, mocking him pointedly while greeting him, it made him furious…
“Brother Li, isn’t your family the envy of the village?”
“A house full of several women, yet making such a fuss over breakfast that the whole village knows?”
“Didn’t your third wife fall into the river yesterday and fall into a coma? Is she better already?”
Old Man Li wished he could split the ground open and crawl into a crack…
Old Man Li and his several sons were drenched in sweat, sweat beads rolling down…
Zhou Shi ran out with an embarrassed face, having been scolded thoroughly by the old man.
“Hehe, his father… it’s not what you think!”
“Hmph!”
It was because of her laziness that the several wives were like this; she had made the Old Li Family lose all face…
Glancing at Third Wife who was still focused on chopping snake meat, he frowned…
This Third Wife was usually honest and did most of the housework at home.
This Third Child really valued her; last time she was scratched by the big cat, Third Child probably still held a grudge against them, and this morning when leaving, he had specifically instructed him,
“Dad, Miaomiao’s mother just miscarried, she needs to rest well; don’t let her do housework for now. Son is going hunting, will try to bring back more game today!”
Recalling his indifferent gaze, he felt a bit annoyed inside and shouted,
“Alright, whoever is to light the fire, light it; whoever is to fetch water, fetch it. Us three men are hungry!”
“Hurry and make food!”
With the head of the house speaking, the women at home all hurriedly started moving!
Even Li Zhenzhu didn’t dare be too lazy and reluctantly took the broom to sweep the floor!
Miaomiao came back and saw her mother getting up; she hesitated timidly and walked over: “Mom, are you feeling better today?”
A kitten-like voice sounded behind her; Luo Zhi’er turned and saw a young maid timidly approaching, eyes showing a bit of concern, but also a bit afraid of her.
“Hehe, it’s Miaomiao. Mom is fine. You picked wheat ears all morning and must be hungry! Wait, Mom will make you something delicious to nourish you!”
Miaomiao curiously looked at her mother in front of her, unable to say what had changed, but she felt her mother was very affectionate toward her today.
Before, Mom disliked her for being a girl, saying because of her, she wasn’t favored in this home…
Every time she wanted to get close to her, she would impatiently push her away and shoo her off!
“Mm-hmm.”
“Mom, Miaomiao will help you!”
Luo Zhi’er saw Miaomiao sweating profusely, not even rested after coming back, yet rolling up her sleeves to help with work; it really made her feel pity and heartache…
She was only so young?
She wiped her hands on her clothes, smoothed her sweat-soaked hair behind her ear, and wiped the sweat beads rolling down her face,
“Miaomiao, you rest first; later we’ll go to the river to wash the meat!”
“Okay, Mom!”
Miaomiao’s eyes sparkled brightly.
Mom never liked her following her before, but just now her mom combed her hair!
This family didn’t like girls except for Zhenzhu, so Liuliu and Miaomiao both knew the survival rule: be diligent!
Liuliu was okay; her parents had some standing at home, but Miaomiao had it rough.
Mom was honest and didn’t protect her much; only Dad, but Dad spent most of his time hunting in the mountains; other times she had to face things herself!
So, though young, she was very diligent and good at reading the room!
Before dawn, when Dad got up, she got up too; if Mom was unwell and she didn’t do work, there’d be no breakfast today!
Luo Zhi’er finished chopping the snake, took Miaomiao to the riverside, and washed the snake meat clean.
Mother and daughter splashed water playfully for a bit; Miaomiao had never been this happy!
Along the way, they caught a few crabs and a few small fish; Luo Zhi’er rolled up her trouser legs and washed her face, neck, and legs clean.
She noticed her skin was quite fair; looking at her reflection in the water, a swollen round face plate, with layer after layer of fatty meat under her chin…
Fleshy nose, round eyes, and a few big pimples on her face; she didn’t know how her man Li Sanmao could bring himself to touch her?
She also washed Miaomiao, who looked much prettier and cleaner.
On the way back, she pulled a few scallions from the garden, dug up a piece of ginger, and went to the kitchen!
In the kitchen, the pot was steaming corn grits rice made from corn kernels as usual.
At home, it was either corn paste or these corn grits.
The family had about ten mu of land, all planted with wheat this year!
The newly harvested wheat wasn’t willing to be taken out to mill into flour yet; Second Brother, back from the city this time, also had designs on this wheat.
He wanted to take the silver from selling it to support him opening a shop in town!
In a few more days, Fifth Brother’s school would start again; Old Man Li thought of selling it to cover Fifth Brother’s tuition.
Under Old Man Li’s pressure, Zhou Shi reluctantly took an egg from the egg box, added scallion greens, some green vegetables, a bit of salt, scooped in several ladles of water, and boiled a pot of invisible egg soup.
She shredded some radish and made a cold dish of pickled mustard greens.
It looked utterly unappetizing!
Seeing Luo Zhi’er come in carrying snake meat, she covered her nose, frowned deeply, and started cursing: “You lazy bones, went to the river to slack off, only coming back to mooch food after the meal is ready; forget it, today there’s no food portion for you mother and daughter!”
Miaomiao, hearing this, felt aggrieved and her nose soured: “Grandma, Miaomiao is hungry.”
“Hungry for what? Didn’t your mom make you food? Eat the snake meat with your mom; don’t think about the rest!”
Miaomiao tugged at the corner of Luo Zhi’er’s clothes: “Mom…”
“Miaomiao, no problem; we have delicious snake soup to eat, just wait!”
“Mom, you all eat; Miaomiao and I won’t eat breakfast, us mother and daughter will just eat this!”
“Smart of you! Hmph!”
“But… don’t regret it later and come to scoop our snake meat to eat!”
“Pah! Who would eat that thing of yours!”
While cursing, Xiao Zhou Shi and Chen Shi were both there; seeing them all carry out their portioned meals, no one called them, Miaomiao swallowed her saliva…
Those two sisters-in-law naturally didn’t want them to eat, so their men and children could have more…
Luo Zhi’er cleaned the nearby pot thoroughly; Miaomiao helped her put tinder at the bottom!
First, blanch the snake meat to remove the blood foam.
Put some pork at the pot bottom, first fry the washed crabs and small fish in lard, sprinkle some salt.
Gave one to Miaomiao to eat first…
Scrubbed the pot, added oil, threw in ginger shreds and minced garlic, added some seasoning, then poured in snake chunks, added water, and started boiling the soup!
After finishing all this, Luo Zhi’er felt the world spinning, nearly collapsing: “Mom, what’s wrong?”
“Mom is fine; help Mom sit in the kitchen!”
“Mm…”
Luo Zhi’er knew this body looked fat but was actually weak; plus, her body wasn’t clean yet; she had actually been enduring persistent pain!
But if she didn’t do it, no one would care for her; she could only rely on herself!
“Mom, are you better? Where does it hurt? Miaomiao will blow on it!”
Luckily, she now had this warm little one by her side!
