Chapter 26 : Her Secret

In addition, since Guo Haifeng was beaten by Jiang Li, Qin Xiaoting felt relieved and became much closer to Jiang Li, whom she wasn’t very familiar with.

“Jiang Li, that red mushroom is poisonous and can’t be eaten! Why did you pick it up?”

Jiang Li threw away the bright red mushroom in her hand, feeling a little embarrassed. She had originally planned to go up the mountain to pick some mushrooms to satisfy her hunger, but she almost stumbled.

It’s better to stay calm and avoid ending up in the hospital.

“Look, this one is edible. This is a red mushroom, and this is white beef liver…”

Qin Xiaoting, who was very knowledgeable about mushrooms, was quick to act, and soon gathered a small basket. Having been in the countryside for five years, she was no different from the locals.

“Don’t go further. It just rained heavily and the rocks are loose. It would be dangerous if you slipped or got hit by a rock.”

Jiang Li nodded and obediently followed Qin Xiaoting back down the mountain.

“Here, here’s a basket of mushrooms for you. Take them home and make mushroom sauce or chicken stew.”

“Why give them to me?” Jiang Li asked, a little puzzled. In the 1970s, food was very scarce in the village, and people would even fight over a vegetable.

“Just consider it a thank you for beating up Guo Haifeng today. It made me happy,” Qin Xiaoting said enthusiastically, pushing the basket into Jiang Li’s hands. “Just take it.”

She had come back with a big secret: there was a spiritual spring space in the bracelet she had worn since she was a child. The black soil inside was now full of food she had grown, so she never had a shortage of food.

“Thank you, but I can’t cook.”

Jiang Li thought about it and decided to refuse. She was afraid the Jiang family’s only large iron pot would burn if she tried cooking.

A rural girl could already cook on a small stool by the age of five, but Jiang Li couldn’t cook?

Moreover, she had just picked up poisonous mushrooms, showing a lack of common sense, and didn’t seem like a child who had grown up in the mountains.

Qin Xiaoting’s eyes widened in surprise, and she tentatively asked, “Palace Jade Wine?”

Jiang Li, feeling a little helpless, replied, “One hundred and eighty per cup.”

Qin Xiaoting screamed, and the basket in her hand fell to the ground, scattering the mushrooms everywhere. She rushed over and hugged Jiang Li.

Jiang Li only smelled the scent of flowers, and a warm girl clung to his arm.

Qin Xiaoting was extremely excited but still looked around nervously, lowering her voice to ask, “Are you also reborn?”

“That’s about right. I’m a book person.”

…

“So your cousin was also reborn? That little bastard from the next village will become the richest man in the future? No wonder she would rather ruin her reputation than marry him.”

“How despicable! She actually stole your man. What are you going to do about it?”

Jiang Li shrugged. “Zhuang Guoliang is lazy and a mama’s boy. He has a ton of relatives at home, I don’t want him!”

“Oh, so there’s frost on the donkey dung eggs, the surface looks shiny!”

Qin Xiaoting and Jiang Li exchanged a knowing smile.

“Let me tell you how badly I was cheated by Guo Haifeng in my past life. Not only did I give him all my money, I even took the blame for him. As soon as he returned to the city, he married the daughter of my father’s boss. He was afraid I would expose his affair after I returned, so he made things difficult for my father at work, framed him, and got him fired. This scumbag later became successful, and my family ended up starving. We couldn’t even get enough to eat. My mother also got sick…”

…

Qin Xiaoting went on and on about her past life. She hugged Jiang Li tightly and insisted on taking her to the educated youth camp for a meal.

“I have a pound of vermicelli saved up, and I’ll stew it with pork later. I’ll treat you!” Qin Xiaoting was very generous when it came to people who shared her secret.

“Okay, I can’t just accept your treats for free.” Jiang Li took out a handful of candies from her pocket and placed them in Qin Xiaoting’s hand. “I bought these at the supply and marketing cooperative. Try them.”

Qin Xiaoting peeled one without hesitation, and the familiar rich milky taste spread to the tip of her tongue. It was so sweet that she squinted her eyes. “Delicious.”

The two held hands and returned to the youth education center. The center was different from the other houses in the village. It was a row of neatly arranged rooms converted from the former village primary school, still using blue bricks.

However, the building had fallen into disrepair, with leaks in many places.

On the west side of the yard was an earthen shed, the kitchen. A small plot of land on the east side was used to grow vegetables, but the plants looked wilted, clearly not well cared for.

At that moment, smoke was rising from the kitchen chimney. Qin Xiaoting smelled the pork in the air, and her expression changed instantly. She rushed into the kitchen, with Jiang Li following close behind.

As soon as they entered, a young woman with a medium build, a long face, and freckles on her cheeks quickly covered the wooden pot and awkwardly smiled at Qin Xiaoting, saying, “Xiaoting, you’re back!”

Qin Xiaoting had a bad feeling, so she looked in the spot where she had hidden the meat and vermicelli, only to find it empty. She immediately questioned her, “Xu Caixia, are the pork and vermicelli in this pot mine?”

Xu Caixia instinctively dodged her gaze but quickly straightened up, “Qin Xiaoting, don’t be so stingy! Guo Zhiqing was criticized today and is in a bad mood, so I’m making something delicious to cheer him up.”

“He stood up like a tower and then lay down in a long line, with a body full of ashes. If you want to please Guo Haifeng, spend your own money. How dare you use my things to show your affection?”

“Qin Xiaoting, don’t be ungrateful! Everyone knows that you and Guo Zhiqing are dating, and you offended him. I apologized for you out of kindness, but you turned the tables on me!”

“I’m not into him. Besides, even if I were dating him, you’re the one who rushes to support my boyfriend physically. What’s wrong with that? Are you trying to poach him?”

“I advise you to use your slippers to slap your own face when you feel itchy, and don’t lust after this kind of man! When you get eaten and don’t spit out the bones, and return to the city with a big belly, you’ll know you’re wrong.”

Qin Xiaoting lived to be 68 years old in her past life. Even though her life had been tough, she remained in high spirits. She was the healthiest old lady selling vegetables at the market and never lost a verbal battle.

Little Xu Caixia was no match for her.

Xu Caixia blushed when her little trick was exposed. “Qin Xiaoting, don’t tarnish my reputation. I was trying to help you out of good intentions, but you say this to me?”

“I can’t talk to a person like you who has no brains. Get out of here!”

Qin Xiaoting grabbed a rag, wrapped it around the handle of the large iron pot, took the pork stew with vermicelli, and called Jiang Li, “Lizi, come quickly, let’s go inside and eat.”

The female educated youths were divided into two rooms, even though originally four people lived in one room. Now that many of them had returned to the city, Qin Xiaoting and another educated youth who had never shown up were the only ones left in the room where she lived.

The brown sweet potato vermicelli soaked in pork broth was tender and chewy, while the thinly sliced pork belly was fried until golden and crispy. Occasionally, you’d find chopped dried chilies, paired with large white flour buns leftover from lunch, making it so delicious that the aroma was irresistible.

The two were eating happily when they heard voices from outside.

“Xu Caixia, is the meal not ready yet?”

“Guo Zhiqing, it was already ready, but Qin Xiaoting took the pot away and even scolded me…”