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Su Zhi examined the small red fruits in her hand and identified them as hawthorn berries. She had a fondness for hawthorn berries, also known as “mountain red,” which could be used to make hawthorn cake, hawthorn sauce, hawthorn juice, hawthorn preserves, and most commonly, candied hawthorn skewers. These treats were delicious, offering a delightful mix of sourness and sweetness when paired with sugar.
Upon hearing Su Zhi’s claim that she could turn these sour little fruits into something delicious, Chuncao instinctively believed her. She had tasted Auntie Su’s cooking before and found it exceptionally tasty. Even a simple dish like millet porridge tasted extraordinary when prepared by Auntie Su, bringing her immense joy akin to eating meat.
“Auntie Su, if you can make these sour red fruits taste good, I’ll go pick a bunch for you! There are plenty of these red fruits over there! I’ll pick them for you!” Excitedly, Chuncao expressed her willingness to gather hawthorn berries for her Auntie Su and was already prepared to dash off.
“Stop right there, young lady!” Li Shi called out to Chuncao, feeling a bit embarrassed as she glanced at Su Zhi. She believed that Su Zhi’s earlier words were meant to spare Chuncao any discomfort, further enhancing her opinion of Su Zhi as a gentle person. “Little one, your Fourth Aunt is still busy. Don’t bother her too much.”
Li Shi’s words were intended to prevent her daughter from potentially causing any awkward situations with Su Zhi. If Chuncao indeed picked a large amount of hawthorn berries for Su Zhi, and they couldn’t be turned into something tasty, it might lead to an uncomfortable outcome. Li Shi wanted to avoid any unnecessary displeasure.
Chunyue also intervened, pulling Chuncao away and ensuring she held Chunyun’s hand, preventing her from going to pick the berries. She knew that hawthorn berries were an acquired taste, often favored by pregnant women but not enjoyed by many with normal palates. Even among those who enjoyed bitter melon, few relished the sourness of hawthorn berries. Even the most gluttonous children didn’t care for them!
Observing Li Shi’s concern, Su Zhi understood that hawthorn berries, known as “red sour fruits” here, weren’t generally appreciated at this time. Li Shi doubted Su Zhi’s ability to make them delicious.
“Second Sister-in-law, I quite like hawthorn berries. Since there’s no rush, let Chuncao take me to pick some. I’ll prepare something delicious for you all to taste later.” Su Zhi reassured Li Shi, offering to turn the sour fruits into a delectable treat for everyone to enjoy.
Su Zhi noticed there was still plenty of hot water available and inquired with Chuncao about the distance to the hawthorn berry-picking spot. Upon learning that it was at the foot of the mountain and didn’t require climbing, she immediately became interested. Su Zhi then asked her nieces and nephews who would be willing to accompany her in the afternoon to gather hawthorn berries. Given her gentle nature and popularity with the children from both the first and second households, they eagerly agreed to join her.
On the day of the house-raising ceremony, families building new homes did not host feasts but instead handed out red envelopes to the workers as a gesture of celebration and luck. Although the amounts were modest, it added to the festive atmosphere. Adults gathered for tea while children snacked. Once the house-raising activities concluded, the spectators dispersed. While there was no formal lunch, the day became a topic of discussion, as people chatted about the newly constructed houses and related events, a customary practice.
The formal feast would be held on the day the new house was warmed. Guests would bring gifts, and the hosts would arrange a feast to signify the family’s future prosperity and stability.
As there was no feast that day, Su Zhi wasn’t tired. After having lunch with Shen Zi’an, she mentioned her plan to go hawthorn berry picking with the children.
Considering that Su Zhi had been mostly confined to the house surroundings aside from a couple of outings, Shen Zi’an realized she might be feeling a bit stifled. Although he wanted to accompany her, workers for the house construction were expected in the afternoon. Su Zhi reassured him about the safety of the hawthorn berry-picking location, where both adults and children often went without any incidents. With this in mind, Shen Zi’an nodded his agreement, allowing Su Zhi and the children to proceed with their berry-picking expedition.
In the afternoon, Li Shi arrived, while Wang Shi stayed back at home to attend to household chores. However, all the children tagged along.
Su Zhi, carrying a basket on her back, set off with the older children—The First grandson, Second Grandson, Chunlan, Chunxiang, Chunyue, and Chuncao. Even the youngest, Chunyun, wanted to join but was stopped by Li Shi due to her short legs, which would slow down the group. Li Shi didn’t want to cause any inconvenience to Su Zhi.
The group chatted and laughed as they walked to the base of the mountain, then veered off along the foothills, gradually ascending a bit. They traversed through a dense area of pine and cypress trees, winding their way forward to avoid getting pricked by the needles. After navigating several bends, they finally reached their destination.
Su Zhi recalled her previous route up the other side of the mountain, realizing why she hadn’t seen these fruit trees before. Even if she had taken this route, she would have likely circumvented the pine and cypress trees. She wondered if they could make it to this particular hillside.
On this not-too-steep incline, some trees had shed their leaves, while others remained green. A few trees bore red hawthorn berries, adding a pop of color to the autumn landscape.
“Are these fruits not being picked by anyone? Although they taste a bit sour, they look so vibrant. It would be a shame to let them hang on the trees and rot on the ground. Why not take them home as decoration, even if just for display?” Su Zhi observed the abundance of hawthorn berries on the three trees and felt it would be a waste to leave them unpicked, both for the fruit itself and for the locals who might not know how to enjoy them.
The First Grandson remarked, “Auntie Su, these fruits may look nice, but if we can’t eat them, what’s the use of just looking at them? Wouldn’t that make us even hungrier? It might be better not to bother picking them. They’re so small, and picking them would be troublesome. We could use that time to gather other fruits or do some other work.”
Su Zhi couldn’t help but smile at his mature demeanor as he spoke. She replied, “When you’re hungry, you’re not too concerned about whether something tastes good or not. Children love having something in their mouths. It seems like you all aren’t hungry or craving anything.”
Chunyue chimed in with a smile, saying, “Auntie Su, children love snacks, but not many enjoy these sour hawthorn berries. They not only taste sour but also make you even hungrier after eating them.”
Chuncao nodded in agreement, adding, “Yes, when my sister and I came here to dig wild vegetables and tried these berries when we were hungry, it only made us feel even hungrier and uncomfortable.”
Su Zhi realized that hawthorn berries were more of a snack rather than a hunger-satisfying food. They could serve as a tasty treat or even a medicinal herb but weren’t ideal for curbing hunger. It was no wonder that these countryside children, who usually sought snacks for both enjoyment and satiation, weren’t interested in these berries. Thus, it was understandable why these hawthorn berries remained unpicked.
Chunxiang asked, “Auntie Su, can you really make these sour hawthorn berries taste good?”
As she posed this question, the other children looked at her, curious about whether Auntie Su, known for her delicious cooking, could transform these sour berries into something enjoyable. The younger children were excited about the prospect of tasty treats, while the older ones like the eldest and second Grandsons of the shen family understood that if Su Zhi could indeed make these berries delicious, they would have a bountiful supply of food—the children of the Shen family were accustomed to appreciating every morsel of food, as they could only eat until they were seven-tenths full at each meal.
“Of course, I can! Once I’m done, I’ll treat you all to some. But remember, once others discover these berries can be made delicious, we won’t have as many left in the future waiting for us to pick them. So let’s quickly gather all these berries now, not leaving a single one behind.”
“Alright, watch me!”
The Second grandson grabbed a bamboo pole and began striking randomly among the branches. With most hawthorn leaves already fallen and the berries drying on the trees, a light hit was all it took for the ripe berries to drop effortlessly. The group standing beneath the tree was showered with a rain of berries, prompting surprised shouts as they covered their heads and ran to the side.
After some time, most of the hawthorn berries from one tree had fallen, with a few remaining for the final round. The Second grandson moved on to another tree. Su Zhi and the children started picking up the fallen hawthorn berries, filling up a basket and a crate from just one tree. Fortunately, with everyone bringing containers, they managed to collect all the berries in one go.
With the cooperative effort of the seven individuals, they picked all the hawthorn berries from the three trees in less than an hour.
As the group made their way back, either carrying or cradling their harvest, Chuncao held a handful of hawthorn berries. She took a bite, only to recoil from the sourness, wondering how Auntie Su would transform these sour berries into something delicious.
On their descent, Su Zhi encountered the third and fourth grandson. These two boys, seeing the group carrying their haul, approached without hesitation. Their eyes fixed on the fruits in their hands, their intense gaze making everyone feel a bit uneasy.
Su Zhi couldn’t help but wonder how the members of the Shen family living under the same roof could be so different. The children from the main and second households were adorable, while those from the third household seemed to follow their parents, giving off an unfavorable impression. Their current intense stares seemed as though they were ready to snatch something away.
“Third Son, Fourth Son, is there something you need?”
Third Son glanced at Su Zhi before focusing on the basket in Chunyue’s hands, which was filled with red berries, uncovered. He commented, “Are those hawthorn berries you’re holding? It looks like you’ve picked all the berries! Those trees don’t belong to you; they belong to the village! How can you take them all? Give me a basket, or I’ll report you to the village head!”
Frowning slightly, Su Zhi couldn’t believe the audacity of these children, true reflections of Shen Ziping and Sun shi’s attitude!
The Eldest grandson interjected, “These berries aren’t yours either! Everyone knows that whoever picks wild fruits owns them. What are you blabbering about?”
The Second grandson added, “If you persist, we’ll demand you return all the pears you picked from the pear tree by the mountain. Those are worth far more than these sour berries. If the village head asks for compensation, you’ll be in trouble!”
The Third grandson flinched.
The fourth grandson, nervously biting his finger, said, “Auntie Su, my mother wants to eat those berries.”
The third grandson raised his head again, stating, “Yes, my mother wants something sour. If you don’t give them to me, I’ll tell Grandpa and Grandma that you picked all the sour berries and refused to share them with my mother! I’ll tell them it was deliberate!”