Chapter 111

The electric baton is very convenient to use.

When you turn it on, it can stun a cow in three seconds, emit a strong light that temporarily blinds people without causing permanent damage to their eyesight, and incapacitate enemies.

Achieving this effect, Shuiqing was very satisfied.

Fan Jin’s eyes gleamed with curiosity as he repeatedly rubbed his slender fingers over the baton, unable to imagine how such a stick could be so magical.

Shuiqing took out more than twenty pieces of gold leaf, along with the remaining wooden box, and stored them in the storage box. The fragmented silver was also thrown in.

It must be said that although the storage box they bought was not large, it was perfect for storing gold bars and silver ingots!

After tallying their possessions, purchasing self-defense weapons, and calculating their balance and savings, they felt completely secure.

When they came out, the water that Fan Jin had previously heated was cold, but Shuiqing didn’t mind. After washing up, one made breakfast while the other carried Fan He with steamed buns on a cart to the prefectural city to deliver rice wine.

Other taverns were engaged in price wars and selling at lower prices; they could only reduce quantities.

They brought less today, but with guests at home, it was perfect for an early return.

The new kitchen in the new house was spacious, with three stoves.

With many people, Shuiqing first made a pot of delicious red date and millet porridge, which was both appetizing and good for digestion.

In the middle pot, they made egg pancakes.

The large iron pot on the outside was heating water – it was cold, and warm water was comfortable for washing one’s face.

After making about twenty egg pancakes, the red date and millet porridge was ready.

Shuiqing also served three small plates of spicy pickled radishes, salty shredded cabbage, and crispy pickled vegetable cores bought from the market as side dishes for the porridge.

Li Huyu woke up naturally after a good night’s sleep.

She didn’t have to wake up early to greet her mother-in-law or help her mother-in-law wash up and eat breakfast. She felt that yesterday’s hustle and bustle was nothing at all, and now she felt relaxed!

Shuiqing was sitting on a small stool picking vegetables when she saw Li Huyu and greeted her with a smile, saying, “The children each have their own things to do; they went to work first. There’s hot water for washing up in the pot, and breakfast is kept warm in the pot. Should I bring it to you?”

“No need, I’ll come myself!” Li Huyu said cheerfully, hurrying to the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, she found hot water waiting for her, breakfast warming in the pot, and various side dishes laid out on the table. She felt a comfort she had never experienced before.

How many years had it been since she had such a comfortable and carefree day?

Probably since she got married and became a wife.

Before long, Bai Manshan rubbed his hands and ran out, muttering, “So cold, so cold, so cold.”

Seeing Shuiqing picking vegetables, he asked puzzledly, “Aren’t you cold?”

“I’m not cold, I feel fine,” Shuiqing replied naturally.

Having grown up in rural Jiangsu and Zhejiang, she knew the cold in the south was no big deal compared to the bone-chilling cold winds that cut through even the thickest clothing.

During her school days, she had experienced winters in the north, with temperatures dropping below minus ten degrees Celsius, heavy snow falling everywhere.

Compared to those two places, the cold in Shanshui Village was child’s play, nothing at all.

But for Bai Manshan, a native southerner, the current cold was unbearable.

There was a hint of admiration in Bai Manshan’s round eyes.

Looking closer, he saw over a dozen smooth yellow balls on the ground and asked curiously, “What are these?”

Upon hearing Shuiqing say they were potatoes, he immediately forgot about the cold and stopped stomping his feet to warm himself, squatting down to pick up one and examining it closely.

He couldn’t help exclaiming, “So these are potatoes!”

Potatoes were delicious when fried or stewed.

He decided, “I want to eat roasted potatoes for lunch!”

In the kitchen, Li Huyu called out, “Are you still picking vegetables? Come in and have breakfast. You can start a fire later to roast them yourself!”

Bai Manshan thought it made sense. He was a guest, and Shuiqing and the others were not servants. He felt a bit embarrassed and hurried into the kitchen, smiling brightly, “Huyu, you’re right! I’ll start the fire for lunch!”

He decided to roast potatoes as well, making Qian’er envious.

Meanwhile, Bai Ziqian was gathering firewood on the mountain with Fan Jiang.

Fan Jiang’s simple face was filled with happiness as he chopped wood and said, “I’ve been helping Big Sister brew wine these past few days. Yesterday, Mom decided to reduce production. Today, Big Sister and Second Sister can finish the work. I was worried about chopping wood alone, and here you are!”

Bai Ziqian wasn’t happy at all. He used to dig holes and plant trees here. Now, chopping trees wasn’t an easy task either!

Fortunately, chopping wood wasn’t as exhausting as digging holes.

Fan Jiang continued, “Once we’ve cut down most of the old and dry trees, we can start digging up the roots. Digging roots is tiring, but they burn well and leave holes where we can plant trees in the spring. Isn’t that killing two birds with one stone?”

Hearing that they would have to dig up roots next, Bai Ziqian quietly withdrew his earlier complaints.

Digging roots was definitely more exhausting than simply digging holes!

Despite his inner complaints, his hands never stopped chopping.

Looking at the growing pile of firewood, he asked, “I see the woodshed is already full. Will we really use all of this?”

“Firewood, rice, oil, and salt—why do you think firewood comes first? I guess it’s because we use so much of it!” Fan Jiang shared his insight.

Moreover, winter was the best time to store firewood, as it was dry. When spring came with its rain and heat, vegetation flourished, making woodcutting much more difficult.

Bai Ziqian found Fan Jiang’s words surprisingly reasonable.

Over the next two days, the pile of firewood at Shuiqing’s home noticeably increased.

But the most noticeable surplus was the fish—big and small, more fish than they could eat!

Li Huyu, who grew up in a fishing village and was extremely familiar with water and fish, easily caught fish from the numerous lakes and rivers in Shanshui Village. Apart from the ponds, everything was fair game—if you had the ability to catch fish, they were yours.

Accustomed to storms and rough seas, Li Huyu effortlessly brought back two buckets of fish in no time, then another two buckets shortly after.

Shuiqing spent these days finding creative ways to cook fish.

Large fish were prepared in various ways: roasted, with chopped peppers, boiled, with sauerkraut, in milk broth with fish heads, spicy fish bones, braised fish slices, and cold fish skin salad…

The smaller wild fish, regardless of their size, were simply cleaned, marinated briefly, coated in batter, and fried until crispy and fragrant. Those who liked it spicy sprinkled on some chili powder, while others ate it as is.

Even the smallest fish, fried until the bones were crispy, were irresistibly delicious, making it impossible to stop eating.

Despite their daily variety and creativity in cooking, Li Huyu’s appetite was simply insatiable!

Any leftover fish that couldn’t be finished was preserved as salted fish or smoked fish, brought out later when vegetables were scarce to complement the meal with some protein.

Seeing the lively fish, Fan Jin suggested, “How about we take two buckets to my parents’ house?”