Chapter 27: Very Sweet

“You’re not worried the kids might get discouraged—you’re worried I’ll get mad instead?” Su Miaomiao was amused and a little speechless at where Old Zhao’s concern lay.

“Those kids are tough, what kind of setback could even get to them?” To Old Zhao now, Su Miaomiao was a precious gem.

With her help, he didn’t have to skimp on herbs anymore when treating villagers.

“Well, since you said that, I’m relieved. I’ll head home for lunch. The kids should be coming over around noon. If they get too noisy, just make them wait outside,” Su Miaomiao said as she prepared to leave.

“Alright,” Old Zhao nodded.

Su Miaomiao then carried her little bucket back to the cowshed.

There was still more than half an hour before everyone got off work, so she started cooking and cleaning the eels.

The water had already been drawn earlier by Huo Xinyuan and the others, so she didn’t need to conserve it.

But there weren’t quite enough eels for the whole family.

So Su Miaomiao took a few more loaches and eels from her space.

She planned to make a dish of crispy fried loaches.

Then a plate of coiled dragon-style eels.

The remaining ones would be used for a braised eel dish—since Old Master Huo and Madam Huo didn’t like spicy food, that one would be for them.

Lastly, she added a shredded cabbage stir-fry to round out the meal.

Once she finalized the menu, Su Miaomiao got to work.

The loaches were simple—no need for much prep, just put them in a bucket for later.

The eels, on the other hand, needed to be gutted—if not cleaned properly, they’d taste bitter and fishy.

Su Miaomiao grabbed an eel, tapped its head with the back of her knife, rendering it motionless.

Then she quickly slit it open, removed the organs, and cut it into segments for cooking.

Just as she was about to heat oil in the pan, Tang Chunlan arrived.

“Miaomiao, why are you starting the fire again? Didn’t I tell you to let me handle this stuff?” Tang Chunlan rushed over to the stove in a few big strides.

The “stove” was really just a few rocks piled together.

“It’s fine, the firewood is thick—once it’s burning, there’s not much else to do,” Su Miaomiao said with a smile.

“It’ll sting your eyes. Let me do it.” Tang Chunlan began feeding firewood into the stove, and her eyes caught sight of the eels and loaches. She was surprised.
“Where did these come from? You caught them yourself?”

“The village kids gave them to me—they said it was to thank me for helping their friend.” Su Miaomiao replied.

“Really? These kids are pretty honest, then.” Tang Chunlan didn’t doubt it.

“Yeah,” Su Miaomiao nodded.

With Tang Chunlan tending the fire, Su Miaomiao could focus more on the cooking. Once the oil was hot, she dropped in the loaches and quickly covered the pot with a lid.

A loud sizzling came from inside the pot. Tang Chunlan instinctively stepped back.

But soon, a strong aroma wafted out, and her stomach began growling.

Fortunately, the sound of the burning fire covered it up—otherwise, she would’ve been embarrassed in front of her daughter.

Su Miaomiao’s cooking was swift and skillful—she didn’t need help from Tang Chunlan.

She only gave simple instructions at times—”Turn up the heat,” or “Turn it down a bit.”

In under half an hour, the four dishes were ready.

Tang Chunlan had never thought of herself as someone who craved good food, but when she looked at the delicious and fragrant dishes in front of her, she couldn’t help but want a bite right away.

“How come your dad and your brother still aren’t back?” she asked, growing anxious.

“Mom, if you’re hungry, just eat first,” Su Miaomiao said with a smile, noticing how her mom kept swallowing saliva.

“No way. Your grandparents aren’t here yet either,” Tang Chunlan tried her best to suppress her cravings.

She turned around and stared into the distance, only hoping her family would return soon.

“Miaomiao, come out quickly!” At that moment, an elderly voice called out from outside.

It was Old Master Huo.

Su Miaomiao and Tang Chunlan immediately walked out of the house.

They saw Old Master Huo holding a large leaf in his hands, a bright smile of excitement on his weathered face.

“Dad, what is it?” Tang Chunlan hurried over.

Old Master Huo carefully walked toward them holding the leaf.

“Wow, are these raspberries?” As soon as Tang Chunlan got close, she saw what he was holding.

Golden and glistening—they looked very appetizing.

“Yes, they’re raspberries. Your mom and I found them while cutting grass behind the house. I figured Miaomiao would like them, so I brought some back for her to try.”

As he spoke, Old Master Huo offered the raspberries in front of Su Miaomiao.

“Miaomiao, try some.”

Looking at the kindly old man in front of her, Su Miaomiao suddenly felt something indescribable stir in her heart.

She picked one up and popped it into her mouth. The wild raspberries tasted very different from the cultivated ones she’d had in supermarkets in her previous life.

The initial taste was tart and astringent, but as she looked at the gentle face of the old man, a hint of sweetness seemed to blossom on her tongue.

“Well? Is it good?” Old Master Huo asked expectantly.

“It’s delicious.” Su Miaomiao nodded.

Old Master Huo’s face instantly lit up in a huge smile: “Then eat more!”

He placed all the raspberries into Su Miaomiao’s hands.

Madam Huo also smiled kindly.

“Your grandfather picked them so carefully, afraid they’d get crushed. He didn’t even eat one himself the whole way home.”

“I don’t even like those kinds of things. I told her to eat them, and she wouldn’t.” Old Master Huo grumbled a little awkwardly, trying to act stern.

“I can’t eat sour things anyway. It’s perfect for Miaomiao,” Madam Huo said affectionately, looking at Su Miaomiao.

“Mom, try one,” Su Miaomiao offered some to Tang Chunlan.

“No need, this was picked especially for you by your grandfather. Keep it as a little snack.” Now that they were living in the countryside, food was scarce.

Things that once seemed insignificant had suddenly become very precious.

“Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Little Sis—why are you all here?” As they were chatting, Huo Xinyuan and the others returned.

Huo Xinyuan immediately spotted the raspberries in Su Miaomiao’s hands. He pinched one and popped it into his mouth.

His face instantly contorted.

“Hss—this is way too sour!” Huo Xinyuan felt like his mouth was flooded with saliva.

Seeing him try to steal food from Su Miaomiao, Tang Chunlan smacked him hard.

“You rascal! That’s your sister’s. How could you just grab without asking?”

“Huh? I thought Little Sis picked them for us!” Huo Xinyuan finally recovered from the sourness in his mouth.

“Your grandfather picked them.” Tang Chunlan snorted.

“How could you be so careless?” Huo Jianguo also shot him a glare.

Huo Zhenbo and Huo Minxue were also staring at him disapprovingly.

Feeling embarrassed, Huo Xinyuan scratched his head and apologized to Su Miaomiao.

“Sorry, Little Sis.”

“It’s fine, there’s plenty here. Everyone can have some.” Su Miaomiao didn’t take it to heart.

“Forget it, you can have them all.” Huo Xinyuan quickly waved his hands, remembering how the sourness just now nearly overwhelmed him.