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After Xie Qiaoyu had his fill, he accompanied Old Madam Xie to do some needlework in the room, finding it somewhat enjoyable.
Old Madam Xie said, “Your embroidery skills are quite good.”
Xie Qiaoyu smiled proudly. Of course, he cared a lot about his craft, and his fingers were very nimble. The crane on the handkerchief looked lifelike. He had previously just sketched a design, and in Old Madam Xie’s courtyard, he embroidered the red crest of the crane.
Outside, it was still raining, and inside the room, only the sound of needle and thread could be heard.
Old Madam Xie used scissors to cut the thread, put down her needlework, and stood up to look at Xie Qiaoyu’s work. Xie Qiaoyu was calm and his fingers were nimble.
Xie Qiaoyu pretended to be calm and instinctively showed off his embroidery.
“How are you finding living in this village?” Old Madam Xie asked.
What could he say? Xie Qiaoyu didn’t dare to speak ill of it, so he stammered, “Apart from being a bit tiring, it’s acceptable. It’s quite peaceful here.”
“That’s good. I was worried you wouldn’t get used to it. The boys here all know how to cook. Tomorrow, let Xiao Yun teach you how to cook.”
Xie Qiaoyu was dejected, “Grandmother, I won’t need to cook in the future.”
Old Madam Xie shook her head and said earnestly, “It’s always good to be prepared. When I was with your grandfather, he loved the soup I made.”
“Isn’t it because Grandfather loved Grandmother that he liked the soup? Otherwise, he could eat anything.” After Xie Grandfather passed the imperial examination, he became a county magistrate. However, his father, Xie Yuan, was not ambitious and only became a county magistrate.
But even a county magistrate in Ningjiang County was like a local emperor. As long as they didn’t provoke the county magistrate, the Xie family could do as they pleased in Ningjiang County. Plus, the Xie family had deep roots in Ningjiang County, making them untouchable.
Old Madam Xie thought her grandson had a sweet mouth and said, “If I tell you to cook, then cook. Don’t think about escaping.”
Xie Qiaoyu: “…”
He was so miserable, having to cut grass, plant fields, and now cook. Was there any other young master like him? He should have tricked Xie Weixia into coming along to share the fun.
Xie Qiaoyu returned to the courtyard and silently shed tears. Oh heavens, why was he so unfortunate? The scholar he fancied turned out to be a heartbreaker, and the next one he liked didn’t seem like a scholar at all, more like a fighter. He wanted to get married but had to wait until the mourning period was over, and his grandmother even took him to dig wild vegetables.
Cry, cry, cry!
Sad, sad, sad!
The next day, he went to the kitchen with great determination. Xie Qiaoyu rolled up his sleeves, scaring the kitchen maid.
“Third Young Master, what are you doing in the kitchen?”
“Grandmother told me to learn how to cook.”
The kitchen maid was a bit scared by Xie Qiaoyu’s stance. She thought for a moment, “Third Young Master, why don’t you start by lighting the fire?”
“No problem, just tell me what to do.” Xie Qiaoyu bent down, intending to light the fire with a match. The kitchen maid seriously said, “Third Young Master, you should first light the dry grass and then throw it into the stove. Once the fire is going, just keep an eye on it.”
Xie Qiaoyu nodded, struck a match, and the yellow-orange light illuminated his face. With a whoosh, he threw the match into the dry leaves and kept adding twigs and leaves until the fire was roaring, though it was a bit too strong.
“Cough, cough, cough, how’s this?”
“It’s fine, but you can use less firewood, Third Young Master. This morning, we’re having plain porridge. Let’s start with lean meat porridge.”
Xie Qiaoyu was full of confidence. Lean meat porridge sounded simple enough.
The kitchen maid was diligent, “The key to lean meat porridge is handling the lean meat. First, you need to prepare ginger, soy sauce, and salt to marinate and remove the smell.”
First, boil the water.
Xie Qiaoyu took a small piece of lean meat and placed it on the cutting board, being very careful not to cut his fingers. The lean meat was cut into large chunks, not as thin as he would eat himself, and it didn’t look very appealing.
The kitchen maid brought over a large bowl, and Xie Qiaoyu poured in the ginger and other ingredients, using his hands to mix it all together. It was slippery. He mixed the lean meat evenly, then went to wash the rice, washing it three times before putting it in the pot to cook until it was thick and white, then added the lean meat.
“Third Young Master, you can add the meat now,” the kitchen maid reminded.
Xie Qiaoyu solemnly tossed the lean meat into the pot and stirred it a few times with a ladle.
The kitchen maid breathed a sigh of relief and continued, “We also need to make steamed buns and dumplings this morning. I’ve already prepared the dough. Just follow me to shape the dumplings.”
The method for making steamed buns was quite rough; you just needed to shape the dough into a round shape. Xie Qiaoyu placed the chopped cabbage in the center of the dough and wrapped it up. A simple, oval-shaped dumpling was done.
The kitchen maid was speechless with shock: “…”
She had never seen such ugly dumplings!
Xie Qiaoyu also looked at his dumplings and compared them to the kitchen maid’s. He found that hers were just a little bit better than his.
“Third Young Master, dumplings need pleats. Look at these pleats.” The kitchen maid’s hands were nimble, and a beautiful dumpling appeared in her hand.
Xie Qiaoyu lowered his head and continued making his dumplings. He pinched the edges with his fingers, and a strangely shaped dumpling with irregular pleats appeared in his hand.
The kitchen maid stubbornly taught him three more times.
Three ugly dumplings appeared in Xie Qiaoyu’s hands in order.
The kitchen maid: “…” Tired.
“As long as the dumplings are edible, Third Young Master, practice makes perfect.” The kitchen maid encouraged.
Xie Qiaoyu made many more dumplings, feeling quite satisfied. He served the lean meat porridge, and the dumplings were cooked. Xie Qiaoyu carried the porridge and dumplings to the main hall.
“Grandmother, look at what I made!” Xie Qiaoyu proudly placed his breakfast on the table.
Old Madam Xie looked at the strangely shaped dumplings and was silent for a moment. Still, she gave her grandson face and ate a small one. The taste was fine, just the shape was a bit off.
Xie Qiaoyu took a pretty dumpling made by the kitchen maid and happily ate it.
Old Madam Xie: “…”
Then she took a few spoonfuls of the lean meat porridge, and Xie Qiaoyu felt alive again.
“Grandmother, don’t be shy.” Xie Qiaoyu handed a dumpling he made to Old Madam Xie, while he continued eating the kitchen maid’s dumplings.
After eating, Xie Qiaoyu felt justified. He had cooked, so he shouldn’t have to wash the dishes too, right? He grabbed a hoe, planning to go dig in the fields.
“The ground is still wet. You can go to the mountain to pick some wild fruits and gather some soapberries.”
Xie Qiaoyu went up the mountain with Xiao Yun, who was familiar with the terrain. They didn’t dare go too deep, just wandered around the outskirts. Xie Qiaoyu walked carefully, afraid of dirtying his shoes, but accidentally stepped into a mud pit, feeling a chill all over.
“Third Young Master, are you okay?” Xiao Yun helped Xie Qiaoyu up.
Xie Qiaoyu was already numb. He, the son of a county magistrate, had fallen into a mud pit. He was about to go crazy.
“I’m fine.” His heart was already dead.
He, a great beauty, had become like this. Xie Qiaoyu had no worldly desires left.
Xiao Yun picked a few wild fruits and handed them to Xie Qiaoyu, then led him to find soapberries, picking quite a few and putting them in the basket. Throughout the process, Xie Qiaoyu’s soul had already drifted away.
“Third Young Master, don’t worry. Just change your clothes and shoes when we get back. It’s nothing. We also accidentally step into mud pits sometimes.” Xiao Yun comforted him kindly.
“Alright.” Xie Qiaoyu replied, feeling wronged.
The people in the village had come to know Xie Qiaoyu’s temperament over the past few days. He was a good-natured master, good-looking and with a pleasant disposition, always full of energy. Such a person was very likable.
Xie Qiaoyu washed the wild fruits with mountain spring water and took a bite. The fruit was sweet.
Xie Qiaoyu carried his small basket, munching on wild fruits as he returned to the village.
A prickly ball rolled over, and Xiao Yun quickly dodged, but Xie Qiaoyu didn’t and got hit directly, gasping in pain.
Oh boy, this hurts!
He turned to look at Xiao Yun, who had picked up the prickly ball and said righteously, “Third Young Master, this is a hedgehog.”
Xie Qiaoyu: “…”
Why was he always the unlucky one?
He didn’t want to eat the fruit anymore, and Xiao Yun even picked up the hedgehog. His heart ached, “Let it go.”
Xiao Yun nodded and praised him, “Third Young Master is so kind.”
The Third Young Master didn’t want to talk and was very sad with his small basket.
Back at the courtyard, Old Madam Xie was standing at the door enjoying the scenery, still smiling. But when she saw her grandson looking like a mud monkey, her smile gradually froze.
“You fell into a mud pit?” Old Madam Xie hit the nail on the head.
Xie Qiaoyu: “…”
*
Wan Mingji returned from the town.
Silver +6
Umbrella +2
Grain +3
He gave the remaining silver to Li Yun, the umbrellas to Wan Xiuyue and Wan Xiubai, and then went out again.
Linshui Village had a river where women and boys usually washed clothes. It had just rained yesterday, so they hadn’t washed clothes yet, but many children were picking shells and crabs, using small nets to catch fish.
Wan Mingji walked over, and someone shouted, “Brother Wan, are you here to catch crabs too?”
“To catch some crabs to sell.” Actually, it was for himself to eat. He wanted to secretly eat some meat.
Wan Mingji felt no shame in catching crabs with the kids. He even competed with them, relying on his courage to catch quite a few crabs and small shrimps, putting them in a bamboo basket.
When a group of adults returned, the kids were scolded for catching crabs by the river. It had just rained, and the adults were afraid the kids would be swept away by the river.
One child was spanked and cried out.
“Brother Wan was with us. He was watching us.”
“I didn’t see Wan Mingji, only you playing by the river. Playing and lying! Watch me spank you!”
The child turned around, but where was Brother Wan? He must have run off when he saw the adults coming.
“…”
This guy had no loyalty! Even bullied the kids!
Wan Mingji returned with a full load, still hearing the cries of the children in the distance.
“I won’t do it again! Never again!”
“I wasn’t lying, I was—ow ow ow!”
Tsk tsk tsk, how pitiful.
Too bad he was an adult now and didn’t have to suffer like that.
Wan Mingji cooked the crabs and shrimps in a pot deep in the woods. Even without seasoning, they were delicious. Once he led his two younger brothers astray—oh no, onto the right path—he could bring them to enjoy some wild game.
If his brothers tattled, he would just deny it.
Wan Mingji picked some wild fruits to take back and gave them to his two brothers.
The two brothers were very touched that Wan Mingji remembered to bring them wild fruits.
“Big Brother, you’re so good.”
“I’m going to read now.”
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Squishee[Translator]
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