Chapter 48.3

Next door, the Jiang family was having their meal, and they were also eating fish that day.

However, they hadn’t finished it all, only stewing a quarter of it. The deliciousness of the fish made them unable to lift their heads from the table. Just then, they caught a whiff of an aroma even more fragrant than their own fish.

Jiang Linshan sniffed the air, unable to stop himself from looking at Qin Xiang and exclaiming, “Wife, when did Qingman get such cooking skills? This dish smells amazing! If I had known she could cook like this, the threshold to ask for her hand in marriage would have been trampled long ago.”

Jiang Dongmei, who was eating, also looked curiously at Qin Xiang.

Qin Xiang took a sip of the fish soup before replying, “What’s so surprising about it? The reason we didn’t know Qingman could cook before was because we were poor, and there was never an opportunity for her to show her skills. But now, she married a capable man, eats meat every day, so of course, she doesn’t have to hide her cooking skills anymore.”

If it were in the past, Qin Xiang would not have spoken up for Qin Qingman, but now that the families had a better relationship, she naturally praised her own family.

“True.” Jiang Linshan agreed. “When Eldest Brother’s wife was around, the family didn’t let Qingman cook much. It’s only natural we didn’t know she could cook this well.”

Jiang Dongmei, seeing her parents both smiling, felt reassured enough to add, “Dad, Mom, my Aunt’s cooking is really delicious. Maybe Qingman inherited her good skills.”

Qin Xiang and Jiang Linshan exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement.

“It’s very possible. Every time we went back, it was always Eldest Brother’s wife doing the cooking. The same dishes, but her cooking really tasted better than ours.” Qin Xiang said, her eyes filled with nostalgia.

“Yes, indeed.”

Jiang Linshan served his wife a bowl of monkey head mushrooms in chicken soup and gently reminded her, “Wife, drink up. It’ll help you recover faster.”

He was still very considerate toward her.

Being cared for by her husband, Qin Xiang’s face flushed slightly.

Looking at her daughter, who was lowering her head and eating, Qin Xiang contentedly sipped her nourishing soup.

Jiang Dongmei could only eat a few more bites of fish.

There weren’t many monkey head mushrooms at her house, and she could only have a little bit from time to time. Now that her mother was recuperating, there was no more for her. But she understood, of course.

The gossip about Qin Xiang’s family had already spread to many households in the village.

Lately, at mealtimes, the enticing aroma of food from Qin Qingman’s house would fill the air. Everyone couldn’t help but be envious, wondering why the food at the Qin family’s house suddenly smelled so delicious. The older people in the village, of course, remembered the original owner’s parents. When someone raised the question, they were quickly informed about the cooking skills of Qin Lao Da’s wife back in the day.

It was said that Chuchu’s mother’s ancestors had been the imperial kitchen staff in the palace.

Qin Qingman had no idea that her cooking skills had already become the subject of gossip. At that moment, she was scraping the pancakes stuck to the side of the pot.

This kind of pancake had another charming name in the Northeast.

It was called “fish head soaked pancakes.”

After being stewed, half of the pancake clung tightly to the edge of the pot, and the part near the edge had already turned golden and crispy. The other half had slid into the soup and absorbed all the flavors, becoming soft and fragrant—two extremes of deliciousness.

“Is it done? Is it done? Sister, the pancake looks so delicious.”

Chuchu, impatient, began to lick his lips.

The fish was fragrant, and the pancake was equally aromatic. He was so dazzled by the smells that he didn’t know what to eat first.

“I don’t know if it’s done. Chuchu, Ah Ling, help me taste it.”

Qin Qingman used the spatula to lift a piece of corn pancake and handed it to Wei Ling, reminding him, “It’s hot, blow on it before tasting.”

“Okay.” Wei Ling gladly accepted the task of being fed.

The hot pancake was passed between their hands a few times, cooling to the perfect temperature for tasting.

Wei Ling tore off a piece of the pancake soaked in the soup and shoved it into Chuchu’s mouth.

“Is it delicious?”

He asked if it was delicious, not whether it was cooked properly.

Chuchu nodded rapidly, his mouth tightly pressed together as he chewed excitedly, gesturing with his little hands for Wei Ling to hurry and try some as well.

The pancake, soaked with the soup, was incredibly fragrant, even better than any meat he’d ever eaten.

Seeing that Chuchu was satisfied and happy, Wei Ling finally tore off another piece and fed it to Qin Qingman.

Qin Qingman was scraping the pancake stuck to the edge of the pot, and she didn’t expect Wei Ling to feed her too. In that brief moment of surprise, she accidentally bit down on his finger.

Wei Ling’s finger, slightly calloused, was very noticeable.

Qin Qingman sensed the strength in Wei Ling’s finger, and Wei Ling could also feel the softness inside Qin Qingman’s mouth.

The tenderness she felt was even more obvious than if he had used his lips or tongue.

Startled, Qin Qingman quickly opened her mouth and pushed Wei Ling’s finger out with her tongue, mumbling, “You all eat, don’t mind me.” She had truly been shocked by the moment, almost losing her balance for a second.

“Mm.”

Wei Ling hadn’t expected that simple feeding would lead to such an incident.

Though his finger was no longer in Qin Qingman’s mouth, the lingering sensation on his finger constantly reminded him of what had just happened.

“Brother-in-law, the pancake is super delicious. You should try some.”

By this time, Chuchu had swallowed the pancake in his mouth and finally had a chance to speak.

“Alright, I’ll try some.”

Prompted by Chuchu, Wei Ling subconsciously tore off a piece of the pancake and popped it into his mouth. As his fingers brushed against his lips, he realized they were the same fingers that had just been in Qin Qingman’s mouth. He quickly realized how this might be misinterpreted.

Qin Qingman kept an eye on Wei Ling out of the corner of her eye.

When she saw the fingers that had been in her mouth now touching Wei Ling’s lips, her face turned extremely red, blushing deeply.

It was hard to tell whether it was embarrassment or the steam from the pot that caused the redness on Qin Qingman’s face.

Wei Ling’s earlobes were slightly red as well.

He truly hadn’t meant to cause such a reaction.

“Brother-in-law, is it delicious? Let me try the crispy part.”

Chuchu, being a child, had no idea what was going on in the adults’ minds and very straightforwardly instructed Wei Ling to keep trying the pancake for him.

“Alright.”

Wei Ling snapped out of his thoughts and shifted his gaze from Qin Qingman’s face to the pancake in front of him.

He first wiped his fingers with a clean cloth, then tore off a piece of the pancake. This time, he didn’t tear off just a small bit but a larger chunk, handing it directly to Chuchu so the child could hold it and bite into it himself.

Chuchu eagerly took the piece of pancake and started munching happily.

The portion of the pancake that had been roasted golden was thinner, crispy, and aromatic, and when bitten into, it made a satisfying crunch.

Qin Qingman tried her best to ignore Wei Ling’s gaze, quickly scraping all the pancakes into the meal basket before turning her attention to the fish in the pot.

The fish was large, a whole fish stewed for half an hour. Despite the long cooking time, the fish hadn’t broken apart, and the soup had thickened perfectly.

“Ah Ling, go get the small iron pot from the living room. We’ll use it to serve some for tonight’s meal.”

Qin Qingman’s desire for the food surpassed any lingering feelings of embarrassment.

“I’ll go right away.”

Wei Ling, still holding the unfinished pancake in his mouth, went to the living room. While grabbing the small pot, he added a few pieces of firewood to the stove to maintain the warmth in the room. Soon, they would be eating in the living room.

A large fish, along with the small yellow mushrooms and frozen tofu, had been stewed into nearly half of the iron pot. It was a generous amount.

Of course, they couldn’t finish it all at once. He scooped about a quarter of the pot into the small iron pot.

The rest of the fish was covered and left to wait for after dinner, when they’d clean up. In the small pot, Qin Qingman sprinkled a handful of freshly chopped garlic chives, completing the dish with color, fragrance, and taste.

“Let’s eat, let’s eat.”

Chuchu eagerly went to get the bowls and chopsticks, while Wei Ling carefully carried the small pot back to the living room and placed it on the stove.

On this cold winter day, the three of them gathered around the stove to eat together.

As soon as the first bite of fish entered her mouth, Qin Qingman closed her eyes in satisfaction.

The fish was as delicious as any she had seen on a famous food show in later years. Despite the simplicity of the stewing, it perfectly brought out the fresh, sweet flavor of the fish. There wasn’t even a hint of the muddy taste typical of freshwater fish.

The fish was both fresh and tender.

With the addition of the small yellow mushrooms and daylilies to enhance the flavor, calling the fish simply “fresh” wouldn’t do it justice.

It was delicious, so delicious that the family of three couldn’t stop eating.

Wei Ling, enjoying the fish, had a look of contentment on his face. The fresh, aromatic flavor reminded him of the days he had experienced such richness only in the Duke’s manor. He never expected to taste such freshness again, but here he was, years later, experiencing the same delight from the fish.

“Sis, Brother-in-law, the tofu is also delicious, hiss—”

Chuchu picked up a piece of frozen tofu, and the tofu, soaked with the rich broth, tasted just as good as the fish.

The child was so reluctant to spit out the hot tofu that he kept hissing and blowing on it.

“The tofu’s hot; blow on it to cool it down before you eat it.” Qin Qingman quickly offered Chuchu a cup of cool water, intending to help the child balance the temperature in his mouth.

“No… it’s fine, Sis.”

Chuchu grinned and fanned his face rapidly, not wanting to spoil the taste of the tofu.

“It’s too hot to eat like that. It could hurt your throat.” Qin Qingman disagreed with Chuchu’s actions.

“I know, Sis. I won’t do it again.” Chuchu said quickly, swallowing the tofu, and then stuck out his tongue to cool it off, like a little puppy.

He had indeed burnt his mouth a little.

Qin Qingman immediately checked his tongue and, seeing that it was only slightly reddened, she was relieved.

At this moment, she was no longer willing to let Chuchu look after himself.

Qin Qingman picked up a piece of frozen tofu from the pot and said to Chuchu, “See, frozen tofu has holes all over it. Those holes are filled with broth. The hotter the broth, the hotter the tofu. You need to wait a bit before eating it.”

As she spoke, she took the plate Wei Ling had brought from the kitchen and placed it in front of Chuchu, reminding him, “You can pick whatever you want, but first, put it on the plate. Wait for it to cool before you put it in your bowl.”

“I got it, Sis.” Chuchu said obediently, following the extra step.

The whole family enjoyed the meal immensely, and by the end, they were all slumped contentedly in their chairs.

The fish meat was so delicious that, without realizing it, everyone had eaten a little too much.

“Let’s rest for a bit before cleaning up.” Qin Qingman stopped Wei Ling from cleaning up right away. She didn’t want to move herself, so how could she ask Wei Ling to immediately handle the aftermath?

Chuchu, sitting slouched in his chair, nodded with great seriousness. “Brother-in-law, listen to my sister, rest first. Later, we’ll all clean up together.” After saying this, he happily rubbed his belly.

He was a bit stuffed, it had been a long time since he had eaten to such fullness.

Wei Ling saw Qin Qingman and her brother sitting in the same position and smiled, sitting down as well.

The small iron pot was empty, with both the fish and the vegetables eaten clean, and the remaining soup was soaked up by the bread and finished off.

The three of them, feeling too full, sat silently in their chairs for a while, not saying anything. In the warm living room, they all silently recalled the deliciousness of the fish.

And when they thought about the fish still left in the pot on the stove, they all looked forward to tomorrow even more.

“Wife, luckily Du Hongyi and the others aren’t here. If they were, I’m sure a whole pot of fish wouldn’t be enough for everyone.” Wei Ling said, thinking about the appetites of his comrades, and for once, he expressed his relief to Qin Qingman.

“It’s alright, there are still a few more at home. It will be enough for everyone.” Qin Qingman replied.

She wasn’t a stingy person. Du Hongyi and the others had clearly stated that they would contribute food stamps and occasionally eat together. With plenty of supplies, she didn’t mind sharing a few fish. After all, these fish hadn’t cost any money to buy. If needed, they could just wait for Wei Ling to go catch a few more when he had the time.

Wei Ling thought about this and said, “Wife, how about I go catch more fish tomorrow and freeze them? If Du Hongyi and the others don’t stay at their camp during the New Year, they might want to join us for the New Year’s Eve dinner.”

“Don’t catch any for now.”

Qin Qingman had carefully considered it and refused, and her refusal made sense.

It’s not about scarcity, but fairness. The river belonged to everyone, and its resources could be enjoyed by anyone. However, if others could only watch longingly while they hauled big fish home, it would cause some dissatisfaction.

For now, it was enough to save a little and leave two fish for the New Year.

Wei Ling was smart. Even though Qin Qingman hadn’t directly explained it, he immediately understood the reasoning behind her decision and nodded in agreement with her approach.

Only Chuchu didn’t understand, but he obediently didn’t ask further questions.

Anyway, there was always enough food at home, and he was happy with whatever he ate.

The family of three sat for a while, letting their food settle, before getting up to clean up. Qin Qingman and Wei Ling gathered the dishes and went to the kitchen to wash them. They also transferred the remaining fish from the pot into a large basin, covered it, and left it in the kitchen where it wouldn’t be in the way.

Soon, the fire in the kitchen died down, and the temperature in the entire kitchen dropped. It wouldn’t be as cold as the outside, which was around minus twenty or thirty degrees, but it would still be cool enough to reach a temperature similar to that of a modern refrigerator.

At this temperature, vegetables wouldn’t spoil in a short amount of time.

Qin Qingman and Wei Ling happily tidied up in the kitchen, while Chuchu obediently swept the floor in the living room.

After the meal, the area around the stove was littered with fish bones.

Qin Qingman didn’t know what kind of fish it was, but the fish had very few bones, just a thick central spine. The remaining bones were now discarded on the floor.

Chuchu thought for a moment, and since the bones didn’t have sharp edges, he decided to collect them and throw them to the two geese.

It seemed like the geese could eat anything.

After throwing the bones, Chuchu swept the floor clean and then went to check on the kettle of water.

The kettle was full, enough for everyone to wash up later that evening.

The Qin family had gotten into the habit of washing up right after dinner. That way, if they were tired, they could go to bed right after, instead of having to wash up just before sleeping, which often made it hard to fall asleep.

Chuchu didn’t wait for Qin Qingman and Wei Ling and began to take care of himself.

It had only been a few days since his last bath, and it was especially cold today. His body wasn’t dirty, and his hair wasn’t oily, so he didn’t plan on taking a full bath. He simply washed his face and hands, then filled a basin with water to soak his feet.

Soaking his feet and applying a bit of liniment was a regular habit for him. This way, he wouldn’t suffer from frostbite during the winter.

Chuchu had seen some children who didn’t like to bathe or wash their feet. In winter, they might go ten days or more without washing their feet, and the longer they went without washing, the more likely they were to get frostbite. Once frostbite set in, their fingers and toes would swell up like radishes.

The sight of it was frightening, and if it became severe, it could even fester and become infected.

“Oh, has Chuchu already finished washing his feet?” Qin Qingman and Wei Ling finished cleaning the kitchen and walked into the living room to find Chuchu applying liniment to his feet.

His small feet were fair and soft, looking quite adorable.

“It smells so good.” Chuchu stretched out his feet for Qin Qingman to see.

“It really does smell good.” Qin Qingman smiled and gave his little feet a quick rub, then picked him up and carried him over to the warm kang in the west room.

The kang had been burning for a while, so not only was it warm on the bed, but the whole room was cozy.

“Sis, hurry up with Brother-in-law! I want to hear a story in a bit!” Chuchu happily rolled around on the kang.

There weren’t many entertainment options in those days, and for a child, hearing a story was one of the happiest things.

“Alright, alright, we’ll listen to you, Chuchu.” Qin Qingman laughed and reminded him not to catch a cold before leaving the bedroom.

In the living room, Wei Ling had already prepared the wash water for Qin Qingman while he brushed his teeth.

They went about cleaning up in shifts. After washing their faces and brushing their teeth, there was only one last step: washing their feet.

“Wife, I see there’s not much hot water left. You go first, and I’ll wash after you.” Wei Ling said, having checked the water in the kettle. He wasn’t planning to boil more water since it would waste firewood and time.

Qin Qingman paused for a moment, then looked at the steaming foot basin in front of her and said, “Let’s wash together.” Neither she nor Wei Ling had athlete’s foot, so there was no need for him to wash with the leftover water. It made more sense to wash together.

It was cold, and by the time she finished, the water wouldn’t be as warm anyway. “Wash together?” Wei Ling’s heart started to race at Qin Qingman’s words.