Chapter 31

Unable to free herself from her tasks, Nie Xiaocui asked curiously, “Silly girl, what could you possibly have?”

“Mom, just wait here and see,” Liu Yu replied with a mischievous smile, confident in her secret stash of resources.

Back in her room, Liu Yu closed the door tightly and retrieved a large fish she had previously caught from her hidden space. She also took out a ten-pound bag of corn kernels. Carrying the fish in one hand and the corn in the other, she returned to her mother.

“Mom, we don’t have time to grind the corn, so you’ll need to trade it for cornmeal in the village. Be generous—trade ten pounds of corn for nine pounds of cornmeal. Don’t worry about the loss; it’s worth it,” Liu Yu said.

She opened the bag in front of her mother, revealing the golden corn kernels. The fish, still alive and flopping, was placed into a basin where it wriggled energetically.

Nie Xiaocui stared, her mouth agape like the fish in the basin. Ten pounds of corn and a fresh fish—this was an astonishingly generous offering from her daughter. To her, such resources were unimaginable, even if she were to visit her own family to beg for supplies.

Alarmed, Nie Xiaocui exclaimed, “Where did you get all this, my dear girl? We must have principles—you didn’t steal this, did you?”

Liu Yu had anticipated the question and was ready with an explanation. “Remember Wang Changping? When I visited him while he was sick, I took care of him. As a token of gratitude, he gave me the corn. The fish? I caught it myself from the river.”

Tying the story to Wang Changping seemed like the safest bet—her mother was unlikely to confirm the details with him.

While Nie Xiaocui accepted the explanation about the corn, she was alarmed at the mention of the river. “How could you go near the river? Have you forgotten that you almost drowned in Duobao River once? You’re going to worry me to death!”

Only then did Liu Yu remember her previous near-drowning incident. To Nie Xiaocui, Duobao River was a source of fear and forbidden territory. Quickly, Liu Yu waved her hands and reassured her mother, “Mom, it was just this one time. I swear I won’t do it again! It’s already dark, and most people are asleep—hurry and trade the corn for cornmeal!”

She ushered her mother out the door and then turned her attention to the kitchen, her stomach grumbling with hunger.

One of the unique features of her treasure basin was that anything placed inside it, whether living or non-living, remained in the same condition as when it was stored. It was even better than a modern refrigerator, preserving items perfectly.

With the fish still alive, Liu Yu expertly descaled it, gutted it, and made a few deep cuts along its body to help it cook faster. She lit the fire, heated the pot, and checked the kitchen for any usable seasonings.

All she found was a small jar of salt, with only a thin layer left at the bottom. There wasn’t a drop of oil, let alone soy sauce, vinegar, or tea. Liu Yu immediately understood that Chen Shi had deliberately hoarded all the cooking supplies to force their family into desperation. The goal was clear: to make the family beg her for food.

But Liu Yu was determined not to give Chen Shi the satisfaction.

No oil? No problem. The fish from Duobao River were naturally fatty, with plenty of fish oil to flavor the dish.

She heated the pot until it was hot, tossed in the white, tender fish, and listened as it sizzled. As soon as she added a ladleful of water, the broth turned a creamy white. Liu Yu then sneaked into Chen Shi’s vegetable garden, plucked two green onions, a purple eggplant, and a potato. She chopped them into chunks and added them to the pot to simmer.

Just as the aroma of the cooking fish began to fill the air, Nie Xiaocui returned with the cornmeal. Liu Yu quickly started kneading the dough and lit another stove to steam cornmeal buns.

The air was soon filled with the rich aroma of fish and the sweet smell of steaming cornmeal. The enticing fragrance made their mouths water.

Standing by the earthen stove, Nie Xiaocui marveled, “Stewed River fish and pure cornmeal buns—this is the kind of meal that even our family wouldn’t dream of eating during New Year celebrations!”