In the village, only those truly desperate for food would bother with tiny fish. So when Jiang Qiuyue said she wanted to buy them, Aunt Niu’s first thought was that Wang Chunhua must be starving Jiang Qiuyue and her children again. “If you want the fish, just take them. We’re neighbors—I can’t stand your mother-in-law’s favoritism.”  

Jiang Qiuyue felt bad taking them for free, but Aunt Niu shoved the bucket into her hands. There weren’t many fish—about two pounds’ worth.  

Niu Zhuangzhuang looked heartbroken as the fish were taken away—until his grandma smacked his head and handed him two eggs. “Take these to Aunt Jiang. Tell her they’re for Beibei and Nannan. Just leave the eggs and come right back—don’t take anything from her, understand?”  

Eggs were precious in the countryside. Aunt Niu lived frugally herself, but she couldn’t bear it any longer—especially after seeing Beibei’s eyes light up at the mention of eating fish.  

When Niu Zhuangzhuang delivered the eggs, before Jiang Qiuyue could even begin to feel touched, he dashed off.  

From the yard, Niu Zhuangzhuang shouted, “Aunt Jiang, my granny says these are for Beibei and Nannan! And I’m not allowed to take anything from you!”  

With that, he was gone. By the time Jiang Qiuyue stepped out of the kitchen, Niu Zhuangzhuang had already disappeared.  

Looking at the fish and eggs, warmth spread through Jiang Qiuyue’s heart. It seemed there were still good people in the world.  

She gutted the small fish, mixed flour into a batter, coated the fish, and deep-fried them until golden and crispy. The kitchen was soon filled with an irresistible aroma.  

Lin Beibei helped tend the fire, while Lin Nannan stood on tiptoe, staring eagerly at the frying pan. Jiang Qiuyue gave each of them a fish to taste. “Try it—is it salty enough? Does it taste good?”  

“So good!” Lin Beibei gave a thumbs-up. “This is the best fried fish I’ve ever had!”

Lin Nannan nodded eagerly—this was just too delicious. She had never eaten anything so tasty before!

Jiang Qiuyue fried a batch of small fish, then pan-fried another batch.

She removed the firewood from the stove, leaving only the hot embers. She sprinkled aged rice over the bottom of the pan, coated the pan-fried fish with a spicy sauce, then placed them on a bamboo rack to smoke.

After a couple of minutes, the smoky aroma filled the air, and it was time to lift the lid.

The smoked fish could be eaten as-is, but Jiang Qiuyue preferred to stir-fry them with chili—lots of green and red chili peppers and garlic. No extra seasoning needed. Once the green chili was just barely cooked, she took the dish off the heat.

After finishing the fish, Jiang Qiuyue cracked some eggs into a bowl, added warm water at a 1:5 ratio, and placed it in the pot to steam into a silky egg custard.

She then plated the fried and stir-fried fish and brought it over to the Niu family.

Auntie Niu was weaving a bamboo basket. Before she saw anyone, she smelled the food.

Little Niu Zhuangzhuang had already forgotten about being punished. He ran excitedly to the door, saw Jiang Qiuyue with the dishes, and asked with a mouth full of anticipation, “Auntie Jiang, what did you make? It smells amazing!”

Jiang Qiuyue smiled and fed him a small fish. “Made with the fish you caught—how does it taste?”

Zhuangzhuang didn’t even have time to react. He chewed a couple times, swallowed, and then nodded hard as the flavor hit. “Delicious!”

Auntie Niu was shocked to see the fish were not only cooked but deep-fried. Even during New Year’s, most people wouldn’t fry food—it used too much precious oil. What was going on with Jiang Qiuyue today?

“Auntie, I can’t just take your fish and eggs for nothing. I cooked them—try some.”

Jiang Qiuyue handed the bowl to Zhuangzhuang. “Just have him return the bowl when he’s done. Oh, and Auntie, I’ve been thinking. You were right all along. I didn’t know how to care for myself or my kids before. Thank you.”

She was genuinely grateful. Ever since she arrived in this unfamiliar place, Auntie Niu had been the first to show her kindness.

Once again, Auntie Niu was stunned by Jiang Qiuyue’s words. As Jiang turned to leave, she quickly said not to give them the fish. “Oil’s too precious—take it back. Just some tiny fish, not worth it.”

“If you won’t even take this,” Jiang Qiuyue replied, “how can I feel right accepting your eggs?” She gave Zhuangzhuang a gentle nudge. “I’m still steaming egg custard at home. The kids are hungry—better get back to it.”

With Jiang Qiuyue insisting, Auntie Niu didn’t turn her down. She sneaked a bite of the fried fish—crispy, flavorful, with just a bit of spice. It was really good.

“Stop eating!” Auntie Niu slapped her grandson’s hand away. “Save some for your grandpa. Who knew your Auntie Jiang had such good cooking skills? It’s great she’s changed. Beibei and Nannan won’t have to suffer as much now.”

When the old man came home, she’d definitely tell him all about it.

Back at home, Jiang Qiuyue brought the food into the room just as Qian Li returned to cook.

The lingering smell in the kitchen made Qian Li’s stomach grumble—again. This had been happening for days. By the time they got home, Jiang Qiuyue had already finished cooking. Not a bite left for Dabao, let alone for the elders. “Tch, let’s see how long you can keep this up,” she muttered.

Inside the room, Jiang Qiuyue was teaching the kids to mix their rice with egg custard. The children offered her some of it, and she didn’t refuse. After all the effort she put into cooking, she deserved to eat some too.

There was only enough fish for one day. After eating, Lin Beibei offered to wash the dishes.

Jiang Qiuyue leaned against the wall, thinking—what should she make tomorrow?