Chapter 41 ☆ Pumpkin Soup (Part 2)

But Xie San simply folded the money and put it in her pocket, not touching her at all.

Cheng Yaoyao pouted like an annoyed kitten.

Xie San said, “Don’t pout.”

Cheng Yaoyao wasn’t pouting at first, but after he said that, her lips puckered up high, and she pushed him away, running off with an unhappy look.

Standing in the kitchen, Xie San suddenly put his fist to his lips, and his shoulders began to shake slightly.

Cheng Yaoyao called out from the yard, “Help me carry a pumpkin.”

There were two pumpkins on the firewood pile under the eaves. One was smaller and gourd-shaped, with frost on its yellow skin.

Xie Fei looked up and noticed that it was a pumpkin specifically saved for seeds. Before she could say anything, she saw Xie San pick up the pumpkin without asking any questions.

Xie Fei blinked and swallowed her words.

Xie San washed the pumpkin and placed it on the chopping board. Cheng Yaoyao picked up a kitchen knife and chopped it in half. The pumpkin seeds inside were full and plump.

Cheng Yaoyao said with satisfaction, “This pumpkin is ripe; it’ll definitely be sweet when cooked.”

Xie San took an empty bowl, scooped out the pumpkin seeds, and put them in the bowl.

Cheng Yaoyao added, “Yes, wash and dry the pumpkin seeds. I’ll roast them for you tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Xie San nodded.

Xie Fei brought the dishes into the kitchen and lit a kerosene lamp she usually avoided using.

The kitchen was already getting a little dark. Normally, the Xie family would have returned to their rooms by now. The kitchen light cast shadows on the opposite wall, and Xie Fei looked at her brother and Cheng Yaoyao standing side by side, her little heart pounding.

Their house had never been so lively, and she had never seen her brother so happy.

Xie Fei was also very happy and followed Cheng Yaoyao around like a little bird.

Cheng Yaoyao took out a bag of bamboo bird’s nests and asked Xie Fei to soak and clean them. Cheng Yaoyao had picked the bamboo bird’s nests while searching for mushrooms in the bamboo forest. She was smart and knew these bamboo bird’s nests were precious and good for beauty, so she kept them for herself rather than giving them away to Shen Yan and Cheng Nuonuo. Now they come in handy.

Cheng Yaoyao peeled the pumpkin, cut it into cubes, and washed the soaked bamboo bird’s nests.

The water in the pot had already boiled, though there wasn’t much of it because the pumpkin would release juice while cooking. Cheng Yaoyao secretly added half a cup of spiritual spring water to the pot while Xie San and Xie Fei weren’t looking, then tore the bamboo bird’s nests into small pieces and added them to the pot.

Cheng Yaoyao covered the pot, clapped her hands, and announced, “It’ll be ready in half an hour. Xiao Fei, take out some of the firewood and keep the fire low the whole time.”

“Okay,” Xie Fei replied. This was an easy task for her; in the countryside, knowing how to manage a fire was a skill every child learned. Xie Fei removed most of the firewood from the stove, leaving only the largest piece. This wood burned slowly, keeping the water in the pot at a gentle simmer, which was the ideal temperature for cooking sweet soup.

Cheng Yaoyao mused to herself, “It would be great if I had a clay pot. Cooking sweet soup would be more convenient and delicious.”

The Xie family only had an old cast-iron pot, so Cheng Yaoyao had to be more precise with the heat.

The kitchen gradually darkened as the night wore on. The sweet soup bubbled away in the pot as the three of them went outside to enjoy the cool evening air.

At some point, the moon had risen quietly into the sky, casting a soft, white light over the yard, making it appear hazy and cool.

Xie San moved a bamboo chair into the yard, and Cheng Yaoyao took off her shoes and laid down on it, enjoying the night air comfortably.

Xie Fei sat at Cheng Yaoyao’s feet, chattering about naive and funny topics. Cheng Yaoyao responded just as seriously, and the sounds of their talking and laughing filled the yard.

Xie San stretched his long legs and sat to the side, holding a handful of bamboo strips as he skillfully wove a basket.

Cheng Yaoyao noticed that Xie San never rested after coming home. He was always busy, whether repairing the chicken coop, chopping wood, or fetching water. She really admired him for finding something to do even after dinner.

She couldn’t help but wonder what Xie San ate to grow up with such energy. He worked hard every day yet remained full of vitality.

Compared to Xie San, Cheng Yaoyao was the complete opposite. She was delicate and lazy, like a cat, preferring to lie down rather than sit.

In the Xie family’s home, she felt even more relaxed. Leaning lazily on the bamboo chair, she dangled one of her white feet restlessly, its porcelain-like shine reflecting in the moonlight.

It wasn’t until Cheng Yaoyao stood up and put on her shoes that Xie San realized he had woven a large part of the basket incorrectly.

Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, “We’ve been talking so long, we forgot the time. Let’s check if the sweet soup in the pot has dried up!”

They walked into the kitchen with a kerosene lamp and saw that the pot’s lid was popping, and the sweet soup had concentrated into half a pot.

Cheng Yaoyao picked up a spoon and gently stirred the soup. The collagen from the bamboo bird’s nest had boiled out, giving the soup a unique viscosity. The pumpkin pieces broke apart as she stirred, becoming soft and sticky, with a sweet aroma filling the air.

The pumpkin soup was served in four bowls. When Cheng Yaoyao tried to pick one up, she hissed and swung her hands in frustration.

Xie San quickly grabbed her hand and immersed it in cold water. After a long time, he took it out and examined her slender, white fingertips, which had turned red and looked so pitiful.

Tears shimmered on Cheng Yaoyao’s eyelashes as she shook her head, feeling aggrieved. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Xie San sighed, “Don’t touch it. I’ll do it.”

With his rough, calloused hands, Xie San picked up the bowls and carried them to the yard without any concern for the heat.

He set aside three bowls of sweet soup to cool, then brought one into Grandma Xie’s room first.

Grandma Xie was sitting by the window. When she heard Xie San enter, she immediately moved back to the bed with a stern expression.

Grandma Xie caught a whiff of the sweet fragrance as Xie San placed the bowl down and lit the kerosene lamp with a flint. The room gradually brightened, revealing a large earthenware bowl on the table with small orange pumpkin pieces and a transparent bamboo bird’s nest floating in the clear soup. No one knew how it was made.

Xie San said softly, “Grandma, Yaoyao made this pumpkin soup especially for you.”

“You don’t have to say that to curry favor,” Grandma Xie replied sternly. “Weren’t these pumpkins kept for seeds?”

“Yaoyao didn’t know, but I agreed to it,” Xie San quickly explained.

“You really are… just like your father!” Grandma Xie said it with regret.

Xie San placed the spoon in the bowl and gently pushed it toward Grandma Xie’s hand. “Yaoyao said this soup is refreshing and helps with coughs.”

Ever since Xie San mentioned that Grandma Xie had a cough, Cheng Yaoyao has been sending cough-relieving and lung-moistening foods, like bayberry juice, dried bayberries, and today’s light meals.

Even with her tough exterior, Grandma Xie was silent for a while before finally sighing. “That girl has a good heart.”

Before Xie San could show any joy, Grandma Xie added decisively, “But she and our family are not the same kind of people! Even if I agree to let her stay, I don’t agree with what you’re doing!”

Xie San remained silent as Grandma Xie continued, “One more thing, she’s an innocent girl living in our home. You must not bully her!”

“Don’t worry, Grandma,” Xie San assured her.

In a serious tone, Grandma Xie said, “A girl’s reputation is the most important thing. It’s clear she’s never suffered much, so she’s ignorant. You can’t follow her and be ignorant too. Grandma is experienced, and she knows that lustful men admire young girls. You young men and women living under the same roof are bound to…”

“Grandma, you don’t have to say anything!” Xie San interrupted, feeling embarrassed. He said solemnly, “Don’t worry, I won’t bully her.”

Grandma Xie nodded. “Okay, go out.”

Xie San turned and left the room.

Grandma Xie picked up the sweet soup and took a sip. It was sweet and smooth, sliding down her throat with a slight warmth, making her feel comfortable all over.

Grandma Xie sighed slowly, adding to her unfinished thoughts as she muttered to herself, “If one day she regrets it… there will always be a way out for both of us.”