Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 34

Ying Su took the bamboo basket and thanked them, “It’s just me and Huzi, we don’t eat much. A little is enough for us. No need to trouble yourselves by coming all the way over. You don’t have to send things here anymore, it’s too much of a bother.”

She placed the cornbread and pickled vegetables from the basket onto the table, then ladled out three bowls of milky-white fish soup from the pot and set them on the makeshift table propped up with wooden boards. Smiling at Madam Li and Liu Chuncao, she said, “You should try some of my fish soup too.”

The enticing aroma drifted up. Madam Li and Liu Chuncao were curious about how Ying Su had cooked it, but after some polite refusals, they couldn’t resist.

Dazhuang was just a child and didn’t bother with politeness. As soon as Ying Su finished speaking, he leaned on the table and happily slurped a mouthful of fish soup. Before he even swallowed, he shouted, “Mom, Grandma, hurry and taste it, it’s so good!”

The little bun, ever so thoughtful, handed the other two bowls to Madam Li and Liu Chuncao. “Grandma, Auntie, try it quick! My mommy’s fish soup is really delicious!” His proud little face looked as if he were the one who had cooked it.

Seeing her son’s proud expression, Ying Su couldn’t help but curve her lips into a smile. She picked up a cornbread and took a bite.

Madam Li and Liu Chuncao quickly emptied their bowls. Madam Li wiped her mouth with her hand and said, “This fish soup is really good, no fishy taste at all. Cuihua, your cooking is truly impressive!”

Liu Chuncao agreed wholeheartedly. Her willow brows arched slightly, her big eyes flashed, and her face was full of smiles. “Our Cuihua, how did you make this fish soup? It’s light yet tasty. Every time I cook fish soup it’s always fishy, and Mother and Dalang don’t like to drink it.”

Her tone was noticeably warm, and with that one word “our,” she closed the distance between them. Ying Su replied with a smile, “When I have time, I’ll teach you how to make it.”

Liu Chuncao beamed. “Then it’s a deal!”

After the meal, Ying Su washed the dishes clean, and the group went up the mountain together. The little bun still carried his tiny basket on his back. Originally, Ying Su didn’t want the two children to go, but they insisted, and Madam Li reassured her that the hawthorn trees grew near the foot of the mountain, so there was no danger.

Because no one had picked them, the ground was covered with fallen hawthorns. Though not as fresh as the ones picked directly from the tree, they could still be used to make preserves. Following her thrifty nature, Ying Su gathered the ones no one wanted into her basket.

The branches above were covered with clusters of bright red fruit. It didn’t take long before the four of them had filled their baskets and that was only from two trees. According to Madam Li, there were at least a dozen hawthorn trees in the mountain. Ying Su thought to herself that she would be kept busy for a while.

Carrying their hawthorns down the mountain, Madam Li and Liu Chuncao kept asking Ying Su how to make hawthorn cakes and candied fruit. Since Ying Su had no intention of keeping it secret, she carefully explained the methods.

After returning, the three discussed it. Since they couldn’t make candied hawthorn skewers for now, they decided to preserve all the fruit instead. Later, when the weather turned cold, they could sell them to wealthy families’ daughters as snacks.

They immediately set to work. Since Ying Su’s thatched hut was already falling apart, with no tools and no privacy from the villagers, they couldn’t risk making money in such a place. So Madam Li’s house became their workshop.

They divided the tasks: one washed the hawthorns, one removed the pits, and one soaked them in salt water. The little bun and Dazhuang played nearby while the others busied themselves cheerfully.

The following steps weren’t difficult: put the soaked hawthorns into a pot with some sugar and boil them. When the hawthorns swelled, scoop them out, sprinkle sugar evenly, and stir well.

The only thing that troubled Ying Su was that there was no microwave here. How to remove the excess moisture from the hawthorns was the problem.

Just as she was pondering a substitute, the little bun suddenly let out a sharp scream.

Ying Su darted over at lightning speed and grabbed his injured hand. The tender skin had been burned, and a large blister had already formed. Her heart ached at the sight.

Dazhuang stood beside him, holding a still-sparking matchstick, his little face pale with fright. Suddenly he burst into tears, sobbing, “Auntie, I didn’t mean to…”

Hearing this, Liu Chuncao rushed over, scolding, “You naughty boy! Don’t you know to be careful? How could you poke Huzi with a lit match?”

Her face was stern and her tone harsh, making Dazhuang cry even harder.

Ying Su quickly rinsed the little bun’s hand with cold water and turned to Liu Chuncao. “Stop scolding the child. Dazhuang didn’t do it on purpose. Do you have any herbs for burns at home?”

Liu Chuncao was stunned. “N-no… no.”

In the countryside, people weren’t that delicate. Burns were usually just rinsed with cold water and left to heal on their own. They had never even heard of herbs specifically for burns.

Ying Su frowned. No medicine for burns? Looking at the little bun’s tear-filled black eyes and pitiful expression, her heart clenched. She gently told him, “Stay here and be good. Mommy will go out to find some herbs for you. I’ll be back soon.”

Hearing this, Madam Li glanced at the hawthorns still scattered on the ground and couldn’t help but say, “Cuihua, we’re country folk. Burns like this heal in a couple of days. Don’t go to all that trouble.”

But Ying Su walked straight toward the door, leaving only, “Watch over Huzi for me.” With that, her figure quickly disappeared.

Unknowingly, Ying Su had already slipped into the strange footwork she had been trained in during her past life. Her speed was astonishing as she sprinted up the mountain.

Her agile figure darted swiftly through the forest, her eyes never leaving the grass as she searched for the herb she needed.

Fortunately, in her previous life as a killer, she had also learned some simple medical skills for self-rescue. Out of boredom, she had memorized all the medicinal herbs and could recognize nearly all of them.

Now, Ying Su was grateful for her past. At least it was useful at this moment.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She crouched before a clump of grass, her phoenix eyes gleaming. She had stumbled upon a treasure, wasn’t this the Jianyang Butterfly, one of the “Five Golden Blossoms of the Lotus Petal Orchid?”

She squatted down and examined it carefully, confirming it was indeed Jianyang Butterfly Orchid. Her heart leapt with joy. Known as the world’s most prized butterfly orchid, it was extremely rare and beloved by scholars and nobles. 

In modern times, its price had been astronomical, and in ancient times it was also highly sought after. Surely in the Great Qing Dynasty, there would also be those who prized it.

Without hesitation, she squatted down, scraped away the soil with her hands, and carefully dug it up.