Traveling Through Those Years Of Farming (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 21

“Why are there so many leftovers today?”

After returning home, Jiang Bai’e is the first to walk out of the main hall, preparing to take the empty bucket to the well to clean it. When she opens the lid, she is surprised to find so many leftovers inside.

Is there no caravan passing by the official road today?

“Mother, serve the remaining dishes and add some to the family.”

Lu Xiuyu shakes her head with a serious expression.

“Xiuyu, what’s going on?” Jiang Bai’e is too preoccupied to serve the dishes and chases Lu Xiuyu into the house.

“Today, there’s another stall selling pork offal, and the taste is very similar to what eldest sister makes. Plus, it’s cheaper than ours. All the business goes to the new stall,” Lu Baobao answers for her eldest cousin. For some reason, she feels that Lu Xiuyu’s current demeanor is very different from her attitude at the stall, and the sadness on her face seems a bit forced.

“What!” Jiang Bai’e grows anxious. Why is there someone else trying to steal her business? “If they lower the price, why don’t you follow suit? You’re a stubborn kid who can’t adapt.”

Her voice is so high-pitched that Liu Lanhua knocks over a bowl in panic without noticing..

“The eldest daughter-in-law.” Lu Miao coughs heavily, scolds Jiang Bai’e, then looks at Lu Xiuyu, her tone instantly becoming much gentler. “It’s hard for ordinary people to think of using poisonous fire weed in cooking, but it’s not impossible. Your mother is a bit anxious, but her words aren’t wrong. Their prices are lower, so you can lower yours too. Business might not be as good as before, but you can still earn a bit of pocket money.”

Lu Miao feels a sense of regret in her heart. Such a good business opportunity might not last. It is strange how this recipe comes about; if it weren’t for her granddaughter insisting that a deity has sent her a dream to try cooking with poisonous fire weed and other weeds, she would never have thought of it. Who would have guessed that poisonous fire weed could be so delicious?

“Grandma, let me think about it some more.” Lu Xiuyu smiles bitterly and shakes her head. “I’m a little tired, so I won’t have lunch. Mom, keep those empty buckets. I’ll wash them when I wake up.”

With that, Lu Xiuyu turns back toward the house.

“By the way, the man at the stall today looks a bit like Third Aunt.” Just as she is about to step over the threshold, Lu Xiuyu suddenly turns around and says something strange.

“Pah—”

The chopsticks in Liu Lanhua’s hand fall to the ground, and she quickly squats down to pick them up. “Xiuyu just likes to joke. Doesn’t everyone have two eyes and a nose? Who doesn’t look like someone?”

While squatting, Liu Lanhua rubs her face vigorously with her hands to soften her expression. “Maybe the one who set up the stall is from our village. I’ll go see if he’s one of my distant relatives.”

Liu Lanhua stumbles over her words, her guilty expression easily noticeable to those present.

“I just mentioned it casually. Why is Third Aunt so nervous?” Lu Xiuyu smiles and turns to leave, as if that comment is a casual remark.

“What does the eldest girl mean by that?” Jiang Bai’e doesn’t quite understand and asks her husband in a low voice.

“Nothing. I think the eldest girl seems tired. Go help her wash the bucket.”

Lu Jiafeng glances at his guilty sister-in-law and serious brother. It seems this matter is connected to Third Sister-in-law, but he feels relieved that Third doesn’t get involved; otherwise, he wouldn’t wear this expression now.

“You two father and daughter are being so mysterious, hiding everything from me.” Jiang Bai’e glares at her husband and storms out. Just as her husband says, she needs to help her daughter wash that pile of dishes.

“Third daughter-in-law.” After Jiang Bai’e leaves, Lu Miao suddenly calls out to Liu Lanhua in a loud voice.

“Yes!” Liu Lanhua stands up in a panic, and her hasty movements cause her to accidentally knock over the stool. She quickly squats down and straightens the overturned stool.

“You need to remember that once you marry into the Lu family, you are one of us. Our family does not welcome those who eat from both sides, nor do we tolerate elders who take advantage of the children,” Lu Miao’s words strike deep.

“Mother, what are you talking about? I’m still confused about what the eldest girl said just now. Do you think I spread the secret that poisonous fire weed can be used for cooking?” Liu Lanhua cries out in grievance. As for the truth, only she knows it.

“It better be like that.” Lu Miao drops that line and continues eating without even looking at Liu Lanhua.

“Eat up, eat up! Haha, today we have two more dishes! I haven’t indulged in these dishes in a long time.” Lu Jiafeng brings over the unsold spicy and sour pig offal and braised intestines, encouraging the family to eat more.

“Oh! The hot and sour pork offal made by my eldest cousin is the most delicious!” Lu Baotie happily taps his chopsticks, only stopping when his sister glares at him.

The earlier tension startles Lu Xiuxin and his siblings, but children’s moods always change quickly in front of good food. After a few bites of the delicious pig offal, they forget all their earlier unhappiness.

The earlier tension seems to vanish, but Liu Lanhua has no appetite and remains lost in thought.

******

“Sister, what is this thing you’re packing? What is it for?”

While everyone eats, Lu Baobao sneaks away, wanting to comfort her eldest cousin. To her surprise, Lu Xiuyu doesn’t need any comfort at all; instead, she is energetically piecing together scattered iron parts into a whole.

“Come, let me show you something interesting.”

Lu Xiuyu moves the iron lump to the kitchen, first pulling out two hot pieces of charcoal from the extinguished fire at the stove and placing them in a container at the bottom of the iron box. Then she adds some dry grass to the container, and soon the charcoal burns again.

She places the container back into the bottom of the box and then scoops a spoonful of sugar into the hole at the front. Lu Baobao notices several small holes surrounding the main opening, which look a bit peculiar.

The charcoal fire from before heats the iron plate. In no time, the sugar melts. At this point, Lu Xiuyu begins to turn the handle on the left side, gradually increasing the speed.

Fluffy white strands fly out from the small holes as Lu Xiuyu keeps turning the handle. With her other hand, she picks up a chopstick and inserts it into the iron plate, continuously swirling it around. The sugar strands cling to the chopsticks, slowly forming a snowball.

At that moment, Lu Baobao’s mouth drops open in surprise. She never expects that her time-traveling cousin could be clever enough to bring a simple cotton candy machine to this era.

This is the real heroine. Compared to her cousin, she feels like nothing more than a paramecium.

(Paramecium: is a tiny, single-celled organism that looks like a slipper or a shoe.)

However, the simple cotton candy machine still has its shortcomings. For instance, the speed isn’t fast enough, resulting in thicker sugar strands, and the cotton candy has some chaotic yellow crystal bits, which are just melted and re-solidified sugar.

But even so, this fluffy mass is enough to astonish people in this era.

“Try it,” Lu Xiuyu says with a smile, handing the cotton candy to Lu Baobao.

The cotton candy machine demands high-speed operation. In the past, Lu Xiuyu uses motors of at least 5 volts to produce the light, slender sugar threads sold at her stall. Unfortunately, she lacks many materials and can’t completely replicate the cotton candy machine. She has to thank her tight budget back then; when the machine breaks down, she has to repair it herself, which leads her to research cotton candy machines extensively and come across a drawing of a hand-cranked version.

This hand-cranked cotton candy machine demands high hand speed, which is its biggest drawback.

“Wow!”

Lu Baobao can’t remember the last time she ate cotton candy. In modern times, there are all sorts of candies, making this cotton candy, which mostly exists in street corners, feel like a long-lost memory.

The sugar strands are fine; even with a few clumps of sugar, they don’t affect the light texture. The sweet flavor melts instantly on her tongue, filling her heart with joy.

Sweet foods have always been the most capable of bringing happiness.

“Sister, you eat.” Lu Baobao lifts the cotton candy high and offers it to her cousin’s mouth.

Lu Xiuyu takes a bite.

“Is it sweet?” Lu Baobao asks expectantly.

“Sweet,” Lu Xiuyu replies.

In reality, the flavor of the cotton candy is just ordinary white sugar. The only remarkable aspect is its appearance and unique texture.

She realizes she needs to develop some food coloring to create colorful, varied cotton candy shapes that can capture customers’ hearts.

******

The next day, at dawn, Liu Lanhua tiptoes out of the house, as if planning to sneak away.

Lu Miao looks at her coldly and stops her.