67: Chapter 67: Half a Bowl of at Left_1 67: Chapter 67: Half a Bowl of at Left_1 Pei Wenli couldn’t shake off the confusion in his heart and shook his head after pondering for a mont.
How could they possibly co to the county town when just the round-trip fare would cost several wen, not to ntion they couldn’t even find their way around the town.
Hearing his schoolmate call out, Pei Wenli responded and hurried toward the group to join them.
Pei Qin and the other two returned to the mountain, and since they saved ti from not setting up their stall, it was only past midday, so they decided to dig for winter bamboo shoots in the bamboo forest.
As they were digging for the bamboo shoots close to dusk, Si Ya spotted a Bamboo Rat hole, “Elder sister!
There’s a Bamboo Rat hole here, shall we catch it?” she said they would sell it in a few more days.
After so thought, Pei Qin said, “Catch it!
We’ll catch it and eat it ourselves at ho!”
But their luck wasn’t always so good—there were only two half-grown bamboo rats in the hole.
“Just enough for a al!” Holding the two bamboo rats, Pei Qin tied them up tightly, dropped them on the ground, hid the dug-up winter bamboo shoots, and knocked the bamboo rats almost to death.
Then, after chopping them up with a few swipes of the kitchen knife, she headed down the mountain to return ho.
Lady Fang waited anxiously.
When the three of them ca back, Pei Wendong ran up first to greet them, “Elder sister!” His face lit up with a smile at the sight of sothing in the burlap bag.
“Let’s go!
Ho for so fried at!” Pei Qin patted him on the head.
Pei Wendong wagged his tail like a little puppy and followed her into the house.
“Have you three eaten lunch?” Lady Fang took the things and asked them.
“We ate wowotou!” Si Ya said busily.
When they left, each of them took two wowotou, which was just enough for breakfast and midday.
Lady Fang looked at the three of them with concern, “Qinqin!
Let kill it for you!”
“No need!
It’s almost dead.
Mother, heat up so water to scald it, so we can remove the fur!” With swift movents, Pei Qin took the knife and killed the half-struggling bamboo rats.
Pei Wenlee and Pei Wenbo saw her killing the two large rats, and their gaze toward her changed.
They had all eaten that rat at, and nothing had happened.
This ti, they couldn’t let it all go to waste!
“Da Ya!
We’ve cut so at at ho, and left a half bowl for the three of you.
As for this rat at…
better not eat it!
It might be fine now, but that doesn’t an it’ll be fine in a few days!
These rats carry diseases, especially such large ones!” Pei Houli still warned with concern.
Pei Qin ignored him, prepared the bamboo rats, and waited for Lady Fang to heat the water.
Then she scalded the rats to remove their fur, roasted them on the fire, chopped them up, and marinated them with salt.
Watching the large basin filled to the brim with fresh red at, Pei Wenlee snorted, “We’ve only cut a little at at ho, and because you didn’t co back for food, we left nearly a half bowl for you!”
“Where is it?” Pei Qin asked.
As it was ti to prepare dinner, Lady Zhu opened the cabinet, took out the assorted bread and the remaining half bowl of at.
Pei Qin couldn’t help but want to laugh upon seeing it, “Thank you!
Since you’ve already helped yourselves, just eat it all!”
“Who are you accusing of stealing food!?” Pei Wenlee glared angrily.
“Then what is this…
half bowl of at!?” Pei Qin raised an eyebrow, looking at the few thinly sliced pieces of at floating on top of so cabbage.
Seeing this, Pei Houli’s face stiffened, and he felt a bit embarrassed, “In total…
we didn’t cut much at.
Your grandparents last ate at on the fifteenth of August.
I’ve only just found work recently, and it doesn’t pay much.”
“Yeah!
To support the mouths of their second house, who eat plain rice, and to serve them at!
Having this half bowl is good enough, what more do you want!?” Pei Wenlee huffed.
Pei Qin spoke for the last ti, “Let say this one more ti, we did not eat for free!
It is you siblings who never touch the fieldwork or do the house chores; you are the ones eating without contributing!
Whether it’s the field or the ho, we work every day!” She gave Pei Wenlee an up-and-down look, “If you don’t know how to speak, as your elder sister, I can ‘properly’ teach you!” Damn it!
Even a greenhorn like you dares to raise your eyebrows and sass every day!
“You…” Pei Wenlee’s face turned purple with rage.
“Shut your mouth, Si Ya!
How dare you speak to your elder sister like that!?” Pei Houli scolded her.
Pei Wenlee stord off with a sullen face.
Pei Houli wanted to say more, but Pei Qin snorted, turned around, rolled up her sleeves and started washing her hands, “San Ya, light the stove!”
“Ay!” San Ya responded, busily grabbing the firewood to start the fire.
Lady Zhu pursed her lips, watching Pei Qin work with a long face, making sure she didn’t add too much oil or seasoning.
Si Ya had peeled the green onions and garlic, plucked the cilantro, and washed them too.
Lady Fang heated the big pot, handing over the kitchen to Pei Qin.
Pei Qin blanched the Bamboo Rat at before frying it in a pan.
Although the two Bamboo Rats were not large, they weighed over five pounds each, putting over ten pounds of at into the pan, filling more than half of the wok.
Pei Wenbo stared intently in the kitchen, determined to have a share of this pot of at today no matter what!
Seeing the at was cooked, Lady Zhu stepped forward, “Give the spatula, I’ll serve the rice!”
Pei Wenbo’s face bead with a smile, surely his grandmother would pick out a bowl of good at for him!
Pei Qin, holding the spatula, asked, “Are you sure?” It was this old woman who spoiled the arrogance of the main house, showing favoritism in secret and unfairness openly.
“Hand it over!
You wretched girl!” Lady Zhu snatched the spatula from her grip.
Pei Qin stood to the side with her arms crossed over her chest, “I’m in such a bad mood today, it might take ten days and a half before I get over it.
I won’t go up the mountain anymore; I’ll just stay at ho and rest!
San Ya, give a shoulder rub tomorrow.
I waited on the mountain for most of the day and had to run so far; I’m nearly exhausted!” Eat!
If I don’t bring it back, eat shit!
Lady Zhu, seeing her brazen attitude, desperately wanted to smash the spatula across her face.
She didn’t take Pei Qin’s words seriously, instead, she shoveled a large basin full for Pei Wenbo to take back to the main room.
What remained was another large bowl, filled with quite a few bones.
Pei Qin chuckled, scooped out the at, and brought it directly to Old Pei, along with an empty bowl.
Old Pei understood her aning imdiately and, with a displeased expression, personally picked out a full bowl of at from the big basin.
Pei Wenbo, sitting anxiously on the side, shouted in anger, “It’s all gone!
They’ve scraped it all out; there’s none left!”
Seeing his furious deanor, Pei Qin kicked away the stool he was sitting on with a bowl in hand, “Think about who brought back the food you’re eating.
Don’t just eat your fill and then curse the provider!
We haven’t lived like you do!”
Pei Wenbo, not seated securely, fell to the ground and was about to cry out loud.
Lady Chen scolded angrily and ca over to help her youngest son get up.
“Stop the noise!
Eat!” Old Pei commanded with a dark expression.
Lady Zhu hurriedly picked up a piece of at to placate Pei Wenbo, and finally quieted him down.
Although the Bamboo Rat at had many bones, over ten pounds of it cooked up was not insignificant, and after the argunt, they all had a hearty al.
Pei Wenbo declared that he wanted to catch more the next day.
Pei Wenlee, burping, was thinking about the money Pei Qin had tucked away.
When she had kicked Er Lang’s stool earlier, she heard the jingle of coins.
Glancing at Pei Qin, she ran over and whispered in Lady Chen’s ear.
Lady Chen looked up, her gaze towards Pei Qin dark and suspicious.
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