Also mom The doctor always says: a person’s body must work in proportion to how much they eat, or else their health would wear down, shortening their lifespan.
Hearing this, Mother Xu was deeply worried. She didn’t want to live a short life—she wanted to live long enough to watch her daughter grow up, get married, and start her own family alongside her husband. How could she not want to live long?
“Let’s stew it—stew two chickens. We’ll eat more today, and tomorrow we’ll cook the wild duck eggs we’ve got at home.”
Xu Ying smiled, feeling the love in her mother’s concern. She took the two pheasants her mother handed her and headed into the kitchen.
Shitou, quick to notice, ran in after her. “Aunty, let me light the fire!”
Xu Ying nodded. She swiftly cleaned and chopped the pheasant into small pieces.
Once the chicken was ready, she looked at Shitou. “Go ahead—light the fire.”
Eager, Shitou struck a match and lit the stove.
Xu Ying placed the pot on the stove. When the water inside had dried, she added a spoonful of oil, heating it until it shimmered. Then she tossed in scallions, ginger, garlic, bay leaves, and dried tangerine peel, stirring them until their aroma filled the air.
As the fragrance bloomed, she added the cleaned pheasant pieces, stir-frying them quickly and evenly. A spoonful of soy sauce went in next, deepening the color as she kept stirring.
“Aunty, it smells amazing!” Shitou tilted his head, swallowing hard.
Xu Ying pinched his cheek playfully. “Just wait—it’s going to taste even better!”
After stir-frying for a while, she added sliced radish to the pot, poured in boiling water, and let it simmer for twenty minutes. Meanwhile, she placed some eggs in a smaller pot at the back of the stove to boil.
Twenty minutes later, she lifted the lid—the rich scent of simmering chicken filled the room. She poured in the soaked mushrooms, covered the pot again, and let it continue simmering.
Shitou sat by the stove, practically drooling. “Aunty, why does your cooking always smell so good?”
Xu Ying’s heart lifted at his praise. “Because your aunty’s awesome, that’s why.”
The pheasant soup simmered for a full hour. When she finally lifted the lid, the savory aroma drifted out, enveloping the entire yard.
Before anyone could react, Mother Xu hurried over, flustered. “Quick, close the door! The smell’s wafting out!”
Shitou watched as Xu Ying seasoned the soup inside the house, so hungry he nearly drooled. “Aunty, it smells so good—I’m going to start drooling if I smell it any longer.”
Xu Ying laughed. “Look at you—open the door now and take the soup out. It’s time for dinner.”
Shitou immediately opened the door. Xu Ying carried the pot of pheasant soup into the main room.
Mother Xu followed closely, shutting the door behind them. The aroma was too tempting; she didn’t want the neighbors catching a whiff.
The food Xu Ying cooked smelled worlds better than anything they’d made before. Sure, their own cooking had been good, but nothing like this.
Mother Xu returned to the kitchen to bring out the rice porridge, setting it on the table.
Just then, Father Xu arrived home with Brother Xu and Sister-in-law Xu. Before they even reached the door, they could smell the faint fragrance in the air.
Their faces immediately lit up with excitement. It was as if the weariness of a hard day’s work had melted away.
“Guiying, we’re home!” Father Xu called cheerfully.
Mother Xu rushed over to open the door.
The neighbor next door poked her head over, curiosity written all over her face. “Sister-in-law, what delicious food are you making? It smells incredible.”
Mother Xu quickly waved her off. “Delicious food? Oh, just some porridge—maybe the smell’s coming from your place.”
The neighbor paused, looking a little awkward. “Oh… well, my husband caught a pheasant up the mountain today. We’re having pheasant soup tonight.”
Mother Xu pretended to be envious. “Oh, you’re in for a treat tonight then!”
Once inside the yard, her expression turned scornful. “Look at her, acting so proud just because they’re eating a little meat.”
Sister-in-law Xu nodded. “Exactly. People like her showing off won’t end well.”
In times like these, you didn’t flaunt good food—if you did, people would grow jealous and maybe even report you.
“Mom, what are we having tonight?” Brother Xu asked eagerly.
“Whatever we’re having, wash your hands first!” Mother Xu snapped, though her tone was warm. “Your little sister cooked tonight. She made pheasant soup—two whole birds! She was worried one wouldn’t be enough.”
She straightened up seriously. “You all better remember how thoughtful your little sister is, you hear me?”
Sister-in-law Xu was first to speak up. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll always remember my little sister’s kindness. From now on, I’ll wash all her clothes for her.”
Mother Xu chuckled. “Finally realizing how good she is, huh?”
Sister-in-law Xu smiled shyly. Before, washing Xu Ying’s clothes had felt like a burden. Now? After eating pheasant soup, she was eager to wash more.
“My daughter didn’t just bring home pheasants today,” Mother Xu added proudly. “She also carried back bundles of firewood this afternoon! Did you see the piles outside?”
Brother Xu and Second Brother Xu were stunned. Ever since their little sister fell into the river, she seemed… different.
“Little sister, don’t go to the mountains anymore,” Brother Xu said, worried. “Just pick up firewood nearby.”
Second Brother Xu nodded. “It’s dangerous for you to go up there alone. Next time, we’ll go with you.”
Xu Ying felt a rush of warmth and guilt at their concern. In her past life, she’d been so foolish… she’d hurt the very people who had loved her most.
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Father Xu’s sharp eyes caught the tears pooling in her gaze.
Mother Xu became frantic. “Don’t cry, dear—if you want to go to the mountain, you can go. Just don’t cry, or you’ll break our hearts.”
Brother Xu scratched his head anxiously. “Little sister, don’t cry.”
Second Brother Xu was flustered. “You’d be better off resting at home—why cry over going to the mountains?”
“Little sister, if you want to go, then go,” Second Brother relented gently. “I won’t stop you.”
Xu Ying hadn’t meant to cry at all, but hearing their words filled her with such bittersweet emotion that the tears flowed freely.
“Mom, I want to go to the mountain,” she choked out. “I want to find food to nourish everyone.”
“You and Dad have worked so hard all your lives for us. You never got to eat well—you’ve been running on empty stomach for years.”
“My second brother and I have caused you so much worry. But he’s grown up now, getting full work points every day. I’m the one who’s useless—I don’t even know how to farm.”
“But I don’t want to be idle anymore. I want to climb the mountain, find wild game, and bring it home to make you all stronger.”
“And Sister-in-law,” Xu Ying turned toward her earnestly, “you’ve had it hard too, marrying into our family. You had a good life at home, but married my brother and shared his hardships. I don’t want you to regret it.”
“Brother,” she added seriously, “you must treat Sister-in-law well. She gave you two sons and raised them. You have to cherish her.”
Sister-in-law Xu was so moved she threw her arms around Xu Ying, sobbing. “Sister, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have called you lazy. I shouldn’t have said you were shameless, trying to please that scholar Dong.”
Mother Xu’s eyes widened. “What? You called my daughter lazy and shameless?”