Chapter 13

Gu Chonghua and Gu Yunshen raised their heads. They were about to speak when they heard a shocked exclamation from Gu Ruoqing, who was in the kitchen. “Wow! There’s red braised pork, and so many pork ribs! Mom, come and eat the red braised pork!”

When Zhang Xiaohui, who was in the courtyard, heard there was meat, she immediately rushed into the kitchen.

Gu Qingyao frowned and followed her into the kitchen. She found mother and daughter standing next to the stove, using chopsticks to stuff red braised pork into their mouths as fast as they could. Their mouths shone with grease. They looked like two hungry ghosts who had been reborn.

“What are you doing?”

Gu Qingyao asked angrily as she took the red braised pork away, refusing to let the mother and daughter eat it.

Gu Ruoqing raged, “What are you doing? We’ve hurried home from town and are dead tired. Didn’t you also take the opportunity to secretly eat red braised pork while we were gone? You better hand it over.”

Gu Qingyao refused and laughed coldly. “We ate the pork this morning at the state-run restaurant when Mo Beihan sent me back. We couldn’t finish it, so we brought the rest back. The red braised pork is tender and should be reserved for our grandparents. We’ll be eating dinner soon, why are you eating this now?”

Wasn’t Grandfather also tired from his trip?

He was still resting outside now!

If she had not come in and stopped them, this mother and daughter would have definitely eaten all the red braised pork.

Of course, Gu Qingyao did not care about this small bit of meat. But she had a poor opinion of this mother and daughter.

Gu Ruoqing was lazy and greedy. Although she lived in a village, she put on delicate airs, as if she was a young city girl. She loved to compare herself with the girls in the city.

Zhang Xiaohui was the same – lazy and greedy. In her previous life, the two of them had caused her so much suffering. Gu Qingyao was not so good-hearted as to give them anything good to eat.

“You… Grandfather is so tired that he’s resting outside. He can always eat tonight. As for Grandma, the two of you have definitely eaten some of it for lunch, so now it’s our turn to eat. Hand it over.”

Gu Qingyao was enraged by these self-righteous words.

“No. You’re so lazy when it comes to work, but when it comes to eating meat, you expect a fair share. I’ve dug up lots of wild herbs. You go wash the wild herbs and start the fire. Otherwise, you shouldn’t expect to have anything to eat.”

Zhang Xiaohui hated Gu Qingyao and when she saw that Gu Qingyao dared to shout at her daughter, she was livid.

“How dare you use that tone? She’s your elder sister, you…”

“What is everyone quarreling about? Why are you snacking when it’s not yet time to eat?” Gu Yunshen interrupted Zhang Xiaohui before she could finish her sentence.

When Gu Yunshen heard the commotion over there, he knew that Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing would bully Gu Qingyao, so he went over to take a look.

As the only able-bodied male in the family, Gu Yunshen spoke with authority. Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing did not dare say anything after being reprimanded by Gu Yunshen.

However, their eyes brightened when they saw the game that Gu Qingyao had brought back!

“Pheasant, and a rabbit!” Gu Ruoqing was surprised and delighted. She had come home to discover the red braised pork, and also a heap of pork ribs which had not yet been cooked. Now, she saw two pheasants and a plump rabbit. There was so much meat!

It was more meat than they normally ate in a year!

Gu Yunshen was also stunned when he saw the things that Gu Qingyao had brought back!

“Yao Yao, where are these things from? Why is there so much?”

Gu Qingyao put down the red braised pork before replying. “I found the wild herbs and the mushrooms myself. I caught one of the pheasants, and Brother Beihan gave me the rest.”

“I ran into him on my way home and he gave me a pheasant and a rabbit. I gave him some wild herbs, about two kilograms of mushrooms, as well as ten pheasant eggs.”

Gu Yunshen nodded and did not say anything.

Their family was on good terms with Mo Beihan’s family. Gu Qingyao and Mo Beihan had grown up together and were good friends.

Whenever Mo Beihan came back to visit his family, he always brought something for Yao Yao. When his own nephews came back, they would always give something to the Mo family. This had been their practice for many years.

Gu Yunshen said with a smile, “That’s great, I’ll put this away. You…”

Gu Yunshen raised his head and glanced at Zhang Xiaohui. “Hurry up and prepare the meal. Heat up the red braised pork. Then make some brown rice porridge and add some wild herb pancakes.”

Gu Yunshen had to be detailed with his instructions because he understood Zhang Xiaohui’s personality all too well. She was lazy, greedy, and completely indifferent to the welfare of others. If he did not spell it out, she would finish all the fine grain in the house.

Finally, Gu Yunshen took the game and went out after directing Gu Ruoqing to help Wen Ruyu in the fields. Zhang Xiaohui remained in the kitchen to help Gu Qingyao light the fire and prepare dinner.

The brown rice was placed in a pot and left to boil. Gu Qingyao rinsed a portion of wild herbs and chopped them coarsely before mixing them with two types of flour. When the small pot was hot, she placed the red braised pork in it to heat. The red braised pork was oily and she used it to grease the pot so that the pancakes would also have some oil.