"Cloud ear fungus, let's get some more cloud ear fungus; it's crunchier and tastes better."

"Also cucumber and bean curd sticks are fine."

"There were quite a few ingredients prepared: two chickens, tiger prawns, abalone, squid, napa cabbage, cucumber, cloud ear fungus, bean curd sticks, fried tofu puffs, and green chili peppers."

"With so much, it makes a big pot; it's definitely enough to eat."

"With guests coming, Ba Yuejiao certainly had to prepare some food at home."

"In this midsummer heat, big watermelons are essential, so Ba Yuejiao took out two more."

"After that, there were eagle-beak peaches; she took six, along with two bunches of grapes."

"Once He Zining had finished slaughtering the chicken, Ba Yuejiao told her to go home and bring her parents over once they woke up."

"By the way, how many days will Uncle He and Mother He be staying? Is the house lacking anything? Do you have thin quilts?"

"Even though it was summer, a thin quilt was still necessary."

"No need, I have a towel. It's so hot, just covering my stomach is fine," He Zining said.

"Alright, then you see what's missing and tell me."

"Okay."

"Ba Yuejiao also brought out a bottle of Maotai liquor, planning to entertain the guests that evening."

"It wasn't that she was being stingy; she hadn't planned on selling it later anyway, so using it to entertain guests was quite good."

"It was so cheap; she'd just buy more next time she came across it."

"After He Zining left, Ba Yuejiao took out some pork bones; she still needed to make soup."

"There were so many pork bones in the Villa, and there was no use keeping them."

"So, Ba Yuejiao directly used the coal stove to boil a big pot of soup."

"It didn't need to be boiled for a long time; in an hour and a half, the soup would be ready."

"Aunt."

"Dahua, come on in."

"My friends and I picked a lot of this wild vegetable in the fields; it's delicious. Do you want some?"

"Ba Yuejiao looked at the wild vegetables in Zhou Dahua's basket."

"These wild vegetables were hard to find because they were delicious, so they would be picked as soon as they sprouted."

"Ba Yuejiao had been here for three years and had only eaten them once."

"Does your family have any?"

"Yes, do you want these?"

"Of course I do; such delicious vegetables. Help me put them in the kitchen." Ba Yuejiao took a large bowl and ladled out a bowl of soup.

"There were also two large bones inside."

"Come over and drink a bowl of soup before you go back."

"Thank you, Aunt. Aunt, are you entertaining guests at home tonight?"

"Having just entered the kitchen, Zhou Dahua saw a kitchen full of good things."

"She was extremely shocked."

"Yes. How is your studying going lately?" Ba Yuejiao asked.

"Speaking of this, Zhou Dahua smiled, "I got first place in the whole class on this exam."

"The teacher even rewarded me with a little red flower," Zhou Dahua said with a smile.

"That's so impressive, you've made progress. Aunt will reward you with an eagle-beak peach; keep it up."

"Thank you, Aunt. Do I have to wait for this fruit to ripen before eating it?" Zhou Dahua held the eagle-beak peach and looked at it.

"The fruit was still greenish, with only a little red on the tip, and it felt hard when squeezed, so Zhou Dahua thought it wasn't ripe yet."

"It's already ripe; you can peel it and eat it when you get back." Many people who had never eaten eagle-beak peaches would have this question.

"Okay, thank you, Aunt."

"The soup had cooled down a bit, so Zhou Dahua kept blowing on it while drinking."

"Aunt, can I take these pork bones back to eat with my younger sister and brother?"

"The two pork bones Ba Yuejiao had ladled for Zhou Dahua were the ones with the most meat."

"The meat on pork bones that had been boiled in soup was very tough, and she didn't like eating it at all."

"Usually, when she and Zhou Rui were at home, if Zhou Rui didn't eat the meat from the soup, it would be thrown away."

"However, her man wouldn't waste things, so he would always finish it."

"But today, there was enough food and meat, so the soup dregs probably wouldn't get eaten."

"Then wait a moment; there are still many pork bones in the soup. I'll pack some for you to take back and eat."

"Zhou Dahua said a bit embarrassedly, "No need, Aunt. These two pieces are enough."

"Enough for what? I don't like eating meat that's been boiled in soup; it's very tough. If you don't take it, it'll just be wasted if it's left over."

"If you don't want it, I'll just send it to Uncle Yang or Uncle Liu's house anyway." Ba Yuejiao directly grabbed a large plate and started fishing out the soup dregs.

"She was making pork bone, morel mushroom, and Chinese yam soup today."

"She liked eating the morel mushrooms and Chinese yam very much, so Ba Yuejiao didn't pack any of those."

"However, she fished out almost all the pork bones for Zhou Dahua."

"A large plate, filled to the brim."

"Seeing that there were a few pieces left in the pot that couldn't fit, she just left them."

"It won't fit. Eat what's in your bowl now, otherwise you won't be able to carry it. It's so hot, finish eating it first."

"Zhou Dahua's eyes widened when she saw so many pork bones."

"Aunt, you put so many pork bones in your soup? In my house, we only put one pork bone in the soup, chopped up small."

"Second Sister-in-law Zhou couldn't bear to buy meat to eat, but during the New Year or Autumn Harvest, she would still buy two pork bones to make soup."

"Pork bones aren't worth much. Putting in more makes the soup sweeter. When you take it back, you can have your mother add some soy sauce and cook it a bit; it'll be more flavorful that way."

"Okay, thank you, Aunt."

"With such a large plate of meat, Ba Yuejiao was afraid it would be snatched away while she was taking it back."

"She took her basket and put the plate of pork bones inside."

"Come, put the fruit in. When you take it back later, walk a bit faster."

"Okay."

"Zhou Dahua didn't hesitate while carrying so much meat; she watched it carefully and then strode toward home."

"Mom, I'm back."

"Since you're back, hurry in and help light the fire to cook," Second Sister-in-law Zhou shouted from inside the kitchen.

"Mom, look what I brought back," Zhou Dahua said happily.

"What is it?" Second Sister-in-law Zhou took a look.

"The smile on her face couldn't have been any brighter."

"Your Aunt gave this to you?" In the village, besides Ba Yuejiao, who else could casually give away so much meat?

"Yes, Aunt was making soup at home. She doesn't like eating the meat that has been boiled in the soup, so she let me bring it back."

"Good, good, good. We're eating meat tonight."

"What meat?"

"Eldest Sister-in-law Zhou happened to walk to the kitchen door, and upon hearing about meat, she immediately walked in."

"Seeing the meat in the basket, she said, "Why is there so much meat?"

"Second Sister-in-law Zhou was stunned. "Dahua picked some wild vegetables today, and I had her take them to Third Sister-in-law, and this is what Third Sister-in-law gave back."

"Oh, then hurry up and divide it. I'll cook less tonight. I didn't expect Third Sister-in-law to be so generous, giving so much meat."

"Eldest Sister-in-law Zhou took it for granted and went to get the largest plate in the house, intending to divide the plate of pork bones."

"Second Sister-in-law Zhou:!!"

"But this was meat, and there was so much meat on each of these pork bones; she couldn't just give it away for the sake of appearances."

"Eldest Sister-in-law, this meat was exchanged for the wild vegetables Dahua picked all afternoon, so this meat belongs to my family."

"What do you mean? Are you trying to keep this meat all to yourself?" Eldest Sister-in-law Zhou's voice rose by an octave.

"What keep to myself? This was given to my family by Third Sister-in-law; she didn't say it was to be divided between the two families," Second Sister-in-law Zhou said.

"Impossible, Third Sister-in-law must have said it was for both families."

"Eldest Sister-in-law, if the items were meant for both families, Third Sister-in-law would have definitely divided them for us herself; it's impossible she would have just had Dahua bring it back like this."