The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family-Chapter 67 - Half a Bowl of Meat Left_1
67: Chapter 67: Half a Bowl of Meat Left_1
67 -67: Half a Bowl of Meat Left_1
Pei Wenli couldn’t shake off the confusion in his heart and shook his head after pondering for a moment.
How could they possibly come to the county town when just the round-trip fare would cost several wen, not to mention 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 time 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!
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There’s a Bamboo Rat hole here, shall we catch it?” she said they would sell it in a few more days.
After some thought, Pei Qin said, “Catch it!
We’ll catch it and eat it ourselves at home!”
But their luck wasn’t always so good—there were only two half-grown bamboo rats in the hole.
“Just enough for a meal!” 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 home.
Lady Fang waited anxiously.
When the three of them came back, Pei Wendong ran up first to greet them, “Elder sister!” His face lit up with a smile at the sight of something in the burlap bag.
“Let’s go!
Home for some fried meat!” 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 me kill it for you!”
“No need!
It’s almost dead.
Mother, heat up some water to scald it, so we can remove the fur!” With swift movements, 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 meat, and nothing had happened.
This time, they couldn’t let it all go to waste!
“Da Ya!
We’ve cut some meat at home, and left a half bowl for the three of you.
As for this rat meat…
better not eat it!
It might be fine now, but that doesn’t mean 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 meat, Pei Wenlee snorted, “We’ve only cut a little meat at home, and because you didn’t come back for food, we left nearly a half bowl for you!”
“Where is it?” Pei Qin asked.
As it was time to prepare dinner, Lady Zhu opened the cabinet, took out the assorted bread and the remaining half bowl of meat.
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 meat!?” Pei Qin raised an eyebrow, looking at the few thinly sliced pieces of meat floating on top of some cabbage.
Seeing this, Pei Houli’s face stiffened, and he felt a bit embarrassed, “In total…
we didn’t cut much meat.
Your grandparents last ate meat 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 meat!
Having this half bowl is good enough, what more do you want!?” Pei Wenlee huffed.
Pei Qin spoke for the last time, “Let me say this one more time, 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 home, 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 me 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 stormed 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 meat 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 meat 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 meat today no matter what!
Seeing the meat was cooked, Lady Zhu stepped forward, “Give me the spatula, I’ll serve the rice!”
Pei Wenbo’s face beamed with a smile, surely his grandmother would pick out a bowl of good meat 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 home and rest!
San Ya, give me 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 meat, and brought it directly to Old Pei, along with an empty bowl.
Old Pei understood her meaning immediately and, with a displeased expression, personally picked out a full bowl of meat 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 demeanor, 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 came 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 meat to placate Pei Wenbo, and finally quieted him down.
Although the Bamboo Rat meat had many bones, over ten pounds of it cooked up was not insignificant, and after the argument, they all had a hearty meal.
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.
