CH 12

Gao Xiulan was a little unwilling to give up. She took some cornmeal to the hen, wanting it to eat a good meal to continue laying eggs.

However, the hen is very ungrateful, after eating, it still didn’t lay eggs for two consecutive days. And lost weight at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Gao Xiulan was furious, she cheated it a meal, but still did not lay eggs.

After tossing for a while, Gao Xiulan seemed to give up. She patted her head, “I’m confused. Women are so hungry these days that they can’t have children. It’s not surprising that hens can’t lay eggs.”

Su Qinghe was eating dried sweet potatoes. When she heard this, her ears perked and smashed her mouth twice.

To be honest, she hasn’t had a good meal in a long time. White noodles and egg custards are indeed delicious to other people in this era, but it is not enough for someone who is still enjoying food in the 21st century not long ago.

What a pity, what a pity, this only old hen, her mother will definitely not eat it. If there is an old hen in the system, just get one and stew one…

“Ding, host please pay attention, the system provides live raw ingredients. Hope that the host works hard to get rewards.” A system voice sounded in her head.

“Also provide living things?” Su Qinghe was stunned and quickly got up and went into the house.

When she arrived in the room, she lay directly on the Kang, “System system, do you even provide living things?”

“Please trust that the military system provides any edible ingredients. It is fresh and reliable. In addition, the value of the rewards the host receives is equal to the value of the ingredients used by the host for cooking. Please host, strives to make valuable delicacies.”

“Yeah, I almost forgot.” Su Qinghe only then remembered that the system had told her before that she could get as many things as she spent on cooking. There are no coarse and fine grains in the system, so it is calculated by weight. And if she wants to get pork belly, she can only get half a catty every time, except for the double reward that seems to be given to the person who opens the task for the first time.

This is because the food she spends each time is worth only half a catty of pork belly. In other words, if she stewed an old hen…

A plump, arrogant old hen appeared in her head for an instant.

“System, can the ingredients you provide lay eggs?” If she wants to eat the old lady’s precious old hen, she must return one to the old lady, or she might get sick.

“Host, please rest assured that within the scope of the reward standard, the host can put forward requirements for the rewarded ingredients. This system fully meets the daily needs of the host.”

Very good! Finally, I can eat old hen soup!

Su Qinghe sat up and walked into the courtyard.

Gao Xiulan sighed while still feeding the old hen.

Su Qinghe silently said Amitabha to the old hen who had lost weight.

Sorry, chickens all die, and death may be lighter than a feather or heavier than Mount Tai.1This is a quote from a famous Historian of Han Dynasty: “Though death befalls all men alike, it may be heavy as Mount Tai or light as a feather.” Being eaten can be regarded as completing the final mission.

“Mom…” Su Qinghe shouted aggrievedly.

Gao Xiulan was depressed. When she heard her daughter calling her, she looked at her daughter lovingly, “Qing’er, what’s wrong?”

“Mom, this chicken looks thinner day by day. If this continues, I am worried that only chicken bones will be left in the future. Too bad!”

Gao Xiulan sighed, “Mom knows it too, I feel uncomfortable.”

“Mom, we should just eat it.” she winked at Gao Xiulan.

Gao Xiulan was stunned for a moment. DaYa and ErYa who are doing laundry next to them looked over. Staring at the old hen.

Gao Xiulan waved her hands again and again, “No, no, this is for you to eat. If we eat it now, what will you eat in the future? You are not in good health, so you need to take care of yourself.”

“Mom, it can’t lay eggs as you said. Do you think we can go to my godfather…”

“…” Gao Xiulan opened her mouth as if she had suddenly realized that.

Then she put her precious old hen back into the cage and pulled Su Qinghe into the house. Before leaving, she said to the three granddaughters,

“Work hard, don’t eat if you don’t do well. What the hell are you staring at an old hen? It’s not yours! All of you just know how to eat and eat!”

Su Qinghe pulled her into the house vigorously. This old lady really doesn’t stop at once.

Entering the room, Gao Xiulan said, “Do you think your dad is capable of this?”

“I’m not sure about this, but Mom, didn’t we get the big iron pot? It’s very easy to use. My sister-in-law said it’s better than the iron pot that we have used for many years before. The things my father sent are different.”

Gao Xiulan listened, and she was proud, “That’s true, the rice your dad gave is also white.”

Su Qinghe said, “I don’t know if the old hen dad will send lay more eggs. Mom, let dad send the hen over, and let’s eat this hen first? I’m worried about it losing weight, it’s a pity that it lost the meat.” She swallowed her saliva as she said, expressing that she wanted to eat it.

Gao Xiulan suddenly felt soft. Her daughter hasn’t eaten chicken in many years. Well, pheasant is not counted.

Now their girl is subsidized by her dad. If it doesn’t work in the future, she can use grain to exchange eggs for her daughter to eat. This old hen… “Okay, let’s stew it. You can eat for a long time by yourself.”

“Mom, the weather is getting hot and it’s not easy to put it away. I think everyone should eat it. Anyway, I will eat more. Besides, now I have my dad, I don’t have to worry about food. My mouth is now choosy, if it’s not good meat, I won’t eat it.” She even proudly said.

Gao Xiulan looked at her daughter like this, feeling very comfortable in her heart. In the past, she felt that her daughter did not have a father to love. Now she finally has a father. The child who has a father’s care is different.

“Okay, listen to you. It’s cheaper for those bastards. They didn’t eat less when your dad was here.”

Worried that the old hen would lose weight, Gao Xiulan ordered her daughters-in-law to boil water after eating at noon to clean the old hen.

Lin Shuhong and Ding Guihua were both stunned.

Ding Guihua asked tentatively, “Mom, is it going to be eaten?”

“It won’t lay eggs, why keep it if you don’t eat it?” Gao Xiulan said in a bad mood.

Su Qinghe didn’t want to listen to her mother talking again, so she hurriedly interjected, “Sister-in-law, mom said that the stew is going to make up for everyone.”

Upon hearing this, the whole room was quiet.

Everyone looked at Gao Xiulan eagerly, and then at the old hen.

The sound of swallowing was rumbling.

Gao Xiulan felt cold. She patted the table and said, “Are you still working? If you don’t want to eat it, just don’t eat it!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Shuhong and Ding Guihua ran out outside and went straight into the kitchen to boil water.

Soon the water boiled. The old hen was heard clucking for a while and was soon cleaned up.

Su Qinghe didn’t like the scene2They need to slaughter the chicken first; it’s gruesome if you’re sensitive with blood. They need to cut at the neck to ooze out the blood then put the hen in a big pot or bowl with hot water to easily pluck the feathers. By the way, this is based on my experience because I came from the countryside, we always slaughter chicken during bdays. and didn’t watch it either. When it’s ready, I’ll be the chef.

She won’t waste such good ingredients. Didn’t the system ask her to make ten famous dishes as a B-level cooking assessment task? One of the dishes in the recipe is called authentic farmhouse chicken soup. Because it is an authentic farmer’s dish, the ingredients are very simple. Not so fancy spices.

The most important native hens are also readily available. If she succeeds, her reward will be doubled. That can make a profit. When the time comes, one will be left for laying eggs, and one can continue to be eaten.

In order to succeed the first time, she carefully followed the recipe in every procedure. Coupled with her beginner cooking skills, it’s not too stressful to do it.

Put the cleaned chicken into the large earthenware pot that was used to cook rice, and then put some simple condiments. After adding water, put the clay pot on the stove. This is the easiest way to make soup in the countryside. No waste, the soup is also sweet.

Looking at the clay pot in the stove, Su Qinghe breathed a sigh of relief. She never thought that she would have a day to cook with such determination, but for the sake of the old hen, she worked a little harder.

Ding Guihua was still reluctant to go to work outside the kitchen. She looked at the kitchen and said worriedly, “Sister said that she wants to learn to make soup, but I don’t know if she can. What if it’s bad?”

As soon as Gao Xiulan heard this, her face elongated. “It’s not like you can make soup. Have you ever had soup in your old Ding’s house? Our Qing’er grew up drinking chicken soup, even if she had never cooked, she would still know how to do it. She’s like me!”

Ding Guihua immediately did not dare to say a word. The old Ding’s family has never had soup. No way, who made their old Ding poor?

The chicken soup must be drunk tomorrow. Just in case there is no dinner at night. This soup can be simmered on the stove in the afternoon and evening.

Although they can’t drink the soup right away, but the thought of tomorrow they can drink chicken soup; everyone’s spirits are lifted. Even though their stomachs were only half full, they felt energized and worked very hard when they went to the field.

When the sons and wives went out, Gao Xiulan went to the kitchen and brought out the chicken head, butts, and clavicles in the bowl that were not processed.

Su Qinghe said, “Mom, what are you doing?”

“Go to your uncle. By the way, give your grandma two pieces of meat to eat.”

Meat… Su Qinghe looked at the chicken head and chicken butt in the bowl and pursed her lips. “Mom, why don’t you pick two better ones?”

Gao Xiulan looked indifferent, “What are you going to do? Anyway, if I took it over, your grandma would not bear to eat it. Then she will also give it to your uncle. Your uncle has been eating good food since he was a child, so I won’t give him anything good to eat.”

“…” Her mother usually went to her natal family’s home, showing how warm she was with her uncle, and at the critical moment, it was the affection between the chicken head and the chicken ass.

The soup was simmering at home, and Su Qinghe couldn’t leave either. So Gao Xiulan went back to her family alone.

Gao Xiulan went back this time under the name of her old mother. In fact, she went to find out about the relief food and came back with autumn wind by the way.

Having been a widow for many years, she didn’t expect her man Su Dagen to really provide for the family for a lifetime. So the eggs can not be put in one basket. The relief food should be kept in mind, and the things of her mother’s family should also be kept in mind.

Anyway, her elder brother Gao Fusheng works in the Commune Supply and Marketing Cooperative, and he usually took a lot of good things.

She doesn’t want it. This is not cheap for her sister-in-law.

Gaojia Village is not far from the Yellow River production team and belongs to the Dapo production team. It’s only two or three kilometers away.

Gao Xiulan’s legs were fast and she soon arrived in Gaojia Village. Her mother’s family was at the head of Gaojia Village, a few earth-built houses around a courtyard. It looks neater than other people’s houses.

When she got to the door, she didn’t need to knock on the door, she pushed the door directly into the yard, “Mom, Mom, I’ll come back to see you.”

“Xiulan is back!”

The old lady’s voice was full of energy and came out of the house. She was soon greeted.

In the first nineteen years of Gao Xiulan’s entire life, she had never enjoyed this kind of treatment. However, after she gave birth to three sons and gave her mother a face, her mother treated her differently.

After all, her eldest brother and other sisters had so many daughters after marriage, which made people think that her mother Gao had a bad life, and the next generation would not be able to give birth to a son.

However, after she gave birth to three sons in one breath, this face was naturally found back. Whoever talked about her mother, Old Mrs. Gao will directly whip her up with an ear, and then proudly say, “My Xiulan gave birth to three sons for Lao Su’s family in one breath!”

At this moment, old lady Gao looked at her girl and smiled, “Xiulan, why didn’t you let someone bring a letter when you come back so that mom can save food for you? Those girls are all gone at noon, I’m so angry!”

The old lady is not big but she has a full voice.

Gao Xiulan said in her heart I still don’t know what you, the old woman can give the girls to eat; the good things must be hidden.

Sure enough, the old lady pulled her into the house and said, “Go, Mom has left food for you to eat. Let’s go into the house and eat.”

Gao Xiulan said immediately, “Mom, don’t worry, I’ve brought you something to eat.”

Then she took out a bowl of meat from the back basket. Well, chicken head and chicken butt are also meat.

Then she choked up, “Mom, I’m useless. My sons and daughters-in-law dominated the family, so this is all that is left for me. I brought them all and let my sister-in-law give you a taste.”

In this famine year, there is no need to pay attention to what meat is good or not, as long as it is meat, it is a precious thing.

Old lady Gao flushed with excitement, and took her daughter’s arm, “Our family Xiulan is the most filial, and most like me. Go, go, go, mom left food for you, a lot of food.”

Gao Xiulan’s smile became more obvious when she heard her mother’s words.

When she entered the house, the old lady took out all the good things in the house and loaded them into Gao Xiulan’s back basket.

Gao Xiulan didn’t care, she just watched from the side, “My sister-in-law will fuss about this, Mom.”

“She said a fart!” Mrs. Gao cursed directly, “I can’t call the shots of my son’s things? If she can have more children, I will give her food even if I don’t eat it. Heartless bastard! I fed her so much good food but only gave our family a grandson in poor health, and blamed me for bullying her. Where did she get such a big face?”

As she was scolding, Gao Xiulan’s sister-in-law also came back.

She came back deliberately after hearing the news of the third sister’s return. Stepping inside the house, she saw the old lady put the family’s brown sugar into the third sister’s back basket. She almost vomited blood out of anger.

Her daughter was in confinement and came to the house to beg for brown sugar, but she couldn’t hold her head up when she was scolded. When it was the third sister’s turn, she gave as much as she could. Is this old lady confused?

“Oh, Xiulan is back. Fortunately, I came back and see you. Otherwise, the house would be empty and I wouldn’t know who had come.”

Gao Xiulan smiled, “What is my sister-in-law saying? You really think I came to ask for something. Mom is doting me, can I deny it? Besides, there is only one child in the family who is not married yet. He can’t eat brown sugar water. Is it possible that the sister-in-law is going to subsidize your daughter?”

“Xiulan, you are also a married woman.” her sister-in-law smiled.

Gao Xiulan said, “That’s different, I came out of my mother’s belly. Can it be the same?”

“Of course it’s not the same,” the old lady said with a stern face, “this is what my son earns, why can’t I give it to my daughter? My daughter gave birth to a son, can your daughter have a son? Your daughter gave birth to a girl and she came back to ask for brown sugar? I’m afraid that people will point at my nose and say I’m subjugating people.”

Eldest sister-in-law Gao was overwhelmed by the old lady’s words. She was so angry that her eyes turned red. Didn’t she just find an excuse to be afraid of her husband’s disgust, so she said casually, and she was hated for a lifetime?

Old lady Gao is not afraid of her. After putting things in Gao Xiulan’s back basket, she said again, “If you miss anything, come back and tell mom.”

“Oh mother, I knew you love me.” Gao Xiulan smiled, and regardless of Gao’s sister-in-law sulking next to her, she asked, “Mom, have you heard my brother say anything about the relief food? Many people in our team have been cut off. I’m worried.”

“Yes, the last time you asked, I asked your brother to inquire. He said it would take a while. Aren’t you busy harvesting food now? Only after you have harvested can you get relief food. At any rate, we have to wait for the autumn harvest.”

Hearing these words, Gao Xiulan is not happy. This is really going to starve people to death.

When she got the news, Gao Xiulan hurried home to find her daughter.

“Mom, I have to go back. There’s still a lot of things to do at home. As a grandmother, I’m worried. I can’t help it, there are so many grandchildren in the family.”

Old Mrs. Gao was envious. She wanted to worry about her grandchildren. Unfortunately, she has only one grandson. He is still in poor health and cannot get a wife.

Gao Xiulan arrived with a big swing and walked away from Mrs. Gao3I will use Mrs. Gao instead of Eldest sister-in-law. Or do you prefer Dasao Gao which is the chinese term for it? Pls comment below. with a big swing.

Mrs. Gao was so angry that her body shook twice.

It’s really bad luck. In the beginning, she saw that Old Gao’s family had only one son and thought she could be in charge of the family. Who thought she will live so oppressed!

Old lady Gao didn’t care about her, she took the meat that Gao Xiulan had given, and went into the kitchen, preparing to cook it for her grandson at night.

Her grandson is in poor health, but she needs to make up for it. Otherwise, other girls are not willing to marry him.

Su Qinghe didn’t expect her mother to go to her family’s house in a rush, and when she came back, she brought brown sugar and dried sweet potatoes. And there are a lot of them.

Of course, Gao Xiulan’s heart is not very good. She puts things in the room and said to her precious girl,

“Qing’er, I asked your grandmother. We can’t get relief food for a while. Our family really has to rely on your father. Otherwise, our family will be starving.

No, I have to talk to your dad tonight, no matter what, he has to get food for us. We can’t starve our Qing’er. When I think of you not eating, my heart hurts, I can’t wait to cut off my own meat for you to eat. Don’t worry, I heard that human meat is more fragrant than pork.”

Su Qinghe: “…Mom, if my dad knows the difficulties at home, he must deliver food to the family. My dad loves us. By the way, there is also the old hen at home, you remember to tell my dad.”

Gao Xiulan nodded quickly, “Yes, this must not be forgotten. Our Qing’er needs eggs to nourish her body.”

There is no dinner in the evening. Even Su Qinghe just ate some dried sweet potatoes.

But even if there is no food to eat, everyone’s eyes are fixed in the direction of the kitchen. There was light in their eyes. Then, under the urging of Gao Xiulan, they dawdled back to their rooms to go to bed.

Su Qinghe also went back to her room to sleep. After all, it’s better to sleep while waiting; time passes faster.

When she slept until midnight, Su Qinghe suddenly heard a ding, and then the system’s mechanical voice, “B-level cooking task assessment task – authentic farmhouse old hen soup completed, rewarding 1 skill point and two old hens laying eggs.”

“We were the people who were not in the papers. We lived in the blank white spaces at the edges of print. It gave us more freedom. We lived in the gaps between the stories.”

~ Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale

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