Chapter 43: The Great Plan for Making Money

  Thank you for reminding me, Blue Water Pearl. I was too hasty when posting yesterday and didn't notice the big mistake. Next time I'll be more careful. Also, thank you to Da Li Tang for your long-term support, Huo Wu LHH2012, May sister, Zi Yan? Zhao Yi Lin and other dear friends for your rewards and support. Momo will continue to work hard.

  When they returned home, the sky had gradually darkened. Several mischievous boys quietly opened the door and sneaked into the house when no one was paying attention to them.

  Chen Xuejiao and a few big girls sent things into the kitchen, saw that the people inside had almost all finished, good guys, steaming, frying, stir-frying, and boiling, brought out all their skills, it's really like Chinese New Year.

  Sister Xi poked her head into the kitchen, saw everyone busy with the finishing touches, sniffed her little nose, and it really smelled good. Thinking about tonight's dishes, she decided that tonight must be a big feast. Patting her belly, she comforted herself saying: "Alright, don't worry, I promise you'll eat your fill soon."

  Hey, little girl, don't you think about it, with your small build, how much can you eat? I reckon not even a third of what others can eat. And yet you still have the nerve to want to indulge in a big feast, aren't you silly?

  "Second sister-in-law, take a look at the fish we just caught. Not bad, right? Why don't we add another dish for tonight?" Chen Xuejiao asked Xue Shi while looking at the bucket of fish.

  "We've prepared a lot of food today, so let's just eat it tomorrow instead. The fish won't go bad anyway." Xue Shi replied after glancing at the other dishes on the table.

  "No, no, mom, I want to eat fish." Lao Er's family Chen Maomao was not having it, why couldn't they eat the fish that others had worked hard to catch?

  They won't be eating at the old house tomorrow, so how can they not eat fish? Besides, others also want to taste their own labor results.

  So he said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, you're being too stingy, just let the kids eat if they want to. Those few little rascals might not even be full from these dishes. It's no joke that my two little rascals can worry me to death just by eating. If they keep eating like this, they'll bankrupt our family."

  Mr. Zhao also deeply agrees, isn't that right? Every time his family eats a meal, it's like going to war; fortunately, most of the grain they eat is grown by themselves, otherwise, I reckon the whole family would have gone hungry long ago.

  "Alright, have it your way. However, since you're the ones who brought this fish, we'll give you an opportunity. We won't interfere, you can do as you please, and we'll see how our daughters' culinary skills turn out." He proposed with a sly smile.

  "Alright, let's do as sister-in-law says." The two sisters-in-law saw the look in their sister-in-law's eyes and unanimously agreed. They took off their aprons and were about to head out the door.

  "Hey, don't go!" Chen Qianqian, the eldest daughter of the family, saw that several people were about to leave and ran up to stop them. She looked at how they didn't even turn their heads as they walked away and stomped her foot, "You're leaving, what are we going to do? We won't be able to eat dinner tonight!"

  "Qianqian, don't chase after them. Who says we can't do it? We must do a good job this time and not let them look down on us." Chen Xuejiao, being several years older than them, naturally noticed the subtle signals exchanged between the sisters-in-law, including their deliberate attempts to make things difficult for them.

  "Hmph, she didn't believe it, could these few fish really hold her back? But imagination is beautiful, reality is cruel."

  "Damn it, this fish is so slippery." Chen Xuejiao, who had finally lost her patience, threw the knife to the side and sulked.

  Outside, the three sneaky people who had long since "walked far away" were eavesdropping on the kitchen wall, listening to the movements inside. Zhao's anxious voice whispered to He: "Elder sister, it's getting late, if we don't go in now, dinner will be delayed, or else...".

  "Hey, little brother and sister, wait a bit, let's see what those girls are up to." He Shi had completely made up her mind to tease them, couldn't help but say, their own daughter was among them too, which mother would look at her own child like that? Hmph, this heartless mother.

  Xi Mei, who was drooling over the delicious food, faintly heard whispers coming from the corner of the wall. She turned her big round eyes and pulled at her aunt's sleeve to signal her to listen.

  Chen Xuejiao listened and nodded, "Ah, I see. So those people really came to mock us, huh?" Just as she was about to get angry, she saw the little girl shaking her head at her, looking puzzled, and squatting down, "Little auntie, we can't admit defeat, right? We just don't know how to clean fish, watch me."

  After finishing, Jiemei struggled to lift the bucket with two fish in it and walked unsteadily to the door. She opened the door, put the fish at the entrance, closed her eyes and prayed loudly.

  "Goddess of Mercy, we caught a lot of fish today and thought of giving some to Grandpa since he's not feeling well. But the aunties wanted to give us kids a chance to present them, so we have to do it properly. The thing is, none of us know how to clean the fish."

  She paused and looked at the several dark shadows in the corner of the wall, "Niang Niang, my mother and the others always say that you know everything and can help us with any difficulties. Can you help us clean up the fish?"

  "What? You said you can? Alright then, I'll wait. Later I'll come to get the fish. Thank you, Guanyin Bodhisattva." After saying that, she slammed the door shut with a 'bang'.

  Leaning against the door, Xi Mei smiled slyly and said "Haha, I don't believe you won't help us." Ask her why she knew.

  It's simple, they won't mess it up, and adults would be embarrassed to come back now to help them. This way is giving them a step down, and also saving their own face.

  Also, this is what she said was caught for her grandfather, although there is a bit of water in it, but who knows if it's fake? Just because they are so filial, how can adults not be moved and satisfied?

  Finally, hum, just her mother-in-law, she's like a protective mother hen, can't bear to see them anxious.

  As expected, the three people outside heard the door close and came out. Looking at the fish in the bucket, Zhao said, "Let's hurry up and help clean up, the kids are hungry too."

  He thought for a moment, but seeing that there was only the fish in the bucket and nothing else had been taken out, he said helplessly, "What to do now? No knife, no tools, we have to use our hands. This ghost girl, we must have fallen into their trap."

  "Never mind all that now, sister-in-law. Your house is close by, hurry up and bring a knife or something over. We don't have much time."

  He Shi had no choice but to run back, Zhao Shi helplessly looked at the kitchen door, smiled helplessly and scolded "little girl".

  In a little while, Mr. He came running over, panting and holding tools in his hand. Xue and Zhao took the things and started working without daring to say much.

  Inside the house, several sisters were leaning against the door listening to the outside sounds, all covering their mouths and laughing. Xi Mei even patted Xi Mei's little head, rarely praising her with a sentence "Well done, ghost girl."

  As they heard the sound of the door creaking open, they slowed down their movements, guessing that it was all right. Xi Mei pretended to be eager and opened the door, just as San Guniang had barely hidden herself for a moment.

  "Oh, Bodhisattva Guanyin really heard my prayer and helped us catch the fish? Great, soon Grandpa can eat big fish. I'll tell Mom when I get home." After that, she carried the processed fish into the kitchen.

  He Cang's wife indignantly said: "This little girl, how could Guanyin kill? Besides, Guanyin is so busy, how would she have time to bother with your trivial matters? And even if Guanyin really helped you kill, wouldn't you need to give her a tool?"

  What a nuisance! She had to run back to get things, the more she thought about it, the more it didn't feel right. "Are we really being played by Xiao Yatou?" Madame He finally came to her senses and shouted.

  Xue hastily covered her mouth, "You've only just reacted, okay? They won't expose us, so let's pretend we don't know. Hurry up and leave, the three of you are almost 100 years old combined, yet still so childish."

  In the kitchen, Xi Mei brought over the fish and the sisters started to get busy. Xi Ju remembered a dish that Zhao Shi had made before and took the initiative to ask for it. The others didn't have any reason not to agree, after all, her culinary skills were well-known.

  Add water to the pot, put in 2 tablespoons of lard, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and then scoop some braising liquid from the basin where Zhao's family just braised meat into it. Add 3 tablespoons of white sugar, fragrant oil, a little salt, and then add homegrown chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and chopped scallions, ginger, garlic, star anise, and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat.

  While cooking, cut the processed fish into blocks and put them in Sichuan pepper powder to marinate. After a moment, coat them with a layer of white flour.

  In this process, the soup has been cooked, and it is poured into a basin.

  Take out another small pot and add oil. When it's 80% cooked, add the fish pieces and fry until they're golden yellow, then scoop them out.

  The fried fish pieces were put into the ready-made soup to soak until the fish was flavorful. After finishing these, I turned back to see those few people, and they all looked stupid.

  Chen Xuejiao patted Xi Jiu's shoulder and smiled, saying, "Not bad, you're much better than me." After that, several others started chattering and asking questions.

  "Xǐ Jú little sister, how did you learn it? Your technique is too skilled!"

  "Sister, sister, come home with me, so I can eat delicious fish every day."

  "You little foodie, my sister's cooking is not just about making fish dishes delicious." Xi Mei tapped Chen Maomao's head.

  "Really? Does Jī Jú jiě make other delicious dishes?" Sniffling, smelling the aroma, whispering: "Much better than my sister, all she knows is eating."

  She provoked her sister Chen Juanjuan to chase and beat her in the house. It is said that three women are a play. These girls are almost as noisy as a group of ducks.

  Looking at everyone's smiling faces, Xi Mei suddenly thought, with so many people, why can't they develop the family business? With her family members, there's no need to worry about others fighting over property; if all else fails, they can just split up and do their own thing later.

  Isn't it about making money first now? With so many hands, I'm not afraid of being too busy to come, haha, I'm really a genius, I can make money and pull my family together, how great is that? Thinking about counting money in the future, my hands cramp up and I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

  "Xǐ mèi, xiào shén me na?" Xǐ hé nà mèn de wèn dào.

  Translation:

  "What's so funny, sister?" Xihe asked with a puzzled expression.

  "It's nothing, it's nothing, haha, haha."

  "Provoking Xihe's white eyes, 'Hehe what, like a pig, stupid to death.'"

  As if she hadn't heard Xiaosan's teasing, Ximei continued to laugh non-stop, planning to go and discuss with them later.

  Whistling a little tune, la la, money, I'm coming!