072. Tough, Braised Fish Fillets

The words that Li Xiaomei spoke left Liu Fangfang brimming with frustration. Only then did she realize that the resources in the river were not collectively owned—anyone could fish them out as they pleased. She had been so intent on finding fault with the two of them that she’d completely forgotten this point.

“Hmph!” Knowing she had no grounds to argue further, Liu Fangfang raised her chin haughtily, her expression filled with contempt as she pulled Zhang Yun away.

“How absurd!” Li Xiaomei watched their retreating figures with evident dissatisfaction. Those two always relied on their status as city girls to look down on the village girls, refusing to play with them.

Li Xiaomei was well aware of her family’s poverty; few were willing to befriend her. She never forced herself into the company of those who didn’t welcome her, unlike many village girls who fawned over the city girls in hopes of gaining some benefit. Li Xiaomei knew they looked down on her, so instead of wasting her energy, she preferred to help her family with farm work.

Usually, she lived by the principle that less trouble is better than more. She didn’t wish to provoke those girls, and when they made snide remarks, she let them slide, not wanting to bring trouble home. But today, when they came looking for trouble again—and with her beloved Sister Jing as their target—she simply couldn’t remain indifferent.

Seeing Li Xiaomei bristle in her defense, Jing Qingxin felt a warm sense of comfort. She hadn’t expected Xiaomei to have such a bold side, but she rather liked it. A girl with too soft a temperament was bound to be bullied.

Li Xiaomei turned to see her sister smiling at her, and her cheeks flushed slightly as she said in a soft voice, “They just like to stir up trouble for no reason. They’re always spoiled in the village, especially that Liu Fangfang.”

“I can tell,” Jing Qingxin replied with a gentle smile. “But I like the way you stood up to them. Endlessly giving in only makes others think you’re easy to push around.”

“I know! Thank you, Sister Jing.” Li Xiaomei answered happily, as long as her sister didn’t think she was too headstrong. After all, women these days were expected to be gentle and obedient.

The two of them returned home in high spirits, quickly leaving the earlier episode behind.

At that moment, Jing Qingxin was busy preparing a lavish dinner. With so many ingredients at hand, she could finally give free rein to her culinary skills and felt quite content.

Watching Jing Qingxin’s bright smile, Gao Shen couldn’t help but be cheered as well. He sat by the hearth, tending the fire. When he saw her return with six large fish, he was momentarily stunned, but recalling her abilities, he quickly understood.

Jing Qingxin had originally intended to give Li Xiaomei three of the fish, but after much gentle insistence, Xiaomei only accepted the two smallest ones, refusing to take more no matter how Jing Qingxin urged her. In the end, Jing Qingxin didn’t press further and decided simply to prepare extra dishes that night for the Li family. They might catch fish themselves, but knowing their frugal ways, she suspected they’d be reluctant to cook and eat them.

The remaining four fish, all wounded by tree branches, were barely alive when they got home and couldn’t be kept much longer. The largest, weighing seven or eight pounds, Jing Qingxin cut into pieces to make braised fish, using the head for a clear fish soup. The other three she stored in her “Luminous Brocade” space to keep fresh and eat slowly; fortunately, the space maintained a constant temperature, perfect for preservation. Otherwise, she would have had to cook them all at once, which would have been overwhelming.

The stove had only two hearths. In one pot, she simmered the fish head soup, adding dried shiitake mushrooms and goji berries—ingredients she’d bought earlier, considering their convenience and long shelf life.

On the other hearth, she was making braised fish pieces. If she’d had tofu, it would have been even better—braised fish with tofu was a favorite of hers. But with limited ingredients, she could only make a simple braised fish. Such was the dilemma: even the best cook could do little without enough provisions.

As the pot bubbled, the aroma of fish filled the kitchen. Jing Qingxin moved with brisk efficiency, soon finishing the braised fish. With a satisfied smile, she picked up a piece, blew on it gently, and held it to Gao Shen’s lips, her eyes full of anticipation.

Gao Shen smiled silently and opened his mouth to taste the fish. With a pleased expression, he praised her, “It’s delicious!”

He was not being polite. He’d had braised fish before, but none tasted quite as good as Jing Qingxin’s.

Hearing this, Jing Qingxin’s face lit up with joy. What could compare to the delight of having her beloved praise her cooking?

She quickly set to steaming rice for the two of them; with only two hearths, the rice had to wait until the dishes were done. She divided the large bowl of braised fish into two portions, placing one half in another enamel bowl and covering both to keep them warm.

Next, she started to clean the fish mint she’d picked earlier. She still preferred this name for the herb and wasn’t used to the local nickname. The wild fish mint had an even stronger aroma. Using her own seasonings, she made a cold dressed fish mint salad.

She’d picked a full basket, and even after cleaning and trimming, there was enough for two plates. She’d already promised Xiaomei earlier that she’d bring one over for their family to taste.

Jing Qingxin placed the braised fish and the salad into a bamboo basket and, after letting Gao Shen know, set off to deliver them to the Li family next door.

Arriving at their courtyard, she saw Li Xiaomei chopping pigweed, while white smoke curled from the kitchen chimney—Aunt Li must be making dinner. Since the Li family worked the land, they always started dinner later, which meant Jing Qingxin could add two dishes to their evening meal.

“Xiaomei, here you go, just as I promised. Take this inside and try my cooking,” Jing Qingxin said cheerfully, handing over the basket.

Li Xiaomei accepted it gladly, but as soon as she saw the enamel bowl inside, she protested, “No, Sister Jing, you’ve already given us two fish. You shouldn’t bring cooked fish for us too. Please take it back and eat it yourselves.”

“Xiaomei, don’t refuse just yet. Think about it: in this weather, cooked dishes might spoil by the next day. We have four fish, far too much for just the two of us, Gao Shen and I. So don’t argue. Take it inside and let Uncle Li and Aunt Li taste my cooking,” Jing Qingxin replied with a smile. Such honest folk—she even had to reason with her just to give them a couple of dishes.

“All right, thank you, Sister Jing,” Xiaomei finally agreed, embarrassed to refuse her kindness again. She resolved to find more ways to help Sister Jing in the future.

——Author’s Note——

Dear readers, don’t just lurk—come out and say hello.

This book is first published on Xiaoxiang Academy. Please do not repost!