As noon approached, Mo Yan and Shen Youyou returned with their harvest.
Today they were lucky. Near the stream, they had spotted a group of wild ducks slowly coming ashore. Mo Yan’s quick reflexes and sharp aim allowed him to shoot several arrows, and in the end, they caught five ducks.
The rest had managed to escape.
While tidying up the remains, Mo Yan muttered:
“We were really lucky today. I’ve never seen such a large group of ducks before.”
Shen Youyou remained quiet, but a thought crossed her mind: ever since coming to this ancient time, her luck had seemed unusually good. Could it be that after transmigrating, she had become some kind of lucky charm? A cursed star turned into a blessing?
But that was just speculation—she decided to wait and see. Otherwise, people would surely say she was bragging.
Seeing them return with so many ducks, Li Shi was overjoyed. This was meat! She hadn’t seen this much meat in ages.
She quickly said to them:
“You two go have some water and rest for a bit. I’ll handle these. Big things you can’t help with, but this little task I can manage.”
“All right,” Shen Youyou agreed without objection. Coming down from the mountain had been tiring, so she and Mo Yan sat together on the small bamboo stools in the courtyard. These were the ones Shen Fu had used while resting in bed.
Shen Nan quickly brought warm water for his sister and Mo Ge to drink.
“This water was boiled earlier and has cooled—so it’s safe to drink,” he said.
Thanks to Shen Youyou’s patient guidance, the whole family had developed the habit of drinking cooled boiled water, so the kitchen always had some ready to drink.
Feeling the care of her family, Shen Youyou’s heart swelled with emotion. She didn’t know what kind of good karma her ancestors had accumulated, allowing her a second chance at life and a family who cared so much. She was no longer alone. This feeling was wonderful.
After resting for a while, Mo Yan went to find the two younger children.
Once Shen Youyou had recovered some strength, she joined Li Shi to pluck and clean the ducks.
They brought the meat to the kitchen for braising. Since there were quite a few ducks, Shen Youyou decided to braise some in her own kitchen with five-spice flavor, and the remaining ducks were taken to Mo Yan’s simple kitchen nearby.
Although his kitchen was rarely used, it was functional. It was perfect for braising the spicy-flavored duck, saving her the trouble of doing it all in one pot. After all, Mo Yan wasn’t cooking anymore, so leaving the kitchen empty would be wasteful.
Once everything was arranged, Shen Youyou checked to make sure no one was watching and slipped into the “Mǎnmǎn Mini Kitchen.” She took out several packs of braising spices and began cooking. She felt grateful for the kitchen’s capabilities—no matter how much she used today, tomorrow it would replenish itself. She would have an endless supply of ingredients and seasonings.
For a chef, especially in a time with scarce resources, this was pure bliss.
After braising the ducks, she soaked them overnight in the marinade so they would absorb the flavors fully. They would be ready to sell in town the next day, and she could pull them out in the morning.
With that done, Shen Youyou prepared dinner.
Lunch had been Li Shi’s cooking—not particularly tasty, but enough to fill everyone’s stomachs. Thinking about the silver they would earn tomorrow, Shen Youyou was excited and wanted to cook a proper, delicious meal for the family in the evening.
Her eyes fell on the fish in the wooden basin. It had been caught earlier by Nan Nan and the others and had been kept at home.
Li Shi had never cooked fish before, so it had remained untouched.
The fish wasn’t large—only about two to three pounds. If the whole family were to share it, it wouldn’t be enough. It would be better to make a fish soup, which would allow everyone to have a big bowl, providing nutrition and helping the children recover. Shen Fu’s leg had improved as well and could benefit from it.
If only she had tofu… While the Mǎnmǎn Mini Kitchen had tofu in its fridge, she didn’t dare take it out, unsure how to explain its source—it wasn’t a mere seasoning, so it was complicated.
She suddenly remembered that when she was a child, villagers often sold freshly made tofu. She wondered if this era even had tofu.
Curious, she tentatively asked Li Shi:
“Mother, do you know about tofu?”
Li Shi looked up and replied matter-of-factly:
“Of course. Wang Po on the east side of the village sells it. But it’s not very tasty—slightly bitter. Sometimes when people get tired of their own vegetables, they buy some, mix it with a bit of salt, and eat it for a change.”
Shen Youyou’s eyes lit up. She quickly asked:
“Really? Is it cheap? Can we get some to make soup with the fish?”
“Of course. It’s very cheap. We don’t need silver; I can trade some coarse rice for a block. Wait here—I’ll be back soon.”
Hearing her daughter wanted tofu, Li Shi eagerly agreed, wiped her hands on her apron, and went to fetch coarse rice.
If other things couldn’t be obtained, tofu at least was possible. Rarely, when a daughter makes a request, it must be fulfilled.
Li Shi hurried down the mountain. Although their home was a bit far from Wang Po’s, she could still make it back in time for dinner.
Soon enough, she returned, beaming. In addition to the tofu, she had three eggs in hand and said:
“These three eggs were given to me by Shuanzhi Niang when I passed by her house. She knew our family was struggling recently and wanted to help. Once our situation improves, I’ll return the favor.”
Shen Youyou was delighted. With eggs, she could make a pot of tofu and fish soup with poached eggs—perfect for the family.
Curious, she asked:
“Mother, are you and Shuanzhi Niang close?”
“Yes. We both married into Shenjia Village in the same year. When we first arrived, we were unfamiliar with life here, so we often kept each other company. Then, a year later, we both became pregnant—it felt like fate. But she was luckier than me; her mother-in-law had already passed, so she was in charge. I, on the other hand, struggled and lived a rather pitiful life,” Li Shi said, recalling the past with a tinge of sadness.
Shen Youyou quickly comforted her:
“It’s all in the past, Mother. Our family will get better and better. There will be a chance to return the favor to her someday.”