With those words, she pulled Li Xiuli toward the Kitchen.
He first took the firewood off the top of the large basket, piece by piece, revealing the plump Dahua Wild Chicken inside.
“Grandma, look, I wasn't lying!”
The Kitchens at this time were built casually, basically just enough to block the wind and rain, with no attention paid to their appearance.
The least valuable thing in the countryside was land, and the Kitchen wasn't small; the door was a wooden door they made themselves.
There was a firewood stove, with a chipped iron pot set on top.
There was a wooden Bellows.
Against the wall was a Cutting board, about a meter long and half a meter wide.
On top of it were placed utensils like ceramic jars, wooden ladles, and gourd dippers.
Hearing her eldest grandson, Li Mu’s first reaction was to quickly close the Kitchen door.
Her face, etched with the marks of time, was filled with joy, “Oh my, my dear, it really is a Wild Chicken! Where did this come from?”
After several years of famine, the wild game around Little Green Mountain had become scarce.
A Wild Chicken this plump, she hadn't seen one for at least almost two years.
Gou Dan’s skinny face showed pride, his small head held high.
“My Little Aunt found it.”
He thought his Little Aunt was incredibly capable.
Li Mu’s expression cleared with understanding, “It’s Tangtang, my Daughter is indeed capable.”
As she spoke, she looked at Lin Tang with a face full of pride.
She was not surprised at all.
In her mind, Lin Tang was like a little doll blessed with fortune.
Let alone just a Wild Chicken, she wouldn't even be surprised if she found a Wild Boar.
At this moment, her face was full of pride and joy, completely lacking the look of distasteful Dislike she had when Gou Dan first mentioned there was meat.
“Tangtang, where did you find it? You didn't go up the mountain, did you? There are wild beasts on the mountain,” Li Mu asked with a worried expression.
She didn't want her Daughter to be harmed for the sake of this bit of meat.
Lin Tang’s heart softened under Li Mu’s loving gaze, and she stepped forward to take her Arm.
She smiled softly, “No, I listened to Mother and only looked around at the Foot of the mountain.”
As for going up the mountain, she dared not mention it, fearing restrictions on her movements in the future.
Gou Dan lifted his small face, looking eagerly at Li Mu, his face full of longing.
“Grandma, can we eat meat tonight?”
He really wanted to eat meat!
His mother said the work in the fields was very hard.
Grandparents, his Father, and his Uncles were all very, very tired and needed to eat something good to replenish themselves.
He wanted the whole family to eat together.
Li Mu didn't know what her eldest grandson was thinking; she pondered for a moment and Said:
“Your Little Aunt asked me to stir-fry a plate of Eggs tonight. If we eat meat, we won't stir-fry the Eggs.
If we eat Eggs tonight, we’ll save the meat for tomorrow. Do we still want to eat meat today?”
Every household was living frugally now; many families couldn't even afford bean cakes.
Good things were hoarded as if they needed to last a year; they certainly couldn't be used up in one meal.
Gou Dan barely hesitated, his eyes shining as if they held Firelight.
“We’ll eat Eggs today, and meat tomorrow.”
That way, everyone could have some!
Li Mu rubbed her eldest grandson’s head, “What a clever little ghost you are!”
Gou Dan scratched his head, chuckled, and sweetly flattered her.
“Grandma is smart, and Little Aunt is smart, so that’s why I’m smart.”
That One sentence made Lin Tang and her mother smile broadly.
Lin Tang looked at Gou Dan, thinking that she didn't remember him being this talkative.
Look at that little mouth that knows how to praise people; if this were Later generations, he would surely be a talent.
After shooing her eldest grandson out of the Kitchen, Li Mu swiftly and cleanly killed the chicken.
She boiled a pot of Hot water, scalded the chicken, and plucked the feathers.
“Mother, I’ll help you,” Lin Tang said, rolling up her sleeves and squatting down next to Li Mu.
Her small face was fair and tender, with red lips and white teeth.
When she squatted down, she was just a small bundle, her eyes as clear as lake water, impossibly beautiful.
Li Mu’s heart softened under her Daughter’s gaze, and she smiled with a face full of affection.
“This little bit of work doesn't require your help. Go back to your room and rest. If you’re really Bored, go read a book.”
She kept her away, absolutely refusing to let her lend a hand.
Lin Tang, having been refused, looked awkward, “…”
She forgot that she rarely did housework at home.
“Okay, then I’ll go back to my room.”
Li Mu waved her away with a smile, “Go on, go on, go rest in your room.”
A country girl living in this era certainly couldn't be completely useless.
But who told her that her Tangtang had three Brother and four male cousins?
At home, the heavy work was done by the men, and the housework was handled by her and her two Daughters-in-law.
Why would her Daughter need to do it!
This world was already harsh toward women.
What was wrong with spoiling her own Daughter a bit more while she was still young?!
Li Xiuli was brisk in nature and quick at work.
In no time, she had plucked all the feathers.
Once the firm muscles and plump, white flesh were revealed, it looked incredibly tempting.
Just then, the rest of the Lin Family returned.
Lin San Ge was restless and a lifelong bachelor; he thought of Lin Tang in everything he did.
After not seeing her for just one afternoon, he learned from his Eldest Nephew that his sister was in the Kitchen.
As if he hadn't seen her for years, he excitedly shouted, “Sister, Sister, Third Brother is back.”
He rushed to the Kitchen door and nearly collided head-on with Li Mu, who was opening the door.
“Brat, what’s the rush? How old are you? Can’t you be a bit steadier?”
Lin Qingmu saw he almost bumped into Old Mother and scratched his head guiltily.
Then, he quickly backed up a few steps, his face showing lingering shock.
It was a good thing he braked in time.
Otherwise, bumping into Old Mother would have earned him a combined beating from Father and Mother.
Just as he was about to crack a joke to smooth things over,
he turned his head and saw the pale white meat on the Cutting board.
“...Mother, Mother, is that... is that meat?! Did you kill our Old Hen?!”
As he spoke, drool uncontrollably escaped his mouth.
He looked at it with intense longing.
It wasn't that he was greedy; it was that people at this time lacked fats and oils so much.
It was bad enough that meals were watery, but the Crucial Point was that they often didn't have Enough to eat.
They would wake up starving every night.
Under these circumstances, who wouldn't crave meat?
Hearing Third Brother’s voice, Lin Qingshan and Lin Qingshui stopped washing their hands and rushed over.
Good heavens, it really was meat!!!
The two brothers stood in a line with Lin Qingmu, all equally drooling, mouths agape.
Their eyes spelled out two words: Greedy!
Lin Fu also slowly walked over, interrupting the scolding Li Mu was about to deliver.
“Isn’t our Old Hen in the backyard? Where did this meat come from?”
Although Lin Fu hadn't tasted oil in a long time either, he still had to maintain the Face of an old Father and forced himself to endure.
The Lin family's three brothers forcibly shifted their Line of sight away.
Pairs of eager eyes stared fixedly at Old Mother.
Li Mu looked proud, lifting her chin high, and Said with a tone of pride, “Tangtang found it.”
After saying that, she slowly waited for everyone’s reaction.
Lin Lu showed emotion, smiling honestly, “My Daughter is truly blessed.”
“As expected of Tangtang, her luck is just too good!” This was Lin Qingmu.
“...First finding Eggs, and now finding a Wild Chicken, Tangtang’s luck is just too great,” Lin Qingshan agreed.
“Where did Sister find it?” Lin Qingshui asked with curiosity on his face.