“Village chief, my wife’s cooking is quite good. Let me bring you some to try.”
His voice was gentle, with no hint of emotion. Even though he had been exiled here, the thought that he had long held a high position still made the village chief feel as if a blade were hanging over his head.
“Xian-nephew Xiao, you’re too polite. Since the dispute has already been resolved, I’ll take my leave.”
Xiao Xian looked ahead indifferently. No matter how Li Miaomiao tried to explain, Li Sanniang and Aunt Pang kept persuading and stopping her nonstop.
“If you don’t try it, those two will probably stay here until dawn.”
Following his gaze, the village chief finally understood. He wasn’t being courteous or flattering at all—he simply found the crowd too noisy.
“I’ll go tell them to leave.”
“No need. Please sit in the main hall for a moment.”
Seeing him hobble toward the kitchen with his cane, the village chief thought of the instructions from above. How could he possibly sit still?
“Xian-nephew Xiao, your legs aren’t convenient. I’ll do it myself.”
But by the time he went in, Xiao Xian had already ladled out a bowl of stewed pork intestines with white radish. The kitchen lighting was dim, and only after stepping out did the village chief realize that the fragrant soup actually contained intestines.
It wasn’t until Xiao Xian set the bowl on the table in the main hall that the chief noticed—even while supporting himself with one hand on his cane, not a single drop had spilled.
After placing the chopsticks beside the bowl, Xiao Xian turned and made a polite gesture.
“Village chief, please.”
The chief looked at the faint smile on the man’s face, then at the bowl. No matter how delicious it might be, once he thought of what it was, his appetite vanished.
Yet Xiao Xian’s manners were flawless. On the surface, he seemed gentle and refined, but in truth there was a blade hidden behind the smile. The chief simply had no choice.
At his age, he never expected to run into a fallen high official like this. With a sigh, he clasped his hands behind his back and walked over with his head lowered.
Xiao Xian sat opposite him, calmly watching him eat.
The chief ate with the heart of a condemned man. But after two bites, his expression changed dramatically.
“It has no smell at all!”
He steadied his breathing and continued eating, then drank a large mouthful of soup. After finishing the entire bowl, he still felt unsatisfied.
In disbelief, he said, “Xian-nephew Xiao, did Li Miaomiao really make this? I’ve never tasted intestines cooked this well.”
Xiao Xian saw the astonishment in his eyes and nodded calmly.
The chief stroked his beard and let out a long sound of surprise. “How did I not know she had such skill?”
Xiao Xian looked outside at the three people still arguing. His gaze lingered on the young woman for a few seconds, and his cool voice carried a hint of an unreadable smile.
“Perhaps her late mother-in-law taught her when she was young.”
Only then did the village chief remember that Li Miaomiao’s maternal family had been in the restaurant business. When her mother was alive, he had once eaten at Old Li’s home—the food had been exceptional.
“You’re right.”
No wonder Xiao Xian, who had once been a high official, urged him to eat. He must have already tasted it himself.
The chief was surprised that someone of Xiao Xian’s former status would eat such things. Even common folk looked down on them, let alone nobles.
Outside, Li Miaomiao felt her head spinning from their noise. No matter how she explained, the two women refused to listen.
When the others saw Xiao Xian invite the village chief to eat, they gradually left. Only Aunt Pang, Li Sanniang, and Li Miaomiao remained in the courtyard.
The two women each grabbed one of her arms and pulled her back.
“Li Miaomiao, listen to us,” Li Sanniang said. “If you eat that, you’ll feel sick to death.”
“Li Miaomiao,” Aunt Pang added, “why are you as stubborn as your father? Your Aunt Li is right. That stuff is disgusting—even dogs won’t eat it. Stop being so stubborn.”
If she weren’t afraid of knocking them over, Li Miaomiao would have shaken them off long ago.
She took a deep breath, helpless. “Aunties, stop pulling. My arm will dislocate if you keep this up.”
Seeing her stretched out awkwardly and crying in pain, they quickly let go.
Li Miaomiao rubbed her arm. She suspected Aunt Pang was taking the chance to get revenge. Sure enough, when she looked up, Aunt Pang was grinning.
“Li Miaomiao, we’re only concerned about you.”
The smile was clearly malicious. Li Miaomiao chuckled, her eyes cold.
“I’ve felt your concern very personally. There’s nothing left to watch here, so please go.”
The dismissal was obvious. Aunt Pang could no longer stay to enjoy the drama and laughed awkwardly.
“Li Sanniang, let’s leave together.”
Li Sanniang lived next door to the village chief and saw him chatting with Xiao Xian in the main hall. She planned to leave with him and refused.
“You go first. I’ll wait for the chief. I have something to discuss with him.”
“What is it?” Aunt Pang immediately grew curious.
“My son’s schooling.”
“Your son is going to school? Then you’ll move to the county town?”
Li Miaomiao found Aunt Pang’s nosiness irritating. She might as well become the village gossip.
Li Sanniang rolled her eyes. “Why so many questions? It’s not your son going to school.”
Not wanting to listen anymore, Li Miaomiao remembered the intestines still stewing and walked toward the kitchen.
Aunt Pang, embarrassed, muttered curses and left.
Seeing Li Miaomiao enter the kitchen, Li Sanniang followed. She feared Miaomiao might still be cooking pig offal and worried she’d get sick. If that happened, how could poor Xiao Xian afford treatment?
Inside, Li Miaomiao was transferring the braised intestines into a basin.
The fragrance reached the doorway.
At first Li Sanniang thought it was smoked meat, but upon entering she realized it wasn’t.
When she saw the intestines, her vision went dark with shock.
“You girl, why won’t you listen? You’ll ruin your stomach.”
Hearing her voice, Li Miaomiao calmly cut a piece and put it in her mouth.
Chewing, she smiled. “Auntie, I’ve cleaned them well. There’s really no smell. If you don’t believe me, I’ll ladle you a bowl.”
Li Sanniang had eaten it once in poverty and vomited for three days. She waved her hands frantically.
“No, no, I won’t eat.”
Hearing the commotion, the village chief walked over with a kind smile.
“I’ve already eaten it. It’s tender, fragrant, and not greasy at all. Sanniang, you should try.”