Lu Xiuxiu had exhausted all her sweet talk and, in the end, still had to pay Lu Zhangshi fifty cents to gain the right to use the star anise and cinnamon in the kitchen.
Looking at the meager ingredients, she regretted not buying more earlier. Now that night had fallen and the supply store was long closed, she couldn’t wait until tomorrow to braise the meat.
She noticed a bottle of beer on the counter and reached for it, only for Lu Xiulian to snatch it away.
“That’s bought by my sister-in-law. We’re going to use it to stir-fry the snails later.”
“Stir-fry snails?” Lu Xiuxiu frowned impatiently. “I told you I need the pot! You can cook your snails later. I’m selling this meat to make money.”
Lu Xiulian ignored her. After cleaning the pot, she stoked the fire and continued with her work. Lu Xiuxiu wanted to argue, but Uncle Lu called her outside.
When she returned, she was wiping away tears while cutting her pig intestines. Once done, she carried her bowl away.
The money her mother, Qin Hong, had given her was running low. Tonight, no matter what, she had to braise the meat properly to recoup her investment by tomorrow.
After carrying out a half-basin of non-spicy snails, the family gathered in the yard, chatting and eating.
Xu Nian’an returned to the kitchen, starting her usual “supervision.”
Her father had been a strict disciplinarian who had forced her from being unable to handle any spice to loving the hottest food, and now the whole family followed suit.
Watching Xu Nian’an pour in oil (enough to get a spanking from her grandmother), along with chili and every spice imaginable without measuring, Lu Xiulian winced at her heart. In the end, even the beer went in.
Thinking of the river’s recent snail infestation, she worried for her grandmother’s heart.
Fortunately, under Xu Nian’an’s direction, the stir-fried snails received unanimous praise.
Lu Xiulian was pleasantly surprised—after so many years of cooking, she had never tasted anything this good.
“Sister-in-law, even the ones sold outside don’t taste as good as yours!”
Xu Nian’an beamed proudly. “Don’t forget who made them.”
The snails had been soaked in plenty of salt that afternoon, leaving almost no sand. She also tried a plain, unseasoned portion.
The seasoned batch was strong in flavor, masking the subtle differences, but the plain portion revealed it clearly.
Sure enough, the snail meat was fresher and more tender than any she had eaten before. Xu Nian’an guessed it must be the spring water she had added.
She noticed footsteps near the yard wall, returned to the kitchen, and filled a bowl to take over to Aunt Yi next door.
Aunt Yi had long been tempted by the aroma wafting from the Lu household, but this being the season when every family had a bowl of snails, she didn’t dare ask. Hearing Xu Nian’an at the door, she smiled and hurried to meet her.
“Is there something you need, Chengyu’s wife?”
“Lu Xiulian caught some snails today, and we just cooked them. I brought a bowl for you to try.”
Aunt Yi had been helpful earlier and was happy to receive the gift.
Meanwhile, Lu Xiuxiu worked by the oil lamp in the kitchen until midnight, her hatred for Xu Nian’an growing with each moment. She wished Xu Nian’an would fall into the river and meet the same fate as in her past life.
She had seen Lu Xiulian tidy everything back into Xu Nian’an’s room after cooking, leaving her some ingredients she had wanted. Clearly, Lu Xiulian was deliberately blocking her—what a greedy, shameless dog.
The next morning, Xu Nian’an got up early, calling Lu Xiulian to stir-fry another batch to take back to her parents’ home.
Her bike was still locked in the yard. She heard that Lu Xiuxiu had left before dawn, riding the village ox cart to the city to sell her braised meat.
Xu Nian’an found Lu Xiuxiu strange in every way. Could she have known about the jade pendant’s secret compartment, which is why she had insisted on taking it?
And the bike—Lu Xiulian, who grew up in the same household, had never learned to ride it. But Lu Xiuxiu rode it off immediately.
Xu Nian’an herself had no memory of ever learning to ride it, and even the men in the household had borrowed the bike for several days before learning.
How did Lu Xiuxiu know immediately? Could she also be a time-traveler? Or perhaps even a reincarnator?
Xu Nian’an pushed her doubts aside, deciding to be careful around Lu Xiuxiu in the future—she didn’t know what tricks she might have.
Then she saw Lu Xiulian coming out with a large bag of snails and froze.
“Sister-in-law, Mom heard you wanted to take them to your family, so she told me to cook everything we had.”
Lu Xiulian efficiently packed the snails into several bags, securing them on the bike’s back seat. She also grabbed a chicken, wrapped it in a sack leaving only its head exposed, and tied it onto the rear.
“Don’t worry—I added the spices we missed yesterday. I tasted it, and it’s about the same as yesterday,” she said.
Quietly, she added, “I really felt sorry for Grandma and Grandpa.”
Today, the second uncle and his wife had gone to the fields, leaving the grandparents at home. Grandpa had just watched her pour two bottles of beer, looking concerned.
Xu Nian’an smiled, pulling out five yuan and a few coupons. “When you have a chance, return these beer bottles for money, buy a few more for Grandpa, and get some oil for Grandma.”
“No need. Your fingers are too wide,” Lu Xiulian said, quietly slipping three yuan into Xu Nian’an’s hand.
“This is from Mom. The family’s busy right now. Sister-in-law, you can buy something for your own home and visit later. Don’t worry about the oil; Mom gave me money too. I’ll buy it.”
With that, she ran off, as if afraid Xu Nian’an would return the money. Xu Nian’an didn’t bother. Seeing the time, she quickly rode her bike toward her family’s house before the sun became too harsh.
Xu Nian’an’s parents’ home had three children—two older brothers, Xu Weidong and Xu Weinan.
Both were married. Years ago, her father Xu Guoliang had bought land in the city and built a large courtyard.
All the families lived there, and the extra rooms were rented out. Her father was quite business-savvy.
Xu Nian’an was exhausted by the time she reached the supply store. She stopped her bike under a tree for shade and ate a popsicle.
At the counter, Dong Xiaoyan sniffed around, eventually pinpointing the source of the enticing smell—Xu Nian’an’s bag on the back seat.
“What are you selling? Smells so good! How much?”
Xu Nian’an realized many people were sitting under trees selling their goods and assumed this girl thought she was here to sell too.
“These are snails I cooked myself. I’m taking them home to my family. Bring me a cup, and I’ll fill some for you.”
Dong Xiaoyan finally turned her attention to Xu Nian’an herself, blinking in surprise. Indeed, she was beautiful. Generous too.
“You’re newly married, right? I’m Dong Xiaoyan. Next time there’s something good from the newcomers, I’ll save it for you.”
She handed over her enamel cup, emptying the water inside for Xu Nian’an.
Working at the supply store was a good job. Many people were eager to curry favor, but she didn’t want to take advantage—just saving some good things for her later.