"I'll tell you the truth: the Wild Diaozi Fish at my house were caught by the river."
"But catching them requires the right method, otherwise you'll end up empty-handed like all of you did today."
"Really? For real?" Pangdun was stunned.
After all, Little Mochi and Liu Hongxia might lie to him, but Liu Qingsong, being his older brother, had no reason to lie to him.
"Of course it's real!" Little sister stamped her tiny foot, getting worked up. "I'm not scared to tell you, Little Mochi even caught a huge softshell turtle this morning!"
"But I already ate it." Little Mochi said, crouching down to search the ground. "If you don't believe me... I... I can find the turtle's bones and show them to you."
Pangdun: "..."
The other kids: "..."
Little sister and Little Mochi clearly weren't joking. Once the others realized that, they all turned and ran.
Seeing this, Liu Qingsong called Pangdun back. He took two Spicy Diaozi Fish from the Winnowing Basket and handed them to him. "Take these home and eat them, and say hello to your dad for me."
As for the other kids.
He didn't give them any Spicy Diaozi Fish.
It wasn't that he was playing favorites.
It was that Pangdun's family, as his neighbors,
had treated him and little sister well when his family had fallen on hard times.
Whenever they had something good to eat, they brought it over at once. When he needed help, Pangdun's father, Wang Yaoqing, came to help too.
And he never complained about it.
When his parents were taken away,
Wang Yaoqing, along with Eldest Uncle, Third Uncle, and the rest of the Liu Family,
had also run around everywhere trying to help, trying to get them released.
Given all that, if his family had Spicy Diaozi Fish to eat, of course he wouldn't be stingy about it.
Pangdun was young, but he understood what Liu Qingsong meant. He scratched his chubby head in embarrassment, then grinned sheepishly and took the Spicy Diaozi Fish. "Brother, it was my fault earlier. I shouldn't have given little sister trouble."
"It's fine, we're all neighbors, little sister won't hold it against you." Liu Qingsong smiled. "Besides, it's only natural to be upset when you don't catch any fish."
"So, Brother, are you going fishing at the river again tomorrow?" Pangdun asked, tilting up his round little head.
What he really meant was that he wanted to go fishing with Liu Qingsong.
"I'm not sure yet! We'll see!" Liu Qingsong replied evasively.
He had to evade the question. He couldn't let anyone find out that he took Bait from the Myriad Realms Garbage Dump, much less let anyone grow suspicious.
"Oh! Then I'll head back!" Pangdun hugged the Spicy Diaozi Fish to his chest and turned to run toward his front gate.
Liu Qingsong smiled as he watched Pangdun leave. He was about to return to the kitchen and continue making dinner when Little Mochi cheered and ran toward the winding mountain path nearby. "Mommy, Mommy..."
"Slow down." Liu Chunhua saw her from the mountain path and held out her arms to scoop up Little Mochi. "Why are you running so fast? Aren't you afraid of falling?"
"Hehe... It's fine. I won't fall." Little Mochi laughed, wrapped her arms around Liu Chunhua's neck, and said in her babyish voice, "Mommy, you know what? I... I was so amazing today!"
"Mm, only a tiny bit less amazing than me." Little sister, standing nearby, chimed in.
"Oh, really?" Liu Chunhua laughed. After setting Little Mochi down, she looked toward Liu Qingsong as he approached. "What did you take them to do today?"
"Come with me." Liu Qingsong led the way toward the kitchen.
"Hehe..." Little Mochi and little sister held onto Liu Chunhua's hands, their short little legs trotting along behind him.
Soon, the group arrived at the kitchen doorway.
When Liu Chunhua saw the three Winnowing Baskets full of Spicy Diaozi Fish, she froze and her eyes widened. "Qingsong, don't tell me you caught all these Diaozi Fish today?"
"Caught them fishing," Liu Qingsong corrected. "And Little Mochi and little sister had a share in it too."
"Mommy, I'm telling you, I was so amazing today! I caught so many fish, and even a big Softshell Turtle! But I already ate it all!" Little Mochi gestured with her little hands as she told the story.
"Is that true?" Liu Chunhua looked at Liu Qingsong in astonishment.
"It's true. I've already cured the Diaozi Fish, Eldest Sister. You can take them home and eat them later." Liu Qingsong walked into the kitchen, then pointed to the large grass carp, River Carp, and River Crucian Carp in the large water vat. "You can take some of these home too."
"After all, Little Mochi caught quite a few of these fish."
"Then I can't take them." Liu Chunhua looked at the large grass carp in the large water vat and drew a sharp breath. "If I bring something this good home, Little Mochi and I won't get to eat much of it anyway."
As for the reason.
She didn't go into detail.
But Liu Qingsong understood. He said, "Eldest Sister, if your parents-in-law treat you so poorly, talk to your brother-in-law. You can go through family separation and establish an independent base, like the other brothers did!"
If they established an independent base,
then whatever they brought home wouldn't be up to the parents-in-law to control.
"You think I don't want to?" Liu Chunhua sighed. "But your brother-in-law is an old tree stump. He keeps thinking that living together will let him care for his idiot younger brother. If he won't agree, what can I do? Besides, my first child was a daughter..."
To keep Little Mochi from hearing,
Liu Chunhua didn't continue.
Liu Qingsong did not press her. As a Reborn Person, he understood the hardships and helplessness his Eldest Sister faced.
So he changed the subject right away. "Well, it should be all right to take some Spicy Diaozi Fish home for brother-in-law to eat, right?"
"That's fine." Liu Chunhua nodded, rolled up her sleeves, and began helping with dinner. "Oh, right, Qingsong. I didn't come today to pick up Little Mochi. I wanted to ask you to keep her for a few more days. I need to report for work and gather camellia seeds with everyone. When I'm done, I'll bring you a few catties of Camellia oil to eat."
"Sure! Sure!" Liu Qingsong agreed.
Though he held no real hope of actually getting to eat any camellia oil.
The reason was obvious: he knew Eldest Sister's parents-in-law wouldn't allow it. Camellia oil was expensive in 1978; one catty could buy two or three catties of pork.
.....
Because the fire in the firewood stove burned strong,
half an hour later, a big pot of rice was ready.
As for the dish, Liu Qingsong did not cook anything else. He served five or six Spicy Diaozi Fish in the first bowl and carried them to the Eight-Immortals Table in the main hall. He also took some pickled mustard tuber from the jar, making it the evening's side dish.
Liu Qingshi, Liu Qinglong, Little Mochi, and little sister did not mind the simple side dishes. Each happily took a Spicy Diaozi Fish and some pickled mustard tuber, then went to eat under the eaves by the Main Gate.
The reason they went to eat under the eaves
The sun had set, and the main hall had grown dim.
The entire Huajiao Production Brigade still had no electricity in 1978, so eating outside was the best choice.
Liu Chunhua watched this and was about to carry a stool under the eaves when Liu Lijuan came trudging back along the winding mountain path across the way, a hoe over her shoulder and weariness in her step.
"Second Elder Sister..." Seeing her, little sister hurried over with her rice bowl in hand.
"Second Elder Sister, you're back just in time. We have rice and Spicy Diaozi Fish for dinner today." Liu Qinglong called out a cheerful greeting.
"Mm," Liu Lijuan nodded, her face betraying no expression at all. After setting the hoe from her shoulder down under the eaves, she turned and went to the kitchen to wash her hands and feet.
"Second Elder Sister, what's wrong?" Liu Qingsong asked, startled, with concern in his voice.
Liu Chunhua, Liu Qingshi, and Little Mochi also looked a bit puzzled.
Liu Lijuan was not usually like this.
.....