“Village Chief, my wife’s cooking is quite good. I’ve brought some for you to sample.”
Xiao Xian’s voice was gentle, devoid of any discernible emotion. Even though he had been exiled to this place, the mere reminder that he had once held a high position made the Village Chief feel as if a sword were hanging over his head.
“Xiao, there is no need for such formalities. Now that the dispute is settled, I should be heading back.”
Xiao Xian glanced indifferently toward the yard, where Li Sanniang and Fat Auntie were still endlessly badgering Li Miaomiao, regardless of her attempts to explain.
“If you do not taste it, those two will likely stay until dawn.”
Following his gaze, the Village Chief finally understood—Xiao Xian wasn’t being polite; he simply found the crowd too noisy.
“I’ll tell them to leave.”
“No need. Please, take a seat in the main room for a moment.”
Watching Xiao Xian limp toward the kitchen with his cane, the Village Chief thought of the warnings he had received from above and found it impossible to just sit down.
“Xiao, your leg is injured. Let me handle it myself.”
By the time the Village Chief entered, Xiao Xian had already ladled out a bowl of pork intestine and white radish soup. The light in the kitchen was dim, and it wasn’t until the Village Chief stepped out into the daylight that he realized the fragrant, steaming bowl was filled with… intestines.
It wasn’t until Xiao Xian placed the bowl on the table in the main room that the Village Chief noticed something else: despite leaning on a cane with one hand, Xiao Xian hadn’t spilled a single drop of soup.
Placing the chopsticks by the bowl, Xiao Xian gestured toward it with a slight bow.
“Village Chief, please.”
The Village Chief looked at the man, who wore a faint, polite smile, and then back at the bowl. No matter how delicious it might be, the thought of eating intestines killed his appetite instantly. Yet, Xiao Xian’s demeanor was so impeccable, his smile so gentle and jade-like—it was a trap wrapped in courtesy. He felt he had no choice.
To think that at my age, I would have to deal with a fallen official like this, the Village Chief sighed inwardly. Folding his hands behind his back, he hung his head and walked toward the table.
Xiao Xian sat opposite him, watching calmly as the Village Chief began to eat.
The Village Chief had taken the first bite with a sense of hopelessness, but after chewing twice, his expression shifted dramatically.
“There’s not a hint of… that smell.”
He caught his breath and continued eating, then lifted the bowl to take a large gulp of the broth. By the time he finished the entire bowl, he was still craving more. In disbelief, he said to Xiao Xian, “Xiao, did Li Miaomiao really make this? I’ve never seen intestines cooked so well.”
Xiao Xian noted the Village Chief’s astonishment and gave a calm, measured nod.
The Village Chief stroked his beard, letting out a long, surprised hum. “I never knew she had such skills.”
Xiao Xian looked out toward the three women still arguing in the yard. His gaze lingered on the young woman for a few seconds, his cool voice laced with an unreadable hint of a smile.
“Perhaps it was something passed down to her by my late mother-in-law during her childhood.”
At the mention of this, the Village Chief recalled that Li Miaomiao’s mother had come from a family that ran a restaurant. Whenever he had visited Old Man Li’s home while she was still alive, the food she prepared had been exceptional.
“You have a point there.”
No wonder Xiao Xian, who was once a high-ranking official, urged me to eat it—he must have tried it already.
The Village Chief was privately shocked that a man of Xiao Xian’s former status would eat such a thing; after all, even commoners like them usually despised it, let alone noblemen of his stature.
Outside, Li Miaomiao felt her head spinning from the noise. No matter how she explained, the two women wouldn’t listen. As the other villagers had seen Xiao Xian hosting the Village Chief, they had gradually dispersed, leaving only her, Fat Auntie, and Li Sanniang in the yard.
She was being tugged back and forth, one arm held by each woman.
“Li Miaomiao!” Li Sanniang pleaded. “Listen to your aunts! You’re going to end up sick to your stomach eating that filth!”
Fat Auntie chimed in, “Li Miaomiao, why are you as stubborn as a mule, just like your father? Auntie Li is right—this stuff is so vile that even stray dogs wouldn’t touch it. Stop being so headstrong!”
If Li Miaomiao hadn’t been worried about them tripping and falling, she would have shaken them off long ago.
She let out a long, weary sigh, her voice tinged with exasperation. “Aunts, please, let go! If you keep pulling like this, my arm is going to pop out of its socket!”
Seeing that she had been stretched out into the shape of a ‘T’ and was grimacing in genuine pain, the two women hurriedly released her. Li Miaomiao rubbed her arm, suspecting that Fat Auntie had used the opportunity to get a little revenge. The look on Fat Auntie’s face—a mischievous grin the moment she looked up—confirmed it.
“Li Miaomiao, dear, we’re only looking out for you.”
Her smile was anything but sincere. Li Miaomiao offered a cool, sardonic smile back, eyes narrowing as she looked at her. “I can certainly feel your ‘sincerity.’ There’s nothing left to see here, so please, be on your way.”
Faced with such a clear-cut eviction, Fat Auntie couldn’t find a reason to linger. She chuckled awkwardly and said, “Li Sanniang, let’s go together, shall we?”
Li Sanniang, who lived next door to the Village Chief, noticed him chatting with Xiao Xian in the main room. She planned to head back with the chief, so she declined Fat Auntie’s offer. “You go ahead. I’m waiting for the Village Chief; I have a few things to discuss with him.”
The moment she heard “things to discuss,” Fat Auntie’s ears pricked up, her face lighting up with curiosity. “What kind of things?”
Having lived in Shangli Village for ten years, Li Sanniang knew exactly what kind of person Fat Auntie was. She brushed her off with a vague reply: “It’s about my son’s schooling.”
“Your son is going to school? Does that mean you’ll be moving to the county town?”
Watching Fat Auntie’s prying expression, Li Miaomiao felt a surge of annoyance. If she loves sticking her nose into other people’s business so much, she should just become a professional town crier.
Her husband had warned her to be careful about what she told Fat Auntie, knowing that within half a day, the entire village would know every detail.
Li Sanniang shot a sharp, impatient glare at the woman. “Why are you asking so many questions? It’s not like it’s your son going to school!”
Li Miaomiao didn’t want to listen to them bickering. Remembering that the braised intestines were still simmering in the pot, she strode toward the kitchen. Fat Auntie, having been shut down, felt too embarrassed to stay any longer. She muttered a few curses under her breath and turned to storm out of the Xiao family’s home.
As Li Miaomiao entered the kitchen, Li Sanniang followed, terrified that the girl would continue cooking the offal. She was genuinely afraid that Li Miaomiao would get sick from eating such a thing. If the poor girl fell ill, and considering how destitute Xiao Xian was, how would they ever afford medicine? The thought of such a hard-fated child being abandoned yet again left Li Sanniang too distressed to even contemplate the outcome.
In the kitchen, Li Miaomiao was busy transferring the braised intestines into a basin. Li Sanniang caught the scent of the dish from the doorway; at first, she had mistaken it for smoked meat, but upon entering, she realized it wasn’t. Seeing Li Miaomiao handling the intestines, her head swam, and she broke into a cold sweat.
“My dear girl, why won’t you listen?” Li Sanniang pleaded earnestly. “You’re going to ruin your stomach!”
Hearing the voice behind her, Li Miaomiao realized she had followed her in. Unfazed, she sliced a piece of the braised intestine and popped it into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully, smiling as she said, “Auntie, I’ve cleaned these thoroughly; they truly don’t have a gamey taste. If you don’t believe me, let me dish out a bowl of the stewed intestines for you to try.”
Li Sanniang had eaten the stuff once when her family was dirt-poor; she had spent three days and nights vomiting until her gall felt like it was coming up. The very thought of intestines was a nightmare to her. She waved her hands frantically. “No, no, no! I won’t eat it!”
Hearing the commotion in the kitchen, the Village Chief walked out from the main room, ambling toward them with a kind smile.
“I’ve already had some myself,” he said gently. “It’s tender, flavorful, and not the least bit greasy. You should give it a try, Sanniang.”