The General's Delicious Wife Chapter 056: Wild Pheasant
Xia Yue Chu entered the house to help Xue Zhuang closed the window that blocked out the rain, and said worriedly, "Why is it raining so suddenly, it is raining so hard and it is so dark outside. I don't know if Qin Zheng will be trapped on the road back home."
"He is not a child, so you don't need to worry." Xue Zhuang fiddled with his wooden block that had already taken shape, he was considering how to continue carving it carefully.
Xia Yue Chu took a glance at the things in his hand, she could only vaguely see that it was a bust of a person, it was still a general form at the moment and it was impossible to tell whether it was a man or a woman.
After the water in the pot was boiling, the scent of wild pheasant drifted through the gaps on top of the cover, it was coming out bit by bit and blended into the air, and slowly overshadowing the smell of soil and rain in the room.
The fragrance penetrated everywhere and into Xue Zhuang's nostrils.
The fragrance was not overly strong, it was more inclined to the original sweetness of the food itself, but it had a stomach-tugging ability.
The hand that had a stable hold of the knife gradually became less firm, Xue Zhuang simply put the dagger away, and his fingers subconsciously lingered over the craved out human form, with nostalgia and remembrance in his eyes.
When the pheasant was fully cooked, the aroma attracted both Da Nier (Direct translation: Big girl) and Er Nier (Direct translation: Second girl).
The two little ones stood timidly at the door, desperately breathing in the fragrance floating out of the house, but they dared not enter through the door.
"Don't run about, be careful not to get wet and fall sick." Xia Yue Chu called out and portioned the wild pheasant into three shares, she picked a piece up and blew to cool it down, stuffed it into Da Nier's mouth and instructed her. "Go bring your mother here."
Er Nier watched from the side with her eyes popping, her saliva was at the border of her lips.
Xia Yue Chu hurriedly stuffed her a mouthful and invited them into the house. "Let's have dinner at Big Madam's place tonight."
When Madam Sun heard this as she entered the house, she quickly waved her hands, "No can do, no can do, the two of them here would be a bother to Sister-in-law's meal, let me bring them to Mother's side to eat."
Xia Yue Chu filled a bowl with pheasant meat and pheasant soup and handed it to Madam Sun and insisted, "Don't argue with me about this, what can the children eat over at that side? They can't even have the bones to chew on."
Madam Sun also knew that it was more likely to be true, but during this period, whenever there was always something delicious, Xia Yue Chu did not forget about her two daughters, which had made her felt extremely apologetic.
Xia Yue Chu also knew Madam Sun's character, she was afraid that she would feel uncomfortable and so she said, "Why would you remain so polite with me, there will be many things in the future where I will need your help, are you perhaps thinking of not caring at all, that's why you are so anxious to draw the line of our relationship?"
Madam Sun hurriedly waved her hand and exclaimed, "Sister-in-law, what are you saying, if there is anything you need help with just let me know!"
"Isn't it right like this." Xia Yue Chu laughed, "The season will be changing soon, I was still worrying about your elder brother's and Ah Zheng's clothing, when that time comes we will surely be troubling you."
Madam Sun heard that there was really something for her to do, and it was not a casual courtesy paid by Xia Yue Chu, her heart settled down steadily, and she told the two girls, "You cannot create trouble here, eat properly and listen to what Big Madam says."
Madam Sheng's urging voice could be heard coming from the main house on the other side. Madam Sun did not dare to delay anymore, so she quickly took the food over.
Xia Yue Chu left some in the pot for Qin Zheng, and served the remaining onto the table.
Da Nier and Er Nier had been eating and drinking freely from this place many times, they had long since abided by Xia Yue Chu's rules. They washed their hands clean and sat obediently on the brick bed waiting for dinner to start.
Firstly, Xia Yue Chu picked some meat with her chopsticks into the two children's bowl, telling them to eat slowly and not to burn their tongues, then she served a bowl of pheasant soup, putting it down in front of Xue Zhuang. "The doctor says that you need more nourishment, the chicken soup* is the best with replenishing energy, you drink more of this."
Xue Zhuang was the most impatient with drinking all these soupy stuff, he had always thought that these were food for women and children, but in front of the two little girls, and also meeting with Xia Yue Chu's concerned expression, the words of rejection were taking a U-turn between his lips and teeth, then he swallowed the chicken soup into his belly.
It was necessary to point out that this pot of wild pheasant was stewed at the perfect temperature.
The umami taste of the pheasant meat had integrated into the soup, it had a bursting fragrance and the soup was clear to the bottom.
With a spoonful in the mouth, the mellow but not oily sweetness stirred within the mouth.
The warm chicken soup flowed down the throat into the belly, from the mouth to the stomach, there was not a spot which had missed out on its warmth and it brought so much comfort that it made people sighed contentedly from the depths of their throats.
A large family of people sat around and ate together in the main house. Except for Madam Sun, everyone else had their chopsticks stuck to the stewed pheasant dish. nobody had the time to be talking, fearing that they would take one bite lesser than others.
Until the last bit of meat residue was swiped clean, Madam Sheng pushed the chicken soup towards Xue Ping and said, "Da Ping, you have to make up for your body well and drink more soup."
Madam Zhou then put down her chopsticks purposefully, rubbing her belly and said sentimentally. "Ai, you say, how is Sister-in-law so capable, with the same things, other people had made it so deliciously, this is my first time to have eaten such a fragrant stewed pheasant."
Xue Qin was a slow eater, but she was not left behind when it came to taking from the dishes, At this moment, everyone else had finished eating, yet there were still a few pieces of chicken piled in her bowl, and she was savoring them in small little bites.
After listening to Madam Zhou's words, she could not help but commented, "Not to mention anything else, her cooking skills is excellent, even those who have seen the bigger scale of the world are full of praise! Otherwise, how could the Cui family let Cui talented scholar come personally to invite her as the head chef."
Madam Zhou looked at the chicken in Xue Qin's bowl, she licked her lips with cravings and swallowed her drool, continuing, "That is to say, if your second brother can learn a skill or two personally from Sister-in-law, he will become rich if he opens a restaurant in town in the future."
"That's natural!" Although Xue Qin was still angry with Xia Yue Chu but she still recognized her for her cooking skills.
When Xue Yong heard this, he rolled his eyes, "Why don't you be the one to learn if you are interested, all the chores surrounding the stove is a woman's job, how can a mister like me do that!"
But where the speaker was unintentional, the listener was intentional.
The little couple teased around casually, but Madam Sheng's heart was moved by these words.
Although Xia Yue Chu could make a lot of money now, the eldest was fundamentally not a child that she bore, with their current attitude, she knew that she could not count on them in the future.
But if she could learn and copy her abilities, would it not be equivalent to holding onto a path of wealth in her own hands.
The more she thought about it, the more she thought that it was a good idea, and she could not help being overjoyed.
Xia Yue Chu was busy taking care of one big one and two small ones through dinner at her wing, how would she know about the new stupid plans that Madam Sheng had started making over at that side.
Xue Zhuang was coaxed and deceived by Xia Yue Chu into drinking three bowls of chicken soup. Right now, his stomach was bulging full and he sat at the table with a dark expression, he was angry with himself.
The two little girls were originally a little afraid of him, seeing that the color of his face was ugly (Meaning: when one doesn't look good and have a ugly expression), they immediately accelerated their eating speed, and did not dare to reach out towards any dishes, only desperately filling their mouths with rice.
Er Nier was afraid that she would be left behind by her sister if she ate slowly, so she stuffed her mouth full of rice and could not be bothered to chew before she swallowed, and she accidentally choked and started a coughing fit.
"Eat slowly, don't rush!" Xia Yue Chu hurriedly patted her on the back and glared at Xue Zhuang from an angle where the children could not see.
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Translator Notes:
*Pheasant here is the same as wild chicken.
The separation of the main house and Xia Yue Chu's wing was so intentional in this chapter. From their eating arrangements, to when Madam Zhou referred Xia Yue Chu as 'other people' instead of calling her one of their own people, to Madam Sheng's mentality of pointing out that Xue Zhuang was not her child. They are physically, emotionally and biologically disconnected on all levels.
I just realized as I was translating this, Da Nier and Er Nier, these poor girls, their fear when they faced Xue Zhuang's dark expression was real because they were used to being beaten up at the whim of their father, so they became extremely sensitive to how other people were feeling, especially an adult male's temper. So they tried to go on their ways as quickly and quietly as a mouse.
Translated by YellowBean.