Chapter 37: A Battle of Wits

Su Jinyu whispered to them, "There is no need for you to seek revenge for me just yet. That pair of scoundrels plans to make a move on me again tonight. I will stage a grand show when the time comes; just sit back and watch. Once I have vented my anger and feel satisfied, you can go ahead and beat them up."

"Done. We’ll follow your lead, Jinyu." As long as Su Jinyu was happy, the Li family was willing to let her do as she pleased. Besides, after she finished venting, they would still have their own turn to settle the score!

Su Jinyu bought mushrooms and chicken from her spatial storage to braise together, and Chen Shulan had her eldest son, Li Zhe’an, cut them into pieces so the flavors would soak in better during the braising process.

"Mother, if the mushrooms are cut into small pieces, won't they just turn to mush while the meat is stewing?"

Chen Shulan’s kind face immediately darkened. "If I tell you to cut them, then cut them. Why so many questions? Are you unhappy that your mother asked you to help with the cooking?"

"No, no, not at all!"

Li Zhe’an shook his head vigorously. He dared not make his mother angry; she was even more terrifying than his father. Angering his father meant a beating, but angering his mother meant a combined assault from both parents.

Chen Shulan turned to her second son. "And you, Erniu, hurry up and wash the green onions and garlic. I’ll need them for the fish soup later!"

"Daniu, Erniu, let me tell you something: even men must know how to cook. If you marry wives in the future and they are tired from cooking, and you don't know how to do it yourselves, wouldn't that leave your wives hungry along with you? If you can't even take care of your wives, what sense of responsibility do you have? Let alone becoming a real, upright man!"

"Women only love men who can cook. When I am cooking, you’d better keep your eyes open and learn well. I’m waiting to eat the meals you cook for me in the future."

The Li family’s parenting style, which did not coddle the sons, was approved by the parents-in-law, Wang Qiaohui and Li Yongzhi. Li Tianhe, being henpecked, naturally followed his wife’s lead as well.

Seeing his eldest brother working diligently, Li Chuxiu dared not challenge his mother's bottom line. "We’ll do as Mother says!"

Su Jinyu was quite surprised by the Li family's method of raising children with equal treatment for both genders. In other village families, daughters were often undervalued. Even in families that didn't mistreat their daughters, they were usually taught to do more housework, while the boys were taught to focus on their studies to pursue an official career.

"Jinxiao, you go over to your aunt’s side and watch as well; try to learn something."

Su Jinxiao had been playing on the ground catching crickets, but when he heard his sister call him, he obediently went over to join the others.

Without his own parents there to guide him, Su Jinxiao was at an age where he was gradually forming his worldview. It was the perfect time for him to receive Chen Shulan's teachings and be influenced by her example.

By the time the braised chicken with mushrooms and the clear fish soup were ready, the aroma drifted throughout the entire forest. While the other villagers ate their own meals, they smelled the fragrance of Su Jinyu’s family's chicken. They could only eat coarse grains, wild vegetables, and dried fruits, and they were filled with envy.

When Village Chief Yang saw an extra large bowl of fish soup at dinner, he was confused, as his two sons hadn't caught any fish while fetching water. He asked his eldest daughter-in-law, "Where did the fish in this soup come from?"

Mrs. Luo smiled broadly. "Jinyu gave it to us. She caught a whole basket of fish and gave one crucian carp to each of us who went digging for wild vegetables with her. I have to say, that girl is not only capable but also knows how to handle people!"

The Village Chief wasn't surprised upon hearing this; the girl was indeed worthy of praise. He then smiled and told his family to continue eating.

After lunch, the villagers rested briefly before packing their belongings to continue the journey. The afternoon path was easier to traverse; there were almost no major obstacles like fallen trees, large boulders, or thickets of tall grass, so the village group made steady progress. Shortly after midday, they arrived at the large cave mentioned by the village elder, Liu.

The cave entrance was massive, wide enough for five people to stand in a row. Clusters of vines hung down like spiderwebs, densely covering the opening.

Old Man Yang pulled back the curtain of vines and peered inside, only to find that it was deep and bottomless. To ensure there were no wild animals inside, he and a few other men lit torches and cautiously entered to inspect the cave.

"The cave is empty. I didn't find any snakes, just a lot of bugs and ants. When everyone goes in later, just light some fires; if we stay close to the warmth, the bugs won't come near," Old Man Yang said after returning to report the situation.

Su Jinyu chose a spot near the cave entrance. She didn't like to hide behind others; otherwise, if danger struck, she wouldn't even have a chance to react.

Li Tianhe and his two sons carried their luggage and set it down. The family settled in this spot, with the Village Chief’s family and two other households nearby.

"Aunt, what are we eating tonight?" Su Jinxiao, being a young child who got hungry quickly, tugged at Chen Shulan’s clothes and wouldn't let go.

"Your uncle said we’re having grilled fish. He’s going to be the chef tonight." Chen Shulan carefully unclasped her nephew’s hands to keep him from tripping.

"Yay, grilled fish! Grilled fish is so fragrant!" Su Jinxiao danced with joy and wanted to help with the grilling.

Li Tianhe took four fish to the river to wash them clean, then brought his three sons over to learn how to skewer them, planning to teach them how to grill later that night.

Su Jinyu went to find Zheng Dali and handed him some ointment for bruises. "Uncle Zheng, apply a patch once a day for at least seven days. The weather is getting cooler now, so be careful of the wound getting infected."

"Jinyu, thank you. I don't know how to repay you. Huzi, go get that bag of coarse flour and give it to your sister Jinyu!"

As soon as Zheng Dali finished speaking, his wife, Liu Qionghua’s expression became as volatile as a lit firecracker.

"That is our family's flour! Why should I give it to her!" Liu Qionghua snatched the sack from Zheng Hu’s hands and glared at Su Jinyu with hatred, as if she wanted to devour her.

"Zheng Dali, you’ve become quite something, haven't you? You don't care about our family's livelihood anymore, just handing out our food to others? You don't care about your wife or son, just to save face in front of outsiders! Let me tell you, there’s no way! I’m still the one in charge of this household!"

Zheng Dali gritted his teeth. "Liu Qionghua! There is still plenty of grain left at home. What’s wrong with giving Jinyu a bag of coarse flour? She brought me medicine; I owe her!"

"Forget it, Uncle Zheng. Keep the flour for yourself. My family isn't short of food for the time being. Just make sure to apply the ointment on time. I’ll be going now."

Su Jinyu left without taking the flour. That stuff was unpleasant whether used for flatbread, steamed buns, or dumplings—it was rough and scratchy in the throat. It was only suitable for an occasional change of pace; eating it every day was truly unbearable. After all, her family still had twenty pounds of it; even eating it daily, they wouldn't finish it in a month.

Su Jinyu thought about the grilled fish and decided to make some other skewers. She took a bamboo basket, intending to go to the nearby stream to dig for wild vegetables or mushrooms. She also planned to buy some other vegetables from her spatial storage to bring back.

However, she arrived too late. All the mushrooms and wild vegetables in the vicinity had been picked clean by the village matrons. Looking across the field, it was virtually barren. She had underestimated the combat effectiveness of the village women.

Having no choice, she bought a pound of potatoes, a pound of lotus root, a pound of oyster mushrooms, a pound of quail eggs, and a pound of crayfish from her storage.

Su Jinyu tried to select common items so she wouldn't be suspected. The quail eggs could naturally be passed off as bird eggs found in trees, and the crayfish could be called "large bugs" caught in the river. Whether her family would accept them was another matter, but she wasn't worried. Once she added various spices and seasonings, the spicy, fresh, and savory flavor would surely conquer everyone in the Li family.