Educated Youth in the Countryside: She is the Village's Embroidery Queen!-Chapter 282: King of Verbal Sparring

As soon as Yi Chichi said this, Ji Jian realized that Wen Shi and He Yunsong have a special relationship.

Even so, it didn’t stop her from advising Yi Chichi, "Next time you need vegetables, just come to my place to pick some. It’s only a few steps away, closer than going to Zhang Xin’s house."

It was indeed much closer.

Yi Chichi nodded in agreement, then her gaze fell on Ji Jian’s belly, "Four months?"

"Almost five months."

She frowned slightly, looking quite irritated. Yi Chichi noticed her swallowing motion, knowing it was the pregnancy symptoms starting again.

"Sis, wait a moment!"

Last night, Wen Shi made pickled cucumbers following her instructions, which was perfect to eat now.

"What is she doing?"

Yi Chichi dropped the words and dashed into the house, leaving Ji Jian momentarily stunned, then turned to ask Yang Qing.

"I don’t know, oh, she’s back!"

Before the words even fell, Yi Chichi appeared before Ji Jian, holding a bowl, "Sis, try this."

Without needing her to say anything, Ji Jian’s attention was already drawn to the bowl in her hands.

More accurately, it was drawn to the cucumber strips in the bowl.

The cucumber strips, about two adult fingers wide, looked very ordinary but emitted a scent that made her mouth water and crave.

Since she discovered she was pregnant until now, her days have been somewhat indescribable.

The initial reaction wasn’t strong, and she could eat anything, but soon enough, she couldn’t stand various smells, and even water seemed to have a taste.

She had to drink, but drinking would cause nausea, though luckily she could drink coconut water, which can’t be used as water for extended periods.

So she could only add a couple of drops of vinegar to water or soak two slices of sour wild fruit in it, making it drinkable.

The water problem was solved, and the food issue was actually not too bad either.

But she had little appetite; during meal times, she would eat a few bites and put down the chopsticks, as continuing to eat would cause acid reflux and make her want to vomit.

She could only eat small, frequent meals.

The reaction made eating not torture yet but certainly not enjoyment either.

However, from the moment she became pregnant, this was the first time she felt a strong urge to eat.

Saliva kept secreting in her mouth, and she glanced at Yi Chichi, then took a cucumber strip to her mouth with cautious nibbling under her encouraging gaze.

And then—

"Can you eat it?" Yang Qing asked urgently, seeing her frown relax and her eyes light up as he watched her face closely.

Yi Chichi also watched her intently, and Ji Jian answered them with action instead of words.

She ate one cucumber strip after another, making a crisp sound.

Yang Qing puzzled, "Didn’t the cucumbers release water when you pickled them?"

"They did!"

"How did you manage to keep them crisp even after pickling?"

"I used salt to draw out water directly."

Yang Qing fell silent, knowing this method was feasible, but it couldn’t be done on a large scale due to the salt quantity needed.

Making small batches was possible.

"Do you make pickled vegetables the same way?"

"No."

Yi Chichi was about to explain the detailed method for pickling vegetables when Ji Jian suddenly said, "I’m hungry and want to eat."

Yi Chichi didn’t react, but Yang Qing said excitedly, "Are you sure you want to eat?"

"Noodles are fine too."

"Got it, anything that fills the stomach works."

Yang Qing’s understanding was precise, and Ji Jian murmured shyly, her face flushed, "Chichi, can I have more cucumbers for my next meal?"

Before she finished speaking, her stomach started to growl.

Yang Qing chimed in enthusiastically like a foil, "That’s the baby hungry, asking for food!"

Yi Chichi wholeheartedly agreed, naturally unhesitating in meeting Ji Jian’s request.

Then, Ji Jian ate rice with cucumbers by her side.

Yang Qing was turned around by Yi Chichi to learn pickling, and when Zhang Xin and Tong Nian got off work, two more participants were added.

More people made it lively, and as a versatile dish, pickling could exemplify almost anything.

In their eagerness to pickle what shouldn’t be wasted, except for Wen Family’s yard that had no vegetables because the garden was abandoned.

Ji Jian and others were different, all owning gardens, well-planned, with a profusion of fruits and vegetables.

Picked what could be pickled, and those unsure, picked to ask Yi Chichi. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

If she couldn’t figure it out either, she would pick a few, and send the rest to the logistics to feed the pigs as not to waste.

Helping each other, chatting and laughing, aroused the interest of neighbors and passersby, bringing them in to join in the fun.

Upon discovering the commotion was caused by making pickles and preserved vegetables, they asked if they could join in learning.

Yi Chichi agreed, as she was a master of verbal prowess, with full level knowledge of pickling, knowing over ten formulas just for pickles.

She had several recipes for preserved vegetables too.

Giving each one could solve the problem, though she couldn’t control the outcome of their efforts.

Anyway, the cucumber strips pickled by Wen Shi following her method were appetizing, refreshing, and could increase appetite.

Evidence shows that food bloggers from modern times are strong, even though the ingredients for pickles and preserved vegetables are minimal and the method extremely simple, the taste of pickled results is genuinely good.

And cucumber strips, eggplants, were ready to eat by noon or evening when prepared in the morning.

Simple, convenient, and fast, the key was to complement meals.

Lin Qiu Ping was most grateful for this, as he was stressed over his wife not getting enough nutrition during pregnancy, causing mouth sores.

The simple pickled and preserved vegetables method solved the troublesome issue of his wife’s lack of appetite, eating more but still feeling nauseous.

Then, when Wen Shi got back from finding missing fishermen and reported back to the leaders, he first encountered Old Lin’s gratitude.

Before saying a word, Old Huang and others spotted him from around the corner, running up to thank him.

Thanking him for marrying a good wife, thanking his wife’s generosity.

Wen Shi, "..." Needless to say, his wife must’ve done something good during his absence.

"No need for thanks; my wife is always generous. Remember to ask the ladies to take good care of my wife; she’s shy."

The group had puzzled looks, Old Huang couldn’t hold back, "Who do you say is shy?"

"My wife, of course." Wen Shi said without a trace of embarrassment, determined to confirm his wife’s shy nature.

Lin Qiu Ping sighed, "Is your wife shy? She’s fierce..."

"Wait, what did she do for you to say she’s fierce?"

Wen Shi was baffled; what on earth had his wife done during his absence?

It seemed off.

Old Huang explained, "Yesterday, she went sea shopping with Comrade Yang’s family members, encountered an emergency and had a conflict. Your wife was tough, spoke little, and directly used needles, incapacitating half of someone on the spot."

He was puzzled, "Old Wen, didn’t you say your wife does embroidery?"

"She does," and it’s excellent, earning foreign exchange, feeling proud.

"Then how does she know acupuncture?"

"Oh, she studied medicine, not really talented but learned acupuncture well!"