How I Tamed My Wolfish Husband Back in 80s-Chapter 64 - Planning_1

64: Chapter 64: Planning_1

64 -64: Planning_1

After Li Qiao arrived home, he cut off the roots of the morel mushrooms with a kitchen knife and buried them in the sunny spot of his yard, covering them with a thick layer of rice straw.

Should the growing environment be about the same as it was by the grass hut now?

Old Mrs.

Qin, “Qiaoqiao, what are you fiddling with?

You need to start cooking soon, Jin is going to be back any minute.”

“I’ll start right away.” Li Qiao washed the mushrooms clean, cut them into nails, and chopped the green onions finely.

He started a fire to make sauce.

Old Mrs.

Qin couldn’t stay put as she smelled the sauce, put down what she was working on, and approached, “This sauce smells really good, what’s that black not-autumn thing inside it?”

“Mushrooms, just picked from the grass hut in the field.”

“Mushrooms?

Just make sure you don’t get poisoned.

The auntie next door picked mushrooms some years back to make soup, ended up convulsing and foaming at the mouth.

She was lucky there was a city doctor here to help.”

Li Qiao chuckled, “The ones I pick are absolutely non-toxic; you can eat them without worry.”

Old Mrs.

Qin was then reassured.

Li Qiao deemed the simmering about right and tasted it.

The texture was tender, the sauce thick and savory.

“Grandma, you should taste it too.”

Old Mrs.

Qin took a little with her chopsticks, “Mmm, it does taste good.”

“What are you guys making?

I could smell the deliciousness from far away.” Yu Feng walked in with hands in his sleeves, followed by Peng Chunhua.

They came again after finishing their meal.

Li Qiao, “Mushrooms picked from the grass hut, turned into mushroom sauce with meat.

Auntie, do you want to try some?”

“No, no, no.” Yu Feng hastily waved her hands, “You eat, you eat.

Just be careful not to poison yourself.”

Li Qiao smiled and did not reply, served up the sauce, and added water to the pan for steamed bread.

As the steam began to billow from the edge of the pot, Qin Jin stepped into the courtyard.

Old Mrs.

Qin, “You came back just in time, the meal is just made.”

Qin Jin looked at Yu Feng and Peng Chunhua, his gaze unfriendly, “What are you two doing here?”

Yu Feng stammered without reason, “We, we didn’t come to trouble your grandma or your wife, Qiaoqiao was helping us with weaving.”

Qin Jin, “Huh?” Isn’t there anyone to teach them?

Old Mrs.

Qin, “Stop talking nonsense, let’s eat.”

Qin Jin withdrew his gaze, washed his hands, and lifted the lid of the pot, poking the steamed bread, “It’s ready.”

He immediately found a bamboo basket to take out the steamed bread and set up stools for Li Qiao and Old Mrs.

Qin.

Peng Chunhua really wanted to drag Feng Hu over to see someone’s significant other.

“What’s this?

It smells meaty.” Qin Jin dug a big spoonful, spread it on his steamed bread, took a bite, and his eyes widened slightly, giving a thumbs up, “This tastes great.

Tomorrow, I’ll take two steamed bread with some of this so I don’t have to come back at noon.”

“Eating cold food in this weather is not good; better to come back to eat.” Old Mrs.

Qin advised Qin Jin and turned to Li Qiao, “Qiaoqiao, come eat.”

Li Qiao, “I’ll make some soup.”

“Auntie, Chunhua, we’re going to eat now.

Make yourselves at home,” Old Mrs.

Qin said.

“Yeah, you eat, don’t mind us.”

…

Using the remaining morel mushrooms and some small green vegetables from the doorway, Li Qiao added egg drop and a handful of chopped green onions to make a pot of soup.

When she was ready to serve it, Qin Jin came forward, “The temperature of the steamed bread is just right now, we can eat.

I’ll serve it.

This soup looks pretty good, the mushrooms are so fresh.

My wife is so capable.”

Li Qiao lifted the corners of her mouth, wiped her hands, sat at the table, and started eating her steamed bread with the sauce.

Yu Feng, “Are these mushrooms really safe to eat?

It rained the other day, and today, I saw clusters of them in the threshing field.”

Li Qiao nearly choked, clusters?

“Are they still there?”

“Where else could they go?”

Li Qiao abruptly put down her bread, got up, grabbed a basket, and ran toward the threshing field, afraid they might be gone if she was too late.

Yu Feng only then realized Li Qiao recognized what they were.

Only a fool would pass up a good deal.

She went home to fetch her basket.

When Li Qiao got there, she saw several thriving clusters.

She immediately started picking them.

Yu Feng came with her basket and saw that Li Qiao had already picked them all.

She stomped her foot in complaint, “How could your hands be so fast?

You took them all, that’s so dishonest.

Could you have picked them without me?

Couldn’t you have left some for me?”

Li Qiao said innocently, “You didn’t say anything about picking.

Here, if you want them, as neighbors, take some to try.”

Yu Feng was just about to reach out.

“Qiaoqiao, hurry back to eat,” called Qin Jin’s voice.

Yu Feng retracted her hand in fright.

If those losers saw her taking Li Qiao’s things, wouldn’t they extort money from her?

Li Qiao answered, “Right away.” She said to Yu Feng, “Auntie, go ahead and take some.” Yu Feng knew she was willing to give them.

“You picked them yourself, better you keep them,” Yu Feng refused.

Li Qiao shrugged her shoulders, one moment wanting, the next refusing.

She looked around once more to make sure there were none left before carrying her vegetable basket home.

Yu Feng had made a wasted trip and was kicking herself for it.

If only she hadn’t told Li Qiao.

Qin Jin stood at the doorway with a bowl in hand, “How did you come to recognize this fungus?”

Li Qiao had already thought of an excuse, “I read about it in a book, it’s called ‘morel’.” She whispered, “It has high nutritional value and tastes delicious.

It must sell for a lot in the city’s restaurants, at least several tens of yuan per jin.”

In her family, it was common to buy such mushrooms to stew chicken or pork rib soup.

A small packet with just five or six morels could cost several tens of yuan.

Qin Jin’s mind raced with plans, as these fungi often appeared after the rain; he decided to inquire in the city once he’s done clearing the ditches.

If they really were worth several tens of yuan per jin, he would come back and persuade the others to collect them.

Turn around and sell them, and they’d make a fortune.

He sat for a little while before leaving.

Li Qiao finished her meal and cleaned the morels, laying them out on a winnowing basket to dry, while burying their stems in the soil of her own yard.

Yu Feng watched the mushrooms spread across the winnowing basket, feeling a breathless pang of regret; they should have been hers.

Li Qiao caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye and smiled at Yu Feng, “Auntie, next time you find these, pick them for me.

There must be at least two jin here; I can give you thirty cents for them.” The extra could be given away as favors.

It’s been a while since she’d been in contact with Xun Dong from the city.

She needed to get in touch with him.

Qin Jin had a record at the station; he would be dragged in for questioning whenever something major happened.

You can’t get by without connections.

At the mention of money, Yu Feng’s eyes lit up, “You’re not fooling me, are you?”

“If I’m fooling you, I’m a little dog.

Dear aunties, same goes for you, if you find them, pick them and I’ll pay you as well,” Li Qiao promised.

“Well, that’s great.”

“When Qiaoqiao married in, I could tell right away she was a good-hearted girl.”

“Indeed, pretty and a high school student.

I’ve always said that Jin is lucky to have married this child.”

“…”

All took advantage of Li Qiao’s offer, lavishing praise on her one after another.

Li Qiao smiled, baring her teeth.

Old Mrs.

Qin pondered, “Qiaoqiao, such things grow from rotting leaves and grass.

It’s not good to eat too much of it.

Don’t buy them, and besides, thirty cents for two jins is too expensive.

Chicken only costs twenty cents per jin.”

“It’s not poisonous.

If the child wants to eat, let her eat.

High school students need to replenish their brains from all the studying,” the aunties advised.

Old Mrs.

Qin kept muttering, “It’s not meat, but it tastes good.

It’s better to buy an old hen and make soup.”

Li Qiao smirked inwardly; grandma was truly cunning.

With such a remark, everyone would think that thirty cents for two jins was a good deal, and it would preclude other thoughts.

After two o’clock in the afternoon, Li Qiao started to pack up her school bag to go to school.

While sorting through the weavings, she inspected the flower vases made by the aunties.

Yu Cuiying was very meticulous; all three of hers passed the quality check.

The other two aunties each had one that met the standards.

Peng Chunhua did well, producing four qualify pieces.

Li Qiao took out her own money and settled the accounts with the women.

Having tasted the benefits, Yu Feng was even more enthusiastic towards Li Qiao, praising her for a rare change, “Qiaoqiao is truly accomplished.”

Li Qiao curved her lips, shouldered a sack of handmade vases, and rested intermittently as she walked.

Old Mrs.

Qin caught up with her carrying a shoulder pole, “Qiaoqiao, let me help you carry it to the roadside.

It’ll be much easier for you once you’re on the bus.”

“I can walk slowly; it’s okay,” Li Qiao declined.

“That won’t do,” insisted Old Mrs.

Qin.

Unable to argue, Li Qiao walked beside Old Mrs.

Qin, each carrying one end of the pole, heading towards the main road.

Not until she boarded the bus did the old lady leave.