They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 5: The Youngest Daughter-in-Law of the Zheng Family

The child went very well.

As soon as the child left, Xu Zhichun quickly took out a large, plump chicken from the fresh food warehouse, washed it clean, and chopped it into pieces.

I only realized halfway through chopping that the chicken I took out looked like a yellow-feathered chicken, its skin color was very different from that of a normal chicken.

Xu Zhichun was numb.
She quickly picked out another wild rooster, and it looked very realistic. Although it was called a young rooster, it was actually quite meaty and firm.

Xu Zhichun removed the chicken feet, wings, and necks, chopped the chicken meat and legs into pieces, and put them into the pot to stew along with the original chicken pieces.

After thinking for a moment, I took out some dried shiitake mushrooms from the warehouse, soaked them briefly in hot water, and added them to the pot. I told them that I had accidentally obtained them in the mountains, dried them, and then stored them away, since the kids were at school every day and wouldn't know anything about them.

She then added a small handful of goji berries, a handful of lily petals, and a few thinly sliced, authentic Chinese yam.

The answer is that it came from the mountains.

Alright, it will retain its original flavor.

Before long, Liang Mingxuan returned, and Xu Zhichun added the fresh white radish chunks to the pot.

Actually, tender spring bamboo shoots are the best, but unfortunately we don't have any at home right now.

The fire blazed fiercely, and the broth in the pot quickly changed color, looking incredibly tempting. It bubbled and steamed, filling the entire room with its delicious aroma.

The uncle and aunt couldn't help but feel a little hungry.

Xu Zhichun quickly started cooking.

The meal is ready, and the chicken stew is perfectly seasoned.

She first served each of them a bowl of fragrant chicken soup, saying, "Come on, let's drink the chicken soup first. Chicken soup is the most nourishing. Drink the soup first, then eat the rice and meat."

"Ah."

Xu Zhichun served another bowl of chicken and took it to Aunt Zhu'er next door.

Aunt Zhu'er was startled. "This—how much meat is in a chicken? You and Mingxuan should eat more to nourish yourselves. Why are you sending me so much? No need, no need, really no need."

The two families lived at the far east end of the village, some distance away from the other houses, and had a good relationship. Xu Zhichun was unwilling to take them back.

"This chicken is huge, with lots of meat, really. Aunt Zhu'er, eat it while it's hot, don't be shy. You've helped me so much."

After Xu Zhichun said that, Aunt Zhu'er couldn't refuse, and said with a smile, "Then thank you very much! There's no need for such polite words between our two families."

It's good to have give and take.

"Yes, yes, that's how it should be. I'm going back to eat too!"

"Go ahead, don't forget to brew the medicine. Rest at home for a couple more days, there's no rush to do things in the fields."

"Hey."

When Xu Zhichun returned home, a large bowl of chicken and two small bowls of chicken soup were still neatly arranged on the rough and old square table, and Liang Mingxuan sat in front of the table.

Xu Zhichun asked in surprise, "Hurry up and drink the soup! Why haven't you drunk any?"

Liang Mingxuan: "I'll wait for my sister-in-law to drink with me."

Xu Zhichun was somewhat moved. He knew that farmers rarely ate meat, let alone such fragrant chicken soup. He had actually resisted the temptation of such delicious chicken soup right in front of him. He was definitely someone who would do great things in the future.

To be honest, if she were him, she definitely wouldn't be able to resist.

"Sister-in-law is back, come and drink."

"Yes, sister-in-law, you should drink too."

Seeing Xu Zhichun pick up the bowl, Liang Mingxuan then began to eat.

The chicken soup was indeed delicious, so flavorful that I almost wanted to swallow my tongue; it was so comforting. After enjoying the soup, I got some rice. Rice soaked in chicken soup, big chunks of meat, and radishes and mushrooms soaked in the broth were equally delicious.

It seems like if we can't finish this lunch, we can have another meal tonight, and another one tomorrow morning.

Liang Mingxuan was both happy and somewhat surprised: "I didn't realize this chicken had so much meat!"

Xu Zhichun's heart skipped a beat. She thought to herself, "This child has such an accurate intuition. Other kids this age wouldn't notice this; they'd be too busy eating. Her child is amazing!"

She smiled and said, "It's such a big chicken, there must be a lot of meat. We also added a lot of radishes and mushrooms, so it looks even bigger."

Liang Mingxuan thought it made sense, "Sister-in-law is right."

The uncle and aunt were halfway through their meal when another uninvited guest arrived. "Is Sister-in-law Zhichun here?"

Xu Zhichun told Liang Mingxuan to continue eating, and then hurriedly got up to greet him, "It's Xiaoyan, come in and sit down."

Zeng Xiaoyan is the wife of Liang Mingliang, the youngest son of the village head. She comes from a very powerful family; she is the illegitimate daughter of the Zeng family, a well-known wealthy family in Qingshan County.

Because the village head's father had saved Master Zeng's father, the two families arranged a marriage. Zeng Xiaoyan was an illegitimate daughter, and because of her bad temper, she was not liked by her stepmother, so she was married off to the village.

Zeng Xiaoyan was not happy about this marriage, and she caused a lot of trouble when she first entered the family.

She's too tired to cause trouble now, but she spends all her time at home playing around and doing nothing, and no one in the village head's family says anything to her.

After all, her dowry was considerable. Although it was nothing compared to the wealthy Zeng family, it was a huge sum for a rural family. She wouldn't hand over her other possessions to the public treasury, but the harvest from the six acres of fertile land she brought with her all went to the public treasury.

Because of this, she felt perfectly justified in not doing any work every day, and had to keep quiet even if others had objections.

Xu Zhichun was a little confused. She did have some memory of the original owner of this body and Zeng Xiaoyan. She didn't know why Zeng Xiaoyan would come to her house for no reason.

Zeng Xiaoyan smiled and said, "My mother asked me to check if you're feeling better—oh, you're only eating now?"

Her second sister-in-law has gone crazy again, feeling resentful, and is making sarcastic remarks about her being lazy. She just lets people talk.
Her stepmother was always finding ways to torment her and her half-sister. She had argued with them more than once, even to the point of confronting her father, and she wasn't afraid of her stepmother's retaliation and the suffering that followed. Why would she be afraid of her second sister-in-law? She immediately confronted her.

The mother-in-law was probably also having a headache, so she quickly pushed her out to help check on Xu Zhichun.

She was too lazy to argue with Zhao, that petty woman who couldn't compete with her but insisted on doing so, so she came.

I can't believe they've only just started lunch. A big bowl of chicken soup, plus mushrooms and radishes—it smells so good!
Thinking about it, it seems like she hasn't had a chicken dinner in a long time.

I'm even more hungry now.

Zeng Xiaoyan knew it was inappropriate, but those eyes had their own ideas; they were staring intently at the steaming chicken soup.

Out of respect for the village head and his wife, Xu Zhichun felt embarrassed to only let Zeng Xiaoyan see it, so he smiled and invited, "Would you like to try some of the freshly stewed chicken soup?"

Zeng Xiaoyan's eyes lit up instantly, and a smile appeared on her oval face: "This...this isn't quite appropriate, is it?"

"What's inappropriate about it? Please sit down."

Xu Zhichun smiled and brought over a set of bowls and chopsticks, ladled out a bowl of chicken soup and a few pieces of chicken for her, and asked, "Would you like some mushrooms and radishes?"

"want."

"okay."

I added a few more pieces of shiitake mushrooms and radishes.

"Eat it while it's hot."

Zeng Xiaoyan thanked them, then eagerly took a sip of the soup. Her eyes lit up again. "This chicken soup is so delicious! Sister-in-law Zhichun, you're amazing! You're such a good person!"

Xu Zhichun almost spat out his soup; such a sincere compliment!

One update today! During the new book period, there will be two updates every other day. After that, it will be a regular double update schedule.
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(End of this chapter)