Transmigrated into a seven-year-old child, my fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens.

It was probably lunchtime, so there was no one under the big banyan tree at the village entrance, which relieved Zhao Lian.

It's fine if there's no one at this intelligence station, but if there were, the news would spread by tomorrow.

Just then, a woman walked towards them. When she saw Zhao Lian return, her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh~ isn't this Zhao Lian? Where have you been coming from?"

When Zhao Lian looked up, she saw that it was Mei, the second daughter-in-law of He Sen's younger brother He Lin. Mei was about 30 years old.

With high cheekbones, triangular eyes, and thin lips, he had a mean-spirited look, much like Liang.

This Mei woman is gossipy and loves to take advantage of others. Moreover, she and her stepmother, Li, are always together, and the two are truly birds of a feather.

She used to visit from time to time and often spoke ill of Zhao Lian and her sister. Zhao Lian didn't want to pay attention to her, but she did.

However, according to seniority, she should still call her Second Aunt. Although Zhao Lian didn't particularly like her, she still managed a smile: "Second Aunt~"

However, Zhao Lian did not mention that she had just returned from the market.

However, Mei noticed at a glance that Zhaolian's basket was full of things, and her eyes lit up immediately. She reached out a hand.

Zhao Lian tried to dodge, but it was too late.

Mei reached out and rummaged through the things on Zhaolian's basket, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Zhaolian, what the hell is that thing tied to this straw?"

"Oh, you actually have money to buy rice and flour." As soon as Madam Mei saw the cloth bag, she knew it was a bag for storing black flour.

"Wow! There's even a big bone! Zhao Lian, you've struck it rich!" Mei exclaimed in surprise.

Before she could examine what else was inside more closely, Zhao Lian turned around and coldly said to her, "Second Aunt, you're such a grown woman, how dare you rummage through other people's things!"

Feeling a bit embarrassed by Zhao Lian's retort, Madam Mei chuckled dryly twice and asked, "Zhao Lian, did you come back from the Changting Market?"

Zhao Lian didn't answer her question, but simply said, "Second Aunt, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

After saying that, Zhao Lian ignored her and quickened her pace to go home.

Watching Zhao Lian's retreating figure, Madam Mei spat out a mouthful of saliva: "Pah! You jinx, look at how smug you are, you just bought some black face! As if you're afraid anyone will find out."

"Hey!"

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Mei's eyes darted around, a cold smile appeared on her lips, and she turned and walked forward.

Aren't you afraid your grandma will find out? Well, I'll let them find out anyway.

It's estimated that everyone is at home eating right now. After separating from Mei, Zhao Lian didn't encounter anyone else on the way.

When passing by the He family's house, Zhao Lian didn't see any other movement. She even glanced at the house twice, but there was no one in the courtyard.

Touching the two steamed buns in her arms, Zhao Lian wanted to give them to Zhao Feng and Zhao Di, but she couldn't see them now.

However, Zhao Lian was relieved that she didn't hear the old woman's curses, which meant that at least the two of them weren't being scolded.

Zhao Lian paused for a moment outside the He family's courtyard gate before hurrying home.

They arrived home quickly. Zhao Lian placed the basket on the table, locked the door, and then took everything out of the basket.

The rice and flour were taken out and put into the cabinet in the kitchen, along with the oil lamp, bath beans, and salt.

Immediately afterwards, Zhao Lian brought out a ceramic basin and took out the large bone and pork fat.

There were five crabs on the mountain. Zhao Lian untied the toad vine and put the crabs into the water pit. She planned to raise these crabs first.

Because there are big bones now, enough for her to eat for two days.

As soon as the mountain crabs were put into the water, they immediately became lively and energetic, some even burrowing into the crevices of the rocks.

Zhao Lian lit a fire, set up an earthenware pot, and started cooking white flour dumplings. Then she washed the minced meat and threw it in.

Soon, with a little oil and salt, a bowl of noodle soup is ready.

The cooked noodle soup was left to cool, and Zhao Lian used a cleaver to chop the pork bones. Then she put water in and blanched the large pork bones.

After boiling for about ten minutes, take it out and set it aside. Because of the hot weather, I was afraid it wouldn't keep for long, so I simply blanched the pork bones.

Set the blanched water aside; add some salt later, and it will become an excellent soup.

Next, Zhao Lian washed the earthenware pot clean, then cut up the pork fat and put it into the pot to render lard.

Because the earthenware pot wasn't big enough, the pork fat had to be rendered in two batches.

Put the chopped pork fat into an earthenware pot, add a little water, and then heat it up. Pork fat cooked with water will look especially beautiful. Once the water evaporates, the oil will naturally be released.

While frying the lard, Zhaolian ate some noodles. The noodle soup, with the addition of minced meat, had a meaty flavor and became incredibly delicious.

Zhao Lian feels like she's eaten three meals since morning, but she gets hungry again after a short while. She guesses it's because her stomach isn't full of nutrients, so she gets hungry quickly after eating a little something.

It is said that a half-grown boy can eat his father out of house and home, or that he is growing and has a fast metabolism, unlike his previous self who could be full for half a day after eating one meal.

Thinking that Zhao Feng and Zhao Di might not even have anything to eat, Zhao Lian felt uneasy.

I've already eaten three meals since this morning, and this is my fourth, but I still don't feel full.

Thinking back to the day before when he hadn't had a proper meal, he realized that Zhao Feng and Zhao Di were probably starving right now.

Zhao Lian was a little anxious, after all, the two of them were the original owner's older sisters, and the three sisters had a good relationship.

The earthenware pot was sizzling as it fried the lard, and the aroma of lard filled the air.

Zhao Lian was glad that her house was at the end of the village and far away from her neighbors, otherwise the whole village would probably smell the lard she was frying right now.

The aroma isn't as strong when it's far away.

……

He family

While Zhao Lian was eating her noodle soup, the He family was also having their meal.

Today, it was the second wife's turn to cook. Liang cooked a large pot of porridge and added some wild vegetables, but the porridge was a bit thin today.

After the porridge was cooked, the mother-in-law, Old Yang, served it, starting with the thickest porridge and gradually thinning it out. Old Yang first ladled two bowls of the thicker porridge for herself and her husband.

Then came the three sons, then the grandson, then the daughter-in-law, and then the granddaughter.

Zhao Feng and Zhao Di were last in line, and by the time it was their turn, there was basically only rice porridge left.

The rice grains inside were clearly countable, mixed with a few wild vegetables, which was barely enough to fill one's stomach.

Zhao Feng and Zhao Di drank their rice porridge, looking pitifully at He Yue'e and the others as they drank their congee.

Although they were all granddaughters, Grandma served them porridge, but when it was her turn, all she got was rice water.

The key point is that there was only about half a bowl of rice porridge. After finishing that bowl of rice porridge, my stomach still felt empty.

Zhao Feng swallowed hard and cautiously asked Old Madam Yang, "Grandma, I'm hungry, I want to eat more."

Old Mrs. Yang glared at him: "All you ever do is eat. You complain that there's not enough food, but you complain that there's too much work."