Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

The two originally thought that since their game sold so quickly the last time they attended the market, it would be sold out quickly today as well.

However, what they never expected was that they kept their stall at the market all morning, and while the dead rabbits from the neighboring stall were sold out, no one wanted their live rabbits. As the market gradually emptied, none of the game they brought have been sold.

It was truly peculiar!

Not far from where the two were, a figure in a tea house had a full view of everything, and couldn’t help but grin with satisfaction!

“We can’t just keep waiting here, we still have to buy things we’re missing at home. If we really can’t sell them, we can take them home and eat them ourselves.”

Liu Sisi said, standing up from the ground.

“Should we leave already? Should we wait a little longer?”

Di Yelei was hesitating. It was four pieces of game and taking them home to eat was an option, but what he hoped more was to exchange them for some silver. But it seemed impossible at the moment.

Picking up their game, the two slowly walked down the street.

Upon reaching the corner of the street, Liu Sisi felt that gaze again. This gaze had been persistently following her since the morning. She didn’t take it to heart since she was rather attractive. But this time seemed different! Despite it being just a fleeting glance back, she clearly saw the owner of the gaze and instantly tensed up.

It was the Head Chef, Sun Ergou!

Seeing the cheeky and unabashed gaze from him, Liu Sisi realized that the reason they couldn’t sell their game might have something to do with him.

“Sisi, you wait here. I’ll go inside and ask if this restaurant might need them.”

Di Yelei was referring to another well-known restaurant in town: Juxian Restaurant. He seemed to still hold onto a glimmer of hope.

Liu Sisi didn’t stop him. Even if that Fatty could control everything, people of the same occupation were natural enemies. And this restaurant was also in the same business. Even if Fatty tried to play tricks, most likely he wouldn’t be able to reach here.

As expected, Di Yelei went in for only a moment before coming out excitedly, the mountain marmot in his hands was gone.

“This restaurant has already bought some game, but the Boss is kind and took one in. At least the trip wasn’t in vain.”

As he said this, he handed over 700 copper coins to Liu Sisi.

“That’s indeed not bad. Let’s take the rest home and eat ourselves. Let’s go! First we need to buy some things that we are lacking at home, especially oil. We haven’t had any oil at home for a long time.”

Liu Sisi also looked pleased, took the coins and headed to the pork stall.

There are mainly two types of cooking oil here; one is rapeseed oil, the other is lard. Rapeseed oil is mostly used for cold dishes and fried food, while lard is used by villagers in their daily meals.

When Liu Sisi and Di Yelei arrived at the pork stall, there was very little pork left on the counter.

At the moment, Pork Rong was raising his voice, shouting: “Come and buy! Come and buy! Freshly slaughtered pork this morning! Border oil 20 coins, foot oil 18 coins, lean meat 10 coins, semi-fat meat 15 coins, pig offal half price — Come and buy! Come and buy!” Border oil is pig fat or called slab oil, while foot oil is the networked oil that is peeled off from the viscera.

As Pork Rong spoke, he picked up an iron rod and repeatedly rubbed his big blade, making “swoosh swoosh swoosh” noises.

“This pig offal is half the price? Why?”

Liu Sisi couldn’t help but ask the curious question to Di Yelei standing next to her.

“The pig offal has a lot of grease, selling it for 5 copper coins a pound seems normal right?”

Di Yelei looked at Liu Sisi, surprised, evidently not expecting her to ask such a question.

Liu Sisi rubbed her little nose awkwardly, then thought about it and understood.

Mentioning meat here was unnecessary as people rarely ate it. When they bought it, it was often for the sake of rendering fat. Therefore, the best-selling pork was neck collar meat, or pork neck meat. This is because it had a high fat content and little lean meat. Rendering it produced no loss so everyone liked to buy it. Although the pig offal had a strange smell, it couldn’t beat the greasiness. Selling it at half the price of meat made perfect sense.

“Old man, I want that piece of slab oil.”

The meat and slab oil hanging on the hooks had been significantly reduced, and after some selection, Di Yelei finally chose a piece of slab oil.

Although he could hunt, game generally had little fat, so his focus was naturally the fattiest border oil.

A piece of border oil weighed a full 15 and a half catties, after removing the bit, Pork Rong took straight 300 copper coins.

“Ye Lei, let’s buy a pig’s stomach too, I want to eat pig’s stomach.”

On seeing food, the greedy worm in Liu Sisi’s stomach came out. She seemed to have seen the cooked chicken wrapped in the pig’s stomach walking towards her…

Pork Rong found this funny: “Hey! Is this big brother a hunter? The little sister-in-law is so cute. How about this! I’ll swap this pig’s stomach and the border oil from just before with two of your wild rabbits, okay?”

Di Yelei grinned from ear to ear as if he were the one being praised, he laughed like a fool, evidently very happy.

Liu Sisi glanced at Di Yelei, then blushing, said: “The big brother is too kind. But these are fat wild rabbits. Each weighs over six catties. If we add them to the swap, we’re at a big loss. Why don’t we trade these two wild rabbits and this weasel for your pig’s stomach and offal along with border oil?”

“This…”

Pork Rong was somewhat distraught. Some of the pig offal was picked off by someone else just now, although there wasn’t much left, he would clearly be at a loss if they traded…

“Big brother, you buy game for a change of taste right? We regularly hunt for fresh meat because we also want a change of taste right? Even if you’re at a loss, it’s a few copper coins. Isn’t it better to change it up a bit?” Liu Sisi said, laughing lightly, her beautiful eyebrows arching like crescent moons.

Pork Rong hesitated for a moment, then took down the pig’s stomach and offal and said: “Fine! Just as the sister-in-law said, a loss is nothing but a few copper coins. Take it and go!”

“Thank you, big brother!”

Liu Sisi was also very happy, she had thought they wouldn’t be able to sell the game today, so she was surprised when it was all swapped away in the end!

It was only then that the two rushed to the rice and grain shop, bought some rice and seasonings, then went to the clay pot store and bought a dozen different sizes of ceramic bowls for future use. They even specifically detoured to the mill store to buy a small stone mill, which made Liu Sisi very happy!

Now they could grind soy milk at any time!

Seeing that the baskets were so full that they couldn’t fit anything else, the two of them happily walked home. When they reached the intersection, Liu Sisi bought two sticks of candied haws for the two kids.

When it was time to pay, Di Yelei took three sticks of candied haws and handed one to Liu Sisi: “Here, you eat it! You, always spoiling the two kids. They’re still little now so it doesn’t matter much, but what if they grow up and become spoiled because of you?”