Chapter 104: Pheasant and Bamboo Fungus Stew
’So fast. Such strong hunting skills.’
Yun Jiao admired this cat.
Of course, she herself was a powerful Merfolk, though she was just a youngling at the moment.
"Wow! Cat Boss, you’re so amazing!"
Yun Xiaojiu exclaimed in genuine admiration.
Cat Boss puffed its chest out even more proudly and carried the small fish over to Yun Jiao.
It was continuing its mission to feed the youngling.
Yun Jiao understood its intent just by looking into its eyes.
Yun Jiao shook her head, rejecting the offering. "This kind doesn’t taste good. I won’t eat it."
Freshwater fish had a much stronger fishy smell than saltwater fish. Many sea fish could be eaten raw as sashimi, but it was rare for river fish to be prepared that way.
Besides, this fish was small and incredibly bony.
Yun Jiao went on and on, describing to Cat Boss just how delicious the big fish in the ocean were.
"I’ll bring you a big fish next time."
She spread her arms wide, making a huge circle with them.
The cat was good to her, and she wanted to be good to this big, fluffy animal who felt so nice to pet.
"Meow."
Seeing that Yun Jiao wouldn’t eat, Cat Boss lowered its head and, with a few crunches, bit off the fish’s head.
The fish wasn’t large, so it finished it off quickly.
Then, the two children and one cat started heading back with the day’s bountiful harvest.
Just as they neared the cornfield, however, Cat Boss suddenly let out a meow at Yun Jiao and took off.
It vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
’Okay, it seems this cat doesn’t want to be around too many people. What a character.’
Other cats were kept by humans, but this tabby cat was the one keeping humans.
"Holy crap! Where did you guys catch so many pheasants?!"
Yun Xiaowu, emerging from the cornfield, ran right into them. He couldn’t help but curse in shock when he saw what they were carrying.
Then, a military-green, Liberation-style shoe came flying out of the cornfield and smacked him on the head.
Such accuracy suggested the shoe’s owner had plenty of practice.
"Dad, go easy on me! What’ll you do if you knock my perfectly good brain stupid?!"
Yun Linhai walked over, picked up the shoe, and gave him another whack with it.
"What was that you just said?"
Yun Xiaowu mumbled guiltily, "I was just... too shocked, that’s all."
Yun Linhai then saw what the two children were holding, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Did you two raid a pheasant’s nest or something?"
The others emerged from the cornfield as well.
Shen Xiuyuan exclaimed boisterously, "Where’d you get those? Are there more? Take me to catch one!"
Yun Jiao shook her head. "They all flew away."
Yun Xiaojiu explained excitedly, "A super-amazing tabby cat led us to them! The cat caught both pheasants and gave one to Jiaojiao."
The Shen Family didn’t even need a detailed description from Yun Xiaojiu to know exactly which tabby cat he meant.
Uncle Shen asked, "Is it Granny Hu’s cat?"
Yun Jiao nodded.
Shen Xiuyuan clapped his hands. "I knew it! That cat is incredible. It can catch wild rabbits, let alone pheasants."
Her older cousin, Shen Kuan, asked, "So why did it give a pheasant to Jiaojiao? Why is it being so nice to her?"
Shen Xiuyuan replied, "I don’t know what’s up with that cat, but it seems to really like Jiaojiao. It usually runs away from people, but today it ate the dried fish she gave it and even let her pet its ears and touch its paws."
"It gave her a pheasant. Of course it likes her!" someone chimed in.
Everyone started chattering at once, creating a lively scene.
Yun Xiaowu and the others, however, were now extremely curious about this incredible tabby cat.
Unfortunately, the cat had already run off.
"And look at all this bamboo fungus! This stuff is great."
"Come on, let’s go home. Grandma will make you all pheasant and bamboo fungus stew tonight," Grandma Shen announced.
"Yay!"
At the mention of food, Yun Jiao’s eyes lit up.
’Pheasant is delicious. Bamboo fungus is delicious. Pheasant plus bamboo fungus equals super delicious!’
The boisterous group headed down the mountain. When they ran into other villagers along the way, they were met with envious remarks.
"With so many people in your family, you’ll be done with the harvest in no time! You really found a good son-in-law. He brings his children to help every year during the busy season."
These days, few married daughters brought their husbands and children back to help their own families with the work.
The husband’s family was usually just as busy. And for those with a tense relationship with their mother-in-law, bringing their husband and kids back to help would surely lead to gossip, if not outright arguments and fights.
That was why everyone was so envious of Grandma Shen’s family.
Her daughter had a good mother-in-law and a good husband, and had given them so many grandsons. They were incredibly envious of all that extra help.
The pheasants had been hidden away in a basket on someone’s back; otherwise, the villagers would have been even more jealous.
It was already late afternoon by the time they got home, with the sun nearing the horizon.
After working for so long, everyone was tired and hungry.
It seemed their neighbor had already given birth; Yun Jiao hadn’t heard any pained screams from the pregnant woman.
Several of the women immediately got busy making dinner. Since they were neighbors, Grandma Shen went next door to check on the situation.
Yun Jiao joined her grandfather and the others in shucking corn.
Whenever they found a corn borer, they tossed it on the ground at their feet.
The chickens had been let out of their coop. Led by a mother hen, the little chicks scurried over to eat the pests.
For them, it was a feast.
Soon, Grandma Shen returned.
Yun Jiao stared at her eagerly, her big eyes seemingly asking for an update.
A smile was in Grandma Shen’s eyes. "She delivered. A big, healthy boy."
But then she scoffed in disgust.
"Even though Juanzi gave birth to a healthy boy, that old hag still isn’t treating her any better. Her husband is the one getting all her food. She won’t even help her daughter-in-law during her postpartum confinement.
Before, when she just had daughters, you could’ve argued the old woman just favored boys. But now she has a grandson, and she still doesn’t seem happy. She used to harp on Juanzi constantly for not being able to produce a son, and now that she has, the old woman is *still* unhappy. I really don’t know what goes on in her head."
Yun Jiao asked, "Why does everyone have to have a son?"
Grandma Shen stroked her head.
"That old woman prefers sons over daughters. No... actually, she’s just biased toward her youngest."
"But our family doesn’t do that. Jiaojiao is our family’s treasure."
Yun Jiao nodded. She agreed with that.
She had seen that preference for sons back in Bailong Village, too. The Cai Jinhua family was a prime example.
"After we eat, I’ll take some chicken soup and eggs next door."
In those days, people still followed the principle that a close neighbor is better than a distant relative.
Of course, Grandma Shen couldn’t bring herself to like a vicious, sharp-tongued, and biased neighbor like the old woman, but her two eldest sons and their wives were all pleasant people.
When her own daughter-in-law had given birth to Xiu Yuan, Juanzi had brought over a few eggs from her own family’s home.
She had to bring them from her own family’s home, of course, because the old hag would never have let her give away their eggs. That woman guarded all the eggs and grain in the house like a hawk.
When the aroma of stewing chicken drifted out of the kitchen, Yun Jiao couldn’t sit still any longer. She dropped the ear of corn she was holding and dashed toward the kitchen.
"Aunt Shen! Mom! When can we eat?"
"Soon, soon! You’ve got the sharpest nose of anyone," Aunt Shen replied.
Aunt Shen secretly picked up a slice of steamed, smoked sausage and handed it to Yun Jiao.
"Here, have a taste."
Yun Jiao didn’t stand on ceremony, opening her mouth and taking a big bite.
"Delicious!"
Shen Yunlian poked her on the forehead in mock exasperation.
"All you think about is food! We haven’t even served dinner yet. And you, Sister-in-law, don’t spoil her so much."