The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 183 - 172: Eating Loach

Chapter 183: Chapter 172: Eating Loach

Manbao’s little bottom tumbles backward, landing straight on the ground, but without pausing, she pounces again to grab the loach. The slippery loach squirts out from the palm of her hand, and Bai Shanbao catches it with a swift move.

He doesn’t pick it up but just presses it onto the ground and laughs heartily.

Manbao rubs her dirty little hands on her forehead, quickly crawls over, and yanks the bucket toward them, gesturing for Bai Shanbao to toss the loach in.

The two kids exerted a huge effort to get the loach into the bucket, and now they’re dirtier than anyone else standing in the river catching loaches.

But they don’t feel dirty at all, squatting by the bucket, looking at the loaches inside, and giggling stupidly.

Manbao, drooling, says, "I want to eat."

Bai Shanbao hasn’t tried them before. Last time, he just caught them and didn’t eat. Seeing her drooling face, he can’t help but ask, "Are they really that tasty?"

Manbao nods vigorously, "So tasty, so very tasty."

Then Bai Shanbao also begins to salivate while looking at them.

Datou soon catches one as well. He’s quite experienced, catching it and throwing it toward the closest uncle.

Zhou Wulang catches it quickly with his hands and aims for the bucket near Manbao and Bai Shanbao. Some loaches land in the bucket, some fall out, and then Manbao and Bai Shanbao shriek with laughter catching those that did.

When the voice of the adults calling for dinner echoes from the village, everyone realizes that it’s getting late and climbs out of the river one after another.

Zhou SiLang looks at the mud on his hands and feet and calls everyone to wash up by the river.

Manbao looks at the mud on her hands and wants to go too, but Zhou SiLang wouldn’t dare let her touch the river water. He just pulls her by the back of her clothes and says, "Off you go, Datou, take them home to use warm water. Only adults can use cold water."

Datou rushes over to grab the bucket and says to Manbao, "Little Miss, we’ll go home first, along with Bai Shanbao."

Manbao glances at the river water, then at the loaches in the bucket, and decides to follow the loaches.

A group of kids return home, and Junior Ms. Qian almost passes out from anger. She grabs a broom and steps forward, but upon seeing Young Master Bai standing beside Manbao, laughing merrily, she pauses. Her hand stops, and with great effort, she changes direction, dropping the broom onto the ground instead.

Datou, Daya, and the others all let out a sigh of relief and start to perk up, holding up the bucket to show their catch, "Mom, we caught a lot of loaches."

Ms. Qian looks disdainfully at the contents of the bucket and waves her hand irritably, "Go, go, go, let your father sort it out. Daya, hurry and get the hot water ready for washing up. Who let you go in the river in this cold weather?"

Ms. Feng and Ms. He, hearing the commotion, also come out and see their children covered in mud, becoming instantly angry. They can’t help but grumble, "In this cold winter, think of how much wood is wasted to heat the water. Tomorrow you’ll go up the mountain to gather firewood."

They add, "You only have these two sets of clothes; the ones from before haven’t even dried fully..."

In short, they are exasperated.

Datou and Daya are a bit more sensible; upon hearing this, they lower their heads and quietly get to work.

But Second Son, Erya, and Manbao, the little ones, are completely oblivious to the adults’ worries, crowding together giggling and watching the loaches.

When the hot water is ready, they still giggle as they wash their hands and feet together. Knowing that their clothes have to be changed, Manbao playfully splashes the water, causing warm droplets to sprinkle on their faces, which is particularly amusing.

Bai Shanbao has been playing at the Zhou Family’s house for quite a while, until Daji, who has been standing silently aside, reminds him it’s time to go back for the evening meal, and only then does he get up.

Manbao brings over a wooden basin and fills it with many loaches, advising him, "Let them spit out the mud overnight, and eat them tomorrow."

Bai Shanbao indicated that he understood.

Manbao said with drool running down her mouth, "Aunt Rong’s dishes are so delicious. You’ll see how good they are when you eat them tomorrow. If they are delicious, remember the method, so I can have my sister-in-law make them for me later."

Bai Shanbao then invited her, "Come eat at my place tomorrow, and once we’ve finished eating at my home, I’ll come to yours."

Manbao pondered for a moment before agreeing and then handed over the wooden basin to him.

Of course, the wooden basin was carried by Daji.

Ms. Zheng saw her mud-covered son returning home and couldn’t help but gape. Then, seeing the loaches in the wooden basin, she took two steps back in fright and looked away. "Shanbao, you, why did you bring a snake back home?"

"It’s not a snake; it’s a loach." Bai Shanbao proudly told his grandmother and mother, "We caught them together. Manbao said they’re tasty, oh so tasty."

Ms. Liu had never eaten such a thing either and was startled, but she adapted well, simply nodding her head. She noticed his dirty clothes and asked Daji, "Did you go into the river?"

Daji hurriedly replied, "We were just by the river’s edge, didn’t touch the cold water, but I rolled on the ground while catching loaches."

Ms. Liu nodded and waved her hand, "Take these things to the kitchen. Someone, draw bathwater for the young master."

After giving the instructions, Ms. Liu then frowned at Bai Shanbao, "Hurry up and wash up, change your clothes, it’s almost time for dinner."

Ms. Liu never stopped her child from being mischievous; in her opinion, it was healthier for a child to be lively, especially boys. If you fear restraining a child from everything, saying they must not do this or that, they’re more likely to fall ill in the long run.

Therefore, she only prohibited them from climbing to dangerous heights or wading into water, leaving the rest for them to play with.

Bai Shanbao never considered himself to be naughty. Watching Daji take the wooden basin away, he happily followed the servants to take a bath and change his clothes.

The Bai Family’s kitchen manager was Aunt Rong, who had an old woman and a little girl under her. The three of them managed the kitchen, taking care of the eating and drinking needs of the whole household.

She knew how to make many things: pastries, and a little bit of various southern and northern cuisines. Of course, she knew how to prepare the loaches as well.

She didn’t just know how to prepare them; she made three dishes in one go: loach tofu soup, steamed loaches, and stir-fried loaches.

Apart from the steamed loaches, Manbao had never eaten the other two.

Ms. Zheng was too scared to try, naturally refusing to eat. Ms. Liu tasted them and found them good, and started eating with the two children.

Manbao served herself only a little rice, then ate the three loach dishes with great relish, even saying, "Loaches are delicious, and this white tender stuff is also good."

Ms. Liu served her a piece of tofu and asked with a smile, "This is tofu, haven’t you eaten it before?"

"No." Manbao shook her little head and asked, "How is tofu made?"

"It’s made from beans." Since the Bai Family made it themselves, Ms. Liu knew that some food preparation methods that are common in some places might be unheard of in others, so she carefully explained the process of making tofu to Manbao, smiling, "When you go back, you can ask your sister-in-law to try making it."

Manbao nodded vigorously.

Seeing that she enjoyed her meal, and her usually picky grandson was having more and tastier food than usual with her as an example, Ms. Liu said with a smile, "I’ll have Aunt Rong pack two pieces for you to take back later. Manbao, grandma likes you very much. Would you like to come over and eat with us more often?"

"That won’t work. I still have to eat with my mom," Manbao said. "She won’t enjoy her meal without me. Otherwise, Grandma, you come to my house for dinner."

Ms. Liu laughed heartily and nodded, "Sure, the next time I’m free, I’ll visit your place and will also have a taste of the food at your house."