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墨書 Inktalez
Liu Grandma had planted some potatoes, and Qing Luan dug up a few to make potato cakes for Little Tide as a snack. The little one was adorable; even with food in front of him, he didn’t keep it all to himself. He called over a few other kids who had been nice to him, sharing one cake each, their excited chatter filling the air.
Watching this scene, Liu Grandma thought that even if she were to die right now, she would be content. Her once timid granddaughter had become more outgoing since the arrival of the girl, who had taught her so much and encouraged her to play with the village children. They shared food together, and those kids liked Tide too. Whenever there was something delicious at home, they would bring some for her and often came over to play. Liu Grandma felt overwhelmed with gratitude.
“Hey, what are you eating? It smells so good!” A woman in a blue polka-dot dress approached with a smile. “My son Erwa said he had some fish porridge here last time and insisted that mine doesn’t taste as good. He’s been nagging me about it, so I came to ask for your advice.”
“Aunt Zhang,” Liu Grandma said, feeling a bit flustered as she rubbed her hands together. “It wasn’t anything special. You brought us some fish a while back, and the girl made some porridge with it. Erwa was here and ended up eating it.”
“But I made fish porridge too! He said it tasted different and that mine was bad!” Aunt Zhang exclaimed, confused as to why her child was being so difficult when the fish was the same.
“Come on, Aunt Zhang,” Qing Luan said as she motioned for Qin'er to bring over a stool. “Sit down first and tell me how you make your fish porridge.”
Aunt Zhang didn’t hold back; she was straightforward by nature. “How else can you make it? Just cook the fish with the porridge until it’s done.”
Qing Luan realized that Aunt Zhang's method was similar to Liu Grandma's, so she offered some tips: “You should fry the sea fish first to get rid of the fishy smell…” She explained her own method in detail without holding anything back and added, “Auntie, Erwa has a sensitive stomach. He likes fish porridge because it's easier to digest. If you make it often for him, he’ll get better.”
That boy was quite lovable and sensible but also painfully thin; no matter what he ate, he didn’t seem to gain weight and didn’t like rice either, which was why Aunt Zhang was worried.
“Oh my goodness! Just as you said, girl! You’ve saved my life!” Aunt Zhang exclaimed excitedly. She rambled on about having several daughters but only one son who was spoiled rotten, leading to his current state of pickiness. It pained her to think about it, but there seemed to be no other way. Today was the first time he had actively asked for something different, prompting her to gather the courage to ask for help.
“Hehe, it’s just a small matter. Let him come here more often; I’ll see what he likes to eat and teach you how to make it,” Qing Luan said warmly, unable to resist the pull of maternal love.
“Good, good, good!” Aunt Zhang was so excited she didn’t know what else to say.
Qing Luan initially thought this was a small matter, but unexpectedly, Aunt Zhang began to brag about her child's good fortune in the village after they had enjoyed a meal. As a result, children from the village frequently came over to play and snag a bite to eat. However, some of the villagers were also generous; those who ate at her place would bring back some food, like fish, vegetables, or meat. These ordinary items turned into delicious treats in Qing Luan's hands, making the children incredibly happy.
Looking at the yard full of kids, Qing Luan pondered whether she should open a kindergarten. Almost every day, children came to play, and at this rate, she would truly become a nanny.
"Girl, what are you thinking about?" Liu Grandma asked as she moved a stool over and dragged a dustpan with her. While tidying up the contents inside, she inquired further.
Glancing down at what Liu Grandma was handling, Qing Luan's eyes lit up. She recognized the star anise and other spices that had been sent by the village chief a few days ago as a token of gratitude for several meals his son had enjoyed at her home. She thought to herself that since Grandma had grown chili peppers and they had salt at home, if they ground it finely and paired it with star anise and other spices, wouldn’t that make for some great barbecue?
However, for barbecuing, they would need plenty of food and couldn’t just ask others for it. But there would surely be many children coming to eat. She looked up at the back mountain and contemplated her plan before turning back to Liu Grandma and asking, "Where does that back mountain lead? Is there anything up there?"
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