PDLP Chapter 322 My Stomach Is Calling Me
Chapter 322 My Stomach Is Calling Me
"Xiaoduo, be careful not to get your trouser legs wet."
Xu Yuan saw many people being so absorbed in their thoughts and gave them a reminder.
"Got it, big sister. I'll pay attention to it." Xuanyi replied happily.
"Sister Xuyuan, why are you fishing here?" A surprised young man's voice came from the side of the road.
Pan Dahai, Pan Xiaohe, and a young boy whom Xu Yuan didn't know were passing by here, carrying weeds.
The young boy was about the same age as Guozi, with dark skin, thin body, and eyes that rolled around, looking very smart.
"Hello, sisters and brothers, my name is Luo Xile." Luo Xile knew that Xu Yuan and her siblings didn't know her, so she bared her teeth and took the initiative to greet them.
Xu Yuan said "hmm" and nodded at Luo Xile.
Then he explained: "We are going to make dried fish. If you have time, you can go and catch them, but be careful. After they are dried, I will buy them for the same price as the chili peppers."
The water in small ditches with small fish is generally not too deep. When the children in the village are free, they often go to the river to catch small fish and shrimps. Since they are having fun, they can also make a little money by the way, so why not do it?
"Really? Sister Xuyuan, will you take as many as you can?" Pan Dahai exclaimed.
Luo Xile, who was standing next to him, suddenly widened his eyes and clenched the corner of his tattered clothes with his right hand to hide his inner excitement.
Buy these small fish at the price of chili peppers! These small fish can be caught in large quantities in the river.
"Well, we'll take as many as you can. But you have to clean the internal organs, then put them in a pot to dry out the moisture, and then hang them in the sun." Xu Yuan nodded and said affirmatively.
Pan Xiaohe scratched his head and asked, "Sister Xuyuan, do you want some shrimp?"
After all, there are plenty of small river shrimps in the ditch, and they don’t grow big, and the meat is not enough to fill your teeth. If you catch them, they will just be a bargain for the livestock at home.
"Small shrimps are also fine. They can be dried the same way as small fish, but you don't have to deal with the internal organs. Just wash them and dry them directly."
"That's great. We'll go back and tell the others, Sister Xuyuan, about our big harvest." Pan Xiaohe said excitedly, picking up the weeds and walking home with a happy look on his face.
If I tell my grandfather this good news, he will be so happy.
After seeing Pan Dahai and the other two off, the wooden barrel that Xu Yuan brought was almost full of small fish and shrimps.
Xu Yuan took Xu Zhi and a few others to find a section of the river downstream where there were trees and shade, and began to deal with the problem, using a knife to cut out a sharp branch.
Looking at the densely packed little fish in the bucket, it’s a bit difficult to make a wish.
This will take a long time.
"Sister, do we have to remove the internal organs of these small fish? I don't think there are many."
Xu Zhi looked at the densely packed little fish, not knowing how to start. After catching dozens of them, the wooden barrel didn't change at all. It seemed endless, and Xu Zhi felt that it was impossible to finish before dark.
But the many Japanese confectioners sitting on the other side were indeed very excited.
"Second sister, if we don't get rid of it, we will have to eat fish feces. I don't want that." Many people retorted.
Xu Yuan chuckled, "Actually, you don't have to remove the internal organs, but you have to change the water frequently for a few days to wait for the small fish to defecate. I think it's better to remove the internal organs. If you don't remove the internal organs, it will taste bitter."
"Is that so? Then it's better to remove the internal organs." Xu Zhi didn't want to have a delicious dish, but was discouraged by the bitter taste. Food with bitter taste will definitely not sell for a good price.
"Just do it like this, push and squeeze." Xu Yuan threw away the troublesome branch and found that it was faster to use his hands. He caught a small fish in two or three strokes.
"Really? This is much faster." Guozi exclaimed as he followed the method of making a wish and the effect was much faster.
It is not difficult to handle small fish, but it takes a long time.
As dusk approached, the river bank was already dark and mosquitoes began to come out to join in the fun. The "buzzing" sound echoed over the woods, trying to get close to the four people sitting on the river bank.
But Xu Yuan did not let these blood-sucking things succeed, and he stood up and supported himself.
I haven't felt so tired in a long time. My feet are almost numb from squatting, my hands are a little sore, and they smell like fish.
Delicious food is bound to be troublesome and time-consuming.
Xu Yuan grabbed a handful of sand from the riverbed, rubbed his hands, then picked some weeds from the shore, crushed them into juice, and smeared it on Xu Zhi, Guo Zi, and Manyu's hands, "to get rid of the fishy smell."
"Let's not do it anymore. Let's take it back first."
Xu Yuan looked around and saw that there was still half a bucket of small fish. Fortunately, he was by the river, and when he was processing the small fish, some of them were poured into the fish basket. Now they are still alive and kicking.
The collected fish had already filled a full bucket, and Xuyuan picked up the bucket.
The fish in this bucket is enough for a large pot of drying.
……
The sun sets in the west, and the whole place is filled with red light.
It's getting late.
After returning home with many Japanese confectioneries, the two were so tired that they lay down on the corridor. When Xu Yuan saw them, he just smiled helplessly.
They were exhausted today too.
After bringing the fish back, I first changed the water and then put it on the corridor and into the kitchen.
Xu Zhi was adding water to the pot for bathing and the stove was on fire.
"Xiaozhi, you haven't washed the rice yet."
"Not yet, sister. I still have some rice left from lunch."
After Xu Zhi poured the water out of the barrel, he closed the lid and replied.
"That's perfect. Let's heat up the rice for lunch and stir-fry the pickled bamboo rat."
"Sister, if you want vegetarian dishes, you can use freshly sprouted vegetables." Xu Zhi suggested.
"Okay, that's it."
Xu Zhi makes the fire and Xu Yuan cooks.
Heat oil in a pan, pour in the marinated bamboo rat meat and stir-fry until dry, then add dried chilies, garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon and bay leaves, grab a handful of soaked mushrooms, stir-fry and simmer, the aroma of the meat soon wafts into the yard.
Many Japanese people who were lying on the corridor and feeling sleepy suddenly started to growl in their stomachs as soon as they smelled the meat.
"smell good!"
Many people exclaimed, immediately got up from the ground, and suddenly became full of energy and spirit.
Xu Yuan looked to the side and saw that Xuanyu Wagashi had stood in front of the stove at some point. As usual, he took out his own small stool, stood beside the stove, leaned on the stove and looked into the pot.
Indeed, only delicious food should not be missed.
No matter how tired they are and how much they want to rest, once they smell something delicious, these two little kids will still stand here unmoved.
"Aren't you sleepy anymore?" Xu Zhi joked.
"Second sister, it smells so good and my stomach is calling me to wake up. How can I still sleep?" Many little hands touched their stomachs and said helplessly.