Chapter 44
44 Picking Oil Tea Fruits
Ji Xiang couldn’t find Li Yu after circling the mountain. He caught a few pheasants and hares and carried them home. When he returned home, he reported to Zhou Jia, “Young Master, I searched everywhere but couldn’t find Miss Li. I did catch a few pheasants and hares though.”
Zhou Jia took out the Qi Min technique and placed it in front of Ji Xiang. “I already know what the oil tea tree is like. Do you remember the pool we saw when we picked herbs last year? The oil tea tree is a little past the pool.”
Ji Xiang glanced at the painting in the book and felt that he did not understand what it was. “I remember! Shall I go again now?”
Zhou Jia smiled and shook his head. “No need. When you come back from the mountain, I’ll go with you tomorrow morning.”
Ji Xiang looked at Zhou Jia in confusion. “Young Master, are you really going to help Miss Li pick the oil tea fruits?”
Zhou Jia nodded and rolled his eyes like Li Yu. “What’s wrong? Can’t I go?”
Ji Xiang looked at Zhou Jia and widened his eyes. “Yes, yes.” Ji Xiang bent down and retreated, muttering to himself, “Sigh! Young Master really doesn’t seem like his usual self.”
Li Yu carried the oil tea fruit home. Madam Qian had already put the soapberries away and entered the house. Seeing that Li Yu had reached home, she was finally relieved. Madam Qian pointed at the lime under the eaves. “Xiaoyu, look, I’ve already bought the lime. Come back early from the mountain in the future. There will be more wild animals when the weather gets cold.”
“Got it, Auntie Qian. I hunted a wild pig and placed it with Uncle He for handling. I’ll go get the meat.”
Li Yu took the backpack and went to the forest at the back. She took out the wild boar from her space and carried it towards Butcher He’s house. Only then did she remember that there were still two wild deer in her space. She thought that she had to find a day to send one to Minister Huang’s house in town.
When Li Yu arrived at Butcher He’s house, Xiaoyu opened the door and smiled when she saw the wild boar Li Yu was carrying. “Sister Xiaoyu, why are the wild boars you hunt getting bigger every time?”
Li Yu glanced at the wild boar on the chopping board. “Yes! They’re really getting bigger every time.”
Butcher He walked out of the house with a butcher knife. A young man who looked like an iron tower came with him. Butcher He looked at the wild boar on the chopping board and laughed. “Xiaoyu, I’m afraid this one weighs more than 300 catties!”
“Uncle He, it’s so late. I’ll have to trouble you again.”
“What trouble? You’re taking care of my business!” Butcher He handed the knife to the young man. “Tiezhu, you’ll do it today.”
Xiaoyu glanced at the Tiezhu and turned to look at Li Yu with a smile. “Sister Xiaoyu, this is my brother, He Tiezhu. Don’t you think he looks like an iron pillar?”
“Xiaoyu, are you looking for a beating?” He Tiezhu said with a red face.
“Mother, look, brother’s going to hit me,” Xiaoyu said coquettishly to Madam Huang, who came out with a wooden basin. Madam Huang nodded at Xiaoyu. “Crazy girl, aren’t you afraid that your Sister Xiaoyu will laugh at you?”
Xiaoyu tugged at Madam Huang’s sleeve. “Sister Xiaoyu won’t laugh at me!”
He Tiezhu’s hands and feet were agile. Soon, the wild boar was cut. Li Yu took half of the meat and oil. The rest of the meat was handed to Butcher He to help sell.
After Li Yu left, Butcher He avoided his son and said to Madam Huang, “Mother, Xiaoyu looks good, right?”
Madam Huang frowned. “She looks quite capable and neat, but I don’t like it that she’s orphaned. Let’s wait and see!”
Xiaoyu pursed her lips and glanced at Madam Huang. “Mother, you don’t like her but I don’t think my brother is worthy of Sister Xiaoyu.”
Madam Huang patted her with a dark expression. “Stupid girl, who would be willing to find a wife without parents? Not to mention whether they are well-mannered, I don’t like people who show their faces all day.”
Butcher He slapped the chopping board impatiently. “Alright, don’t mention this again in the future. If Xiaoyu finds out, how will everyone interact in the future?”
“Didn’t you mention it first?” Madam Huang pursed her lips and returned to the house with the wooden basin.
Li Yu carried the meat home and brought out a leg of meat and a piece of oil. She handed it to Li Qing, who was reading. “Ah Qing, send the pork to Aunt.”
Li Qing looked at the pig leg Li Yu was carrying. “Sister, aren’t wild boar all very thin? This wild boar is really fat.”
Li Yu took a strip of meat that weighed three to four catties and handed it to Xiao An. “Yes! It’s quite fat. Wait for Xiao An to leave with you. I’ll get him to send a piece to Uncle Chen.”
Li Qing smiled and said to Li Yu, “Sister, give one to my teacher too!”
“Take it!” Li Yu handed him another piece before the two of them left with the meat.
Li Yu stir-fried the peppercorns, salt, and fragrant leaves and placed them on the meat in a basin to marinate. She then took two pig trotters and burned them with fire to get rid of the hair. Shen then chopped meat into small pieces and placed them in the saucepan.
Madam Qian brought the finished cotton dress and outerwear to the kitchen. “Xiaoyu, look at how beautiful this purple dress looks! Xiaoyu, you would look so good in it. You’re so looking but wear frumpy clothes all the time. It makes you look old.”
Li Yu looked at the dress in Madam Qian’s hand and smiled. “This color is not resistant to dirt. Put it away and I’ll wear it when I’m free. Auntie Qian, how many days do you think we need to wait before the rapeseed can be transplanted?”
Madam Qian smiled and said, “In another four to five days, it should be fine.”
Li Yu estimated in her heart and felt that the oil tea fruits should have been picked by then.
Li Yu went to the vegetable field and plucked two radishes. She cut two onions and coriander and brought them home. Madam Qian hurriedly took them to the well to wash them. After Li Qing and Xiao An returned and ate, Li Yu took a piece of meat and gave it to Madam Qian. The mother and son carried it home.
The next morning, Li Yu carried a sack and a backpack and walked up the mountain with a seasoning bag. Just as she turned past Butcher He’s house, she heard someone shouting from behind, “Miss Li, Miss Li, wait.”
Li Yu turned around and saw that it was Ji Xiang and Mr. Zhou. Li Yu felt a little strange. Why were these two people going up the mountain so early in the morning? Weren’t they afraid after almost dying on the mountain last time?
Ji Xiang and Zhou Jia caught up to Li Yu. When Li Yu saw Zhou Jia’s flushed face, she thought to herself, He’s really devilish. Why is he so good-looking as a man?
Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and smiled as he cupped his hands. “Miss Li, I heard that you’re going to pick oil tea fruits. I’ve only seen such trees in books and want to see the real ones with you, is that okay?”
Li Yu was almost blinded by Zhou Jia’s smile. She turned her head. “If you want to go, follow me!” Li Yu sighed in her heart. She could only blame him for being too good-looking. She couldn’t even bear to reject him.
Li Yu pursed her lips and turned to look at Zhou Jia. “Mr. Zhou, can you withstand the long journey up the mountain?”
Zhou Jia took two steps to catch up to Li Yu and said with a smile, “Miss Li, look at what you’re saying. What’s so unbearable about this road?”
Ji Xiang looked at Zhou Jia’s brilliant smile and sighed in his heart. It’s over, it’s over. It seems that Young Master really wants to repay her with his life.
As Ji Xiang followed behind the two of them silently, Li Yu was finding it strange that this chatterbox was silent today.
When the few of them arrived at the forest, Li Yu pointed at the oil tea trees. “Mr. Zhou, these are all oil tea trees. There’s nothing to see actually!”
Of course, Zhou Jia understood that the oil tea tree was not worth looking at, but she was the one worth looking at!
“Miss Li, since we’re already here, we’ll help you pick the tea fruits before returning!”
Li Yu looked at Zhou Jia’s tender skin and looked doubtful. “Can you do it?”
Zhou Jia spread his hands and smiled. “It should be possible to pick fruits.”
“Alright then!” Li Yu pointed at the ripe tea fruits. “Pick the red and yellow ones.”
Zhou Jia nodded and picked them up with Ji Xiang. Seeing that the two of them were quite efficient, Li Yu ignored them and walked a distance away from them to start picking. She filled the sack and quickly placed it in the space when the two of them were not paying attention. Then, she continued to pick fruits.