Chapter 11
Chapter 11: Pancakes
“I… I won’t be eating,” Madam Liu hurriedly said.
She was already suspicious and felt that this thing might be poisonous.
Perhaps it was her daughter-in-law who wanted to poison her.
Qin Xiaoyao was at a loss.
She thought Madam Liu still did not believe that she wanted to share the pheasant with her.
She wanted to say something, but after thinking about it, she decided against it.
When the meat stew was ready, she would let them eat it, then they would believe her.
At the thought of this, Qin Xiaoyao went on to chop the hare meat.
She put aside one of the hares and prepared to fry the other one.
Although the only seasoning left in the house was a little salt, this hare was quite fat, so some fat would ooze out as she fried it.
She had experienced far tougher conditions in the post-apocalyptic world, so she was not that picky about food.
After chopping up the hare meat, Qin Xiaoyao began to knead the dough.
She also added pheasant eggs and wild vegetables to the mixture.
Madam Liu wanted to say something when she saw this but stopped herself again.
She had wanted to ask her daughter-in-law just now. Where did she get so much rice and flour when she went out? And she even brought back the little girl from the Wang family.
At that time, she had thought that her daughter-in-law had brought the little girl back to give away the things in their own house.
However, when the little girl left, she only took two empty wooden basins with her.
She had some guesses in her heart, but she didn’t dare to believe them.
“What’s wrong, Mother?” Qin Xiaoyao naturally noticed her mother-in-law’s expression and asked Madam Liu with a smile.
Madam Liu quickly looked away.
“Not… nothing,” she stammered. She still dared not ask.
Qin Xiaoyao was actually waiting for Madam Liu to ask her about the rice and the flour.
Then, she would answer and take the opportunity to show her loyalty to her mother-in-law and also tell her that she had turned over a new leaf.
However, she didn’t actually ask.
Qin Xiaoyao felt a little disappointed.
After a while, finally, she couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Mother, did you want to ask about this flour and the rice I just brought back?” Qin Xiaoyao looked at Madam Liu with a smile.
She thought to herself, “Why won’t you ask me? I’ll definitely tell you everything I know, okay?”
Madam Liu was stunned.
“Oh… well, yes,” she finally replied.
Qin Xiaoyao’s heart was bursting with joy when she finally heard her mother-in-law’s words.
However, she still forced herself to calm down.
Then she explained, “The rice and flour were returned to our family by Aunt Wang.”
Madam Liu was shocked.
Qin Xiaoyao smiled and continued, “Didn’t I lend them some rice and flour before?”
“I went to get them back earlier.”
“Oh, right. I’ve also gotten back the copper coins that were loaned out!”
This time, Madam Liu’s eyes nearly popped out.
Qin Xiaoyao smiled again.
“Husband’s leg injury can’t be delayed. Tomorrow, I’m going to town again to invite a doctor back to take a good look at his injury. ”
Well, 75 copper coins might not be enough. Perhaps she had to think of some other way.
She hoped that the two pieces of hare skin and the bundle of Chinese yam could be exchanged for some silver.
If it was still not enough, she could only go back to the Qin family and shamelessly beg her predecessor’s father.
That was right. Qin Xiaoyao had already accepted her current identity and was prepared to live well in her place.
As a woman in the post-apocalyptic world, it was not strange that she could change and adapt so quickly.
After all, compared to the apocalypse, this place could really be considered a paradise.
Madam Liu’s eyes flickered, and finally, a look of worry emerged.
“Your… then your…” She actually wanted to ask Qin Xiaoyao if she had enough money, but she stopped herself when she thought of her daughter-in-law’s actions earlier.
She could make a bit of money by doing embroidery, but that bit of money was the life-saving money for her family to buy food and cook porridge.
If she gave it to her daughter-in-law and she squandered it, her whole family would probably starve to death.
Qin Xiaoyao looked at Madam Liu.
Seeing that Madam Liu quickly avoided her gaze with a guilty and regretful look, her mouth curled up in a faint smile again.
Her mother-in-law really displayed all her thoughts on her face.
“I’ll think of a way to get the money. You can just take care of Yun’er and the rest at home.”
A look of surprise flashed across Madam Liu’s face once more.
“Alright,” she replied.
Qin Xiaoyao finally completed making the noodles.
“I’ll call Yun’er in to start the fire.” After saying that, she left the kitchen.
Not long after, Song Yun brought Song Ye in.
Then, she skillfully started a fire.
Qin Xiaoyao began to make pancakes.
As the pancakes were placed into the pan one by one, the fragrance quickly spread out. Qin Xiaoyao quickly finished making the semi-circular pancakes.
Just as she was about to finish using the rest of the flour paste, she could no longer ignore the gazes of the three people behind the stove.
In particular, the two younger ones had swallowed their saliva several times.
Qin Xiaoyao couldn’t help but laugh when she saw this.
Then, she took the opportunity to scoop some water.
“Come, wash your hands. Help me taste these pancakes after you wash them.” Then, Qin Xiaoyao took the wooden bucket of water and placed it in front of the stove.
The two little ones were shocked. They looked at each other and did not dare to move forward.
Qin Xiaoyao felt helpless and turned her gaze to the youngest child, Song Ye.
“Ye’er, you go first.” She smiled and coaxed him gently.
Song Ye looked at Song Yun, then at the steaming pancakes on the stove. He couldn’t bear it anymore and walked toward Qin Xiaoyao.
“Good boy!” Qin Xiaoyao was amused by the little kid’s expression and couldn’t help but stroke his head.
“Come, let Sister-in-law help you wash your hands,” she said.
Then, she took Song Ye’s tiny hands and helped him wash them in the bucket.
Song Ye was a little scared at first, but he realized that Sister-in-law was very gentle. When she helped him wash his hands, she didn’t rub them too hard.
“Alright! After you wash your wee little hands, you can eat the pancake,” Qin Xiaoyao said with a smile.
Immediately after, she got up and brought the bamboo pan basket from the kitchen counter.
“This big one was the first to be baked, so it’s definitely not hot now. Ye’er can take this one and help Sister-in-law taste it.” Qin Xiaoyao coaxed with a smile.
Song Ye’s tiny face turned red.
“Okay.” Then, under Qin Xiaoyao’s encouraging gaze, he finally reached out and took the big pancake that Qin Xiaoyao had pointed out.
It really wasn’t hot, and the pancake was very big, twice the size of his tiny hand.
“Try it.” Qin Xiaoyao continued.
Song Ye didn’t stand on ceremony this time. He used his other hand to hold the pancake and brought it to his mouth.
He took a bite.
The fragrance instantly swept through his mouth, and it was so delicious that it made him want to cry.
Qin Xiaoyao, on the other hand, was not in the mood to look at these things. The newly-baked pancake in the pan needed to be flipped over.
She hurriedly put the bamboo pan basket back on the kitchen counter, went back to the stove, and began to flip the pancakes.
At the same time, Qin Xiaoyao took the opportunity to speak to Song Yun and Madam Liu.
“Yun’er, Mother, why don’t both of you wash your hands and help me taste it too.”
“It’s my first time making pancakes, so I don’t know if they’ll taste good.”
“Sister-in-law, it’s delicious!” Song Ye was enjoying his meal at first, but when he heard Qin Xiaoyao’s words, he removed the half-eaten pancake from his mouth and answered Qin Xiaoyao.
Qin Xiaoyao’s heart was filled with joy at the sight of the greedy little cat.
“Your word alone doesn’t count! Quickly let your sister and mother have a taste too,” she said with a smile to Song Ye.