Yam Beans
Never mind, the host is still young.
If it were a human with a human body, it would have silently swallowed a mouthful of old blood by now.
But it thwarted the host's plan from proceeding as intended because it knew her money wouldn't last, so she had to earn more.
It reminded her, "Host, didn't you want to make candied mountain yam last time?"
Mǎn Bǎo reminisced about the mountain yam stewed with chicken he had a few days ago, saying, "Stewed chicken is also very delicious, even more so than candy."
Since Mǎn Bǎo had been consuming sweets since she was young, her palate for sweet flavors was limited. She still believed that mountain yam stewed with chicken was more delicious.
With that in mind, she immediately said, "Let's go pick mountain yams and have chicken for dinner."
Kē kē: It knew it would be like this. Does she still want to save money? That's impossible.
Mǎn Bǎo immediately ran back to find her mother and said, "Mom, let's have chicken for dinner."
The reason was also very valid: "Look at Fourth Brother, he's so thin, he needs to take care of his health, so we have to stew a chicken for him."
Qián Shì thought about it and felt that Fourth Brother had been losing too much weight recently. She nodded, "Okay, go call your sister-in-law to come back and cook the chicken."
Mǎn Bǎo immediately turned and ran.
Qián Shì shook her head with a smile, picked up the needle and thread from the basket, and continued making clothes for herself. It must be that Mǎn Bǎo is craving again.
Mǎn Bǎo ran to call Little Qián Shì back home to cook the chicken and also called the other children to go to the field to pick mountain yams.
A group of children ran to the field with two bamboo baskets, shouting and running. Most of the ginger had already been sold, but only a few mountain yams had been taken.
Initially, they considered the mountain yams to be somewhat small, but after waiting for over ten days, they noticed that they had not grown significantly. They knew that this was as big as the mountain yams would get.
Kē kē said it was because the genetics of the seeds weren't good enough. These were primitive species, and the seeds had not been selected and optimized. Combined with various factors such as climate and soil fertility, this was the result.
If they wanted a better harvest next year, they had to select good seeds this year.
But Mǎn Bǎo couldn't do this kind of thing. She just told her sister-in-law, and they would take care of it.
What Mǎn Bǎo wanted to do was to admire the mountain yam beans growing on the vine and in the ground.
Because they wanted to preserve quality seeds, they refrained from digging up numerous mountain yams. The whole family decided to wait until they were old enough to dig them up together, select the best ones for seeds, and either eat, sell, or dry the rest.
Mountain yams can be stored for an extended period. In cold weather, Keke said that the items could be stored for six or seven months in a well-ventilated place. But why not eat such a delicious thing quickly?
Mǎn Bǎo rushed to the field, tiptoed to pick the mountain yam beans within her reach, while Big Yà watched as she gathered everything she could into the bamboo basket. She quickly grabbed her hand and said, "Little sister, let's pick the big ones first, and leave the small ones for later."
Mǎn Bǎo said, "I think the small ones are also delicious, one bite at a time."
Big Yà said, "I think they can grow a little more."
"Okay," Mǎn Bǎo began to look for slightly larger mountain yam beans.
Big Yà thought it was enough and was about to call Mǎn Bǎo back home, but Kē kē said in Mǎn Bǎo's mind, "Pick a few more, and I can help you find the recipe for mountain yam candied fruit, and you can try making it."
Mǎn Bǎo curiously asked, "Kē kē, do you want to eat candied fruit?"
Kē kē: "...Yes."
Mǎn Bǎo immediately said, "Okay, let's pick a few more." "When I make it, I'll let you taste it."
Kē kē: "...Okay."
Mǎn Bǎo turned back to wave to Big Yà, "Come and pick a few more; we'll take them back to make candied fruit."
The children's eyes lit up when they heard about candied fruit. They had never eaten it before, but they had seen it.
A group of children rushed up and asked, "Little sister, can you make candied fruit?"
"I can't, but my sister-in-law can."
Big Head and Big Yà widened their eyes. Their mother could make candied fruit, and they didn't even know.
Children always have a special enthusiasm for food, especially sweets, so they were excited and didn't want to leave. Instead, they excitedly ran through the vines, picking any slightly larger mountain yam beans they saw.
When they emerged from the vines, they realized they had picked a lot. The two bamboo baskets they brought were both full.
Because mountain yams were more expensive than meat, the family had been reluctant to eat them, even the mountain yam beans. They had picked so many at once…
Big Head subconsciously touched his backside, shook the largest bamboo basket, and handed it to Mǎn Bǎo, saying, "Little sister, this one is too heavy. Can you help me carry it?"
Mǎn Bǎo was considerate and lifted it up, saying, "Okay."
Big Head scratched his head, blushed, and said, "Then, little sister, when we get home, if mom asks, you have to say that you told us to pick them."
Mǎn Bǎo understood right away. She said, "Are you afraid of being scolded by my sister-in-law?" Don't worry, it's fine. "These mountain yam beans will be eaten by us eventually, sooner or later."
Mǎn Bǎo said happily, "We can have mountain yam stewed with chicken tonight, mountain yam stewed with meat tomorrow, and mountain yam stewed with bones the day after tomorrow." It can be kept without spoiling.
Big Head widened his eyes and said, "Little sister, didn't you say you wanted to make candied fruit?"
"Oh, I almost forgot." Actually, I think mountain yam stewed with meat is more delicious.
"No, I want to eat candied fruit," Big Head said. "I want to eat candied fruit!" Said Big Yà and the others.
The majority ruled, so Mǎn Bǎo had no choice but to sigh and say, "Okay."
Kē kē said, "Host, in human records, mountain yam candied fruit has received high praise."
"But didn't you say that they might find it delicious because they don't have mountain yams and cannot eat them?" Anyway, I didn't find the candied fruit I had last time delicious, but Fifth Brother and the others liked it. I believe there might be a difference between our preferences.
Kē kē didn't say anything else. He thought that in this situation, the host should give it a try. Only after trying it would she know if she liked it or not.
Mǎn Bǎo and Big Head carried a bamboo basket back home. Little Qián Shì had already killed the chicken. When she looked up and saw the children carrying two bamboo baskets of mountain yam beans, she widened her eyes, rolled up her sleeves, and was about to scold them.
"You little monkeys, I asked you to pick some vegetables for dinner, but you picked them all?"
Big Head had already dropped the bamboo basket and ran out, shouting, "It's not my fault; it was Little Sister who told us to pick them."
Mǎn Bǎo happily said, "Sister-in-law, I told them to pick them." Big Head and the others want to eat candied fruit, so let's make mountain yam candied fruit.