Chapter 98: Sandworms

Chapter 98: Sandworms

At 2:30 in the afternoon, Deng Shirong arrived at Mountain Pass Commune once again.

Before heading to the seafood shop, Deng Shirong bought two wooden barrels specifically for holding the prawns. As for the crabs, they could be placed in chicken and duck cages, and the sandworms could be stored in rice baskets, so there was no need to purchase additional containers.

When the seafood shop owner saw Deng Shirong, he greeted him warmly, as if he were seeing a dear relative: "Cousin, you've come at the perfect time. I've just prepared everything you need. Come and see if you're satisfied."

Deng Shirong parked his bicycle and, at the seafood shop owner's request, inspected the quality and freshness of the crabs, prawns, and sandworms.

He was very pleased with what he saw. The seafood prepared by the shop owner was not only of excellent quality but also lively, truly top-notch goods.

After weighing the items, Deng Shirong noticed that there wasn't much left of the three types of seafood after reaching the predetermined weight. He cheerfully said, "Boss, I see you don't have much left. I might as well take it all!"

The seafood shop owner was overjoyed. The customer in front of him was undoubtedly the most generous he had ever encountered. With a smile, he flattered Deng Shirong while deftly weighing the remaining seafood. In the end, there were 39.5 kilograms of flower crabs, 27.3 kilograms of prawns, and 54.6 kilograms of sandworms.

The shop owner then took out his abacus and began calculating. Flower crabs were 50 cents per kilogram, so 39.5 kilograms came to 19.76 yuan. Prawns were 80 cents per kilogram, so 27.3 kilograms came to 21.84 yuan. Sandworms were 30 cents per kilogram, so 54.6 kilograms came to 16.38 yuan.

After adding up the total, the shop owner said happily, "Uncle, the total is 57.98 yuan. I'll round it down to 57.90 yuan. Minus the 10 yuan deposit you gave me earlier, you only need to pay 47.90 yuan."

Deng Shirong paid the amount with satisfaction and then said, "Boss, after you help me pack everything, could you also help me deliver it to the road ahead? I'll be waiting for a car there to take everything back. Otherwise, I won't be able to carry it all on my bicycle."

The seafood shop owner readily agreed: "Of course, no problem at all."

…

Twenty minutes later.

Seeing that no one was around, Deng Shirong transferred all the items into his system space and then rode away leisurely on his bicycle.

By the time he arrived home, it was already five in the afternoon.

By then, the family had already slaughtered the second pig, and all the relatives and friends had arrived. Some were chatting, while others were busy with tasks. When they saw Deng Shirong return, they all greeted him.

"Dad, why did you come back so late?" Deng Yuntai asked as he handed his father a cigarette holder.

Deng Shirong took the pipe and replied, "I also went to Mountain Pass to arrange for the delivery of the seafood I ordered, so I got back late."

Deng Yuntai, aware that his father had ordered a large quantity of seafood, asked, "Dad, what time will the seafood you ordered be delivered?"

Deng Shirong lied without hesitation: "It's scheduled to be delivered to the tile factory at 7 o'clock. I'll take someone to pick it up then. Has Ah Zhen started cooking yet?"

Deng Yuntai replied, "She's almost done. We'll be eating soon!"

Deng Shirong nodded, took out some tobacco and matches from his pocket, and said, "Then go and greet our relatives and friends. It's time to prepare for dinner."

"Got it!"

…

That evening, Deng Shirong enjoyed a hearty meal with his relatives and friends. The meal featured the offal of two pigs. Although his eldest daughter's cooking skills weren't quite on par with his, she had been taught by him, so the food she prepared was still delicious.

Deng Shirong knew he would be extremely busy the next day and likely wouldn't have time to sit and drink leisurely with his relatives and friends, so he made sure to enjoy himself that afternoon.

The drinking session started around five o'clock and continued until dark, finally coming to an end.

At about seven o'clock, Deng Shirong took some people to the tile factory to retrieve the seafood. Since he went by bicycle, he was much faster than those who walked. Once he arrived at the destination, he retrieved the seafood from his system space.

When the others arrived, he simply told them that he had taken the seafood and that the deliveryman had already left. No one suspected a thing.

When the seafood was brought back, it caused quite a stir among the relatives and friends.

Although Thatchfield Village isn't far from the coast—only a few dozen kilometers away—in later years, seeing the sea would have been as simple as stepping on the gas pedal and arriving in less than an hour. At that time, everyone was familiar with seafood.

But in these days, due to poor transportation, even though Thatchfield Village isn't far from the coast, the villagers' knowledge of seafood was limited. It was only a few years ago, when people from the coast came to exchange seafood for sweet potatoes, that they became acquainted with dried seafood like sandworms.

Of course, everyone was familiar with crabs and prawns, as these creatures also existed in rivers, though they looked slightly different.

The only thing that puzzled everyone was the sandworms, which looked rather unappealing. No one recognized it or knew what it was.

"Uncle Jiu, what is this? It looks like an earthworm," Deng Yungui, who had stayed behind to chat after drinking, asked when he saw the sandworms in the basket.

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "This is called a sandworm. It can be used to cook porridge, soup, or steamed dishes. It tastes really good. I'll prepare it tomorrow, and you'll see for yourself when you try it!"

Deng Yungui said, "This sandworm looks disgusting, but since you say it's delicious, it must be true. I'll definitely try it tomorrow."

Deng Shirong replied, "I plan to steam it tomorrow. Don't be fooled by its appearance now. Once it's cleaned and steamed, it will look completely different. I guarantee it will make your mouth water."

No one present doubted Deng Shirong's cooking skills. Those who had initially lost their appetite at the sight of the sandworms now felt a growing sense of anticipation.

…

In New Dock Village.

In her now-empty bridal chamber, Zhang Xiuping met with her two sisters for the last time before her wedding.

The mood among the three sisters was somber, as once Zhang Xiuping married the next day, it would be difficult for them to meet again.

Ou Guofang sighed and said, "Sister Ping, you're getting married tomorrow. I'm afraid the three of us won't have many chances to get together like this in the future."

Zhang Xiuping tried to cheer up and said, "It's hard to say. As for Ah Hua, I'll start helping her find a match after I'm married. If all goes well, we'll still be neighbors. As for you, Ah Fang, I'll also look for someone in Thatchfield Village or nearby villages. Once I find a suitable match for you, I'll help arrange it. My hope is that even after we're all married, we can still get together as easily as we do now."

Ou Guofang nodded and said, "Then it's up to you, Sister Ping. When you're married tomorrow, please help me find someone. Even if they're not perfect, I'm willing to marry them. Otherwise, it would be too boring if you two marry in the same place and I end up somewhere else."

Zhang Xiuping reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll definitely help you find someone!"

(End of this chapter)