The sky gradually darkened.
A fragrant aroma wafted from the courtyard.
Bowls of lotus root flour balls were brought to the table. Two lotus roots, finely chopped and mixed with flour batter, were rolled into balls and fried until golden, filling two large bowls.
Zhao Sidan leaned over the dining table, unable to stop his saliva from flowing.
Cheng Loanloan stuffed a lotus root flour ball into his mouth and said angrily, "You've been eating your fill these past few days, why do you still drool every day?"
"Mother's cooking is truly delicious!"
Zhao Sidan swallowed the lotus root flour ball in one gulp. It was crispy, refreshing, fragrant, and sweet; he simply couldn't get enough.
Cheng Loanloan picked out fifteen lotus root flour balls, arranged them into a full bowl, and handed it over: "Take this to Grandma."
Zhao Sidan quickly carried the bowl and ran off.
At this time, only the old madam was at the Zhao family home. The wild vegetable porridge was already cooked, but the others had not returned. The old madam was a little worried, fearing that something might have happened.
After all, it was deep in the mountains; if a wild beast were to suddenly appear, the whole family would be in trouble.
She waited and waited, then smelled an enticing fragrance, and saw Zhao Sidan cheerfully entering the small courtyard: "Grandma, Mother asked me to bring this!"
It was a large bowl full of fried flour balls, golden and crispy, clearly made with a lot of oil.
"Why is your mother so wasteful with ingredients?" Old Madam Zhao lamented, wishing for better. "What is this dish?"
"Mother said they're fried flour balls," Zhao Sidan chuckled. "Grandma, try a bite, they're so delicious, I wish I could swallow my tongue!"
Old Madam Zhao's lips twitched. So much oil, and it seemed there was sugar added too; even a piece of dirt would taste good.
In a time of food scarcity, the eldest daughter-in-law repeatedly brought food, yet never mentioned moving back. Was she up to something bad again?
The old madam called out to Zhao Sidan, who was about to leave, and asked, "Has your mother mentioned anything to you these past few days?"
"Yes!" Zhao Sidan counted on his fingers and said, "Mother said she wants us to eat our fill, and she also said she wants to live in a new house, and she also said she wants us to eat meat every day..."
The old madam's eyelids twitched. She really did want to move back!
And to think of eating meat every day, what a pipe dream!
Back then, when they lived together, it was chaos every day. If her eldest daughter-in-law couldn't get rid of those bad habits, she would absolutely not allow the eldest branch to move back.
Zhao Sidan quickly ran back to eat dinner.
Wu Huiniang was talking about Wang Daimai with Cheng Loanloan: "She's hardworking, helped dig a lot of wild vegetables, chopped all the firewood in the house, and even carried two buckets of water for the family..."
Cheng Loanloan didn't know what to say.
In ancient history, whenever a famine occurred, there would be cases of selling children, and some people might even treat their children as food.
She did not want such inhumane things to happen around her.
Cheng Loanloan lowered her head and quickly finished dinner, then took the lotus roots and visited the village head's house for the second time.
By this time, the sky was dark. Night was when wild beasts were active, so villagers usually wouldn't go up the mountain at night. As soon as the sun set, Old Man Zhao led his children and grandchildren down the mountain. Fortunately, no one in the village was wandering outside, and the group returned to Old Zhao's courtyard safely, though startled.
The tired group slumped onto chairs, their palms covered in thick calluses.
Old Madam Zhao quickly gave the children extra food, each receiving an additional steamed sorghum bun. After eating their fill, the group finally seemed to come back to life.
Old Man Zhao took a puff from his pipe, then stood up and said, "I'm going to find the village chief, Li."
Old Woman Zhao angrily scolded, "You're already so tired, can't you go tomorrow?"
Mrs. Sun's eyes flickered. "That's right, Father. Rest for a night first, then go to Village Chief Li's place tomorrow morning."