CHAPTER 100: CHAPTER 100: ALL THAT WORK FOR NOTHING

The "folded ear root" that Xiao Mi mentioned is called "pigweed" here, and almost everyone loves to eat it. After this busy period, almost every household is looking for it in the mountains and fields.

Xiao Mi just realized now that last year, her family also ate it often. However, at that time, neither she nor Tie Dan sat at the table, so they didn’t notice.

Xiao Mi also likes it very much. Of course, Tie Dan couldn’t quite accept it yet, but he’s too young, and Xiao Mi understands.

The first time Xiao Mi saw the place where Ni Er and Tie Dan were digging for pigweed was the spot where Er Niang, Jiang Hu, had tidied up during the New Year. Many wild chrysanthemums grew there, and then they also watered it with manure.

But that was two or three months ago. Now, Xiao Mi has given up catching yellow eels and instead accompanies her second sister to dig for the folded ear root. If there’s more than they can eat, they sell it to the restaurant.

Anyway, Jiang Hu now goes to the restaurant to fetch swill water every other day, bringing with him some folded ear roots and wild vegetables like garland chrysanthemum, which the shopkeeper Liu is always happy to accept.

On the third day after the big yellow eel was caught, Jiang Hu was just not busy and had bought things from town, preparing to kill the yellow eel and make soup.

He planned to make a big pot of soup with such a large yellow eel, share some with Liu Yang’s family, and send some to the village chief’s home.

Giving it to Liu Yang’s family was because it was originally caught from Liu Yang’s field, and sending it to the village chief was naturally to maintain relations with the village.

The village chief was a good person. Last year, the village had some minor disputes, but the chief was always fair and impartial.

The Jiang family didn’t have any kinship with others in the village, so having an impartial village chief was a good thing.

However, just as Jiang Hu picked up the knife and was pondering how to start, Liu Yang came over excitedly.

"Brother Jiang, busy are you? As soon as I saw your ox cart, I knew you were back." Without waiting for Jiang Hu’s invitation, he walked right into the yard.

Seeing the big yellow eel in the bucket in front of Jiang Hu, he was startled: "Wow, this is the one Da Wa caught the other day, right? When Little Lucky Star takes action, it’s truly extraordinary. It’s even bigger than the one I caught before."

Jiang Hu put down the knife: "It was caught in your family’s field, and I’m planning to make soup with it at noon. I’ll bring some to your family then."

Liu Yang smacked his lips: "Then I won’t be polite, thank you, Brother Jiang."

Jiang Hu shook his head: "Thanks for what? If it weren’t for Da Wa and Xiao Mi’s playful antics, that would have been yours. By the way, did you come to see me for something?"

Speaking of which, Liu Yang’s face brightened: "Brother Jiang, I have nothing else, just this, as a gift to thank Xiao Mi."

He placed the wooden bucket he was holding directly in front of Jiang Hu with a grand gesture, leaving Jiang Hu momentarily bewildered.

Looking down, the bucket was filled with yellow eels!

Indeed, they were dark and shiny, and when they occasionally rolled over, their golden bellies flashed, weighing at least a pound or two.

Jiang Hu was puzzled: "What’s this for?"

Liu Yang didn’t hide anything: "Brother Jiang, you don’t know. Before this, the yellow eels and leeches in our field were just like anybody else’s."

Speaking, Liu Yang even got a bit excited: "But ever since the day Xiao Mi and Da Wa were in our field, the yellow eels have increased. Just these days, we can catch two or three pounds every night!"

Jiang Hu was also surprised: "That amazing? How much could you catch before?"

Liu Yang: "If I was lucky, I could catch a pound or two. If not, just one or two."

Jiang Hu glanced at the stone vat behind Liu Yang. If he were to tell Liu Yang that it contained at least a dozen pounds of yellow eels, he wondered if it would freak him out.

But Jiang Hu understood deeply what ’discreet handling of wealth’ meant, so he restrained himself, saying nothing, and merely smiled calmly: "That’s good, no matter what, catching more yellow eels is always a good thing."

Liu Yang chuckled: "Absolutely, right, Brother Jiang, what’s Xiao Mi doing these days? I haven’t seen her play in the fields. You should let her know, she can catch yellow eels in my fields anytime she wants."

His family had more than four acres of paddy field, and they weren’t all in one place. But only in the field where Xiao Mi caught the big yellow eel did the yellow eels and leeches multiply.

As for how he knew exactly which field Xiao Mi caught the eel from, it wasn’t hard. Being the village gossip, he knew about it the day Da Wa brought the yellow eel home.

To be honest, although Liu Yang wasn’t angry about the big yellow eel, he felt a bit regretful, but by evening, he noticed the benefits.

In that field, catching yellow eels was extremely easy!

In just one night, they had absolutely regained the value of the large yellow eel they lost!

At that moment, Liu Yang didn’t regret it anymore, even feeling it was worth it! Definitely worth it!

After three consecutive nights of bumper harvests, the ones caught last night were partly kept for his family, and the rest were sent to the Jiang family.

Oh no, it was for Xiao Mi.

Liu Yang naturally loved to talk, so he rattled on, recounting the whole story.

He concluded: "Brother Jiang, I’ll head back then. Remember to tell Xiao Mi about the yellow eels and let her visit my fields when she has time."

Like being afraid Xiao Mi wouldn’t get the message.

Jiang Hu couldn’t help but laugh: "Alright, I got it, thanks. By the way, don’t cook any yellow eel at noon today. In a few days, come over and eat this one at noon."

Jiang Hu pointed at the big one.

Liu Yang didn’t stand on ceremony. Of course, he thought there was no need to be reserved with Brother Jiang. Jiang was straightforward and honest, and being too polite would only annoy him.

He immediately nodded: "That sounds great. I’ve never eaten such a big one before."

As soon as Liu Yang left, Xiao Mi returned with Da Wa, Er Ni, and leading Tie Dan.

Since Xiao Mi and Tie Dan could run around, Da Wa and Er Ni’s main task was to look after their siblings, even if it meant not doing other chores.

While Xiao Mi was energetic and liked to run around, mainly watched by Da Wa; Tie Dan was the opposite, loving to play in one spot, obedient, and not very curious, which made Er Ni’s job easy.

However, Xiao Mi now fell in love with digging for pigweed, so the four siblings spent every day together.

Though Xiao Mi was small and weak, it didn’t dampen her enthusiasm. Armed with a little bamboo knife, she’d slowly scoop out the earth to harvest tender pigweed.

No matter what, it was more interesting than fishing for yellow eels and returning empty-handed every day!

As soon as she got home, Xiao Mi asked: "Papa, I saw Uncle Liu. What did he come here for?"

Liu Yang had begun preparing the yellow eels and heard this, pointing to the water bucket at the kitchen door: "Uncle Liu brought those as a thank you gift. He said to let you know, if you have time, catch more yellow eels in his fields."

"Huh?" Xiao Mi was puzzled: "Why? Doesn’t he sell them himself?"

Jiang Hu repeated Liu Yang’s words.

Xiao Mi was stunned at first, then enlightened, and finally slapped her forehead in regret. She had been busy trying to catch yellow eels for so long and had forgotten that water from the Spiritual Spring could be used as bait!