I Crossed Over with My Enemy, Only to Find Him Running the Empire - Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Fatty Meat

Dinner at the old Wu household started half an hour later than usual that day.

Yet, not a single person complained.

Normally at this time, as dusk fell, every branch of the family would already be famished. The children would be gnawing on their fingers, and the adults would look weary and listless. The kitchen usually produced nothing more than thin porridge and coarse grain cakes, served with a few salty pickles to call it a meal.

But today, the kitchen chimney had not stopped breathing green smoke since noon.

A rich, heavy aroma of meat saturated the air over the small courtyard, even drifting over the fence walls. Neighbors passing by the gate couldn’t help but twitch their noses and steal extra glances.

It was the scent of stewed meat!

And not just any meat, the smoky, deep fragrance of cured bacon!

In the main hall, the old square table had been scrubbed until it shone, and it was packed to the edges. In the very center sat a coarse ceramic basin holding a cured pig trotter, stewed until it was glistening and reddish-brown.

Surrounding it were several bowls of fresh stir-fried vegetables rarely seen on their table and even a small dish of fried peanuts.

This spread, this feast, was more grand than a New Year’s celebration!

Compared to the gloom and misery of the past few days, the Wu family had undergone a total transformation. Every face wore a smile, and everyone’s footsteps seemed lighter. Even the youngest daughter, Wu Cuiyun, who had been grounded for several days, was allowed out to eat.

She sat next to her mother, Zhang Jinhua, her previous resentment long gone. She leaned in, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear: “Mother… since the family is well-off now, that water-red fine cloth jacket I liked at New Year… and those silver lilac earrings at the silversmith’s at the edge of the village…”

Zhang Jinhua was in a spectacular mood. Hearing this, she only gave her daughter’s forehead a playful, reproachful poke, whispering back: “You wretched girl, always thinking of such things! We have a little money now, but we must spend it carefully…”

Though she said the words, there was very little actual resistance in her tone.

Wu Duofu looked particularly radiant. He had specially changed into a semi-new jacket, and his hair was neatly slicked down with water.

Before starting the meal, he solemnly produced a small wine cup, poured a shot of “Shaodaoxi” (strong liquor), walked to the spot in the hall facing the main door, and slowly poured the spirits onto the ground, muttering under his breath:

“Ancestors of the Wu family above, protect the prosperity of our gates and the health of our descendants. May the later generations be blessed with many children and much fortune; we shall never forget our roots…”

The sense of ritual was profound. Everyone watched in silence, their faces reflecting a mix of awe and hope for the future.

Once the ceremony was over, Zhang Jinhua couldn’t wait to pick up the large ladle, her voice loud and cheery: “Eat, eat! Everyone sit down! There’s enough meat for everyone today!”

She first served a heaping bowl of white rice to the head of the house, Wu Duofu, then scooped a large piece of trotter meat skin and all pressed it onto the white rice. The fatty juices instantly soaked into the grains.

Then came the first branch, the second, the third… Everyone received a solid, substantial piece of meat. The children watched with wide eyes, their saliva nearly dripping under the table.

Finally, it was the fourth branch’s turn. Wu Ya and Li Qiaoqiao sat at the end of the table.

Zhang Jinhua smiled broadly and made a point of searching through the basin. She picked out the most tender, fatty piece of leg meat, attached to a thick layer of oily skin, and scooped it into Wu Ya’s bowl. The glistening white fat almost completely covered his rice.

“Tieniu, you’ve just recovered; you need to nourish yourself! This leg meat is the most replenishing, full of good oil!” Zhang Jinhua’s tone was exceptionally affectionate.

Wu Ya looked at the slab of white fat in his bowl. His modern dietary habits caused his stomach to instinctively churn, and his brow furrowed slightly. Almost by reflex, he moved his chopsticks to flick the fatty meat to the edge of the table to discard it.

In his former world, this was the most natural way to handle such a thing.

Li Qiaoqiao, sitting beside him, had been watching him out of the corner of her eye. Seeing his movement, her heart skipped a beat. Oh no.

In this era, “oil and fat” were precious commodities. Throwing away such a large piece of fatty meat in public was practically a crime! Not only was it wasteful, but it would also wound the newly restored family harmony and make the fourth branch look ungrateful.

In a flash, Li Qiaoqiao gave Wu Ya a sharp, light kick under the table.

Wu Ya paused, looking at her in confusion. Li Qiaoqiao shot him a quick look, gave a tiny shake of her head to signal him not to throw it away, then pushed her bowl slightly toward him. She mouthed the words: “Give it to me.”

Wu Ya understood her intent instantly. Though he detested the fat, he wasn’t ignorant of social graces. He immediately adjusted, adopting a perfectly natural expression as he picked up the fatty meat.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire family, he placed the meat into Li Qiaoqiao’s bowl and said softly, “Qiaoqiao, you eat more. You’re too thin.”

Li Qiaoqiao lowered her head cooperatively, her face flushing red at the right moment as she gave a small “Mm.”

This scene of mutual respect and affection caught the attention of the Wu family, who immediately looked on with expressions of delighted gossip!

Mrs. Yuan was the first to tease with a laugh: “Oh my, look at our Tieniu! He actually knows how to cherish his wife now! That feeding it truly makes one’s eyes red with envy!”

Mrs. Liu also covered her mouth and giggled: “Exactly! Qiaoqiao is so lucky! Fourth Brother has really learned how to be considerate!”

Wu Tiezhu chuckled heartily: “Tieniu, you’ve finally seen the light!”

Even Zhang Jinhua laughed so hard she couldn’t close her mouth, nodding repeatedly: “Good, good! Harmony between husband and wife is best! Giving Mother a big, fat grandson to hold soon that’s the real business!”

For a moment, the hall was filled with teasing and laughter, the atmosphere warm and boisterous. The children didn’t quite understand, but they giggled along anyway.

Wu Ya, teased into discomfort, could only bury his head in his rice to hide his embarrassment. Li Qiaoqiao’s face grew even redder, half of it faked, and half out of genuine bashfulness. She listened to the jokes, but her mind remained sharp. Looking at the fatty meat in her bowl, she silently picked up her chopsticks.

Well, don’t let it go to waste. Better eat it while it’s hot.

…

Before the savory scent of the dinner had fully faded from the courtyard, Wu Duofu stood at the hall entrance, chewing on a thin twig and clearing his throat.

“Tiezhu, Tieniu, go get the hunting forks and rope snares ready. Tomorrow morning, you’re coming into the mountains with me for a look around.”

The eldest, Wu Tiezhu, an honest farmer through and through, froze for a moment. He instinctively looked out the window at the grey sky. “Father, it’s been winter for a while now. The snow in the mountains hasn’t fully melted. The rabbits are all hunkering down; I’m afraid they’ll be hard to find.”

Wu Duofu glared at him. “If they’re hard to find, do we just stop looking? A farmer can’t rely solely on what the earth gives him. One more skill is one more way to survive! Tieniu—”

He turned to Wu Ya, who was trying to wipe the grease off his hands. “Your injuries are mostly healed. Lounging around all day isn’t right. Go with your big brother; learn how to set snares and recognize animal tracks. Get those bones moving!”

Li Qiaoqiao, sitting in the corner clearing the dishes, didn’t stop her movements, but her heart was as clear as a mirror.

Hunting? It’s just an excuse.

In this freezing weather, even veteran hunters might come back empty-handed, let alone bringing two amateurs. The father-in-law was simply looking for a logical explanation for the family’s sudden improved diet especially that cured pig trotter tonight.

If they “went hunting,” they could later claim they had a stroke of luck, caught something big, and traded it for money. Thus, the origin of the silver would be quietly obscured.

What a brilliant calculation.