EHCR 4

The Encyclopedic Harvest: Cultivating Riches in Lean Years

Chapter 4: Eat, Eat, Eat, That’s All You Ever Think About

The moment Song Yaodong and his wife stepped into the courtyard, the mouth-watering fragrance wafting through the air made them swallow hard several times.

Song Pandi pointed excitedly toward the family's smoking kitchen, crying out, "Mom, that smell seems to be coming from our kitchen!"

With that, she swung her short little legs and sprinted like a cannonball straight toward the kitchen.

"Pandi, slow down, don't trip!" Zhao Lanzhi gently admonished before stepping forward to steady Song Yaodong, who was leaning heavily on a crutch as he followed behind.

A few days prior while cutting firewood on the mountainside, Song Yaodong had badly injured his leg. He had originally intended to see a doctor immediately, but fearing the expense, he stubbornly gritted his teeth and endured it for days.

When it still showed no signs of improvement, the couple feared it might become a permanent disability. Braving Sun Xiuhe's endless snide remarks and sarcasm, they had gone into town early that morning to have his leg examined.

Pandi had tagged along with them for the trip that morning as well.

Song Zhaodi was in the middle of slicing the water celery when she heard the commotion. Turning her head, she saw a tiny, short little figure rush up like a firecracker and wrap her arms tightly around her legs.

The adorable, sweet little toddler raised her head, a pair of pitch-black eyes gleaming brightly as she stood on tiptoes trying to peek into the cooking pot.

"Eldest Sister, what delicious thing are you making? It smells so good!"

This was the original owner's youngest sister, Song Pandi. Only five years old, her once chubby face had grown so thin it was smaller than a palm due to long-term malnutrition, and her hair was dry and yellowish.

Despite her tender age, she could already handle quite a few chores, and her tiny hands—which ought to have been soft and delicate—were covered in calluses.

Though Pandi was too short to see what was inside the pot, she suddenly remembered something tucked inside her clothes.

"Eldest Sister, Mom bought me some delicious malt sugar! I only ate a tiny piece, and I saved the rest for you and Second Sister."

"You two are older than me, so you should eat the bigger pieces."

Looking at the candy chunk smaller than a fingernail, Song Zhaodi felt a tug at her heartstrings. Bending down to scoop the child up into her arms, she was about to speak when she noticed two more figures coming to a halt at the entrance.

They were none other than the original owner's parents, Song Yaodong and Zhao Lanzhi.

"Zhaodi." Zhao Lanzhi propped Song Yaodong against the doorframe, sniffing the rich aroma as she walked over with a curious look. "Are you cooking?"

"It smells so wonderful."

Song Zhaodi nodded. "I cooked fish."

The Song family hadn't tasted meat or oil in a very long time. Expecting the three of them to light up with joy upon hearing the word "fish," Song Zhaodi was surprised when the brief flash of light in their eyes vanished almost instantly.

Song Pandi drooped her little head in dejection, muttering glumly, "Is Little Uncle coming back today? Does Pandi still have to drink just clear broth again?"

Zhao Lanzhi stared at the large porcelain bowl filled with oily, glistening fish fillets that radiated an enticing aroma. She bit her lip, offering words of comfort to her child while simultaneously reassuring herself.

"Being able to drink a bit of broth is already quite nice. It's still much better than having wild greens at every single meal."

Pandi gazed longingly at that massive bowl of fish meat, the disappointment on her face impossible to conceal.

"But Pandi hasn't eaten fish in such a long time, I'm almost starting to forget what fish tastes like."

Song Yaodong let out a heavy sigh, lowering his head in profound guilt. "It’s all your father’s fault for being useless, making you and your mother follow me in eating chaff and swallowing vegetables, suffering like this."

Zhao Lanzhi shook her head. "Old man, you’ve already done your absolute best." As she spoke, the glimmer in her eyes dimmed even further. "It’s my fault... if only my womb were more cooperative, I wouldn't have been left with zero standing in front of Father, constantly getting looked down upon by Mother..."

Though only five years old, Song Pandi was unusually mature for her age. Seeing her parents like this, she hurriedly consoled them, saying, "Pandi will definitely bring a little younger brother to mom and dad next time!"

Over the years, because she had failed to produce a son, Zhao Lanzhi had been belittled and mistreated by Song Dachuan and his wife. Even the names of their three daughters had been unilaterally dictated by Song Dachuan: Zhaodi (beckoning a younger brother), Yadi (following a younger brother), and Pandi (hoping for a younger brother).

Zhao Lanzhi had detested giving her daughters such names, but whenever she protested, Song Dachuan would harshly lecture her.

Whenever Song Yaodong stepped in to defend and speak up for his wife, Song Dachuan would subject him to moral blackmail, using the labels of "unfilial" and "failing to carry on the family line" as excuses to beat him with family disciplinary rules.

Heartbroken for her husband, Zhao Lanzhi eventually learned to swallow all her grievances in silence and keep them locked away inside.

By masking her pain and avoiding complaints, she had endured it all for many long years.

Song Yaodong knew his wife was living in misery, yet trapped beneath the crushing shackles of feudal morality and unable to break free, he could only pour all his remaining energy into treating Zhao Lanzhi and their three daughters with absolute tenderness.

As the old saying goes, a hundred sorrows plague a poverty-stricken couple, but Song Yaodong and his wife were renowned throughout Shuangping Village as an exceptionally affectionate and deeply envied husband-and-wife duo.

If not for the blood-sucking elders preying upon them, their household ought to have lived a peaceful and idyllic life.

While family bonds were hard to sever, when familial relations boiled down to nothing more than exploitation and cold indifference, keeping one's distance was the only option.

What Song Zhaodi needed to do right now was open Song Yaodong's eyes to the true, ugly colors of Song Dachuan and Sun Xiuhe.

Yet she also understood that altering the status quo wouldn't happen overnight.

With that in mind, she curved the corners of her lips into a reassuring smile and told the three of them, "Who said we're only drinking broth? The fish we caught today is plenty large enough for every single one of us to have a proper share of fish meat."

Finished speaking, she picked up a pair of chopsticks, plucked a tender piece of fish meat, popped it straight into Song Pandi's mouth, and said, "I've already removed all the bones from this fish meat, so Little Sister can eat it without any fear of choking."

The tender, smooth fish meat coated in savory broth released an explosion of exquisite flavor as she chewed—a supreme culinary experience for the palate and a profound comfort to Song Pandi's body and soul.

"So... delish!"

After all, Pandi was just a young child. Having finally tasted the fish meat she had been dreaming of, her eyes lit up with radiant joy as she praised it repeatedly, swallowing most of it in her eager haste.

With a look of mixed worship and curiosity, she asked, "Eldest Sister, the fish you make is just too incredible! How did you cook it? Can I have another piece?"

"Of course you can." Song Zhaodi picked up another piece, fed it into her mouth, and smiled. "Don't rush, there's plenty left. Nobody is going to snatch it from you."

Hearing this, Song Pandi shook her head. "Once Grandma comes back, I won't get to eat any more." Then she praised it again, "It's seriously so, so good."

Standing nearby, Zhao Lanzhi felt her eyes turn red with unshed tears. In her mind, Song Zhaodi's claim that "everyone gets to eat fish" was bound to be nothing more comforting words; she had never dared to dream that she herself would get a taste of the fish meat.

If Pandi managed to sneak a couple of bites behind the scenes, that would already be more than enough.

Right at that moment, the courtyard gate was shoved open once again. Sun Xiuhe's voice arrived well ahead of her person:

"Song Zhaodi, get your lazy carcass out here right now!"

Hearing that, Song Yaodong knew nothing good could possibly follow and quickly stepped outside on his crutches first.

"Father, Mother, you're back."

Terrified that Song Zhaodi would be verbally abused or physically struck, Zhao Lanzhi wiped the corners of her eyes and hurried out after him, attempting to smooth things over. "Father, Mother, must be starved, right? Zhaodi has already prepared dinner, let's sit down and eat first."

Sun Xiuhe marched right up to Zhao Lanzhi and snapped irritably, "Eat, eat, eat! That's all you ever think about—were you some starved ghost reincarnated in this life?"

Zhao Lanzhi didn't dare talk back, but Song Yaodong quickly stepped in front of her to shield her. Ignoring Sun Xiuhe entirely, he looked toward Song Dachuan, who was standing a few paces away.

"Father, it's getting late. Whatever matters there are, let's discuss them after dinner. Otherwise, if we have to light lamps to eat, it'll just waste precious lamp oil."

Song Dachuan had been toiling in the fields all afternoon and was so hungry his chest was practically caving in toward his backbone. The moment he stepped into the courtyard, the rich fragrance of food had already greeted him. Hearing that dinner was ready, he lost all inclination to help Sun Xiuhe dole out punishment.

"Let's eat first."

Sun Xiuhe shot a venomous glare toward the kitchen before retreating to the main hall to seat herself at the table.

Meanwhile, Song Zhaodi swiftly blanched the water celery, stir-fried it until crisp and green, plated it up, tossed a bowl of cold-dressed purslane, and Zhao Lanzhi hurried over to help carry the dishes and bowls to the table.

Boiled fish fillets in spicy broth, braised grass carp chunks, stir-fried water celery, cold-dressed purslane, and river-fresh coarse-grain porridge.

The spread filled the entire table to the brim. It was a feast of striking colors, rich aromas, and exquisite flavors that made even Song Dachuan involuntarily swallow a mouthful of saliva.

Astonishment flashed across Sun Xiuhe's face as well, though catching sight of Song Dachuan's greedy expression, she muttered "spineless old fool" under her breath.

True to form, her mouth refused to let up: "Good heavens above! Who on earth runs a household like this?! Just how much cooking oil did you waste on all this luxury?!"

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