Seeing her brother's expression, Juhua knew he was afraid she'd be mocked. She gave him a small smile and replied softly, "Mom went to Qingbei Village and isn't back yet. This is a good chance for me to bring you lunch and slack off a bit!"
As she spoke, she opened the clay pot. Inside was rice cooked with cracked corn, topped with a layer of vegetables: vibrant green spinach and chrysanthemum greens, along with small, pan-fried dried fish, golden-brown and garnished with bright green scallions. The aroma was incredibly tempting. The soup was an egg drop soup with green leafy vegetables and yellow shrimp, still steaming hot!
Zhao San leaned over for a look, couldn't resist snatching a small fish, and popped it into his mouth. He chewed it down in a couple of bites and said to Juhua, "I'm telling you, Juhua, what did you put in this? Why's it smell so darn good? Yesterday, my wife came home and tried to make that crispy rice crust your way, but our Shi Tou said it wasn't as good as Sister Juhua's. Too thick and not crispy! Look at your cooking skills—other people can try to copy you, but they just can't get it right!"
Juhua said softly, "To make a good rice crust, you have to scrape the pot clean of rice. Don't use high heat; you have to toast it slowly on low heat, and you need to flip it over halfway through. I put some vinegar in the dried fish. It's a little sour and spicy, which helps whet the appetite!"
Making a good rice crust was delicate work that required precise heat control. Shi Tou's mother spent her whole day washing, cooking, sweeping, and cleaning, not to mention working in the fields. She was surely too rushed and impatient to make a proper rice crust.
'My sister's cooking is just the best!' Over on the side, Qingmu was devouring his food, occasionally lifting the bowl to drink a few mouthfuls of soup. He watched his sister explain to Zhao San how the dish was made and couldn't help but smile.
Seeing Zhao San's unconvinced look, he thought, 'How could it be that easy to learn? Mom's been cooking for so many years, and she's still not as good as Juhua, who's only been at it for a few!'
Maybe it was the enticing aroma of the food, or maybe it was just curiosity about the "ugly girl" Juhua, but in a short while, several people had gathered around Qingmu and Zhao San.
"Hey! Qingmu, what are you eating? Why's it smell so good?" a young man with a wide mouth asked as he leaned in. He glanced curiously at Juhua but didn't stare.
Qingmu moved his bowl away slightly, shot him a look, and said nothing.
Another, darker-skinned young man said mockingly, "Big Mouth Zhao, what are you getting so close for? You're going to get drool in Qingmu's bowl!"
Big Mouth Zhao grinned and said, "I just smelled something really good and wanted to see what he's eating! Hey, Qingmu, toss me a little fish to try. They look delicious!"
Qingmu didn't want to bother with him, but on second thought, he figured it wouldn't hurt to let them see just how capable his sister was. So, he picked up a small fish with his chopsticks and held it out in front of Big Mouth Zhao. Big Mouth Zhao immediately opened his huge mouth, and Qingmu tossed the fish inside.
"Whoa, delicious! It's savory and spicy, and a little sour too. It makes me want to eat another bowl of rice!"
Big Mouth Zhao chewed the fish a few times, swallowed it down, and smacked his lips in praise. Looking like he still wanted more, his eyes kept darting toward Qingmu's bowl.
With Big Mouth Zhao setting an example, the others all started asking for a small fish to try as well.
Seeing the crowd growing, Qingmu quickly shoveled down the rest of his rice in a few large bites, then drank his soup in one go, choking a little and letting out a loud burp!
Juhua couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
Qingmu felt embarrassed that his sister was laughing at him. But when he saw that she wasn't uncomfortable being surrounded by so many people, he was secretly pleased.
The dark-skinned young man smacked his lips, savoring the flavor of the dried fish. "So this is dried fish! How do you make it so sour and spicy, and so fragrant?" he asked. He looked at Juhua curiously, his eyes full of inquiry, but with no trace of disgust or contempt.
Juhua looked him over without shying away. He was tall and lanky, with a narrow face, a high-bridged nose, and exceptionally bright eyes. But she had no memory of him. 'Sigh. The original Juhua had so little contact with people. She wouldn't even dare to look up if she saw someone.'
Zhao San picked up the conversation, "Isn't that the truth? I've been wondering myself. They're just ordinary ingredients, but once Juhua prepares them, the flavor is completely different. My wife follows the method Juhua taught her, but she just can't get that taste. Even my Shi Tou says it's not as good as Sister Juhua's cooking!"
Hearing this, the tall, thin young man quickly said to Juhua, "Juhua, you should bring some extra food tomorrow. I'll eat with your brother."
Juhua looked at him and asked softly, "Why should I? You're not helping my family with their work!" In her heart, though, she was thinking, 'Who even are you? I don't know you at all!'
The tall, thin young man froze, apparently not expecting such a reply. The people around them burst into laughter. For a moment, his dark face flushed red, and he could only stare at Juhua with a silly grin.