Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 469: Chapter 246: Glutinous Rice-Stuffed Lotus Root

Qingmu instantly understood his sister’s thoughts. He found it hilarious and said to Liu Sanshun, "Juhua is thinking of raising them for another year. Besides, we just dug a new one-mu pond over there, so there’s plenty of space. It would be a shame to eat all of these, so we might as well put them in that pond to breed. Catching them next year will be the same."

Juhua was feeling awkward. Hearing Qingmu’s words, she had a sudden realization and said, "That’s right! That pond is so empty. How could we not put fish in it? So, we’d better save plenty of fish, Huang Shan, and Ni Qiu." She had finally found a proper excuse for her stinginess.

Liu Sanshun looked at the other pond and nodded. "That makes sense. But it’s no big deal if you don’t. When it’s time to catch fry next spring, I can just help you catch some more."

Juhua said hurriedly, "We’ll add these, and the ones you catch will count as another share. This pond is much bigger, so it’s fine to add more."

Qingmu really couldn’t hold back his laughter. He had thought his sister would say, ’Since we’re adding these today, we won’t have to trouble you to help us catch fry later.’ Who would have thought she’d accept the offer without a second thought? Her insatiable nature was really something else...

Afraid his sister would see him, he coughed and said, "Let’s just leave them in, then. Juhua, shouldn’t you be heading back? The wind is strong out here in the fields. Be careful you don’t catch a chill."

Hearing this, Juhua realized she was feeling a bit cold after all the commotion. She said to Liu Xiaomei and Xiu, "Mei, Xiu! Let’s wash some lotus roots and go home to cook and eat them. No point standing around here in the cold wind."

Just then, Yang Family came over with He, carrying a few large baskets. Hearing this, she said, "You girls go on ahead. I’ll pick up some lotus roots and wash them by the well back home. This water is freezing."

So the girls went back, chattering all the way against the biting wind. The sky grew more overcast, and the surrounding fields looked especially desolate. Liu Xiaomei’s loud laughter seemed to break through the heavy, oppressive atmosphere. The cold wind chapped her face a reddish-purple, and the breath from her mouth turned into puffs of white mist!

Yearning for the taste of glutinous rice stuffed lotus root, she couldn’t help but glance back and ask, "Your mom is coming soon, right?"

Juhua nodded. "She just went to deliver the baskets. She should be back any minute."

When they reached the entrance to Juhua’s home, Xiu and Cui said they had to leave. They had been out for a long time, and if they didn’t go back soon, their mother would scold them.

Having been their neighbor for so long, Juhua was quite familiar with the Shorty Zhou family’s house rules—they were very strict with their daughters! So, she didn’t insist, saying to the two of them, "I won’t keep you then. It wouldn’t be good if you got scolded because of me. Don’t worry, once I’ve cooked the glutinous rice stuffed lotus root, I’ll send some over to you."

Xiu and Cui were very grateful for her considerate gesture. Hearing that she would send them some glutinous rice stuffed lotus root made them even happier. "Thank you, Juhua!" they said.

They were also familiar with Juhua’s character and didn’t politely refuse. As they turned to leave, their steps felt much lighter. The two sisters had been envious of Liu Xiaomei, but now, even though they couldn’t stay, they would at least get to taste the glutinous rice stuffed lotus root Juhua had mentioned.

Liu Xiaomei glanced at the two sisters’ retreating backs, then followed Juhua into the courtyard. "Juhua," she said, "don’t you think we’re both pretty lucky? My mom and dad aren’t as strict with me as Uncle Zhou’s family, and your parents are the same. But look at Xiu and Cui—they never dare to stay out for long. Why is their mom so strict? We’re next-door neighbors. What’s the big deal about staying at your house a little longer?"

Juhua smiled. "It’s not that their parents forbid them from coming to my house; their family has always been like that about discipline. Every family has different customs. Your parents are actually strict with you too, but you’re very perceptive and don’t play outside so much that you forget to go home. You usually even bring your sewing with you, so they trust you."

Liu Xiaomei nodded and grinned. "That’s true. I told my parents way ahead of time that I wanted to come watch when Juhua’s family was harvesting the fishpond, and that Juhua said she’d treat me to glutinous rice stuffed lotus root. My parents happily agreed. I also told them about going to Xiatang Market, and they agreed to that too."

Seeing that Yang Family hadn’t returned yet, Juhua went into the kitchen. The vegetables hadn’t been chopped, so she grabbed a basket, went to the backyard, and cut a few heads of yellow-heart cabbage. She also pulled up some green garlic shoots and spinach, then washed them with Liu Xiaomei.

She said to Mei, "I’m worried about this weather. If it snows, we won’t be able to go to the market—it’s no fun going out in heavy snow, right?"

Mei looked at the gloomy sky with a long face and said, "Sigh! What bad luck. And you just have to be so afraid of the cold. Otherwise, it’s actually cleaner to go out when it’s snowing."

Juhua held back a laugh. "What’s the rush? Even if we can’t go this time, wouldn’t it be even better to go next spring? It’ll be beautiful outside then, the market will surely be lively, and we might even see people selling some strange and wonderful things."