Chapter 270: Fried Meatballs
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Shen Qiuhua was getting firewood when she heard the conversation between the siblings in the distance. She laughed and said, “Your third brother must be hungry. He must be in a hurry to eat lunch.”
Su Binglan responded, “Since we’ve moved, we naturally have to eat delicious food for lunch, so I’ll make it soon.”
Even Su Wenxiu became energized when he heard his sister saying she would make lunch soon. He was holding a hoe as he walked over. “I wasn’t hungry yet, but when I heard Binglan would cook soon, I became famished.”
Su Binglan’s cooking skills were apparent to her family. The family knew they could eat delicious food if Su Binglan was cooking.
Although the family had watched and learned how to cook from Su Binglan, their food would taste different even if they followed her methods to a tee.
Moreover, Su Binglan always came up with different ways to cook delicious food, and the family simply could not learn all of them.
Shen Qiuhua took the firewood and approached her daughter. “Have you completed the paperwork after going to town?
Su Binglan revealed the documents for the land deed and said, “It’s all here and stamped.”
Su wenwu said excitedly, “Our family has gained fifty acres of land this time. It’s magnificent!
Shen Qiuhua’s eyes overflowed with joy, saying, “Put the documents away safely. We’ll go to the back of the mountain to pick soybeans after lunch.”
“Okay.”
After some thought, Su Binglan said, “I’ll make fried meatballs for lunch today.
She had never made fried meatballs, so no one knew what they were. Still, the family believed it would be delicious, no matter what it was. Hence, they got excited when they heard Su Binglan would make fried meatballs.
Su wenwu took the firewood from his mother and said, “You can rest, Mother. I’ll go and light the fire.”
Su Wenxiu added enthusiastically, “What can I help you with, Sister?”
Su Binglan said, “You can help me while mother washes the radishes and wild vegetables. We’ll make normal meatballs and vegetable ones since they’re both delicious.”
“Okay, I’ll go wash the vegetables now.” Shen Qiuhua quickly ran to get the wild vegetables and radishes.
Su Fengmao came home then, and Su Binglan noticed his happy expression. She asked curiously, “Where did you go, Father?”
Su Fengmao replied, “I went to your granduncle’s house and told him our plans for the fifty acres of land. He was thrilled and said we had helped the village enormously.”
Su Binglan frowned. “Father, you told him so quickly?”
“Yes, but didn’t say what we would do exactly. We should let your granduncle arrange for people to clear and reclaim the land. Then it’ll be easier for us to grow soybeans.”
Shen Qiuhua glared at her husband. “You’re just as impatient as ever. Why did you tell him so quickly?”
Su Fengmao said unwillingly, “I was just thinking of quickly clearing the land so we can plant soybeans earlier.”
Shen Qiuhua said unhappily, “Still, you can’t be in such a hurry. You should stick to Binglan’s plans instead.”
Su Fengmao lowered his head and looked like a guilty child. “B-But I only wanted to help.”
Su Binglan sighed and helplessly comforted her father, “It’s okay, Father. All right, I’ll just say it. I went to town to do something else.”
“What was it?” Everyone looked at her and waited for her to continue.
Su Binglan noticed everyone looking at her, so she did not keep them in suspense, saying, “I bought that mountain back there.”
Su Fengmao was flabbergasted. “D-Daughter! Y-You bought that mountain too?!”
Shen Qiuhua pinched herself and realized she did not mishear her daughter’s words. She asked anxiously, “I-Is that true, Binglan? Did you buy the mountain where we usually get our soybeans? It’s so big, yet you bought it?”
Su Wenxiu was dumbfounded. “It should have cost you a mountain of money!”
Su Wenwu’s eyes were wide open, looking shocked. “My sister is the most capable person in the world!”
‘Not only does my family have fifty more acres of land, but we now have a mountain! Binglan is incredible!’
Su Fengmao finally returned to his senses and said, “Our village doesn’t own that mountain; the county government does, so buying it would require their approval. Did the county government honestly sell the mountain to you?
Su Binglan looked at everyone’s reaction and thought it was pretty interesting. She revealed the land deal for the mountain and said, “The mountain only cost a hundred silver taels, so it’s not expensive. Here’s the land deed and documents.”
Everyone approached Su Binglan to take a closer look at the documents. Indeed, she had bought the mountain.
Su Fengmao said happily, “I have the most capable daughter ever! That mountain is all ours!”
Shen Qiuhua sighed, “Yeah, it’s a treasure trove back there, especially inside the mountain. It contains many edible ingredients.”
She remembered her daughter finding chilies, chestnuts, and soybeans in the mountain’s depths. She did not know what else the mountain held.
Su Wenwu said, “If that’s the case, the mountain belongs to our family and its contents. No one else can go and harvest things without our approval.”
Everyone in the village valued land, and whatever grew into their housing area would belong to them. They would consider it as stealing if others were to harvest things on their property.
Su Fengmao waved his hand and said, “There are also wild animals in the mountain. The villagers would never risk going inside and only scoured the outer perimeter to hunt chickens and rabbits.
“However, our villagers are united, and everyone is efficient. If they knew the mountain belonged to us, they would not go and harvest things there without our permission.”
Su Binglan was very busy, and it had been a while since she had gone to the mountain to check things out. She said, “I’ll go to the mountain and see what else is there.”
After all, She did not buy that mountain for no reason since she had a plan. She knew the mountain would be useful to her family.
“I’ll go with you, Sister!” Su Wenwu had become his sister’s follower these days.
Su Wenxiu wanted to say he would follow her, but he thought he should go to Hundred Herb Hospital to study medicine after lunch instead.
Shen Qiuhua echoed, “Your father and I will come along after lunch.”
Su Binglan nodded. “Let’s have lunch now.”
The family felt energetic when they thought about how much land they had and the mountain they now owned.
The family moved briskly and busied themselves in the new house’s main hall. Su Fengmao and his wife lived in the central area with a sizable kitchen. The kitchen had ample space with a wide stove.
Su Binglan designed the new house to imitate those in a modern era, which could accommodate many people. Now everyone could help in the kitchen.
Under her guidance, everyone cut the meat and washed vegetables. Su Binglan also put the green onions, ginger, and meat finely. Then she put these things into the basin and added wine, salt, seasoning powder, and other spices before stirring them.
She also added eggs and starch. After evenly stirring these things, she told her mother and Su Wenxiu to help roll the mixture into small balls.
“Is this enough, Sister?”
“Yes, you can eat the meatballs after I’ve fried them.”
Su Wenxiu looked at the meatballs and thought they looked good. “These look similar to dumpling fillings.”
Su Binglan nodded. “Yes, they’re similar, but there are minor differences. This mixture is a little thinner, so they taste different after I’ve fried them.]’
