Chapter 57: Deliciousness

Zhao Mengcheng was somewhat surprised. “You dug these up? There are wild vegetables already?”

After all, there was no sign of wild vegetables in the fields or along the ridges yet.

The Village Chief had mentioned this just two days ago, saying the weather was cold this year and the wild vegetables were sprouting late. If the County Magistrate hadn’t come up with a Seed Sprouting method, they would have had to delay their sowing and seedling cultivation.

He didn’t expect to see wild vegetables upon returning today.

Zhao Mao pushed him to sit down. “They aren’t anywhere else yet, but they’ve grown in the plot behind our courtyard.”

Zhao Mengcheng understood immediately. Their fire pit had been burning all winter, making the temperature higher than elsewhere. The waste water they poured out passed through the backyard, keeping the soil temperature elevated as well.

Furthermore, the entire house was within the radiation of his Mental Power, which had some influence. It wasn’t strange for wild vegetables to grow here before other places.

“Dad, hurry and try it. I made the vegetable rice.” Zhao Chun served him a large bowl. The rice was packed tightly and looked like it had been mixed with lard, resembling a small mountain.

Zhao Mengcheng took a bite. Honestly, having not eaten wild vegetables for a long time, this mouthful felt quite fresh. “It’s delicious. The rice is just the right texture, and the wild vegetables are very fragrant.”

“Dad, try this too. I made the stir-fried shepherd’s purse¹ with eggs,” Zhao Mao said eagerly.

Zhao Mengcheng took a bite as his son suggested and praised, “The shepherd’s purse is tender and the eggs are smooth. It’s delicious.”

“Dad, I made the shepherd’s purse stewed with Tofu. I made it with my own hands.” Zhao Xin knelt on a stool, wanting to scoop some Tofu for him.

Zhao Mengcheng ate from the little girl’s hand and gave a thumbs up. “Xin’er is becoming more and more capable. This dish is perfectly seasoned and tastes wonderful.”

Zhao Xin puffed out her chest proudly. “I told you I could do it, but Big Brother didn’t believe me. He said I was too short to reach the pot.”

“Hmph, I can cook for Dad even if I have to stand on a stool. I’m very capable.”

Zhao Mengcheng’s eyes crinkled with a smile, the corners of his mouth curving upward. “Both my sons and my daughter are capable. Now, Dad can come home from work to a ready-made meal.”

Previously, Zhao Chun lacked the skill, while Zhao Mao and Zhao Xin were either too frail or too young to have ever entered the kitchen.

Zhao Mengcheng felt he had quite a talent for teaching children. Look at them now, each more well-behaved and sensible than the last, and all able to cook.

While chatting and laughing, he noticed another dish on the table: cold dressed shepherd’s purse.

Zhao Mengcheng’s gaze fell on the child who had remained silent. Tang Tang looked up at him, hesitating for a moment before speaking.

“Uncle, I made this cold dressed shepherd’s purse. It’s my first time making it, so please see if it suits your taste.”

He spoke with a hint of bashfulness, his cheeks flushed, but his eyes were full of anticipation.

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow and took a bite of the cold dish. “Not bad. It’s very refreshing. It seems you have a talent for cooking too.”

This surprised him even more. He had originally thought Tang Tang was only staying temporarily, but now it seemed the boy was getting more and more used to living here, almost fully integrating into their small family.

Tang Tang’s eyes crinkled as he smiled happily. “Then I’ll keep making it for Uncle Zhao in the future.”

Zhao Mao glanced at him, thinking to himself what a flatterer he was. His father had three children of his own; there was no room for an outsider like this rascal.

The wild vegetables were delicious, mostly because they were fresh. After a winter of radishes and cabbages, Zhao Mengcheng had long been craving them.

Zhao Mengcheng smilingly urged them all to sit and eat. By now, he had forgotten the taste from this morning and polished off six bowls of rice, one more than usual.

The Zhao family was already used to Zhao Mengcheng’s large appetite. They themselves ate quite a bit too. Zhao Chun and Zhao Mao could eat three large bowls, and Zhao Xin could finish two.

Tang Tang looked small and didn’t seem to put on weight, yet he ate as much as the two brothers, one bowl more than Zhao Xin.

Every time the Zhao family cooked, they had to prepare a massive pot of rice along with at least five dishes and a soup. Everything was eaten clean every time. The granary Zhao Mengcheng had filled last year was already one-third empty.

Every time he saw how quickly the grain disappeared, Zhao Mengcheng felt he needed to prepare more this year. He had thought it would last two years, but they would probably finish it all in one.

Besides, there was an extra mouth to feed this year.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Zhao Mengcheng felt inspired. “Are there more wild vegetables in the back? Let’s dig some more to use for porridge tomorrow morning.”

“Dad, you should rest. We’ll go,” Zhao Mao said. Hearing that his father wanted to eat more, he immediately stood up and put on a small bamboo basket.

Zhao Mengcheng laughed. “Let’s go together. I just ate too much, so it’ll be good for my digestion.”

In the end, all five of them headed toward the back together.

The Zhao family’s new house was closer to the foot of the mountain than the old one. They had enclosed a vegetable garden in the backyard, and behind that was a large bamboo forest.

The place where they had dug wild vegetables during the day was to the side, closest to the kitchen.

For convenience, Zhao Mengcheng had previously dug a small drainage ditch here. The water used in the kitchen could be poured directly out and would disappear along the ditch.

“It’s right here,” Zhao Mao called out.

They had dug quite a lot during the day, so there were only scattered wild vegetables left. Most of them were shepherd’s purse. Zhao Mengcheng also saw a few dandelions, but there weren’t enough for even a single bowl.

Zhao Mengcheng looked around and then toward the bamboo forest. “I’m going to take a walk in the bamboo forest.”

“Dad, I’ll go with you,” Zhao Mao quickly followed.

Zhao Chun wanted to follow too, but Zhao Mao instructed him, “Dad likes shepherd’s purse, so you guys dig more.”

Zhao Chun crouched down to continue digging, muttering, “Second Brother is too cunning, following Dad while leaving us here to work.”

It wasn’t yet the season for spring flowers to bloom, but the bamboo forest remained lush and green. Zhao Mengcheng wandered around but didn’t see any bamboo shoots.

Zhao Mao thought he wanted to eat shoots and explained, “Dad, it’s not the season for bamboo shoots yet.”

“We’re going to eat something fresh today,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile.

For some reason, Zhao Mao shivered, then asked curiously, “Is there something else delicious in the bamboo forest?”

“Watch.”

Zhao Mengcheng laughed and reached out to pat a young bamboo tree. He chose a one-year-old tender bamboo. Its emerald green color looked fresh, unlike the darker hue of the older bamboo.

With a crack, Zhao Mengcheng broke the tender bamboo into two pieces without using a knife.

Looking into the bamboo tube, Zhao Mengcheng smiled. “There really are some. Go get a bowl to catch them.”

Zhao Mao didn’t know what was about to happen yet, so he ran back and returned holding a large bowl.

Then, Zhao Mengcheng tilted his hand, and plump, white, tender insects fell out.

Zhao Mao’s hand trembled. “Dad, those are bugs!”

“I know they’re bugs. These are called Bamboo Worms², and they taste excellent,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a laugh, turning to find a second bamboo infested with insects.

Zhao Mao’s face turned pale. He looked at the few wriggling Bamboo Worms and hesitated, but finally couldn’t help himself. “Dad, I have pocket money. I’ll buy meat for you. Let’s not eat bugs.”

Zhao Mengcheng laughed heartily. “Meat has its own deliciousness, and bugs have theirs. Just wait until I’ve cooked them and you try a bite. Once you’ve tasted them, you’ll know.”

Zhao Mao really couldn’t imagine how Bamboo Worms could be delicious. Looking at the chubby white worms in the bowl, his vision went dark.

Just then, Zhao Chun heard the noise and ran over. “Dad, what are you doing?”

Zhao Mao quickly handed him the large bowl. “Big Brother, you hold this.”

Zhao Chun took it and asked curiously, “Why are there bugs in the bowl? Are you taking them back to feed the chickens?”

“Dad’s going to eat them,” Zhao Mao replied.

Zhao Chun’s eyes lit up, and he shoved the bowl back to his brother. “Dad, can these bugs be eaten? Are they tasty? Can green caterpillars be eaten? What about fuzzy caterpillars? Grasshoppers seem edible too; I like roasted grasshopper legs.”

Zhao Mengcheng found his two sons amusing. One was so afraid of bugs that his face was pale, while the other was eager to shove even fuzzy caterpillars into his mouth.

“Fuzzy caterpillars can’t be eaten, but Bamboo Worms can. And there aren’t any grasshoppers right now,” Zhao Mengcheng explained.

Zhao Chun became even more excited. “These bugs look white and fat, so they must be tasty. Dad, I’ll help you find them.”

As he spoke, he began leaping and bounding through the bamboo forest like a monkey.

Seeing his enthusiasm, Zhao Mengcheng felt the boy was ready to overturn the entire forest.

With the help of his Mental Power, Zhao Mengcheng quickly filled a large bowl with Bamboo Worms. The sight of a mass of insects in the bowl was quite a challenge for the eyes; Zhao Mao didn’t even dare to look anymore.

Zhao Chun wasn’t afraid. He looked at the Bamboo Worms and drooled. “Dad, when are we eating them? Steamed or roasted?”

Zhao Mao couldn’t help but scold him, “You ate three large bowls tonight and so many dishes. How are you still thinking about eating?”

“But I didn’t have any meat tonight. I can still eat a little more.” Zhao Chun patted his stomach.

He even intentionally asked his brother loudly, “Mao, are you afraid of bugs? How can a real man be afraid of bugs? These aren’t poisonous, and they won’t bite you.”

“Who said I’m afraid? I just find them disgusting,” Zhao Mao said, toughening his resolve.

Zhao Chun grinned. “Right, right, you’re not afraid. You just don’t even dare to touch them.”

When Zhao Xin and Tang Tang came over, Zhao Mao thought he had found allies; his little sister would surely be afraid too.

To his surprise, Zhao Xin, who was usually very picky, only asked after hearing them, “Are they tasty?”

Zhao Chun chuckled. “I haven’t tried them either, but if Dad thinks they’re good, they must be delicious.”

“Dad, I want to try too,” Zhao Xin shouted immediately.

Zhao Mao couldn’t help but pull his sister back, asking in a low voice, “Xin’er, don’t you think those worms look really creepy?”

Zhao Xin tilted her head and thought about it seriously before answering, “They are a bit, but I still want to try them. If they don’t taste good, we can use them to feed the chickens. Chickens lay eggs after eating them, and eggs are delicious.”

She only cared about whether it tasted good, not whether it was gross.

At this moment, Zhao Mao felt that no one in this family could understand him. How could Dad, Big Brother, and Third Sister all want to taste such creepy worms? Even eating wild vegetables would be better than eating bugs.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Zhao Mao saw a face filled with panic.

Tang Tang was so scared he had frozen in place, covering his mouth and secretly stepping aside to get as far away from the worms as possible.

He was so pale with fright that the scars on his face, which hadn’t fully healed, became even more prominent. He looked like a fragile piece of ice that would shatter at the slightest tap.

So he’s afraid too. I’m not the only one, Zhao Mao thought.

The next moment, the two children’s eyes met.

Zhao Mao gave a cold snort and followed his father’s footsteps.

Tang Tang pursed his lips and also followed, thinking to himself that Uncle Zhao was too terrifying. The family clearly still had rice and grain, so why did he want to eat bugs, especially such scary ones?

Back at home, Zhao Mengcheng took the large bowl of Bamboo Worms into the kitchen. Zhao Chun and Zhao Xin followed happily, asking, “Dad, when are we eating? Now?”

Zhao Mao sat gloomily at the kitchen door, resting his chin on his hands and refusing to join the excitement inside.

Tang Tang didn’t dare sit next to him, so he moved a stool to the other side.

The two children sat on either side of the door like a pair of little door gods³.

Inside the kitchen, things were lively. Zhao Chun, having finally gotten the better of his younger brother for once, deliberately shouted, “Third Sister, look at how white and plump these Bamboo Worms are. Their bodies are so round, with tiny eyes and little black mouths. Aren’t they adorable?”

Zhao Xin tilted her head and looked closely. She didn’t think they were that cute, but she still played along. “They’re okay, I guess. I wonder if they taste good.”

She leaned in to sniff them and commented, “They don’t stink. They smell fragrant.”

Zhao Chun also took a sniff. “They have a nice scent that’s hard to describe.”

Zhao Mengcheng tapped his head. “Don’t be naughty. Everyone has something they’re afraid of. Don’t provoke your brother.”

“Dad, you’re biased,” Zhao Chun grumbled. “Did I say anything when he usually provokes me?”

“It seems to me that you’re the one provoking him every time,” Zhao Mengcheng laughed.

“Stop shouting and go boil some water.”

He had caught the Bamboo Worms on a whim, never expecting that the usually bold and observant Zhao Mao would actually be afraid of tiny insects.

Since he had already caught them, it would be a waste to throw them away. Zhao Mengcheng poured the Bamboo Worms into a large basin and cleaned them thoroughly.

Preparing Bamboo Worms was simple. After blanching them in boiling water and draining them, they were tossed directly into a pan of oil and fried until golden brown.

In less than fifteen minutes, a large bowl of golden, crispy fried Bamboo Worms was ready, seasoned with just a pinch of salt.

Zhao Mengcheng popped one into his mouth. The taste was exactly as he remembered: fragrant, crispy, and delicious, with a hint of a creamy scent. Each bite was full of the taste of pure protein.

Zhao Chun also couldn’t wait to try one, and his eyes lit up. “Delicious! This is even better than lard cracklings.”

Bamboo Worms weren’t as fatty as lard cracklings, but they were more savory, making it hard to stop eating.

Zhao Xin stood on her tiptoes to get a taste. Zhao Mengcheng popped one into her mouth, and the little girl crunched away. “It’s good! I want more! Dad, give me another one.”

Zhao Mengcheng popped another one in for her. The little girl looked so happy that her eyes crinkled into slits.

All three of them ate until their lips were shiny with oil.

Zhao Mengcheng remembered the two outside and called out, “A-Mao, Tang Tang, do you really not want to try some?”

“Forget it, Dad. Second Brother is afraid of bugs, so I’ll eat them for him,” Zhao Chun said, patting his chest.

Zhao Xin said, “Then I’ll eat Xiao Tang’s portion for him.”

Zhao Mengcheng was amused by the two of them. He didn’t have any intention of forcing the children to try them, so the three of them sat by the fire pit and ate slowly.

The area by the fire pit was now empty. Ever since Tang Tang had come to stay at the Zhao house and the weather had warmed up, the White Snake had quietly vanished, as if it knew it shouldn’t be there.

Outside, the two children pursed their lips, their eyes darting toward the room again and again, their postures looking remarkably similar.

Zhao Mao’s cheeks puffed out in anger. He blamed himself for being afraid of bugs and hated that his big brother was eating his share. Hearing the laughter and joy inside, he suddenly stood up.

“Big Brother, I want to eat them too! Save some for me!”

With that, he rushed inside.

Zhao Chun was eating happily when he froze at those words. “I thought you didn’t like them?”

Zhao Mengcheng thought his puffed-up face made him look like a chinchilla, which was quite amusing, but he still comforted him. “A-Mao, if you don’t like them, don’t eat them. There’s no need to force yourself.”

Zhao Mao lifted his chin. “No, I want to try. I won’t know if they’re good until I’ve tasted them.”

“You really want to eat them?” Zhao Chun was a bit reluctant and tried to persuade him otherwise. “Actually, they aren’t that good. Just let Big Brother eat them for you. I’m your brother, helping you is only right.”

The more he acted like that, the more Zhao Mao wanted to try.

“Dad, feed me.” Zhao Mao closed his eyes and opened his mouth wide.

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he still picked up a Bamboo Worm with his chopsticks and placed it in the boy’s mouth.

Zhao Mao’s entire face scrunched up, and for a moment he didn’t dare close his mouth, fearing he would bite into something soft and squishy.

Zhao Mengcheng chuckled and pinched his mouth shut.

The next moment, the Bamboo Worm landed firmly in his mouth.

Zhao Mao steeled his heart and chewed twice.

The texture of the Bamboo Worm was completely different from what he had imagined. One bite didn’t feel like a bug at all, but rather like a crispy fried bean. No, it was much more savory than a bean and wasn’t hard on the teeth at all.

“It’s delicious!” When he opened his eyes again, the fear was gone, replaced only by amazement.

“Then have another one.” Zhao Mengcheng raised his chopsticks again.

This time, Zhao Mao bit down without hesitation. After a few bites, he knew his big brother and third sister hadn’t been faking. Even though the Bamboo Worms looked disgusting, they tasted wonderful.

“It really is good. Dad, I want more.”

Zhao Mao felt he had seen through his elder brother’s sinister intentions and glared at him. “I’ll eat my own share. I don’t need you to help.”

Zhao Chun, finding himself rebuffed, turned to ask Zhao Xin, “Xin’er, let’s split Xiao Tang’s portion between us. You’ve already eaten your fill tonight. If you eat too much, you’ll be overstuffed.”

Zhao Xin disagreed. “No, I can eat it. I’m not stuffed. I could eat another whole bowl.”

“How can you be like that? Xiao Tang isn’t just your Xiao Tang. He’s my Xiao Tang too. He belongs to the whole family!” Zhao Chun argued.

Zhao Xin replied, “You never play with him normally. I’m the one who looks after him. He’s happy to let me eat them, but he wouldn’t want to give them to you.”

“Hmph, childish.” Zhao Mao ignored them, trying not to think about what the Bamboo Worms looked like when they were alive and simply enjoying the flavor.

Just then, Tang Tang walked in with trembling steps, his face pale as he said, “I, I also want to try.”

The two children who were in the middle of their heated argument were stunned.

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow and beckoned him over. “Do you really want to try? Being afraid of bugs is nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing will happen if you don’t eat them.”

Tang Tang gritted his teeth. “Everyone likes them, so I want to try too.”

He didn’t want Zhao Mengcheng to feed him. With unwavering courage, he rushed over, grabbed a handful, and stuffed them into his mouth to chew.

The next moment, the child’s expression turned a bit peculiar.

He opened his eyes hesitantly. “It’s actually really delicious.”

“As if I would lie to you,” Zhao Xin huffed. Then she asked, “Do you like them? If you don’t, I’ll help you eat them.”

Tang Tang still didn’t like them all that much. After all, they were bugs, and the thought of it made his throat feel tight.

But he didn’t move away, only saying, “I want to eat them too.”

Zhao Mengcheng handed him a pair of chopsticks. The portion of Bamboo Worms wasn’t that large, and with the family each taking bites, the bowl was soon empty.

Zhao Chun still wanted more. “I want to eat more. Let’s go to the bamboo grove and catch some.”

“I’ve already searched through the bamboo grove out back, and this was all I could find,” Zhao Mengcheng explained. If he hadn’t had his special advantage, he wouldn’t have been able to catch even this many.

Zhao Chun sighed. “If I had known Bamboo Worms were this tasty, I wouldn’t have bothered catching sparrows when I was hungry. I should have been catching bugs.”

Zhao Mao reminded him, “Bamboo Worms are only good deep-fried. If you roast them, they just char, and the thought of stewing them is just disgusting.”

“That’s true.” Zhao Chun nodded.

At the thought of Bamboo Worms being squishy and bursting with juice when bitten, all four children shuddered, deciding it was best not to try it that way.

Zhao Mengcheng found it funny and patted their heads. “The midnight snack is finished. Everyone go wash up and go to sleep.”

At those words, the three children started walking out, but Zhao Mao lingered behind.

“What’s wrong?” Zhao Mengcheng asked.

Zhao Mao leaned against him and asked in a low voice, “Dad, does being afraid of bugs make me unmanly?”

Zhao Mengcheng laughed. “A real man should stand tall and have great ambitions. It has nothing to do with bugs.”

“In this world, some people hate bugs, some detest snakes and rats, and some are even terrified of cats and dogs, but that doesn’t stop them from being brave and resilient people.”

Zhao Mao felt relieved and looked up to ask, “Dad, is there anything you’re afraid of?”

Zhao Mengcheng paused.

Zhao Mao continued, “In our eyes, you’re omnipotent and fearless, but I think you’re still human. You must have something you’re afraid of, right?”

“Dad, tell me what you’re afraid of, just between us. If we ever run into it, I’ll stand in front of you and kick it away so you don’t even have to look at it.”

Hearing these sweet words, Zhao Mengcheng felt as if his heart were soaking in a hot spring, warm yet bittersweet.

What was he afraid of? It seemed that from the day his Mental Power erupted, he had lost the right to feel fear.

After a long silence, Zhao Mengcheng still didn’t answer. He simply stroked the boy’s hair and said, “Thank you, Ah Mao. I’ll remember that.”

Sensing his father’s unusual mood, Zhao Mao didn’t press further. He only said, “Tell me when you’re ready, then.”

After a pause, he secretly tugged at his father’s sleeve. “Dad, I want to switch rooms with Tang Tang.”

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, “You’re willing to sleep with Tang Tang?”

“No,” Zhao Mao said immediately, then added, “Let him sleep with Big Brother. Big Brother really likes him now.”

Zhao Mengcheng felt he couldn’t be the one to bring this up. The eldest already thought he was biased toward the second son; if he spoke up, Zhao Chun would definitely make a scene.

“You’ll have to discuss this among yourselves. I’m not getting involved,” Zhao Mengcheng chose to dodge the issue.

Zhao Mao puffed out his cheeks. He knew perfectly well that his big brother wouldn’t agree, and might even make him sleep with Tang Tang while Zhao Chun lived in the study alone.

It was precisely because of this that he had wanted his father to give the word, but his father had refused. The boy felt quite gloomy, and the looks he shot toward Tang Tang were like little daggers.

At first, Tang Tang had been quite worried, fearing the boy would play tricks on him. But as time went on, Tang Tang realized that while Zhao Mao looked cold, he would never be unreasonable or intentionally bully him.

The three siblings had one thing in common: once Zhao Mengcheng made a decision, they wouldn’t go behind his back to cause trouble, even if they were unhappy about it.

This was especially true for Zhao Mao, who followed Uncle Zhao’s every word with eyes full of admiration.

Tang Tang later realized that Zhao Mao’s initial dislike of him was only because Tang Tang had taken the room closest to Uncle Zhao upon arrival.

This had baffled Tang Tang, but he was later astonished after seeing how the father and his three children interacted.

He had never experienced such an intimate bond between a father and his children. He never knew a father could listen so patiently, play with them, and let them voice their own opinions.

Tang Tang couldn’t help but feel a bit envious.

So now, facing Zhao Mao’s glares, Tang Tang even offered a small smile, which earned him a cold snort in return.

After eating a meal of Bamboo Worms, Zhao Chun felt as if a door to a new world had opened. The next morning, he rushed to the fields on the mountain, catching every bug he could find to bring home and ask if it was edible.

Zhao Mengcheng suspected that one day he would even bring back dung beetles.

Fortunately, after he had done this for a few days, he was suppressed by Zhao Mao’s brute force. The boy simply threw down the gauntlet, telling his big brother that if he kept bringing bugs home, he could do his own homework and writing from now on, as Zhao Mao wouldn’t help him anymore.

Only then did Zhao Chun stop. Behind his brother’s back, he complained to his third brother, Xiao Tang, that his second brother was a tyrant who even tried to control his bug-playing.

Rice planting had already begun in Qingshan Village. As spring bloomed, the hillsides turned into a vibrant tapestry of colors, and the variety of edible things suddenly increased. Zhao Chun stopped obsessing over bugs; aside from going to the Escort Agency to learn martial arts, he spent every day messing around with various wild vegetables and mushrooms.

The bamboo shoots that Zhao Mengcheng had been longing for finally poked their heads out of the ground.

On this day, he happened to be free. Just as he was about to take the children to dig for bamboo shoots, Bailiff Zhang arrived at the door.

Bailiff Zhang arrived drenched in sweat. He grabbed Zhao Mengcheng and said, “Come with me quickly. The County Magistrate has business with you.”

Translator’s Notes