CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45: A BAD FEELING

To satisfy her craving, Yi Chichi firmly refused Wang Nan’s offer of oil and wrapped her own.

Besides, she even taught Wu Yongfei how to cook pickled fish.

This guy truly has a knack for cooking and got it immediately.

Even though it was his first attempt, the pickled fish he made was comparable to that of a chef.

The fish was handled well, tender and fresh to taste.

The pickled cabbage was appetizing and palate-cleansing, while the spice from the chili perfectly fused with the sourness of the pickles, making the meal not only open up one’s appetite but also warm all over, sheer pleasure on earth.

"Delicious!"

Yi Chichi expressed her high praise for Wu Yongfei’s culinary skills.

"Mainly because you’re generous with the oil."

Wu Yongfei humbly said with a guilty expression, "Using the method you taught me, even bark would taste good."

In a year with only that bit of oil, nobody cooked like her, wanting to soak the vegetables in oil practically.

If it wasn’t tasty, it would have been a waste of her oil.

Bai Chen and the others nodded one after another in agreement.

"Makes sense, so hurry up and eat, don’t waste it, it’s best to finish the soup too, it doesn’t taste good overnight."

In times of scarcity, nobody cared whether it tasted good overnight; having something to eat was happiness.

So Bai Chen and the others, initially a bit embarrassed, started eating heartily under her enthusiastic invitation.

However, when they picked vegetables, they consciously avoided the fish meat and instead focused on eating pickled cabbage, fish bones, and fish heads where there wasn’t much meat.

They ate heartily with enjoyment, making Yi Chichi feel a pang of sadness, and she took clean chopsticks to pass some fish meat into their bowls.

"Eat fast, eat while it’s hot."

Looking at the fish in their bowls, then at Yi Chichi, everyone felt a lump in their throats and ate with lowered eyes, their eyes a bit heated.

Nobody had ever been this good to them, willing to share delicious food with them.

Yi Chichi was the first.

Better treat her well from now on!

Unaware, Yi Chichi joyfully enjoyed the appetizing pickled fish, with a constant feeling of gratitude in her heart. After being in this world for so long, she finally enjoyed a meal worthy of being called delicious.

Happiness-ing~~~

As the saying goes, teenagers eat their parents out of house and home, and in times of lacking oil, no matter the gender, everyone ate heartily.

Initially, when Bai Chen and the others didn’t fully open up to eat, Yi Chichi worried there would be leftovers.

Now, seeing them eat freely, she realized her worry was unfounded.

Leftovers were impossible; they even polished off the soup clean.

When they were full, the enamel basin used for pickled fish was as clean as if washed with water.

As for Bai Chen and the others, they burped satisfactorily.

"Chichi, thank you!"

"No problem."

Yi Chichi waved her hand, yawned, stood up, "I’m a bit sleepy. I’ll wash up and sleep first. Please clean up the dishes and chopsticks."

"You hurry back to rest, we’ll handle these chores."

"Alright!"

...

A meal of pickled fish brought Yi Chichi and Bai Chen’s group closer once again.

In the following days, she focused on making clothes for them; there were no other worries for her.

Bai Chen and the others helped with those.

Even her thrice daily meals were assisted by Wu Yongfei in cooking.

Time flew to late November, and the brigade captain and his team, who had been in the mountains for almost a month, finally returned.

Upon receiving the news, Yi Chichi and the others didn’t care about the heavy snow, donned wooden-soled shoes over cotton boots, and rushed to the main force.

"Miss Yi, over here!"

From afar, an older woman wrapped like a bear waved at them.

Covered in quite a bit of snow, obviously having been there for some time.

It was Aunt Ma.

Yi Chichi and the others hurried to Aunt Ma’s side, wanting to look inside, but found there were just too many people. With the captain and his team returning with the fruits of their victory, word spread from one to the next, resulting in everyone and their brother coming out.

Now the brigade’s headquarters was a sea of people, bustling with noise.

Yi Chichi could even hear the excited shouts of Niu Niu and them inside the circle.

Instantly, she became intensely interested in what the captain and his team had brought back.

"Aunt, how much game did the captain and them bring back?"

"Enough for a bountiful year."

Aunt Ma smiled so broadly her teeth were visible, happily saying under Yi Chichi and the others’ expectant gazes, "This time the hunting team surpassed expectations, bringing back a whole five wild boars, twelve young deer, and dozens of pheasants and snow rabbits."

Yi Chichi’s eyes lit up, five wild boars, she wondered if she could ask for two boar stomachs?

Just as she was about to ask, the captain’s booming voice rang out.

"Where’s Yi Zhqiang, is Yi Zhqiang here?!"

"Go, the captain’s calling you."

Before Yi Chichi could react, Aunt Ma grabbed her to push through the crowd, shouting for people to make way.

The jostled people were annoyed, wanting to retort, but upon seeing Yi Chichi behind Aunt Ma, they smiled, "Yi Zhqiang, quickly go in, the captain’s calling you."

"Okay, uncles and aunts, please let me through."

She greeted people while following Aunt Ma inside.

When they pushed into the central area, she felt heat rising in her body.

And then, she saw several wild boars piled on the ground like small mountains, immediately gasping, "What big wild boars."

Each weighing three to four hundred pounds, five accumulated surpassing a thousand; how did the captain and them manage to bring them down the mountain?

"Yi Zhqiang, we have you to thank this time."

Just puzzled, her eyes brightened upon seeing her, the captain eagerly approached, shaking her hand warmly, "That drug of yours is amazing, not only repelling animals but also dazing them... That healing ointment is also incredibly effective, truly we owe it to your medicine this time..."

The captain continued endlessly, gratitude evident in his words.

Those who went into the mountains with him looked at Yi Chichi with eyes full of admiration and appreciation.

Wen Shi, who was arduously sharpening a knife, paused at the captain’s words, then resumed sharpening.

He Yunsong turned to look at Yi Chichi, who was speaking with the captain and others, for a while, then retracted his gaze to talk softly with Wen Shi, "Old Wen, Yi Zhqiang can make medicines."

"Mm."

"...Is that all ’mm’?"

Wen Shi lifted his eyes to look at him, "What reaction should I have?"

That Yi Zhqiang could make medicine was her ability, did discussing it concern them?

Simply idle on a full stomach.

He Yunsong, seeing he hadn’t caught his meaning, got anxious, "What I mean is, since her medicine works so well, should we try buying some from her?"

Wen Shi shamefully felt tempted, yet—

"She might not have any."

"If she does, we can buy some; if not, we won’t insist."

He Yunsong appeared open-minded, merely interested and happy about the hunt, buying if possible to prepare for unforeseen needs.

If not available, they wouldn’t force it.

After all, the one making medicine was Yi Zhqiang, and everything depended on her willingness.

"Wait for a chance to ask her."

"Mm."

He Yunsong nodded, seeing Yi Chichi squatting beside an injured silly and studying its injured leg, a feeling of foreboding rose in his heart,