80s Transmigration: The Young Widow's Hustle to Riches

Chapter 412 - 410: Lin Lan Is Sick

Li Xiangyang washed his hands and went to the main room, where he found Little Douzi sitting on a small stool. "Let your mom sleep," he said. "Let’s go look at the fish your Uncle Xiangyang caught."

Little Douzi nodded. "Grandma said Mom’s cold will be better when she wakes up." He thought for a moment, then looked up at him worriedly. "Uncle Xiangyang, will Mom have to get a shot? Shots really hurt."

Li Xiangyang took his hand and they tiptoed into the room. After a quick glance, he placed a hand on her forehead to check her temperature. Then, he picked up Little Douzi and carried him out of the room. "She won’t need a shot," he said. "She took her medicine and is already sweating."

"Oh!" Little Douzi nodded happily. "Okay! We’ll make something delicious for when Mom wakes up."

"Good boy." Li Xiangyang rubbed his head, his heart warming. ’How can a child be so sensible?’ he wondered. ’He’s more obedient and understanding than some ten-year-olds.’

Hand in hand, the man and the boy left the main room. Old Li glanced at Li Xiangyang. "Is it serious?"

"It doesn’t seem to be. She’s broken her fever."

Old Li nodded. "Go help your mother-in-law with dinner."

"Okay." Li Xiangyang agreed and went over to the well. "Mom, I’ll help you clean the fish."

Wu Shufen smiled. "Great. How did you all catch so many catfish? I see seven or eight of them."

"We used cockroaches for bait."

Little Douzi stared at the catfish in the basin, then looked at Li Xiangyang with admiration. "Uncle Xiangyang, you guys are amazing! You caught such big fish!"

Li Xiangyang grinned proudly. "Pretty amazing, right? I’ll take you with me tomorrow."

Wu Shufen washed her hands and turned to Lin Changyou and Old Li. "There’s still half a chicken marinating in the well. How would you like it cooked?"

Old Li chuckled. "I’m good with anything. You decide."

Wu Shufen thought for a moment. "Xiangyang and Little Douzi both like taro. Let’s take half the chicken and braise it with taro!"

Old Li nodded with a smile. "Good idea. Add plenty of taro, so Little Douzi won’t complain there’s not enough."

Wu Shufen nodded and went to the kitchen to get the taro.

Seeing everyone busy with dinner, Old Li called Little Douzi to go out for a walk with him.

Wu Shufen had Lin Changyou peel the taro while she washed a handful of rice. She put the rice in a small pot, then placed some charcoal into a clay stove to make congee for Lin Lan.

Li Xiangyang finished cleaning the fish, chopping it into chunks. He added a pinch of salt, a splash of cooking wine, some ginger slices, and scallion leaves, letting it marinate for a few minutes. After rubbing the marinade in, he rinsed the fish clean and brought it to Wu Shufen in the kitchen.

Wu Shufen finished braising the taro dish and the fish. She also made a crucian carp soup and stir-fried some wild mushrooms. After a moment’s thought, she sliced up two red-skinned radishes and made a plate of cold-dressed radish slivers.

Lin Hong and Lin Jun walked in, carrying small baskets on their backs. "Grandma," Lin Hong announced, "our eldest uncle’s wife heard that Auntie has a cold. She gave me a jar of her homemade sweet and sour pickled shallots and said they’re good for the appetite."

Lin Jun held up a white peach, grinning at her. "There are peaches and plums, too."

Wu Shufen nodded. "Go wash them, then call Grandpa Li and Little Douzi back for dinner."

"Okay!" Lin Hong set down the jar, grabbed a sieve, and picked some peaches out of her basket. She then went to the well to draw water and wash them.

The entire meal wasn’t ready until almost seven o’clock.

Li Xiangyang went to the bedroom to wake Lin Lan for dinner. He walked to the bed and saw she was covered in sweat from her sleep. Touching her forehead, he found it wasn’t hot anymore. "Little Lan, are you feeling any better?"

"Much better." Lin Lan opened her eyes to look at him. Her head didn’t hurt as much, though her body still felt a little achy. But her underclothes were soaked with sweat, leaving her feeling sticky and uncomfortable.

Li Xiangyang looked at her and said gently, "Mom made congee and some radish slivers. Your sister-in-law also sent over some sweet and sour pickled shallots. You should get up and eat a little before going back to sleep."

Lin Lan felt completely listless, but her stomach was growling with hunger. "Okay," she said softly. "I’ll eat at the small table, so I don’t get Little Douzi, Little Jun, and the others sick."

Li Xiangyang helped her sit up. "Okay. Mom also made a spicy fish with pickled vegetables. She thought the sour and spicy flavor would whet your appetite and you’d be able to eat some."

Lin Lan shook her head. "My throat’s a little sore. I don’t feel like eating anything spicy. Just some congee will be fine."

Li Xiangyang smiled. "Alright, congee it is. You wait here, I’ll bring it to the small table for you." He took a couple of steps, then turned back. "I just found out today that cockroaches are great bait for catfish. They bite almost instantly."

Lin Lan watched him with a small smile. "My dad and the others have always used cockroaches for catfish. How many did you catch?"

Li Xiangyang grinned at her. "Three long-snouted catfish, one carp, and two yellow catfish."

Lin Lan gave him a thumbs-up. "Impressive!"

Li Xiangyang went out and told Wu Shufen, "Little Lan is worried about getting Little Douzi, Little Jun, and the others sick, so she said she’ll eat by herself at the small table."

Wu Shufen chuckled. "It’s fine. If they were going to catch it, they would have by now."

Lin Changyou said, "Let’s just do as Little Lan says. We can eat in the courtyard."

Li Xiangyang brought the congee out to the small square table. He also got a small saucer and placed some of the radish slivers on it. Lin Changyou set the jar of pickled shallots on the table as well.

When Lin Lan came out of her room, Little Douzi looked up at her. "Mom, we’re having fish tonight, and braised taro!"

"It’s your favorite taro, so make sure to eat your fill," Lin Lan said with a smile.

Seeing her smile, Little Douzi nodded happily. "I will!"

Lin Hong pointed to a sieve sitting on a small stool. "Auntie, there are white peaches, too. They’re super crispy and sweet!"

"You’re a good girl. Eat up now," Lin Lan said, then took a sip of her congee. She picked up a pickled shallot and ate it, then another. The sweet and sour flavor was indeed quite appetizing.

She finished a bowl of hot congee along with the pickled shallots, which made her break out in another sweat. Her body felt even stickier and more uncomfortable than before. "Mom, is there any hot water?"

Wu Shufen nodded. "Yes. Go sit in your room for a bit, I’ll ladle some and bring it in for you." She immediately put down her bowl and went to the kitchen to get the hot water.

"Well now, looks like I’m in for a treat." Just then, the voice of the captain came from the doorway.

Lin Changyou put down his cup and stood up. "Captain, come in, come in! Have a drink with us!"

The captain laughed. "Alright, don’t mind if I do." As he spoke, he came in carrying a urea sack. "We dried some mushrooms. Figured you could take them with you to the East Market."

Lin Changyou smiled. "Oh, you shouldn’t have."

"I’m the one who should be embarrassed, bringing such a small gift," the captain said. He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect toward Li Xiangyang and Old Li before turning back to Lin Changyou. "I came to thank your daughter, Little Lan, and your son-in-law. Thank them for pulling my Jiaojiao out of that trap and carrying her all that way."

Li Xiangyang smiled. "Uncle Wan, it was nothing. You’re being too kind."

The captain cupped his hands again. "Thank you, thank you!"

Li Xiangyang smiled and returned the gesture.

Lin Changyou laughed. "To be honest, I was fishing by the river with my son-in-law’s father all day. I hadn’t even heard about this since we got back."

Captain Wan said gratefully, "If they hadn’t come across her, Jiaojiao would have suffered a lot more in that trap."

Wu Shufen came out smiling. "Captain, how is Jiaojiao’s leg?"

The captain smiled. "She’s alright. It was just dislocated. The doctor in town already set it back in place for her."

Lin Changyou asked, "Is she back home now, or still in town?"