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Chapter 831: Chapter 834 Together for a Meal
The four kids and Almond exchanged glances before finally pocketing the copper coin.
They all remembered Duo’er’s kindness.
After handing out the pay, Qiao Duo’er rubbed her aching back, "I’m exhausted!"
"Auntie Si, let us help you rub it." Almond quickly said.
She had been so engrossed in counting that she forgot her madam couldn’t sit for long periods of time.
Qiao Duo’er shook her head, "No need, let’s all go out for a walk, otherwise, when it gets hotter later, we’ll not even be able to step outside."
"I’d rather not go, Madam. What would you like to eat? I’ll go cook it."
Almond declined Duo’er’s suggestion.
Qiao Duo’er thought for a moment before responding, "You rest a bit before going to the kitchen. Make shrimp porridge tonight, and fry a few dishes with whatever meat and vegetables we have at home."
Seeing Almond agree, Duo’er then took the four kids and two dogs out for a stroll around the village.
The new Embroidery Room would be completed in a few days, and Qiao Duo’er planned to check on it, but after walking a short distance, she discovered a treasure.
"These are matsutake mushrooms, hurry and pick them up, we can add another dish for tonight."
Qiao Duo’er said excitedly.
The matsutake mushrooms have a very short growth cycle. They mature in seven days, but then rapidly age and wither after the next two days. To encounter such fresh matsutake today was truly lucky!
The children had not eaten them before, but they trusted Duo’er’s words without question and immediately went over to help.
Da Ya considerately said, "Auntie Si, you’ve been sitting all afternoon, please don’t crouch down anymore."
"Are you sure you can manage?" Duo’er expressed doubt.
But with that big belly sticking out, she really felt quite uncomfortable.
Da Ya nodded earnestly, "Of course, it’s no problem. Just stand and rest for a while, we will have it done shortly."
Children from farming families generally start doing chores at the age of three or four, so for them, picking mushrooms was child’s play. With that thought, Duo’er felt reassured.
In no time, the youngsters had harvested all the matsutake mushrooms.
Big Dog even took off his clothes to wrap the mushrooms inside, making it easier to carry them home.
Upon seeing this, Duo’er couldn’t help but scold, "You silly child, aren’t you afraid of dirtying your clothes and getting scolded when you get back?"
"It’s okay, I’ll go to Aunt Lan’s house first. Aunt Lan would never bear to scold me."
Big Dog said with a naive smile, Aunt Lan was so good to him that he already considered her as his own mother.
No, Aunt Lan was even better than his own mother.
"You must not take advantage of Aunt Lan’s kindness and bully her," Duo’er half-joked.
Big Dog nodded vigorously, "Aunt Lan’s household is all women; I’ll protect them."
As he spoke, his idle hands patted his childish chest, but his sentiment was enough.
In the evening, a big pot of old hen and matsutake mushroom soup was brought to the table.
After setting the tableware, Almond, as usual, prepared to head back to the kitchen, where she left enough food for herself.
But this time, Qiao Duo’er called her to stay, "Almond, sit here and eat with us."
Almond immediately shook her head; it was not proper for her to do so.
In fact, she had done many improper things, but she had always been very firm about eating separately.
Qiao Duo’er said mischievously, "You better think it over, you’ve brought over the casserole; if you go back to the kitchen, there’ll be no soup left for you."
Almond, looking at the casserole, couldn’t help but swallow hard.
Today, when the madam came back, she brought a pile of strange things and asked her to slice them and put them in the chicken soup. After she did so, the soup became fragrant and enticing, and she had been craving it for a long time.
"Aunt Apricot, just eat here with us. It’s so boring for you to always eat alone in the kitchen!"
