NOVPUB
Chapter 580: Chapter 371 Chuchu is Here_2
He planted these vegetables and fruits not for selling, so he didn’t plant them all at the same time.
Like the big watermelons, Jiang Ning planted them in batches, so that he could enjoy ripe watermelons irrespective of the season, whether it was spring, summer, fall, or winter.
After taking the watermelon, Jiang Ning put it in the Storage Ring and then went down the mountain along the stream that ran through the spirit field.
The mountain stream meandered like a jade belt, winding through the forest, where the greenery was lush and a faint mist emerged. The leaves on the trees showed a fresh and tender green, the fragrance of flowers was overwhelming, and the scent was intoxicating.
The clear and transparent stream made gurgling noises as several large crabs scuttled on the moist pebbles near the stream, appearing utterly at ease.
Jiang Ning suddenly remembered how Xue Yuantong had imitated a crab’s sideward walk last night and couldn’t help but smile.
The crabs on the pebbles raised their pincers, looking mighty and strutting around without fear.
These crabs grew up in the abundantly Spiritual Energy-filled Hu Qi Mountain and were very strong and agile. If a regular person tried to catch them here, they might get pinched.
However, Jiang Ning just bent down and grabbed them, pulling the Spiritual Power towards him and magically seizing several crabs through the air, tossing them into an iron bucket.
The crabs angrily waved their pincers, trying to break through the iron bucket, but their resistance was futile against the sturdy bucket.
Jiang Ning caught a total of six big crabs, which were larger than the ones in the market by a round; each crab weighed about six to seven taels, and six were enough for three people to eat.
Moreover, as Xue Yuantong said, there were other dishes for today too.
Having dealt with the crabs, Jiang Ning took the Flying Boat back to the river dam, delivered the iron bucket home, placed the watermelon properly, and installed an ice-chilling Array.
Afterwards, he cultivated at home for an hour, then went to his uncle’s house.
Jiang Ning brought the watermelon with him, riding a mountain bike into his uncle’s residential area. The security guard was in the gazebo blowing an electric fan, and people who were going out of the community held up umbrellas for shade.
It was Shen Qing’e who came to take Jiang Ning upstairs.
Jiang Ning gave her a glance, and Shen Qing’e pretended to be nonchalant, "Uncle asked you to have lunch here today; he got some ribs which he says are particularly expensive."
"Let’s talk upstairs," Jiang Ning didn’t outright refuse.
"Okay," Shen Qing’e said, and then she fell silent, not wanting to speak too much, as to avoid looking like she was trying to please Jiang Ning.
The elevator was very spacious. The uncle’s house was a 180 square meters large flat with one elevator serving two households, rarely crowded.
The door was wide open, and the aunt came to welcome him, "Ningning, you’re here. Your brother bought a box of ice cream; come and try some."
Seeing his aunt’s enthusiasm, Jiang Ning smiled. He brought the bag he was holding forward:
"The melons Junlong asked for. These melons aren’t easy to get; I even got them from a net friend."
The melons from Tiger Rest Mountain had just ripened; otherwise, he would have had to refuse Jiang Junlong’s request.
"You’re here, no need to bring anything, especially not melons. It feels too formal!" While the aunt spoke, she skillfully took the watermelon from him.
Jiang Junlong and his cousins glanced a few more times when they heard this.
These melons were grown in a land abundant with Spiritual Energy, and when common people ate them, they were greatly beneficial to their health, no less nourishing than taking supplements.
Of course, these didn’t have any miraculous effects.
Jiang Ning entered the living room and got an ice cream stick; it was chocolate milk nut flavored, and it was said the wholesale price for one was ten yuan!
It indeed tasted better than the ice cream he usually had.
The uncle was busy in the restaurant and hadn’t returned. Jiang Ning chatted with his cousin for a while and then prepared to say goodbye and leave.
The aunt hurriedly stopped him, "Stay for lunch. We bought ribs, and these are no ordinary ribs."
Jiang Ning tried to politely excuse himself but was ultimately sent away by Shen Qing’e.
...
On the way back, it was already past ten o’clock.
The fierce sun scorched the earth, and the trees on both sides of the river dam wilted under the heat, while the ground of the distant ridges was scorchingly hot.
Jiang Ning set up an Array on his mountain bike, making it incredibly cool at that moment.
He didn’t use the Flying Boat, but instead pedaled at a leisurely pace in the direction of his home.
His phone rang.
Jiang Ning answered the call with one hand while riding, and Xue Yuantong’s voice came through: "Jiang Ning, Jiang Ning, where are you? Are you coming home for lunch?"
"On my way back," Jiang Ning replied succinctly.
"Jiang Ning, hurry back. Your crabs are terrifying!" Xue Yuantong complained. She and Chuchu had gone to Jiang Ning’s house to look at the crabs, and one almost jumped out of the bucket and pinched her.
Xue Yuantong embarrassedly threw the bucket lid away in fright. Chuchu had to help pick it up and cover it again.
She was now waiting for Jiang Ning to come home to seek revenge and wash away the humiliation.
"Don’t touch the crabs; I’ll handle them when I get back," Jiang Ning instructed, hesitating not because he feared Tongtong would get hurt—after all, she had the Protective Jade Pendant.
Xue Yuantong tempted him, "Come back quickly. If you return sooner, there’ll be a reward, you know?" 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
Jiang Ning asked, "What reward?"
"Humph, a woman who’s as bright as snow and graced with beauty, personally cooking something delicious for you," Xue Yuantong said proudly.
Jiang Ning was puzzled, "Chuchu is going to cook for me?"
Xue Yuantong hung up the phone angrily.
While washing the vegetables, Xue Chuchu asked, "Tongtong, what’s wrong with you?"
Xue Yuantong wished she could hide Chuchu!
...
After Jiang Ning cycled home, two girls, one tall and one short, were busy in the kitchen.
He entered the kitchen and was greeted by Xue Yuantong’s uptilted chin.
Jiang Ning said, "I’ll handle the crabs."
The iron bucket had been moved to Xue Yuantong’s kitchen, where he poured the crabs into a large aluminum basin and washed them again.
He asked the two, "How do you want to eat them, steamed?"
Xue Chuchu sitting on the small stool didn’t speak; she was far from being as skilled in cooking as Tongtong was.
Xue Yuantong first glared fiercely at the crabs and suggested, "I know a special way to cook them, but first we have to split the crabs in half!"
Jiang Ning said, "Leave it to me."
With that, he placed the crabs on the chopping board and with a swift motion, "Bang!" he cleaved a crab in half.
Xue Yuantong felt a sense of vengeance, yet found it so cruel. But seeing the rich crab roe, she forcefully swallowed any remorse.
The six crabs met their demise and Jiang Ning’s task was complete; the job of tending the fire was snatched up by Xue Chuchu.
Cooking with a clay pot in the summertime is rather laborious, especially on such a hot day like today.
Just imagine tending a fire at 35 degrees Celsius to know how torturous it is.
Xue Chuchu, clad in clean clothes and presenting a cool, detached demeanor, seemed out of place next to the firewood and clay pot; the intense heat turned her pale face rosy.
She simply tended to the fire in silence, the sweat on her forehead betraying her exertion.
Xue Yuantong was equally baking in the heat, but such tasks were routine for them, especially with the prospect of delicious crabs.
Jiang Ning activated his Spiritual Energy, silently lowering the kitchen’s temperature.
To save time, Xue Yuantong was making two dishes at once; one was crab, and the other pork ribs with dried flat beans.
Dried flat beans, as the name suggests, are flat beans dried in the sun.
These weren’t bought by Xue Yuantong, but sun-dried at Chuchu’s house. Considering herself a constant freeloader, she brought some dry goods over.
Xue Yuantong donned an apron primly and heated some oil in the pot. After pouring in some starch, she coated the halved crabs—crab roe side first—in starch, then tossed them in the pot to fry.
After frying, she removed the excess oil, poured in scallions, ginger, and garlic, and began to stir-fry.
Jiang Ning stood by watching her cook and occasionally used his Spiritual Power to prevent the hot oil from splashing and scalding her.
During the less busy moments, Xue Yuantong didn’t forget to bicker with Jiang Ning:
"I asked you to buy juice, and of course, you forgot."
Jiang Ning wouldn’t let her lay all the blame on him, retorting, "Didn’t you forget, too?"
In the end, it was Chuchu who bought the drinks.
Listening to their conversation and smelling the tempting aroma from the kitchen, Xue Chuchu quietly added more firewood.
Xue Yuantong scolded Jiang Ning several times, insisting that everything was his fault—certainly, she was not to blame.
Toward the end, Xue Yuantong hummed, "Forget about handling anything to do with meals going forward. Leave it to me!"
She continued to stir-fry, pouring vegetables into the pot while her mouth went on jabbering.
Jiang Ning found her manner amusing and suddenly reached out to pinch her cheek.
Xue Yuantong froze as if spellbound, her voice halting abruptly. Several seconds later, she said indignantly,
"Taking advantage of me while I’m cooking!"
