Chapter 42 - 15: "Heavenly Mother-in-law

Chapter 42: Chapter 15: "Heavenly Mother-in-law

"What’s ’super’?" Tie Chui asked naively.

"’Super’ means it’s the most, most delicious," Er Zai explained.

Tie Chui agreed wholeheartedly. "Auntie’s cooking is super, super delicious!"

Bangbang said even more enviously, "Your uncles are so nice."

His own uncle never gave him any treats and even stole his candy.

Er Zai’s voice was full of excitement. "I have three uncles, and they’re all super nice! Tomorrow, Mom is taking me and my brother to her family’s home. I’m sure my grandma will make us yummy food!"

"Sigh!" Bangbang sighed with a long face. The thought of his own uncle soured his mood. "My uncle isn’t nice at all. I don’t like going back to my mom’s family home with her."

Er Zai didn’t understand why Bangbang had a bad uncle.

Mother Gu came out of the kitchen with a bowl of pickled cabbage, handed it to Da Zai, and the two boys left the old house.

Tie Dan stared expectantly at Mother Gu. "Grandma, when can we have fish? I want to eat meat."

"You little glutton! Who doesn’t want to eat meat!" Mother Gu deliberately put on a stern face, but she doted on her grandson. She added, "I’ll have your dad try his luck some other day. If he can catch any fish, I’ll cook it for you."

"Yay!" Tie Dan jumped up in excitement.

The other children of the Gu Family were also very happy.

When Da Zai and Er Zai got home with the pickled cabbage, Lin Zhao had already finished her prep work. As soon as the cabbage arrived, she started cooking immediately.

The two children sat side-by-side, feeding the fire, glancing at their mother from time to time with smiles on their faces.

"Mom, from now on, I’ll help feed the fire whenever you cook!" Da Zai said.

Er Zai, eager to show off, chimed in, "I’ll wash the dishes!"

Lin Zhao found a moment to glance at her two sons and smiled. "Good boys."

Da Zai and Er Zai felt warm and fuzzy inside.

In the small kitchen, the two little ones watched their mother cook, their eyes fixed on her. She was so fast and so pretty. The scene left a deep impression on the two brothers’ hearts.

Before long, a tangy, spicy aroma wafted out. The smell alone was enough to make one’s mouth water.

Er Zai couldn’t sit still any longer. He shot up from his little stool, his cute nose twitching, and exclaimed excitedly, "Mom, it smells so good!"

Lin Zhao placed two pieces of fish in a bowl, carefully picked out the small bones, and fed it to Er Zai. "Have a taste. I took out the bones, but still eat slowly."

"Mmm-hmm-hmm." Er Zai gobbled it down in one bite.

Instantly, his face became a living emoji of deliciousness. His bright, big eyes narrowed into slits, overflowing with satisfaction.

"Delicious!!"

Lin Zhao beckoned to her older son. "You don’t have to watch the fire anymore. Da Zai, come have a taste too."

She had many children in the family and favored none of them, trying her best to treat them all equally.

Da Zai dusted the ash from his hands and walked over.

"Da Zai, you be careful of the bones too," Lin Zhao reminded him as well.

"I know," Da Zai said, and then his mother fed him a bite of fish.

After tasting it, Da Zai of the Gu Family felt in that moment that pickled cabbage fish was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten!

"Mom, the pickled cabbage fish is so good!"

Lin Zhao had cooked the entire fish, which was over two pounds. She ladled a portion into a separate bowl, placed the bowl in a small bamboo basket, and said to her two boys, "Da Zai, Er Zai, take this bowl of pickled cabbage fish to the old house. We got the pickled cabbage from your grandma, and she also stood up for us by the river this afternoon. We should show our appreciation."

Er Zai’s mouth was faster than anything. With a puzzled look, he asked, "Grandma has helped us before, but you always said we’re family and don’t need to be so polite. We never ’showed appreciation’ before."

Lin Zhao’s expression froze.

’This younger son of mine has such a quick, sharp tongue.’

Da Zai keenly sensed that Er Zai had hit a sore spot with their mother. Afraid she would get angry out of embarrassment, he quickly changed the subject. "Er Zai, let’s go deliver the pickled cabbage fish. I’m hungry. We can eat when we get back."

Er Zai was easily sidetracked. "I’m hungry too! Let’s go deliver it quickly."

He went to the old house, holding hands with his brother.

’Da Zai is truly my good boy! My dear, warm little jacket!’ Lin Zhao thought.

Da Zai and Er Zai left right around dinnertime, and quite a few people were squatting by their doors, holding bowls and eating.

They had smelled the aroma of meat coming from the Gu residence for a while. Now, seeing the two boys, they assumed the Gu family’s third daughter-in-law wasn’t letting them eat again, and they inwardly sneered at Lin Zhao.

’What kind of mother is she!’

"Da Zai, Er Zai, are you going to your grandma’s to eat?" asked the auntie from the house to the left of the Gu Family.

Er Zai stopped, tilted his little head up high with a proud and pouty look, and said, "Nope. My mom asked my brother and me to bring some pickled cabbage fish to my grandpa and grandma."

"It’s fish from my maternal grandma and second uncle. My mom made it into pickled cabbage fish herself, and it’s super delicious!" Da Zai added, his face also brimming with pride.

After dropping that bombshell, the two little brothers left, leaving the crowd of onlookers completely stunned.

"Chenghuai’s wife is sending fish to Old Man Gu and Granny Gu? Did the sun rise in the west?!" an old man about Father Gu’s age exclaimed in amazement.