Recently, Lady Fang didn't have a very good appet.i.te. Besides the vegetables that Xiaocao had watered with mystic-stone water, she vomited everything else that she ate as soon as she consumed them. Meat and seafood, in particular, were food that she couldn't touch at all. Xiaocao understood the importance of a well-balanced diet for the fetus. It definitely wasn't enough to just eat vegetables, so Xiaocao racked her brain in order to make her G.o.dmother eat some meat dishes.
Little s.h.i.+tou was at home because it was summer break for Rongxuan Academy. Last week, he received a letter sent to the academy from Brother Han in the capital. In the letter, Zhao Han briefly wrote about his life in the capital. His grandfather had already left for the borders to serve as the commanding general of the army. For the time being, he and his father were staying in the capital on standby. The contents of the letter mostly consisted of his memories of his life in Dongshan Village, as well as the scenes of him hunting, roasting meat, and cooking fish soup with the siblings…
When Little s.h.i.+tou heard his second sister saying that her G.o.dmother couldn't eat any meat or fish, a lightbulb suddenly lit up in his head and he said, "Second Sister, do you remember the secret base that Brother Han took us to?" Secret base was the name that his second sister gave to the valley. Little s.h.i.+tou thought that it was quite vivid, so he always referred to the valley in that way.
Xiaocao was pondering whether she should try making some sour and spicy food, which stimulated the appet.i.te. The dish 'boiled fish with pickled cabbage and chili' should be quite good. Her family didn't make any pickled cabbage, but her maternal grandmother should have them. G.o.dmother liked to eat sour food, so 'boiled fish with pickled cabbage and chili' should suit her taste. At that time, if she sliced the fish into very thin slices and soaked it in water for a while, there probably wouldn't be a fishy smell anymore…
Hearing Little s.h.i.+tou's words, she nonchalantly replied, "What? You want to go play in the valley? When Second Sister is free, I will definitely take you there… You should go study!"
"I don't want to go play! Do you still remember the little white fish in the valley creek? The meat was so tender that it melted in one's mouth. Perhaps Auntie Fang can eat it!" Little s.h.i.+tou felt that he had been looked down upon.
He wasn't the Little s.h.i.+tou of the past anymore, ok? He was now a student in the primary cla.s.s of the Rongxuan Academy. How could he only think about playing? However, he seriously didn't want to admit that he really missed the valley, the taste of the barbeque at that time, and the delicious little white fish…
When Yu Xiaocao heard that, she immediately looked at Little s.h.i.+tou and gave him a thumbs up, "That's a good idea! You have indeed been studying for half a year; you're coming up with ideas faster than me! Come, let's go to the secret base and catch a lot of little fish back. It's too hot recently, and our parents have been focused on the construction of the house. They have apparently slimmed down quite a lot. The small white fish are delicious and nutritious, so let's catch more to stew soup!"
This matter should not be delayed. If they left now, they could return in time to make lunch for her G.o.dmother! Xiaocao carried a ceramic jar and headed to the mountain forest with an excited Little s.h.i.+tou.
The cool breeze was blowing in the early morning. In summer, the West Mountains was filled with verdant and luxuriant foliage. When walking in the dense forest, one couldn't feel the scorching summer heat at all. Walking through the forest, the siblings arrived at a mountain wall covered with green vines. Yes, the secret base that the siblings mentioned was right behind the green vines.
Pus.h.i.+ng aside the thick green vines, a cave that was about a half person tall appeared in front of the siblings. The deeper one walked inside the cave, the more s.p.a.cious it became. Even if an adult stood up, their head wouldn't be able to touch the stone wall on the top of the cave. After walking for about fifteen minutes, three paths appeared in the cave. They chose the path on the far right. After walking for a while, a brightness suddenly appeared in front of their eyes, which gave people the feeling of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.
This was the valley that Zhao Han had once taken Xiaocao and her younger brother to in the past. There was flowing water and flowers blossoming like a piece of brocade. Also, due to its strange topography, it was surrounded by mountains, and thus the temperature inside the cave was slightly lower than outside. This was a good place to avoid the summer heat.
