Chapter 196: Crispy Fish

In many places in Beifang, during the New Year, they always prepare a dish: crispy fish.

This year, what is especially advocated is Cantonese-style crispy fish.

Because this year our instructor went to Handan and, while inspecting, ate this kind of crispy fish.

The instructor believes this method can make the bones crisp, boosting nutrition, and in this famine year it is especially worth promoting.

Therefore they began to promote this method of making crispy fish.

As Yang Qing is half a cook, he naturally also wants to study it in depth.

So he is not unfamiliar with the method.

He picked out those over two jin, and for the others he removed scales, opened the belly, gutted, and removed the cheeks.

After cleaning them, he strung them up with rope and hung them indoors to dry.

He then brought out two clay jars, cleaned them, and set them to dry.

Then he sorted the processed fish scales, entrails, and cheeks; discarded the useless into the trash, kept the useful, made some into fish bait, and made some into cat food, placing it in a small oven next to the stove.

After finishing all that and cleaning up, it was already two hours later.

The sky began to have a little light.

Yang Qing dragged his tired body into the blankets.

The big flower (the cat) sandwiched in the middle was startled awake, let out a plaintive cry, then curled up again.

It didn't dare to cry out again, lest it be targeted.

Nor did it dare to run away, for fear of being dealt with.

Yang Qing stroked it.

"Be good."

Then he fell asleep.

The old lady knew what Yang Qing and his wife did at night.

So in the morning she got up without disturbing them, warmed some food for herself, had a quick bite, then went out to exercise with her old sisters.

The couple slept until the sun was high three poles, then woke up.

Chen Hong rubbed her face, looked at the big flower lying obediently beside her, and gave it a big rub.

Then she let it go.

"Don't run around; I'll give you something good to eat later."

Yang Qing was also startled awake a bit, then Chen Hong half-dragged him, still dazed, to put on clothes, wash his face, and brush his teeth.

Only after walking out of the room did he truly wake up.

He looked at his clothes, felt his fragrant face—this had already been applied with snowflake cream by his wife.

Another morning of being bossed around by his wife.

Meow, meow meow…

Dahua cried plaintively.

The old lady was already sunbathing.

Upon seeing her, Dahua immediately ran over to tattle.

Yang Qing returned indoors, took the oven from beside the stove, and saw that the cat food was ready.

Yang Qing poured them into the cat food container and then handed it to Chen Hong.

Chen Hong grabbed a handful and then walked toward Dahua.

Upon seeing Chen Hong, Dahua leapt onto the old lady's body, yowling loudly as if about to die.

Chen Hong sat nearby, then pinched out a few pieces of cat food, waved them under Dahua's nose, and then put them away.

Dahua had already smelled something tasty, but didn't know where; now it finally knows where the good stuff is.

Then it no longer wanted the cat face, stopped tattling, jumped onto Chen Hong, and began to act cute.

Meow…

After a round of rubbing, licking, and grinding, Chen Hong finally opened her palm to let it eat.

Training cats, Chen Hong declared herself a professional.

For lunch, Yang Qing made iron-pot stewed fish, plus potstickers.

Because today is Sunday, many people are at home.

After smelling the aroma, they gathered around; seeing the plentiful fish meat, they couldn't help but feel envious.

Er Da Ye also took a liking to this fish, and he directly asked.

"Yang Qing, where did this fish come from?"

Yang Qing rolled his eyes.

Er Da Ye's tone made it seem as if he had stolen it from somewhere.

He angrily retorted.

"I caught it; where else could it come from?"

"You caught it?" Er Da Ye doubted, wondering if one could still catch fish these days.

Yang Qing looked at the others.

"Others, San Da Ye has already gone fishing; you're still here grinding your teeth."

"What, seeing me eat fish—are you going to give me some to eat, or what?"

"Hurry up and go, or else everyone else will have caught the fish; don't you know today is a day off?"

Upon hearing this, everyone realized it was indeed the case.

With a hubbub, a group of people left.

Gu Ning stayed behind; after everyone else had left, she went over to Yang Qing's side and spoke softly.

"Can you give me some bait?"

Yang Qing went back inside and gave her some.

"I've fermented it, and this is all that's left; if you still need more, you'll have to wait until next week."

"For groundbait, you can mix egg, corn flour, and a bit of sweet potato flour and use it right away."

Gu Ning was satisfied with just a little; she knew how effective Yang Qing's bait was, and now she also knew how to make this kind of mixture.

"Thank you, thank you."

Gu Ning thanked him repeatedly, then left.

After finishing the meal, the old lady went to sleep.

Everyone else was sent off by Yang Qing to go fishing; Yang Qing took the fish hanging in the kitchen out to the yard to dry in the sun and wind.

Chen Hong lay on the lounge chair, watching Yang Qing finish everything in the warm sunshine.

After Yang Qing sat down beside her,

she then asked softly.

"Yang Qing, I have a question I want to ask you."

Yang Qing looked puzzled.

"What question? Why does the fish need to be dried?"

Chen Hong shook her head.

"We have fried fish where I'm from too; I know drying it is to keep it from falling apart."

"That's not what I meant to ask; rather…"

She glanced outside, made sure no one was around, then blushed and spoke softly.

"You say, can a widow like Gu Ning really keep holding back?"

Yang Qing was completely bewildered.

"What the heck?"

He looked at Chen Hong.

Under Yang Qing's pressure, she threw caution to the wind.

"It's about how she deals with that kind of need."

Upon hearing that, Yang Qing's expression kept changing, then he spoke solemnly.

"What's the big deal?"

"You don't know that such things existed in ancient times…"

Chen Hong shivered.

"Huh…"

"If this got out, would anyone still be alive?"

Yang Qing sat up.

"This is private; who would go blabbing about it?"

"You're just young and unaware; someone like Jia Zhangshi definitely has 【needs】."

"Don't believe me? Ask Qin Huairu."

Afterwards he said strangely.

"How did you suddenly think of this?"

Chen Hong gave him a glance, her eyes flickering.

"I was just thinking that if we don't come for a few days, I can't stand it."

"You say, how do they endure it?"

Yang Qing understood.

"You're afraid they'll seduce me, right?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Do I not want to live? I can't even handle one of them, yet I'd go provoke them."

"Throughout history, many emperors who died young did so because they lacked restraint, ending up incapable even at a young age."

"They want it, but I don't."

"You really have a hundred thoughts; if you want to ask, just ask me directly instead of beating around the bush."

Chen Hong didn't believe her nonsense at all—there's no such thing as a cat that doesn't steal fish.

"You bastard, don't you know your own reputation? You've become a friend of widows."

"You think I'm stupid—Gu Ning, Qin Huairu, Liang Ladi, Chen Xueru."

"Look, almost everyone you're close to is a widow."

"And you still claim you're innocent?"

"Do you expect me to believe that?"

"Are Qin Huairu's big steamed buns good to eat?"

"Is Chen Xueru pretty strong?"