Chapter 61: Porridge
“Hey, which family is cooking such a delicious meal so early in the morning?”
Taoyuan Village was a farming village. Many villagers got up to go to the fields to work before dawn.
March and April were seeding seasons. In about half a month, the seedlings had to be transplanted. Therefore, the fields had to have an adequate water source so the transplant process could go smoothly. This meant that there were already many farmers in the field to dig up the ditches. At the same time, they mowed the weeds and added fertilizers.
“We’re working with compost, but we can still smell the fragrance of cooking. It’s amazing,” Xiao Bangzai’s wife, Liu Liuxie commented. The combination of both smells was hard to describe.
“Could this really be the smell of cooking?” Lan Yuxie, who worked another plot of land, asked in puzzlement, “Perhaps it’s the smell of flowers.” No normal cooking could have a fragrance that traveled so far.
“No, this is the smell of cooking,” Zhang Jiaoying said, “I believe it is porridge.”
Adults and children who passed by the Xiao Family had to stop and sniff. They thought to themselves, ‘What is second uncle’s family making that smells so good?’
“It does smell like porridge, but is porridge usually so fragrant? Isn’t porridge supposed to be tasteless? It’s why I hate eating porridge.”
“I can smell egg pancakes too. It smells amazing as well.”
The kid swallowed his saliva. “What is this smell? I want to eat it!”
“Xiao Bun, haven’t you had breakfast already?” The ten-year-old child beside him said with disdain. “You’re already so round. If you continue to indulge, you’ll turn into a pig!” Xiao Bun’s real name was Xiao Jing. However, everyone called him Xiao Bun because he was fat and fair.
“Xiao Charcoal, you’re the pig!” Xiao Jing retorted angrily, “A black pig!”
Xiao Charcoal’s real name was Xiao Liming, but since he had skin darker than average, everyone called him Xiao Charcoal.
Xiao Liming was about to fire back when another kid called out, “Little Loach is here.” Little Loach was Xiao Xiaohui. The adults called him Little Loach because he liked to play with water and mud. The other children learned from the adults. When the other kids saw Xiao Xiaohui, their eyes lit up with excitement.
“Little Loach!” The kids called Xiao Xiaohui and ran to surround him. “Little Loach, are you going to your second aunt’s place for breakfast?”
“Little Loach, do you know what your second aunt has made that smells so good?”
“Little Loach…”
Xiao Xiaohui puffed out his chest and raised his head as he said arrogantly, “Why should I tell any of you if I’m going to my second aunt’s place? Even if I am, I’m not going to bring any of you. Look at you, you’re like hungry ghosts. So embarrassing!” Xiao Xiaohui said as he knocked on the Xiao Family’s courtyard door.
The Xiao Family, who was enjoying their meal with delight, had no idea their breakfast had caused a stir outside.
“Mom, what did you add to this porridge? It’s so delicious! The egg pancakes are amazing too!” Xiao Lingye asked as he ate.
Mother Xiao frowned, “I prepared them like usual. But you’re right. The taste of the porridge is unusually fresh.” She took a sip.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
Mother Xiao said in puzzlement, “Who is here so early in the morning? Ye ‘Er, go open the door.” Xiao Lingye obliged. When he opened the door, he was baffled and confused. Why were there so many people standing outside?
Other than the group of children, there were also a few adults poking their heads around.
Xiao Lingye asked the adults, “Uncles, aunties, how can I help you?”
“It’s nothing.” A villager asked, “Ye ‘Er, what did your mother cook? The fragrance has traveled miles away. We’re salivating because of it.”
Xiao Lingye then realized the people were there because of the fragrance of their breakfast.
However, he still felt this was too exaggerated. The breakfast his mother cooked was fragrant but people shouldn’t surround his house.
Xiao Lingye was about to say something when Xiao Xiaohui piped up anxiously, “Brother Ye, do you still have any extra breakfast? I haven’t had my breakfast yet!”
‘It looks like these brats want to have a free meal here. This is funny.’
Xiao Lingye chuckled and said, “My mom only made enough for the family. There isn’t any extra.”
Xiao Xiaohui ignored him and ran in. He shouted, “Second aunt, what did you make for breakfast? It smells so good!”
The moment Xiao Xiaohui ran in, the other three kids followed him in.