Chapter 90: When to Tell the Two Little Ones
Pork belly sizzled and glistened with oil on the iron griddle.
On the wire rack, rice cakes and glutinous rice cakes had turned golden brown, their surfaces bubbling up in spots.
Homemade milk tea bubbled and churned inside the iron kettle.
The main room sandwiched between two kang beds now held three stoves burning brightly, making it impossible to feel any winter chill.
The three little ones had already taken off their wolf-fur-lined jackets, wearing only their inner garments and cotton-padded clothes with sleeves rolled up high—both to avoid staining their sleeves while grilling food and to prevent stray sparks from burning holes in the fabric.
Since returning with his hunt, Leng Xiao had changed into a cotton robe and now sat calmly in the seat of honor, eyes lowered with serene detachment.
Wen Nuan Nuan sat beside Leng Xiao in the place of honor, contentedly gnawing on a honey-glazed roasted rabbit leg.
This was prepared by Eldest Brother and the others—perfectly charred on the outside, tender and juicy inside, cooked just right.
People by the lake excel at pickling salted duck eggs, southerners are skilled at making various cured meats, while mountain folk are adept at hunting and roasting game. The natural environment shapes each group’s survival skills.
“Would you eat the other rabbit leg in the bowl?” Wen Nuan Nuan whispered softly to Leng Xiao, trying to negotiate.
They had only roasted one rabbit, yet without hesitation, they had given her both hind legs.
She could certainly finish them, but she also had to be considerate, didn’t she?
They were good to her, always serving her the best portions first at every meal, but she couldn’t just shamelessly eat everything herself without a care.
“I’ll eat next time when we roast a whole one,” Leng Xiao murmured softly.
Well, that settled it—he wouldn’t be eating this one.
Based on her experience living with Leng Xiao, Wen Nuan Nuan had learned to extract the key points from his words.
Next time, roasted, whole—only when all three conditions were met would Leng Xiao eat.
If it were braised, stewed, or just roasted rabbit legs, they would still be given to her.
With such convoluted thinking and a way of speaking that never gave direct answers, if he wasn’t suited for the officialdom, who was?
Wen Nuan Nuan chewed on her honey-glazed rabbit leg while silently grumbling in her heart.
She finally understood why she felt so much pressure around Leng Xiao—having to analyze the meaning behind his words was exhausting!
“The pork belly is ready, Eldest Brother, serve some to Sister-in-Law!” Leng Tian’s loud voice boomed from time to time.
Fortunately, their house was at the very back on the edge, with some distance to the nearest family in the front row. Otherwise, with such a loud voice, everyone nearby would hear everything.
Leng Yun, feeling particularly proud of his grilling skills and in high spirits, also urged, “Eat faster, will you? Look, this batch of pork belly is ready too.”
Leng Tian and Leng Yun worked seamlessly together—one adding food, the other flipping it—making them highly efficient.
The remaining three only had to focus on eating.
Wen Nuan Nuan stared at the towering pile of food in her bowl—all meat dishes!
Originally, she had thought they wouldn’t need lettuce wraps, so she had prepared plenty of vegetables to balance the meal and avoid monotony.
Who would have thought the two little ones would be solely focused on grilling meat!
And Leng Xiao, as if afraid she wouldn’t eat enough without meat, kept serving her nothing but meat!
Well, without lettuce, not only would she struggle to eat the batches of pork belly still grilling, but she might not even finish what was already in her bowl.
Lettuce truly was the perfect companion for grilled meat. She shouldn’t have dismissed it or looked down on it.
“What’s wrong?”
“I want to wrap the pork belly in lettuce, but I can’t just run to the room to get it like I would with wine. Just thinking about going to the kitchen makes me feel cold.” After all, who keeps vegetables in their room? And to fetch food from the storage room, she had to go herself.
Keeping things from the two little ones was indeed inconvenient at times.
“I’ll go with you.”
Wen Nuannuan nodded. After informing the three little ones, the two of them stood up.
Leng Xiao first went into the room to fetch the heavy cloak. Only after watching Wen Nuannuan put it on did he open the main door. The biting cold wind that rushed in felt like ice piercing through the skin.
Wen Nuannuan looked out into the yard. It had only been snowing for an afternoon, yet the accumulated snow was already ankle-deep. In the sky, large snowflakes continued to fall thick and fast like cotton being torn apart, showing no sign of stopping.
A timely snow promises a good harvest. With this heavy snowfall, she hoped next year’s drought wouldn’t be too severe.
Leng Xiao’s tall figure silently moved to the outer side, subtly shielding the shivering girl from the sharp, cutting wind. Once they entered the kitchen, he asked in a low voice, “You want to tell them now?”
Wen Nuannuan looked at Leng Xiao in surprise.
She had only said a couple of sentences, yet Leng Xiao could already see through her hidden meaning?
She had been mistaken before. Not only did Leng Xiao have a circuitous way of thinking and an indirect way of answering questions, but he also possessed the ability to read people’s minds! This was his truly formidable and impressive trait.
Fortunately, he was a friend, not an enemy. Working with someone intelligent was actually quite effortless. Wen Nuannuan tossed the question back to him, seeking his opinion. “Do you think we should tell Second Brother and Little Brother about the treasure? When would be a good time to tell them?”
Leng Xiao pondered for a moment. “It will be hard to keep it from them on the road next year. Even if we could, it would require a lot of effort and make many things inconvenient. It’s not really necessary.
In a few days, they’ll both be ten years old—not three- or five-year-old toddlers. Telling them in advance will give them time to process it.”
Wen Nuannuan nodded. She also thought it would be better to tell them ahead of time. Otherwise, with several people crammed into a small carriage, not to mention explaining how so many household items could disappear and reappear out of thin air, even finding excuses for three meals a day would be difficult.
Moreover, she really didn’t want to “beg with a golden bowl.” With such a good refrigerator, such a useful storage room, and all the ample food prepared over such a long time, having to hide it from the two little ones and not dare use it along the journey, forcing them to eat chaff and wild vegetables every day—no matter how she thought about it, it just didn’t seem worthwhile.
Most importantly, based on her months of living with the two little ones, their cautiousness and ability to keep secrets were even tighter than hers, despite her being naturally curious and talkative.
If explained properly, Wen Nuannuan felt quite confident in them.
“I originally planned to tell them during the New Year, but it seems tomorrow will do. I’ll be the one to tell them. We won’t go into too much detail—just let them know it can store things and that they must never mention it to anyone outside our family.”
Hearing that Leng Xiao would personally tell the two little ones, a heavy weight lifted from Wen Nuannuan’s heart.
Keeping it from them all this time had been exhausting.
She had been constantly afraid they might ask questions. Fortunately, they had only asked once at the very beginning. Leng Xiao and Eldest Brother had told them not to worry and just enjoy the food. After that, the two of them, as if by mutual agreement, never brought it up again.
Leng Yun was fine. Being lively and outgoing, even if he had doubts, he wouldn’t overthink or dwell on them. His personality allowed him to digest things on his own.
Leng Chen was different. Quiet and reserved, he would bury any concerns deep in his heart, turning them over and over in his mind. She worried it might harm his health or hurt his feelings.
Now it was settled. With Leng Xiao stepping in to explain, she wouldn’t have to come up with excuses anymore.
Feeling unburdened and carefree, Wen Nuannuan happily returned to the table, feeling as if the grilled meat before her had become even more fragrant!
“Little Brother, try wrapping the pork belly in lettuce with a sour and spicy cucumber strip. Give this way of eating a try!”
“Sister-in-law, this way of eating is so delicious! Eldest Brother, you all should try it too.”
“Eldest Brother, don’t just focus on grilling, let me handle it. You eat first.”
“I’ve already eaten a lot of braised beef. I’ve been eating while grilling, and I’m completely full.”
“Second Brother, don’t just drink milk tea all the time. Eat more meat and vegetables.”
“The milk tea is really tasty.”
“I’ll make more for you tomorrow, and there’ll be plenty every day.”
…