Chapter 385: A Heartfelt Offering
Chapter 385: A Heartfelt Offering
For dinner, they had seafood vermicelli soup.
Zhou Mu prepared it, and the thick sauce enveloped the bright red shrimp, stubborn crab legs, adorable squid rings, smiling clams, long sandworms, tiny octopuses, plump snail meat, and golden ingots-like carved baby octopuses, all laid out on the white rice noodles.
A feast for the eyes, nose, and taste buds! Jiang Xia picked up a pair of noodles with her chopsticks and brought them to her mouth.
The noodles were smooth and slippery, and as she brought them closer to her nose, she could smell the pure fragrance of rice. The sauce was thick, rich, and savory, with just the right amount of saltiness. Although the color seemed dark, it was because Zhou Mu had used shrimp heads to make the broth, ensuring it wasn't overly salty but fragrant.
The shrimp was springy, the clams were sweet, the octopuses were refreshing, and the abalone was firm...
Delicious!
So good!
A culinary masterpiece!
Previously, the seafood noodles she made were light and simple, preserving the natural flavors of the seafood, making them sweet and tasty.
Now, Zhou Mu's dish was much richer in flavor.
Zhou Chenglei's bowl had added chili, while Jiang Xia and the children's bowls were non-spicy.
After eating half of her bowl, Jiang Xia tried Zhou Chenglei's spicy version, and it was delicious too! However, the spiciness was quite overpowering, masking most of the seafood's sweetness.
But spice, in itself, was an unparalleled delight in the world.
So, everything was delicious!
"Mom, with this seafood vermicelli soup, you could open a restaurant!"
Zhou Mu smiled, "Is it that good?"
"It's amazing!"
Jiang Xia ate until she was full again.
Zhou Chenglei took her for a walk by the sea to aid digestion.
As they walked, they reached the dock, and Jiang Xia finally felt a bit more comfortable, no longer feeling stuffed.
The next day, Zhou Chenglei had to wake up at 4:30 AM to go out to sea.
Zhou Jiasheng officially started work from that day.
Jiang Xia stayed home, sleeping until 7 AM, and after breakfast, she began her translation work.
Zhou Mu pushed the sewing machine to the doorway of the hall and began sewing baby clothes and underpants for the monk's robe.
After translating for an hour and a half, Jiang Xia went out to get some water and stretch her legs.
She picked up the clothes Zhou Mu had made and asked, "Mom, aren't these clothes too big?"
Zhou Mu replied, "I've prepared a few smaller ones. Children grow fast, so it's better to make them a little bigger."
"That's true," Jiang Xia agreed.
At that moment, Zhou Li entered, carrying a strip of pork belly and a hand basket.
"Aunt Fu, you're already starting to make clothes for the baby?" she asked.
Seeing Zhou Li's hands full, Zhou Mu felt something was amiss.
"Did you just return from the market?" she inquired.
Zhou Li smiled, "No, I came especially to thank Xia Xia for her help."
Jiang Xia looked at her, confused.
Zhou Mu also turned her gaze to Jiang Xia.
Zhou Li set down her items and explained, "Yesterday, Xiao Wan wasn't feeling well. Thankfully, Xia Xia and Alei sent her to the hospital."
Jiang Xia was speechless.
The person involved wasn't even here, yet she was being so enthusiastic.
Such eagerness without reason must be a trick!
"You're being too polite. We just called an ambulance; we didn't really help her," Jiang Xia said.
"It's a good thing you called the ambulance and sent her to the hospital. Otherwise, if she had fainted on the way, we wouldn't have known what to do," Zhou Li insisted.
Zhou Mu was surprised. "She fainted?"
"Yes! That girl is so carefree, she went to the city by herself even when she wasn't feeling well..." Zhou Li repeated what Zhou Chenglei had said the day before.
After discussing childcare for a while, the conversation shifted to the challenges women face and eventually, to work.
As Jiang Xia was about to return to her room, Zhou Li seized the opportunity and said, "Someone like Xia Xia, who is educated and can translate, can even make money from home. She doesn't have to worry about anything! As for me, I don't know when I'll be laid off."
Zhou Mu asked, "Why worry when you have a secure job in the production team?"
"Haven't you heard? The production team is undergoing reforms and will be replaced by a village committee. Who knows how many people will be needed then? I'm afraid I might lose my job," Zhou Li replied.
Zhou Mu was shocked. "Really? That can't be!"
"Why not? Now, we don't earn public points anymore, and the land has been allocated to households. Why do we still need the production team? Xia Xia, have you heard any news about this?"
Jiang Xia shook her head. "No, I haven't heard anything."
Zhou Li didn't believe that Jiang Xia was unaware. She continued, "Xia Xia, if you hear any news, you must tell me! My family relies on my salary to get by! Are you sure you haven't heard anything from your father?"
Jiang Xia said, "My father never talks about work at home."
"I heard it's true! Xia Xia, you know I'm married and no longer considered a part of this village. If the production team is replaced by a village committee, what will I do? Xia Xia, you have to help me! I'll be very grateful, and I won't let your help go unrewarded!"
Jiang Xia responded, "You're overthinking it. I haven't heard anything, and even if I did, I don't have the ability to help. Don't worry unnecessarily; things might not turn out as you imagine. Everything will work out in the end."
Jiang Xia knew that even without the production team, the reforms would lead to the establishment of a village committee and village group, ensuring job security.
However, Zhou Li felt that Jiang Xia was being unhelpful with such a simple matter.
Why did she claim to have no ability to help?
If she didn't, who did?
It was just a matter of saying a few words!
Her reluctance to help was clear.
Thank you to all the readers who voted and supported this chapter!
I'm incredibly grateful, and during the winter break, I'll try to add more chapters.
(End of Chapter)
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