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Chapter 98: Mudworms
Chapter 98: Mudworms
At half past two in the afternoon, Deng Shirong once again made his way to the Mountain Pass Commune.
Before heading to the seafood shop, Deng Shirong specifically bought two wooden buckets to store the large shrimp. The crabs could be placed in chicken or duck cages, and the mudworms could be stored in grain baskets, so there was no need to purchase anything else.
When the seafood shop owner saw Deng Shirong, he welcomed him like a long-lost relative, saying, "Ah Biao, you've come just in time. I've prepared everything you need. Come and check if you're satisfied."
Deng Shirong parked his bicycle and, at the shop owner's invitation, went to inspect the quality and freshness of the crabs, large shrimp, and mudworms.
He was highly satisfied. The seafood the shop owner had prepared was of excellent quality and still very much alive, indeed top-notch goods.
Next, they weighed the items. After reaching the previously agreed weight, Deng Shirong noticed that there wasn't much of the three types of seafood left. He said generously, "Boss, I don't see much left. I'll take it all!"
The seafood shop owner was overjoyed. This generous customer was truly the best he had ever encountered. With a beaming smile, he quickly weighed the remaining seafood. In the end, the flower crabs weighed 39.5 pounds, the large shrimp 27.3 pounds, and the mudworms 54.6 pounds.
The shop owner then took out his abacus and started calculating. Flower crabs were 50 cents per pound, so 39.5 pounds came to 19.76 dollars. Large shrimp were 80 cents per pound, so 27.3 pounds came to 21.84 dollars. Mudworms were 30 cents per pound, so 54.6 pounds came to 16.38 dollars.
Adding up the total, the shop owner said with a delighted expression, "Ah Biao, the total is 57.98 dollars. I'll waive the 8 cents, and subtracting the 10 dollars deposit you already paid, you just need to give me 47.90 dollars."
Deng Shirong paid happily and said, "Boss, once you've packed everything, could you help me deliver it to the main road? I need to wait for a ride back, or I won't be able to transport all this on my bicycle."
The seafood shop owner agreed readily, "Of course, no problem."
...
Twenty minutes later.
Deng Shirong, seeing no one around, stored everything in his system space and then rode his bicycle away with ease.
By the time he got home, it was already five o'clock in the afternoon.
At this time, the second pig had already been slaughtered, and all the relatives and friends had arrived. Some were chatting, others were busy, and they all greeted Deng Shirong when they saw him return.
"Father, why did you come back so late?" Deng Yuntao asked while handing his father a pipe.
Deng Shirong took the pipe and replied, "I went to the Mountain Pass to have the seafood I ordered delivered, which is why I'm late."
Deng Yuntao, knowing about his father's order from the Mountain Pass, asked, "Father, at what time are the seafood deliveries arriving?"
Deng Shirong, lying with a straight face, said, "They agreed to deliver at seven to the brick factory. When the time comes, I'll go and pick them up. Is Ah Zhen already cooking?"
Deng Yuntao said, "She's almost done. We'll be able to eat soon!"
Deng Shirong nodded and, taking out his tobacco and matches from his pocket, said, "Then go and tell the relatives and friends to prepare for the meal."
"Alright, I understand!"
...
That evening, Deng Shirong had a great time drinking with his relatives and friends. In the afternoon, they had slaughtered two pigs, and though his eldest daughter's cooking skills weren't quite up to his level, she had learned from him, and the food still tasted excellent.
Tomorrow, Deng Shirong knew he would be extremely busy and wouldn't have the time to sit and drink with his relatives and friends. So, he decided to make the most of the afternoon and enjoy himself.
Thus, Deng Shirong and his relatives and friends drank from around five in the afternoon until it was completely dark, finally concluding their drinking session.
By around seven, Deng Shirong led a group to the pottery factory to fetch the seafood. Since he rode a bike, he arrived much faster than those who walked. Upon reaching his destination, he took the seafood out of his system space.
When the others arrived, he simply told them that he had picked up the seafood and the delivery person had already left. No one suspected anything.
After transporting all the seafood back, it naturally caused quite a stir among his relatives and friends.
Although Zheyeh Village wasn't far from the sea—just a few dozen kilometers away—in modern times, one could drive there in less than an hour. In those days, people were familiar with seafood.
However, in this era, due to the poor transportation, even though Zheyeh Village was close to the sea, the villagers knew very few types of seafood. They only recognized a few kinds, like the dried sandworms that the coastal people traded for sweet potatoes a few years back.
Of course, they knew crabs and large shrimp, as these could also be found in rivers, though they looked different.
But the mudworms, which looked somewhat disgusting, were completely unknown to everyone.
"Uncle Jiu, what is this? It looks like a worm," Deng Yun-gui asked after finishing his drink. He didn't go home immediately but stayed to chat and brag. Seeing the mudworms in the basket, he couldn't help but ask.
Deng Shirong laughed, "This is called a mudworm. It's great for making congee, soup, or steaming. I'll cook it tomorrow, and you'll see how delicious it is!"
Deng Yun-gui said, "The mudworms look pretty disgusting, but if Uncle Jiu says they're good, they must be. I'll definitely try them tomorrow."
Deng Shirong replied, "Tomorrow, I plan to steam them. Don't let their appearance fool you. Once they're cleaned and steamed, they look completely different and will definitely make your mouth water."
No one doubted Deng Shirong's culinary skills. Even those who initially found the mudworms unappetizing now looked forward to tasting them.
...
In Poxin Village.
In her empty bridal chamber, Zhang Xiuping had her last gathering with her two close friends before her wedding.
The three of them were feeling a bit down, as once Zhang Xiuping got married, it would be very difficult for them to meet again.
Ou Guofang sighed, "Sister Ping, you're getting married tomorrow. We three sisters will probably have few chances to meet from now on!"
Zhang Xiuping tried to cheer up, "We can't be sure about that. Once I'm married, I'll start helping to arrange things. If everything goes well, we'll still be neighbors. As for you, Sister Fang, I'll help you find a suitable match in Zheyeh Village or nearby. If I find someone good for you, I'll help you get married too. I hope that even after we're all married, we can still meet as easily as we do now."
Ou Guofang nodded, "That's up to you, Sister Ping. Once you're married, please help me find someone. Even if it's not the best match, I'm willing to get married. Otherwise, if you two marry in the same place and I end up somewhere else, it would be too lonely!"
Zhang Xiuping said, "Don't worry, I'll definitely help you find a good match!"
(End of Chapter)
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