Rebirth of a Village Girl

Chapter 588: 165: Have Good Things to Give You (Update 15)_1

Ni Yang put the umbrella into her basket, “Put it in, just in case it starts raining.”

Just as Ni Cuihua left, an elderly woman with white hair arrived at the door with a basket, “Is Yangyang’s mum at home?”

“Grandma Liu.” Ni Yang smiled and walked over, “My mom just left. Do you need anything from her?”

Grandma Liu smiled and said, “Oh, Yangyang is here. Nothing really, our potatoes have had a bumper harvest this year. I just brought over some potatoes for you guys. This is the first batch of this year’s harvest. I want you three women to taste them.”

Only then did Ni Yang notice that Grandma Liu’s basket was full of potatoes.

The villagers of Jinghua Village are all very grateful. Ni Yang has been good to them, and they are also very good to Ni Yang. Whenever someone slaughters a pig or a sheep, or whenever the crops are glowing, they think of sending some food to Ni Yang first.

Ni Yang smiled and said, “Grandma Liu, you are too polite. We already have potatoes at our home. You worked hard to grow these, you should keep them.”

Grandma Liu is an old widow in the village. She has no children and lives alone, which isn’t easy. Ni Yang often gives her some food during holidays. However, something that truly moved her happened last year.

Last autumn, the old lady suddenly came down with a high fever. She nearly died alone at home without anyone knowing. It was Ni Yang who found out the abnormality and was able to treat Grandma Liu.

Grandma Liu said, “I can’t finish these all by myself. Yangyang, you don’t like my old self because I can’t give anything decent, right?” In the end, Grandma Liu pretended to put on a stern face.

“No, no. Grandma Liu, you’ve misunderstood…”

“If you don’t mind them, then keep them! It’s not like it’s anything valuable. I’ve got to go now. If I don’t return soon, the chickens will get my cabbage.” Finishing her words, Grandma Liu dumped the potatoes on the ground and left.

Ni Yang couldn’t let Grandma Liu go back empty-handed, “Grandma Liu, wait a moment.”

Grandma Liu was already aware of Ni Yang’s tactics. She knew Ni Yang must have gone inside to get something, and quickly covered her basket, ran away as if carried by the wind.

When Ni Yang returned to the yard, Grandma Liu’s figure was already out of sight. She puzzled, “Where is Grandma Liu?”

Little Ni Yun pointed at the door and said, “Ran… ran away!”

Ran away?

Ni Yang was taken aback.

She never knew that Grandma Liu, even with her bound feet, could run so fast.

Looking at the pile of potatoes that Grandma Liu brought, Ni Yang suddenly had an idea, “Yunyun, do you want to eat something delicious?”

“Yes!” Upon hearing the mention of delicious food, Little Ni Yun started drooling.

Ni Yang picked up five large potatoes, cleaned them thoroughly, peeled off the skin, and finally cut them into thin slices and long strips.

That’s right!

The delicious food that Ni Yang was making today was potato chips and french fries.

Eating fries cannot be without tomato sauce, Ni Yang also ran into the field to pick two large tomatoes.

Making tomato sauce is real simple.

First, peel off the skin of the tomatoes, then cut them into pieces and stir-fry them in hot oil until they’re mushy. After that, add water, and simmer it to reduce it down to a thick consistency.

Normally, when making tomato sauce, one would add white sugar. But the homegrown tomatoes hadn’t been treated with coloring agent. Every bite released a burst of fresh and juicy taste, soft and silky, they were so good in flavor that there was no need to add sugar at all.

While the tomato sauce was simmering, Ni Yang began to fry the chips and potato strips.

When frying in oil, you need to parboil the potatoes in boiling water for three minutes first, then lift them out and rinse them in cold water. Afterward, drain them and fry them in the wok.

A sizzling noise filled the air very soon afterwards.

Little Ni Yun stood by the pot, drooling with desire.

By the time the tomato sauce was ready, the chips and potato strips were all fried up.

Ni Yang handed a portion of fries to Little Ni Yun, “Yunyun, eat slowly, be careful, it’s hot, OK?”

“OK!” Little Ni Yun nodded, immediately grabbing a fry and putting it in her mouth.

“Is it tasty?” Ni Yang asked.

“Delicious!”

Ni Yang then scooped a bit of tomato sauce into Little Ni Yun’s bowl, “Yunyun, why don’t you try dipping it in the tomato sauce?”

Given her young age, Little Ni Yun didn’t quite understand what Ni Yang was saying.

Ni Yang had to demonstrate it herself.

The crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside fries with a dab of sour and sweet tomato sauce made a remarkable combination. Little Ni Yun chanted excitedly, “Delicious… it’s delicious! It’s delicious, sister!”

Little Ni Yun was very smart. Ni Yang only taught her once, and she got it. Within a short time, she had tomato sauce all over her face while eating it.

Ni Yang scooped the remaining tomato sauce into three small glass jars for the later use.

Afterward, Ni Yang took Little Ni Yun and delivered some fries and chips to Grandma Liu as well.

Even though the elderly do have some teeth problems, consuming these isn’t really an issue.

When Ni Yang arrived, Grandma Liu was standing on a stool changing a bulb. Hearing some noises from the door, she looked outside, her foot slipped, and she almost fell, but Ni Yang immediately held her, “Careful, Grandma Liu.”

Even though Grandma Liu was scared, she still laughed and said, “It’s okay!”

Ni Yang took the bulb from Grandma Liu’s hand, “This is too dangerous, let me change it for you.”

“I’ll do it, Yangyang, are you sure you know how?” In Grandma Liu’s eyes, Ni Yang still was a child.

Ni Yang laughed and said, “No biggie, I often change bulbs at home.” The moment she finished speaking, she directly stood on the stool and started to replace the bulb. She was so cool that even men would have to marvel at her.

Grandma Liu, however, was worried, “Yangyang, be careful of the electricity!”

“Okay.”

Ni Yang casually turned, “Pop!” and the light was on.

Little Ni Yun happily said, “The light is on!”

Ni Yang jumped off from the stool, used a duster to wipe off the dust, then returned everything to its original place. She handed Grandma Liu the fries and chips on the table, “Here, try these.”

“What are these?” Grandma Liu tasted a fry, “Quite tasty.”

Ni Yang smiled and said, “These are fries and these are chips.”

Grandma Liu said, “This is the first time I’m trying these special delicacies! What are they made of?”

“Want to guess?” Ni Yang teased.

Grandma Liu guessed, “Flour?”

Ni Yang shook her head, “Wrong.”

Grandma Liu pondered a little more, “Glutinous Rice flour?”

“Still wrong.” Ni Yang kept shaking her head.

Grandma Liu guessed again, “So this isn’t made from flour?”

Strange, the taste was surely that of flour.

Ni Yang laughed and said, “Grandma Liu, these are made from potatoes. The same ones you gave us.”

“Potatoes?” Grandma Liu was a bit astonished, “Can potatoes taste this good?”

Ni Yang nodded, “Of course! If you want to learn, I can teach you.”

“Sure.” Grandma Liu usually gets quite bored alone, so she has a great interest in food.

Ni Yang explained the making process in detail to Grandma Liu. Grandma Liu laughed and said, “I’ll definitely try this tomorrow. By the way, Yangyang, come with me.”

Grandma Liu pulled Ni Yang into an inner room, then turned around to carry Little Ni Yun inside as well. She mysteriously closed the door and switched on the light.

“Yangyang, wait for me.” Grandma Liu went behind the bed, and after a while, she walked out with an old vanity case.

“Yangyang, come here.” Grandma Liu gestured for Ni Yang.

Ni Yang walked over, “Grandma Liu, what’s in it?”

Grandma Liu laughed and said, “You’ll know soon.” As she spoke, she took off the hairpin that held her hair, and using the sharpest end, unlocked the little copper lock on the vanity case.

The little copper lock seemed quite old, with a layer of patina on the surface.

“Click!”

Just as Ni Yang was questioning if the lock could be opened, it was unlocked.

As soon as Grandma Liu lifted the lid, a pleasant aroma, somewhat similar to ambergris, gushed forth.

This reminded Ni Yang of the village rumors.

Everyone said that Grandma Liu used to be a young lady from a landlord’s family and had sought refuge here during the war.

It seemed like the rumors might be true.

No wonder, Ni Yang always felt that Grandma Liu had a certain grace not found in ordinary grandmas.

After the lid was lifted, what met the eyes were a few dusty silver hairpins, and a binyeo (Korean hair stick), but because they hadn’t been worn for many years, or been maintained, these items had lost their original luster.

Grandma Liu pulled open the second layer drawer of the vanity case, astonishingly, a translucent jade bracelet with excellent color and perfect luster rested in the drawer.