The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Peach Gum, Red Date, Goji Berry, and White Fungus Soup

Yang Jianguo praised her. ”Xiao Rui, well done!”

He was also thoroughly relieved. Just by saving their fellow villagers from the vast sea, Han Xiaorui had completely secured her place in Jinshan Bay.

”This is a thank-you gift I bought. Mother of Pingping and An’an, you must accept it.” Aunt Cao was truly grateful to Han Xiaorui. If it hadn’t been for her, the Cao family would have no men left.

Han Xiaorui waved her hands. ”There’s no need. It was nothing. I’ve been so busy these past few days that I haven’t had time to visit Uncle Cao! Please, take this back.”

Aunt Cao waved her hand. ”Don’t be so formal. You’re all on your own, busy with the house and everything else. I’ve already brought the gift all the way here, so you must accept it. Otherwise, Mazu won’t bless us anymore.”

Hearing that, Han Xiaorui knew she couldn’t refuse. In the hearts of the fishermen, Mazu’s power was immense. ”Alright, I’ll accept it. I’ll go visit Uncle Cao when I have a free day.”

”I won’t keep you, I have to get back and make a meal for Old Cao. If you need anything in the future, just give us a shout. My sister-in-law and I will be sure to help out,” Aunt Cao said with a smile, waving as she prepared to leave.

”Thank you so much,” Han Xiaorui said gratefully.

After Aunt Cao left, Han Xiaorui finished her business and said her goodbyes to the village committee members.

Watching Han Xiaorui’s retreating figure, Secretary Liu remarked with a sigh, ”Back when Jianming and Xiao Rui divorced, your uncle gave her a house, a boat, money, and land. I thought it was too much at the time, but now I see how clever your uncle was.”

”He lost a great daughter-in-law, but she’s still the mother of his two granddaughters. That makes them family, a lifelong bond that can’t be broken. Keeping Xiao Rui here in Jinshan Bay was absolutely the right decision.”

Accountant Zhou smiled. ”That’s for sure. Zhigang is a very capable man. He’s the one from our village who really made it big. Someone in the next village also bought a large fishing boat, but his hauls are never that big.”

”After paying the crew and covering other expenses, there isn’t enough left to make the loan payments. I was at the bank the other day and saw him applying for a payment deferral, switching to interest-only payments.”

Secretary Liu sighed. ”You’re right, not everyone is that lucky. I reckon that boat won’t be in business for much longer. Jianguo, when you get a chance, ask Xiao Rui if she’d be interested.”

”If she is, I’ll have someone keep an eye on it. If the current owner can’t make it work, Xiao Rui can take over the boat. She’s got incredible luck—it’s like Mazu herself is feeding her. She’s sure to catch a lot more fish.”

Yang Jianguo paused for a moment, then smiled. ”Alright, I’ll ask her next time I see her.”

’A large boat isn’t cheap. It costs hundreds of thousands!’

’My uncle has to make bank loan payments every month. He’s been paying for nearly three years and still isn’t finished.’

’Still, given the considerable income Han Xiaorui is making every day with just a small boat, maybe after six months she really could save up enough to buy a large one.’

When Han Xiaorui got home with her things, Liang Xiaoyu had already finished her meal and come over.

She had also brought some red bean cakes made by Granny Cai.

Red bean cake is a traditional southern pastry known for its excellent health benefits.

It’s suitable for everyone—the elderly, children, and pregnant women alike—as it helps regulate the body. Its flavor is light and sweet, never cloying.

Han Xiaorui noticed Liang Xiaoyu’s rosy complexion and what looked like a few faint red marks near her collar. ’Did they really manage to get up to something in the short time it takes to have lunch?’

”Did Wenjun come home for lunch?” Han Xiaorui couldn’t resist asking with a raised eyebrow.

Liang Xiaoyu suppressed a smile. Seeing that her son was busy playing with Pingping and An’an, she lowered her voice and said, ”He didn’t come home, but after my mother-in-law finished making the braised gray pomfret, I took it over to Wenjun...”

”Wow...” Han Xiaorui gave her a thumbs-up. ”Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, you’re on another level. I’m seriously impressed.”

”The one I brought him for lunch was a small one. Tonight, I’m taking a big one to be steamed,” Liang Xiaoyu laughed, completely unfazed by Han Xiaorui’s teasing. ”They say steaming it makes it even more effective!”

Han Xiaorui admitted defeat. She took a banana from the bag, broke one off for Liang Xiaoyu, and said, ”Have a banana.”

Liang Xiaoyu took it and, seeing two large bunches of bananas, asked curiously, ”These are pretty expensive. Why did you buy so many at once?”

”Aunt Cao brought them to thank me for saving Uncle Cao and Cao Qiang. Didn’t she bring you any?” Han Xiaorui asked, surprised. After all, Liang Xiaoyu had helped with the rescue that day.

If Liang Xiaoyu hadn’t spotted them in the first place, Han Xiaorui would have never seen them from her boat.

Liang Xiaoyu’s eyes widened in realization. ”Oh, that’s right! My mother-in-law told me. She said Aunt Cao came by our house this morning to drop off some gifts to thank me. No bananas, but the other things were pretty much the same as yours.”

Seeing the bananas, the children washed their hands and came over to have some.

Inside, Han Xiaoqing had finished tidying up and washing the clothes, and was now scrubbing shoes.

”Sister-in-law Xiao Yu, come on, let’s go to my Peach Garden and collect some peach gum. We can make stewed peach gum and white fungus dessert soup tonight.”

Liang Xiaoyu’s eyes lit up. ”Oh, that stuff is amazing! My mother-in-law made it for me once. You add some white fungus, red dates, and goji berries... it’s super nourishing, moisturizing, and great for your skin!”

As she spoke, Liang Xiaoyu picked up a basket and followed Han Xiaorui out to the Peach Garden beyond the courtyard wall.

Han Xiaorui mentally told the Short-tailed Vipers in the Peach Garden to hurry up and hide so they wouldn’t frighten anyone.

Peach gum is a resin secreted from the bark of peach trees. In traditional medicine, it’s believed to improve circulation, relieve urinary tract issues, and stop dysentery. It’s used for various ailments, including abdominal pain, diabetes, and chyluria.

Rich in nutrients and amino acids, peach gum is a natural superfood. Its health benefits are said to rival those of bird’s nest, earning it the nickname ”the poor man’s bird’s nest.”

It can be used in soups or made into desserts, where it takes on a crystalline, translucent appearance and a soft yet springy texture.

Nourished by her Water Ability, these peach trees produced an abundance of superior-quality peach gum.

Liang Xiaoyu’s face lit up with surprised delight. ”Xiao Rui, this peach gum is so clean and translucent, and the pieces are a good size! This is amazing. It’s hard to store it fresh, so let’s sun-dry whatever we can’t eat.”

”If I get back from sea early, I’ll help you gather it. It’s a shame to leave it on the trees, and it can affect the growth of the fruit.”

Han Xiaorui nodded with a smile. ”Sure. If Granny Cai has time, she can come and collect some, and she can keep whatever she gathers. Just be careful not to knock off my peaches while you’re at it.”

”You got it!” Liang Xiaoyu agreed. ”My mother-in-law may have a sharp tongue, but she’s a very meticulous worker. She won’t damage the trees or knock off your peaches. After she’s prepared it all, she’ll bring half over to you.”

Han Xiaorui waved her hand. ”No need. You can eat it or sell it, whatever you want. It’s yours since you’re the ones gathering it. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to do it, anyway.”

Liang Xiaoyu was even more delighted to hear how much Han Xiaorui trusted her.

They collected two baskets of peach gum, poured it into a large basin to soak, and then cleaned off the outer bark and impurities. Afterward, they drained the gum, trying to remove as much moisture as possible.

By nightfall, it was already about seventy or eighty percent dry.

There was no rain in the forecast for the next morning, though it was expected in the afternoon. One morning of direct sun would be enough to dry it out completely.

Whether they kept it for themselves or gave it to others, it would make a wonderful gift.

That evening, they stewed a pot of dessert soup in the rice cooker with the peach gum, red dates, goji berries, and white fungus. Sweetened with rock sugar, the soup was fragrant and silky smooth, with an exceptionally delicious flavor.