Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 51: Chapter 31: Grandmother and Uncle Come to Visit

The next day, as promised, Yang Family went to Xiatang Market and returned with two sets of pig offal. Because she was also buying some large bones, the butcher gave her a good price on the offal, so it only cost an extra six cents.

Juhua stared excitedly at the limp, floppy pig intestines. She thought of a common rural insult: ”You’re just like pig intestines—a long string when you pick them up, a sloppy puddle when you put them down.” It meant someone was a hopeless case. But right now, she felt a special fondness for them. ’This is all money!’

’If I cook all this and sell it for one cent a large ladle, I could sell dozens of scoops! If I mix in some green garlic and pickled vegetables, won’t there be even more? And there’s also the heart, lungs, and stomach... aiyo, this is basically free money being handed to me!’

She had originally thought the pig offal would be cheap, guessing a set might cost around ten cents, which would still yield a large amount once cooked. Who would have thought they could get it for just three cents? It was truly a surprise.

’Now I don’t have to worry about catching fish and shrimp. That venture may have been free, but it took a lot of effort, and our family doesn’t have the manpower. I would have had to get other villagers to help. Besides, it’s getting colder by the day, making it harder to catch anything anyway.’

Juhua beamed as she stared at the disgusting-looking offal, which made Yang Family, standing beside her, feel a bit unsettled. ’This girl has gone mad!’

She carried the wooden basin with the large intestines, small intestines, and stomach down to the river to wash them, which would prevent the ground by the well from getting all greasy.

Ignoring the coldness of the water, Juhua put the offal in the wooden basin with vinegar and salt and began to scrub it vigorously. After being massaged with salt and vinegar, the intestines and stomach released a thick, sticky, dark brown slurry that looked disgusting.

But Juhua didn’t mind. ’Who would mind when there’s money to be made?’

’The offal might be cheap, but cleaning it used up a lot of salt and vinegar. Using flour to wash it, as some did, was out of the question. Still, as long as it brought in money, the expense was worth it.’

Once she rinsed everything in the river, the murky water flowed downstream, and the Little Qing River was as clear as ever.

’Juhua really loved this river! Well water was convenient, sure—it meant you didn’t have to carry buckets, and it was warmer in the winter. But for washing things like vegetables and clothes, it was much easier to do it by the Little Qing River.’

Back home, she boiled the pig’s heart and lungs for a bit before taking them out and cutting them into chunks. Next, she slicked a wok with oil and stir-fried ginger, chili peppers, star anise, cinnamon, and garlic until fragrant. She then poured in vinegar and soy sauce for color, added water, and brought it to a vigorous boil before lowering the heat to a slow simmer. The pig stomach was set aside to marinate. Meanwhile, she blanched and sliced the large and small intestines, washed the pot, then added seasonings and pickled vegetables to braise them!

This one-pot method was something she had often used in her past life. She couldn’t be bothered with fancy, complicated recipes; this was authentic, rustic home cooking. ’All those different styles you see in restaurants are just for show, in my opinion,’ she thought. ’Cooking it this way is far more satisfying to eat!’

From the moment Juhua stepped into the kitchen, a rich, fragrant aroma began to drift out. It made Zheng Changhe, who was in the courtyard, completely distracted. He kept sniffing the air and asked Yang Family, ”What’s our Juhua up to? It smells incredible!”

Yang Family shot him a look. ”She’s cooking the pig offal, of course! I think this business has a real chance—it smells so good my mouth is watering. If it’s one cent for a big scoop, people will definitely buy it.”

Zheng Changhe chuckled. ”Well, I’ll know for sure if people will buy it after I get a taste!”

Once she had everything under control, Juhua finally emerged from the kitchen. She flopped onto Zheng Changhe’s bed and exclaimed, ”I’m dead tired! But I guarantee today’s meal will be so good you’ll want to swallow your own tongues!”

Hearing this, Yang Family quickly said to her, ”You go rest. Just tell me what’s left to do, and I’ll take care of it.”

Zheng Changhe also said, ”Come here, let Dad give you a shoulder rub!” His legs kept him bedridden all day, and he was getting restless from the idleness.

Juhua giggled. ”It’s not that bad! I’ll be fine after resting for a little while.” She lay comfortably on her back, the warm winter sun bathing her in its light, making her not want to move an inch.

She always preferred sitting in the courtyard. Her own room was just too shabby, and she didn’t like spending time in there. It wasn’t that she minded the poverty, but rather that it didn’t feel cozy enough. ’If the quilt and mattress on my bed were soft, like a warm little nest,’ she mused, ’then I’d be happy to stay inside!’

Besides, the courtyard was so bright and open! The house faced south, so it got plenty of sunlight. She could look out at the green vegetable garden and the lively chicks, listen to the oinking of the pigs in their sty—the air was filled with the sights and sounds of life. If she looked a bit further, she could clearly see the nearby Little Qing River and, in the distance, Qingnan Village and its surrounding fields.