My Villainess Is Definitely Not a Black Lotus - Chapter 9

Completely unaware of the little girl’s thoughts, Fu Jianxu assumed she was genuinely worried about losing the money and took it back as instructed, carefully tucking it into her inner pocket.

Seeing the woman reclaim the coins without hesitation, Ji Xiaoyu’s suspicions hardened. This woman is still as two-faced and temperamental as she was before her amnesia, only now she’s even more of a pretender.

……

As dusk deepened, Fu Jianxu stretched lazily and climbed off the kang. After resting for half the afternoon, her aching muscles finally began to relax. Glancing up, she saw Ji Xiaoyu in the courtyard, mending clothes by the fading light. Her weathered face flushed crimson, and she quickly changed her clothes and got up.

What would I do without Xiaoyu? Fu Jianxu sighed contentedly as she cleaned the fish in the courtyard. She had overheard earlier that day while carrying rice that fish cost four or five wen per pound, yet her Ji Xiaoyu had managed to buy two for just five wen!

Too exhausted to notice when she returned, she now saw the firewood stacked outside the woodshed, realizing Ji Xiaoyu hadn’t been idle at home either. The diligent girl had gathered firewood, foraged wild vegetables, fed the chickens, and handled countless chores. On top of all that, she had escorted Fu Jianxu to and from work, swept the yard, and mended clothes after they got home.

Doesn’t this girl ever get tired?

Even as she pondered this, her hands moved with practiced efficiency. She gutted the fish, removed the gills, and expertly scaled them. After washing her hands, she turned and entered the kitchen.

Lifting the coarse cloth covering the earthenware basin, she revealed the plump, proofed dough—a charmingly puffy mass that left a small indentation when pressed. Sprinkling flour on the kneading board, she began rolling out the dough. This was her first time making coarse noodles, and the dough came out uneven in thickness. Dissatisfied, she gathered it back into a ball and started again.

She rolled the dough into small, evenly sized circles before finally heating the wok with oil.

Blue smoke billowed from the scorching wok as fish bones and ginger slices sizzled upon contact. She quickly ladled in two scoops of water, and the broth soon churned into a milky white froth, its steamy aroma carrying the fragrant scent of fish.

While the broth simmered, she sliced the dough into thick strips, twisting each strand between her fingers to create springy noodles.

She scattered the noodles into the rich broth, followed by thin slices of fish. Without hesitation, she tore the remaining half of the cabbage into pieces and tossed them into the pot. The cabbage leaves wilted instantly in the hot broth, curling among the noodles as the soup deepened to a creamy white, bubbling and steaming with an irresistible aroma that tickled her nose.

Fu Jianxu’s stomach rumbled audibly, a timely reminder of her hunger. Having just woken up, she hadn’t felt hungry at first, but now the enticing aroma had her stomach protesting loudly. She wiped her hands and stared at the bubbling fish noodle soup, her stomach growling again in protest. Xiaoyu will be pleased with tonight’s meal, right?

While the fish noodles continued to simmer, she retrieved a jar of pickled vegetables, sliced them thinly, and arranged them on a plate as a side dish.

Xiaoyu! Dinner’s ready! Fu Jianxu called out as she carefully carried two steaming bowls of fish noodle soup from the kitchen. She gently placed the bowls on the table before turning back to fetch the sliced pickled vegetables and bamboo chopsticks.

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiaoyu set down her needlework and walked to the table, her gaze sweeping between the two bowls of noodles.

One bowl was piled high with snow-white fish slices, while the other contained only cabbage and noodles, with barely a few pieces of fish. A scornful smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she silently sat down in front of the vegetarian bowl.

Xiaoyu, light the lamp, Fu Jianxu said, approaching with pickled vegetables and chopsticks. Noticing the dimness in the room, she spoke.

Ji Xiaoyu glanced out the window. The lingering glow of the sunset still illuminated the room, making it perfectly bright enough to eat by natural light. Yet she obediently retrieved her flint and steel and lit the oil lamp.

Fu Jianxu’s insistence on lighting the lamp wasn’t due to poor eyesight. Rather, she had a peculiar habit she needed ample light to fully enjoy her meals, perhaps a lingering habit from her days as a food blogger who always used lighting equipment.

Seeing Ji Xiaoyu sit down again in front of the meatless noodles, Fu Jianxu frowned and abruptly switched the bowls. This one’s yours. You’re always running around, you’re as thin as a bamboo pole. You need to eat more meat.

Ji Xiaoyu stared at the fish-laden noodles suddenly before her, her eyelashes trembling. Since being married into this household, merely getting enough to eat had been a stroke of luck. Now, with the woman’s amnesia, she was being given meat while Fu Jianxu herself went without?

Lost in thought, Ji Xiaoyu was startled by the slurping sounds of someone eating noodles beside her.

So fragrant! Still as delicious as ever! Fu Jianxu, cheeks puffed out, devoured the noodles like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.

It’s almost seven. The noodles will get soggy if you don’t eat them soon, Fu Jianxu urged, the savory broth of fish soup mingling with the crisp tang of pickled vegetables on her tongue. Stealing a glance at Ji Xiaoyu, who remained dazed, she added, Watch out for the bones!

Ji Xiaoyu lowered her gaze to the snow-white fish slices in her bowl. The steaming broth made the fish glisten enticingly. Hesitantly, she picked up a piece and brought it to her mouth.

The fish was surprisingly tender, melting on her tongue and releasing a rich, savory flavor that instantly filled her mouth.

The taste left her momentarily dazed. She had never imagined she could ever enjoy eating fish…

Suddenly, a memory flashed back to a cold evening years ago.

She was only five or six years old then. Her father, Ji Qiu, had won money gambling and brought home a rare, plump fish, which he roughly tossed at her feet. The slippery fish brushed against her calf, its slimy touch sending shivers down her spine. It was the first time she had ever seen a fish, and she didn’t even know how to hold it, let alone prepare it.

Stupid girl! You can’t even kill a fish! Ji Qiu kicked her when he saw her cowering.

She fell to the ground, but didn’t dare look away. She could only watch helplessly as the fish struggled violently in Ji Qiu’s rough hands, its gills opening and closing until it finally went still.

What terrified her most were the dead fish’s eyes—those wide-open, lifeless eyes. From the moment it was thrown into the pot until it was gnawed down to its skeleton, those cloudy eyes seemed to stare directly at her.

That day, she didn’t get any food. She curled up hungry in a corner, haunted by nightmares of the skeletal fish chasing her, demanding her life. She cried in terror, Go after Ji Qiu! He ate you! He ate you…

After that, she did eat fish again. When Ji Qiu was in a good mood, he’d sometimes leave her the tail. A starving person can’t afford to be picky, so she ate whatever was offered.

But fish were truly hateful. The tail was full of tiny bones, and no one warned her. The first time she ate it, she was so hungry and ate so fast that she nearly choked to death.

But at least she had survived.

Scalding tears splashed into the noodle soup. Ji Xiaoyu mechanically stuffed noodles into her mouth, her throat tightening. She hated fish more than anything, truly loathed it…

Yet today, the fish… why did it smell so fragrant?

Why are you crying? Fu Jianxu frantically put down her chopsticks. Did you get a bone stuck in your throat? Let me see! I told you to be careful!

Ji Xiaoyu shook her head, but her tears flowed even more fiercely. She gripped her chopsticks so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Yes, fish is the worst! Fish is just fish, no matter how it disguises itself, whether it has memories or not. It will always be fish, never anything else…

Mom, what’s that amazing smell? Fu Zhixiao, eating in the next room, suddenly stopped, his nose twitching.

Fu Chunhao carried her coarse ceramic bowl to the doorway, squinting outside. Must be someone stewing fish nearby. It smells heavenly!

Dazhuang’s mouth watered at the fragrant aroma. He devoured his bowl of rice in two gulps and immediately headed back to the kitchen with his empty bowl. Fu Zhixiao’s face darkened. This guy can really eat!

And he doesn’t even help with chores! We spent so much money treating his injuries!

Ahem, Fu Zhixiao cleared his throat, setting down his chopsticks. Dazhuang, now that your injuries have healed…

Before he could finish, Fu Chunhao shot him a fierce glare. How could you kick someone out at the dinner table? This girl has no sense of propriety!

Dazhuang stood frozen, holding his freshly filled bowl. What does this mean? Are they trying to get rid of me?

Fu Jianxu spent the entire walk pondering the previous night’s events. Why did Ji Xiaoyu suddenly burst into tears while eating noodles? she wondered, unable to make sense of it.

Although she had made a point of memorizing the route yesterday, eliminating the need for Xiaoyu to escort her to work today, as a modern person glued to her phone, Fu Jianxu couldn’t wake up without an alarm. She still had to rely on Xiaoyu to tell the time, a realization that stirred a fresh wave of guilt.

Lost in her thoughts as she walked alone through the morning mist, the path seemed unusually long, and she felt a pang of loneliness.

But that loneliness vanished the moment she reached the docks.

Aiyo, girl! You’re here bright and early!

The familiar thwack of Sister Zhou’s palm-leaf fan landed heavily on her shoulder, nearly causing Fu Jianxu to choke on her breakfast. Rubbing her numb shoulder, she met Sister Zhou’s sun-darkened, smiling face. S-Sister Zhou, you’re early too…

Sister Zhou threw an arm around her shoulders. Look at those skinny arms and legs! You must’ve been exhausted carrying rice yesterday, huh? Without waiting for an answer, she dragged Fu Jianxu toward the rice stacks. Come, come! Let me show you a trick.

Sister Zhou bent down, hefted a sack of rice, but didn’t immediately hoist it onto her shoulder. Instead, she first tested its weight with her hand, then with a swift, practiced motion, swung the sack onto her back. The rice bag seemed to have a mind of its own, settling snugly against her lower back.

See that? Sister Zhou patted the rice sack triumphantly. Use your lower back! Your shoulders can’t handle the weight. Let this— she pointed to her lower back—do the work. And remember, when you walk, keep your steps steady and your legs grounded…

The midday sun beat down mercilessly. Fu Jianxu slumped in the shade beneath the rice granary’s eaves, her back and waist aching as if they had been run over by a millstone after a morning of grueling labor.

Massaging her lower back, she thought wryly, These arms are useless, and my waist is no better. Good thing I don’t have a partner right now. What would I do with this good-for-nothing body?

Aiyo, my silly sister! Zhou Daya approached, carrying three wriggling fresh fish. Seeing Fu Jianxu’s miserable state, she burst into laughter, bending over double. Water droplets flicked from the fish tails splashed across Fu Jianxu’s face. What’s for lunch?

Let’s make pickled cabbage fish, Fu Jianxu replied, waving weakly without acknowledging Zhou Daya’s laughter. She wiped the water from her face. Sister Zhou, would you please prepare the fish? Slice it thinly…