The Useless Alpha’s Yandere Wife - Chapter 51

“Trouble’s coming!”…

“Ah…!” Tan Xue’er’s wailing voice echoed from behind.

Jiang Yan’s steps faltered slightly, but she had no intention of meddling in Tan Xue’er’s affairs. Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears.

“Well, well, what’s this? Falling here is dangerous. Come on, let us help you up,” several officers said mockingly as they approached Tan Xue’er.

“No need to trouble you, officers. I can manage myself,” Tan Xue’er replied, her eyes darting nervously between them. She tried to stand, but her legs refused to cooperate.

“Sister Jiang, wait for me!” Tan Xue’er’s voice called out again from behind.

Jiang Yan tightened her grip on the fish and turned to see the officers who often followed Captain Lu. With Captain Lu absent recently, they had grown increasingly arrogant.

“Get up now! If you delay my delivery to Lord Miao, you’ll regret it!” Jiang Yan glared fiercely at Tan Xue’er, no pretense needed—she genuinely disliked her.

“No need to trouble you, officers. Let this useless thing get up on her own,” Jiang Yan said, forcing a smile as she addressed the officers.

Tan Xue’er scrambled to her feet in a panic and hurried toward Jiang Yan. The officers, known for their idle chatter, seemed uninterested in anything beyond their duties in the freezing weather. However, they were quite intrigued by the fish in Jiang Yan’s hands.

“What’s that you’re holding?” one of the officers asked, his face flushed red from the cold.

“Officer,” Jiang Yan replied with an earnest expression, “Lord Miao instructed me to catch a couple of fish as a test. To my surprise, I actually caught two. I was planning to take them to Sister Yu to make fish soup. If you gentlemen are interested, I’d be happy to catch a couple for you as well.”

The officers paused, exchanging glances. Initially, they had noticed the fish and could have easily taken them with a word. But if these fish were for Lord Miao, the situation was different. What if they took them and the man reported them? The officers hesitated, feeling a pang of regret.

“With so many subordinates under Lord Miao, why would he send a prisoner like you to catch fish for him?” an older officer challenged, his gaze fixed sharply on Jiang Yan.

“It’s simply because I know how to make this fishing net,” Jiang Yan explained, gesturing to the net. “That’s why the officers favored me. It’s just a little thing, but if you gentlemen like it, I’d be happy to make one for you as well.” Jiang Yan offered generously, as if presenting a treasure.

“Get lost! Officers don’t have time for this nonsense,” another officer waved Jiang Yan away.

Jiang Yan glanced sideways at Tan Xue’er, who had retreated behind her, then grabbed the girl’s arm and dragged her away like a chick.

“Yes, yes, we won’t bother you, Lords. We’re leaving now.” With Jiang Yan’s tug, Tan Xue’er’s feet nearly left the ground as she was forced to hurry along.

Carrying the net bag in one hand and dragging Tan Xue’er with the other, Jiang Yan quickly moved away from the officers toward Lord Miao’s carriage.

Once she sensed no one was watching, she abruptly dropped Tan Xue’er and walked off.

“Hey… Jiang?” Tan Xue’er called out, but Jiang Yan was already out of earshot.

Tan Xue’er stood there, her face flushed red from the cold, watching Jiang Yan’s retreating figure with a sigh.

Jiang Yan circled around until she found Sang Yu.

“Sister Yu, are you here? I brought you two small fish. It’s not right to keep taking things from you ladies without giving back. I caught these through the ice hole—they’ll make a nice hot broth for you all.” Jiang Yan approached the group, holding up the net bag containing the fish.

“Miss Jiang? What’s with all this formality!” Sang Yu bent down to emerge from the tent.

Lord Miao had over a dozen female Qianyuan attendants who were closer to him than the other officers, so Jiang Yan interacted with them more frequently.

Since they were using Lord Miao as a cover, they had to show him the fish. Otherwise, the group would become suspicious and investigate, exposing their ruse. Next time, they wouldn’t be so easily let off.

Might as well go all in with the act, Jiang Yan thought. It’s not like we have a choice. Besides, we’ve eaten quite a bit of their food, so returning the favor is only right. I don’t need the extra fish anyway; fish soup is just more comforting than the rations.

“I caught a few extra fish and thought I’d bring a couple over to Sister Yu as thanks for all her help,” Jiang Yan said, finding an empty basin and pouring seven or eight small fish into it. She kept only one large fish weighing over three kilograms for herself.

“Take this one to nourish your wife,” Jiang Yan said, holding up the big fish with an embarrassed smile.

“You’re such a thoughtful wife, unlike our Sister Yu, who doesn’t have anyone to care for her,” one of the officers behind them teased Sang Yu deliberately.

“That’s not true at all! Sister Yu is quite popular,” Jiang Yan replied, waving her hand dismissively.

“What good is being popular? Sister Yu treats Kunze like she’s swatting flies—two come, she chases away a pair. She wants none of them!” the other women chimed in, joining the teasing.

“Go back, this is none of your business!” Sang Yu, her face dark, shooed everyone away. They were bringing up her being single again, even though she was already twenty-five. So what if she was still single?

“Sister Yu, I’ll head back too!”

“Alright, then I won’t hold back. I’ll make a bowl of fish soup for the Lord as well,” Sang Yu said with a hearty laugh.

“Exactly, exactly,” Jiang Yan nodded.

Sang Yu returned to her tent with the last large fish she had left.

Tan Qianyue had already dressed and neatly arranged all the tent’s belongings on the small cart, including pots, pans, and bowls, effectively turning the cart into a combination table and storage chest.

With the tent’s limited space and the uncertainty of how long they’d be staying on this shore, the cart occupied nearly a third of the area. She had to economize on the remaining space.

After some rearranging, Tan Qianyue realized that simply piling everything on the cart wouldn’t work—it would make cooking difficult. She then moved the bundles, chopsticks, small basin, and handkerchiefs to the flat board serving as the cart’s canopy. The light items could stay there for days without issue.

With this arrangement, the miscellaneous items were on the canopy, while the small iron pot and charcoal stove—the essentials for cooking and boiling water—were conveniently stored inside the cart for easy access during meal preparation.

The tent contained nothing but an extra puppy.

Next, they needed to set up their sleeping arrangements. The cart was parked on the grass mats, its wheels spaced one meter apart—just enough room to fit their sleeping bags. Since neither Tan Qianyue nor Jiang Yan were large, the meter-wide space would provide ample legroom.

Tan Qianyue spread a blanket under the cart, followed by the sleeping bags. The blanket went underneath to insulate against the colder ground, which was more likely to cause chills in winter.

Despite the tent and two layers of grass mats, the cold still seeped in. They had to add extra layers of blankets and sleeping bags, piling them as thickly as possible.

For their upper bodies, they would rely on the sleeping bags for warmth. If that wasn’t enough, they could even crawl under the cart…

Actually, it wasn’t too bad. If Qianyue got cold, she could snuggle under Jiang Yan. She… was quite useful in that way. With her around, they didn’t need a hot water bottle. Jiang Yan’s body was like a little furnace, and she would even warm Qianyue’s feet sometimes.

Once everything was arranged, they surveyed their work. All three tiers of the cart were fully utilized, every inch of space perfectly optimized.

During the day, when it was cold and they didn’t venture outside, they could simply sit in their sleeping bags to eat or warm themselves by the fire.

Lying down, she found ample space behind her.

“I’m back!” Jiang Yan’s voice called from outside the tent.

Tan Qianyue hurried to open the door.

“Why did it take you so long to get back?” Tan Qianyue asked, her hair slightly disheveled and her voice tinged with concern.

“Wow, you’ve really cleared out the place!” The once-cluttered tent had been transformed into a neat, empty space, with not a single item in sight.

“It’s all up here!” Tan Qianyue patted the roof of the cart with a laugh.

Jiang Yan finally noticed the roof piled high with supplies.

“I caught a big fish. How about some hot fish soup for lunch?” Jiang Yan held up the fish, frozen solid like an ice pop.

“That sounds wonderful! I’ll go line up for corn cakes with Ying Hong around noon,” Tan Qianyue said, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she made plans.

No longer listless, she now resembled a newlywed wife, eagerly learning to manage daily life.

“Hmm… we’ll see. Let’s talk about it later,” Jiang Yan said, still hesitant to let her go to crowded places.

Leaving a crack in the door, she let a sliver of light into the otherwise pitch-black tent.

Jiang Yan began making fish soup, regretting that her trusty dagger was no longer usable and she had to resort to a kitchen knife.

She swiftly gutted the fish, offering the entrails to Tangyuan as a treat—the creature’s natural instinct made it prefer raw meat.

With a few quick chops, the large fish was reduced to manageable chunks.

Jiang Yan retrieved a small, lidded bowl from her pack, containing the lard she had rendered herself. She scooped out a generous dollop and tossed it into the pot. As the solid lard melted, releasing its enticing aroma, she added a few slices of dried ginger. Instantly, the ginger’s fragrant oil permeated the entire tent.

“Qianyue, close the tent flap and light the candle!” Jiang Yan called out. “We’ve been getting too lax lately. Better to be cautious.”

“Right away!” Tan Qianyue, who had been watching the chef at work, rose to close the tent flap. The charcoal fire burned brightly, not as brilliant as a wood fire but still enough to illuminate the tent and cook the meal.

Ying Hong sat in a corner, meticulously cleaning a rabbit pelt with a piece of iron she had scavenged from somewhere. She planned to sun-dry it for several days before sewing it into a close-fitting vest.

Jiang Yan placed all the fish pieces into the small iron pot. The sizzling sound made her stomach growl louder. Gently shaking the pot, she slowly pan-fried the fish segments until both sides were lightly golden brown. This method would result in a fish soup that was fresher, richer, and less fishy.

When the heat was just right, she added boiling water, coarse salt, and casually tossed in two large jujubes.

“Aiya, all we’re missing is a dried scallion,” Jiang Yan said, shaking her head in frustration. The scallions were all gone.

“I know where to get some! I’ll go ask for two!” Ying Hong volunteered, jumping to her feet.

“Then… go ‘borrow’ two?” Jiang Yan hesitated, torn. Being too particular at a time like this felt wrong.

“Alright, I’ll go right now!” Ying Hong carefully closed the door behind her.

Tan Qianyue, her legs tucked inside her sleeping bag, watched the slowly bubbling fish soup. The hot water came to a boil quickly, the glug-glug sound filling the air with a sense of contentment.

The two women huddled around the pot, staring blankly at the simmering broth. Soon, a fragrant aroma filled the air, and a milky white steam billowed from the pot. Lifting the lid revealed a creamy white broth churning gently, its savory scent growing even more intense.

“Miss, I’m back!” Ying Hong’s voice called from outside.

Jiang Yan quickly let her in.

Ying Hong carefully carried three wowo buns tucked inside her clothes. After setting them down, she pulled three dried scallions from her sleeve and arranged everything in the carriage.

“Is dinner ready this early?” Tan Qianyue asked, surprised.

“Yes, Miss. When I arrived, I was at the back of the line. I had to squeeze past two people to get them,” Ying Hong said casually.

“Next time, take me with you!” Tan Qianyue resolved, realizing she couldn’t always hide behind others.

“Of course, Miss! I’ll take you to get the food next time!” Ying Hong replied with a cheerful smile.

Jiang Yan snapped off a small piece of dried scallion and tossed it into the still-boiling fresh fish soup. The flavor instantly deepened.

Soon, the three of them were seated around the three sides of the carriage, cradling bowls of soup and blowing on the steaming broth before drinking.

The rich, fragrant fish soup warmed them from the inside out.

A small piece of candle burned beside them, its faint glow illuminating their delicious meal. They ate in near silence, focused solely on the hot soup.

Perhaps it was the harsh conditions of their journey, or the biting cold that made them crave something warm, but the fish soup was exceptionally flavorful, the fish tender and succulent.

Even the wowo buns, usually difficult to swallow, became palatable alongside the savory broth.