Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space-Chapter 138. Extreme joy begets sorrow

The little girl’s skin just can’t compare; my own hands, rough like old tree bark, seem unbearably coarse against the child’s cheek.

A gentle squeeze leaves two clear fingerprints on the child’s face, and the worried old lady Hua calls out soothingly.

With this little commotion between the mother and daughter, the tension from the earlier prank vanished completely.

Old man Hua also relaxed, poured himself a bowl of tea, and drank leisurely; Hua Chengtian smiled too.

But honestly speaking, Jin’er’s sauce for the braised beef was really good. The beef was delicious on its own, but the special sauce made the flavor linger irresistibly—unfortunately, my greedy son had dipped it clean.

Thinking of this, the old man Hua couldn’t help but glare at his son.

Hua Chengtian: "..."

When the brothers returned from school in the evening and found out their beloved little sister personally cooked a meal at noon that Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, and Mom were still reminiscing about, Hua Yunao, Hua Yunxiang, and the youngest openly expressed their jealousy.

Especially when they saw the unabashedly proud expressions on Grandpa’s and Dad’s faces, their gazes collectively turned to Hua Jin, even the usually composed eldest brother had a look full of expectation.

Hua Jin: "..."

She swallowed her food silently, thinking how childish Grandpa and Dad seemed even when they were over seventy or eighty years old combined!

Faced with these eager eyes, she couldn’t bear to see her brothers and sisters disappointed and promised them she’d make something delicious for them when she had time, which finally brought satisfaction to their faces.

The youngest even flaunted this promise in front of Grandpa and Dad, only to be promptly rewarded with a smack each and sent back to finish his homework properly.

It was a lesson for the youngest on why you shouldn’t celebrate too early.

Later on, Hua Jin picked a day to cook an evening meal with Grandma and Mom, not only including the sauce for braised beef but also making a dish of boiled meat slices.

In fact, what Hua Xin really wanted was boiled fish slices, but unfortunately, the fish in the home tank had run out, so they had to settle for boiled meat slices.

As soon as the dish was ready, its overpowering aroma quickly overshadowed the scents of other dishes. Even the three brothers doing homework couldn’t concentrate, so they laid down their pens and waited in the courtyard, with the youngest unable to resist rushing directly into the kitchen.

"Sis, what did you make that smells so good?" Even though his words were directed at his sister, his eyes were fixed on that dish, getting closer and closer. By the time Hua Jin, who was stir-frying vegetables, looked up, his whole body was already leaning over the dish.

If it weren’t for Cishi quickly pulling the youngest away from the table, his drooling mouth might very well have dripped into the dish.

"Why did you come in here, you little rascal? Get out," Cishi said, looking at her son with disdain. If it weren’t for her quick actions, her daughter’s delicately prepared dish might have become exclusively his.

"Mom, I’m here to help," the youngest said with a silly grin, still drooling.

"Is your homework done?"

When homework was mentioned, the youngest was a bit guilty. "Not yet, but I’m almost done. I’ll do it after dinner, Mom. Let me help carry the dishes," he said quickly, grabbing a plate and hurriedly running out of the kitchen to avoid further nagging from his mom.

He smartly picked up a plate of cold salad, mixed wild greens, even though what he really wanted to grab was the dish releasing the rich aroma. However, he knew that if he dared to take that plate, all he’d face next was a scolding slap from his mom, making him forget even the name of the dish he wanted to ask about.

"This troublesome child," Cishi laughed while scolding and quickly dished up the stir-fried vegetables her daughter had finished cooking.

The old lady Hua was by the stove, lined with bowls, busily serving porridge.

Hua Jin helped on the side, with Grandma serving and she carrying the bowls to the table one by one.

During supper, the table was filled with the clinking sound of chopsticks occasionally hitting bowls and plates and the sound of quick chewing.

The meal was enjoyed immensely, with the old lady Hua and Cishi in charge ensuring that while they executed a "Clean Plate" action, they didn’t stuff themselves as they did last time.

"Sis, will you make boiled meat slices again next time? It’s so delicious," the youngest said contentedly, sitting back in his chair, already booking the next meal.

Hua Jin shot a glance at her brother—it couldn’t possibly taste bad. She had taken out all the ingredients from her space to make delicious boiled meat slices, especially the indispensable Sichuan peppercorns which weren’t available at home. How else could such a dominating flavor be achieved?

Grandma and Mom recognized it immediately when it was taken out.

Running to the grocery store to buy spices would be a waste of effort because this wasn’t considered a spice here but rather a material used for wine-making and medicine, known as "Jiaoliao."

An odd name, and being used to "Sichuan peppercorn," Hua Jin felt she couldn’t adjust for a while.

No wonder this seasoning wasn’t seen at home; now she knew where to look next time.

The whole process of making boiled meat slices was displayed to Grandma and Mom, and given their cooking skills, they should be able to replicate it soon.

Yes, thinking about this, putting in the extra effort was worthwhile. Perhaps they could often enjoy boiled meat slices and even boiled fish slices when there was fish.

As for the foodie sitting there satisfied, she wasn’t planning to engage with them; otherwise, it would just be a heap of questions and requests waiting for her, and she’d still end up being the one toiled.

The promise had been fulfilled, and in the short term, Hua Jin wasn’t planning to cook again. As her parents said, the smoke from cooking was too much, especially with the earthen stove. For the sake of her fair skin, she’d wait a couple of years before thinking about it again.

What the youngest said was actually what the elder brother and second brother wanted to express. Although they were also worried about tiring their sister, with Grandma and Mom to help, they were quite reassured.

They all nodded eagerly, looking forward to their sister’s imaginative mind creating more delicious dishes in the next occasion.

Truth be told, their sister’s cooking skills truly amazed them.

Last time, when Dad and Grandpa praised their sister’s cooking, they felt a bit jealous but didn’t entirely believe it.

After all, with Dad’s and Grandpa’s pampering for their sister, even if she cooked something subpar, they’d probably still eat it with a straight face.

But after smelling that bold aroma and tasting it, the brothers had nothing but admiration for their sister.

It was truly impressive. She excelled at reading and writing, even taught herself to paint, and her cooking talent was, needless to say, remarkable. To think she had never cooked before—she might just be a genius.

For a split second, the elder brother couldn’t help but imagine if his bright and clever sister were a boy, maybe she could really bring glory to the family by becoming a real scholar, unlike him and his second brother, who relied only on diligence yet still weren’t top in school.

The elder brother understood in his heart that, at their level, achieving great success might be nearly impossible. He even had plans but would decide only after the child exam was over.

There weren’t many days left, really. The child exam in other areas was already completed, and their region, being further north with colder temperatures, had the schedule pushed back, but everything must be completed before the busy farming season because supporting the family was essential.

If they passed, they’d continue studying; if not, they’d have already learned what they needed to, and the principles were clear. The elder brother felt it was time to take up his role as the eldest grandson, helping to shoulder the family burden.

Looking at their sweet and charming sister, although he felt a slight tinge of regret, he was immediately grateful she wasn’t a brother; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to enjoy such delicious food.