Chapter 8 Delicious Grilled Fish

In order not to let Fu Hanwen notice anything out of the ordinary, Qin Xiaoruo did not dare to bring the basket inside. She could only go down to the river herself to catch fish.

The river was not deep, but there were plenty of fish. Qin Xiaoruo effortlessly scooped up a two-to-three-pound grass carp with her hands. This fish was not considered big among the school of fish, but the fact that she could catch it with her bare hands certainly made it the dumbest.

This was only a temporary solution. She definitely could not catch fish with her hands every time she wanted to eat one. When she had some money, she would buy either a basket or a small fishing net to keep in her space.

Qin Xiaoruo found a sharp stone to descale the fish, then slit open its belly, only to find the fish's stomach was spotlessly clean, which was nothing like those sold in the markets where you could often see some black membranes upon cutting them open.

After killing the fish, Qin Xiaoruo picked up some fallen dry bamboo husks from the bamboo grove to use as firewood. Dry bamboo husks didn't last long in the fire, and she had to make several trips back to the bamboo grove to roast the fish. But what made Qin Xiaoruo feel it was worth the effort was that the fish, despite not having any seasoning, didn't taste fishy. The lack of saltiness instead accentuated the fresh taste of the fish meat.

Qin Xiaoruo was not a big eater. Usually, she could hardly finish half a fish on a normal day, but this roasted fish was so delicious that she devoured the whole thing.

Perhaps due to the excitement and tension during the day, Qin Xiaoruo felt drowsy after eating her fill and simply lay down on the grass by the river to take a nap.

Qin Xiaoruo felt like she only had her eyes closed for a short while but woke up feeling fully refreshed. By the time she returned to the house, she was no longer able to sleep.

It was not until this moment that Qin Xiaoruo finally had the time to ponder her future.

Armed with the original owner's memories, she knew all too well about the constraints and hardships a woman faced in this era, which is why she did not rashly leave.

Moreover, the original owner's memories contained no impressions of any place other than Houling Village. It was out of the question for her to leave Houling without any preparation.

As for the people of the Fu Family... Qin Xiaoruo's eyes shifted in the darkness.

She really lacked self-control. After just a few days of being with them, she unexpectedly found herself yearning for the harmonious atmosphere of the Fu Family.

The next morning, after breakfast, Qin Xiaoruo put on her basket and went out, intending to find a secluded spot to check her space again. Last night, she had been too preoccupied with eating fish and hadn't had a chance to examine her space.

Before Qin Xiaoruo had even stepped out of the courtyard, she bumped into Fu Hanwen, whom she hadn't seen since early morning. He glanced at the basket on her back and said, "Just stay home and watch Changer today, no need to go up the mountain."

"Isn't Changer always going to the field with you guys?" Qin Xiaoruo looked at him suspiciously. When her eyes met his deep ones, she immediately held back the questions in her mind and replied, looking down, "I understand."

"Changer will stay at home today." He offered no further explanation and simply took the basket from her back and placed it under the eaves.

Lady Shao, who was about to head out to the fields, paused upon hearing Fu Hanwen's words, obviously just as puzzled as Qin Xiaoruo. But she would not ask any questions, merely telling Changer to "be good" before following Lady Guan and Fu Jingwen out the door with a hoe in her hand.

After Fu Hanwen finished the warmed-up breakfast in the pot, he hurried out the door again. With nothing else to do, Qin Xiaoruo kept Changer occupied by teaching him some games.

When Fu Hanwen didn't return for lunch either, Qin Xiaoruo casually asked about it. Lady Guan, sounding full of sympathy, said, "Hanwen quit his job as Protector in Qingping City and needs to find some new work."

This whole family needs to be provided for, and Laosan is going to start working in the fields next year. Everywhere you look there is a need for money. Boss must be very anxious, right?

Fu Jingwen bit her chopstick and said, "Mother, we've almost finished all the work in the fields. I'll go up the mountain to gather herbs tomorrow, shall I?"