Iron Pot Stewing Yourself and a Mother-in-Law-Daughter-in-Law Debate
Bai Hui walked ahead, strolling along the ridges of the riverbank. The damp grass tips wet her calves and chubby little feet. Wearing loose, thin cotton trousers, her swaying figure resembled the bright moon seen by Li Bai, prompting one to recite. "The bright moonlight shines before my bed, I wonder if it is frost on the ground. I raise my head to gaze at the bright moon, I lower my head and think of my hometown."
The poem, "Women are the homeland of men," fully expresses the poet's touching longing to return home after a long journey.
Liu Chang'an wasn't staring at the most captivating part of the person's back; he was just pondering a question. If Bai Hui had fallen into the water today and he hadn't gone to save her, there was a high probability that she wouldn't have drowned. She would most likely have floated up, since excess fat, when gathered together, would act like a life jacket, keeping her afloat.
This also fully illustrates the evolutionary direction of women before the arrival of the next great flood, since these women have more opportunities to survive.
"What are you thinking about?" Bai Hui turned around and stared at Liu Chang'an, noticing that even when he was walking behind her, his gaze didn't seem to fall on her... But it didn't matter. Often when she was walking behind him, she would think most about whether he would fall flat on his face if she secretly kicked him.
"I've been thinking about the natural evolution of women," Liu Chang'an said, snapping out of his reverie.
"I'm asking you, if An Nuan fell into the water, would you immediately jump in to save her?" Bai Hui couldn't help but ask.
"Why did you curse An Nuan to fall into the water?" Liu Chang'an said angrily.
Bai Hui rolled her eyes at Liu Chang'an. Actually, he knew the answer already, but oh well, he actually answered, and that would only embarrass her.
Back in the courtyard of the farmhouse, Gao Dewei and Miao Yingying were squatting together, tending a fire. Both of them had charcoal ash on their faces, making them look gray, and there were even black finger marks on their cheeks.
Clearly, this was the result of the two of them getting physical. Seeing the finger marks on their faces, Bai Hui couldn't help but laugh.
"Why are you boiling such a big pot of water?" Bai Hui asked curiously, "To slaughter a pig?"
Bai Hui remembered that time when her class came to this farmhouse for a gathering, they slaughtered a pig, and they also had to boil a big pot of water first.
"Chang'an said he wanted to take a hot pot bath." Gao Dewei was also puzzled.
"Pot bathing is a common bathing custom in the south, but it's relatively rare in our Junsha. Pot bathing is more common in Zhangjiagang, Changshu, Jiangyin, and Liyang," Liu Chang'an said with a touch of nostalgia. "In short, it's like stewing yourself in an iron pot."
"Stew yourself in an iron pot?" Miao Yingying laughed heartily. "You'd better hurry up and stew yourself, so you don't cause trouble for the world."
Liu Chang'an tested the water temperature. Generally, ordinary people would sit on a wooden board underneath the pot to avoid burning their skin. Liu Chang'an wasn't that delicate. He took off his shirt and pants, revealing that he had already changed into bath pants underneath, and climbed directly into the pot to lie down.
The two girls gasped and quickly turned away.
"Liu Chang'an, you're a complete scoundrel!" Miao Yingying shouted.
"He's wearing pants, why are you being so dramatic? If you came to my house during the busy farming season, you'd see men of all ages wearing only shorts everywhere in the fields and hills," Gao Dewei added fuel to the fire, speaking disdainfully.
"How can that be the same! People on the beach wear bikinis and nobody says anything, but him... he just takes off his clothes for no reason and doesn't even say a word." Bai Hui turned around and covered her eyes.
"He was wearing this when he jumped into the water to save you, and you threw yourself on him too, didn't you?" Gao Dewei couldn't stand these girls being so dramatic. "Chang'an, are you hot?"
"Hot and satisfying." Liu Chang'an lay comfortably in the pot, his eyes half-closed. This was just as good as a top-quality hot spring.
Gao Dewei's words were so sharp they could choke someone. In this critical moment of falling into the water, who could care about that? Bai Hui felt a little embarrassed at this moment, and the image of herself falling into his arms with his shirt off involuntarily appeared in her mind... Actually, Liu Chang'an had a really good figure, the kind that would make any girl blush.
Miao Yingying had already turned around, glanced at Liu Chang'an lying in the pot, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Liu Chang'an splashed some water at her, Miao Yingying laughed and dodged away, pulling Bai Hui along to look at Liu Chang'an.
Bai Hui turned around and saw Liu Chang'an with his legs hanging over the edge of the pot and his head resting on the other side, looking just like a piece of meat being stewed. She couldn't help but laugh and hugged Miao Yingying.
"In the past, only wealthy families could afford to use a bathing pot. When one family was using the pot, other families could use it as long as they brought their own firewood. There were some outdated customs at the time, such as having one pot of water per family, with the highest-ranking man bathing first, and the women going last. The water in that pot was already incredibly dirty... Later, the custom of scrambling for the first pot of water still existed. Now that conditions are better, many families have their own pot of water per person, which is much more hygienic," Liu Chang'an explained to the eccentric fairies.
"Chang'an is truly learned. Look at you, you know nothing and all you do is laugh like idiots," Gao Dewei said admiringly.
"Gao Dewei, you'll be stewing yourself in an iron pot later too." Miao Yingying didn't care about any pot bathing or anything like that; in her mind, it was just about stewing herself in an iron pot.
"I can't, I'm too big for a whole pot of stew." Gao Dewei waved his hand. "Chang'an's finished washing, now it's your turn. Do you want to wash?"
"Pah, you mean his status is higher than ours?" Bai Hui caught the arrogance hidden in Gao Dewei's words.
"I didn't say that... I didn't mean that." Gao Dewei glared angrily at Miao Yingying Miao Yingying, who held a dark charcoal stick in her hand and looked at Gao Dewei with the same threat.
"Gao Dewei, you need to realize that we're all in the same class, all graduates of Xiangtan University Affiliated High School. Even if there are differences, we're still from the same school." Bai Hui was also a little unconvinced. "When we go out, our relatives and friends all praise us as top-notch when they hear we're from Xiangtan University Affiliated High School. Why do we seem inferior and stupid in front of you?"
"You don't understand." Gao Dewei glanced at the charcoal stick in Miao Yingying's hand, but said nothing more.
"You tell me!" Miao Yingying threw away the charcoal sticks, wanting to see what other brilliant ideas Gao Dewei had.
"Xiangtan University Affiliated High School is ranked among the top three high schools in China based on its high-quality student body. Do you understand what a high-quality student body is? Chang'an and I are high-quality students. Students like us are the hallmark of the Affiliated High School. Because of our existence, the Affiliated High School high school is a top-tier high school and can secure more educational resources, forming a virtuous cycle... You are ordinary students who benefit from this virtuous cycle. It is precisely because these educational resources can benefit ordinary students, and because people like us enhance the learning atmosphere and competitive environment, driving the learning and logical thinking of ordinary students, that Xiangtan University Affiliated High School has become so sought after... Let's not talk about political correctness. We realistically face the differences between people. In an organization like Xiangtan University Affiliated High School, the differences between everyone are actually quite large..." After Gao Dewei finished speaking, he stared warily at Miao Yingying to prevent her from scribbling on his face with charcoal sticks again.
Miao Yingying and Bai Hui exchanged a glance, still quite unconvinced. However, Gao Dewei's argument was reasonable and well-founded, so the two good friends tacitly shifted their target, together picking up a basin of cold water and pouring it into the pot. Anyway, Liu Chang'an and Gao Dewei were both sharp-tongued, so it wouldn't matter who they retaliated against.
Liu Chang'an was comfortably resting with his eyes closed when a basin of cold water was poured over him. He shivered and sat up from the pot, glaring at Bai Hui and Miao Yingying, who were laughing heartily.
Liu Chang'an stood up without hesitation. Bai Hui and Miao Yingying screamed and turned to run away, but how could they outrun Liu Chang'an? Liu Chang'an grabbed Miao Yingying and threw her into the pot.
When Bai Hui saw Miao Yingying being thrown into the pot by Liu Chang'an, she screamed and jumped up like a drowned rat. She was both amused and frightened, and hurriedly scurried upstairs. Her clothes were made of thin cotton; if she fell into the water, wouldn't she be completely soaked, her skin translucent and revealing, turning into a wet and alluring figure?
"Run! "Bai Hui ran into her room and hid without looking back, leaving Miao Yingying behind.
Gao Dewei laughed heartily. Miao Yingying picked up a basin of water from the pot, poured it over Gao Dewei, and soaked him completely.
"Why are you splashing me!" Gao Dewei was stunned for a moment, then picked up a basin of water and prepared to splash it on Miao Yingying.
"What are you doing?" Gao Yuanshan happened to come over and grabbed Gao Dewei's ear quickly and accurately, angrily saying, "How dare you bully Yingying?"
"Dad... no... I didn't..." Gao Dewei felt a sharp pain in his ear. Were they going to lift him up by the ear?
Miao Yingying quickly climbed out of the pot, her face flushed, "Uncle Gao, we were just playing around."
"It's just... it's all her fault for bullying me." Gao Dewei was genuinely aggrieved; how could he have ever bullied Miao Yingying?
"We're taking a bath... Uncle Gao, would you like a pot?" Liu Chang'an asked enthusiastically.
Gao Yuanshan released Gao Dewei's ears. He had experienced this in the Jiangnan area years ago and was somewhat tempted, but he just smiled and said, "You young people have fun, I won't get involved."
After saying that, Gao Yuanshan glared at Gao Dewei before turning and leaving.
"Let's see if you dare to bully me again." With a powerful backer, Miao Yingying became shy and coquettish, gently tugging at Gao Dewei's ear that had just been twisted.
"I'm going to tell my mom that you look like my dad's first love," Gao Dewei said after thinking for a moment.
"You... you pig-brain!" Miao Yingying was absolutely furious.
Liu Chang'an picked up the large pot, emptied the water, tidied up, and said to Miao Yingying, "You can go get a swimsuit and try the pot bath. Gao Dewei can only be outsmarted, understand?"
Seduction is a form of cunning? Miao Yingying opened her mouth, wondering if this would work on Gao Dewei. The thought had barely formed in her mind when her cheeks flushed red, and she glared fiercely at Liu Chang'an. What kind of outrageous idea was this?
Liu Chang'an didn't seem to be actively trying to play matchmaker; he just said it casually and then went to the kitchen to cook.
A little while later, while Liu Chang'an was washing vermicelli, he turned around and found Bai Hui secretly standing at the kitchen door watching him.
"We're even now, so you can't throw me in the pot anymore." Bai Hui pointed randomly, not finding a pot of the right size, and then pointed to the iron pot on the stove.
"What do you mean we're even?" Liu Chang'an ignored him. "Go sit in the courtyard, dinner will be ready soon."
Bai Hui smiled with her eyes narrowed, and quietly walked in, leaning against the wall as she watched Liu Chang'an busy at work.
Girls are always so quirky. Liu Chang'an glanced at the girl, whose homey style was unusual for her, and then went back to doing his own thing.
Liu Chang'an made braised beef with vermicelli, stir-fried grass carp, boiled free-range chicken with green peppers, and a big pot of tomato and egg soup. After dinner, Liu Chang'an had the three of them play cards first, and then went to the downstairs in the neighboring courtyard to ring the doorbell.
Li Hongfang knew that pretending not to be there was pointless; since Liu Chang'an had rang the doorbell, he must know she was there.
After hearing Li Hongfang Su Nanxiu say that she was quite good-looking and had a good figure, Li Hongfang was no longer so worried. Moreover, Liu Chang'an seemed to have always been quite gentle and had not done anything frightening or menacing to her.
"Good evening." Liu Chang'an walked in and greeted Li Hongfang.
"Good evening," Li Hongfang said quickly.
"How's the acupuncture point treatment going?" Liu Chang'an asked.
Many people are reluctant to directly talk about tomb raiding or robbing caves, so they sometimes use the term "moving around for gigs" instead, which sounds like celebrities or idols changing jobs. Li Hongfang, of course, wouldn't misunderstand, and quickly said, "It's almost done, but there aren't any documents or classics, so it's not very meaningful. The only unexpected surprise is a bamboo scroll containing the <Book of the Earth>."
"A 'Letter of Announcement'? Did the tomb owner write it himself, or did he ask someone else to write it?" Liu Chang'an asked with great interest.
"It was a man named Carefree Marquis who wrote the document for the tomb owner. The wording was extremely solemn and grand. He did not ask the underworld to grant the tomb owner any favors, but directly appointed the tomb owner as the king of a certain region in the underworld. This is completely different from the <Declaration of the Earth> found in previous archaeological discoveries. We believe that this Carefree Marquis may not be a marquis, but a real emperor... In ancient times, apart from emperors, who would dare to directly appoint a king in the underworld?" Li Hongfang said excitedly.
"The Carefree Marquis? That sounds like a villainous boss from an old-fashioned martial arts novel, a bit outdated." Liu Chang'an nodded. This <Book of the Earth> was something like a travel guide or a name-issuing document for the deceased in ancient times. The ancients believed that the underworld, like the mortal world, had a system of ranks and titles. One should be treated with propriety in life and buried with propriety in death. Those who had a certain status in the mortal world and wanted to inherit their glory and wealth in the underworld would carry a celestial book like the <Book of the Earth> that connected the two realms.
The weight of the "Declaration to the Earth" written by different people naturally varies. Indeed, only emperors dare to write such a declaration in the underworld, bestowing the title of king. Only after confirming the identity of the writer would the tomb owner dare to be buried with such a "Declaration to the Earth." Otherwise, if he were to take a "Declaration to the Earth" written by someone unqualified to be a king to the underworld to claim the throne, wouldn't he be courting death? No, he's already dead... In short, he wouldn't gain anything.
"That's interesting indeed," Liu Chang'an nodded. "Let me see it sometime."
"If you want to see it, you'll definitely have the chance." Li Hongfang nodded meaningfully.
"I won't bother you any longer. I just came to say hello. You're busy." Liu Chang'an raised his hand to signal Li Hongfang to stop making tea and got up to leave.
"You wanted to see me... for no reason?" Li Hongfang was taken aback. She knew it wasn't surprising that Liu Chang'an had discovered her, but now that he had, wouldn't he interrogate and investigate her?
"It's nothing." Liu Chang'an walked straight to the door, thought for a moment, and said, "There used to be bats flying all over my house, but then they all died."
Li Hongfang felt a chill run down her spine. Watching Liu Chang'an's departing figure, she quickly packed her things, carefully avoiding disturbing the neighboring yard, and left the farmhouse.
Li Hongfang ran far away before calling Su Nanxiu to report that Liu Chang'an had discovered her.
Su Nanxiu wasn't surprised that Li Hongfang would be discovered by Liu Chang'an, but she sensed Shangguan Dandan's displeased gaze and quickly hung up the phone.
"The way of serving one's husband is clearly stated in the Book of Rites. A woman's primary virtue is chastity and sincerity. There are five principles for a woman to follow her husband: First, when they are together, they should maintain the strictness of a ruler and subject. Second, when they wash hands and serve food, they should show the respect of a father and son. Third, when they repay favors, they should act accordingly, showing the way of brothers. Fourth, when they correct each other's faults and cultivate virtue, they should show the righteousness of friends. Fifth, only through intimate relations in bed can the affection between husband and wife develop." Shangguan Dandan withdrew her dissatisfied gaze and continued, clearing her throat lightly.
Qin Yanan quickly poured water, held the cup with both hands, and handed it to Shangguan Dandan. Shangguan Dandan took the water and nodded in approval.
Su Nanxiu looked at Qin Yanan and felt a burning rage. Ye Sijin was still Ye Sijin after all. Even if she had lost her memory, she was still the same in her heart. Her attitude towards Shangguan Dandan was like that of a young wife trying to please her mother-in-law.
Shangguan Dandan claimed to be Liu Chang'an's mother, Su Nanxiu found it hard to believe for a moment. However, Qin Yanan did not seem as surprised as Su Nanxiu. Even though Qin Yanan called Shangguan Dandan "Dan Dan" instead of using the term of address for an elder, the intimate yet proper demeanor of a junior was genuine.
The current situation is that Shangguan Dandan called Qin Yanan and Su Nanxiu upstairs to Liu Chang'an's room, where they have been talking about things like the Book of Rites and the Admonitions for Women for quite some time.
If it weren't for the terrifying pressure Shangguan Dandan exerted on Su Nanxiu would have left long ago. What era are we living in? Who's interested in listening to this old-fashioned rubbish?
"How do you understand the way of husbandhood?" Shangguan Dandan held a water glass in front of her with both hands, her posture still upright and dignified, her back especially straight, and she looked at Su Nanxiu with indifferent eyes.
After listening to so much nonsense, Su Nanxiu finally breathed a sigh of relief and said coldly, "My understanding of the way of being a husband is the latest version of the Marriage Law. If you don't understand, just search for it on your phone."
Shangguan Dandan took out her phone, searched for "Marriage Law," and couldn't help but frown.
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I wrote yesterday morning's chapter while staying up all night, intending to update it again last night. However, I caught a cold in the afternoon and simply couldn't write any more last night, so I'm making up for it today. Xia Hua is indeed frail and prone to illness. If there's a break in updates or if I don't update when I'm supposed to, it's basically just because I'm sick. I absolutely do not mean to be lazy or maliciously tease the readers.
This chapter is now available; please vote with monthly tickets.