Chapter 2: Pickled Cabbage Boiled Fish

 

After dinner, Xu Guoguo quietly returned to her room.

Not long after, Old Madam Xu entered.

“Our family must seem like a joke to you,” the old woman said.

Xu Guoguo shook her head. “Not at all. I’m just a little curious; hasn’t anyone in the family thought of a way to improve your situation?”

Old Madam Xu sighed. “Of course we’ve thought about it. But these past few years have been hard. The times are just… unforgiving.”

Hard times?

Xu Guoguo dug into the original owner’s memories. The former Guoguo was painfully shy and introverted, so her memories of the outside world were minimal. Still, based on what the old woman said and her own deductions, Xu Guoguo gathered that this dynasty was currently at war. The court was strained, and the people were suffering.

Add to that the lack of a dependable man in the house, and it was no surprise that life had turned out this way.

Facing such a wise elder, Xu Guoguo didn’t hide her thoughts. “Granny, we have to look forward. Living like this hurts you and the younger generation. Since I’m here now, I want to make the most of this second chance. Let’s work together to make life better for this family. Please just treat me as one of your own, and let’s do our best. What do you think?”

A flicker of surprise passed through the old woman’s weary eyes. “And how exactly do you plan to do that?”

“To be honest… Before I died, I ran a restaurant. My cooking’s actually pretty good. How about I make lunch tomorrow and let everyone try? If it turns out alright, maybe we can think of something from there.”

Xu Guoguo gave a vague explanation about her “past life.” Back then, she had indeed started from a small roadside stall and climbed her way into the upper echelons of the food business. She wasn’t some Michelin-star chef, but she understood the tastes of everyday people. She’d collected countless local recipes and secrets.

Old Madam Xu was quiet for a while. “Nannan’s cooking isn’t great. If you suddenly act differently, people will get suspicious.”

By “people,” they both knew she meant Mother Xu.

Xu Guoguo thought for a moment. “Not necessarily. This house is too poor. Even a skilled cook needs ingredients. But I’ll need your help.”

Old Madam Xu looked long and hard at this granddaughter, who was so completely different now, and finally gave a slow nod.

—

The next morning, Xu Guoguo got dressed and stepped outside.

In the room was a yellowed, old mirror. She stood before it and studied this new body.

She looked about 80% like her former self, but the original owner had clearly been malnourished for years—dull, brittle hair and a pale, unhealthy face. In her past life, even though she worked in the food industry, she’d earned the nickname “Fast Food Beauty Queen.” Thinking of that, she gave an awkward little cough, braided her hair neatly, and headed out.

When her mother saw her walking around energetically again, she was overjoyed. She rushed over and held her daughter’s hand. “Nannan, what do you want for breakfast?”

Xu Guoguo looked at the only two hens left in the courtyard and shook her head.

“Nothing special, Mother. Just make whatever you usually make.”

She had discussed with Old Madam Xu about using one of the chickens, but given the family’s situation, eggs were probably the only source of nutrition they had left. Killing a hen would only provide one or two meals—not worth it.

She wandered around the courtyard, hoping to find some ingredients. But the family’s vegetable garden was practically barren. Apart from a few scallions and garlic shoots, it was nothing but dry soil. The remaining cabbage looked stunted and sickly.

Ridiculous…

Xu Guoguo gave up. There was no hope in the garden. She was about to consider going out when a loud commotion came from the front gate. Xu Dehai had returned—bringing someone with him.

She looked up and saw the second brother she’d only heard about in memories—accompanied by a…

Well… a rather burly, rough-looking man.

“Brother Shan, you’re too polite! Come on in, have a seat!” Xu Dehai said warmly.

The man set something down and said flatly, “No need. I have things to do at home. Just take the stuff.”

Old Madam Xu and Mother Xu walked over, curious.

“These things are…? Shan San, what’s this?” Old Madam Xu asked.

So the man’s name was Shan San. He pursed his lips. His tone was distant and stiff. “A return gift. Take it. I know your family’s struggling.”

Old Madam Xu slapped her thigh. “Nonsense! You saved our Nannan’s life. That little thank-you gift we gave doesn’t even express our gratitude! How could we accept a return gift? Take it back!”

Xu Guoguo had been watching the man since he entered.

So this was the one who’d saved her after she fell…

Realization dawned on her, and just as it did, Shan San looked over at her. Their eyes met, and Xu Guoguo’s heart skipped a beat.

Huh. He’s actually kind of handsome.

Shan San seemed puzzled by her, and her mother noticed his expression.

“Our Nannan is doing much better now!” her mother said excitedly. “Quick, thank your Brother Shan! If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t even be standing here.”

Xu Guoguo walked over obediently and said directly, “Thank you, Brother Shan.”

Shan San looked even more confused.

He nodded slightly, clearly not the chatty type, so Xu Guoguo didn’t force it either.

As for the things he brought, her mother tried to decline them, but Shan San wasn’t the type for polite back-and-forth. He left the items and walked off. Mother Xu and Grandmother couldn’t catch up to him, and Xu Dehai didn’t even try. So the things stayed.

Old Madam Xu smacked her grandson on the head. “What’s wrong with you? That gift was a token of our gratitude for saving your sister’s life. What kind of person takes something like that back?!”

“Grandma! The Shan family doesn’t need this stuff. Shan San hunts all the time—he’s got wild chickens and boars galore. And anyway, do we even have meat at home? Nannan just recovered. What are we supposed to use to help her build strength—eggs? Besides… once we have money, we can repay them. Why act so noble now?”

“You ungrateful brat!”

His nonsense made the old woman furious. Xu Guoguo, too, cast a sharp look at her “second brother.” Honestly… he had a point, but that didn’t mean she agreed with how he handled it.

She turned away and focused on the items Shan San had left.

Hmm… A fish, some wild mushrooms, and a chunk of cured meat.

Looks like the Shan family was doing just fine.

Xu Guoguo made a quick decision. “Mother, let’s have fish for lunch. I’ll cook.”

The argument came to an abrupt end. Her mother and grandmother both looked at her. Xu Dehai laughed awkwardly. “Exactly! Little Sis just got better—of course she should eat something good.”

Xu Guoguo carried the fish to the well and started cleaning it. Her mother sighed. “We’ll thank the Shan family properly another day. For now…”

Old Madam Xu also understood the situation. After a moment, she nodded.

It was a big grass carp—plump and fresh. Xu Guoguo grabbed a knife and swiftly gutted the fish, descaled it, and cleaned out the gills and organs. Her mother watched her work with surprise and walked over.

“Nannan, let Mother do it. You go rest.”

“It’s fine, Mother. I’ve watched you do this so many times—I know how.”

Cooking made her happy. She didn’t believe in sitting back like some famous chefs who never touched prep work after getting popular.

Her mother glanced at her fair, delicate hands and felt a pang of guilt. “Then Mother will make fish soup for you—it’s good for recovery.”

“No need. Grass carp isn’t best for soup,” she replied.

“Huh?”

Her mother looked confused. Xu Guoguo froze—she’d spoken too carelessly. She quickly looked toward Old Madam Xu, who had been watching them the whole time. The old woman called out, “Daughter-in-law, come here. I need to speak with you.”

Mother Xu didn’t dare delay and hurried over. Xu Guoguo exhaled with a sense of relief.

She quickly finished cleaning the fish and brought it to the kitchen.

It was a sorry little kitchen—so poor it could make a thief cry. One stove, one large iron pot. The chopping board was a thick slab of wood. A few jars of condiments, all nearly empty. A bowl of rice—barely enough to scrape together. A sack of flour that couldn’t even make a full meal. There were more sweet potatoes and potatoes than anything else. One big barrel of oil—she opened it and sniffed.

Yup. Cheapest soybean oil. Crude and poorly filtered.

Sigh.

She sliced the fish into thin pieces. The best way to eat grass carp? Boiled Fish with Pickled Cabbage and Chili. While checking around the stove, she was pleasantly surprised to find that this era already had chili peppers! The Xu family had them strung and hanging from the rafters. She clipped down a bunch.

In a corner was a clay jar. Inside—pickled mustard greens! The leaves had turned golden yellow after months of fermentation. One sniff—authentic aged pickled cabbage!

She scooped out two large strips and chopped them finely. This was genuine, farm-style aged pickles—something industrial food production in her past life could never replicate.

The jar even had pickled red chilies! Even better. She diced those too and cut the dried chilies into sections for later.

Let’s cook!

The heat awakened the fragrance of the pickled chilies and mustard greens. She tossed in the fish bones—perfect for soup base—and the sour and spicy aroma filled the air. In modern kitchens, she would’ve added a big spoon of Pixian chili bean paste here, but with no such luxury, she used more salt instead.

When the fish bones were simmering in broth, she began sliding in the marinated fish slices. The key was the timing and temperature. Her hands worked like a master chef. When the fish curled slightly, just before overcooking—that was the peak of tenderness and flavor.

Lastly, she layered Sichuan peppercorns and dried chili pieces on top. Then—sizzle—she poured a ladle of hot oil over everything.

An intoxicating aroma filled the entire kitchen—rich, spicy, sour, and absolutely mouthwatering. It made the whole family come running.

“Ah-choo!” Huniu and Hudan sneezed as they ran into the kitchen, eyes watering from the chili fumes.

Mother Xu and Old Madam Xu, still in their rooms, smelled it too. Surprised, they stepped outside—just in time to see Xu Guoguo carrying out a big, steaming red bowl.

“Lunch is ready!”

—

Author’s Note:

Brother Shan makes his entrance!

Now that Guoguo’s a transmigrator, writing food scenes is finally free and uninhibited!

—

Cultural & Food Notes:

Shan San: A classic web novel naming style—“Shan” is the surname, and “San” means third son.

Pickled Cabbage Boiled Fish: A famous Chinese dish combining spicy boiled fish with pickled mustard greens. Known for its complex layers of sour, spicy, and umami.