Chapter 8: The Great Weight Loss Undertaking
Editor: Atlas Studios
Qiao Qiang heaved a sigh of relief. Xia Zhe agreeing to marry his granddaughter would fulfill one of his wishes. The Xia family was of good moral standing and would not go back on their words.
Qiao Mei nodded and said, "Grandfather, please sit here for a while. I'll go cook now. We'll be able to eat soon!"
Hesitation flashed across Qiao Qiang's eyes. At this point in time, there was not much food left at home. Usually they would have to reduce their food intake during this time of the month. He had to eat less to ensure that there was enough to last his granddaughter until next month.
As if Qiao Mei can cook? Isn't it just wasting food?
He was unable to say these words out loud though. After all, this was the first time Qiao Mei volunteered to do the cooking.
"Okay, you go then." Qiao Qiang sighed and forced the words out. "I'm not too hungry yet. You can just make some for yourself."
"Okay!" Qiao Mei immediately nodded and went to the kitchen to cook.
Xia Zhe was standing outside the door when he heard this and his eyes flashed with understanding.
So that is how it is…
He was halfway through his journey when he felt that something was wrong. When he touched his neck, he realized that the pendant he had been wearing since young was gone. Hence, he immediately came back to look for it.
The pendant was a family heirloom passed through the generations, so it was a very important thing.
When he came back and got to the door, he heard someone from the Qiao family talking so he stopped to listen.
He did not expect to hear the whole story. So this was the truth of the matter.
Grandpa Qiao's health was failing and he might pass away very soon, leaving Qiao Mei alone in the world and being targeted by greedy relatives. This was why he came up with this awful plan!
In the end, Qiao Mei actually changed her mind and did not want to drag him down…
It seems that this woman still has some kindness in her.
By now, most of the indignation and resentment in Xia Zhe's heart had dissipated.
Never mind, let her keep this pendant!
Back when his grandmother gave him the pendant, she said that it was for her future granddaughter-in-law. In any case, he would have to give it over sooner or later, so he would not take it back now.
With this thought, Xia Zhe turned around and left immediately.
Qiao Mei walked out of her grandfather's room and went to the kitchen located in the middle. The big rice jar came into sight once she pushed the door open. She walked up and looked inside, only to find that there was not much rice left.
The remaining rice in the jar was only half a palm deep. Beside the rice jar, there were two heads of shriveled white cabbages and a single carrot with mud on it.
This was all the food left in the kitchen.
Qiao Mei recalled her past memories. Most of her memories were about eating, and on the 15th day of every month, she would feast most happily. At that time, there would always be an abundance of meat and vegetables.
The middle of every month was when Qiao Qiang received his retirement salary and on that day, he would go to the city to buy food and vegetables.
Actually, both of them would receive food distributed by the village as well as get a share of vegetables. However, given Qiao Mei's appetite, what they received was far from enough for her to eat.
It was also because of Qiao Qiang's indulgence towards his granddaughter that he would go to the city every month to spend money on vegetables and meat.
There were still a few days to go until the 15th of the month and there was already insufficient food and vegetables at home. As usual, Qiao Qiang had been going hungry for the past few days so that the original owner of the body had enough to eat.
Qiao Mei squatted down to start the fire and sighed. "Grandfather is really too nice!"
She actually ran into such a good grandfather!
Lighting a fire, washing the pot, washing the rice, washing the vegetables. Qiao Mei was good at all these chores. After all, she used to live alone.
She had always been very interested in the countryside. Every weekend, she would go camping in the wilderness, so she was quite good at lighting fires and cooking over it.
Qiao Qiang was a little worried. He slowly made his way out with his walking stick and saw his granddaughter busying herself in front of him. She actually seemed to be doing well, she just went about her work quietly without any complaints.
He held back his emotions and quickly wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes.
His Mei Mei had finally grown up and become sensible!
In a rural kitchen, there were usually two stoves. One was used for cooking while the other was used for preparing animal feed.
In the countryside, almost every household would raise livestock and poultry like pigs, chickens, ducks, and so on. It was only this year that they did not have any due to Qiao Qiang's poor health.
Qiao Mei washed the two pots until they were spotlessly clean, not caring what the pots were previously used for. She took one pot and cooked porridge with it over a small fire. The other pot was used to make the other dishes.
First, she cut the carrot and washed the cabbages clean. Then, she fried the carrot in oil, stewed the cabbages and put in a few slices of pork belly.. Instantly, a delicious aroma filled the air.
Chapter 9: Delicious Food
Editor: Atlas Studios
"Growl!"
Qiao Mei's stomach started growling. When she saw the food in the pot and smelled the aroma, she almost drooled.
It was the same for Qiao Qiang. He gulped at the delicious smell coming from the pot.
After walking so far to buy meat, he was already feeling hungry.
His culinary skills were only so-so. The dishes he made were edible and nearly not as fragrant as the food in the pot now. Qiao Mei was not picky though and she liked to eat everything. Otherwise, she would not have grown so fat.
"The food is ready. Grandfather, come and eat!" Qiao Mei shouted. She filled up Qiao Qiang's bowl with porridge served with a large plate of side dish, while she had a bowl of diluted porridge and a small plate of side dish.
Qiao Qiang looked at the food in front of him and looked at Qiao Mei suspiciously.
Were the bowls put in the wrong place by mistake?
"Mei Mei, is this bowl yours?" Qiao Qiang said as he reached out to swap the bowls.
"No, no, this bowl is yours. I want to lose weight starting today! I have to control my mouth and not eat too much," Qiao Mei said.
"What? Lose weight?" Qiao Qiang was stunned. The phrase "lose weight" was foreign to him. In this era, it was considered good for a person to be able to put on a few pounds. Who would want to lose weight?
Besides, people of that time generally thought that being a little plump was a sign of wealth and fortune.
"Grandfather, don't you think I should lose some of the fat on my body? Besides, it is so ugly to look like this," Qiao Mei asked him back with a worried expression.
Qiao Qiang smacked the table and a cold glint flashed across his eyes. "Who dares to say that you're ugly?"
Qiao Mei let out a soft sigh. If the stocky build of this body was not considered ugly, then what was ugly? Grandfather really doted on her too much!
"Xia Zhe said that such a figure isn't suitable to have children." She had no choice but to continue talking.
Qiao Qiang was stunned speechless when he heard this.
"He… he's not happy with you?" Qiao Qiang narrowed his eyes and asked.
Sister Qiao sighed again. How could he be happy with such a figure?
Only this elderly man who is truly good to me does not despise me.
"That's all there is. It's not whether he's happy with me or not. Anyway, he already said that he wants to marry me and we will have to get married no matter what. But I really have to lose weight, otherwise if I really can't give birth because of my obesity, that would be terrible."
In her past life, she did not know how the original owner of the body managed to give birth to twins with this body. She was really too lucky.
However, thinking back, the pair of twins really did fall sick often. They were thin and looked pitiful.
Although she ate a lot, it did not mean that the children would definitely be able to absorb the nutrients. Even if it was just for the sake of the two children, she had to start losing weight now.
"That's right, that's right! Having a child is a big deal. With a child, you will have someone to rely on in the future. At least you won't get sold off." Qiao Qiang finally nodded his head in agreement.
However, given the way he doted on his granddaughter, she could say whatever she wanted and he would not object to anything.
After reaching a consensus, they finally picked up their chopsticks and began to eat.
As soon as Qiao Qiang put the food into his mouth, his eyes lit up. "This dish is really delicious. Our Mei Mei is indeed the smartest, learning how to cook immediately! Grandfather has never eaten such delicious food before!"
"As long as grandfather likes it!" Qiao Mei felt that her grandfather was just giving her encouragement and did not think that her cooking skills were good at all.
After all, when her grandfather was a soldier, he used to report to some big-shot. He had gone places with the big-shot and dined at all kinds of restaurants. The culinary skills of those top chefs were definitely better than hers.
She knew her own limits. There was no way that she could match up to those people.
However, when she put the food in her mouth, she also got a shock. It was not just her grandfather, she also had never eaten such delicious food before. In her other life, she had not only dined at five-star restaurants within the country, but also tasted the best dishes of world-class restaurants. Yet, she had never before eaten anything more delicious.
It seemed like they were not just eating cabbages and carrots, but cabbages and carrots that had become magical beings. Probably only magic could make it taste so good?
"How is this possible?"
Qiao Mei looked at the dishes on the plate carefully and muttered softly.
No matter how she looked, the dishes were just the most ordinary dishes. She did not put in a lot of effort just now, she had just stewed them in a casual manner and only added salt as seasoning.
The issue was probably not about the vegetables. After all, it was not like her grandfather had not eaten cabbages and carrots from the kitchen before.
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