The dishes at Yiming Pavilion were a family recipe of Grandma Su, but they incorporated the characteristics of Northwest cuisine, with an overall emphasis on Northwest flavors.
It was difficult for hired cooks to replicate this taste.
However, there were few suitable people in the village, and going there would involve many complications, potentially leading to enmity.
Grandma Su, fearing discord, had to find a cook from outside.
But the village chief's wife, because of this remark, began to harbor a thought.
She had never considered leaving the village before, as she was already old and venturing out would be a laughing matter.
But now, the constant bickering of her two daughters-in-law was becoming unbearable.
She started thinking that it might be good to spend a few years living elsewhere.
She was almost fifty years old this year, having married at eighteen. Now she had grandchildren, the eldest being nine.
If she didn't start living for herself, constantly entangled with her two daughters-in-law, it would be too late.
But she had always worried that she would struggle to even eat if she went out, which was why she dared not.
This thought, however, vanished from the village chief's wife in an instant.
With the household in such a state, and her husband still the village chief, she couldn't just leave!
Never mind, perhaps this was her fate for this lifetime.
Su Changjiu was unaware that his wife had, in that moment, considered leaving the village to venture out.
"As long as you don't mind, let's go home quickly. When we get back, your Uncle Changjiu will kill the chicken, I'll pluck it, and your Uncle Changjiu will handle the rabbit."
While tidying up the hoe and heading out, the village chief's wife had already meticulously planned the tasks for their return.
The village chief responded in a low voice, not saying much.
In fact, he had been wondering how this little girl, Xiaotian, managed to bring back so much from the mountain last time.
He had heard before that Xiaotian was blessed by immortals, but he didn't believe it. Suddenly, he felt that this might actually be true.
In the past, speaking of superstitions was forbidden, but in the last two years, things had relaxed. He had to think this way.
However, the village chief was a sensible man, and he knew very well what questions could be asked and what could not.
This girl was lucky, but the Su family kept it a secret, so it was definitely not something to ask about.
The four of them walked very quickly and soon returned home.
The village chief's wife scooped a small basin of water from a large basin that had been sun-dried all day for Teacher Xie and Su Xiaotian to wash their hands and faces.
Having been to the mountain, although they were careful, they had still gotten quite muddy and dusty, so they washed without hesitation.
After they had washed, it was their turn and Su Changjiu's turn. They did not change the water, but washed in the same basin.
Although there was a small river next to the village, years of drought were common.
The villagers were accustomed to saving water.
After washing once, the village chief's wife changed the water to a basin of clean water and washed again.
She placed the basin aside after confirming that their hands and faces were clean.
Su Changjiu, without a word, grabbed the wild chicken and went to the backyard to slaughter it.
By the time he returned after slaughtering the chicken, his wife had already heated the water.
He placed the slaughtered wild chicken in the basin, preparing to pour boiling water over it to pluck the feathers.
Xiaotian leaned over the basin and said, "Uncle Changjiu, these chicken feathers are quite good. I'll pluck them first to make shuttlecocks."
Shuttlecocks played by country girls were made from the pointed feathers of roosters.
And this wild chicken was a rooster, with exceptionally beautiful feathers.
Su Xiaotian had her eye on these feathers from the beginning.
Although she felt she might not have much chance to play shuttlecock, the feathers were too beautiful to resist.
Unable to resist the temptation, Su Xiaotian decided to pluck the pointed feathers from the chicken's back to make shuttlecocks.
Seeing Su Xiaotian squatting beside Su Changjiu with great enthusiasm, Teacher Xie Nan also became interested.
"I used to play shuttlecock when I was little, but I haven't played in many years."
In fact, ever since her parents passed away one after another, playing had become irrelevant to her.
Living under her brother and sister-in-law, there was always endless work and scolding.
More than twenty years had passed in a blink of an eye, and she truly missed those carefree days.
"Teacher Xie, when the shuttlecocks are ready, let's play together, and bring Sister Xiaocao along," Su Xiaotian said with a smile.
"My old bones are not up to it. You play, and I'll watch."
This little girl was truly well-behaved and intelligent. It was only because Xiao Yuanyang was such a fool back then that he bullied this young girl.
Fortunately, Xiaotian was blessed with great fortune. Xiao Yuanyang not only failed to bully the little girl but was also sent away.
"These feathers on the neck are also quite good, just a bit few. If there were more, we could make a feather duster."
Su Changjiu also became interested, his rough hands stroking the wild chicken feathers.
"Indeed, I remember that a few years ago, Xiaotian's family had such a beautiful feather duster. Xiaocao mentioned how beautiful it was many times when she came back," Su Changjiu's wife chimed in.
Su Xiaocao remembered that in those years, their family had many wild chickens and rabbits, enough to make a feather duster, which Grandma Su herself had made.
Now there were only feathers from one chicken, which was indeed a bit few, but it was fine, they could make a display of it.
"Then let's pluck all these beautiful feathers and make a small feather duster to play with later."
Su Changjiu's wife smiled, "You child, you can play with a feather duster?"
It was clear she had been doted on since childhood and had never been hit with a feather duster!
"Of course, we can make it into a small ornament, and it looks beautiful hanging up. We can also make it into a painting, which is also beautiful."
"Your ideas are really good. However, I heard that the country is going to implement wildlife protection or something. I don't know if wild chickens are protected animals."
When Teacher Xie mentioned this, Su Xiaotian remembered it.
She recalled that the Wildlife Protection Law should have been enacted by the late 1980s, and wild chickens should also be protected.
This meant that she could still catch and eat wild chickens during these two years.
She didn't want to think too far ahead; the priority was tonight's delicious meal.
Su Xiaotian wanted to pluck the chicken feathers herself but was stopped by Su Changjiu.
He plucked all the beautiful feathers from the chicken for Su Xiaotian as requested and tidied them up.
Su Xiaotian carefully tied the feathers together.
There were naturally few of these feathers, but she could check the system mall to see if she could find suitable ones to supplement.
Su Changjiu and his wife busied themselves with cooking, and Xie Nan and Su Xiaotian felt awkward doing nothing.
They helped wash vegetables and tend the fire, also busying themselves with great enthusiasm.