The Hunter’s Lively Wife

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Suspicion

Mrs. Chu had no idea Su Yunjin was going to make a dish with Houttuynia Cordata and pig’s blood, and she said with a laugh, blocking her way, “Sister-in-law, you should tend to the fire, and I’ll stir-fry the vegetables!”

Tending to the fire was relatively easier compared to stir-frying, and Su Yunjin knew Mrs. Chu meant well, thinking she was frail, which was why she insisted on cooking. Su Yunjin appreciated Mrs. Chu’s kindness, but she knew she had to be the one to cook.

“Sister-in-law, I’m going to prepare a dish that you probably won’t know how to make, so I should be the one to do it!” Su Yunjin said, pointing at the pig’s blood set aside in a wooden basin and the already cleaned Houttuynia Cordata she had gathered from the grove.

Following the direction of Su Yunjin’s pointing finger, Mrs. Chu saw the pig’s blood in the wooden basin and the washed Houttuynia Cordata and was momentarily stunned. Her expression was as surprised as Gu Ya’s had been earlier. “Sister-in-law, you’re going to cook with these two things?”

Who in the Gu Family’s village had ever eaten pig’s blood? Also, Houttuynia Cordata, which was so common in the village, was usually harvested to feed pigs. How could it be used for human consumption?

Looking at the Houttuynia Cordata with skepticism, Mrs. Chu said, “Sister-in-law, can that really be eaten?”

“It can be eaten, sister-in-law, don’t worry! This herb is edible and it’s called Houttuynia Cordata; it even has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying.” Fearing Mrs. Chu didn’t believe her, Su Yunjin added, “Before, I ate a lot of this at my parents’ home. It’s really fragrant when mixed with cold dishes as a meal accompaniment.”

Since Su Yunjin said she had eaten it herself before, Mrs. Chu should no longer doubt its edibility! As expected, Mrs. Chu didn’t question the Houttuynia Cordata any further. However, she became curious about the pig’s blood. “Sister-in-law, how did this pig’s blood clot into a block? It’s all chunky like tofu.”

Of course!

The pig’s blood had been processed by her, so naturally, it could clot into chunks.

However, Su Yunjin didn’t explain too much, instead keeping Mrs. Chu in suspense, “Sister-in-law, just wait and see. In a while, I’ll make this pig’s blood so smooth and tender, it’ll even taste better than tofu!”

“Really?” Mrs. Chu looked at Su Yunjin curiously. Su Yunjin smiled, “When I finish cooking, you’ll know, sister-in-law.” Gu Ya watched his wife from the side. While Mrs. Chu and Su Yunjin talked, Gu Ya did not interrupt, just listening to their conversation.

Initially, Gu Ya had also thought that pig’s blood and Houttuynia Cordata were inedible, but seeing his young wife so confidently assured, inexplicably, he became curious about what she could create.

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So, Gu Ya did not say anything further nor did he stop her from eating pig’s blood like he had before, merely standing aside and watching his young wife bustling about, beginning to cook.

Houttuynia Cordata did not need to be boiled in a pot for the cold dish. Su Yunjin got Mrs. Chu to tend the fire, while she fished out the pig’s blood from the basin and cut it into evenly sized small cubes. After cutting, Su Yunjin started preparing the garnish, slicing pickled vegetables into threads, mincing garlic, and slicing ginger.

She poured oil into the pot, first stir-frying the onions and ginger until fragrant, added pickled vegetables, then poured in the pig’s blood. Adding water—although it would taste better if cooked with meat broth—but since the Gu family was so poor that they had no vegetables, let alone meat broth. Therefore, without meat broth, Su Yunjin made do with just plain water.

Mrs. Chu was tending the fire, and as the fragrance wafted from the pot, she involuntarily swallowed her saliva. Seeing the water in the pot come to a boil, Su Yunjin scooped up a spoonful of pig’s blood and offered it to Mrs. Chu, “Sister-in-law, here, try this and see how it tastes?”