Male Lead's Canon Fodder Wife - Chapter 1053

Chapter 1053: Refreshing Fruit Soup
Inside the kitchen, Lu Jueyu was busy preparing Indonesian fruit soup, a popular summer dessert in the modern era. The recipe was simple and flexible, allowing her to use any available fruits.

While her helpers diced apples, oranges, peaches, watermelon, and wild berries into cubes outside, she soaked basil seeds in hot water to let them expand.

The soup included water, milk, and coconut milk. Since she lacked condensed milk, she opted to sweeten it with honey and sugar. For a vibrant pink hue, she chopped five dragon fruits growing in her space and added them to the mix.

Fortunately, she had taken out a large earthen vat from her space this morning. Otherwise, she would have had trouble finding something large enough to store the fruit soup. She was pouring the dragon fruit into the vat when her husband’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Wife, are you still busy?” Li Chenmo asked.

Looking up, she smiled at her husband and said, “I’m almost done. Once I finish the fruit soup, everything will be ready.”

Li Chenmo handed his wife the cool, damp towel and said, “Cool down a little.”

Taking it gratefully, Lu Jueyu smiled, “Thank you, Husband.”

Glancing at the stoves, where the pots simmered over small fires to keep the dishes warm, Li Chenmo turned to the large vat of fruit soup.

“How many fruits did it take to fill this vat?” he asked.

“I used everything we had in the warehouse and added more from the space. The fruits are not a problem, but we needed a lot of honey,” she said with a sigh.

Hearing this, Li Chenmo walked closer, tidying his wife’s hair as he spoke in a low voice, “We have plenty in our stock, so use as much as you need. People here look down on our family, so it’s important to maintain our reputation.”

“Mn, I understand,” Lu Jueyu replied with a nod.

Taking advantage of the momentary privacy, she discreetly retrieved several barrels of fresh milk and coconut milk from her space and poured them into the vat, followed by bottles of honey, sugar, and packs of ice cubes.

To prevent suspicion, she wrapped the vat in wet fabric to make it seem like the cooling method was natural. By the time the soup was served, the ice would have melted into water and no one would know that they use ice to cool the soup.

As she finished mixing the basil seeds into the soup, several women entered the kitchen with buckets of fruits. Spotting her husband wiping sweat from her forehead, they exchanged envious glances.

“Sister-in-law, where should we put these fruits?” a young woman asked.

“Please pour them into this vat,” Lu Jueyu replied, moving to help. Before she could lift a bucket, her husband intervened.

“Let me,” he said, taking the bucket from her hands.

Recognizing his protective demeanor, the women quickly dropped off their buckets and left the kitchen so as not to interrupt them and to avoid any misunderstandings.

Meanwhile, Dong Li returned with more firewood. Seeing him coming, one of the women instructed him, “Xiao Li, help us carry the fruits to the kitchen.”

He nodded silently, carrying the load into the kitchen. Spotting his father, he said, “Father, let me handle this.”

“It’s fine,” Li Chenmo replied. “Go fetch the rest. I will help your mother here.”

With her husband and son assisting her, Lu Jueyu finally had a moment to rest. She sank onto a low stool and let out a sigh, “Finally done. I’m exhausted.”

“Wife, take a break. I will clean the kitchen,” her husband said.

Lu Jueyu nodded and drank some water from her space. The space’s lake water she frequently boiled for her family had restorative properties, and over time, it had significantly improved their health. Even her previously malnourished daughter had become a thriving, chubby-cheeked child.

Thinking of her daughter, she sighed and said, “Husband, I miss our Xiao Huang. I wonder how she is doing in the village.”

“The Eldest sister-in-law will take good care of her. With her cousins and friends around, she won’t feel too lonely. We will head back after the banquet. Just endure a few more days,” he assured her.

Hearing this, Lu Jueyu could only nod and added, “Before we return, I want to buy her something. I saw a lovely doll last time at the department store. She will love it.”

Li Chenmo smiled and agreed readily, “Alright. We can pick up some gifts for the other children in the family too.”

They had many industrial coupons, and it would be a waste if they didn’t use them. After the economic reform, the coupons would become nothing more than waste paper. So, it was better to use them now and make the children happy.

What’s more, they continued to receive several industrial coupons from the stores each month. If people used coupons to purchase items, they received a discount. Those with extra coupons often took advantage of this benefit, using them to save some money.

Although the discount varied depending on the type of coupon, many people flocked to the stores, exchanging their coupons for a chance to save money or buy more things.

Five minutes later, the large water vat was finally filled with fruit. The vat was as tall as Lu Jueyu’s chest, requiring her to use a large stick to stir the fruit soup.

Once the ice cubes, sugar, and honey were thoroughly mixed with the milk, she took three bowls from the kitchen table and filled them with the fruit soup.

She handed one bowl to her husband and another to her son while saying, “Husband, Xiao Li, try it first. Let me know if it needs more honey or sugar.”

Li Chenmo took a sip and his eyes brightened immediately. The soup was refreshing with a fruity aroma. The milk and coconut milk enriched the flavor, and the sweetness was perfectly balanced.

He took a spoonful of the mixed fruits, savoring the variety of flavors in just one bite. The coolness from the ice cubes made the experience even better, helping to alleviate the heat.