Male Lead's Canon Fodder Wife - Chapter 1113

Chapter 1113: Suggestions, Reasons, Solutions ( 1 )
Looking at his uncle, Xie Xuanzi said helplessly, “Uncle, why even you—”

Before he could finish, Doctor Xie waved a hand dismissively and said, “Take a seat and stop talking. We will discuss this later. For now, I just want to enjoy my meal.”

Not long after they took their seats, the first dish of the banquet was served. When everyone saw a large plate of raw and cooked cold dishes, they were stunned. No one dared to move their chopsticks as they stared at the cold jellyfish salad in confusion.

While most of them had never tried jellyfish salad, Doctor Xie had tasted it before in his youth. His eyes lit up at the sight of the cold appetizer platter, and he exclaimed, “This Lu girl is truly capable! It’s been years since I have seen this dish!”

He immediately reached for the jellyfish salad and took a bite. Closing his eyes in delight, he savored the fresh umami flavor. After swallowing the first bite, he eagerly began sampling the other dishes.

Roast duck, century eggs, pig ear salad, pork tongue salad, creamy corn salad—none escaped his fierce attack.

Seeing how much Doctor Xie enjoyed the food, Xie Xuanzi quickly picked some of each dish for his own bowl. When the others saw them eating so enthusiastically, they also began to help themselves.

Meanwhile, Chen Jianmin was busy filling his little bride’s bowl. Looking at the now half-full bowl, Li Shu said, “Jianmin, that’s enough. You should eat too.”

Only after ensuring she had enough to eat did Chen Jianmin begin to serve himself. Before the first dish was finished, the second dish arrived. This time, it was asparagus with crab meat soup, served in small bowls to ensure everyone received their portion.

Each person got a bowl of soup, preventing anyone from taking more than their share. Although the servings were individual, the bowls were larger than usual, with plenty of soup for each person.

At that moment, the hall was filled with the sounds of eating and clinking cutlery, as no one wanted to interrupt the meal with chatter. Even Xie Xuanzi, accustomed to fine dining, was surprised by the taste.

Looking at his soup, he said, “This soup actually uses crab meat.”

Chen Jianmin nodded and explained, “Uncle Li and Aunt Li went into the deep mountain lake to catch the crabs. They are freshwater crabs.”

Raising his eyebrows, Xiao Yiguan asked, “There are crabs in the mountains?”

“Comrade, there aren’t just crabs. There are also wild animals, vegetables, and ginseng,” Chen Xiang added.

“With so many resources in the mountains, why didn’t the brigade claim them?” Xie Xuanzi asked.

Chen Xiang shook his head and replied, “We are not sure either. The villagers are free to enter the mountains and forage for resources. However, two years ago, the production team issued a warning that anyone entering the mountains would do so at their own risk.”

Hearing this, both Xiao Yiguan and Xie Xuanzi were surprised. They exchanged glances before Xiao Yiguan asked, “Why? Are the mountains really that dangerous?”

Chen Gang nodded solemnly and said, “The mountain paths are treacherous and confusing, like a maze. But the biggest danger isn’t the terrain—it’s the wild animals. If you are lucky, you will only be injured or crippled by a wild boar.”

“‘Injured and crippled is considered lucky?” Xiao Yiguan asked, startled by those words.

“Comrade, you might not know. In the mountains, the most dangerous animals aren’t the wild boars but the tigers, bears, and wolf packs,” Chen Gang explained.

Chen Xiang sighed and said, “Over the decades, many villagers ventured into the mountains to forage, but only one ever returned alive. Even so, he later died from blood loss.”

Hearing this, Xie Xuanzi lowered his gaze, thinking of his best friend. He had come to this village not just to bring his uncle home but also to find his friend’s daughter.

He doesn’t have any plans to get married yet. As a 27 years old man, he thought of adopting the girl to become his daughter. This way, he can keep her safe and end his parents’ constant nagging of him lacking a child.

Chen Jianmin glanced at him and said, “Uncle, do you not like the soup? If not, can I have it?”

Hearing his words, Xie Xuanzi regained his senses. He looked at the boy and asked, “You have already finished a big bowl. Can you still drink more?”

“It’s not a matter of whether I can finish it or not. It’s about not wasting food. If you don’t want it, we can help you drink it,” Chen Jianmin said with a smile.

More than half of the food was given to his younger siblings, how could he possibly be full? With his appetite, drinking two more bowls of soup wouldn’t be a problem.

After hearing his words, Xie Xuanzi studied him thoughtfully. If he hadn’t already experienced the boy’s sharp tongue and aggressive demeanor, he might have been fooled by his innocent face.

‘This boy is not simple,’ he thought.

“This soup is delicious. I will finish it myself,” Xie Xuanzi said calmly.

Hearing this, Chen Jianmin smiled and thought inwardly, ‘I thought you were too busy to talk and didn’t even want to eat. Turns out, even eating can’t keep your mouth shut.’

Everyone in the brigade knew that the Li family often went to the mountains to forage for mushrooms and wild vegetables. Since both were readily found in the mountain foothills, no one objected to the Li family entering the mountains.

However, if the villagers learned about other valuable resources, they would report it to the brigade. After all, most of them had a petty mindset. They would rather see no one benefit from the resources than let others gain an advantage.

By allowing the brigade to claim the mountains, at least they could receive something during distribution day without putting in any effort. With so many resources available, the brigade would send a group of workers to collect them.