Chapter 154: The South Eats Shrimp, the North Eats Crabs, and Guangdong and Guangxi Eat the Nature
"I never thought snake soup could be so delicious," Deng Changyuan exclaimed as he sipped the clear, slightly reddish dragon and phoenix soup.
Deng Yuntai also praised, "The soup made from chicken and snake is truly delicious. Ah Zhen, Ah Zhu, you should really try it. It's amazing."
Sisters Deng Yunzhen and Deng Yunzhu exchanged hesitant glances. No matter the era, most women feel fear or disgust at the sight of snakes. While the two sisters could easily accept bee pupae, snake soup was a different matter.
However, seeing their father and brothers enjoying the soup so much, Deng Yunzhen mustered her courage and said, "Alright, I'll try a few sips of the soup."
As she spoke, she picked up a spoon and scooped a small portion of the snake soup into her bowl.
Deng Yunzhu waited, curious to see if her sister could stomach it.
Zhang Xiuping also watched her sister-in-law with interest. As a woman, she too felt uneasy about eating snake. She wanted to see if Deng Yunzhen could handle it and what she thought of the soup.
In her opinion, men's opinions weren't reliable—after all, they'd eat almost anything.
They could eat snakes, rats, cats, cicadas, beetles, and even loach larvae with relish.
Snakes, rats, cats, cicadas, and monkeys are well-known, but the pepper beetle is a common insect in the area. When lychee and longan trees bloom, these insects are everywhere. They suck sap from tender shoots, flower spikes, and young fruit, causing the affected parts to turn brown and leading to flower and fruit drop, which affects the yield.
These insects can fly and, when disturbed, release a liquid that causes a slight burning sensation and stains the skin yellow, which is hard to wash off.
Local children love catching these insects to play with, as they can be turned into simple toys that fly and circle continuously. In an era with little entertainment, they are one of the few toys available.
When fried, these insects are quite tasty.
The larvae of the Lagu, found in a local plant called Lagu, are also a delicacy. The plant's leaves, though only three or four fingers wide, can grow over a meter long and have thorns on both sides. Locals use these leaves to wrap rice dumplings.
The larvae can be used to make fried shrimp dumplings, which are said to be incredibly delicious (the author's friends from the same village have all tried them and praised their taste). Strangely, while the author ate mice as a child, he never dared to try these larvae. Not only are they delicious, but they're also said to cure bedwetting in children.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Deng Yunzhen took a sip of the soup.
She found it surprisingly tasty, but a psychological discomfort lingered.
Deng Yunzhu asked, "Sister, how does it taste?"
Deng Yunzhen replied honestly, "It's delicious, really good. You should try it."
Seeing his eldest daughter's hesitation, Deng Shirong said, "If you want to enjoy good food, you have to overcome your psychological barriers. There's a saying: The south eats shrimp, the north eats crabs, and Guangdong and Guangxi eat the natural world.
Is there anything we Guangxi people won't eat?
If you can't even drink snake soup, you'll be laughed at when you go out into the world."
Hearing this, Deng Yunzhen made up her mind. She finished the soup in her bowl in one go, then scooped herself another full bowl, even adding a few pieces of snake meat. "Dad, you're right. It's just snake meat and soup. Why should I be afraid?"
Seeing this, Deng Yunzhu followed suit, scooping a bowl for herself. After tasting it and finding it delicious, she began eating with gusto, just like her brothers.
Seeing her sisters-in-law, who had initially resisted, now enjoying the snake meat and soup, Zhang Xiuping also wanted to try. But being pregnant, her father-in-law had advised her against it, saying it might not be suitable for pregnant women. She decided to wait until after the baby was born.
The pot of dragon and phoenix soup was quickly finished.
Deng Changyuan wiped his mouth and said, "Uncle Jiu, I'll tell the young men in the village that if anyone catches or kills a snake, they should bring it to you. We shouldn't waste such a delicious thing."
Deng Shirong smiled, "If it's too small, don't bother. If it's over half a pound, bring it to me."
Deng Changyuan nodded, "Alright, I'll let them know."
Deng Shirong asked, "A Yuan, how's your big vat technique coming along?"
Deng Changyuan chuckled, "Uncle Jiu, A Tai says I've made great progress recently, but there are still a few key techniques I haven't mastered. Once I do, I think I'll be able to make a qualified big vat on my own."
Deng Shirong said, "Keep studying hard. You'll soon have a family to support. While your current salary is better than most in the village, if you want a better life, you need to become a master at making big vats."
Deng Changyuan nodded, "I understand, Uncle Jiu. I'll work hard to master the big vat technique as soon as possible."
Zhang Xiuping asked, "Ah Yuan, I mentioned before that I wanted you to hire someone to make a wardrobe. Is it ready?"
Deng Changyuan replied, "It's being built and should be finished before the wedding."
Zhang Xiuping said, "When you're single, it doesn't matter if you don't have a wardrobe. But once you're married, it's not appropriate to hang clothes on bamboo poles in the house. Even though my sister hasn't asked for it, as a man, you should consider your wife's needs."
Deng Changyuan nodded, "I understand. Once I'm get things in order, I'll build her a dressing table."
Zhang Xiuping smiled, "You can take your time with the dressing table. The first thing you should do when you have money is buy a bicycle. Otherwise, it'll be really difficult for your wife to visit her parents' home."
Deng Yuntai agreed, "A Yuan, this really needs to be arranged soon. New Dock Village is far from Thatchfield Village. It'll be tough for your wife to visit her family after marriage."
Deng Changyuan nodded, "I understand. Let's see how much money I have left after the wedding. If I have enough, I'll buy it right away. If not, I'll wait until I become a big vat master and earn enough."
(End of this chapter)