Chapter 30: The Peculiarity of the Village

"Come, come, time to eat." The village chief's son carried the table out of the house and set it up in the courtyard.

There were many of them, so two tables were laid out.

The village chief's wife brought over bowls and chopsticks, smiling as she set them down: "This is all we have in the countryside; I'm not sure if the food is to your liking. Please bear with us and don't make fun of our humble cooking!"

"How could we, Grandma? We are so grateful that you're letting us share a meal with you!" Ji Yuanyuan and Zhao Xiaoting stood up, offering to help. "Let us help serve the dishes!"

It didn't feel right to sit idle while their hosts did all the work.

Jiang Yao followed them into the kitchen, which was very cramped, with a traditional clay stove used for cooking.

When the village chief's daughter-in-law saw so many people crowding in, she was momentarily flustered, stammering, "No... no, it's fine, I can do it."

Jiang Yao glanced at her. She appeared to be in her thirties, with delicate features but a very reserved personality; she was blushing so hard she didn't dare meet their eyes.

Zhao Xiaoting, always glib, said, "You've been busy all day, sister. We haven't helped at all, so how can we let you do all this work?"

The village chief's wife smiled. "Alright, they're guests and they mean well. Stop blocking the way!"

The woman shrank back to the side. As Jiang Yao passed by her, she heard a soft warning: "Careful, it's hot."

Jiang Yao looked up to meet her eyes, but the woman quickly lowered her gaze.

"Thank you."

The dishes were brought out one by one. Everyone exclaimed, "This is such a feast!"

There was chicken, duck, fish, and meat. While the presentation wasn't as refined as in a restaurant, it had the authentic taste of home cooking. For people in the countryside, this was the highest standard of hospitality.

The village chief invited everyone to start eating: "Don't be shy, make yourselves at home, eat well and drink well!"

Jiang Yao paused and looked at the village chief: "You've gone to too much trouble. We were just hoping for a simple meal; anything would have been fine. You didn't need to put in so much effort."

The others, just about to pick up their chopsticks, felt a sudden pang of guilt.

"That's right, Chief, you've made it so grand, we feel quite embarrassed."

Ji Yuanyuan sheepishly put down her chopsticks.

While this meal might not seem like much to them, for the villagers, it was the kind of spread that was likely reserved for the New Year.

The village chief laughed heartily. "You're standing on ceremony, aren't you? Guests from afar are guests indeed, and since you are guests, it is only right that we treat you well! This chicken was raised ourselves, and the fish was caught in the river; it didn't cost much!"

He took the first bite and said with a smile, "As long as you enjoy it, our efforts haven't been in vain!"

Everyone agreed with his logic and began to eat.

Jiang Yao noticed something and asked with a puzzled look, "Why isn't your daughter-in-law eating with us?"

The village chief's wife paused, then smiled: "Don't worry about her. She's a bit shy and is eating in the kitchen."

Is she really that introverted?

Duan Yiren poked at the rice in her bowl, wondering if there was a local custom where women weren't allowed at the table. Could such an outdated tradition still exist here?

After everyone was full, they heaped praise on the cooking of the village chief's wife and daughter-in-law, making the family beam with joy.

After the meal, the young women offered to help clear the dishes.

In the kitchen, the woman heard them coming and hurriedly put down her bowl, wiping her hands nervously on her apron. "Leave them there, I, I will wash them!"

As Jiang Yao passed her with a bowl, she had a sudden thought. She feigned a slip, and as the bowl was about to fall, the woman lunged to catch it, her eyes filled with visible terror.

Jiang Yao stood stunned, pressing her lips together. "I'm sorry, my hand slipped."

"It's... it's fine, I'll do it." The woman shook her head, her expression blank, as she took the bowl and turned back to her work.

Jiang Yao walked out of the kitchen, her eyes thoughtful.

Was that a bruise she saw on the woman's arm?

...

As they left the village chief's house, everyone rubbed their stomachs and sighed.

"I didn't expect people in such a small place to be so enthusiastic!"

Duan Yiren glared at the guy with the bleached hair. "What's wrong with small places? Country folk are naturally hospitable!"

The guy didn't dare argue back. "Fine, fine, you're right, my choice of words was poor."

Jiang Yao glanced at the villagers by the roadside, who turned away and retreated into their homes. She frowned. "Don't you guys feel like this village is a bit strange?"

"Strange how?" Ji Yuanyuan looked puzzled. "I don't think so?"

Chi Xing looked over as well.

"I can't quite put my finger on it," Jiang Yao said, a flicker of contemplation in her eyes. "But in such a poverty-stricken mountain village, have you ever seen strangers treated like this?"

"So what? It just means the village chief's family is warm and hospitable! You women are always so suspicious!" The guy with the bleached hair didn't dare snap at Duan Yiren, but he had no qualms about attacking Jiang Yao.

She curled her lips in a sneer. "Even if they're hospitable, would they kill their own egg-laying hens just to treat guests?"

Everyone froze.

Jiang Yao's expression was unreadable. "In a household like this, a hen can lay at least one egg a day. Even if they can't eat them all, they could save them to sell at the market. Over time, that's a source of income. Yet, they slaughtered them without a second thought."

Xiang Yu frowned. "Now that you mention it, it is a bit odd. Old people are usually frugal. They were indeed overly generous to a group of complete strangers."

Jiang Yao pursed her lips. "I don't mean to be biased, but from what I know, people in small, isolated places tend to be xenophobic. It should be even more so in a village like this, yet they were extremely eager for our arrival."

Chi Xing clapped his hands and smiled calmly. "That makes sense. 'Harsh mountains and bad waters breed unruly people'—I believe in that saying. We should all stay on our guard."

Duan Yiren pursed her lips, feeling a bit uncomfortable. She was from a small place too, and the people in her village were wonderful. It wasn't fair to paint everyone with the same brush.

"The air in the mountains is so fresh!"

After the meal, since it wasn't too hot, everyone decided to wander around to get a feel for the terrain in preparation for tomorrow's hike.

The sky was clear, with only thin clouds.

"Looks like tomorrow will be a beautiful day!"

Jiang Yao noticed a few children playing marbles by the side of the road and walked over.

The children weren't afraid of the group. They stared with wide, round eyes and asked, "Where are you from? I haven't seen you before."

Jiang Yao smiled. "We're here for a visit. Little ones, can I ask you a few questions?"

She pulled some candies from her pocket. "There's a reward for good answers."

The children's eyes lit up!

"Me, ask me! I know everything!"

The others, seeing this, curiously gathered around to see what Jiang Yao was up to.