Chapter 001: San Shan Village

Within the Baba Mountain lies a small village, which was commonly referred to as Wild Boar Village due to the frequent presence of wild boars in the past. The water from Xianren Lake flows through a narrow channel, traversing Wild Boar Village and Sanshan Village before tumbling and cascading towards the Zhi River, located several dozen kilometers away. In certain areas, the terrain has given rise to small waterfalls.

Jiang Zhi's college entrance examination results were also quite good, and she was admitted to a reputable university in the province. However, the tragedy was that she filled in her preference as accepting any allocation, and as a result, she was assigned to civil engineering.

Indeed, this flavor is truly to my liking, a comfort reminiscent of first love. To express the helplessness of having to change my taste due to my own stomach's demands, I spoke of the beautiful soup and the broth she prepared as if pouring out beans.

Upon graduation, finding a job was exceedingly difficult. Even boys with poorer grades than Jiang Zhi, or those who were even shorter than her, were treated like treasures by employers and swiftly taken away. Just when I finally found a place that would take me in, before I could even celebrate securing a job, reality struck hard.

However, no one expected that in his senior year of high school, Jiang Che would achieve remarkable results and gain admission to a prestigious university in the capital. Jiang Zhi often speculated that Jiang Che might have been frightened by their father, and in order to escape from his grasp, he worked hard to improve himself.

Various recipes are unreliable, with this one requiring a certain number of grams and that one another, leaving Jiang Zhi feeling overwhelmed. Fortunately, the home-cooked dishes shared by netizens and the telephone recipes from Comrade Li Meihua saved Jiang Zhi. However, the unfortunate residents of the same building are left to endure the various aromas wafting in just as dinner is nearly digested

Cui Junzai is indeed a reliable person; after a relentless pursuit lasting one and a half months, he finally won over the beautiful Liang Tang.

Although Jiang Zhi has become a capable woman who can change a water barrel, assemble and repair computers, replace light bulbs, catch rats, and deal with cockroaches due to the demands of work, she remains sensitive and thoughtful. Mhetushucomcom has noticed that this girl has been absent-minded for nearly half a month and has long felt that something is amiss

When Jiang Zhi went to school, the little monkey always followed closely behind her, no matter how hard they tried to pull him back. Jiang Xinguo had no choice but to think that perhaps the little monkey would be influenced by the diligent gardener, so he sent him to school early.

The water quality of Xianren Lake is particularly good, crystal clear to the bottom, and tastes sweet and refreshing, invigorating the spirit. Although most households in the two villages have drilled wells and the Sanshan River is nearby, many people still prefer to fetch water from Xianren Lake. Those who are particular even enjoy going up the mountain to collect spring water for tea. Those with a bit of ingenuity use large white plastic barrels to transport the water to the town for sale, and the business is quite good.

In times of war, San Shan Village and Wild Boar Village would be easy to defend and difficult to attack, a place where one man can hold the pass against a thousand. However, in times of peace, they are restricted in every way. There is a river, but the riverbed is too steep to navigate by water. There are mountain paths, yet they are winding and treacherous. If one were to walk out of the mountains, it would take most of the day to make any progress.

Subsequent events of this nature were numerous, and Jiang Xinguo was exasperated by that little rascal, while a glance at his quiet and well-behaved daughter, who had never caused him any worry, instantly healed his frustrations. Thus, he shifted to favoring daughters over sons.

In those years, it was a poor village where no one could marry, so the internal relationships within the two villages were particularly close. Later, as more people began to work outside or engage in business, the government allocated some funds, and with everyone's collective investment, the mountain road was widened, thus ending the history of being inaccessible by vehicle

Unfortunately, good times do not last long. "The spicy and intense flavor, upon first encounter, surpasses countless experiences in the world." This describes the allure of temptation, yet the initial love becomes tiresome and is overshadowed by the captivating charm of a gentle and graceful beauty, who excels in preparing various exquisite soups.

"The situation hasn't even begun, and I haven't taken any action towards her yet." Cui Junzai's face turned slightly red as he glanced at Jiang Zhi out of the corner of his eye. After a moment of hesitation, he continued, "Moreover, although I am not a typical man, I still understand the importance of seeing things through. I cannot provoke her without having clarified things with you first."

In fact, it is not that the Jiang father and son are making a mountain out of a molehill. The mountain at this time is not like the one during hard times when there was no food, where one could only seek a livelihood on the mountain. Now, the mountain is covered with reeds that are half a person tall, with insects and snakes lurking about. It is said that traces of wolves have been discovered deep in the mountain. This is why they hurriedly rushed there, only to return home with one person holding a child, both laughing and crying.

When Jiang Zhi was born, Jiang Xinguo had just returned from fishing in the San Shan River. He happened to encounter his wife, Li Meihua, giving birth. Seeing his daughter come into the world, the enthusiasm he had for naming her, which had lasted for over a month while he consulted the Xinhua Dictionary, instantly vanished, and he casually said, "Let's name her Jiang Sanshan!"

In the village, there is a river called San Shan He, which is formed by the convergence of spring water and surface runoff from the mountains. It flows gently down the mountainside and forms a lake at the confluence. The lake has never dried up. According to legend, a long time ago, an immortal appeared on the lake to save a villager who had fallen into the water. The lake is imbued with spiritual energy, which is why it never dries up. With this legend, the lake was able to escape the fate of being called San Shan Hu.

When he was five years old, one day he suddenly went missing. After asking Jiang Zhi, I learned that he had gone to catch rabbits on the Bride Mountain with a few peers. Jiang Zhe and Jiang Xinhua were terrified, and hurriedly called the neighbors to prepare for a search of the mountain. As a result, they found those little rascals peacefully sleeping in the pine forest at the foot of the mountain, with Jiang Che still drooling.

The gardeners' assessment of him is: he is indeed a rough character, but he is clever; he often gets difficult math problems wrong while solving simple ones, and the reason is carelessness. It is hoped that parents will supervise him more! Jiang Xinguo is frustrated that he cannot turn iron into steel, and despite having broken quite a few bamboo sticks, it is still of no avail

The tears of first love flowed freely, how understanding and capable she is in the kitchen, yet why does she still resort to deception? However, the delicious fish soup I enjoyed with my colleagues yesterday was truly exquisite, devoid of any fishy taste, filled with the fresh aroma of the fish, leaving a lingering flavor that is unforgettable, as if first love once again caught a whiff of the fish soup's fragrance

First love was also innocent at that time, and although tastes have changed, I couldn't bear to say heartless words to Jiang Zhi. After hesitating for a long time, I finally spoke: "I, I, I..."

Jiang Zhi, with a hint of sadness, interrupted her first love's stammering of "I, I, I..." Jiang Zhi took the initiative to speak: "Don't bother with me, I understand what you mean. It's better for us to be good friends!"

When Jiang Zhi was three years old, Li Meihua gave her a younger brother. The brother's name, Jiang Che, was given by their grandfather, Jiang Zhe. The name signifies the hope that he would grow up to be as clear and understanding as the water of the Immortal Lake. However, he ended up growing into a little rascal.

The first love was stunned for a moment and did not speak. Jiang Zhi shyly patted the shoulder of her first love and said, "Don't worry, I'm just going to get some soup. I definitely won't break up the couple."

At this moment, Jiang Zhi finally understood the dilemma faced by employers who prefer to hire men. Hiring a real man means that if work runs late, he can stay overnight without returning to the city. It is much more convenient and less troublesome than hiring a strong woman.

Jiang Zhi used to visit relatives in the Cantonese-speaking region, where the flavors of various slow-cooked soups left a lasting impression on her even after N years. Overwhelmed by the delicious food, she exclaimed, "Buddy, remember to take me along when there's soup to drink!"

After more than a year of being worn down, Jiang Xinguo, who favored daughters over sons in the later stages, looked at his once tender and delicate little cabbage, now turned into wilted pickled vegetables, feeling an immense heartache. He sought help from his grandfather and grandmother, and even dragged Jiang Zhe's old face into it, securing a typing job for Jiang Zhi at the town government.

In my youth, I was ignorant and did not understand the importance of choosing a major. I also failed to develop the good habit of consulting Google for external matters and Baidu for internal ones. With my luggage in tow, I eagerly rushed toward a new life, fantasizing that my future job would simply involve sitting in an office and drawing blueprints. Consequently, I carelessly spent several years immersed in novels and games.

Although she was a temporary worker, Jiang Zhi felt quite satisfied at the thought of being able to escape the days dedicated to the destruction of nature. Therefore, after returning home, she specifically cooked several delicious dishes to reward her family.

As for where Jiang Zhi's culinary skills came from, she runs to construction sites every day, eating nothing but boxed meals. The cravings are stirring within her, and looking at the food pictures that Jiang Che sends to boast, she feels particularly desolate. The desolation fuels her anger, prompting her to start cooking for herself.

The office has tea cups and newspapers, but there is no time to enjoy them. Every day is spent running to construction sites, and often there are late nights at work. Sometimes the places I go are still in remote areas.

A hint of bitterness flashed through Jiang Zhi's heart. Even a strong woman can have genuine feelings. There is affection in being together, but love is still far off. The time spent together is not long, yet habits have quickly formed. Now, she must discard this habit... Fortunately, this habit is relatively new, and she will adapt in a few days. "Why are you still dazed? Hurry up and get to it! For your lifelong happiness and my good fortune, be brave and go for it. I will provide you with absolute spiritual support."

The strong woman and the bookish bear paw caused him to stagger, and he steadied himself by holding onto the back of the chair. Cui Jun Cai wiped his forehead where no sweat existed, giving a score of ninety-nine to today's conversation. Such a strong woman still needs a mighty and robust man to rescue her; a frail man like himself is better suited to gentle women.

The Jiang Zhi family resides in a small mountain village, which is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with various peaks of different sizes. Among them, three mountains are particularly tall, hence the village is named San Shan Village. The names of the three prominent mountains are quite interesting: they are respectively called Mother-in-law Mountain, Daughter-in-law Mountain, and Grandson Mountain. It is said that they were transformed from a family long ago.

His father, Jiang Zhe, was so furious that he picked up the object at hand and was about to smash it at him. Only then did he waver slightly, yet still with a face full of grievance, he said: "San Shan is so good, it’s clear you’re just a village child, but you don’t like it. That’s Jiang Zhi, at least it has some connection to San Shan."

After Jiang Xinguo returned, he treated him to a meal of stir-fried bamboo shoots with cured meat. Jiang Zhi was implicated as well, charged with failing to report what she knew in a timely manner. On one buttock and one arm, there were visible red marks left by being struck with bamboo branches, and in some places, blood was still oozing. This was the family discipline of the Jiang family; dried bamboo branches were the most painful for beating. The places that had been struck felt like they were being burned, causing a stinging pain, and although she endured the pain and learned a lesson, it would not injure the bones.

Although Jiang Che is three years younger than Jiang Zhi, he is in the same grade as Jiang Zhi, who has consistently maintained a stable academic performance at an upper-middle level in the class. In contrast, Jiang Che's performance resembles a roller coaster, fluctuating significantly, with high scores being rare and instances of scoring at the bottom occurring as well

The untimely fragrance also brought Jiang Zhi her first romantic interest—Cui Jun Cai. When feelings ran deep, the first love would often say: "I just love the dishes Jiang Zhi makes for me"

After Li Meihua's body recovered, Jiang Xinguo paid the price of kneeling on a washboard