Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Plump Eel

After hearing the voice, Han Li shook his head with a smile. Though he was in high spirits, there was a tinge of frustration in his heart. When it came time to deal with Zhang San, the man would be like a twice-drenched stray dog, thoroughly beaten, and the thought left Han Li feeling somewhat odd.

Still, joy outweighed any other emotion for him now. Today was clearly not the right time to head up the mountain, so he decided to reward himself with a good meal that evening. He wondered how smoked pork stir-fried with chili peppers would taste.

Lost in his thoughts, Han Li soon noticed a group of village children returning from the riverside, carrying a large burlap sack.

"Tiedan, what have you all been up to?" he called out.

"Big Brother Han, we caught some eels by the river. We're taking them home to roast and eat," Tiedan replied.

Upon hearing they had caught eels, Han Li nearly smacked his own forehead in surprise. Though he seldom visited the river, it had somehow never occurred to him to catch eels. This was the season when they were at their plumpest, but people in these times didn’t much care for them. Eels carried a strong earthy smell, and to make them tasty required plenty of oil and spices—luxuries that were scarce. Most families measured oil by the drop and would never dream of pouring half a pot just to fry a dish.

Han Li peered into the sack. Inside were several large, fat eels, each over sixty centimeters long and easily weighing nearly half a kilogram. Their size was so impressive that, to the untrained eye, they might even be mistaken for snakes.

Gazing at them, Han Li's mouth practically watered. Dishes like stir-fried eel, spicy eel, and sizzling shredded eel floated through his mind. Specimens of this quality would be rare delicacies decades later.

"Tiedan, why don't you trade these eels to me? I'll swap some sugar for them, how about that?"

"Big Brother Han, if you want some, just take them! There are plenty of eels, and they're easy to catch. We'll go get some more later."

"That won’t do—I can’t take advantage of you kids. Besides, I plan to keep trading with you for eels regularly."

"Big Brother Han, you sure have strange tastes. These things aren’t good to eat, and they'll spoil in a couple of days. Why do you want so many?"

"I’ll make them into cornbread if I have to. Just trade me any eels you catch from now on. Next time I go to the county town, I’ll buy you all some biscuits. But you must be careful—you must never let an eel bite you."

"Only a fool would get bitten by one," one of the children retorted.

Han Li’s request for the children to catch eels was just a cover—he planned to catch plenty himself. Eels, after all, were a treasure: they could replenish blood, boost energy, reduce inflammation, strengthen bones and muscles, and even ward off rheumatism. For those with weak vitality, palpitations, dizziness, or weak limbs, eel was a wonderful remedy.

Even if he couldn’t eat all of them himself, Han Li intended to grind any surplus into powder and mail it back to the capital for his parents to take as a supplement. At the very least, it would help make them stronger. These wild eels were pure and natural, nothing compared to the heavy-metal-laden, drug-treated eels of later years.

Back at home, Han Li set to work preparing the eels—a messy business, as their skins were coated with slippery mucus. Yet in his hands, they didn’t stand a chance. With a flick of his finger, each eel was dispatched, then gutted and cleaned. He rinsed them thoroughly, rubbed them with salt to remove the earthy odor, then rinsed them again. After cutting them into pieces, he marinated them with white liquor and slices of ginger.

Lighting his kerosene lamp, Han Li sat on the kang with a book to read. Just then, He Mi pushed open the door, carrying a basin with several coarse flour steamed buns.

"You haven’t eaten yet, have you? We were steaming buns today, so I made a few extra to bring over," she said.

"No need for thanks," Han Li replied. "But you’ve come at just the right time—I just traded for some eel from Tiedan. Why don’t you stay and have some with me later?"

"No, I can’t. Hongmin and the others are waiting for me to come back for dinner," He Mi declined.

"All right, but the eels are still marinating. Why don’t you come by a bit later? Eels are really good for you."

"I really shouldn’t..."

"What’s the harm? If I’d caught more, I’d have brought them over myself," Han Li insisted, taking the basin from her. Their hands brushed, and Han Li was tempted to hold her delicate hand, but seeing He Mi blush and withdraw, he let the moment pass.

After He Mi delivered the buns to Han Li, back at Hao Hongmin’s house, Yang Xiuying remarked, "Hey, do you think there’s more to that story about Han Li and He Mi encountering the wolf? Why else would she make him steamed buns?"

Yun Yingying chimed in, "What else could it be? A frail girl meets a wild wolf, the hero descends from the heavens, and a tale of beauty rescued unfolds. The maiden’s heart is moved, and she vows to repay the hero’s kindness..." She paused, then continued nonchalantly, "Ah, I’ve never seen a wolf killed. If only I’d gone up the mountain with Han Li that day."

The others didn’t notice her odd tone, but her twin sister gave her a meaningful look. This silly girl seemed to forget that as long as they were within a certain distance, they could sense each other’s emotions keenly. Still, she chose not to expose her sister. In times like these, a little hope was not a bad thing.

Since arriving here, they hadn’t heard from their family, and the future was uncertain. Perhaps they would be called back to the capital for office jobs, or perhaps sent down to the farm for even harder labor. Hao Hongmin noticed the sisters’ mood and glanced thoughtfully toward the neighboring house, sighing inwardly.

He Mi stood at the doorway, taking a deep breath before entering the courtyard with the basin. Soon, laughter rang out from the young women, while at Han Li’s place, after He Mi left, he began to cook.

Heating oil in the wok, he fried the eel pieces until golden, then set them aside. He sautéed ginger, garlic, and chili, added a scoop of rich village-made soybean paste, then returned the eel to the wok, added water, and simmered. Once the broth was boiling, he salted it to taste and let it cook until done. The flavor—sheer perfection.

Satisfied and full, Han Li grabbed a flashlight, a bucket, and a burlap sack, and headed back to the riverside. Eels were easiest to catch at night, and since he couldn’t sleep anyway, he might as well stock up.

PS: Thanks to the generous patrons! Rolling on the ground, begging for more readers. Special thanks to afrashui for the 500-point tip, Zhi Xi for the 200-point tip, and Beile for the 100-point tip.