Shi'an's face beamed with a happy smile as she enthusiastically replied, "Of course, I can teach you! First, we need to soak the soybeans until they're soft, then grind them into soy milk, and finally, add some gypsum or brine to let it set into tofu." Her tone was filled with patience and excitement.
Su Yu looked at Shi'an, his heart overflowing with relief and emotion. He never expected his daughter to be so clever and to even know a craft like making tofu. He patted Shi'an on the head and said, "Xiaoya, you are truly remarkable." A blush crept across Shi'an's face, and she shyly lowered her head.
Deng Xian looked at Shi'an with a face full of confusion, her eyes brimming with bewilderment and worry. She asked softly, "Xiaoya, how do you know how to do these things? You are still so young..." Her voice carried a hint of hesitation. Selling wild vegetable cakes had been acceptable, but now that Xiaoya was bringing up a food item no one had ever heard of, one couldn't help but want to get to the bottom of it.
"Yes, Xiaoya, where did you learn all this?" Su Shikuan echoed Deng Xian's doubts, his eyes revealing curiosity and concern for his sister. In Sujiadian Village, they had certainly never tasted any special delicacies; how could she possibly know about such things?
Su Daya and Su Shirong also cast curious gazes her way, their eyes filled with anticipation and confusion, as if waiting for Su Shi'an to provide a satisfactory answer. Sensing their gazes, a flicker of determination and confidence flashed in Shi'an's eyes.
Taking a deep breath, Shi'an smiled and said, "I learned it in a dream. I dreamt of an old grandfather. He told me many stories about the outside world and taught me about some special foods. I thought these foods sounded interesting and wanted everyone to have a taste." Her voice was sincere and enthusiastic. As a modern person who had access to televisions, smartphones, and computers, obtaining all kinds of knowledge and information had been effortless.
Hearing this, the doubt in Su Yu's heart eased slightly. He looked at Shi'an, a glimmer of relief and emotion in his eyes, and said, "Xiaoya, is what you said true? Was the wild vegetable cake from a dream, too?" His tone was filled with concern and affection.
Su Shikuan nodded with a smile, saying with deep emotion, "Sister, you are truly amazing! Even your dreams are so fascinating..." Having been well-fed for the past few days, his body had begun to fill out, and he had grown a little taller. The contours of his face were becoming clearer, and he finally looked much better, no longer the skinny little monkey Shi'an had first laid eyes on.
Looking at Su Shirong, he didn't seem to have changed much, though his complexion had improved significantly, and his previously thin, dark face had become somewhat rounder.
Su Daya was already eleven years old. By rights, she should have been entering the beautiful stage of blooming into young womanhood. Unfortunately, due to long-term malnutrition, she still looked like a young girl. Fortunately, both Su Yu and Deng Xian were quite tall, so Su Daya hadn't fallen too far behind in terms of growth.
At the mention of tofu, Su Yu's eyes lit up. He couldn't wait to roll up his sleeves. Today he finally had some rare free time, and of course, he wanted to do this with his family. The novel food his little daughter mentioned—tofu—only made his interest even greater.
"Husband, you should rest. Let me handle this," Deng Xian said gently.
"No, let's do it together," Su Yu insisted, his eyes full of enthusiasm and expectation.
Deng Xian tried to protest, "But, a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen..."
"I don't care about that!" Su Yu interrupted her, his voice firm and warm.
Watching from the side, Shi'an couldn't help but say, "Mother, Father just wants to share the burden with you. This is his way of showing his love and care. Don't refuse him. Besides, the saying about a gentleman staying away from the kitchen isn't necessarily correct."
Su Yu looked at Shi'an with a smile, his eyes filled with approval. He gently patted Deng Xian's hand and said, "That's right, Xian'er, let's do this together. It will be a fun activity for our whole family."
*See? Even Xiaoya understands,* Su Yu thought to himself, agreeing with her words. Yet, the suspicion in his heart grew stronger. His little daughter had always been timid and cowardly; how could she possibly understand a saying like "a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen"? Ever since she fell ill, she had been like a different person. Not only had she learned to make food to earn money, but she could also articulate such profound truths.
She was only six years old. Even if she were naturally gifted, it was impossible for her to reach this level in such a short time. By comparison, his third son, whom he had always considered the smartest, seemed to pale in comparison.
Su Yu looked at Shi'an with astonishment and doubt. He could not understand why she had changed so drastically. He began to reflect on himself—had he paid too little attention to his youngest daughter in the past and failed to discover her potential? At that moment, his heart was filled with guilt and self-reproach, yet he also felt hopeful for her future. He hoped she would continue to be this smart and brave, and carve out a wonderful life of her own.
At the same time, his heart was filled with a lingering fear, as if a cold wind had swept through his soul. He was afraid that his little daughter was no longer the cute child he once knew, and feared that she might be hiding unknown secrets and motives in her heart. This fear clung to him, and he could not shake it off.
Deng Xian felt the same way, a wave of unease surging in her heart. She desperately longed to find an appropriate time to have a sincere conversation with Su Yu and share her thoughts and worries without reservation.
Shi'an keenly perceived the surprise in her parents' eyes, but she wasn't surprised herself. Su Yu and Deng Xian were both extremely intelligent people; it was impossible for them not to notice the subtle changes in their child.
Furthermore, she sincerely hoped to be open and honest with Su Yu and his wife, and even the rest of her family. That way, she wouldn't have to rack her brain to come up with convincing excuses every time she shared an idea or proposed a way to make money.
She followed closely behind Su Yu and Deng Xian, eyes fixed on the stone mill before her. She carefully fed the soaked soybeans into it and began to push the millstone, round and round, working to grind the beans into delicate soy milk. Su Daya, Su Shikuan, and Su Shirong followed closely behind her as well, their faces full of curiosity and anticipation.
"Sister, is it ready yet?" Su Daya asked anxiously, her voice filled with impatience as if she couldn't wait to taste that delicious soy milk.
"Sister, when can we eat?" Su Shikuan licked his lips, his eyes sparkling with desire.
"Sister, what does tofu look like?" Su Shirong tugged at the corner of her shirt, looking up at her with a face full of confusion.
A wave of emotion welled up in her heart. Looking at the expectant faces of her brother and sister, she smiled and replied, "Don't be impatient, it's still early, still early." Her voice was filled with tenderness and patience, as if to soothe their anxious hearts.