A Hundred Flavors Between Rivers

"We've packed everything. We're heading south."

Just after the start of spring, Zhou Qingling left Shantang Village, where she'd lived for over a decade, with her younger sister Zhou Shuangya and their mother, Zhou Ximei.

They would travel south by boat all the way to Taihu, Zhou Ximei's hometown.

The trip from the remote Shantang Village to Taihu crossed two prefectures and wound along for four or five months. The three women set off with a boat and a dog.

Before they left, Zhou Shuangya was the most worried. They'd be living and eating on the boat for four or five months. What would they do if a storm capsized it and they ran out of food and money?

"Then we'll live off the river," Zhou Qingling said confidently. "I'll make sure you don't go hungry."

There were fish, shrimp, crabs, softshell turtles, clams, water caltrops, water celery, and water bamboo. They'd never go hungry, wherever they went.

Besides, their mother Zhou Ximei knew how to read the winds and track fishing seasons, and could do everything from casting nets to catching fish and shrimp.

Zhou Shuangya's worries proved unfounded. All along the way, she followed Zhou Qingling around, selling fish rolls, fresh shrimp and pork buns, and more.

When the fishing season came, they cooked for the night fishermen. Once they had their catch, they'd head to another town to sell the fish.

They also had to reach Taihu by autumn and find a safe, comfortable place to settle, just in time for the winter fishing season there.

Zhou Ximei said that after returning, she still wanted to be a proper fisherwoman. Zhou Qingling, on the other hand, wanted to travel by boat and cook for people wherever she went.

[Guide to This Story]

Important note: The male lead appears very late, after the story's later settlement at Taihu. He also comes into the marriage with his own property and joins the wife's family. This is established in the story. If this setup makes you uncomfortable, please mark the book as not interested.

Other notes:

1. This story is set in a partially fictional world. Some real rivers, lakes, and place names are mentioned.

2. The pace follows the boat's journey, so it won't be fast. This is an everyday food story.

3. The mother and daughters will stay together and work toward building a prosperous life.

4. More notes may be added. The blurb and title may also change before publication.

Theme: Every year brings a new fishing season, and shrimp and crabs are always around. Miss this year's catch, and there's always next year.