Reborn in the 60s, I hunt to support my family and even seduce the village beauty.

Xiao Qing ran the fastest, dashing into the kitchen, grabbing a cleaver, and presenting it to Chang Kun with both hands as if it were a precious treasure.

"Hurry up, big brother, we're all starving."

Chang Kun took the kitchen knife, weighed it in his hand, glanced at the canned herring, and then at the little girls gathered in a circle.

"No taking it back. If you don't finish it, you'll be punished, understand?"

The four maids urged them on in unison.

"Big brother, you're too long-winded!"

"Even more nagging than her mother!"

"A promise broken is a dog's mistake!!"

Chang Kun chuckled inwardly. "Alright, I've reminded you again and again. Who told you to be so greedy? You'll be crying later."

The knife tip probed into the gap in the can lid, and with a gentle pry, the sealing ring loosened with a pop.

The smell came out almost simultaneously, like a flood that had been released, and it was unstoppable.

The first to react was Xiao Shui.

She stood at the very front, closest to the cans, and the smell hit her nose first.

Her eyes widened suddenly, her mouth opened, she wanted to say something but couldn't, and she took three steps back, her back hitting Cheng Min's leg, almost falling to the ground with a thud.

Next up is Xiao Mu.

She sniffed and wrinkled her nose, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, its fur standing on end.

The expression on his face changed from anticipation to confusion, as if he doubted that there was something wrong with his nose.

He fanned the air in front of him with his hand, then sniffed it. This time, his face scrunched up, his features contorted, and his voice changed: "What is this smell?!"

Xiaoqing's expression said it all. Her brows furrowed more and more, forming a deep frown, and her lips turned down. Her whole face seemed to say, "I think I've been tricked."

The can had been opened, and the herring inside was soaking in murky broth. The silvery-white fish skin glistened with oil, and it didn't look bad.

But the smell was indescribable; she had never smelled anything like it before.

It smells bad? Not just plain bad.

Fishy? It's not just fishy.

It's a mixed smell that makes you instinctively want to stay away, like something that's been pickled in a jar for years, and the moment you open it, time seems to stand still.

Xiuer's reaction was the most direct.

She pinched her nose, covered it tightly with both hands, stared wide-eyed, and let out a muffled cry through her fingers.

"What is this?! It stinks!"

The voice was sharp and shrill, carrying a sense of anger at being deceived.

Yang Lijun stood to the side, dumbfounded.

He looked at the can of food, then at the reactions of the little girls, and his expression changed from anticipation to existential doubt.

He waved his hand to fan the air in front of him, and the smell filled his nostrils. He frowned and muttered, "This...this isn't right, is it? Why does imported stuff smell like this?"

Cheng Min covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with laughter, and tears were almost streaming down her face.

She knew Chang Kun was up to no good long ago. From the three rules he made, "everyone must finish the food in two bites," she knew there was going to be a good show.

Seeing the expressions on the four little girls' faces, Chang Kun couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He pointed at the canned herring, laughing so hard he could barely speak: "Hurry up and eat! Who said one can wasn't enough for themselves?"

The four girls looked at each other, none of them moving.

The smell still lingered in the air, coming in waves like a tide, impossible to stop.

Xiao Qing wrinkled her nose, brought the can closer to smell it, then quickly pulled back, covered her mouth, and gagged.

Xiao Mu also leaned over to try it, but before her nose even touched the edge of the can, the smell had already driven her away.

She shook her head violently, her voice weak: "I don't want to eat this! I'd rather practice arithmetic!"

Seeing that her two older sisters had given in, Xiao Shui shook her head as well.

Looking at the three of them, Chang Kun smiled and said, "Alright! Go practice then. One exercise each, and you'll be punished if you make a mistake!"

The three girls were reluctant, but compared to eating that stuff, the math problems seemed like a savior from heaven.

Xiuer remained standing there, her lips pursed, her eyes fixed on the can of food, then she glanced at Chang Kun.

She was most afraid of writing characters. Writing the names of the whole family—Xiaoqing, Xiaomu, Xiaoshui, Xiuer, eldest brother, Xiaomin sister, father, mother, eldest sister, brother-in-law, aunt, uncle—it was so long that her hand was about to fall off!

She gritted her teeth, pinched her nose with one hand, and picked up the small spoon next to the can with her other hand, scooping out a tiny bit the size of a soybean from the can.

He closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and stuffed that tiny bit of herring into his mouth.

She closed her mouth, chewed once, twice... before she finished chewing the third time, her face turned pale.

She suddenly bent over, spat what was in her mouth onto the ground, then ran to the edge of the fishpond, leaned over the edge, and dry heaved several times, but nothing came out; instead, tears streamed down her face.

Chang Kun shouted from behind, laughing, "Don't poison my fish!"

Xiuer's face was streaked with tears, her nose and eyes were wrinkled, and her voice was filled with indescribable grievance: "This thing! It's really not fit for human consumption!"

The sound echoed in the courtyard, and even the little squirrel in the tree peeked out to look at her, tilting its head, probably wondering what was wrong with the little girl who usually fed it peanuts today.

Xiaoqing, Xiaomu, and Xiaoshui stood to the side, thankful that they hadn't eaten.

Xiuer stood up from the fishpond, wiped her tears with her sleeve, walked up to Chang Kun, and pouted, "Big brother, I won't eat either. I'll practice calligraphy."

Seeing her resigned look, Chang Kun's lips curved into a smile: "Then go write it down, the names of the whole family, don't forget."

Xiuer shuffled her toes on the ground, then suddenly looked up, her eyes lighting up: "I remember now, I said earlier that a person who doesn't keep their word is a little dog. So, little dogs don't need to write characters, right?"

Before Chang Kun could react, she opened her little mouth and barked three times at him.

After barking, it turned and ran, its braid swinging behind it. After a couple of steps, it turned back and shouted, "The puppy can't write characters!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

When it comes to being shameless, no one can beat Xiuer.

Xiaoqing sighed beside her, "I should have barked like a dog too."

The three girls looked at each other, and finally obediently went to get their homework.

Cheng Min laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight, holding onto the edge of the table, tears streaming down her face.

Yang Lijun stood by the stone table, looking down at the opened can of herring, frowning, and muttering to himself, "Is this stuff really that bad? Foreigners eat this? They're so pitiful..."

"Brother-in-law, maybe that's just their taste?"

"Hey! This smells even stronger than a public toilet outside. Anyone actually likes this? I don't believe it..."

After the lid was put back on the can, the smell that had been permeating the yard slowly dissipated.