When Ruan Xiaotang returned home carrying the net bag, her mother Liu Guifang had already skillfully washed all the plates and bowls in the house.

When entertaining guests, the place must be clean and tidy, not so dirty that people will be disgusted.

"Mom, I'll cook tonight, you go and invite them."

"OK."

Liu Guifang took off the apron around her waist, patted the dirt off her trouser legs, and went out.

"Sister, my brother-in-law is asleep. Let me light the fire."

Ruan Xiaohai sat hunched over on a bench next to the stove.

Then he asked, "What delicious food are you going to make tonight?"

"Braised pork with pheasant eggs. Oh, and did you cook the ten pheasant eggs I asked you to cook before I left?"

Ruan Xiaohai said affirmatively, "I cooked it earlier and peeled it according to your request."

He stood up, went into the house, brought out a small yellow enamel basin, and placed it on the edge of the stove.

Ruan Xiaotang scooped half a basin of water with a large ladle and was crouching over to wash the pork belly. Without turning around, she asked, "Did you eat it secretly?"

Ruan Xiaohai was anxious, "Sister, am I that greedy! If there is food at home, we should eat it immediately. How can I be so ignorant?"

Ruan Xiaotang stopped what she was doing and turned around to look at him. Although her son Xiaohai was greedy on weekdays, he could still handle things when it came to the critical moment.

"It's my fault. I wrongly accused my sensible Xiaohai. Go and light the fire. I'll make braised pork."

"That's more like it."

Ruan Xiaohai picked up a few branches on the ground, broke them off with his knees, and put them into the stove. He grabbed a few corn husks and stuffed them under the branches. He picked up the matchbox next to the stove, took out a match, and struck it. The match was ignited with a "sizzle". With his other hand, he gathered the flames and lit the corn husks under the branches.

Ruan Xiaotang picked up the kitchen knife and cut the fatty and lean pork belly into even pieces.

Cut the onion, ginger and dried chili into sections and set aside.

When the pan is hot, throw all the pork belly in.

After the hot pan "crackles" the moisture in the meat out, the fat begins to "sizzle" gradually out.

Pick up the spatula and quickly flip the meat in the pot.

Fry the pork belly until both sides are golden brown and all the fat is gathered at the bottom of the pan.

Change to a spoon and scoop out some of the fat at the bottom of the pot into the lard jar next to it.

Throw in a handful of rock sugar and stir quickly with a spoon.

The high oil temperature instantly melts the rock sugar and turns it into transparent sugar water.

The temperature of the pot bottom gradually increases.

The sugar oil gradually changes color, and the large bubbles turn into dense amber-colored, fine foam.

Shovel all the golden pork belly on both sides to the bottom of the pan and stir-fry quickly.

The pork belly is covered in an alluring syrup.

The sweetness of caramel is wrapped in the aroma of meat.

Ruan Xiaohai in front of him was so greedy that he kept smacking his lips.

Add dark soy sauce, onion, ginger, chili, star anise and cinnamon in turn.

Pour in half a bowl of white wine and stir evenly.

Finally add the source of life, and finally add salt according to the amount of meat.

Before covering the pot, beat the ten boiled pheasant eggs into small pieces and pour them in.

"Sister, where did you get the pheasant eggs? Did you leave any eggs in the nest?"

"Leave it. In a few days, I can pick up a dozen more eggs to eat."

"I've eaten wild pheasant eggs before, but I don't know if they taste any different from eggs."

Ruan Xiaohai was burning a fire while smelling the food, imagining the taste of pheasant eggs sliding in his mouth.

“Wild and chewy.”

Ruan Xiaotang quickened her pace, washed some vegetables, cut them, and arranged them on a plate for later use.

"Third Grandpa, come in quickly and the food will be ready soon."

Ruan Xiaotang lifted the door curtain and welcomed Third Grandpa into the house with a smile.

"Okay, okay, Xiaotang's braised pork is really special, I've been craving for it for a long time."

"Okay, you can eat as much as you want."

Zhou Xingze quickly got up when he heard the noise in the yard.

How come he fell asleep as soon as he lay down?

Not wanting to leave a bad impression, I put on my shoes and left the house.

"Xiao Zhou, these two are the couple next door who are celebrating their birthday. According to seniority, you should call them brother and sister-in-law."

Liu Guifang warmly introduced the two people in front of her to Zhou Xingze.

"Brother, sister-in-law, hello, I am Xiaotang's boyfriend, Zhou Xingze."

The birthday wife looked at the handsome young man in front of her and nodded with satisfaction, "Hello, you must be nicer to our Xiaotang in the future."

Qingsheng felt that it was beneath his wife's dignity to say this in front of Liu Guifang, and that it was a bit nosy, so he pulled up his wife's sleeve and said, "Let's go inside and try Xiaotang's cooking."

"Come in and eat."

……………………

Ruan Xiaotang was busy cooking in the kitchen.

Zhou Xingze was busy greeting a group of elders in the house.

Serve tea, pass cigarettes, light cigarettes, and chat.

The emotional value is full.

He is very discerning and doesn't have any of the city-dweller airs of superiority.

On the contrary, approachable.

When we started chatting, we talked freely and were not restrained at all.

After getting familiar with it.

Everyone present praised Liu Guifang, the future son-in-law.

Liu Guifang was so happy that she almost couldn't stop smiling due to being flattered by everyone.

"It's time to eat. Set the table."

Hear Xiaotang's scream.

Zhou Xingze swiftly lifted the table that was sticking out from the ground and placed it in the middle of the kang.

Then he went to the kitchen to serve the dishes.

Liu Guifang greeted the three of them warmly and quickly got on the kang.

Third uncle is the elder and should sit in the main seat.

The couple were arranged to sit on one side, with Qingsheng sitting next to the third grandfather.

Liu Guifang put out the bowls and chopsticks.

After a while.

The cold dishes were served on the table first, a plate of crispy fried peanuts, a plate of tiger vegetables, a plate of cold tomatoes and a plate of sliced ​​cucumbers.

Soon after, the hot dishes were brought to the table one after another.

A plate of crispy and delicious stir-fried bean sprouts, a plate of celery stir-fried bean slices, and a plate of spicy and sour potato shreds.

The final highlight became the focus of the scene as soon as it was served on the table.

Braised pork and pheasant eggs.

The meat skin is bright red and transparent, the pheasant eggs are covered with rich gravy, and cooked together with the braised pork into a bright amber color.

It is very tempting with its color, aroma and taste.

The third grandfather had never seen such a novel way of eating, and couldn't help but say, "It's the first time I've seen it, eggs and meat in the same pot, it's bad, young people are so creative."

Liu Guifang said with a smile, "Uncle San, you should eat more later."

"well."

Zhou Xingze personally filled the wine cups for the two elders and drank with them.

After Ruan Xiaotang finished her work in the kitchen, she placed a white towel on her hands and brought in a large enamel basin of white rice.

Being able to eat a meal of white rice during the holidays is definitely a luxury in the countryside in that era.

Even if they were waiting, most families would at most make rice and millet, or a mixture of rice and corn dregs.

And rice can only play a supporting role.

The full bowl of rice really surprised the elders present.

Because they haven't eaten fragrant, soft rice for a long time.

Third Grandpa looked at Xiaotang deeply.

This girl is a kind person and must be a blessed person.