Chapter 90 Rice Porridge, No Vegetables at Home

"Oh, right, I forgot to mention—"

Ning Jia suddenly said again:

"I didn't have time to go grocery shopping today, and we didn't have much food at home, so I just made some congee and side dishes for dinner."

Plain congee and side dishes?

After listening, Dongkui recalled the dishes in the kitchen, blinked, and guessed:

Is it vegetable porridge?

Ning Jia was once so busy that she didn't have time to buy groceries, so she made a pot of vegetable porridge.

It's said that they used all the leftover ingredients at home to make a big, mixed stew, which turned out to be quite delicious.

When the young children, including Daoya and Shiying, heard that dinner was "vegetable porridge"—not a single word of which contained any meat—they all showed expressions of disappointment.

Looks like I won't be able to eat meat today.

But, remembering the vegetable porridge they had last time, they quickly cheered up again:

This porridge, made entirely of vegetables, is also very delicious!

Colorful vegetables and rice are mixed together, cooked until soft, sticky, and fragrant. You can taste so many vegetables in one sip!

Thinking of what Juye had said before, "Eating more vegetables is good for your health," Daoya cheered even more enthusiastically:

"I love vegetable porridge! Vegetable porridge is so delicious!"

Ning Jia chuckled and shook her head, saying:

"It's not the vegetable porridge like last time. Tonight it's just plain rice porridge with nothing in it."

Is that so?

The once excited Inagi lowered her two little hands, which she had been holding high, somewhat embarrassed.

So all we had was rice porridge...

Bai Su's eyes darted around, and looking at Ning Jia's smiling face, she had a feeling that, given Ning Jia's usual behavior, things weren't that simple. But she still tried to smooth things over by saying:

"Rice porridge is good too. You ate so much this afternoon, so you should eat something light tonight, otherwise you'll have trouble pooping tomorrow."

When Bai Su said that, everyone nodded in agreement:

That's right! After eating so much delicious ice cream and popsicles this afternoon, having some porridge in the evening and letting your tummy rest is the healthiest way to live!

Canglan cleared her throat and took the opportunity to remind her clansmen:

“Ning Jia cooks for us every day, which is already very hard work. No matter what she does, we should all be grateful and cherish the food she makes. We should not criticize or be picky.”

The little people all nodded in deep agreement:

"Yes!" "The clan leader is right!" "Ning Jia, you've worked hard!" "Thank you, Ning Jia!" I want to drink rice porridge! "Ning Jia is the best!"

Among them, Dongkui, with her little head tilted back, shouted the loudest:

"Ning Jia, you've worked so hard!!!"

Since deciding to become the first professional chef in the history of the Little People, Dongkui has been sneaking into the kitchen whenever she has free time to work as a part-time "little kitchen helper" for Ning Jia.

Although he can't participate in cooking yet, and can only do some trivial things like preparing and washing vegetables, Dongkui is small and has many large ingredients to deal with, which always exhausts him.

If preparing ingredients is this tiring, you can only imagine how tiring it must be for Ning Jia, who is always cooking!

However, the food Ning Jia makes is so delicious and so interesting, it's really amazing!

Dongkui looked at Ning Jia with deep respect in her eyes.

Although the other characters didn't have the same deep experience as Dongkui, they all knew how arduous the job was when they saw Ning Jia spending so much time cooking every day.

Especially those who usually have the biggest appetites, such as Shi Ying, Dao Ya, and He Meng, all shouted with great sincerity:

"Thank you, Ning Jia~~" "Ning Jia, you've worked hard~"

At this moment, the little figures standing on the table, the dollhouse, the wardrobe, and the floor all looked up at the chef standing at the door with grateful eyes.

They looked so well-behaved and cute, their big, watery eyes staring straight at Ning Jia. Ning Jia felt a sudden surge of sweetness in her heart, as if she had received countless little hearts.

She was overjoyed, feeling like popcorn was popping in her heart. She wished she could hug each of the little ones and rub their little heads vigorously.

Ning Jia suppressed the urge to smile:

"It's good to know that the cook works hard. Come and eat, everyone."

"Yes!" the little ones obediently replied.

Ning Jia turned to leave in a cheerful mood, but then suddenly turned back, "Oh, right, remember..."

"Wipe your hands!"

The little people shouted in unison.

Ning Jia left satisfied, while Bai Su reacted very quickly, ran over, lifted the lid of the wet wipe box on the table, pulled out a wet wipe, then, realizing something was wrong, pulled out another one.

Holding two wet wipes, Bai Su couldn't help but sigh with worry:

With more people in the family now, we even need to use two wet wipes.

This is unacceptable!

Tree God above, they really need to hurry up and make money!

...

After the children lined up and wiped their little hands clean on large wet wipes, they lined up again, wiped their little feet, and then climbed down the table along the pothos leaves and ran impatiently into the living room.

Although Ningjia said that dinner would only be rice porridge, even if it was just rice porridge, there were so many other things to eat in the clan. If we arrived late, we would only be able to eat a bowl of porridge!

If you run fast, you can eat an extra bowl.

With this thought in mind, the little people moved even faster.

This time, He Meng took the lead again, rushing ahead like a small cannonball.

Closely following behind her were agile young figures such as Quartz, Rice Sprout, Snow Grass, White Perilla, Licorice, Orange Leaf, and Winter Mallow...

Wearing a long, bamboo-patterned skirt, Yunzhu ran forward with her short legs, panting heavily, "Huff~ huff~"

Seeing He Meng dart up onto the coffee table, Yun Zhu was filled with regret.

Damn it, no wonder my tribesmen weren't interested in my cotton skirt after all my efforts to promote it!

A cotton skirt that covers the calves may look nice, but it's just not practical at all!

Yunzhu, who hadn't run like this in a long time, felt as if the skirt on her body was binding her legs. No matter how hard she ran, she couldn't run fast and couldn't outrun those people wearing grass skirts at all...

He turned his head and saw that Bai Zhi, Mu Xi, and the others... had changed back into grass skirts without his knowledge?

Seeing that the group of people in grass skirts were running faster and faster, and had all overtaken her, Yunzhu looked utterly hopeless.

Hmph, he'll have to change into a grass skirt after dinner too!

"Charge!"

Just as everyone was sprinting towards the "dining table," He Meng, Shi Ying, and the others who arrived first were stunned when they saw the coffee table piled high with dishes:

Didn't they say dinner would only be rice porridge?

And what are these things in front of us?

...

On the coffee table, there were about twenty small bowls neatly arranged.

Although each bowl was not much bigger than the Lilliputian's plate, the sight of them lined up on the coffee table was still quite spectacular!

"These are all meant to be eaten with porridge."

As they were talking, Ning Jia came over carrying a large clay pot.

She carefully placed the casserole on the heat-resistant mat on the coffee table, lifted the lid, and a rich aroma of rice immediately filled the air.

While Ning Jia was ladling porridge into the small dishes one by one, the little ones on the coffee table curiously peeked out to observe the contents of the bowls:

In front of He Meng was a small bowl containing finely shredded cucumber salad.

This is a dish that the Lilliputians are used to eating; it's crisp and refreshing, and goes very well with rice porridge.

Quartz licked his lips and looked at the small bowl to his right:

Is this some kind of cold carrot salad?

The carrots, evenly drizzled with sesame oil, gleamed with an enticing sheen, making them look even more vibrant. They would definitely taste delicious with rice porridge!

The other little people were also looking at the side dishes in the small bowl:

Besides shredded cucumber and carrot, there was also fragrant stir-fried shredded potato and plump stir-fried edamame.

Wow--

Ning Jia said there weren't many dishes, but this is clearly a very plentiful feast!

The little children, full of anticipation, continued to look at each bowl one by one.

The side dishes in the four bowls in the very center do look delicious, but the rest seem rather perfunctory.

There were small pieces of lettuce in one small bowl, some chopped cilantro in another small bowl, and some chopped scallions in yet another small bowl.

Over there, one bowl contained corn kernels, another contained mashed sweet potatoes, and yet another contained chopped hard-boiled eggs…

Goodness, these are clearly leftovers from breakfast.

As for the other small bowls, they each contained some black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and even a few small bowls contained some vinegar and sesame oil... purely to make up the numbers.

When you see the last few small bowls, one with red bean paste, one with grape pulp, one with fresh milk, one with yogurt, and one with honey—

The little people were silent for a moment, then suddenly realized and were utterly impressed by Ning Jia!

That's right!

They only remember that plain porridge can be eaten with vegetables, but it's actually delicious when it's made into sweet porridge too!

Bai Su, standing to the side, also admired Ning Jia greatly:

She arranged four formal dishes into a huge spread, creating such a commotion. Is this what they call "product packaging"?

Bai Su suddenly had a thought and fell into deep thought.

...

"Feel free to add any side dishes you like, they're all great with porridge."

Seeing that Bai Zhi and the others hadn't made a move, Ning Jia said very considerately.

Then, he took his bowl of porridge to the kitchen, cracked open a sizzling salted duck egg, scooped out the glistening yolk, piled it on top of the thick rice porridge, and began to eat with relish.

I think I've gained a lot of weight recently, so I should eat less for dinner...

The little people, who have also gained a lot of weight, are eating voraciously at the coffee table.

The side dishes in the quartz dish were piled up like a small mountain, almost squeezing out the white porridge that was supposed to be the main dish.

He sat next to the small plate, quickly waving his little spoon, eating one bite after another with great enjoyment.

He Meng simply abandoned the spoon and lay down next to the small plate, starting to inhale rapidly.

Dongkui stared at the strangely colored porridge in her bowl, muttering to herself, "Should I add some sesame oil?" "There doesn't seem to be enough scallions," "Would it taste better if I added some milk?"

Completely immersed in his own art, unable to extricate himself.

On Bai Su's side, it was a collective effort again.

Bai Su, Dao Ya, and Xue Cao were in charge of making savory vegetable porridge, while Ju Ye and Bai Zhi were in charge of making sweet porridge.

Soon, five small dishes containing different flavors of porridge were arranged together like little flowers.

Bai Su and the others exchanged smiles, then excitedly began eating with their small spoons in hand.

Over there, Yunzhu, Muxi, and the other newcomers were all slurping their porridge with their heads down, looking completely absorbed.

I don't know why, even though the dishes were all very simple in appearance (compared to Zhou Chi's family's), and there weren't any expensive ingredients, I just picked a few things and mixed them into the porridge, and it tasted especially sweet and delicious!

Is there some kind of special magic involved?

...

After the meal, the children, their stomachs full and round, either washed the dishes or sat in a daze, and the living room suddenly became quiet.

"There seem to be a lot more bowls today."

Shi Ying and the others were diligently washing dishes in the kitchen, while in the living room, Cang Lan had already explained the general content of their daily work to Bai Zhi and the others.

Bai Zhi and Yun Zhu, being new to their jobs, still had the excitement typical of newcomers and couldn't wait to say:

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started."

Canglan waved her hand and smiled:

"Don't rush. Let everyone take turns telling us what they are good at so we can assign tasks."

Zhelan, Bai Su, and several group leaders all gathered around with beaming smiles, looking at Bai Zhi and the others with great enthusiasm:

Hehe, I've been waiting for so long, I can finally add new people!

Soon, Bai Zhi, who was literate and skillful, was assigned to the embroidery group, while the other little figures with better handicrafts were assigned to the sewing group.

This group currently has the heaviest workload and the highest requirements; almost half of the little people are working here.

With the tasks assigned and everyone having finished digesting their food, they quickly got to work.

Even the older little ones like Xingxing and Guoguo were sitting together, making the herbal filling for the sachets.

Yunzhu, the oldest among them, sat among the children with a sullen expression, squinting as she slowly worked with the herbs in her hands, not even as fast as Guoguo and the others.

It's his own fault for not being good at handicrafts; sewing a sachet is practically the same as wasting fabric.

The youngest children, Tuantuan and Mengmeng, didn't go to play by themselves; they all gathered around Ning Jia, clamoring to participate in the work.

But Ning Jia, recalling the "tragedy caused by a sachet" from before, resolutely refused.

Besides, the child is still so young, so let him enjoy his happy childhood.

But the little ones disagreed. Even Lolo, who didn't understand anything, looked at the adults with envy, revealing her desire to work.

"Sister Ningjia~~"

Tuan Tuan and Meng Meng opened their big, round eyes, their long eyelashes fluttering, and tried their best to be cute towards Ning Jia.

Ning Jia stared at them for a moment, meeting their gazes, but ultimately gave in:

Okay, you guys win!

Seeing how longingly the children looked on, Ning Jia couldn't bear it and thought for a moment:

"If you really want to work, you can definitely find something to do, but you're too young, so you can only do simple things..."

Got it!

Ning Jia strode in, picked up the large cardboard box piled on the bed board, and said to Tuantuan and the others:

"I also have a job here where you pack sachets into boxes. Would you like to do it?"

"Yes!!" "Yes, yes, yes!"

The children cheered, their little faces flushed with excitement.

"Okay, let's get started."

So Ning Jia took the packaging boxes out of the cardboard box and laid them out one by one on the floor covered with plastic sheeting. Then Tuan Tuan and the others put the finished sachets and matching cards into the boxes.

"One box, one sachet, one card, remember them all?"

As Ning Jia gave instructions, she thought to herself, "This is just a purely physical job. It doesn't require any level of education or hands-on skills. I shouldn't make any mistakes, right?"

The little ones who got new jobs were overjoyed and packed the boxes with great enthusiasm.

Now, Ning Jia is the one who has no life left, but she still has a lot to do.

First, we need to resolve Chief Canglan's new request, which is:

How can we make full use of the two hanging areas of the wardrobe to create more rooms and solve the housing problem for the little people?

...

Ning Jia stood in front of the wardrobe for a while, then took a measuring tape and measured inside the wardrobe before having an idea.

She greeted Canglan and the others, then rode her bike out the door and headed straight for the nearby two-dollar store.

"Boss, do you have that kind of..."

As soon as Ning Jia entered the room, she gestured with her hands, "You know, the kind that you put in the closet to store clothes...?"

Although she described it vaguely, it actually came true!

Ning Jia happily carried the newly bought wardrobe storage baskets home.

Upon entering, I saw both new and old employees sitting in the work area of ​​the living room, doing their work with serious expressions. Even a few little ones were enthusiastically making sachets, which made me smile.

Ning Jia, carrying the newly purchased "building materials," was about to go to the second bedroom to "rebuild the house" when Yun Zhu suddenly quietly ran over:

"Ning Jia, I have an idea, but I don't know if I should say it."

On the other side, Bai Su, who was about to run over, silently stopped.

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Author's Note: Happy Monday, my darlings! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]

I've gotten this far without even realizing it. I'm so happy to have you all here with me. [heart emoji]