Chapter 46 Oyster Omelet Feast!

While Lin Yao was making salt and pepper shrimp, Wang Xiaoyu had already started cooking the sauerkraut fish.

At this moment, steam rises from the kitchen, the fish soup bubbles, and an enticing aroma of sour and spicy flavors wafts out.

In the end, only the oyster omelet was left.

Lin Yao took out a heavy iron plate from the corner and placed the cleaned oysters aside. After shelling the six pounds of oysters, only a small bowl of meat remained.

Wang Xiaoyu stared at the pile of tiny oysters on the plate and couldn't help but ask, "Master, these tiny oysters probably don't taste very good, do they?" These oysters were pitifully small; the oysters she had seen before were all much larger than these.

As Lin Yao carefully wiped the iron plate with a damp cloth, she explained, "I'm not using it to cook porridge today, I'm making oyster omelets. Don't let its small size fool you, it's the perfect size for frying, and I guarantee it will taste delicious."

Wang Xiaoyu looked blank; she had never heard of oyster omelets before.

Lin Yao placed the iron plate on the stove, poured in a little oil, and waited for the oil to heat up before spreading the prepared batter on the iron plate. The batter quickly spread out on the iron plate.

She laid the small oysters one by one on the batter.

Before long, the batter began to turn golden.

Lin Yao then slowly poured the beaten egg liquid on top. The egg liquid solidified quickly upon contact with the heat, tightly enveloping the oyster, perfectly blending the freshness of the seafood with the aroma of the egg.

Wang Xiaoyu couldn't help but take a deep breath, and her stomach growled at just the right moment, making Lin Yao chuckle: "Don't worry, it'll be ready soon."

Soon, six golden-brown, fragrant oyster omelets were ready. They were round and plump, with slightly upturned edges and an enticing brownish color.

With all the warm meals prepared, Wang Xiaoyu took the initiative to clean the kitchen and urged Lin Yao, "Master, go and change into a pretty dress!"

Lin Yao and Lin Cheng changed into new clothes bought in town. Lin Yao looked at Lin Cheng, who had grown a head taller, and Lin Song, who was chubby. The two brothers had rosy complexions and were no longer the skinny guys they used to be.

There are many rules for moving into a new house. Families who are particular about these things must first choose an auspicious day, clean the house three days in advance to drive away bad luck, then hold a housewarming ceremony, and finally have the head of the household burn incense and worship the gods to complete the rituals.

Coincidentally, the day after the house was repaired was an auspicious day according to the Chinese almanac.

The Lin siblings figured that since the house wasn't newly built, they could skip the cleaning and exorcising steps and go straight to the housewarming ceremony.

According to tradition, on the day of moving, the elders or the head of the household must lead the way into the new house, carrying a bag or bucket of rice, symbolizing that they will have no worries about food and drink in the future. Others must also carry important items from the house and follow them in.

Once everyone is inside, the head of the household will light an incense stick and fumigate the entire house, inside and out, saying it will drive away evil spirits and ensure peace.

Liu Dazhuang had prepared a bag of rice for Lin Cheng well in advance. When the auspicious time arrived, Lin Cheng picked up the bag full of rice and stepped over the threshold of the courtyard.

Lin Yao took Lin Song's hand and followed him into the house.

Lin Cheng walked to the center of the room and, according to custom, gently placed the rice bag on a simple wooden table.

Then, he took out the incense and candles he had prepared beforehand from his pocket and carefully lit them.

Lin Cheng held the burning incense and began to carefully fumigate every corner of the house, from the main room to the bedroom, from the kitchen to the woodshed, leaving no place untouched.

The scent of incense mingled with the earthy smell of freshly applied yellow mud, creating a symphony in the room.

Originally, there was a step called "Anxiang," which involved moving the ancestral tablets or shrines into the new house and conducting sacrificial rites to show respect for the ancestors and to pray for their blessings.

However, nowadays, there is no main hall in the house, so it is not appropriate to put the ancestral tablets in the kitchen or someone else's room. Therefore, this step is naturally skipped.

After the ceremony, it was time to begin the meal. Lin Yao brought the last dish to the table and invited everyone to take their seats, "Let's begin! Everyone, come and have a taste!"

Everyone sat down around the table, their eyes immediately drawn to the richly colored fish and mutton soup. In the milky white broth, tender fish and mutton nestled together, with bright green scallions and golden ginger slices floating on the surface. Just looking at it made their mouths water.

Lin Yao looked at Lin Cheng's incredibly straight back and chuckled to herself. If Lin Cheng had a tail, it would probably be wagging its tail to the sky right now.

Liu Dazhuang's eyes widened like saucers, filled with astonishment. "My God! This is mutton! We rarely even see it, and to be able to eat it today is truly thanks to A Yao!"

He couldn't wait to pick up a mouthful with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. "How delicious it is! I, Liu Dazhuang, have lived for so many years, and this is the first time I've tasted such a rare thing! Just this one bite has probably fulfilled a lifelong dream!"

Liang carefully picked up a small piece of mutton, put it in her mouth and savored it, exclaiming, "Ayao, this mutton is incredibly precious! It's so tender, it melts in your mouth, and paired with this fish, it's so delicious it'll make your eyebrows fall off!"

Lin Yougong picked up a piece of mutton and put it in his mouth. He chewed it carefully and nodded repeatedly. "After this bite, I know what true culinary delight is. I've only had mutton once before, when I went to the Zeng family's house in town for a banquet with my grandfather. Mutton is expensive, and ordinary people can't afford it. Ayao and Cheng'er have really gone all out today!"

For ordinary farmers, 180 coins a pound of mutton is something they might never be able to afford in their entire lives.

Farmers have to pay land tax twice a year, in summer and autumn, which accounts for about 10 percent of the harvest. They also have to pay household tax based on the number of people in their family.

In a good year, one mu of land can produce two shi of grain, and one shi of grain can be exchanged for about one guan of cash. Most households in the village only have four or five mu of land, and their annual harvest is between eight and ten shi of grain.

At first glance, it may seem like a lot, but in ancient times, people valued a large family. Four or five acres of land were needed to feed a large family. After deducting taxes and keeping enough for their own food, each family would be well-off if they had an annual income of one string of cash. Naturally, no one would spend so much money to buy mutton.

Lin Yao quickly replied, "These past few days, my siblings and I have been very grateful for the help and care from everyone here. This meal is not only to warm our home, but also to express our gratitude to everyone! Please don't stand on ceremony!"

Holding Lin Yao's hand, Madam Liang said with deep emotion, "Ayao, you children have finally made it through. Your home is warm and cozy now, and I'm so happy to see it. From now on, we're neighbors, so if you ever have any difficulties, just let us know, and we'll definitely help if we can!"

Lin Cheng also stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to everyone, and said, "Thank you all for taking care of me, uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters. Please eat to your heart's content today!"

Liu Dazhuang had long been captivated by the golden-yellow, fragrant salt and pepper shrimp on the side. As soon as Lin Cheng finished speaking, he couldn't wait to reach out with his chopsticks, pick up a large shrimp, and bite into it without even caring that it was too hot.

With a "crack" sound.

The crispy shrimp shells combined with the tender shrimp meat burst in his mouth, and Liu Dazhuang couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, how can shrimp be made so delicious! The outside is fragrant and crispy, and the meat inside is so tender!" As he spoke, he hurriedly picked up a second shrimp and put it in Liang's bowl, "Wife, try it!"

Lin Yougong was also intrigued by Liu Dazhuang's eating habits. He picked up a salt and pepper shrimp, peeled off the shell, put the shrimp meat in his mouth, and exclaimed in admiration, "This way of cooking is really novel! The taste is very special!"

Liu Dazhuang nodded repeatedly from the side. Seeing Lin Yougong throw away the shrimp shells, he quickly said, "These shrimp shells are delicious, very flavorful!"

Upon hearing Liu Dazhuang's words, Liang slapped him on the back, saying, "Do you think Gong-ge'er is like you, who has never eaten anything good?"

Lin Yougong picked up another salt and pepper shrimp, chewed it up shell and all, and exclaimed, "It's really delicious! Big Zhuang knows how to eat!"

Everyone laughed when he said that.

Liu Dazhuang scratched his back and chuckled. Liang ignored them; she had already set her sights on a plate of oyster omelets. She picked one up, put it in her mouth, and the crispy texture and fresh oyster flavor collided between her lips and teeth. "Oh my, these little oysters are so fresh!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Dazhuang, disregarding the salt and pepper still on his hands, hurriedly went over to the oyster omelet, picked up a piece, and stuffed it into his mouth. "Oh my, this little thing is so fragrant and delicious! The little oysters inside seem to be alive and jumping around in my mouth! If you open a restaurant in town with this skill, you'll make everyone drool!"

Everyone in the Lin family chatted excitedly, praising the dishes endlessly, and the plates were quickly emptied. Liu Dazhuang patted his round belly and let out a satisfied burp: "This meal was wonderful! I've eaten all the good food I'll ever have in my life!"

As evening approached, although everyone was still reluctant to leave, they all said their goodbyes.

Lin Yao stood at the door watching them leave, rubbed her stiff smile, and turned to tidy up the congratulatory gifts with her family.

The villagers mostly brought vegetables and eggs that they grew themselves; the gifts were small but the sentiments were deep.

Only the gifts from a few families close to her were slightly different. Liu Dazhuang's family gave several curtains, embroidered with exquisite patterns. Although they were common flower and bird designs, they were embroidered so lifelike.

The curtain was exactly what Lin Yao wanted. Hanging it by the bed, it felt just like the bed curtains she used to have in college, giving her a great sense of security. Even though she was the only one living in the house now, she always felt more at ease with the curtains around her.

Grandpa Wang and his grandson sent a batch of cotton cloth, presumably to make clothes for them as the weather got colder.

Most families in the village buy cloth and have the women in the family cut and make clothes, but Lin Yao has never learned needlework and has no intention of learning it. She thinks she can just pay someone to do it for her.

After tidying up their belongings, the three siblings returned to their respective new houses to rest.

The moonlight was like water, and the second branch of the Lin family was peaceful, but the atmosphere in the first branch of the Lin family was heavy. "You said those jinxes in the second branch cooked mutton for the housewarming party today?" Lin Changshou looked at his eldest son, his gaze sinister, which made Lin Youfu shiver.

Lin Youfu nodded hurriedly, "Dad, it's absolutely true! I passed by today and saw with my own eyes that the table was full of delicious dishes. Besides mutton, there were also many novel dishes that we've never seen before. I heard that Lin Yao learned these new dishes from somewhere."

Lin Changshou pondered for a moment, a sinister glint in his eyes. "Hmph, let them be arrogant for a few more days. They'll have plenty of time to beg us in the future."