Yan Zheng made sure to process the beef tendons and hides very carefully.

Keep the whole cow tendon and cut it into suitable thicknesses to make rope, which is the best material for making bowstrings.

After the cowhide is peeled off, all the grease and flesh are scraped off, and then it is soaked in lime water. After tanning, it can be used to make shoes or for other purposes.

It was the first time the two of them had done this job. Holding torches, it took them a long time to finally process a cow. They cut dozens of pieces of beef, big and small, from the tenderloin, ribs, and fore and hind legs, and neatly arranged each part in a basin.

Fortunately, it was a calf; otherwise, at their pace, it would probably have taken them until dawn.

Jiang Xi kept a few pieces of beef shank for herself, planning to braise them during dinner, adding plenty of salt and spices, and soaking them overnight. This would provide enough meat for the three of them for several days.

She also specifically instructed that the butter be saved for rendering oil.

All the other beef, big and small, will be marinated with salt, star anise powder, and Sichuan peppercorn powder, then packed tightly in a basin. Tomorrow, I'll find some pine branches to smoke all the meat, since there's not much left over from last year's smoked meat.

After a busy night, the two of them were covered in blood and mud, and the smell was really unpleasant.

Yan Zheng lit the stove in the pottery kiln overnight and boiled two pots of water. After the two of them finished their work, they washed the house with hot water, changed into clean clothes, and then returned to the main house.

The clouds were thin tonight, the moon hung high, and the village roads were exceptionally clear under the moonlight. From afar, you could see the windows of the main house open, with warm lights shining inside.

Before they even stepped inside, the two could already smell the rich aroma of food.

The food was already on the table, and Jiang Xi was setting out the chopsticks. There was a large bowl of beef bones, stir-fried beef liver with wild scallions, stir-fried beef heart with Sichuan peppercorns, stir-fried alfalfa, cold dandelion salad with wild mushrooms, and a shepherd's purse and mixed vegetable soup.

Six or seven plates filled the entire eight-immortal table.

Hearing the noise, Jiang Xi came out from inside. The two of them had just tidied up, and there were still water droplets on their hair.

Yan Jing'an sat down and couldn't help but exclaim, "What a sumptuous feast!"

Jiang Xi gave the two a heads-up: "Yan Zheng usually cooks these big dishes. If what I make today isn't good, don't criticize me."

Yan Jing'an picked up a beef bone and started gnawing on it: "Delicious, tasty."

The stew made with fresh beef bones was really delicious, and it was worth all the work they did until midnight.

Yan Zheng also put a piece in Jiang Xi's bowl.

Having been hungry all day, the three of them devoured the meal in no time, chatting and laughing until late into the night, a rare occurrence for them to stay up all night.

Sure enough, he didn't get up the next day.

Finally, Xiao Hei started whimpering from hunger, and Jiang Xi struggled to get up, wanting to squeeze some fresh goat milk for it.

Before he could even get up, Yan Zheng grabbed his arm.

He was still half asleep, his eyes barely open, and mumbled, "I'll go."

Yan Zheng slowly regained his senses after sitting up, put on his shoes, and went out.

Jiang Xi was extremely sleepy at the moment, and seeing that she didn't have to go, she lay down again. Once she lay down, she didn't know how much time had passed, and when she woke up again it was already noon.

Yan Zheng beside her had already gotten up. She slowly sat up, put on her clothes and shoes, and then went out.

Yan Jing'an was the only one in the courtyard. He was eating on a stone bench under the fig tree when he saw Jiang Xi come out and quickly called her over: "Come and eat."

On the table was a plate of root potatoes, a bowl of mixed vegetable soup, and a plate of sliced ​​beef shank.

Jiang Xi washed her hands on the sink rack by the kitchen door and asked, puzzled, "Where did Yan Zheng go?"

Yan Jing'an pointed to the woods and said, "I'm going to find pine needles. We'll be making smoked meat later, won't we?"

Jiang Xi then realized what was happening, nodded, and then, feeling that she hadn't slept well, patted her face to wake herself up.

Yan Jing'an said, "Hurry up and eat something to tide you over. We have a lot of work to do today."

Jiang Xi mentally calculated that today would be quite busy. She needed to finish smoking all the meat that had been marinated yesterday, and she also needed to stew the beef ribs and large bones that had been removed from the meat. This was no easy task.

Fortunately, it's not too hot at night, otherwise I would have had to finish all of this last night.

They say technology changes lives, and modern life is so much better. Without a refrigerator, you have to rush and do everything in a hurry; you can't even keep meat fresh.

The more she thought about it, the more homesick she felt, so she decided to stop thinking about it and shook her head to clear her mind. She picked up a sweet potato and took a bite.

Soon after, Yan Zheng was seen leading a fawn and carrying a basket on his back as he emerged from the woods.

Yan Jing'an patted the root potatoes off his hands and went up to help unload the pine branches and firewood.

Yan Zheng frowned when he saw that Jiang Xi was only wearing a thin cardigan: "Why are you wearing so little? Be careful not to catch a cold."

Jiang Xi said "oh" and said she would go change in a bit.

The two of them spent a lot of time setting up a makeshift meat-smoking rack and hanging the meat on it.

Jiang Xi came out of the inner room after changing her clothes, took the oil lamp, and lit the pile of firewood.

Once the open flames have died down, add pine branches on top. The damp pine branches, once placed on the fire, will immediately produce a lot of smoke. Cover the area with straw mats to prevent the smoke from escaping. After smoking for seven or eight hours, the cured meat is ready.

This kept me busy all day.

They already got up late, and by the time they finished everything, it was already dark. Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an then carried torches and hung the smoked meat in the northwest corner of the room where dried goods were stored. This room had now been turned into a granary, specifically for storing goods.

In the evening, Jiang Xi took a bath at the hot spring. Lying in bed that night, she sighed, "This day has gone by so fast. It feels like I've been rushing through so many things."

After a while, Yan Zheng, who had washed up, returned.

He went straight to the wardrobe and took off his sweater. His clean, undulating tan back immediately caught Jiang Xi's eye. Then, Yan Zheng put on a clean, thin nightgown.

Jiang Xi watched the whole thing unfold, lying on her side on the bed admiring the beautiful woman changing clothes.

Yan Zheng turned his head and realized that Jiang Xi had been staring at him, which made him feel quite embarrassed.

He climbed onto the bed, pinched her nose, and said, "What are you looking at?"

Jiang Xi glanced into his eyes and said, "Look at this handsome guy."

She wasn't lying this time; such a beautiful and spectacular sight is something you might only see twice a year.

As she spoke, she pulled Yan Zheng's arm and made him lie down. She leaned against him, wrapped her arms around his strong waist, rested her head on his firm arm, and buried her face in his shoulder.

Jiang Xi's heart was beating very fast.

Since arriving in this stone village, the two of them had never slept in the same bed. They had gone to bed late yesterday and had no other thoughts. Only now did she feel a real sense of intimacy.

Yan Zheng hesitated for a moment before gently placing his hand on Jiang Xi's waist. Her waist was so slender that he couldn't bear to put his arm on her while she was lying on him. He could only gently caress her lower back, and a feeling of tenderness and comfort welled up in his heart.