But today is the baby's third-day celebration, and with so many guests, how can we cook noodles without washing the pot? That would be too impolite.

Cooking dried noodles is much simpler. Once the water boils in the pot, put the noodles in, stir them with chopsticks to prevent them from sticking together, and cook until they are soft.

When cooking noodles, it's important to use plenty of water in the pot so that the noodles don't become sticky and unpalatable.

Once the noodles are cooked, scoop them into two enamel basins, and the "washed noodles" are done.

Just then, Sheng Xiping and his brother finished cleaning up the two pigs and the roe deer. Sheng Xitai estimated that it was about time and returned with Chen Feng.

So they set up tables on the north and south kang beds in the east room, put out bowls and chopsticks, brought in noodles and toppings, and invited everyone to eat.

"Well, today is the third day of our birthday celebration, so according to the old custom, we'll be having noodles. It'll be simple, so please make do with it."

"We'll definitely have a big feast when the baby turns one month old, and we'll have a proper celebration."

When Zhang Shuzhen brought the braised pork and braised eggs topping into the house, she said with a smile.

"Oh my god, this is too simple! Who eats like your family?"

The braised pork belly also has eggs in it; wouldn't it be incredibly delicious to eat a bowl of noodles with that?

Xu Xiuxiang, Chen Xiuzhi, and the others couldn't help but shake their heads when they saw it.

"You could just make some meat sauce or egg sauce, why bother with all this trouble?"

Wouldn't it be better to save the meat for my daughter-in-law to make dumplings, and the eggs for her to eat?

They were just being polite, so Zhang Shuzhen naturally didn't take it seriously. She smiled and invited everyone to sit on the kang (heated brick bed) and eat.

The older people ate on the south kang (heated brick bed), while Tang Fengying and her young wives, along with the Sheng family's children, ate on the north kang.

Anyway, the noodles and toppings are the same, and the quantity is enough.

Sheng Xiping served two bowls of noodles, then scooped a spoonful of braised pork and an egg into each bowl, and poured broth over them.

"Master's wife, Aunt Wang, Aunt Chen, please enjoy your meal. I'm bringing food to Qinglan, so I'll keep her company."

These noodles are so delicious, there's no need to make anything special for Zhou Qinglan; just bring her a bowl.

You should eat a little salt during postpartum confinement, otherwise you will lack energy. However, you shouldn't eat too much salt, otherwise the baby will get heat rash from breastfeeding.

"Oh, okay then, you stay with your wife. We're all family here, so you don't need to worry about us."

Qin Qiuyan waved her hand, indicating that Sheng Xiping could do as he pleased and that he didn't need to worry about this.

"It has to be our Xiping, he knows how to cherish his wife. When looking for a man, you have to find one who is considerate and caring."

If a woman risks her life to give birth to a child, but still can't win a man's sincere treatment in return, what's the point of living like that?

"Sister-in-law, you agree, right?" Qin Qiuyan looked at Zhang Shuzhen and asked with a smile.

"Yes, yes, what you said is true. Our Xiping is so caring."

He not only feels sorry for his wife, but also for me. That's why he didn't need me last night; he stayed in the west room with his wife and child.

Zhang Shuzhen smiled and continued Qin Qiuyan's words, praising her own son a couple of times.

"Well, the noodles are all served, let's eat quickly, or they'll clump together and won't taste good," Zhang Shuzhen said with a smile, urging everyone to eat.

Each person's bowl was filled with thin white noodles, topped with a spoonful of glistening, fragrant braised pork, and accompanied by an egg.

When eating noodles, first pick up the egg and take a bite.

After being soaked and stewed in the meat broth, the egg whites were fully flavored and elastic, while the egg yolks were sandy and mealy, with the aroma of eggs mixed with the aroma of meat. It was incredibly satisfying to eat.

Swallow the egg, then have a bite of meat.

After being stewed for a long time, the fatty part becomes soft and smooth, almost melting on the tongue.

The lean meat is tender and flavorful, requiring little chewing; your mouth is filled with a sweet and savory meaty aroma.

The noodles were cooked to perfection, with no hard center and not too sticky, and mixed with the meat broth, they were smooth, delicious, and full of flavor.

Before I knew it, I'd slurped up a huge mouthful. This food was so satisfying.

"Oh my, sister-in-law, this noodle dish you made is absolutely amazing, it's so delicious!" After swallowing the mouthful of noodles, everyone couldn't help but praise it.

"Eat more if you like it. I cooked a lot of noodles today, so eat as much as you want."

Zhang Shuzhen was all smiles, urging everyone to eat more.

In the west room, the baby is sleeping soundly.

Zhou Qinglan sat leaning against the wall behind her, a bowl of noodles on her lap. She held the bowl with one hand and used chopsticks to pick up noodles and slurp them into her mouth with the other.

"Hmm, the food you guys eat is still the best. These past two days I've been eating millet porridge with eggs and pig's trotter soup, and I have no taste in my mouth at all."

Sheng Xiping didn't sit on the kang (heated brick bed). He took a stool, placed it in front of the kang, put the bowl on the edge of the kang, and ate his noodles with his head down.

Upon hearing Zhou Qinglan's words, Sheng Xiping looked up at his wife and smiled.

"It's alright. After today, you can have a little saltiness. You just gave birth a couple of days ago, so it's really not suitable for you to eat salt."

Three days after giving birth, it's okay to eat a little salt.

Those families with poor conditions will eat with their families after three days. It's impossible for the whole family to stop eating salt just for the sake of the new mother.

Of course, given the Sheng family's conditions, Zhou Qinglan didn't need to start so early; she could have easily completed her full postpartum confinement period.

The couple finished their noodles while chatting.

Zhou Qinglan had a small appetite, and during her postpartum period, she should eat small, frequent meals. Around noon, Zhang Shuzhen heated up a bowl of soup for her, so Zhou Qinglan was full after just one bowl of noodles.

Sheng Xiping, a grown man who had done a lot of work, couldn't possibly have had enough noodles in one bowl, so he went to the east room and got another bowl.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!