Chapter 70 Waiting for me at home

Crush the whole shelled walnut kernels in a stone mortar, remove the core of the dried red dates and cut them into small pieces, heat the bottom of the pot that has been wiped dry over a low heat on a hot stove, and pour in the fine flour first.

The snow-white flour gradually changed color under the continuous temperature of the charcoal fire. Sang Zhixia poured in the mixed walnuts, red dates and black sesame seeds, and added a little fine salt.

Stir-fry continuously with a spatula until the flour is thoroughly fried and becomes a mushy consistency. Quickly remove from the pan and place in a water-free and oil-free wooden basin to cool.

The aroma of sesame and walnuts wafted in the air, attracting the little kid who was chewing steamed buns to come over.

Xu Mingxu asked softly, "Sister-in-law, is it delicious?"

Sang Zhixia couldn't help laughing and said, "Do you want to eat?"

The little glutton wanted to try everything and nodded vigorously with shining eyes.

Sang Zhixia beckoned Xu Yu over and said, "Come, I'll teach you how to charge."

Xu Yu walked over cooperatively, his eyes focused.

Sang Zhixia added two spoonfuls of fried flour into a small bowl, picked up the boiling hot water and added a little bit first, mixed it well, then added water a second time and stirred quickly.

"Add the hot water twice, stirring faster the second time. You can also add a little syrup. Once it's ready, you'll have a hot batter."

The added walnuts, red dates and sesame seeds enrich the monotonous taste of the batter, and the syrup and chopped nuts can quickly replenish calories. In the deep mountains covered with ice and snow, eating a bowl of hot batter like this may slightly relieve the discomfort caused by the cold.

Just eating this alone is not enough.

Sang Zhixia distributed the prepared fried noodles to the younger ones, and also made a bowl for Xu Yu.

"Are you used to it?"

She herself has a great fondness for sweets.

But according to her observation, Xu Yu doesn't like sweet things and will refuse to touch them if possible.

So extra syrup was added to the little kid's portion, and the bowl in Xu Yu's hand only had a slight taste of salt.

Fortunately, Xu Yu was easy to feed and not picky about food. He maintained good dining etiquette even as he devoured the food. After finishing his meal, he wiped his mouth and nodded with a smile: "I'm used to it. It's better than frozen pancakes."

"You'll have to eat hard biscuits even if you have this after being gone for so many days."

Sang Zhixia let him take the basin, rolled up her sleeves and said, "You knead the dough first, I'll prepare something else for you."

"Zhizhi."

"Um?"

"Don't bother preparing too much. Just a bite in the mountains will be enough. I can come back and eat whatever I want."

Sang Zhixia said disdainfully: "With these ready-made conditions, you won't be able to find more even if you are greedy."

That being said, after working hard for half a day, Sang Zhixia still managed to make as much as possible.

She even heated up some oil in a pan and made a small pot of spicy meat for Xu Yu.

"It's cold now, so the food in the jar won't go bad in three to five days. I'll make a small hanging pot for you, so you can heat it up and eat it when the time comes."

In addition, there are common long-lasting fried dough cakes and a small bottle of trauma medicine.

"Take this with you too."

She carefully wrapped the medicine bottle in a handkerchief and stuffed it into the bag where it would be least likely to get bumped. She said, "But it's best if you don't have to use it."

"There's still a small piece of tarpaulin left from patching the roof. Don't mind taking it all with you. It'll be a bit of a shelter in the mountains and keep the cold out a bit. Also..."

"Zhizhi."

Sang Zhixia turned around when she heard the voice: "What?"

Xu Yu leaned against the door frame, a smile on his face. He stared into Sang Zhixia's eyes and said softly, "You're worried about me, aren't you?"

Ever since he knew that he planned to go into the mountains with Brother Wu and others to wait tomorrow, Sang Zhixia has never stopped working.

Everything imaginable, from food to personal use, was collected one by one.

If Xu Yu had not stopped her, she would have almost wanted to equip him with the thickest quilt and almost bought him a complete set of living belongings.

Sang Zhixia's tongue suddenly stagnated, and she said in a muffled voice, "Is it strange to worry about you?"

The snow continued to fall, and when it stopped and the sky cleared up occasionally, the temperature was shockingly low. The deepest snow was almost up to a person's calf.

In this situation, what good will come of going into the mountains for a few days without leaving?

She flipped the half-empty bag onto the bed, unable to hide her frustration. "Do I have to live in the mountains for a few days to find prey?"

"If taking a risk is for money, then I..."

"It's not just for the money."

Xu Yu closed the door behind him, walked over and squatted in front of Sang Zhixia, looking up at her with a smile in his eyes and a soft voice: "This is a rare opportunity. Firstly, I want to learn winter hunting techniques from Brother Wu and the others, and secondly, I'm thinking about what I promised you."

"Zhizhi, we're going to be here for more than just a day or two. Before we find a more suitable way to make a living, it's necessary to adapt to the local rules."

The winter is long, and he can't just sit at home and wait for the snow to melt and the weather to clear up.

He will do all he can.

Sang Zhixia understood everything, but still couldn't help feeling suffocated.

Seeing that she tightened her lips and remained silent, the smile in Xu Yu's eyes became even more intense.

He slowly held Sang Zhixia's soft, boneless hand and whispered, "Don't worry about me."

"Take care of yourself when I'm not home. If you have any difficult tasks, just wait until I get back. Just wait for me at home, okay?"

Sang Zhixia shook off his hand with mixed feelings: "Stop flattering yourself. I don't have the extra energy to think about you."

"Go out and sharpen your arrows while I pack my things."

Xu Yu suppressed his laughter deep in his throat, rubbed his fingertips, which still had some warmth, and stood up, nodding obediently: "Okay, then call me if you need anything."

After driving the annoying things out, Sang Zhixia's eyes fell on the clothes hanging on the rack.

The wind in the mountains is bitingly cold, and Xu Yu seems to need something particularly thick and windproof?

The old lady was unhappy about having her housekeeper rights taken away from her, and she stayed in the main house all day without showing up.

Xu Wenxiu and others were busy with their needlework, and the matter of three meals a day naturally fell on Sang Zhixia's head.

After dinner, Xu Minghui and Xu Yu took a few children to clean up the mess. Sang Zhixia went into Aunt Xu's room carrying a basket full of clothes.

"Aunt, I want to make a thick coat quickly. Can you teach me how to sew in the cotton you've unpacked?"

Late that night, Xu Yu waited for a long time but did not see Sang Zhixia.

He tucked the corners of the warm quilt under to make sure the warmth wouldn't dissipate, then walked to the front of the house and said in a low voice, "Zhizhi, it's getting late."

It’s already this late, why haven’t you come out yet?

Sang Zhixia said without raising her head, "I have something else to do. You go back and rest."

"But……"

"Hey, don't talk too much."

Sang Zhixia frantically straightened the crooked thread and said to the person through the door: "I'll be back when I'm done. No need to wait for me."

Xu Yu sighed helplessly and prepared to go back. The door on the other side of the west room creaked, and out walked Xu Minghui, whose most body was hidden in the night.

He said, "Brother, my father has agreed to go to the city to work, and we will leave tomorrow."

The longer the night, the more dreams you have.

He will take the person away in the shortest possible time.

Xu Yu hummed in an ambiguous tone, "There's a mixed bag of people in this gambling house. Remember to keep an eye on the people you take out and make sure nothing goes wrong."

He was not worried about Xu Minghui's life or death, but he just didn't want to cause any more trouble and disrupt the family.

The old man's body can't stand the stimulation anymore. If he causes any more trouble, it will only cause endless trouble.

Xu Minghui smiled knowingly and said slowly, "Okay, I've got it all down."

Before turning back to the house, he turned his head slightly to look at Xu Yu and said, "Brother, please be careful when you go into the mountains. After all..."

"Someone at home is waiting for you to come back."

Xu Yu's eyes swept across, as sharp as a knife.

Xu Minghui smiled and said nothing more. He turned around, closed the door and went into the house.

When Xu Yu returned to the west shed, Xu Minghui's seemingly concerned smile appeared in his mind, and he felt secretly annoyed.

This kid never changes his bad habits.

He did it on purpose!

Xu Yu was so upset by Xu Minghui's words that he tossed and turned. Just when he was feeling anxious and was debating whether he should go and urge him again, Sang Zhixia, who had disappeared for the entire night, finally came back.