Chapter 8 White Sugar Pork Cracklings

When Cheng Cheng returned, she saw Erni and Xiao Lingxiao squatting in the yard getting water. The clothes in the basin were the dirty clothes that she and Xiao Lingxiao had changed out of the night before.

Her face flushed red, and she instantly understood their intentions, quickly walking over.

"Erni, you take your sister to play. You don't need to wash the clothes, I'll do it!"

At this moment, she deeply missed the washing machine; she didn't want to wash her clothes by hand!

However, Cheng Cheng sighed almost imperceptibly, feeling embarrassed to accept the two children washing her dirty clothes without feeling at ease.

Although... this kind of thing has happened before, she still cares about her reputation now!

At this moment, Cheng Ping came out of the room carrying bed sheets and blankets, looking like she was going to wash them too, something she was used to doing.

Cheng Cheng was so embarrassed she almost dug out a courtyard house with her bare feet; it was all the mess left behind by the original owner of this body.

She took a deep breath and smiled, "Sis, you can leave it here, I'll wash it in a bit."

Cheng Ping ignored her, walked straight over, and threw the bed sheets and duvet cover into the large bathtub.

He glanced at her and said, "If I don't clean for you, you won't change it for ten days or half a month. Look at yourself, your pillowcase is all oily from sleeping on it."

Cheng Cheng: "..."

How embarrassing! But she was speechless...

What her older sister said was true; she just didn't have time!

She started working as soon as she got up in the morning. After buying groceries, she planned to rest for a bit before doing laundry and cleaning the house, but then Ding Manman arrived.

After finally managing to get rid of Ding Manman and appease Xiao Lingxiao, her older sister arrived.

Cheng Cheng remained silent. Oh well, judging from the original owner's behavior, she would have lost face in front of her older sister eight hundred times over.

This is no big deal. If things can't be salvaged, Cheng Cheng might as well just give up.

He went inside, poured rice wine into the pot, and turned down the heat of the coal stove.

Then he immediately went to the yard to wash clothes and sent Erni and Xiaolingxiao to the living room to listen to the radio.

Her older sister washed the bed sheets and duvet covers, relieving her of the burden, which she appreciated. The original owner's personality was already established, but underwear was absolutely out of the question!

Even with her thick skin, she was too embarrassed to ask her older sister and niece to wash her underwear!

Cheng Cheng picked up her dirty clothes from last night and Xiao Lingxiao's clothes and put them in the bucket, only to meet her sister's gaze.

Cheng Cheng looked embarrassed. "Sister, I said I wanted to turn over a new leaf."

As she spoke, she increased the pressure of her hands, scrubbing the clothes until they were dirty, putting on the act of a well-behaved girl who had reformed.

She quickly washed the dirty clothes, hung them on the line, and then went to help her sister wring out the bed sheets.

Just then, Da Ni arrived with Niu Niu.

Cheng Ping said to her, "Go and soak the dried preserved mustard greens. We don't need you here."

Then he waved to Dani and called her over to wring out the bed sheets. Dani is eleven years old this year, a big girl, and can help with a lot of chores.

The little girl went back and forth under the blazing sun, her forehead covered in sweat. Cheng Cheng patted her eldest niece, "Da Ni, you and Niu Niu go to the main room to rest for a while. There are some washed bayberries on the table, go and eat them."

Da Ni looked at her mother, then at her aunt, and immediately ran off with Niu Niu in her hand.

Cheng Ping glanced at Cheng Cheng, pursed her lips and remained silent, but her hands did not stop moving.

After hanging up the sheets and duvet covers, Cheng Cheng started soaking the dried preserved mustard greens. She opened the pot lid, poked the pork belly with chopsticks, and found that the skin could be pierced through but wasn't mushy.

She took the pork belly out of the water and left the stove for Cheng Ping to render lard.

Cheng Ping was much more efficient at her work; the pot was crackling and popping, and there wasn't a trace of fear on her face.

Cheng Cheng rubbed soy sauce on the pork belly, then stood a little further away, filled with admiration for her older sister.

Before long, a rich aroma of lard wafted from the kitchen.

Da Ni and Er Ni were drawn over, and Cheng Ping skillfully scooped out the pork cracklings from the pot and placed them in a basin.

In this era of scarce snacks, pork cracklings are a rare treat, and Cheng Cheng remembered that there was a small jar of white sugar in the cupboard.

She took it out and sprinkled some on the pork cracklings. Several children surrounded her, their eyes shining as they stared at the pork cracklings in the basin.

Especially her little nephew Niu Niu, who was drooling with desire, which made Cheng Cheng laugh!

My nephew Niu Niu is three years older than Xiao Xiao, and he's six years old this year. He's not very tall, but he's chubby and healthy. When Xiao Ling Xiao stands next to Niu Niu, they look like the silly son of a landlord and the famine refugee.

Cheng Cheng frowned. In her memory, her little nephew was frail and sickly when he was young, just like Xiao Xiao now, who was thin and small. That's why she gave him the nickname "Niu Niu" (meaning "cow").

A humble name makes a child easier to raise; I hope he grows up to be as strong as an ox.

Little Lingxiao wasn't even as tall as the table. He gripped the edge of the table with both hands, stood on tiptoe, and stared intently at the pork cracklings. He sniffed and swallowed hard.

Cheng Cheng smiled slightly, grabbed a piece of white sugar and pork cracklings, and said, "Xiaoxiao, open your mouth~"

Little Lingxiao immediately looked at his mother, his bright black eyes flashing with surprise, and obediently opened his mouth.

Cheng Cheng smiled and put the pork cracklings into the little one's mouth. Seeing her eyes crinkling and her little face full of satisfaction, she couldn't help but ask, "Is it delicious?"

"Uh-huh!"

Xiao Lingxiao nodded emphatically!

"Auntie! Auntie! I want some too!"

Niu Niu squeezed through, raised his head, looked at his aunt, and a trace of crystalline liquid remained at the corner of his mouth.

Cheng Cheng smiled and pointed at him, "Wipe your drool and go outside to wash your hands before you eat. All of you go wash your hands."

Upon hearing this, the children all ran out to wash their hands.

Cheng Ping glared at her younger sister. Who else is so extravagant and doesn't know how to save money? Mixing white sugar with pork cracklings, she has so much sugar she doesn't know what to do with it!

Cheng Cheng stuck out her tongue, grabbed a piece of pork cracklings coated with white sugar, and brought it to her sister's lips.

She gestured with her lips, indicating that her sister should open her mouth. Although Cheng Ping was angry that her sister didn't know how to hold back, she still opened her mouth.

"Is it delicious?"

Cheng Cheng grabbed another piece of pork cracklings coated with white sugar and put it in her mouth. The pork cracklings were crispy, and the white sugar made them sweet but not greasy, just like the taste she had when she was a child.

They squinted their eyes in satisfaction. It was delicious!

Besides braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens, Cheng Cheng also made pork rib soup with carrots, which was fresh, mellow and sweet. She also stir-fried some bok choy. That's it!

"How is it? Is it delicious? How's my cooking?"

Cheng Cheng sat up straight, chin held high, absolutely confident in her skills!

"So delicious!"

Niu Niu held the bowl, grabbed two chopsticks together, and quickly shoveled rice into his mouth, too busy eating to speak!

The two little girls, Erni and Xiaolingxiao, were also in a similar state, holding their bowls and immersing themselves in the rice!

Da Ni, being the older sister, was relatively more refined than her younger siblings. While eating, she exclaimed, "Auntie, this is the best pork belly I've ever eaten! It seems to melt in my mouth, just like ice cream!"

She knows it melts in your mouth!

Cheng Cheng took a bite. The pork belly was stewed until tender and flavorful, coated with the broth from the preserved mustard greens. The outer skin was soft, chewy, and bouncy, with no greasiness whatsoever. It melted in her mouth.

Even Cheng Ping couldn't find fault with Cheng Cheng, and her opinion of Cheng Cheng changed somewhat. It seems that she really didn't lie to her this time and has truly reformed.

I breathed a sigh of relief; I can worry less about it from now on.

The table was completely cleared.

Shortly after the meal, Cheng Ping took the child home.

After watching her sister leave, Cheng Cheng closed the courtyard gate and led her baby Xiao Xiao back into the house.

Although the midday sun in early June is not as hot as in the height of summer, it is still quite scorching.

"Little Xiaoxiao, are you sleepy? Do you want to take a nap?"

Xiao Lingxiao shook his head.

Why isn't my little Xiaoxiao sleepy?

But she was sleepy, so Cheng Cheng said, "Little kids need to take a nap at noon, they need to sleep more to grow taller!"

Her sister washed the sheets for her, and also took the mattress outside to dry, as well as the straw mat. Cheng Cheng first brought the mattress inside and laid it out, then put the straw mat on top.

As soon as she lay down, Cheng Cheng's eyelids became so sleepy that she could barely keep them open, and the next second her breathing became even and long.

Little Lingxiao got up, looked at his mother, and then snuggled into Cheng Cheng's arms, hugging his mother with his little hands, and drifted off to sleep.

The cicadas outside the window are chirping incessantly, it's so noisy!

When Cheng Cheng woke up again, it was already 4:30 in the afternoon. She had slept well and her face was fair and rosy. She looked refreshed.

"Little Xiaoxiao, what are you doing?"

Xiao Lingxiao had woken up at some point and was now squatting in the shadows of the courtyard, his hands supporting his chin, intently watching something.

"Mommy~"

Hearing the noise, Xiao Lingxiao turned around in surprise. When he saw his mother, the little guy showed two little dimples.

Cheng Cheng squatted down like her, resting her chin on her hands, watching the ants move their nest.

After watching for a while, Cheng Cheng stood up and held out her hand to the little guy, "Let's go wash our faces."

When you turn on the tap, the water in the pipe is scalding hot. After letting it sit for a while, cool tap water flows out.

Cheng Cheng washed the little guy's face first. Xiao Lingxiao cooperated very well, standing there letting his mother rub his face, and even smiling at his mother with his two little dimples naturally rising.

"Alright, we'll go to the state-run department store in a bit. Now, Xiaoxiao, go find yourself a hat. Can you do that?"

Xiao Lingxiao nodded emphatically and ran into the house as fast as he could.

Cheng Cheng scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on her face. The cool, refreshing feeling made her squint her eyes contentedly.

A moment later, Xiao Lingxiao came running out with a straw hat, his eyes sparkling.

This straw hat seemed to have been left by her mother when she came to visit her before. Cheng Cheng put it on the little one's head and picked her up.

Lock the door and head to the state-run department store.

She brought all the money and tickets from home with her, and as soon as she arrived at the state-run department store, she went straight to the counter. After scanning the items briefly, she took a liking to a pair of pink crystal sandals.

"Comrade, please get me a pair of pink crystal shoes that a three-year-old child would wear."

She didn't know what size the little one wore, but luckily the sales clerk had a keen eye. She glanced at the little girl in her arms, turned around, grabbed a pink crystal sandal, and handed it to her.

When facing strangers, Xiao Lingxiao hugged his mother's neck tightly and buried his face in Cheng Cheng's neck. When he heard that his mother was going to buy him shoes, the little guy couldn't help but be curious and secretly looked up.

Cheng Cheng gently patted the little guy's back, "Xiao Xiao, how about Mommy lets you try on your new shoes?"

Xiao Lingxiao didn't speak, but still hugged her mother tightly. Cheng Cheng squatted down, put her on her lap, and put crystal sandals on her. The size was just right.

"Xiaoxiao, do you like it?"

Little Lingxiao nestled close to his mother's neck, his gaze falling on the new shoes on his feet. He couldn't help but reveal his dimples and nodded.

"Comrade, please give me the other glass slipper as well, I'll buy it."

Cheng Cheng bought them on the spot, immediately put the new shoes on the little guy, and also took a pair of plastic slippers.

Then, I took the little one's hand and went to the clothing section to look at clothes.

Although the styles of clothing were simpler now than in later generations, Cheng Cheng was still very enthusiastic and picked out four or five outfits for the little guy.

If the remaining designs weren't so unappealing, she would have had to give up and go back to draw up the design plans and design it herself.

After buying clothes, Cheng Cheng headed to the household goods section. She wanted to buy everything she saw, as if every household needed something. After picking and choosing, she finally bought a batch of things she needed urgently.

Otherwise, it would be a problem for her and Xiao Lingxiao to get back.

As they left the state-run shopping mall, Cheng Cheng's hands were full of things, so Xiao Lingxiao had to hold onto his mother's clothes.

Suddenly, Xiao Lingxiao tugged at her clothes. Cheng Cheng looked down and asked, "What's wrong?"

Xiao Xiao looked unhappy, her bright black eyes seemed to be clouded with shadows as she sullenly stared at a couple in the distance.

Cheng Cheng followed the little guy's gaze and cursed inwardly!

What is that bastard Chang Wenbin doing here?!

And who is the woman next to him?

Cheng Cheng had excellent eyesight; even from a distance, she could clearly see the shy blush on the woman's face. It seemed that Chang Wenbin, that scoundrel, was two-timing her!

A note from the author:

----------------------