Although the villagers here do have a slightly better chance of eating meat than those in Liujiatun, it's not as optimistic as one might think. The climate here is arid, and they grow drought-resistant plants. As for food, they don't raise pigs, but cattle and sheep, so the meat they eat is mainly beef and mutton, and the flavors tend to be sour and spicy.

Cheng Zhuo and Tang Sumei are both from the North, and they naturally prefer strong flavors, especially sour and spicy. Tang Sumei has always been the one cooking at home, so their tastes haven't changed much. Jian Dan didn't realize it at first, but when she saw Cheng Rui and Cheng An's expressions, she suddenly realized that this wasn't Northeast China, not the North. There are many ethnic minorities here, and these two children were born here, so they can be considered "locals." She wondered how they had adapted to these tastes.

"You can all eat pork, right?"

She had eaten meat twice in the past few days, but the amount was not much. She didn't have any dietary restrictions and didn't know what kind of meat it was. She just assumed it was all pork. But today, the pot was full of pork, so she started to feel a little uneasy.

The child's thinking was clearly very straightforward.

"Is pork delicious?"

Well, kids always just want the simplest and tastiest food.

Soon, the aroma from the pot spread from the kitchen to the yard. With the autumn wind, the neighbors were not spared either. Several parents came home from get off work to find their children drooling over the Cheng family's house. Given their heroic act of easily catching the bad guys yesterday, no child dared to block the Cheng family's door.

Even the most willful brat in the family compound and the most opportunistic old lady only dared to sniff around in their own yards. Everyone had heard about the miserable state of those two yesterday—broken arms and legs. Their impression of Jian Dan had changed from a delicate little girl to a cold-blooded, ruthless female demon who would fight at the slightest provocation.

To put it bluntly, she could even be used to scare a disobedient child.

Just mentioning Cheng Rui's sister is enough to intimidate most of the people in the family compound.

Cheng Chao returned with Cheng Zhuo. From a distance, he recognized the familiar scent and knew it was him. His stiff posture softened considerably. Cheng Zhuo noticed this and was puzzled for a moment.

What kind of expression is that?

Seeing the curious gazes of several people around him, Cheng Zhuo suppressed his smile.

"It's nothing. I just remembered something happy. You'll know when we get back."

The others then started talking about other things.

"Whose house is this? It smells so good!"

"Exactly, oh my, just the smell alone is enough to make me drink two ounces of liquor,"

Cheng Zhuo, unaware of the situation, joined in the joke.

"Haha, what are you thinking? Everyone in the family compound knows how skilled these people are. There's no one who can cook as well as you."

"I think maybe one of your sisters-in-law wanted to treat you, so she went to a restaurant in the city and bought it?"

"Cough," Cheng Chao couldn't help but cover his mouth and cough lightly. His second uncle was really talking nonsense. City, huh? No restaurant in the city could make this taste.

In other words, once they arrived at their doorstep, they all went straight home. The Cheng family's house was at the very back, and in the end, only Cheng Zhuo and Cheng Chao were left. Cheng Chao's steps became much lighter.

Once inside the courtyard, Cheng Zhuo realized something was wrong; the smell was getting stronger and stronger.

Tang Sumei arrived home first and was already in shock. She looked at Cheng Zhuo with a hint of superiority, as if she knew before him.

Cheng Zhuo also laughed,

"Heh, those old guys were just guessing whose family this was, with such good craftsmanship. I even said I bought it from the city, but I never expected that our little girl is really so talented."

"Second Uncle, you're back?"

Come and try this! I don't know how to cook many dishes, but this is one I can presentably make. It's a complete meal in one pot, but it's cooked in a northern style, so it's a bit strong in flavor. I don't know if you'll be able to handle it.

"Don't worry about Second Uncle. He's like me; he just needs to fill his stomach."

Cheng Zhuo nodded, "That's true."

At his age, although he doesn't go on missions as frequently as before, his family's circumstances are still quite good. They are much better off than others, at least they can eat their fill and there's no question of him being picky about food.

That's impossible.

Compared to wild vegetables, this is a proper meal; it's delicious no matter the flavor.

Tang Sumei pulled her to sit down.

"Don't mind them. They're grown men, what's with all that talk? Your aunt is telling you, don't spoil them."

In this day and age, there's nothing we can do. If it were a better time, which family would have such a good daughter and be willing to let her spend all her time cooking and cleaning?

Jian Dan leaned against Tang Sumei and chuckled softly.

"Hehe, I'm not very good at making anything else. My brother knows that when he comes to my place, this is what I make the most. It's easy, and you can put whatever you want to eat in it. I'm the laziest person."

"That's right,"

To be honest, if Cheng Zhuo really had a daughter, she would probably be very happy to have such a mother.

"We have several kids at home, so let them do the chores we can. We only have one daughter, so let any of you try to slack off?"

Cheng Rui and Cheng An quickly waved their hands.

"No, we all helped,"

"I'm washing the vegetables too!"

Even Cheng Chao nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, Auntie. Although I don't go there often, I definitely won't leave the things I can do to my sister."

Simply put, we can seek justice for the two brothers.

"I really didn't get any credit for today. Xiao Rui washed the vegetables, Xiao An cooked them, and I didn't even have to start the fire. Hehe, I just came up with the seasoning and did all the talking."

"That's fine, that's how it should be."

After she finished her lecture, Cheng Zhuo picked up his chopsticks.

"Alright, come and try the dishes you guys made together. How do they taste?"

The taste is something that both adults and children are eagerly anticipating. The two children have already tasted the saltiness and flavor, and they still can't forget the delicious aroma in their mouths.

"this......"

After taking one bite, Cheng Zhuo was stunned. The taste...

"Second Uncle, is it not tasty?"

Jian Dan was a little nervous. Could it be that the flavor wasn't right for her?

"no,"

Turning to look at Cheng Chao, who was enjoying his meal, Cheng Zhuo suddenly felt a lump in his throat.

"Didn't you already find out?"

What was discovered?

Simple was stunned, and Tang Sumei didn't understand either. Cheng Chao said calmly,

“I noticed it the first time I ate at my sister’s house. At the time, I thought it was my imagination. I asked the cafeteria to make it for several days, but they couldn’t make it. When I told my uncle, he didn’t believe me. He only believed it after he ate it himself.”

Looking at the two stunned people at the table, Cheng Chao smiled.

"It's alright, Auntie, you eat first. My uncle is reminiscing here."

Cheng Zhuo was indeed reminiscing. He didn't say a word throughout the meal and just ate quietly, but it was obvious that his mood had improved considerably.

After the meal, Jian Dan quietly asked Cheng Chao,

"What's wrong, Uncle? Does this dish taste wrong?"