He Zifeng and Qiu Yu were both quite happy, especially Qiu Yu, who had never seen so much money before.

He strung together a string of coins and put them away, saying, "If there's another business like this next time, let's do it too." He tasted success after just one trip to the market and wanted to go a few more times to earn more.

He Zifeng said, "This is a job that Gouzi's father found for us, so we can't go to him every time. Village Chief Liu said that his brother-in-law is recruiting workers in a few days, so I'll give it a try then." After the two of them had land, they didn't actually spend much money living in the village.

However, they've only just separated from the family, so their savings are still quite meager. They need to earn more money to plan well for their son's future.

Qiu Yu hid the money in a small box under the bed, and put the rest in the cabinet. They agreed that whoever needed the money could take it at any time, and just need to let the other person know afterwards.

He Zifeng noticed that it was already midday, and since the two of them had eaten pancakes on the way, they weren't hungry. He also left some steamed buns and pickled vegetables for his beloved son in the kitchen.

He Zifeng said, "Let's get some sleep first." They had been making pancakes in the first half of the night and setting off for the market in the second half. It had been five or six hours now, and they were really exhausted, so the couple went to bed.

Xiao Heran ran home for lunch. When he got back to the room, he saw that both of his fathers were sleeping. He was also overcome by the sleepiness and yawned twice. Then he kicked off his shoes, got into the big bed, squeezed between his two fathers, and fell asleep with Qiu Yu in his arms.

Qiu Yu seemed to sense her son's presence, and despite still being fast asleep, she readily took the child into her arms.

He Zifeng woke up first after sleeping for an hour. He took a nap at noon and felt quite comfortable and refreshed. When he woke up, he saw that the child and Qiuyu were sleeping soundly, so he quietly went out.

He Zifeng unloaded everything from the cart, which he had borrowed from his neighbor. He quickly returned it, then simply washed the pork fat, cut it into large, finger-width slices, mixed it with cold water, and put it in a pot with the fire lit.

The water in the pot quickly boiled away, and then the oil was rendered directly. The large slices of fatty pork rapidly released their oil, requiring repeated stirring to prevent burning, until the pork slices turned into cracklings. He Zifeng turned off the heat and poured the hot oil into a clean oil jar. The hot oil was still clear. Once it solidified, it would turn into a white paste, only melting when heated.

Adding a spoonful to any dish will make it much more fragrant. There's only a small bowl of pork cracklings, but they're crispy and fragrant. A sprinkle of salt adds even more flavor, making them incredibly addictive.

He Zifeng took a couple of bites; the crispy texture was delicious, but he didn't eat much. He planned to give them to his son and Qiuyu as snacks. He lit a small fire in the yard and smoked the pig's trotters, singeing off the bristles. This treatment removed the earthy smell from the trotters.

He Zifeng tidied up each item meticulously, and it was already afternoon.

Just as they were picking up the pig's trotters, Qiu Yu came out. She had just woken up and her face was still flushed, which made her even more beautiful and charming. Perhaps because she had just cuddled her son to sleep, she also smelled of the baby's fragrance. When she went to the kitchen, she saw that he had already prepared the lard. He Zifeng was always very considerate.

Qiu Yu quickly soaked his five catties of soybeans in water and said to He Zifeng, "I'll make some extra pig's trotters so that each of the sisters-in-law who helped out can have a bowl." He bought so many on purpose; if it were just the two of them eating, two pig's trotters would be enough.

He Zifeng said, "Of course." Those women were very skillful; they sold all the little trinkets they made. That's how it is in the village—you help me, I help you.

He Zifeng said to Qiu Yu, "Let's cook some rice tonight." Soybeans and pig's trotters with rice is a must-try.

Last time he bought 20 jin.

Qiu Yu said, "Okay, I'll go wash the rice." Back when they lived in the He family's old house, they would only cook a small amount of rice each time. Now that they lived separately, putting aside other matters, they were free to eat whatever they wanted.

After quickly smoking all the pig trotters, He Zifeng got up to fetch water. Just as he stepped outside, he ran into Sister Liu. Sister Liu said, "I was just about to go to your house. This is a dress Qiuyu asked me to make. You three should try it on. If it doesn't fit, I'll alter it for you later!"

"Thank you, sister-in-law," He Zifeng said.

Sister Liu laughed and said, "No need to thank me, just come to me if you need this kind of work again." After saying that, she left with a smile. Now that He Zifeng had separated from the He family, he looked much more dignified and imposing.

The He family members are all good-looking, and He Zifeng is handsome too. Even Liu's wife, who loves to joke around, felt a little embarrassed when she looked at He Zifeng.

He Zifeng immediately went home and took the new clothes back. When Qiuyu saw the new clothes, she told He Zifeng to try them on.

He Zifeng was a rough man and didn't care much about his clothes, but Qiu Yu persuaded him, and since there was no one else in the courtyard, he took off his clothes, revealing his strong physique. He then put on new clothes. He Zifeng looked even more striking in his new attire. Qiu Yu's ears turned slightly red, but her eyes crinkled as she said to He Zifeng, "You look good."

He Zifeng was pleased with his wife's praise: "Then I'll wear it for you to see from now on." He Zifeng still had work to do, so he wanted to change his clothes to avoid getting them dirty!

Qiu Yu disagreed: "Wear it. I'll wash that dress for you."

New clothes are indeed more comfortable than old clothes. He Zifeng glanced at Qiu Yu, but Qiu Yu turned her face away.

He Zifeng smiled, and without changing his clothes, went out to fetch water.

Everyone he met along the way praised his good looks, saying that his former demeanor had disgraced him, but now he was completely different.

"I should have dressed up a long time ago."

"Look how energetic he looks."

Everyone laughed and said that they had noticed that the He family's life had gotten better and better after they moved away. On the other hand, the old neighbors of the He family said that they were arguing every day after they left. They said that the He family could not live without the two of them, but they did such a cruel thing. They deserved to end up like this.

When Wan Hai passed through the village, he heard everyone praising He Zifeng. His face turned pale, and he left. He couldn't understand why, while He Lao Er was living a good life, his family was still treated like dirt by everyone!

When He Zifeng returned home, little He Ran was wearing the same clothes as his father. "Dad," the child's clear voice rang out.

He Zifeng picked up the child in one go.

He Zifeng kissed his son's cheek, and the little guy smiled as soon as he was kissed, his eyes squinting slightly, which was very endearing.

Qiu Yu had already chopped the pig's trotters into small pieces, added seasonings, boiled them to remove the blood, and then started stewing them. Soon, the aroma of the stewed pig's trotters wafted out.

To make pig's trotters tender and fall off the bone, they need to be stewed for at least two hours, and soon the aroma in the yard became increasingly rich. The soybeans were added last, and after they absorbed the flavor, they had a soft and tender texture.

Even the broth is the essence.

There were also a few small red dried chilies inside, giving it a salty and savory flavor with a hint of spiciness. After taking one bite, you'd want to take another.

He Zifeng tasted it to check the saltiness, and after taking a bite, he gave it a thumbs up: "Delicious."

Her son was also drooling, his eyes glued to the pot. Qiu Yu watched her youngest son looking like a little glutton, smiled, and scooped out a small piece for him to gnaw on. The meat was already tender and falling off the bone.

He Zifeng and Qiu Yu went to deliver the vegetables. Qiu Yu put two pieces of chopped pig's trotters in each bowl, along with half a bowl of soybeans. The small bowls were also full. Qiu Yu delivered them to the sisters-in-law who were helping with needlework.

He Zifeng delivered the cart to the neighbor who had lent it to Gouzi's family.

"Oh, why are you being so polite!"

"It smells so good. This really is made by Qiuyu."

"What we did was nothing."

"Thanks! I was just wondering what to eat."

Everyone was happy to receive the food. Pig's trotters and soybeans were cheap, but the aroma alone was mouthwatering. It was just in time to deliver them, right when they were preparing dinner. The neighbors were drooling over the smell. Qiu Yu told them how it was made. But as soon as they heard it, they shook their heads, saying, "No, no, that's too much trouble. If I waste so much firewood, my mother-in-law will complain again."

Even Gouzi's father was overjoyed; he'd had a good day. He'd sold half the cloth scraps and still had his initial investment. The rest was pure profit. He laughed, "Perfect for drinks tonight." He felt even more strongly that his relationship with He Zifeng was excellent; the man understood him perfectly. People like that were worth getting close to.

It was originally a big pot full. After it was all delivered, it became a small plate, barely enough for each family member to have a small piece of pig's trotter and half a plate of soybeans.

After the pig's heart is cooked, it's shredded, served cold, and has a wonderfully chewy texture. It's also delicious with garlic sauce and scallions. Pork cracklings are also a great snack.

The broth, mixed with soybeans, was also delicious when soaked in rice. He Zifeng and Xiao Heran both ate until they were stuffed.

That evening, Qiuyu chopped the large bone into pieces, put it in an earthenware pot, and simmered it over a low flame overnight. The next morning, she could use the bone broth to make noodles!

That evening, the entire village was enveloped in this unfamiliar fragrance.

The next day, when the women gathered by the stream, they all said, "We didn't get enough of that pig's trotter from yesterday."

"Absolutely, how can you make food taste so good?"

"I only ate a little bit of soybeans, but it's amazing how well they can be stewed to be so fragrant." Everyone at the dinner table was scrambling for it; it was a gift from someone else. They felt embarrassed to ask for more. For a moment, they were craving it but also felt quite conflicted.

Several of the women said, "My uncle's brother works as a waiter, and we've eaten the food he brings back twice, but it's not as good as Qiuyu's. Let's ask him if he'll sell it, and we'll pay for it." Their mouths were watering, and with just two pieces of food for both the old man and the children, they ate with gusto, saying they hadn't had enough.

"Yeah, I'll ask about it later!"

"Um……"