Thank you &Sa& for the tip! Delivered at midnight! Please give me some encouragement!

Zhang Hongmei poured boiling water into a basin, stoked the fire in the stove, and dried the pot. She added soybean oil, then put the seasonings into the oil, followed by the blanched pork ribs, stir-frying continuously until fragrant. She added caramelized sugar and continued stir-frying, then added soy sauce and stir-fried again. Finally, she added boiling water and simmered it over low heat.

Zhang Hongmei then felt tired, sat on a small stool to rest for a while, and then got up to put the sliced ​​ginger into the two pots.

I tidied up the kitchen a bit and then sat down to start a fire.

Stewing meat requires slow simmering over low heat, and since this meat isn't meant to be eaten today, there's no need to rush to take it out of the pot.

We'll stew the carp today too. In the countryside, there are customs for celebrating the New Year. There must be fish on the table, and it has to be carp, symbolizing the carp leaping over the dragon gate. Everyone hopes that their children can break free from their current lives and that the new year will be better, with their lives reaching new heights.

Place the frozen carp in a large basin and simmer it in water until it thaws, then prepare it.

Er Ya rushed over and asked, "Hong Mei, do you still have the leaves you used to put in the fish stew last time?"

"Bamboo leaves? Yes, I'll go get them for you."

"Shitou Sanya had your stewed fish last time and insisted on eating that flavor. I see that the seasonings you used are similar to mine, except for this bay leaf."

"Here, it tastes good when stewed meat. Don't forget the wine, but not too much, and not too much vinegar either."

"You haven't stewed the fish yet?" Er Ya asked Zhang Hongmei, seeing the fish in the basin in the yard.

"Hmm, I'm making stewed meat and ribs. Or you could bring the fish over so I can stew it? I can't leave here."

"Okay, I'll go back and get the fish right away. Let's do it together. You give the orders and I'll do the work."

"Okay, don't rush, it'll be more than an hour."

"How about we cook it at my place?"

"Then I'll have to carry the seasonings, which is too much trouble. Let's stew it after the meat is cooked."

"Okay, I'll go back and let them know, I'll be back in a bit."

Er Ya arrived in about ten minutes, followed by Shi Tou and San Ya.

Er Ya put the basin into the kitchen, moved a small stool out and sat in the yard to help Zhang Hongmei clean the fish.

"Sister Erya, I can manage on my own."

"No need, you work too slowly and it's too much trouble for me. I can finish it in a little while."

Zhang Hongmei turned on the radio and let the two children sit on the kang (a heated brick bed) to listen to it. She then prepared the ingredients for stewing fish later.

Carp must be braised during the Lunar New Year, for good luck.

Er Ya cleaned the carp and brought it into the kitchen. The carp from both families were about the same size, so they could be stewed together in one pot.

"Your seed is good, it even has seeds, but not many."

"I don't think there will be many, and it's not the season for seed production right now."

The aroma of stewed meat wafted into her nose, making even Zhang Hongmei's mouth water. However, the two younger children didn't glance at the pot or show any desire to eat.

Zhang Hongmei lifted the lid of the pot, poked the large piece of meat with chopsticks, and, finding it ready, took it out and put it in a bowl. This piece of meat couldn't be stewed until it was mushy, otherwise it would be impossible to cut it into slices.

The broth in the meat pot was getting less and less, so I ladled out a bowl for the two kids to try later.

Now you can simmer it uncovered until the sauce thickens.

I turned around, lifted the lid of the pork rib pot, picked up a piece with chopsticks—it was mushy. I ladled a large bowl of it onto the stove, leaving the pot uncovered to reduce the sauce.

Zhang Hongmei put the table inside and placed it on the floor, then brought in two bowls and called to the three sisters who were listening to the radio on the kang (heated brick bed).

"Second Sister, Stone and Third Sister, you three come down and have a taste. I'll go get the bowls and chopsticks, hurry up!"

The two little ones looked at Er Ya with longing eyes. Er Ya smiled slightly, "Hurry up and get down and put on your shoes. Go get the stool yourself, and wash your hands when you come back."

Er Ya knew she owed Hong Mei too much, and could only repay it slowly in the future.

The two younger children came in with Zhang Hongmei, each carrying two small stools to the table before rushing out to wash their hands.

When the two of them came in, Zhang Hongmei had already set out the bowls and chopsticks. The four of them sat down. Zhang Hongmei picked up her chopsticks and said, "Hurry up and try it, it'll get cold and greasy."

Neither of the two younger children picked up any ribs; instead, they went straight for the braised pork.

Zhang Hongmei smiled, picked up a piece of her soft spot, and ate it with relish.

"Sister Hongmei, why are you eating bones? We can't eat that much meat." The child felt that Zhang Hongmei was just like their parents, leaving the meat for them while she gnawed on bones with hardly any meat on them.

"I love eating bones, they taste better than meat. Don't believe me? Try some!"

"real?"

"Would I lie to you?"

Er Ya laughed to the side without saying a word.

Shi Tou picked up a piece of pork rib and started gnawing on it, saying, "It's pretty tasty, but I still think the meat tastes better."

When Sanya heard her brother say that the meat was delicious, she stopped eating the ribs and only ate the meat.

Even the most delicious food gets cloying if you eat too much of it.

"Alright, that's enough for today. You two can eat more later. Eating too much meat will give you a stomachache tonight."

"Sister Erya, you can clear the table now. I'll go get the food ready, or it'll be too late."

While the fish was stewing, the two younger ones stood around watching. They claimed it was to learn together, but Er Ya forgot their reminders later.

Er Ya glared at them several times in anger.

The fish had just been put into the pot to stew when it was time for dinner. Shi Tou ran home to get bowls and chopsticks for the three of them.

"Sister Erya, please take my porridge and give it to them. I can't eat any more."

"Okay. Here, have two slices of pumpkin left to cleanse your palate."

"Okay, I'll just stay home and watch the fire."

At this moment, Er Lengzi also came over to return the car.

"Brother Er Lengzi, come to my house for dinner, I'll serve you a bowl of meat."

"Okay, I'm going to get my food too."

"Brother Er Lengzi, is my brother back?"

"He's back. Go to the cafeteria and find him."

The two little ones grabbed their bowls and ran off quickly.

The next day was Lunar New Year's Eve. Some villagers made tofu and bean curd sheets, and Zhang Hongmei bought ten jin (about 2.5 kg) of them to eat slowly.

We ate lunch in the cafeteria again, and it was still sorghum rice stewed with fish.

Liu Jianguo is back. The two little ones are always following him around. He finally found out that Daya ran off with someone else. Although he was angry, he didn't say anything when he saw his parents' sad expressions.

When Grandma Er Ya heard that Liu Jianguo had returned, she brought her youngest daughter over.

"Jianguo, are there any good-looking men in your factory who have good family backgrounds and are employed by the government? Introduce them to your aunt."

Now no one wants to talk to her when she comes over. It wasn't her fault that this girl ran off with someone. What a waste of raising this son.

"Grandma, I'm not familiar with this yet. If I find it, I'll ask around."

"You take this so seriously? Your dad only cares about you. He doesn't care about your aunt at all. If only your aunt could go to work."

"Get out of here, don't come looking for trouble during the New Year."

"This damned daughter-in-law dares to curse her mother-in-law! Is there no justice in this world?" She sat on the ground, crying and making a scene.

"Mom, you should leave now, or you won't get any New Year's gifts. Don't make trouble for yourself."