Chapter 23 Twice-cooked pork, stir-fried pork intestines with vinegar

Before the mother and daughter had finished eating, another customer ordered noodles. Lin said quickly, "Coming, coming! What would you like to eat, sir? Our signature dish is pork bone soup noodles. You can add braised meat or stir-fried minced meat and mix it dry."

As she spoke, she pressed down on her daughter's shoulder, which was about to get up. "You eat first. If you want me to cook, then you can get up. Your mother knows her own limitations. I'm not good at cooking, but boiling noodles doesn't require any skill. You've been tired all morning, so eat slowly. Eating too fast will upset your stomach."

The customer ordered pork bone noodle soup, so Mrs. Lin went to make the noodles.

Qiao Mianmian ate her noodles with peace of mind. After eating and drinking her fill, she felt much better.

There were still many well-off families in Lin'an City who ate three meals a day, while only those who were poor ate two meals a day. Qiao Mianmian ate one meal every morning, and by noon, her stomach would start to rumble, so she needed to eat something to tide her over until dinner.

Now that they run a food stall at home, they can't possibly pack up and go home before dark. If the whole family had to wait until dark to eat, they'd all be starving. Yesterday, she told her family to come to the food stall for dinner. They'd eat around four o'clock and then go home after the stall closed.

There weren't many customers in the afternoon, so the mother and daughter sat on chairs, and Qiao Mianmian took a short nap.

When she woke up, she found herself covered with an apron, and her mother and fourth sister were washing vegetables and rice.

"Fourth Sister, you're here too." Qiao Mianmian rubbed her eyes.

"Well, the pork offal at home is all cleaned. I was thinking I didn't need to cook it so early, so I came over to see if there was anything I could help with." Lin Xiahe chopped a lot of side dishes, looked around, and seeing that there was nothing to do, she washed her hands and sat down. "Mother said the noodles sold well today, probably more than a tael of silver. Mianmian, you're really amazing."

"This is the result of the whole family's hard work," Qiao Mianmian said. "From now on, we'll have to rely on you to make all the braised dishes. Our whole family has worked together to achieve what we have today."

While the two sisters were talking, Lin wiped her hands and sat down with them.

Today, Lu Zhao and his servant finished their shift a little early. On their way back from the market, they saw the three women from the Qiao family enjoying a happy time together.

"My lord, the Qiao family has such a wonderful atmosphere. The whole family gets along so well; it's truly enviable." As he spoke, Qingjiu thought of the noodles he had for breakfast and his mouth watered again. They ate three meals a day in Bianjing, but in Lin'an they switched to two. He had already digested the noodles from breakfast. "My lord, what are we having for dinner?"

Speaking of dinner, Lu Zhao also had a headache. After tasting good food, who would want to eat mushy rice made with rice wine?

Qingjiu wanted to eat at the Qiao family's place, and kept giving his master meaningful glances.

Lu Zhao calculated the money in his hand and realized that he couldn't afford to eat out every day for the time being. Ignoring Qingjiu's hint, he said, "Let's eat at home."

"Huh? You can still eat the food I cook?"

"I'll do it myself."

"No, let me do it. I'm not very good at cooking, but at least it's cooked through. The last few times you cooked, the food wasn't cooked through, and I had to go to the toilet eight times a day."

Lu Zhao: ...He needs to find a way to earn some money. The days of not eating well are making him very uncomfortable. Especially the aroma of food wafting from the Qiao family next door every day; to be honest, he's tempted too.

As the master and servant passed by Qiao's restaurant, Madam Lin waved and greeted them, "Lord Lu, are you off duty?"

Lu Zhao nodded and hummed in agreement, while Qingjiu waved excitedly, "Yes, a little earlier today. Madam Qiao, how's business today?"

"Oh, you silly child, just call me auntie, it feels so strange to call me madam. Business is so-so, just enough to support the family," said Madam Lin.

"Don't worry, your food is delicious, your business will only get better and better." Qingjiu was a good conversationalist. She stopped and chatted with Madam Lin for a while, and when she realized that her mistress had already gone far away, she hurriedly said, "Auntie, let's talk another day, I'll go back now!"

"Alright." After watching Qingjiu walk away, Madam Lin went back to her two daughters and said, "I think this Lord Lu is no ordinary person."

Lin Xiahe: "Mother, have you noticed anything?"

“Look, in our alley, there are only two households that employ servants. The Xu family had officials in their ancestors, and they can still afford to send Xu Tongsheng to school, which means they still have some wealth left. Qingjiu said they came from Bianjing. I asked what kind of family they were, and he didn't say directly, but he said the Lu family eats bird's nest and shark fin three times a day. Think about it, have we ever seen bird's nest and shark fin?”

Not to mention seeing it, Lin had only heard of bird's nest before; this was the first time she had ever heard of shark fin.

Lin Xiahe shook her head. "So, the Lu family must be doing well in Bianjing. But the two of them seem quite frugal, not like they're very wealthy."

"Then I wonder why." Lin was also curious.

Qiao Mianmian joked, "Maybe she's like her mother, reluctant to spend money."

"You silly girl, you're joking with me again. What do I save money for? It's all for you kids." Lin snorted. Seeing her parents-in-law arrive, she knew it was time to cook dinner, so she got up and asked what they wanted to eat.

She used to decide what to eat, but without realizing it, it had become a habit for Qiao Mianmian to make the arrangements.

Qiao Mianmian thought for a moment, "How about stir-frying twice-cooked pork? There's not much meat on the pork bones from the soup, but we can still gnaw on them. I asked Fourth Sister to leave a piece of large intestine, so I'll stir-fry some vinegar-braised pork intestine and make a goji leaf and egg soup. What do you think?"

There weren't as many green vegetables back then as there are in later generations. Some common green vegetables in later generations were almost as expensive as meat back then. For example, two gourds cost thirty coins. The wolfberry leaves were grown in the yard, covering an entire wall. We would pick the tender leaves to eat and also harvest some wolfberries.

"You're really willing to spend money like this." Madam Lin felt a pang of regret, but when she met her daughter's expectant gaze, her heart softened. "Alright, alright, now you're in charge."

“I knew Mom was the best.” Qiao Mianmian jumped up. “Big brother, you’re just in time. Help me turn the fire up a bit so I can cut the meat and cook.”

Qiao Mianmian was busy cooking. After Zhang and his wife sat down, they asked Lin how business was going today.

Madam Lin leaned closer and said in a low voice, "It's not bad, better than I imagined. Father and Mother, if every day were like this, our family would be able to move to a new house very soon."

Moving to a new house is her biggest worry; she believes that once she moves, she can relieve half of her stress.

"That's good," Zhang said.

Qiao Youfu asked one more question, "How much is it?"

Lin didn't answer, but Zhang glared at her first, saying, "However much it is, it's all theirs. We just need to wait for our meal. Why ask so many questions?"

Qiao Youfu pouted, looking displeased. "I'm the head of the household, can't I even ask him a question? You've been very fierce lately, do you dislike me?"

Seeing that the elderly couple was about to start arguing, Lin quickly interjected, "I haven't counted the exact amount yet. It's not convenient to count money outside. Let's count the money together when we get home."

“You can count them yourself when you go back inside,” Zhang said.

Qiao Youfu snorted and stopped talking. Even old married couples sometimes bicker, so he turned away, intending to give in to Zhang Shi.

Lin looked at her father-in-law, then at her mother-in-law. She was used to the old couple's interactions. She changed the subject and started talking about other people in the alley, "Mother, have you heard? Zeng Hongzhi seems to have taken a fancy to Widow Wang?"

"How did you know?" Zhang asked, suddenly intrigued.

“Chunsheng’s mother told me that Zeng Hongzhi has been going to the Wang family every few days, supposedly to help with Wang Erzhu’s wedding. But he’s a widower, and he always goes there when the Wang brothers aren’t around. No wonder people are suspicious,” Lin said.

Zhang had many questions. "Zeng Hongzhi's wife didn't just die; she's been gone for years. He lives next door to the Wang family. If he were interested in Widow Wang, he would have done so long ago, wouldn't he?"

“His youngest daughter used to be fierce and kept him from remarrying. Now that the Zeng family’s youngest daughter is married, no one is keeping an eye on him. Plus, the Wang family has become a wealthy in-law, and Widow Wang has money in her hands, so Zeng Hongzhi started to have designs on her.”

After thinking about it, Madam Lin felt that the matter would not work out. "Logically speaking, they are both single, and no one can stop them from getting married. But Widow Wang has been waiting for so many years, and now that her sons are about to get married, she can finally enjoy her life. Why create more trouble for her?"

She wasn't young and without support, nor did she lack a son to establish a household. If Lin were to choose, she would absolutely not remarry under the circumstances of Widow Wang.

What was said in jest was taken seriously by Qiao Mancang, who was wiping the table. He paused for a moment after hearing this. It wasn't until Qiao Mianmian called out, "Serve the food," that he continued wiping the table.

The fire in the stove churned at the bottom of the pot, and the stir-fried meat sizzled and glistened with oil. The fat turned into a translucent amber color, while the lean meat was fried into a crispy dark color. The spiciness brought out by the fermented black beans and chili peppers filled the air with a rich aroma.

Qiao Jiaxing held the steaming hot twice-cooked pork, swallowing hard.

Qiao Mianmian started stir-frying the pork intestines. This is a dish that requires extremely precise control of the heat; if stir-fried for too long, the intestines will become as tough as a shoe sole. After blanching, the intestines curled up into a jade ring shape. They were then added to the wok over high heat with a mixture of oil and vinegar, and the resulting tangy aroma made one's mouth water.

The combination of green and red bell peppers makes the pork intestines look more appetizing. Before taking them out of the pan, add half a bowl of cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, stir-fry a few times, and they're ready to serve. The whole process requires speed; stir-frying them too long will cause them to lose their crisp and tender texture.

Goji berry and egg soup is much simpler. Heat lard in a pot, and once the water boils, add the eggs first, then the goji leaves. The only seasoning needed is salt. A light soup paired with flavorful vegetables is a perfect match.

"Alright, dinner's ready!" Qiao Mianmian was hungry too. After washing the pot, she looked at the bowl of rice her second brother handed her and shoveled a mouthful into her mouth.

She first picked up a piece of pork intestine. The sour taste immediately caught her eye, followed by different layers of spiciness from the green chili and ginger. The red oil coated the intestine, and while it was salty, fragrant, sour, and spicy, the addition of a little sugar gave it a sweet aftertaste at the end.

As Qiao Mianmian was enjoying her meal of braised pork intestines and rice, nearby stall owners came over to ask her what she had made, as the aroma made their mouths water.

Qiao Mianmian said that there was twice-cooked pork and braised pork intestines with vinegar. "Would you like to cook a few dishes to take home? My restaurant just opened today, so the prices will be a bit more affordable. However, we're out of braised pork intestines with vinegar. All we have left today is twice-cooked pork and scrambled eggs."

Those who set up stalls to do business are people who need to support their families and are not very well-off. But they heard that today's twice-cooked pork is only fifty-five coins a bowl, and several people want one, thinking of taking it home to improve their meals.

When guests arrived, Qiao Mianmian forgot about eating and started cooking.

Mrs. Lin felt sorry that her daughter hadn't eaten enough, but since her daughter didn't know how to cook, she quickly came over to help chop and prepare the vegetables.

After a flurry of activity, all the meat and vegetables prepared for the day were sold out, but Qiao Mianmian's meal had gone cold.

"I'll heat up the soup and use it to soak rice; it'll taste just as good," Qiao Mianmian said, starting to heat up the soup.

The rest of the Qiao family had finished eating and were helping to clean up the stall.

After Qiao Mianmian and her daughter finished eating and the stall was packed up, the family chatted and laughed as they went home.

After a busy day, the moment she looked forward to most was counting the money. Qiao Mianmian eagerly pulled her mother along, saying, "Hurry up!"

"I know, why are you in such a hurry? The money is already in our pockets, it's not going to run away." Madam Lin took out her money bag. Today was the first day, and since her father-in-law wanted to know, she counted the money in front of everyone. "In total, there are four strings and one hundred and twenty coins. Father, this is the money for the fish, and this is the money for the meat. Roughly speaking, we earned two strings of coins today."

One string of cash is one tael of silver. Originally, I could earn some money by selling braised food every day. Now, with the money from the snack stall and Chunxi Restaurant, as long as I keep it up every day, I can earn ninety to one hundred taels of silver a month.

Thinking of this, Madam Lin couldn't suppress her excitement. She happily took the silver back to her house, knowing that she would be able to move to a new house soon.

Qiao Mianmian was also happy, believing that with her cooking skills, the business would get better and better.

She was really tired today. After washing up, she lay down and fell asleep without even hearing her fourth sister calling her.

The people in the other rooms of the Qiao family home were still awake.

Zhang said that Qiao Youfu was greedy for money, "How could you have the nerve to accept it? Lin saved money for the family, not for others."

"If I don't accept it today, how will I accept it in the future?" Qiao Youfu felt it was better to be clear about the details. "She's already given it to me, so of course I have to keep it. We're getting old, and in a few years when we can't work anymore, how will we survive without some money?"

"Fine, fine, go ahead and focus on your money. I can't be bothered talking to you." Zhang lay down with her back to Qiao Youfu. She was thinking that they were getting old and wouldn't spend much money, so it would be better for Lin to save enough money to buy a new house. Besides, was it really necessary to leave so much money now, since it would all go to her three sons in the future?

Thinking about her eldest grandson's wedding after the New Year, Zhang couldn't help but feel worried and sighed.

Qiao Youfu blew out the candles and lay down flat. His wife had been with him for most of her life, and all she wanted was a gold ring.

His son and daughter-in-law are taking care of the grandchildren's affairs, and he has already done his best to help. But he also needs to take care of his wife. He can't let the two of them suffer their whole lives only to have regrets at the end, can he?

In the darkness, Qiao Youfu leaned closer to Zhang Shi. A young couple can grow old together; he had married a good wife in his life.

At this moment, Lin Shi and Qiao Mancang next door also lay down, but Qiao Mancang was not sleepy. After hesitating for a while, she asked hesitantly, "Do you...do you regret marrying me?"

"How could that be?" Lin felt that the question came out of nowhere. "Back then, I was divorced and sent back to my parents' home. If I hadn't married you, I don't dare to think about what my life would have been like afterward."

She paused, even more confused, "Why would you ask that?"

"Today you...you said that Widow Wang and...and..." Qiao Mancang, who usually spoke quite well, became hesitant and couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time. After taking a deep breath, he spoke quickly, "You said that if it were you, you wouldn't remarry."

Lin was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled softly, "I was talking about Widow Wang's situation. Can I compare myself to her now? She raised her children with great difficulty and was able to manage her own household. Now she's getting married and has to listen to Zeng Hongzhi to live her life. Isn't that hard?"

"So that's what you were thinking about. No wonder you weren't saying anything while we were eating." Lin and Qiao Mancang had been married for many years and had genuine feelings for each other. She took the initiative to move closer, her cheeks flushed in the darkness. "In my heart, you are the best."

"Really?" Qiao Mancang sat up excitedly. "Oh dear, why are you making such a commotion?" Lin looked out the window guiltily. They were an old married couple; if the neighbors misunderstood something, she would be mortified. "It's fake, I'm just kidding!"

She rolled over, thinking that she hadn't asked Qiao Mancang whether he valued her more or preferred the one in front of him, which made her quite sensible.

"Nonsense, you're telling the truth." Qiao Mancang lay down contentedly, chuckling as he embraced Lin Shi. "Back then, when Mother took me to meet potential partners, I took a liking to you at first sight."

"Qiao Mancang, aren't you ashamed?" Madam Lin moved but couldn't push Qiao Mancang away. "Where are you putting your hands? We still have to set up a stall tomorrow!"

Qiao Mancang didn't let go. "What's there to be embarrassed about? We're husband and wife. It's good to be affectionate."