Huang Qinqin divided the kneaded dough into small balls, placed them on a bowl, covered them with a cloth, and planned to let them ferment for a while. Then she went into the kitchen to prepare to cook.
Huang Qinqin said to Huang Jianjun, "Second Brother, you can start the fire now." Huang Jianjun agreed, sat on the small stool specially designed for sitting and starting the fire, and skillfully began to start the fire.
Huang Qinqin skillfully picked up a piece of old ginger, sliced it thinly, put it into the pot, and also put the prepared pork ribs in.
As the water temperature gradually rises, the spiciness of the ginger slices is slowly released, blending with the umami flavor of the ribs. The purpose of blanching is to remove the blood from the ribs, so that they will not have that unpleasant fishy smell.
Soon, a layer of foam began to rise to the surface of the water. Huang Qinqin gently skimmed it off with a spoon, her movements swift and efficient.
Next, she poured out the water from the pot, put the pot back on the stove, heated it up, and scooped out a small spoonful of lard.
Once the oil was hot, Huang Qinqin carefully placed the ribs into the pot and stir-fried them continuously until they changed color slightly. Then, she quickly added the chopped potatoes and continued to stir-fry until each potato was coated with oil.
Finally, Huang Qinqin added an appropriate amount of water to the pot, then added various seasonings, stirred well, and covered the pot with the lid.
Huang Qinqin took the steamed buns from the table and said to Huang Jianjun, "Second brother, could you open the cupboard for me and bring over the leftover steamed buns from this morning, and also the steamer rack?"
Huang Qinqin opened the pot lid, placed the steamer rack on it, and put the steamed buns on it. After thinking for a moment, she decided not to steam them with the raw buns. She would put them back in to reheat them a little while later when they were almost cooked.
Then he said to Huang Jianjun, "Second Brother, you can turn the heat down a bit and let the ribs and steamed buns simmer together slowly."
Next, all you need to do is wait for the ribs and potatoes to simmer over low heat until they become tender and flavorful. The steamed buns will also be steamed at the same time, which will save some firewood and time.
In the sweltering heat of June, the temperature gradually rose, and even the air seemed to grow heavy. Huang Qinqin raised her hand to wipe the fine beads of sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.
Then she stepped out of the unbearably hot kitchen. Standing in the doorway, feeling the slightly cooler breeze outside, she sighed inwardly, "Staying in the kitchen cooking in the middle of the day is truly torture!"
Huang Qinqin turned her gaze into the room and found Huang Jianjun still squatting motionless in front of the stove, watching the fire.
She couldn't help but feel curious, so she went up to him and asked, "Second Brother, why have you been staying in the kitchen all day? Don't you feel hot?"
Huang Jianjun was covered in sweat, but his eyes were somewhat vacant. He stammered, "I...I'm not hot! It's fine here." His words revealed a hint of undisguised guilt.
Huang Qinqin:………
Huang Qinqin walked to the kitchen door and leaned against it, somewhat speechless: "Second brother, shouldn't you wipe your sweat before saying that? What are you afraid of? I'm not going to eat anyone. Really."
Huang Jianjun muttered to himself: You may not eat people, but you can still trick them! He hadn't forgotten that at the food station, the young woman had planned to trick him into agreeing to a condition.
Huang Jianjun sat on the stool and didn't move, pretending not to hear Huang Qinqin's words. Anyway, if he didn't go out, his younger sister couldn't pull him away.
Huang Qinqin could tell from Huang Jianjun's expression that he intended to deny what had just happened. Huang Qinqin squatted down, crossed her arms, and stared at Huang Jianjun without saying a word.
Looking at the scene before him, Huang Jianjun felt a chill run down his spine, making him feel uneasy all over.
He began shifting his body on the stool, seemingly trying to escape the eerie atmosphere. However, despite this, the atmosphere between the two remained tense, as if time had frozen.
They remained locked in this stalemate for a full two minutes. Finally, Huang Jianjun could no longer bear the oppressive feeling. He raised his right arm and vigorously wiped the sweat pouring from his forehead.
Then, as if he had made up his mind, he quickly stood up, walked past Huang Qinqin, and went straight out of the kitchen.
Huang Qinqin followed behind Huang Jianjun with a cheerful smile, her tone relaxed and cheerful, as if she was completely unaware of how awkward everything that had just happened was.
"Second brother, don't be afraid. You're my own brother, how could I hurt you? Hehe o(￣▽￣)d" She said, while playfully winking at Huang Jianjun.
Huang Jianjun, however, simply sat there quietly, watching Huang Qinqin's performance with a blank expression. He couldn't bring himself to laugh, nor did he even have the slightest desire to respond.
Finally, he asked helplessly, "Alright, what is it? But let me make this clear, I'm out of money." After saying that, he shut his mouth tightly, waiting for Huang Qinqin's next answer.
Huang Qinqin pursed her lips: "I already said I don't want your money. Here's the thing, my brother is twenty-two this year, and we just met a suitable girl, so we were thinking of introducing them to each other."
But as soon as Mom and Dad asked, my older brother refused. So, this great and glorious task has fallen on your shoulders!
Huang Qinqin smiled obsequiously, and as she spoke, she walked behind Huang Jianjun and began massaging his shoulders. But after only two massages, as soon as she finished speaking, Huang Jianjun sprang up.
"What a joke!" Huang Jianjun's voice trembled, as if he had been greatly frightened.
"If my brother doesn't want to go, what can I do? How could I dare to go against him? Besides, he wouldn't listen to me anyway!"
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