Chapter 65: Expectations
"Sister-in-law, it's popular to make pickled cabbage, pickled mustard greens, chives, and dried radish during the Chinese New Year here..."
"Xiaolan can do it all? That's amazing."
"I will! After pickling the sauerkraut, it's time to write couplets, cut window decorations, and hang lanterns."
"Write couplets?"
"Yes, my brother can write calligraphy, and it's very beautiful. Every year many people in the compound come to him for help!"
At the dinner table, Chu Minglan racked her brains and talked about the New Year customs in Northwest China as she remembered them.
Not only her, in fact Chu Mingzhou and Chu Mingyu are also looking forward to this new year. After all, with Lin Anan in the family, things are very different from before.
Lin Zihuai listened with great interest, "That's perfect, my sister can cut paper-cuts, and she cuts them very beautifully..."
One praised his brother, the other praised his sister, and they enjoyed the competition very much.
Lin Anan's eyes were curved with smiles as she listened, and she ate her meal in small bites.
The atmosphere at the dinner table was particularly good.
After dinner, Chu Mingzhou went to his neighbor’s house to borrow a cart, and took Lin Zihuai to the military farm.
The sun sets, the temperature gradually drops, and the wind blowing on my face feels as painful as a knife.
If it were any other time, Lin Zihuai would not be willing to endure this hardship in such a cold weather.
But now... he was walking very fast, following Chu Mingzhou closely, not losing even a step.
That damn competitive spirit makes him full of energy!
"Brother-in-law, can I have one of these pumpkins? My sister loves them."
"Take it."
"Brother-in-law, why are there chestnuts here? My sister loves to eat chestnuts."
Chu Mingzhou took a basket and poured most of it over.
Lin Zihuai ordered several dishes, including his own favorites and Lin Anan’s favorites.
Without exception, all were loaded onto the cart by Chu Mingzhou.
"Captain Chu, remember to come and get the mutton and beef on the 25th of the lunar year. They are freshly slaughtered and you can take them back to celebrate the New Year."
"Okay, thanks."
Before leaving, Chu Mingzhou brought out a lot of dry firewood and filled the cart full.
The two of them returned with a cart full of stuff.
When we got home, it was already dark.
Hearing the noise, Lin Anan brought her two children out to help.
"Why did you take so much?"
"Zi Huai picked out some of your favorite food and also brought some firewood."
Lin Zihuai was laughing at the side, not afraid that Lin Anan would expose him.
Everyone moved things into the house and started to organize and sort them.
The Chu family brothers and sisters are all very hardworking and cannot sit still. They got the food that night and started pickling it that same night.
Some were cutting vegetables, some were adding seasonings, some were canning things, and the three of them plus Lin Zihuai did everything in an orderly manner.
"I'll help you."
Lin Anan looked at their busy figures and couldn't sit still anymore. She wanted to help, but Chu Mingzhou stopped her, "You can't catch a cold. Go sit down."
Lin Anan didn't insist. She really couldn't catch a cold. If she got sick, it would be more trouble than help.
Glancing at the pumpkin and chestnuts in the corner, Lin Anan thought for a moment and said, "I'll make you some pumpkin pie."
“Pumpkin pie?”
Not to mention the Chu brothers and sisters, even Lin Zihuai didn't know what pumpkin pie was.
"Well, I happen to have glutinous rice flour at home."
Lin Anan rolled up her sleeves and started preparing. "Making pumpkin pie is very simple and not tiring at all. And you can make a lot of them from one pumpkin. You can share some with your neighbors and friends when the time comes."
"Okay, I'll help you light the fire."
Chu Mingzhou put down the kitchen knife and skillfully lit a fire for her. Seeing that she really couldn't sit still, he let her do it.
Lin Anan skillfully peeled and cut the pumpkin into pieces, then put it into the pot and steamed it.
While steaming the pumpkin, prepare glutinous rice flour and other ingredients.
After the pumpkin is steamed, mash it into a paste, then add an appropriate amount of glutinous rice flour and knead it into a smooth dough.
Next, divide the dough into small pieces, roll them into round shapes, and then flatten them into pancake shapes.
Lin Anan's movements were not very skillful, but pumpkin pie was simple to make and anyone could make it well with a little effort.
"Wow~ I've never seen such pancakes." Chu Mingyu watched from the side with sparkling eyes.
Chu Minglan also showed a surprised expression: "Sister-in-law, this pumpkin pie is really beautiful, it must be delicious too."
Lin Zihuai asked curiously, "Sister, can this be steamed like steamed buns? I'll heat up the steamer for you."
Lin Anan smiled and shook her head. "Pumpkin cakes can't be steamed. They have to be fried in oil or in a frying pan. We don't have much oil at home, so let's fry them in a frying pan."
She put a little oil in a frying pan, put the pumpkin pie in the pan, and fried it slowly over low heat.
In a short while, the pumpkin pie becomes golden and crispy, exuding an enticing aroma.
Lin Anan picked up a piece to taste, "Wow~ It's hot and tastes good."
Quickly put the fried pumpkin pancakes on a plate and serve them to everyone.
"Okay, try it first and see if it suits your taste."
Several people had work to do, so Lin Anan picked up the fish, blew on it, and fed it to them one by one.
"Wow~ It's delicious!" Chu Mingyu took a small bite first, then his eyes lit up, and he quickly washed his hands and wanted to take it himself.
Chu Minglan also nodded and praised: "Sister-in-law, this pumpkin cake is sweet and sticky. It's really delicious."
Lin Zihuai's mouth was full, and his words were a little unclear, "Sister, where did you learn this? Mom definitely can't do it, otherwise she would have run away from the whole village."
"Well, I learned this from a book, not from my mom."
"Eat less, glutinous rice is not easy to digest."
Several people nodded in agreement.
Lin Anan fried all the remaining pancakes. His family couldn't eat much, but he could let Chu Mingzhou take them to the army to give to his comrades so that everyone could have a taste and it would also show that he, as the battalion commander, was thoughtful.
Also... I want to ask Lin Zihuai to take me to the art troupe as a favor, and put the quarrel behind us. We still have to get along with the rest of them.
If Lin Zihuai was really noticed by the art troupe, Lin Anan would not really block his future.
"This pumpkin pie tastes best right out of the pan. It won't taste good when it's cold. But it's cold here, so it's fine to keep it for a few days. Just heat it up in the pan when you want to eat it."
After Lin Anan put away the fried pumpkin cakes properly, she looked at the people who were busy pickling them and said, "Don't be too busy. There's no rush to pickle these vegetables."
"It's almost done. Get these done today so that preparations for the New Year will be easier."
Chu Mingzhou asked her to go and rest first, indicating that he would be ready soon.
Lin Anan smiled helplessly and went to wash up and rest.
The house is filled with the aroma of pumpkin pie and the unique taste of pickled vegetables, which mixed together to create a unique atmosphere of life.
It was almost eleven o'clock in the evening when the pickling work was finally completed.
"It's finally done. Now we just have to wait for it to be seasoned."
Lin Zihuai stood up, stretched his numb arms, and looked at the jars of pickled vegetables with disbelief in his eyes...
Can you actually make pickles yourself?
Chu Mingyu and Lin Anan had already gone to bed, and the other three didn't say much. They tidied up and went to bed.
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