In June, the weather starts to get hotter.
Every May and June, the mango trees on the roadside of Hailang Island begin to bear fruit. Rows of tall mango trees are full of huge golden mangoes, bending the branches and emitting the sweet mango fragrance.
Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo came back from buying groceries when they saw this scene. They couldn't help licking the corners of their dry lips.
Seeing this, Mrs. Luo tiptoed to pick a bunch of mangoes from the tree.
She picked four or five mangoes at once. Each brown mango branch was attached with golden and light purple mangoes, which was pleasing to the eye.
"Here, Xiao Ning."
Ning Tang was stunned. "Sister-in-law, this mango tree is planted by someone else. We can't pick the mangoes."
Mrs. Luo was delighted. "This mango tree is planted by the roadside. No one owns it. If you want to eat some, just pick it yourself."
Ning Tang took the mango and said, "I thought they were grown by someone else's family or in the military compound. Just like the last time we distributed the jackfruit, they have to be picked before they can be distributed."
Mrs. Luo waved her hand. "That's different. Jackfruits are picked and distributed because there are so few of them. Otherwise, if some people picked them and ate them, and some didn't, there would be a commotion."
Ning Tang nodded. So that's how it is.
Mrs. Luo continued, "You can eat as much as you want. If Da Wa and the others feel like eating more, they can pick mangoes from the roadside. There's no limit on what they can do. Look at all the mango trees along the way. How could we eat them all? If we don't eat them, they'll just become fertilizer for the flowers, which would be a waste."
Ning Tang nodded. To ensure that these golden, sweet mangoes would not be wasted, she had to work hard to consume them. She clenched her fist and said, "Sister-in-law, how about we pick some more?"
Mrs. Luo was delighted. "Okay, I'll pick some to take back with me, to please Lao Zhao and Qingqing."
Mrs. Luo picked mangoes with Ning Tang and introduced the varieties of mangoes on Hailang Island to her.
There are the smooth, flat Tainong mangoes, the juicy green-skinned green mangoes, the ivory mangoes, which are almost as long as an adult's palm, the sweet and refreshing golden mangoes, the waist mangoes that look like cashews, and even the egg mangoes the size of an egg...
Ning Tang's mouth was watering when he heard this.
Unfortunately, the mangoes produced by the mango trees planted on the roadside are mainly ivory mangoes. For mangoes like Tainong mangoes, green-skinned mangoes, and egg mangoes, you have to go to the vegetable market to see if there are any farmers selling them. Then you can buy some to try and experience the flavor of different varieties of mangoes.
When they got home, Ning Tang and Da Wa looked at each other and both of them laughed.
Ning Tang was carrying a basket, one-third of which was filled with vegetables, and two-thirds was filled with freshly picked ivory mangoes.
Big Boy had just come back from outside. No one knew where he had been. His whole body was covered with mud, and the hem of his shirt was filled with mangoes.
Then he looked at Erniu and Sanwa following behind him, and they looked exactly the same.
Seeing Ning Tang staring at him, Da Wa quickly explained, "I packed it in old clothes."
Ning Tang was amused. "I don't blame you. Go take a shower quickly. You're so dirty that you can only rub out a mud ball as big as your fist."
Big Boy frowned, "It's not as dirty as you said."
However, he looked down at his body and found it a bit dirty. He put the mango on the table and shouted, "I'm going to take a shower." He turned and went into the bathroom.
Erniu and Sanwa were waiting in line behind him, waiting to take a bath.
Ning Tang gathered the mangoes picked by the four of them. She picked ivory mangoes, while Da Wa and the other three picked green mangoes that they didn't know where they picked from.
The ivory mangoes she picked were ripe and easy to eat.
Wash the ivory mangoes, separate the mango flesh and core, then use a knife to cut the flesh horizontally and vertically to form small grids. Then grab the two sides and squeeze these mango grids into the bowl. It is very convenient and will not dirty your hands.
Now, the only things left were the green mangoes picked by Da Wa and the others. These mangoes were not fully ripe yet. Ning Tang tried to cut a piece to taste it, and it almost made her teeth fall out from the sourness.
She remembered that when Mrs. Luo introduced the mango variety to her, she said that this kind of green mango can be eaten with chili salt, and she also told her how to make chili salt.
The ingredients needed are all available at home. Dissolve the chili powder into chili water, add sugar and water and boil in a pot over low heat, add a little salt, stir evenly, then add the prepared chili water in batches, slowly stir-fry over low heat until dry, and a dish of chili salt is ready.
The finished chili salt is light brown, dotted with red chili skins, and smells of a unique fragrance.
Ning Tang tried dipping the green mango in chili salt. The sweet, salty and spicy taste of the chili salt neutralized the astringency of the green mango, making it more palatable. She couldn't help but taste piece after piece.
Big Brother and the others had also finished their bath and were all wearing short-sleeved shirts and shorts.
Big Boy ran to the electric fan and turned on the switch. The fan shook its head and sent out a gentle breeze.
The three little kids squatted in front of the electric fan, feeling the cool breeze and making comfortable sounds in unison.
Ning Tang called out, "Come here and eat mango."
The three of them ran over, Mango took it, and returned to the fan, obviously unwilling to leave the fan for a moment.
The sweet ivory mango and the sour green mango paired with chili salt have different flavors. After eating them for a while, I couldn't help but say that they were so satisfying.
The eldest boy waved his hand and said, "Let's go pick more mangoes tomorrow and pick all the mangoes on the island."
Ning Tang said, "We can't store all the fruits you picked, but please leave some for others, King of Children."
As they were talking, footsteps were heard at the door. It was Chen Lie coming back.
His hair was soaked with sweat, and the spot on his collar was the wettest, so wet that you could even see the outline of the white vest underneath.
Chen Lie took off his outer clothes and shouted, "Is there anything to drink? I'm so thirsty." It was obvious that he was very hot.
Ning Tang said, "There's mint syrup and iced mung bean soup. Which one would you like?"
Shen Lie was hesitant. He wanted to drink both, but he also wanted to save space for food. He couldn't just drink water.
Ning Tang asked, "How about drinking mint water before dinner and mung bean soup after dinner?"
Shen Lie nodded, "Okay."
Ning Tang handed him an enamel jar filled with mint syrup, and Chen Lie took it and drank it all in one gulp.
Soak mint leaves in water and add half a piece of rock sugar. It has a refreshing mint aroma and a sweet taste.
After Chen Lie finished drinking, he knocked down the enamel pot and smacked his lips. "Any more?"
Ning Tang poured him another half cup.
He drank the second cup of Shenli wine less quickly than the first. As he savored it carefully, he sighed, "When you first suggested growing that damn mint, I didn't agree. I thought it wasn't very practical. Now it seems you're more forward-thinking."
Well, of course, the effect of mint leaves is not noticeable in winter, but it is very obvious in summer.
The fragrance can repel mosquitoes. There are obviously fewer mosquitoes this summer than in previous years. The leaves can be soaked in water, and the taste of mint water is praised by everyone who has tasted it.
Once you plant it in the yard, you don't have to take care of it. Just water it every few days. It will grow wildly on its own and become a large, lush patch that is a pleasure to look at.
The last time Mrs. Luo came to their house, she tasted the mint water and heard about the effects of mint. She was so amazed that she took a few plants of wild mint back home. I guess there is a large patch of it growing in the Zhao family's yard now.
Ning Tang said, "I'm glad you know." He added, "If you like this mint water, take it to the troops. It doesn't take much effort to make, just mint leaves and two pieces of sugar."
Chen Lie said, "I think it's okay."
Summer is the peak season for training. He sweats every day, and drinking ordinary water doesn't quench his thirst. This mint water is just right.
He put the empty enamel mug on the table and said, "This summer is getting hotter."
But life has become more comfortable.
If it were in the past, when I came home from get off work, I wouldn’t be able to drink sweet and refreshing mint water, and I wouldn’t be taken care of so well.
Chen Lie didn't say anything, but his heart was blossoming.
He kicked the eldest child and said, "Go away! Make room for your dad."
Then he used his butt to push the eldest child aside and sat down between the three little ones, facing the electric fan. He then used a bamboo skewer to pick up a piece of mango dipped in chili salt from Erniu's bowl and smacked his lips as he ate. "Hmm, this mango tastes good. What's that salt-like thing on it?"
The eldest child was furious, "Dad, all you know is bullying us."
Chen Lie glanced at him, his meaning was very clear, so what if I bullied you.
When Chen Lie sat down, he occupied most of the space where the fan could reach.
Da Wa pushed him with his hand, but Shen Lie was no match for him and didn't move at all.
Or was it Sanwa who was clever? He got up and sat on Chen Lie, enjoying the best position to enjoy the fan.
Chen Lie did not stop him and let the little Sanwa sit on him. The grandfather and the second girl enjoyed the fan together, feeling very comfortable.
But the eldest child was so angry that he complained to Ning Tang, "Mom!"
Ning Tang patted Da Wa's head and said, "Don't bother with your dad. He's even more childish than you."
After being comforted by Ning Tang, Da Wa stopped whining and glanced at Chen Lie, with a clear meaning: I have my mother to protect me.
Chen Lie didn't bother with him and asked Ning Tang, "What's that mango dipped in?"
Ning Tang explained to him, "The dipping sauce is chili salt, which is a dipping sauce made of chili peppers, sugar and salt."
Chen Lie said, "It tastes good. I'll make this dipping sauce next time I eat mangoes."
"Well, you'll have to ask Da Wa." Ning Tang said, "He picked half of these mangoes."
The eldest boy puffed out his small chest, very proud.
Shen Lie was amused and pinched his little cheeks. "Then I'll trouble Comrade Shen Dawa to pick some mangoes for your father tomorrow."
The eldest child snorted, "This is good enough. Wait, I'll pick more for you tomorrow."
Shen Lie really wanted to kick him, seeing how proud this kid was.
The next day, the eldest boy got up early with the second and third girls and prepared to go pick mangoes.
Ning Tang, still half asleep and half awake, called out, "Go with your straw hat on."
The sun is scorching and I’m afraid they’ll get sunburned.
Da Wa's voice came from the living room, and Ning Tang fell asleep again.
At nine o'clock sharp, Ning Tang got up and went to the yard to wash up.
I bought a new toothbrush with black toothpaste, took a mouthful of water and spit out saliva. Da Wa and the other two just came back?
Ning Tang was delighted when he saw them. The eldest, second and third children were holding freshly picked mangoes in their hands. The eldest even had a mango tied together with two mango branches hanging around his neck. The golden mangoes just hung in front of his chest.
"Are you going to execute Mango's entire family?" Ning Tang asked.
The eldest boy waved his hand and said, "It's just this little, not enough for us to fill our teeth."
"If you want to eat them, go pick them." Ning Tang said, "They're everywhere in the mountains anyway."
"But..." Ning Tang stretched out his voice, "If you eat so much, you'll probably get a sore throat."
"Eat first, and we'll talk about it later if you get angry." Erniu replied.
Ning Tang smiled, "When did our second daughter become such a greedy little cat?"
Erniu blushed. It was really because mangoes were so delicious. Plus, there wasn't much delicious food these days, so she was counting on these fruits to sweeten her mouth.
Fortunately, the three of them were born on an island, where they have abundant seafood to eat and a variety of fruits in all seasons. In any case, they are much happier than the children in the village on the hill.
The three of them put the mangoes on the table. Da Wa stood on tiptoe and fished out two dimes from the cabinet in the living room. He shouted, "Mom, let's go out and buy some groceries."
Ning Tang said, "I'll go with you."
Anyway, she got up early today and had nothing to do, so she just happened to see how Da Wa and the others bought groceries.
To be honest, she had just casually assigned the task of buying vegetables to Da Wa, but she didn't expect that he could actually buy the vegetables? Moreover, they were all fresh and delicious vegetables, which made Ning Tang curious.
On the way there, Da Wa and the other two walked in front, and Ning Tang followed behind.
One of them wore a large straw hat on his head, and the glaring sunlight stretched their shadows long.
Da Wa first discussed with Er Niu and San Wa what to eat today, and then asked Ning Tang what she wanted to eat.
Ning Tang said it was up to him, so the eldest child listened to the second and third children.
The menu is set, and we will have braised Spanish mackerel, steamed crabs and blanched conchs for lunch. So, what we need to buy are three kinds of seafood: Spanish mackerel, crabs and conchs.
After discussing it, they walked to the vegetable market.
Da Wa looked around and walked straight to a stall. "Uncle Zhou, give me a pound of conch."
The stall owner, whom Big Wa called Uncle Zhou, was a middle-sized man with a kind smile. When he saw Big Wa, he immediately smiled and said, "Oh, it's Big Wa. You want some conchs, right? Okay, okay, I'll weigh them for you right away."
As he spoke, Uncle Zhou scooped up most of the snails in front of him with a net basket. He shook it a few times to drain the water, then placed the snails on the scale and said loudly, "Exactly one pound."
Ning Tang watched the whole process. The one pound of snails that Uncle Zhou mentioned must actually be much more than this amount.
There are about thirty snails in a pound of flower snails. Uncle Zhou gave at least forty of them to Da Wa, definitely to take care of Da Wa.
Da Wa took the conch handed to him by Uncle Zhou and gave him the money. A smile spread across his face and he said in a crisp voice, "Thank you, Uncle Zhou."
Uncle Zhou narrowed his eyes in a smile and waved his hands repeatedly, "No thanks, no thanks."
Next, the eldest son bought crabs and mackerel.
Ning Tang discovered that he seemed to be familiar with every stall owner. No matter which stall he passed by, there would always be a stall owner greeting him, and Da Wa would not get tired of it and greet them one by one.
After buying a lot of things, Ning Tang carried the crabs and mackerel, while Da Wa was responsible for carrying the conchs.
Erniu and Sanwa led the way with empty hands.
Ning Tang was surprised and asked Da Wa, "How do you know? Who is the best place to buy these seafood? Aren't you afraid of being ripped off?"
Not every stall owner is as kind as Uncle Zhou just now.
Ning Tang was cheated when he first came here to buy groceries.
The selected vegetables were given to the stall owner to pack. When the stall owner was packing, he would swap the vegetables under the stall where Ning Tang couldn't see, and give her the ones that were not good.
The stall owner did it secretly, so Ning Tang naturally didn't notice it. When he got home and opened the bag, he saw that it was full of rotten vegetables. Ning Tang was almost angry to death.
Some stall owners like to sprinkle water on the vegetables, claiming that it is to keep them fresh. However, some vegetables absorb water naturally, and if they are sprinkled with water, they will actually be heavier when weighed than vegetables that have not been sprinkled with water.
It is said that there is no business without fraud. Sometimes, Ning Tang can understand the tricks used by these street vendors, which are just to make a little more money, but he will still be unhappy when they cheat him.
Da Wa pointed to his eyes and said, "I'm not afraid of being ripped off. I have eyes and I can see. If there are a lot of people in front of a stall, it means the owner is honest and the vegetables he sells are fresh. That's why I go there and buy from him."
"Uncle Zhou is like that. He sells the best seafood and likes to give extra credits, so everyone loves to buy from him," said Da Wa. "But some vendors like to rip people off. They like to use those little tricks, giving less here and deliberately over-weighing there."
Ning Tang's eyes lit up as he deliberately tested him, "So, if you were to start a vegetable business, what kind of vendor would you be?"
Da Wa said without thinking, "Uncle Zhou's kind."
"Why?" Ning Tang asked deliberately, "Uncle Zhou gave a tip, so he lost money, didn't he? On the contrary, those stall owners who didn't give a tip, who shortchanged the goods by a little weight, and who made a little bit here and there, saved a lot of money. Over time, they earned more than your Uncle Zhou."
Ning Tang pretended to sigh, "Alas, Uncle Zhou won the hearts of the people, but lost money. I don't know whether he won or lost."
Da Wa said, "Mom, you are wrong about this."
Ning Tang raised an eyebrow and asked him, "What did I do wrong?"
"I don't think Uncle Zhou lost," said Da Wa. "Uncle Zhou often sells good dishes to people and gives them extra credit. Word of mouth has spread, and everyone knows Uncle Zhou's seafood is good and cheap. Over time, everyone has become familiar with his brand and likes to buy from him."
"If you don't believe me, remember there was a long queue in front of Uncle Zhou's stall just now?" Da Wa said, "We waited in line for quite a while before we could buy our groceries."
Ning Tang nodded, encouraging him to continue.
Da Wa smiled slyly, "Besides, I don't think Uncle Zhou earns too little. He's a businessman after all. If it really wasn't profitable, he would have closed his business and gone home long ago. How could he be so happy setting up shop every day?"
Who knows, maybe Uncle Zhou makes the most money among all the seafood stall owners.
The main goal is to make small profits but quick turnover.
After listening to Da Wa's words, Ning Tang was convinced and secretly sighed. He never expected that Da Wa, at such a young age, could be so insightful and have his own business acumen in his mind, which is something many adults can hardly achieve.
Could it be that his good math skills are related to this?
After saying this, the eldest boy jumped up and down with the vegetables in his hand to catch up with the second and third girls.
Ning Tang looked at his little boy's back and raised his eyebrows. Perhaps, although the eldest boy's academic performance was not good, he would be quite accomplished in business. Would their family be able to produce a successful businessman in the future?
Ning Tang caught up with them and asked Da Wa, "Hey, you go to the market every now and then to buy groceries, and no one asks you why you're so young and you're out here to help buy groceries for the family."
The eldest child nodded and then shook his head. "Ask them. Every time they asked, I said I was helping with the housework and buying groceries for you. Over time, they stopped asking. Every time they saw my expression, it was quite strange. It felt like they were sympathizing with me."
"Sympathy?" Ning Tang was dumbfounded. "Sympathy for you for what?"
Da Wa thought for a moment and said, "Maybe they feel sorry for me because I'm so young and I have to come out to help buy groceries."
Indeed, in the entire vegetable market, except for Da Wa and a little kid, the rest are adults or elderly people. No wonder Uncle Zhou, who sells seafood, smiles when he sees Da Wa, because it is so rare to see a little kid buying vegetables, and buying them so clearly.
Da Wa also stood on tiptoe and patted Ning Tang's shoulder sympathetically. "They probably think that I have a bad stepmother, a lazy stepmother who calls me out every day to buy groceries and do housework."
In fact, they don’t know that Da Wa also likes to buy vegetables. Otherwise, how could Ning Tang urge him to do it just by saying a few words?
Ning Tang rolled her eyes. It seemed that in places where she couldn't see, her reputation had become so bad at some point.
I was really cheated by that naughty brat Da Wa.
Da Wa glanced at Ning Tang's face cautiously, "Mom, aren't you angry?"
Ning Tang said with a smile, "Why are you angry? I'm not angry. I'm your stepmother, not your biological mother. Even if I treat you very well, others will think I'm mistreating you and pricking your feet with needles every day."
Erniu turned around and gave Ning Tang a serious look. "Mom didn't treat us harshly, and she didn't prick our feet with needles."
Ning Tang asked, "So? What do you think of me? What do you think of me?"
Sanwa clenched his fist without hesitation and said, "Very good."
Ning Tang spread his hands and said, "That's it. We can't control what others say, but we know what we are doing. As for others, let them say whatever they want."
After returning home, Ning Tang steamed or braised the dishes he had bought.
Soon, three kinds of delicious seafood were served on the table.
The eldest child held the conch in one hand and used a bamboo skewer with the other to pick out the conch meat and ate it. As he ate, he sighed, "Mom, your cooking skills have improved a lot."
Ning Tang snorted, "Don't you see who I am? It's just a few dishes, how can it be difficult for me? Before, I didn't want to do it, but now I want to do it, so it's easy."
Erniu picked up a piece of Spanish mackerel with her chopsticks and said, "But it's still not as good as Dad's cooking."
Ning Tang was deflated. Indeed, Chen Lie's craftsmanship was top-notch, and she felt that she would never be able to catch up with him in this lifetime.
but--
She lowered her head and glanced at the eldest and third children.
Big Baby was confused and asked, "Look at what we are doing."
"You said that Captain Shen is a good cook." Ning Tang said, "Logically speaking, shouldn't the eldest and third children also be good cooks?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she thought of the burnt food and the scorched pot that Da Wa had cooked, and shook her head. "Forget it, from now on, we can't rely on Da Wa for our family's meals. We have to rely on San Wa."
The eldest boy puffed up his cheeks and said, "You look down on me! That's because no one has ever taught me. If you could teach me, I could prepare three dishes and a soup for you in half an hour."
Ning Tang was amused and said to Erniu, "Look at the sky?"
Erniu tilted her head, "There's nothing in the sky, just blue sky and white clouds."
"Who said that? Even Dawa is just bragging." Ning Tang said, "Comrade Shen Dawa, when will you be able to stop burning the food and start talking about three dishes and one soup again?"
Da Wa puffed up his face and put his hands on his hips, wanting to refute, but when he thought of the results of the last battle, he became deflated.
Speaking of Sanwa, Ning Tang glanced at his little fleshy hands, which were so chubby and soft. He didn't know when he would be able to grow up to hold a spatula. He felt that he had a long way to go.
Sanwa didn't understand what was going on. He thought Ning Tang wanted to eat the food in his hand, so he raised his chopsticks and put them close to her mouth. "Ah——"
Ning Tang saw the saliva on the food and decisively refused, "Be good, Sanwa, there's some in mom's bowl, just eat it yourself."
Seeing that Ning Tang's bowl was indeed full of food, Sanwa stopped putting his chopsticks near her mouth and ate it all in one gulp.
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