Chapter 35 Asking Yu Hui for Help
Yu Qiang's birthday was in one day, and Qian Lan mentioned it during dinner.
"The day after tomorrow is your birthday. I plan to go to the market the morning after tomorrow to buy a chicken and give you two taels of wine."
Yu Qiang stuffed a chopstick of cabbage into his mouth and said, "I'm afraid two taels is not enough."
"How much more do you want to drink?" Qian Lan's voice suddenly rose a few decibels. She had a hot temper.
Yu Qiang rolled his eyes at her and said, "A few of the brothers in the camp knew that my birthday was the day after tomorrow, and it happened to be Sunday. They all said they wanted to come and celebrate for me. I'm afraid we'll have to prepare two or three tables."
"I think it's troublesome to eat at home, and your cooking skills are just average, so why don't we go to the cafeteria and book two tables." If you go to the cafeteria to eat, you don't have to bother cooking.
Qian Lan glared at him, "Why go to the cafeteria? Booking a table in the cafeteria costs five dollars, and three tables cost fifteen dollars, and we still have to give the chef a pack of cigarettes."
A meal cost fifteen yuan. Qian Lan felt that it was like cutting into her flesh.
Their family’s monthly living expenses are less than fifteen yuan for food.
Yu Qiang looked at his wife and said, "Then you do it? You know, I've never invited the brothers in the company to dinner. This is their first time to eat my raw wine, so the dishes must not be shabby."
In fact, the brothers wanted to celebrate his birthday so much, but they also wanted to have a good meal.
Although they usually have meat to eat in the team, the meals cooked in the big pot are still different from those cooked in small pots at home or in the cafeteria.
The amount and taste are different.
Qian Lan gritted her teeth and said, "I'll make it. I'll cook chicken, duck, fish and meat. It won't be too shabby, will it?"
"Three tables, can you handle it?" Yu Qiang was a little worried.
Qian Lan felt the pressure of working at three tables by herself.
Her eyes lit up, "I'll ask Xiaoyu to help me."
She has a good relationship with Xiaoyu and has helped Xiaoyu a lot. Now that she wants to ask Xiaoyu for help, she will definitely not refuse.
Yu Lixin's eyes lit up, "Just find Aunt Yu, she's a good cook."
Yu Jianshe also nodded in agreement. The chicken soup he drank two days ago was so delicious that he wanted to drink more.
"Yu is young and has to take care of the children. Can she handle it?" Yu Qiang also felt that Yu Huilai could do a good job. After all, she had tasted her cooking skills.
"Gu Nan is smart, and Gu Xi is very well-behaved and obedient. Beibei, let them stay at our house and watch over them. Xiaoyu and I will take care of them. It should be fine."
Yu Qiang nodded and said nothing more.
After dinner, Qian Lan asked Yu Jianshe to wash the dishes while she went next door.
Yu Hui was also washing dishes in the kitchen. In the evening, we had noodle soup with eggs and vegetables. It tasted very good and the children were all very full.
"Is Xiao Yu busy?" Qian Lan went straight into the kitchen.
"Sister-in-law, why are you here?" Yu Hui asked while washing dishes.
Qian Lan didn't hesitate and directly stated her purpose, "I came here to ask you for a favor."
"It's my old man's birthday the day after tomorrow. His brothers in the company want to come celebrate with him. We need to set up three tables at home. I'd like you to help me cook."
"Sure." Yu Hui agreed without thinking.
"There are three tables, and we need to prepare quite a lot of dishes. Sister-in-law, do you have a menu in mind? How many dishes do you plan to cook?" Yu Hui washed the last bowl and wiped it dry with a clean dry rag.
Qian Lan frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "Chicken, duck, fish and meat are definitely necessary. The people coming here are all grown-ups, so they must be big eaters. If we don't prepare enough dishes, they might not have enough to eat, and it would make us look stingy."
"Xiao Yu, I'm not afraid of you laughing at me. My husband, Lao Yu, and I have to help our families on both sides. Although we only have two children to raise, our money is very tight, and we have to save money in every way."
"Originally, for Old Yu's birthday, I was thinking of buying a chicken and having a good meal with the whole family. Now we have to host three tables at home, and I'm really worried."
"You're young, smart, and a good cook. Please help me think of some dishes that would be suitable."
Yu Hui frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "As for the dishes, we can prepare four cold dishes: fried peanuts, smashed cucumbers, cold-mixed tofu, and preserved eggs with green peppers."
"Four stir-fries, shredded pork and potatoes. Stir-fry shredded pork and potatoes together. You don't need too much meat, but it's still a meat dish. It looks large and delicious."
Qian Lan nodded vigorously and said, "This is fine."
"Let's have Mapo Tofu. Tofu is cheap and goes well with rice. For stir-fry, let's have scrambled eggs with black fungus and stir-fried cabbage. Scrambled eggs with black fungus can also be considered a meat dish."
"Just make three main dishes: roast duck with konjac sauce, and add more konjac, bean curd sheets, and lettuce as side dishes. Just buy a big duck and you can have a big bowl for the whole table."
"That's good." Qian Lan nodded repeatedly, feeling that she had really found the right person.
"For fish, go buy a big grass carp or silver carp and make a boiled fish. Add some bean sprouts, lettuce, tofu, and some pickled radish from home. It's sour and spicy, and you can easily make three big bowls of it."
"For meat, buy four pounds of pork belly and make braised pork, and add more potatoes as a side dish."
"If you want chicken, buy a big rooster and stew it with daylilies. Put more daylilies so it doesn't look like all soup with no meat."
"A table of twelve dishes is sure to fill someone up. There are cold dishes, stir-fried dishes, main dishes, and soup. It looks quite impressive."
Qian Lan nodded excitedly and said, "Xiao Yu, I'll do as you say. I really found the right person."
Yu Hui smiled and said nothing. Qian Lan helped her a lot and often helped to look after Beibei. When people asked her for help, she would definitely do her best to help them get things done.
The next day, Qian Lan began preparing the dishes for Monday.
Things like bean curd sheets, black fungus and yellow flowers may not be available in the market and you have to buy them at the grocery store.
Yu Qiang and his comrades had to train during the day, so the meal time was set in the evening.
Yu Qiang and his comrades can get off work at five o'clock, and the meal will start on time at half past five.
They drank and ate until seven o'clock, when it was almost dark.
Summer is coming soon, and it gets dark more slowly. It usually gets dark around seven o'clock.
Early in the morning on the 18th, Qian Lan asked Yu Hui to go shopping for vegetables together. Gu Nan and Gu Xi also wanted to go to the market.
The wound on Gu Nan's forehead has scabbed off, and new flesh has grown to form a pink scar. As time goes by, it will slowly become the same color as the rest of the skin on his forehead.
Seeing how much they wanted to go, Yu Hui took them with her, but repeatedly warned them not to run around, otherwise she would never take them with her next time.
When they arrived at the market, Yu Hui bought some candied haws for them both, and then asked Gu Nan to hold Gu Xi's hand and not let go.
The two people were obedient. Although they were curious about everything in the market, they did not run around and did not stay more than one meter away from Yu Hui.
Yu Hui was worried and would check to see if they were around every one or two minutes.
After his stepmother turned around to look for them for the twentieth time, Gu Nan felt that his stepmother was really afraid that they would get lost.
He also felt a sense of being cared for. This feeling was very strange and made his heart warm.
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