When they came down to the first floor, Zheng Wan and her sisters were preparing to cook.
Cheng Zhi and the others felt bad about letting others do the work, so after handing Zhiyu over to her great-grandmother, they quickly came to help.
Cooking for such a large group of people is difficult, especially since the gas cylinders in the Tulou are empty. Tonight, they'll have to cook using a large stove that hasn't been used in a long time, making things even more challenging.
The washing and sorting of vegetables went smoothly so far.
But when it came time to light the fire and cook the food, they were still a little flustered. Food was precious these days, and they couldn't let it burn as soon as it hit the pot.
So everyone invited their great-grandmother to come and oversee things, so they could ask her any questions they had.
While playing cat's cradle with Zhiyu, her great-grandmother said to them, "First, use some leaves or newspapers to start a fire. Then put in some small pieces of firewood. Once the fire is burning a little brighter, add larger pieces of wood."
It sounded like a simple task, so Cheng Zhi immediately started practicing and successfully got the fire going.
Just as Zheng Wan was about to pour in the oil, her great-grandmother added, "By the way, children, that pot is deep and the fire is big enough, so it will cook faster. Be careful, or it will burn easily."
Zheng Wan nodded, confident that she could succeed on her first try.
But it was clear that Fourth Sister was still a little worried. She grabbed Zheng Wan's hand and asked, "Don't you want to reconsider?"
Zheng Wan was startled by this sudden remark. "Trust me, okay? I'm quite confident when it comes to cooking."
The second sister, who was squatting on the ground watching the fire, adjusted her glasses. "Isn't the fire too big? Should we take out a fire starter?"
Cheng Zhi, who was squatting next to her, looked at it carefully again and replied, "I don't think so."
They chatted away, and Zheng Wan's hand, which was holding the oil jug, started to ache.
She looked at the group of people and said quietly, "How about you all come?"
Suddenly, the entire room fell silent.
Two seconds later, the fourth and second sisters wisely slipped away.
Cheng Zhi, who was squatting on the ground, tapped Zheng Wan's calf. "You're the one who has to do it. We can't do it. From now on, I won't say anything. I'll just listen to your instructions and add firewood for you."
That's more like it. Zheng Wan was quite satisfied with the spacious and quiet kitchen. She poured in the oil and easily cooked three dishes.
Although there are only three dishes, the quantity is large, and they are not easy to cook.
There were many of them, so one table was definitely not enough to seat them all. Fortunately, there were large round tables in the Tulou, which were used during festivals in the past.
Great-grandmother brought Cheng Ye and Xiao Feiran over to move the table, and Zheng Hao and several of his fathers also came to help when they heard the commotion.
They quickly moved the two large tables into the yard and set them up.
In the kitchen, Cheng Zhi was serving rice, and when she dug down to the bottom, she even found some crispy rice crust.
"My goodness, this food smells so good, and there's even crispy rice at the bottom!" Cheng Zhi presented the rice bowl to Zheng Wan like a treasure.
Zheng Wan and her fourth sister had just finished serving the dishes, and the rich aroma of rice was already noticeable even without getting close.
Zheng Wan couldn't help but exclaim, "No wonder everyone says that rice cooked over a wood fire tastes so good; this smells completely different."
Once the food was on the table, everyone found a seat and sat down.
Cheng Zhi and Zheng Wan sat together, while Huang Yiyi and Xiao Feiran sat at another table.
My great-grandmother hadn't seen so many people in a long time, and the sight brought tears to her eyes.
The old man slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Today is a good day, we must drink! Yue'er, go and get some rice wine."
Fearing that people might not want to drink, the great-grandmother explained, "This rice wine is homemade. Although it's not anything expensive, drinking a little is good for your health. Please have a drink with me."
This was a kind gesture from the elderly couple, and besides, none of them disliked alcohol, so of course everyone was willing to accept it.
When Aunt Chen brought the wine, they each poured a little.
As Cheng Zhi picked up her wine glass, a fragrant aroma wafted towards her.
With one sip, the rich aroma and sweetness of the rice wine fill every corner of your mouth.
Cheng Zhi thought it tasted amazing, and Zheng Wan next to her thought so too. The two of them immediately wanted another cup.
As soon as they raised their hands, they noticed a gaze that could not be ignored.
At another table, Chen Siyu was staring at the two of them. When their eyes met, Chen Siyu mouthed, "Drink less, I'm watching you guys."
"..."
What is this? This isn't a friendly reminder; it's clearly a bilingual warning!
Cheng Zhi and Zheng Wan immediately nodded obediently, put down their wine glasses, and indicated that they would not drink anymore.
Of course they'll obey!
As soon as Chen Siyu turned back, they immediately picked up their cups, not caring about anything else, and decided to drink a few cups first.
Besides, the cup is so small, you'll only take a few sips, you won't get drunk.
As a result, he drank more and more wine.
After dinner, the four people with rosy cheeks sat on the stairs of the earthen building, while Chen Siyu, sitting opposite them, had a face as black as the bottom of a pot.
She was so angry that she put her hands on her hips. "Two of you are two-faced and two of you are going against the grain. You're both amazing!"
Huang Yiyi paused for two seconds, then waved her hand shyly, "No, it's not true. You praised me so loudly, I'm very shy."
Chen Siyu pointed at her and didn't want to say anything.
Cheng Zhi, who was sitting on the lower step, started mishearing again. She patted Huang Yiyi's leg, hiccuped, and said, "You have morning sickness? I don't think so. You just feel like throwing up."
Zheng Wan, who had been quiet the whole time, suddenly stood up abruptly and said, "You're all drunk. I'll go get some hangover medicine."
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