The aroma of the meat in the pot became stronger and stronger. Zhang Hujun and Zhang Hubing chopped two more bundles of firewood and brought back. They couldn't help drooling at the smell of the meat.
Zhang Hujun smiled and said, "Since our eldest sister came back, we have eaten more meat than in the past year."
Zhang Hubing muttered, "I didn't get to eat it again."
When the braised pork is ready, add some chopped green onions and serve.
Cut the eggplant into strips and marinate with salt for ten minutes. Rinse with clean water and squeeze out the water.
Chop the lean meat into minced meat, put oil in the pan, add minced garlic and shredded ginger, then pour in the minced meat and stir-fry.
Pour in the eggplant, add salt and soy sauce and continue to stir-fry.
After pouring out the kudzu water that Zhang Xiaobing had filtered earlier, a lot of starch was precipitated at the bottom of the basin.
Put some starch in a bowl, add water to mix, pour into the pot, and continue to stir-fry. Simmer for two or three minutes, then sprinkle with chopped green onions.
Then make fried leeks and eggs, and finally braised fish.
When the four dishes and one soup were placed on the table, everyone around the table was drooling.
Old man Zhang looked at the wine glass in front of him and said cheerfully, "Are we celebrating the New Year in advance?"
Zhang Dahua exclaimed: "Aunt, how come you are so good at cooking? I don't even need to taste it. I can tell it's delicious just by smelling it."
Li asked, "Big sister, where did you learn how to cook?"
Zhang Hulan smiled and said, "Don't ask any more questions, just start eating."
With a rush, all the children started to scramble for the meat.
This was their own home, so Zhang Xinyao and her two sisters were much more relaxed and not as restrained as they were at their grandmother's house.
Zhang Xiaojun and Zhang Xiaobing were not polite at all, so Zhang Dahua was a little reserved.
Shanzi lowered his head and ate the rice without moving his chopsticks to pick up the meat.
Zhang Hulan picked up a large piece of meat and put it in Shanzi's bowl. "Shanzi, you should treat this place as your own home from now on. Don't be polite."
Zhang Hulan picked up some meat for Old Man Zhang and Wang, "Dad, Mom, you have to be quick, or you won't even get any soup."
"Brother and sister-in-law, you can help yourself to some food. Don't be polite."
As for the couple in the second room, there was no need to call them. Zhang Hubing had just put one piece in his mouth when he reached out with his chopsticks to pick up the second piece.
Xiang Chunhua is not much better. This couple really are from the same family.
Li said, "Big sister, you should eat quickly too. You are the busiest person today. No wonder you said you wanted to start a food business. With your cooking skills, you can definitely open a restaurant in the city."
Zhang Hubing looked up at Zhang Hulan and said, "You want to open a restaurant? I'll go to the restaurant and help you then."
Zhang Hulan glanced at Zhang Hubing and asked, "Are you so kind?"
Zhang Hubing said, "We are all family. Just provide me with food and lodging, and give me a few hundred yuan a month as wages."
"You wish." Zhang Hulan knew that this thing was not so kind.
Old man Zhang took a sip of wine, smacked his lips, and said, "Daniel, this is enough for us. Don't waste it in the future."
Zhang Hulan smiled and said, "Dad, you can't eat like this every day. I really can't afford it."
Zhang Xiaobing said, "Aunt, if you don't want my father to go, can I go? I don't want wages, I just want to have meat to eat every day."
Zhang Hulan smiled and said, "We can consider this."
Wang asked, "Daniel, do you really want to open a restaurant?"
Zhang Hulan shook her head, "No restaurant."
"Not opening a restaurant? Are you planning to set up a stall?"
Zhang Hulan said, "Mom, I don't want to set up a stall either. I want to make something and then sell it to restaurants, and then let the restaurants sell it to customers."
Wang was a little confused, and then asked: "What are you going to do? When will you start?"
Zhang Hulan said, "I plan to make some stewed dishes, but not yet. I have to wait a little longer."
Li asked, "Sister, what is stewed food?"
"It's just putting some marinade into the meat and stewing it together. I didn't do it today, I'll make it for you guys to try next time."
"Aunt, when will you make it? Then I'll help you taste it and see if it tastes good." Zhang Xiaobing looked at Zhang Hulan, his eyes full of stars.
Zhang Hulan laughed and said, "I think you just want my meat."
"Ha ha ha ha……"
Everyone burst into laughter.
The meal was very lively. Old Man Zhang and Mrs. Wang felt that their home had not been so lively for a long time. The old couple also hoped that their home could always be like this, with a harmonious and lively family.
The family here was eating happily, while everyone in Liu Yonggui's family, who was closest to Zhang Hulan's family, was drooling.
Liu Yonggui's wife Ma pouted and said, "Zhang Hulan really doesn't care about money. She eats a lot of fish and meat in this year. I wonder how long she can spend those dozens of taels of silver?"
Liu Yonggui said, "They spend their own money, what does it have to do with you? Go and cook your meal."
Ma snorted, "Prodigal woman..."
Liu Yonggui glared at Ma and said, "I'm telling you, you'd better not say anything outside. You don't know Zhang Hulan's temper. Be careful not to let her hear it, or you'll suffer the consequences."
Ma said disdainfully: "I am afraid of her? There is not even a man. If she dares to touch me, are you dead?"
Liu Yonggui looked unhappy. "Ma Da Jiao, Zhang Hulan has done favors for the villagers. Our family is also indebted to her. You'd better keep your mouth shut."
Seeing that Liu Yonggui was a little angry, Ma said nothing more, but she felt very unhappy. They all lived on coarse food and tightened their belts, so why did Zhang Hulan have the luxury of fish and meat?
Zhang Hulan didn't know that she had an opportunity to have a good meal after moving to her new home, and she offended someone.
But she wouldn't care even if she knew.
If she knew that her good meals would make them jealous, she might have eaten a few more good meals and then pissed those people off to death.
Zhang Hulan and her friends were enjoying their meal when a voice came from the courtyard gate: "Xiang Chunhua, you have no conscience."
Everyone in the room was stunned and looked towards the gate, then saw an old woman and a young man walking in.
The people who came were Xiang Chunhua's mother and brother, Feng and Xiang Huairen.
Xiang Chunhua and Zhang Hubing both stood up and hurried forward.
Feng and Xiang Huairen knocked on Zhang's door for a long time but no one opened it. Later, they asked Liu Yong's family next door and they finally found him.
Xiang Chunhua asked, "Mom, Huairen, why are you here?"
Zhang Hubing asked, "Mom, have you eaten yet?"
Wang put down her bowl and chopsticks and walked to the door, but she didn't say anything.
Zhang Hulan also walked to the door.
Feng sniffed, swallowed unconsciously, and said, "Where are we going to eat?"
Zhang Hubing scratched his head and looked at Wang, "Mother..."
Just as Wang was about to speak, Zhang Hulan said, "Your mother-in-law and brother-in-law are here. Why don't you go back and cook for them?"
Zhang Hubing was so blocked by Zhang Hulan's words that he didn't know what to say.
Feng looked at Zhang Hulan and said, "Oh, this is Hu Bing's sister, right?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, after all, I am Hu Bing's mother-in-law, and I am also your elder. Your elders are here, and you don't even invite us in to sit down?"
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