Chapter 116 Enjoying Hot Pot Around the Fire at Sunset
Dinner was set up in the courtyard tonight. There were five of them, including Qin Suyun and her group, and five of them, including Lin Jiaye. It would be a bit crowded if they all sat around one stove, so two stoves were set up. Lin Chuntao ate with Qin Suyun and her group, while Lin Chunxing and Duo'er ate with Lin Jiaye and his group. The table was placed in the middle, with all the vegetables and meat on it, making it convenient for everyone to cook their own food.
Fearing that Pei's mother and the others might not be used to spicy food, Lin Chuntao didn't add any fried dried chilies to today's pork tripe and chicken stew. She only added a few peppercorns for seasoning. The thick, white broth was topped with golden chicken oil, giving it a pure color. Once it boiled, the whole yard was filled with its aroma.
Qin Suyun had mentioned wanting to eat chicken soup noodles during the day, so Lin Chuntao ladled out the soup and then got some fried pork skin, which she put into the soup. After the soup boiled again, Lin Chuntao added shredded wood ear mushrooms and shredded cabbage.
As she was making it, Qin Suyun stood beside her and said with a smile, "Chuntao, do you also know how to make Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles?"
Lin Chuntao laughed upon hearing this.
"will do."
"But it's inconvenient to do it at that stall. We'll do it when we open a shop someday."
As she spoke, Qin Suyun nodded, "That's true."
When are you opening your shop?
Lin Chuntao turned and glanced at her. "If you want to eat it, I'll make it for you. I don't know when the shop will be open again."
Upon hearing this, Qin Suyun smiled and moved closer to her.
This time, I cooked chicken soup noodles without any sauce or chili. It looked very light, but it was surprisingly appetizing.
The soup on the stove had been boiling for a while, so Lin Chuntao cooked the noodles and brought them out, then called everyone to start eating.
Whether you want rice or noodles, it's up to you.
Looking at the pork tripe and chicken soup that Lin Chuntao had cooked, Pei's mother felt that it was very casually prepared, but it smelled very good. She also washed a lot of vegetables and put them on the table, saying that she would cook the vegetables after eating the meat.
Qin Suyun loved the soup noodles made by Lin Chuntao and the others, but the soup noodles were bright red and smelled delicious, but she always felt they were spicy, so she had never tried them.
She just mentioned cooking rice noodles, and she thought they were going to cook another pot of bright red noodles.
Unexpectedly, Lin Chuntao brought out a pot of white soup, without adding any chili peppers.
Qin Suyun took a bite as soon as it was cooked. It was very fresh and the saltiness was just right. She said to her mother, "Mother, you don't dare to eat the braised pork soup noodles, but you can try this. It's not spicy, but it's very delicious."
Pei's mother looked at it, got up to serve some, and Qin Suyun took the bowl and said, "Let me serve you." She took the bowl, put half a bowl of noodles in it, and ladled some soup in to soak it.
Watching his mother eat, Pei's father said, "I'll try some too."
Pei's father sat down next to Pei Ying. After he finished speaking, Pei Ying took the bowl and served him some. Pei's father said, "Half a bowl is enough."
Pei Ying nodded, filled the container, and handed it to him.
While greeting them, Lin Chuntao turned and called out to Lin Jiaye and the others, "Jiaye, Jiayang, do you want some rice noodles? I'll serve you some."
We killed two chickens and cooked two pig stomachs today. There were plenty of them even though we divided them into two pots. But they ate a big bowl of noodles this morning, so there wasn't much left for dinner. Seeing that Qin Suyun and the others enjoyed the food, Lin Jiaye replied, "Sister, let's eat first. You don't need to worry about us."
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "You can put whatever vegetables you want in the broth to cook later."
"good."
When Lin Chuntao slaughtered the pig last time, she kept the pig's stomach. She originally planned to stew it with chicken, but she couldn't buy any chicken. The pig's stomach wasn't very big, so Lin Chuntao washed it and stir-fried it.
The stir-fried dish is on the crispy side, and with the addition of spice, you can't taste much of the pork tripe flavor; it's more like eating crispy strips.
Lin Chuntao had previously mentioned that stewed chicken with pork tripe was delicious, and the younger sisters had been looking forward to it for a long time. Now, looking at the pot in front of them, they were overjoyed. If there hadn't been guests, they would have already exclaimed in surprise.
But with guests around, the group could only smile and bury their heads in their food.
Pei Jing wasn't used to eating outdoors like this, but looking at Qin Suyun beside him, and seeing that his parents were all very happy, he didn't understand what was so happy about it. If a gust of wind blew, how could they eat like this?
Fortunately, there was no strong wind in the evening, and the chicken and pork belly tasted excellent. Even the seemingly bland soup noodles were very flavorful. After eating my fill, I was still a little hungry and drank another bowl of soup.
As he was drinking his soup, he shifted his stool, intending to turn around. But when he turned back, he saw a sky full of fiery clouds, with the trees on the mountain blending into the clouds. He turned his head slightly again and saw that their shadows were stretched long. The soup in the pot was still boiling, and steam was rising from the top of the pot. The sound of chickens clucking came from not far away.
Pei Jing held the soup in his hand, his thoughts drifting away. When he was in Guangling, his teacher asked him to write an article. He thought he had written it very well, quoting classics and expressing profound insights. However, after submitting it, his teacher said that it was empty.
He never understood where the emptiness lay.
But at this moment, he seemed to suddenly understand that the smoke rising from the stoves of ordinary people, the aroma of food wafting from their houses, the chickens returning from foraging for food, and the peaceful life of working at sunrise and resting at sunset were all scenes that could only exist in a peaceful world.
The master once asked him to go to the docks and the streets to see, but after he saw them, he would think about everything between himself and the Pei family. He was once a little beggar without parents. It was Pei's mother's mistake that gave him this great fortune to become the young master of the Pei family who lived a life of luxury.
The period when Pei Ying returned was the most agonizing time for him.
Later, when Pei Ying left, he breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time he was puzzled as to why Pei Ying had left.
Now, when they meet again, they sit in a small courtyard in the countryside, eating a meal around a stove.
Pei Ying and Lin Chuntao sat together without saying much. They would quietly place each other's favorite food into the other's bowl with natural and skillful movements. The younger sisters and cousins next to them were sweating while eating hot pot, but their smiles were pure and bright, and they looked so at ease.
Pei Jing then realized that he had never felt so at ease before.
Perhaps it's because he knew from the beginning that what he possessed was never truly his own.
The soup in the bowl gradually cooled down. Pei Jing slowly picked up the bowl and drank the soup. Pei Ying also finished eating, and the two of them put down their bowls and chopsticks together. Lin Chuntao and Qin Suyun were still eating vegetables. Although the soup was clear, they put a lot of chili peppers in their dipping sauce. The two of them ate with great relish.
After finishing her meal, Pei's mother didn't leave. Seeing Lin Chuntao and Qin Suyun like this, she thought how wonderful it would be if Lin Chuntao and Pei Ying could also go home so that the whole family could be reunited.
But when she looked at the children still eating beside her, three of whom were Lin Chuntao's younger sisters, she realized that Lin Chuntao treated her three sisters very well, considering that she had built such a large house in the countryside and each of her sisters had their own room.
She couldn't possibly take her three younger sisters back with them, much less abandon them to go to the Pei family.
Pei's mother sighed softly. She had come to realize that Pei Ying and Lin Chuntao had a good relationship.
Perhaps, this is the life Pei Ying wanted.
They weren't wealthy, but they lived a comfortable and fulfilling life.
Before the sun had even set after dinner, Qin Suyun and the others were about to leave. Lin Chuntao removed the firewood, put the pot lid on, and prepared to see them off first before coming back to clean up.
Lin Chuntao and Pei Ying saw them off at the village entrance. Pei's mother held Lin Chuntao's hand and said, "When you have some free time in a few days, bring your sister and the others to our home."
Lin Chuntao nodded in agreement and said to Pei's parents, "Father and Mother, please take your time going back. Pei Ying and I will come home to see you after we're done with this."
The two elders nodded slightly.
Qin Suyun waved to Lin Chuntao. Since she and Lin Chuntao could see each other anytime, there wasn't much formality between them.
Even after the carriage had gone far away, Madam Pei was still thinking about what Lin Chuntao had just said. It was an ordinary sentence, but it made her feel at ease.
After seeing the people off, Lin Chuntao and Pei Ying held hands and went home together.
Pei Ying said, "You've worked hard all afternoon."
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "Cooking a meal is nothing to be ashamed of. You're the one who's upset, aren't you?"
Seeing the worried look in Shang Lin Chuntao's eyes, Pei Ying smiled and shook his head.
If he's unhappy, that's true; he gets upset when Pei Jing and the others disturb his life.
But seeing Lin Chuntao and Qin Suyun together, his displeasure lessened a bit. Lin Chuntao was sweet-talking and had a pleasant voice. After spending half a day together, the atmosphere became much more harmonious. After the meal, they didn't say much and went home like they were visiting relatives.
Back home, Lin Chunxing and the others had already cleaned up the pots and pans, and Lin Jiaye and the others were helping to hang up the bean sprouts.
Pei Ying and Lin Chuntao also went to help. After all the bean sprouts were hung up, the sun had already set, and Lin Jiaye and the others prepared to go back.
Lin Chuntao told them to wash their hands, as Qin Suyun and the others had brought several bags of snacks and candies today.
There were osmanthus sugar cakes, chestnut flour cakes, sugar crisps, etc., which should have been bought from that famous pastry shop in the county town. The prices were much higher than those at the market, and Lin Chuntao had never bought any from there.
She gave them some.
The group had eaten chicken and pork tripe that evening and were quite full. They waved their hands repeatedly when Lin Chuntao offered them something.
"Sis, we ate too much just now, we can't eat anymore."
The pastries were made small and delicate; you could take a big bite and they wouldn't fill you up at all.
Lin Chuntao said, "One piece for each person, just to taste it and not fill our stomachs. These were given to us by relatives. I don't have money to buy them myself. If we don't eat them, they'll be gone."
Hearing this, Lin Jiaye and the others reached out and took it, saying, "Sister, we'll head back now."
Lin Chuntao nodded. After they left, Lin Duo'er tasted a piece of chestnut flour cake. Her eyes widened. "Sister, try a piece. This is so delicious!"
Lin Chuntao shook her head. She had just eaten a full meal and drunk soup, so she was a little too full. Even if there were elixirs, she couldn't eat them now.
The clothes that Pei's mother and the others brought included not only those for Lin Chuntao and Pei Ying, but also a set for each of Lin Chunxing and Lin Duo'er. Lin Chuntao guessed that these were all prepared by Qin Suyun, a complete set from clothes to shoes.
The fabrics included cotton and silk, but Lin Chuntao didn't know their specific names. They were perfect for making summer clothes; the fabrics were smooth, glossy, and lightweight. She would have to wait until next year to make summer clothes from them.
Lin Chuntao put the fabric away and called Lin Chunxing and the others to bring their clothes and shoes back to the house to try them on.
Qin Suyun was meticulous; both the clothes and shoes fit her perfectly.
Lin Chuntao and Pei Ying's clothes looked suitable, so she put them away without even trying them on.
As for the two boxes, when Lin Chuntao opened them, one box contained pure gold jewelry, and the other contained jade ornaments, from bracelets to earrings and hairpins, all emerald green in color and extremely lustrous. These two sets of items were quite valuable.
Lin Chuntao looked at the items and put them away.
Seeing her put her things down, Pei Ying handed her a lotus leaf bud, saying, "You can keep this too."
Lin Chuntao turned to look at He Bao and asked with a smile, "What is that?"
Pei Ying: "Silver notes."
Lin Chuntao was somewhat surprised; she hadn't seen any banknotes here before. "Did the old lady give them to you?"
"Yes, the old man gave it to me."
Lin Chuntao took it, opened the purse, and stared wide-eyed at the amount in the money. "So much?"
Pei Ying said, "I didn't want to accept it at first, but I thought that my family's houses used to be worth more than this, so I accepted it. Even if I don't use it now, I'll just keep it."
Lin Chuntao nodded slightly: "The old man gave it to you, so you'll feel more at ease accepting it. Is there an expiration date for these silver notes?"
When Lin Chuntao asked this question, Pei Ying replied, "No."
As for this silver note, it's fine in times of peace and economic stability, but if something goes wrong, it's just worthless paper. Lin Chuntao thought for a moment and said, "If it's convenient in a while, let's exchange it for silver and keep it."
Pei Ying nodded as well.
After putting the items away and locking the door, Lin Chuntao hid the key.
As darkness fell, Lin Chuntao and the others finished packing their things, boiled water to wash up, and went to sleep after they were done.
The next morning, just as Lin Chuntao and Lin Jiaye returned from picking bean sprouts by the river, the man shouting about renting oxen arrived again.
Sun and Aunt Guizhi came to ask Lin Chuntao, "Chuntao, do you want to rent that ox next year?"
Lin Chuntao said, "We should rent it, but we'll talk about it next year."
"Why? Didn't that person say it would be much cheaper?"
Lin Chuntao said, "I'm short on cash right now."
At present, it's possible for anyone to be short of money, but Lin Chuntao and her family have daily income, so the money they need to rent cattle is not something they can be short of.
Her words were merely an excuse. Sun and Aunt Guizhi asked in hushed tones, "Is there something fishy about his cattle rent?"
Lin Chuntao looked at the two of them and said in a low voice, "If we pay now, what if we don't have any cattle to use later, or they keep making excuses and saying we have to wait in line, and we never get the cattle?"
Lin Chuntao felt that this person was still good, but last time they wouldn't refund her for those two days' money, so these people weren't exactly kind-hearted.
Buyers are never as shrewd as sellers. When the money is in their own hands, everything is negotiable, but once the money is in someone else's hands, they become passive.
She didn't elaborate, but since Lin Chuntao wasn't renting it, they weren't planning to rent it either.
Many villagers were watching and waiting, thinking they would rent to the Lin family if they could, but the Lin family didn't rent to them, so they all gave up.
The person banging the gong was a young man. Several families in each village had already paid, but no one in Shuangzi Village was moved.
After circling around, they arrived outside Lin Chuntao's courtyard.
Zheng Qiao knew Lin Chuntao, and when he came over, he asked her, "Mrs. Lin, do you rent oxen? It's cheap to rent them now."
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "It's still early. Let's see next year. If it's a good time to rent, I'll go to your house."
He paused after hearing Lin Chuntao's words, but his expression remained unchanged.
He had eaten the sauce made by Lin Chuntao at his second uncle's house, and his second aunt had also mentioned that Lin Chuntao's sauce was selling very well in the county town. She said that in the future, a silver phoenix might fly out of our place, and even plucking a feather could make people rich.
Every year, a few families rent their cattle, but most people think it's too expensive and end up digging their own land. Zheng Qiao thought that Lin Chuntao and the others had rented the cattle even when they were so poor before, so now that they have money, they probably wouldn't care about this anymore.
"Madam Lin, my mother told me to ask how much the sauce costs per pound if I buy it directly from you instead of going to the county town?"
Lin Chuntao had thought about this before, so she decided not to sell it for eighteen coins in the countryside, but only for people to buy a few pounds here and there for their own consumption.
"We're all from the same village. If you buy a few pounds for yourself, it'll be fourteen coins a pound."
Zheng Qiao laughed and said, "Then I'll have my mother come and get it tomorrow. I didn't bring the jar today."
Lin Chuntao smiled and nodded.
Niu Hongxi and Lin Miaomiao thought that Lin Chuntao and the others had signed a contract to rent cattle. After seeing Zheng Qiao leave, they chased after him and rented cattle for eight days. They paid 280 coins, pressed their seals and signed the contract. They would go to fetch the cattle when it was time for spring planting.
Lin Miaomiao was acting out of spite, while Niu Hongxi thought it was a good idea. It was twelve mu of land, so far from the village, and he couldn't possibly dig it out himself.
They just happened to sell the trees and still have the money in hand, so they should rent them out as soon as possible while they still have the funds.
Yesterday, Aunt Guizhi and the others were working in the backyard when Qin Suyun went for a walk. Lin Chuntao introduced her as a friend, but Qin Suyun wasn't the only one there; there were also two elderly people whose accents weren't from Yizhou. Sun and the others were really curious and couldn't help but ask Lin Chuntao.
Lin Chuntao whispered, "It's Pei Ying's parents and younger brother and sister-in-law. Grandma and Aunt, please don't tell anyone else."
The Sun family stared wide-eyed in astonishment: "Didn't Xiao Pei say... that both parents are gone?"
“They had a fight, and they moved to Yizhou, so they came to visit.”
After Lin Chuntao finished speaking, Aunt Guizhi asked, "Is Xiao Pei going back?"
Lin Chuntao shook her head: "No, his younger brother is married now. We'll live our own lives, consider it as a separation of the family."
Hearing this, they all breathed a sigh of relief and patted Lin Chuntao on the shoulder with a smile, "That's good, that's good. Your new house has just been built, and your life is getting better and better. It's less trouble to live alone."
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "I think so too."
Lin Chuntao chatted with them for a while, then led Lin Jiaye and the others to continue picking beans. Only the two plots by the river remained, and they would try to finish picking them all today.
Once the beans are harvested, she needs to go to the county town to check the prices of beans and chili peppers. She needs a lot of chili peppers to make sauce, and buying them individually isn't enough. She wants to exchange for more chili pepper seeds so that it will be more convenient for her if more people are growing them.
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