Chapter 136 Broth Powder
Hearing Lin Chuntao's words, her aunt and the others were genuinely happy.
The eldest aunt said, "Of course they want to do it, but they've never done anything before, and it's too much trouble for you and Chunxing."
Lin Chunxing smiled and said softly, "Auntie, this isn't difficult. Cousin and Huanhuan can definitely do it."
With the adults agreeing, Lin Chuntao said, "The younger brothers and sisters are still young, and you uncles haven't separated the family yet. I won't pay Shengsheng and Huanhuan's wages monthly. I'll give 20% of what I earn each month to the family. You uncles and aunts can give Huanhuan and Shengsheng whatever allowance you need."
Lin Chuntao's arrangement surprised her uncle and aunt. If they were paid according to wages, two strings of cash a month would already be a lot. Given Lin Chuntao's business, two strings of cash would definitely be much more than four strings. Lin Chuntao was using the excuse of asking Xu Sheng and the others to do some work to give them extra money.
The eldest uncle disagreed. He said to Lin Chuntao, "Chuntao, they're learning some skills from you. Just pay them their wages. There's no reason for them to share the profits with you."
Lin Chuntao said, "Uncle, it's not like that. It's just wages. If I earn more, I'll get more, and if I earn less, I'll get less. It's just not fixed. Even if I give less, Huanhuan and Shengsheng are not allowed to complain that I'm giving them less."
The eldest aunt laughed and said, "How could that be? They can't do anything. If you hadn't taken them, they wouldn't have been able to find any work outside."
Lin Chuntao said, "That's because Huanhuan and the others are still young. They'll definitely be able to find work when they're older."
When Lin Chuntao said this, her aunt smiled and looked at Xu Huan and Xu Sheng. Lin Chuntao was just protecting her younger siblings. If jobs were easy to find, there would be many more people going out to look for work. In the county town, families who run small businesses work together. Wealthy families buy people and pay them a little monthly wage to work. If you want to stay free and earn money, it's a little easier for men to do manual labor, but it's much more difficult for women.
The eldest aunt also understood Lin Chuntao's personality. She was decisive and had thought things through before she spoke.
She was happy to make this arrangement, and her aunt felt it was good to accept it.
He asked, "You run a food business, and you need someone to wash the dishes. Can the three of you manage?"
"It should be possible," Lin Chunxing said.
The eldest aunt said, "Then we'll go and see when your shop opens. If you can manage, then go ahead and do it. If you can't, then we'll discuss who in the family can help out."
Lin Chuntao had no objection and agreed with a smile.
And so, the matter was settled. Lin Chuntao had her aunt pour the pig's head meat out of the earthenware pot and set it aside. After chatting for a while, Lin Chuntao and her aunt took Xu Sheng and Xu Huan home.
After they left, the aroma of braised pig's head filled the room. Uncle and the others were somewhat silent, secretly pleased but also feeling that they had taken advantage of Lin Chuntao and the others.
After thinking for a moment, the eldest aunt said, "Axiu is gone. Chuntao misses us because she misses her mother. We should accept her kindness and treat her well in return. If she's happy, we're happy too. There's no need to overthink it."
In fact, Lin Chuntao and her aunt had similar thoughts.
If business is good and they make more money, their closest relatives will be these three uncles. It's not good to give money to anyone for free; it's easy for conflicts to arise over time. It's a little better if they work together. Even if she gives them more, it's still money they earned through their work. If everyone is more generous, the relationship will be more harmonious.
On the way back, Xu Sheng and Xu Huan were both stunned. The adults would say that Lin Chuntao was amazing, capable and good at making money, which they all envied. But as much as they envied her, they never thought that one day Lin Chuntao would come to their door and ask them to do something.
Today, Lin Chuntao came to their door saying she would take them to do something, which was like a pie falling from the sky, leaving them dizzy and disoriented.
Before leaving, their parents told them to listen to Lin Chuntao and Lin Chunxing and to do things well.
At the time, I was just nodding, but when we got close to Lin Chuntao’s house, I suddenly felt a little scared. Would this be difficult? Would I do it wrong?
Xu Sheng is one year older than Lin Chunxing, while Xu Huan and Lin Chunxing are the same age, except that Xu Huan's birthday is a month younger.
Because their parents were still alive, neither the brother nor sister had ripened as Chunxing. Sensing their emotions, Lin Chuntao asked Xu Huan and the others, "Huanhuan, do you help your parents cook at home?"
Xu Huan replied with a smile, "I do most of the work; my brother always goes to the fields with our parents."
After she finished speaking, she asked, "Sister, is that difficult to make?"
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "It's similar to cooking at home. Washing vegetables and cooking noodles, cleaning up the dishes after the guests finish eating, it's all very simple. But because you're earning other people's money, you have to be polite and courteous. It's not difficult. Tomorrow you can go to the market with your second sister to get used to it. Relax, it's not difficult."
Lin Chuntao's tone was gentle and reassuring. The brother and sister relaxed considerably after hearing her words and nodded in unison.
After arriving home, they will be staying here tonight, and Lin Chuntao will need to arrange the beds.
There were quite a few empty rooms in the house, but there was only one guest bed. Although Xu Huan and Xu Sheng were siblings, they were already grown up and it was impossible to arrange for them to share a room. Lin Chuntao thought about it and decided to let Xu Sheng sleep on the floor upstairs, while Xu Huan would sleep on the bed for the time being. She would get another bed in a few days, and then they would both have a place to stay.
Before Lin Chuntao could even make any arrangements, Lin Chunxing turned to Xu Huan and asked, "Huanhuan, will you sleep with me?"
Xu Huan paused for a moment. They had all come when Lin Chuntao and the others moved into their new house, and they knew that Lin Chunxing and the others had their own rooms. They had even taken them inside to see the spacious beds, the soft quilts and mattresses, and the beautiful colors. Xu Huan had always thought that if her family ever built a new house, she would tell her parents that she wanted one like Lin Chunxing's. Moreover, she remembered that Lin Chuntao had said that everyone was grown up and that each of them should have their own room so that they wouldn't disturb each other and could have their own peace and quiet.
Now that Lin Chunxing has asked this, she naturally wants to sleep with Lin Chunxing, but she still asks, "Second sister, will this disturb you?"
Lin Chunxing smiled and said, "It's no trouble at all. What's the trouble?"
Seeing that Lin Chunxing had invited Xu Huan to sleep with her, Lin Chuntao said, "Shengsheng can sleep in the guest room by herself, and Huanhuan can sleep with your second sister for now. I'll find a carpenter to make a bed for you in a few days, and then you can sleep alone."
"Thank you for your trouble, sister."
Lin Chuntao patted her head and said softly with a smile, "It's no trouble at all. Just make yourself at home and don't be shy."
Xu Huan nodded.
Pei Ying went to invite Lin Cunzheng and the others to plow the fields tomorrow, and they returned early. Xu Sheng and Xu Huan greeted Pei Ying with exceptional obedience, calling him "brother-in-law."
Pei Ying nodded slightly in response.
"Are Grandpa and the others free?" Lin Chuntao asked.
Pei Ying replied, "If you have time, Grandpa and Uncle can help us get it tomorrow."
Lin Chuntao nodded. She rented two cows to plow the land, remove all the corn roots, sow radish seeds, and then turn over the soil and cover it up.
After finishing her work, Lin Chuntao took the old hen and killed it. This time, she mainly wanted to make soup base. Lin Chuntao didn't chop the chicken into small pieces; she only took the chicken breast and left the other parts untouched. One old hen and one bone.
Put the chicken and pork bones into a pot of cold water, add white wine and dried ginger slices, bring to a boil and skim off the foam. When it's almost cooked, take it out and rinse it clean.
After that, it's time to start making the soup.
Lin Chuntao was done with her duties, but Lin Chunxing still had to wash the eggs to be sold tomorrow. Xu Sheng and Xu Huan, the brother and sister, went with her to the backyard to wash the eggs.
With no one around, Lin Chuntao redeemed some dried ham slices from the system and stuffed them into the chicken's belly. After that, Lin Chuntao put the chicken and pork bones into a large earthenware pot, added enough water, covered it, added firewood, and brought it to a boil over a high flame.
All three ingredients are indispensable for making stock. After a while, Lin Chuntao will have to think of a way to exchange for more ham so that it will be convenient for the shop when it opens.
After the water in the earthenware pot boiled, Lin Chuntao removed some firewood and turned the fire to a simmer.
After simmering for about two hours, Lin Chuntao finally took the earthenware pot off the stove, scooped out the bones and chicken, filtered the broth with a thin bamboo sieve, and then put the broth back on the fire. Since the old hen wasn't fatty or oily enough, Lin Chuntao ladled some lard into it. After waiting for the broth to boil again, Lin Chuntao finally took the earthenware pot off the stove.
The thick, white soup looked extremely appetizing, and the fresh, fragrant aroma made one's mouth water.
The rice noodles were prepared. Lin Chuntao cut the chives into sections, shredded some wood ear mushrooms, and took out the soaked daylily buds. She then sliced the chicken breast into very thin slices and served it directly to the table.
Once the dishes were ready, Lin Chuntao brought out everyone's bowls and placed them on the table, then called them over to sit down.
He ladled half a bowl of freshly made soup into each person's bowl, and then said to them, "First put in a few slices of chicken, then add chives and wood ear mushrooms, then add the rice noodles you want, and finally add daylily buds. Then wait a little while before you can eat."
As she spoke, she demonstrated how to do her part, and Lin Chunxing and the others followed her. Xu Sheng and Xu Huan were somewhat shocked, but they also followed suit.
They did it, but Lin Chunxing and the others looked at Lin Chuntao somewhat at a loss.
Lin Chuntao loves chili peppers when she cooks. Whether it's twice-cooked pork, stir-fried pork, stewed pork, or braised pig's head, there are plenty of dried and green chilies. Even her braised pork soup with noodles is bright red because of the chilies. This is the first time they've seen such a bland and clear soup.
"Sis, should we put chili peppers in this?"
Lin Chuntao shook her head: "I won't add it, but it depends on your own taste. You can add it if you want to eat chili."
Lin Duo'er said, "Then I'll go get the chili pepper container."
She ran off in a flash, and when she brought over the chili oil, Lin Chunxing smiled and said, "Try it first and see how it tastes before you add the chili."
Lin Duo'er smiled knowingly and said, "That's right, I'll try it first." As she spoke, she picked up her chopsticks and stirred the noodles in the bowl. Just as she was about to ask Lin Chuntao if it was okay to eat, she saw that the thin slice of chicken breast was already cooked. She was surprised and looked up at Lin Chuntao: "Sister, is it okay to eat now?"
Lin Chuntao nodded.
"Let's eat."
Lin Duo'er took the first slurp; she had planned to add chili if it wasn't good.
But after slurping it down, she was stunned, her mind went blank. She picked up the bowl and drank a mouthful of soup. The soup was so delicious that she felt like she was floating.
She gulped down two more mouthfuls of soup and exclaimed, "Sister, this is so delicious! What's it called?"
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