When we arrived at Sister Lu's house, dinner was already prepared.
Yu Yin greeted the two elders of the Cheng family and gave them a gift before they left, leaving only the two familiar families behind.
"Zhuangzhuang, Duoduo, come see what your second uncle and aunt brought you?"
Sister Lu gave birth to her second child, a little girl, making a perfect family. Brother-in-law Cheng was overjoyed.
"Auntie, I love the things you brought, they're so nice!"
"Ah, ah..."
Duo Duo, who was only a few months old, could only make "ah ah ah" sounds. An An asked curiously, "Why doesn't my little sister talk? She's just making 'ah ah' sounds, but I can't understand her!"
"Your little sister is still young and can't talk yet. You were like this when you were little too."
"Really? No way!"
An'an firmly denied ever making those constant "ah ah" noises; it was too strange.
Pingping and her brother Zhuangzhuang played with the little toys that Yu Yin brought. They were all made by the old uncle and were very exquisite and interesting.
"Yu Yin, eat first, or the food will get cold."
"Yes, let's eat first. I don't know what you like to eat. Try our food and see how it differs from yours."
Yu Yin's second brother-in-law greeted her warmly and sincerely; this friendship was built on the exchange of tea leaves.
"Okay, let's try some different flavors. Everyone says that Shanghai cuisine is very delicious, and today we finally have the chance to try it."
Benbang cuisine is another name for Shanghai cuisine, which has a strong regional flavor.
Shanghai cuisine has two main characteristics: braising and scallion oil. Soy sauce and sugar are essential seasonings for Shanghai cuisine. Braising should be salty with a hint of sweetness, but not too salty. Scallion oil should be oily but not greasy, savory but not spicy, using small scallions instead of green onions, and ginger instead of garlic. The finished dish should be characterized by its rich, dark sauce, moderate saltiness, preservation of original flavor, and mellow and delicious taste.
This is a characteristic of Shanghai cuisine. However, due to the current shortage of resources, ordinary people often cannot make very authentic Shanghai dishes because they don't have enough oil and sugar.
Yu Yin tasted the braised pork, and found that the flavor was quite different from that of Yunnan province cuisine.
Yunnan cuisine features mountain delicacies and daffodils, characterized by their freshness, delicate aroma, sweet aftertaste, and balanced sourness and spiciness. The flavors lean towards sour, spicy, and slightly numbing, yet leave a lingering and unforgettable impression, preserving the original flavors and essence of the ingredients.
Different regions, different ingredients, and different cooking methods have given rise to the diverse and varied Chinese food culture.
The meal was enjoyed immensely, and even the child ate quite a bit, his little belly bulging.
After dinner, Yu Yin and Lu Shurui witnessed their brother-in-law's tea ceremony and drank a cup of tea that was said to have a lot of meaning. Then, they took their child back to the guesthouse.
Yu Yin recalled her second brother-in-law's tea-making posture, which was quite impressive. If he were to wear an ancient-style outfit, he would truly resemble a tea master.
"Ugh, I'm so tired after shopping all day!"
"Okay, hurry up and soak your feet. I'm about to collapse, you're even more tired!"
Lu Shurui really doesn't like shopping. It's crowded and noisy, and it gives her a headache.
"Tomorrow you take the child to your grandparents' house and spend the day with them. I'll go sightseeing by myself. I'd like to visit the legendary Huai Kingdom."
"Are you sure you can manage on your own? Will you get lost? Why don't you wait for your second sister to come with you during her vacation?"
Lu Shurui was a little worried, after all, Shanghai is a very large city, and it was Yu Yin's first time here, so he was afraid that something unexpected might happen.
"It's okay. It's not as easy to get lost in the woods as it is in the forest. I have a great sense of direction, so don't worry. Besides, I have a mouth below my nose. If I can't find it, I'll just ask."
Lu Shurui opened his mouth, wanting to say that Yu Yin couldn't understand the Shanghai dialect. But looking at the confident Yu Yin, he swallowed his words. If he couldn't stop her, he would let her go.
"Okay, remember our guesthouse's phone number, and also remember your brother-in-law's work number, so you can ask for help if needed."
To reassure Lu Shurui, Yu Yin readily agreed.
After a long day, the group washed up and went to bed.
The next day, they went to Grandpa Lu's house first. Yu Yin greeted him and then went out on her own.
Yu Yin had noticed a few places that looked like black markets yesterday, and she planned to try her luck there.
Finding a blind spot, Yu Yin entered her spatial dimension. Before getting off the train, she went into the space through the train's toilet and took out the bananas, pineapples, grapes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other things she planned to sell. She placed them outside the small square, letting them wilt slowly, otherwise, it would be too easy to give herself away.
Yu Yin dressed herself up as a middle-aged woman, drawing her eyebrows thicker, darkening her face, and bundling her hair into a high bun. Her gray cloth jacket was patched, and her black trousers were a bit short, making her indistinguishable from millions of other ordinary middle-aged women.
With a bamboo basket slung over her arm, containing some samples, Yu Yin came out.
First, go to the alley behind the department store. Yu Yin saw someone carrying a basket going in and out there yesterday.
A long time passed, but I didn't encounter the scene described in the book, with idle people standing guard. Had I come to the wrong place, or was the black market not like what was depicted in the novel?
Yu Yin was a bit delusional. She had excitedly prepared a series of thirteen moves, but she hadn't even gotten close to the black market. She was still dreaming of sleeping on a couch. She was really overthinking it.
Yu Yin left the alley and headed towards another suspected location.
Yu Yin's basket was quite heavy; she had been sweating a bit from walking all that way.
Suppressing the urge to look around, Yu Yin forced herself to remain calm and observed as she walked. Suddenly, a familiar scene appeared.
Two unassuming men lingered at the entrance of an alley. Sometimes they talked to someone carrying a basket, sometimes they gave directions to an old woman with an empty bag. Could these be the legendary gatekeepers?
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