Xia Enruo asked Xiao Wu to find some dried chili peppers and broad bean paste, and also brought half a bag of white sesame seeds and a bottle of sesame paste.
"Sister-in-law, what dish are you making?"
"Didn't you say the boss wanted to cook something new? Today, I'm making a spicy mixed dish."
"Spicy mixed salad? I've never heard of it."
Xiao Wu scratched his head.
You'll find out in a moment.
Xia Enruo boiled a pot of water and cooked all kinds of vegetables, meatballs, tofu, and vermicelli in the hot water. When they were about 70-80% cooked, she took them out of the pot and then poured oil into the pot to make a sauce. Xiao Wu watched from the side; he had never seen this method before.
Xia Enru first grinds the dried chili peppers into powder, and when the oil is hot, she stir-fries them together with the fermented bean paste. After the red chili peppers are fragrant, she adds seasonings and then stir-fries the vegetables until they are covered with sauce. Then she adds the prepared sesame paste to enhance the flavor, and finally sprinkles a layer of white sesame seeds on the vegetables in the chili oil.
Xiao Wu and the soldiers were dazzled by the sight, and the military wives, smelling the spicy aroma, also gathered around.
"Mmm, it smells delicious. These vegetables are simmering in a red oil soup. It looks so appetizing."
Xiao Wu's mouth was watering.
"Xia, I never knew you had this skill. It's amazing."
After tasting it, Liu Cuiyun found the flavor to be unlike anything she had ever tasted before. It was both spicy and fragrant, and she really wanted to eat it with a bowl of white rice.
"Xia's fruit tea is really good. Ever since my four boys drank it, they don't want to drink any soda from the roadside anymore."
Ge Qiuqin gave Xia Enruo a thumbs up.
"Sisters, please stop praising me, or I'll blush."
Xia Enruo felt a little embarrassed by being surrounded and praised by so many people.
"You deserve praise, you deserve praise. You've really changed my perspective today. Not only are you helpful, but you're also such a good cook. Chief of Staff Gu is so lucky to have married such a wonderful wife."
Tian Xiuli completely changed her opinion of Xia Enruo today, especially after Qiao Huizhen spoke ill of her in the infirmary. She truly regretted being blind to speak up for her before.
As Commander Lu entered the auditorium, the victory celebration banquet officially began.
The military wives were seated at a large table, while Gu Shaoxuan, Yuan Qiang, Ding Haotian, and others sat at the main table with Commander Lu.
The performing arts troupe first performed an opening program on stage, with Jiang Pei leading the dance.
"This girl has such a flexible waist, and she dances really well. No wonder she's a pillar of the performing arts troupe."
Ge Qiuqin praised.
"That's right. Back when Chief of Staff Gu wasn't married yet, Jiang Pei kept pursuing him, and the two almost got together."
Qiao Huizhen blurted out something.
"No wonder she looks like a vixen; women with that kind of face are said to bring bad luck to their husbands."
Tian Xiuli chimed in, deliberately trying to annoy Qiao Huizhen. Qiao Huizhen glared at her and then fell silent.
After the performance, Jiang Pei took on the role of host, and according to the procedure, first invited the leaders to the stage to give speeches.
Commander Lu led Gu Shaoxuan and his entourage onto the stage. As leaders of the regiment, they took turns summarizing the exercise.
Jiang Pei kept her eyes fixed on Gu Shaoxuan. Ever since she was injured during a military performance and Gu Shaoxuan carried her to the infirmary, she had fallen in love with him. She would seize any opportunity to get close to him, giving him clothes and fruit, and sending him wave after wave of flirtatious glances, dreaming of becoming his bride.
But when she suddenly heard that Gu Shaoxuan had gotten married, she cried her heart out. However, she still couldn't give up on the idea of being with him. Later, she heard that Gu Shaoxuan's wife was ugly, dirty, and slovenly, and that their relationship was not good. Her hope was rekindled.
Xia Enruo looked up at the stage and saw Gu Shaoxuan standing straight in the center amidst a sea of green military uniforms. Because he was the tallest, he was a head taller than everyone around him. His broad shoulders made his uniform look neat and stylish, making him stand out from the crowd.
Xia Enruo had to admit that he looked incredibly handsome today.
Gu Shaoxuan had thick, dark eyebrows and bright, piercing eyes that stared straight ahead. His gaze was deep and penetrating. When he spoke, he was passionate and his words were powerful and clear. His speech was fluent and concise. The soldiers below the stage applauded after listening to him. He was truly a man of both literary and martial talents.
Xia Enruo wanted to laugh inwardly. What good is being born at the wrong time? He's handsome, but he's not meant to be.
After delivering his concluding remarks, the commander not only praised all the soldiers in the regiment but also commended Gu Shaoxuan and several deputy chiefs of staff for the precision and effectiveness of their operational plans. He concluded by thanking all the military spouses for their silent dedication to the nation's military cause, moving everyone present. It must be said that the leader's speech was indeed of high quality and profound insight.
After the speech, the cultural performance officially began. The first program was a group dance called "Youth" by the art troupe. Jiang Pei was still the lead dancer. It must be said that her dance skills were excellent. Among all the dancers, she danced the most beautifully. Xia Enru sat there admiring the performance, not even bothering to eat.
As Jiang Pei danced, she looked at Gu Shaoxuan with admiration in her eyes. She knew that the military wives were also here today, but there were too many people in the auditorium to see which table they were sitting at. She wanted to see what this slovenly woman, who was the laughingstock of the whole team, actually looked like.
After the dance, Jiang Pei sang "Night at the Military Port" on stage. She was poised and confident on stage, with excellent stage presence, befitting her status as a member of the performing arts troupe. Her sweet voice resonated throughout the auditorium through the microphone, the melody beautiful and melodious, captivating Xia Enruo.
"That sounds really nice, her voice is like a lark's."
After Jiang Pei finished her performance on stage, she saluted the audience. Then, soldiers from each battalion took turns performing. It must be said that there are many artistically talented soldiers in the barracks; their singing voices are loud and clear, no less impressive than those of singers on television. Some even performed rhythmic storytelling, making the audience laugh heartily.
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