January 1, 1968, New Year's Day.
As dawn broke, laughter and chatter filled the military compound.
"Hey, Lao Zhang, you're wearing a new jacket? Why didn't you get one for your wife too?"
"I bought it, but she insists on saving it for New Year's Eve."
"That's true. New Year's Day isn't really the proper New Year celebration; there's also the Little New Year after that."
The previous year was too hard, with disasters and snowstorms never stopping. We finally looked forward to the first day of the new year, so we had to add some joy and celebration.
Xu Xinghe, wrapped in a maroon cotton-padded coat, stood waiting at the main gate of the military headquarters.
Not long after, the meat processing plant's trucks came churning up.
Two live pigs were grunting in the truck bed, plump and healthy with glossy fur, clearly well-fed.
She deliberately paid a price significantly higher than the market price to reserve it.
As soon as the truck came to a stop, a young man in a blue cotton-padded jacket jumped down.
The moment he saw Xu Xinghe, his eyes lit up. He hadn't cared about the pig manure on his hands just now, but now he was rubbing them vigorously on the corner of his clothes, and the tips of his ears turned red.
If I had known I was going to meet such a beautiful girl, I should have at least changed into clean clothes...
Xu Xinghe noticed his unease and spoke first, her voice crisp and clear, "I'm Xu Xinghe. I ordered this pork. The truck can't get into the military headquarters, so I'll call someone to help us carry the pig in together, okay?"
"Okay! Okay!" The young man stammered, his eyes darting around incessantly.
Why is this girl's face so pale?
Like plum blossoms blooming in the snow.
His nose was straight and upturned, but his most captivating feature was his eyes. When they looked at him just now, he felt a little dizzy, as if they only reflected him...
A few moments later, several soldiers came running over.
The young man then came to his senses and quickly rolled up his sleeves to help tie up the pig.
Pigs are indeed easier to catch in winter. In the freezing cold, they don't run as nimbly, and with the thin ice on the ground, their hooves slip and they fall, unable to get up for a long time.
The group of people slowly closed the circle around the pigs. Before long, the two pigs were exhausted and collapsed onto the ice with a thud, whimpering and unable to get up again.
As the young man tied the rope around the pig, he secretly asked the soldier next to him, "Whose daughter was that in the maroon cotton-padded jacket? I've never seen her before."
He felt he would never forget seeing her, even if only once.
The soldier followed his gaze and saw Xu Xinghe. He immediately put on a knowing look, patted the soldier's shoulder with pity, and said, "Another poor soul who's just fallen for someone and is about to be heartbroken. You think she's pretty too, right?"
"She's more than just pretty!" The young man nodded vigorously. "She looks like someone from a magazine, even more beautiful than the Four Beauties described by storytellers!"
The soldier suppressed a laugh, but his tone was filled with pride, "She's not only beautiful, but she's also incredibly kind. These two pigs were bought for us out of her own pocket, so everyone can eat their fill today!"
"That's such a kind person... My mom never said she'd buy me this much meat!" The young man's eyes lit up even more, and he continued to ask, "You still haven't told me who she is?"
The soldier's smile vanished instantly. "This is Commander Jiang's fiancée. Brother, just look and don't get any ideas. There's a line of men in our military who want to marry her that stretches from Political Commissar Wang's office all the way outside the gate. Outsiders won't get a chance."
The young man paused, then awkwardly shut his mouth, but the look in Xu Xinghe's eyes held a hint of melancholy.
These beautiful flowers already have a home...
When the live pigs were brought into the mess hall, the soldiers followed in droves.
Slaughtering pigs is a big deal in the military.
Xu Xinghe stood in the middle of the crowd, her eyes crinkling as she looked at the butcher. "Don't throw away the pig's blood and offal. I'll make some delicious dishes later, but I'll need your help."
"I'll do it!"
"I'll do it! I'm the best cook at home!"
"Go away, even a dog would hate your cooking! Watch mine!"
Just as the commotion was starting, a steady sound of footsteps approached from afar.
Jiang Linchuan walked to Xu Xinghe's side, his gaze sweeping over everyone indifferently. His voice was low but carried an undeniable authority, "You all go ahead and do your work. Leave this to me."
With the person in charge having spoken, the soldiers could only disperse reluctantly, secretly grumbling to themselves.
Commander Jiang is getting more and more petty; he even has to protect Comrade Xu when he talks to him.
Several strong men stepped forward and held the live pig down. The butcher swiftly and cleanly drew blood.
Before long, the pig that was still grunting stopped moving.
Next comes dividing the meat.
The spare ribs are reserved for making a braised pork rib dish, the pork belly is braised, the fatty pork is rendered into lard and stored, and the remaining large pork bones are perfect for stewing with sauerkraut.
Every part of a pig is valuable; it's guaranteed to make everyone's mouths water with delicious food.
Xu Xinghe pulled Jiang Linchuan into the kitchen, where the cooks had already taken over rinsing the dishes, and she was happy to have some free time.
She wasn't good at this kind of work, and if she messed it up and got an upset stomach, it would be even more troublesome.
She took out a packet of spice powder from her cloth bag. It was specially prepared in Shanghai earlier. The herbs and seasonings were all ground into a fine powder, so that the recipe would not be exposed even if someone saw it.
After washing it clean, Xu Xinghe rolled up her sleeves, ready to start, but as soon as she carefully put on the white arm sleeves, she ran into a problem.
"Oops, I splashed water on the stove..."
"If I throw this in, won't I get covered in it?"
"The pot's boiling! The water's bubbling away, won't the lid fly off?"
Jiang Linchuan chuckled at the sight and reached out to shield her behind him, saying, "I'll do it."
"No, I promised I'd make it myself." Xu Xinghe still wanted to insist.
"We're family. What I did, isn't it the same thing you did?"
Xu Xinghe looked at the boiling water in the pot and finally gave up.
It's just that she really doesn't have much talent for cooking.
With Jiang Linchuan's help, the rich aroma of braised food wafted out of the kitchen window in the evening, making everyone in the military headquarters salivate.
The soldiers changed into civilian clothes early and sat neatly in the mess hall, craning their necks to wait for the meal to be served.
"Can you smell it? This fragrance is amazing!"
"It must be the braised food that Comrade Xu was talking about!"
"I didn't dare eat much at noon because of this meal!"
"Here they come!" The canteen aunties and cooks filed out carrying plates of food. Steaming hot dumplings filled with pure meat, glistening braised pork ribs, trembling braised pork belly, and tangy and fragrant pickled cabbage stew with pork belly, along with a plate of dark brown braised dishes that gleamed temptingly.
The dishes for the ladies were also quite impressive; the candied sweet potatoes were golden and translucent, and each table was also served a small bottle of canned fruit.
Everyone's eyes lit up instantly. This meal was truly a lavish affair; the sugar used for the candied sweet potatoes alone would be enough for an ordinary family to eat sparingly for several months.
"If you didn't know better, you'd think we were celebrating the New Year early!"
"New year, new beginnings! Eat well and drink well, and maybe next year will be smooth sailing!"
In a corner not far away, Wang Zhizhi stared at the aroma of meat wafting from the cafeteria, licking her dry lips. While everyone else was enjoying their meals, she slipped to the food window, her voice barely audible. "I'm here to get my food."
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