Looking at this arrogant child, Meng Zhao was helpless, but since he was willing to help, he would let him have a few pieces of meat later.
Meng Zhao washed the bamboo shoots, meat, and rice, and even used the rice water to water the vegetable garden.
The problem was that there was only one stove in the house, so she couldn't cook all the dishes at once; she could only start steaming the rice first.
He poured half of the rice he had bought into the pot, added water to just cover the rice, and then had Shen Qingyu start the fire.
The little girl looked like she often helped with chores at home; she was quick and efficient, and soon she got the fire going.
Once the rice has cooked to a thick consistency, pour it into a wooden bucket lined with a steaming cloth, add water back into the pot, and place the wooden bucket on the water.
This way, you can make steamed rice even without a rice cooker.
While the rice was steaming, Meng Zhao cut the potatoes into shreds and the pork belly into slices, preparing to stir-fry the vegetables later.
While she was cooking, Shen Qinghe was chopping firewood on the back mountain.
When his father was alive, he was never made to do these kinds of chores. His father's expectation for him was to study hard and pass the imperial examinations. He did not want these mundane matters to distract him. Even after his father passed away, it was his older brother who took on the main responsibility for the family's livelihood. He was always the one who was protected.
Thinking of his deceased father and brothers, Shen Qinghe's handsome features gradually turned cold, filled with a gloomy chill. He swung the axe harder and harder with each blow, his blood churning in his chest, his wrists trembling. He only regretted that the people standing in front of him were not the ones who had oppressed them.
He only snapped back to reality when a soft voice called from afar, regaining his usual calm demeanor, but his brows furrowed again when he saw who it was.
"Mother, didn't I tell you not to go into the mountains? The mountains are full of weeds now, what if you get bitten by snakes or insects?"
“If a little kid like you can come and chop firewood, can’t I come and dig some wild vegetables? I know more than you, so don’t worry, nothing will happen.”
The wild vegetables at the foot of the mountain had all been dug up by others, so the Gu family had no choice but to go deeper into the mountains.
Shen Qinghe sighed helplessly, glanced at the time and felt something was wrong. "Mother, why are you back so early today? Did something happen?"
Knowing that she couldn't hide the truth from her intelligent son, Madam Gu had no choice but to tell him the truth, and as she spoke, she became sad again.
Seeing his mother's unease, Shen Qinghe could only comfort her, "Mother, don't worry about the money, I'll find a way."
“What can you do? Don’t even think about dropping out of school. Your father’s biggest hope is that you can pass the imperial examination. If you give up, how will I face your father in the future?”
As early as when her husband passed away and her eldest son was selected for military service, she had a strong feeling that her son had considered this idea, and she would never allow it.
"Don't worry, I won't drop out of school. I will definitely pass the imperial examination."
Shen Qinghe's clenched fist trembled slightly, and his voice gradually deepened, as if a vicious wolf was aiming at its target.
"The teacher asked me to copy rare books for the academy, which reduced my tuition fees considerably. I also copy some books for the bookstore to earn some money. Mother, you don't need to work so hard." As she spoke, she took out a cloth bag from her bosom, containing about one tael of silver, and handed it to Madam Gu.
“How can I take your money? You’re studying away from home, and you’ll need it for many things. Keep it for yourself, and I’ll find you another job.”
Gu refused to accept the money and kept making excuses.
After handing the money to Madam Gu, Shen Qinghe turned around and continued chopping wood. Madam Gu had no choice but to put the money away and continue bending down to look for wild vegetables.
On the other side, after Meng Zhao finished steaming the rice, he rummaged around in the kitchen looking for seasonings, but he only found an empty salt shaker and a small jar of bean paste. He couldn't even find any oil.
Having no other choice, Meng Zhao could only cut a few small pieces of fat from the pork belly he had bought and fry them in a pan. The oil sizzled and began to ooze out, and the aroma was already starting to fill the air.
After the lard was rendered, Meng Zhao scooped out a few small pieces of cracklings. He first used chopsticks to pick up a piece and handed it to Shen Qingyu, who had been busy tending the fire. The little girl was overjoyed, her eyes widening as she eagerly took a bite. It was fragrant and crispy, and absolutely delicious.
Then he picked up a piece of pork crackling and put it in his mouth. The oil was extracted very cleanly and it wasn't greasy at all. If he sprinkled some chili powder on it, it would be the perfect snack for watching TV.
A faint gurgling sound came from beside her. Meng Zhao looked to the side and saw a child with resentful eyes standing a few steps away, staring at them.
It was Shen Qingze, who had just been looking down on her. But since he had helped her fetch water, Meng Zhao couldn't be stingy. She picked up a piece of fried dough and handed it to Shen Qingze, but didn't move her feet, waiting for him to come over on his own.
Shen Qingze stood motionless, and the two faced off like that.
Seeing that neither of them would move, Shen Qingyu quickly stood up and ran to pull her brother's hand, trying to get him to come closer. The pork cracklings were so delicious; if her brother couldn't have some, he definitely wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
In fact, Shen Qingze had been secretly watching from the side for a long time after he smelled the aroma of meat. Seeing how much the two of them enjoyed eating pork scraps, he really wanted to eat some too, but he was too embarrassed to ask.
When he saw his sister come to pull him, he pretended to be unwilling and followed her to the stove. The moment the pork cracklings entered his mouth, he could no longer resist and began to chew them in large bites, forcing himself not to swallow, wanting the aroma to linger in his mouth for a longer time.
Seeing Shen Qingze's greedy look, Meng Zhao smiled and reminded him, "Be careful not to bite your tongue."
Meng Zhao responded with another snort, but this time the sound was softer, and she didn't glare at her anymore.
He was starving and saw her eating snacks in the yard. He only glanced at her a couple of times, but she pointed at him and called him shameless and a glutton.
Looking at the woman feeding him fried pork cracklings, and recalling what his sister had said earlier, Shen Qingze felt that this woman really seemed different from before.
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