After a brief statement was taken, Xu Milu returned home with the seeds feeling refreshed and invigorated.
As expected, happiness doesn't disappear; it simply transfers from Zheng Xin's face to hers.
“Junior Aunt, I think Honghe’s intention is definitely to sue Zheng Xin. It’s probably to make an example of him. You’re absolutely right. He should be detained for at least fifteen days before we can talk about compensation. Don’t be fooled by Jin Buhuan’s smiling face; he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
Li Ning laughed gleefully:
“I’ve always disliked boys who bully girls. Serves them right! With this record, Zheng Xin will not only be unable to take the postgraduate entrance exam or the civil service exam, but even his future children will be affected. These three should really learn their lesson now and think twice before bullying anyone again.”
He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "You're really not going to your class reunion?"
Xu Milu sat in the passenger seat playing on her phone without even looking up.
"You see, there's nothing worth going to. I was a loner back then and didn't have many friends. My good friends are all living in other places now, and class reunions have nothing to do with me. It's better to go to Xingning Village for a pork stew."
"A pig-killing feast? Xingning Village is killing a pig today? Don't they usually kill pigs at the end of the year? Why kill a pig when it's not a holiday?"
Li Ning became interested.
Xu Milu casually said:
"Isn't this the village chief's youngest daughter's wedding day, and she's returning to her parents' home today? According to the local custom, a big, fat pig is slaughtered to entertain the guests. The village chief asked me if I wanted to go, and I asked him to save a table for the two of us. It's almost lunchtime, so are you coming?"
Li Ning nodded his head like a chicken pecking at rice.
"Go away, this is all footage!! Ask them if they need a cameraman, I'll call Da Yang and Xiao Sun, then we can make another video!!"
Xu Milu rolled her eyes. Tian Wen made a phone call, and the old village chief was overjoyed to hear that a professional photographer was involved.
[Sure, the more the merrier! Little Xu, you absolutely have to come. I've saved this big pig's head especially for you!]
...
...
Looking around the world, probably few countries can match the lively and meticulous weddings in China. From the choice of wedding venue to the dishes to be prepared, everything carries auspicious meanings.
Tian Wen's youngest daughter, Tian Mei, was a gentle girl who looked only three years older than Xu Milu. According to custom, three days after the bride's wedding, she would return to her parents' home with her new husband, and her family would slaughter a pig to entertain them.
The pigs prepared were not just randomly brought from the slaughterhouse, but were bought by Tian Wen and Xu Lanjuan. Her parents-in-law were in good health and raised several pigs a year. They slaughtered and sold two of them during the Spring Festival, and Tian Wen got a great deal on the last big fat pig.
"Heave-ho! Lift it with all your might!"
"Hey! Give it your all!"
"Hey! Up the stairs!"
Several shirtless men placed the tightly bound pig on the chopping board. The butcher took a sip of wine, then plunged his gleaming butcher knife into the pig's neck. The fat pig struggled violently, but fortunately, the men around him held it steady, preventing the blood from splattering.
Slaughtering a pig is hard work. The villagers first put the bled pig into a large pot and rinse the pig skin with boiling water, ladle by ladle, until the coarse pig hair is removed. Then they use a brush with iron nails to clean the fine hairs on the pig's skin bit by bit before they can cut it open.
The butcher first cuts openings on the four pig trotters, skillfully removing the dirty parts with his knife. Then he switches to another knife and expertly cuts open the pig's belly. Layers of white fat are piled up, and the pig intestines and stomach inside flow into a large basin that has been prepared in advance.
The men were putting in their hard work, while the women were even busier.
The removed pig intestines need to be thoroughly turned inside out and cleaned. First, scrub them with salt to remove dirt and grease, then rinse them repeatedly with clean water until there is no odor.
Cut the freshly cut pork ribs into pieces with an axe. Render the lard in a pot, add scallions, ginger, and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Then add the ribs and stir-fry. When they are almost done, add dark soy sauce and light soy sauce for color and flavor. Take one end of the pickled cabbage that was made during the Chinese New Year, cut it into thin strips, and add it to the pot to stew together.
The freshly cooked sauerkraut and pork rib stew smells delicious, and the tangy aroma fills the air. The freshest pork ribs, along with the villagers' homemade sauerkraut, are perfect with rice, and Xu Milu can easily eat three big bowls.
"Wow! This is so lively! I've never seen a pig slaughtered before. It's so exciting! From slaughter to serving, it's been less than an hour. It's so fresh!"
Xiao Sun is a girl from the south, but she has a special fondness for braised pork ribs with sauerkraut. She gnaws on the ribs with her face covered in oil.
Xu Milu picked up a piece of cold radish greens with her chopsticks, and couldn't help but laugh when she heard this:
“I’ve rarely seen this in recent years. I only saw it when I was a child in my hometown. Back then, when the whole village slaughtered one pig, every household would go to eat the pig-slaughtering feast and buy some pork bones to take home. Although there wasn’t much meat, the children were very happy.”
Speaking of pork bones, the village auntie brought out a big bowl full of freshly cooked pork ribs, her face beaming with smiles:
"Young Master Xu, eat and drink well! Great photographer, you'd better take good pictures of us and make sure Tianmei looks good!"
"Definitely, definitely."
Surrounded by such enthusiasm, Da Yang almost couldn't handle it.
Boiled ribs in plain water is the simplest and most straightforward way to cook them. Cut scallions into sections and ginger into slices and throw them into cold water. Put the ribs into the cold water and cook until done. Take them out and eat them piping hot, breaking them apart and dipping them in salt. It's so delicious that it can bring tears to your eyes.
"As Master said, no matter how complicated the cooking method is, fresh ingredients are the most delicious."
Xu Milu tore open a piece of rib meat, found some minced garlic, poured in vinegar, chopped cilantro, and sesame oil, mixed it up, dipped it in, and took a bite. She was so happy she was practically bubbling with joy.
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