Chapter 229 The Taste of Modern Spirits
The general store was warm and inviting.
Laughter and the aroma of hot pot mingled and drifted through the gaps in the curtain into the quiet, cold winter night.
Grandpa Zhao wrapped his old cotton-padded coat tightly around himself, exhaling long puffs of white steam as he trudged through the snow.
There were many building materials in the yard of the new house. These materials were very precious, and he would patrol them several times every night to prevent anyone with ill intentions from stealing them.
When he arrived at the entrance of the grocery store, he was surprised to find that the store was still lit with warm yellow lights and laughter could be heard coming from inside.
This is unlike Miss Jiang's usual style; she would normally be closed long ago on such a cold day.
He was puzzled, so he lifted the heavy curtain, and a strong fragrance wafted out, making him involuntarily take a deep breath.
"Uncle Zhao!" Xiao Yi, with her sharp eyes, was the first to spot him.
The people sitting around the table turned around when they heard the sound, their faces still bearing the smiles from before.
"Uncle Zhao, what brings you here? Come in quickly, it's cold outside!" Jiang Ling quickly got up to greet him.
Grandpa Zhao then realized that it was Miss Jiang, along with two gentlemen and children, sitting together eating hot pot.
He quickly explained his purpose: "I was just passing by on night patrol and saw the lights were on, so I took a look. You all eat, you all eat, I'll be going now."
Seeing this, Jiang Ling immediately smiled and invited, "Uncle Zhao, it's freezing outside, and you must be tired from patrolling at night. Since you're here, why don't you sit down and have something to eat to warm up before you go?"
Jiang Ling immediately instructed Xiao Yi to fetch a clean set of bowls and chopsticks.
Grandpa Zhao instinctively wanted to refuse, but the aroma was so enticing that even though he had already eaten dinner, he was still tempted.
I had heard that Miss Jiang was a skilled cook, but I never expected her cooking to be so delicious.
"This...this is too much, I've already eaten, I've already eaten..."
Grandpa Zhao waved his hands repeatedly, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at the bubbling pot, and his throat bobbed involuntarily.
He looked at the peculiar pot in the middle and the table full of delicious meat and vegetables, his eyes filled with undisguised amazement.
This hot pot feast is even more impressive than the New Year celebrations in the village!
Before he could even utter the words of refusal, Xiaoyi had already deftly brought over a clean set of bowls and chopsticks, eagerly handing them to him.
Jiang Ling also said sincerely, "Uncle Zhao, you've worked so hard these past few days for my house. I've been wanting to thank you properly but haven't had the chance. Now that we're all here, please do me the honor of having a meal with me."
Zhao Shiying and Fu Chengze also quickly extended invitations:
"Yes, Uncle Zhao, why don't you join us for a bite?"
"It's lively with so many people, and we've only just started eating."
Faced with the warm invitation from everyone, and looking at the unprecedentedly abundant meat and dishes on the table, Grandpa Zhao's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. Finally, he reluctantly sat down on the stool.
"Then...then I'll trouble you."
Everyone got back to work.
Xiao Ran thoughtfully pushed the bowl of prepared dipping sauce in front of him, then picked up a perfectly cooked piece of mutton and placed it in his bowl, demonstrating:
"Uncle Zhao, you should try this! Dip it in the broth like this. It might taste a little spicy at first, but it gets better and better as you eat, and it warms you up from head to toe!"
Grandpa Zhao did as he was told and put the slice of meat into his mouth.
The next moment, his wrinkled eyes widened suddenly!
The moment it entered his mouth, he was overwhelmed by its spicy and savory flavor, giving his taste buds a huge shock!
He chewed a few times, savoring the tenderness of the meat and the richness of the broth, and couldn't help but exclaim in praise:
"Delicious! So delicious!"
"Eat more if you like it." Jiang Ling put a few more pieces of hot beef on his plate.
After a few bites of hot food, his stomach felt soothed. Grandpa Zhao smacked his lips, sighing with lingering satisfaction:
"This taste... if it could be paired with a shot of strong liquor, I wouldn't trade it for even the gods!"
It was just a casual remark, tinged with the satisfaction of a gourmand.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling laughed: "Isn't that simple? It's just wine, I have some here."
It's just alcohol; she has plenty of it. It's been sitting on the shelf for a while, but because of its unusual packaging, no one has paid any attention to it. It's perfect for warming up in the dead of winter.
She got up, walked to the shelf, picked out a box, and said, "This wine has been here for a while. It's cold, so I'll have some to warm myself up."
Grandpa Zhao was stunned. He hadn't expected that Jiang Ling's general store would actually have wine!
In those famine years, grain was precious, and wine was an even rarer commodity, commanding high prices.
He hurriedly said, "No, no, I was just saying it offhand! Miss Jiang, you should keep this valuable item and sell it for money!"
Jiang Ling, however, didn't seem to care, and said as she opened the bottle,
"Uncle Zhao, why are you being so polite with me? I've seen how hard you've worked to help me build this house. What's a cup of wine compared to that? We're all happy today, so please have a taste!"
Zhao Shiying and Fu Chengze, who were standing nearby, smelled the faint aroma of wine and their eyes lit up with anticipation.
They exchanged a glance and immediately said, "Miss Jiang, we'd like to try some too."
Jiang Ling laughed, "Yes, yes, there's plenty for today. However,"
She looked at Xiaoran and Xiaoyi, "You two younger ones can't do it."
Xiao Ran had just started to have some hope, but it was instantly extinguished.
Xiao Yi asked curiously, "Brother Xiao Ran, what does the wine taste like?"
Xiao Ran recalled that he had secretly drunk his father's wine two years ago, but he couldn't remember exactly what it tasted like.
However, a wine that adults love so much must taste pretty good.
Zhao Shiying said, "Uncle Zhao, if you need manpower for building a house, or if you need someone to patrol at night, just let me know. I'm free these days, so I can keep an eye on things while I'm at it."
Winter has arrived, and everyone is actually quite free.
With an income, Zhao Shiying no longer needed to go to town every day to find odd jobs.
Grandpa Zhao waved his hand: "There are only a few days left. Once the roof beams and tiles are laid in the next few days, there will be nothing to worry about."
It wasn't that he didn't trust Zhao Shiying, but it was a task assigned to him by Miss Jiang, so he felt more at ease taking care of it himself.
Jiang Ling took out several small wine glasses, each about the size of a finger, so that even if they were filled, they wouldn't hold much.
As she poured the wine, she reminded him:
"However, this wine is quite strong, Uncle Zhao, please drink it slowly."
Grandpa Zhao chuckled dismissively. He was a well-known old drunkard in the village, and in his youth he could drink a lot. A small cup was nothing to him.
Jiang Ling offered him a glass of wine first, "Uncle Zhao seems to be a connoisseur of wine. Why don't you try this wine first?"
Grandpa Zhao picked up the small cup with his calloused fingers. Before he even brought it close, a strong aroma of wine suddenly rushed into his nostrils and straight to the top of his head!
He couldn't help but take a breath, and his cloudy eyes immediately lit up. "Just by smelling this, it's top-quality wine!"
He knew that everything in Jiang Ling's shop was of the highest quality.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com