Chapter 154
When Liu Zhishuang heard what Xia Juhua said to Xiaoman, he quickly explained to his mother: "Mom, you don't know that to make a phone call to the village, you have to queue up at the post office. An An, that brat, cries as soon as he enters the room. Many times, he comes out after a short while. Otherwise, Xiaoman would have to call Ping An Village every day."
Xia Juhua said, "Why don't you wait outside with An An in your arms until Xiao Man finishes his call?"
Liu Zhishuang had no way of answering his mother's questions, but Xiaoman felt that her mother-in-law was still the same as when she was at home, always thinking of her. She couldn't help but smile, and felt that wherever her mother-in-law was home, and the thoughts of missing Ping'anzhuang had disappeared a lot.
He couldn't reason with his mother, Qi Weidong and the other two didn't agree to go out for dinner, and Liu Zhishuang couldn't convince anyone, so he had to run into the kitchen himself, quickly prepared the vegetables, cut the meat into shreds, minced the garlic and onions, lit the fire and started cooking the noodles.
Then I heard a "sizzle" sound in the kitchen, which was the sound of scallions and garlic being put into the pan, then the sound of cracking eggs, the sound of pouring water into the pot, and then the sound of water boiling. A moment later, Liu Zhishuang had brought a large bowl of noodles and placed it on the dining table in the small living room.
Liu Xi was stunned: "Zhi Shuang, did you make this?" It smelled quite nice, the noodles were clean white, the vegetables were green, the shredded meat was visible, and the plump poached egg was intact.
However, Liu Zhishuang found Liu Xi's surprise a bit strange: "Didn't you see me go into the kitchen just now? Xiaoman and my mother were busy cleaning up, they didn't even go into the kitchen." If it wasn't me who did it, then who did it?
"But..." Liu Xi looked at Liu Zhishuang who was skillfully putting noodles into bowls and still found it incredible: "When did you become so good at cooking?"
Liu Zhishuang said nonchalantly, "We moved to the district, and there are only Xiaoman and I at home. When she is too busy, we can't always rely on An'an to cook, right? If I don't cook, the whole family will go hungry. Cook twice more, and she will be able to cook everything."
Xia Juhua wanted to laugh when she heard this. She looked up and saw Xiaoman looking at Liu Zhishuang with a smile on his face. So she didn't tease her own son. Instead, she said to Liu Xi, "Zhishuang is right. Whoever says that only women should go to the kitchen to cook? The house doesn't belong to women alone. Whoever has time should do it."
Liu Xi's surprise turned to Xia Juhua. He was always deep and couldn't help asking, "Sister-in-law, Xiaoman asked Zhishuang to go to the kitchen. Don't you think she didn't serve Zhishuang well?"
Xia Juhua still thinks that Liu Xi should be criticized for his rigid thinking at such a young age: "Why do you think Xiao Man is wrong? Do you think that Xiao Man has to take care of the children at home temporarily after coming to the region, and Zhi Shuang is the one who earns the salary to support the three of them, so he should be the eldest grandfather when he comes home?"
"Liu Xi, I'm telling you, you can't say this in front of other girls in the future, otherwise you won't be called a wife. You men think that women are blessed when they take care of children at home, protected from the wind and rain? Children eat and sleep at irregular times, and need someone to accompany them when they wake up, or they cry and make a fuss, and fall and bump into things when they are not seen. Will you feel distressed when that happens? Will you have to quarrel with your wife?"
"Anyway, I would rather work in the fields than look after the kids all day. If you don't believe me, ask Zhishuang if he thinks so."
Liu Xi felt that his worldview was shattered, and he looked at Liu Zhishuang, and found that Liu Zhishuang was nodding in agreement: "Don't say I watched him all day, once Xiaoman went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy cloth, I watched this kid for a long time, and he made me so annoyed that I wanted to leave him alone at home, and I went to work."
"Come on, stop talking. The noodles are going to clumping together." Xia Juhua invited to eat, but An An followed suit and started scratching at the table. Xiao Man had no choice but to carry him to the big room that served as the living room to play, and only took everyone over to eat after Liu Zhishuang finished eating.
"See?"
Liu Xi had almost digested the shock before eating the noodles, and now agreed with Xia Juhua's point of view: "It's not easy." Thinking of how he had just asked Xia Juhua in front of Xiaoman whether she would dislike this daughter-in-law, he felt that he was rash and said to Xiaoman embarrassingly: "Xiaoman, I was too surprised just now, and what I said was not nice, please don't take it personally."
Although Liu Xi is one year younger than Xiao Man, from Liu Zhishuang's point of view, Xiao Man should still call him Sixth Uncle. It's just that they are all about the same age, and except for New Year's greetings, they usually just call each other by their names and no one takes it seriously.
Normally, he didn't take it seriously. In name, Liu Xi was still Xiao Man's elder. Now, hearing him apologize to her solemnly, Xiao Man felt a little embarrassed:
"We just talked about that, it's nothing. Don't say you were surprised, remember the first time my father went into the kitchen to cook porridge, Shuanzhu and I were also shocked. Only the men in Ping'an Village think that going into the kitchen is not a big deal. The rest of the men in the production team are just like what you said when they go home, they act like masters and won't even help if the oil bottle falls over."
Qi Weidong, who had been silent, had a thoughtful expression. Xia Juhua didn't want to ignore him, so she joked with him, "Did you learn it? You should practice cooking well in the future, and it will be easier to find a partner."
Qi Weidong was suddenly called out, and he was a little confused: "Why would I look for a wife?"
Bewildered, he turned into Liuxi again: "How old are you and why haven't you found a wife? By the way, aren't you older than Zhishuang? Now Anan can crawl, why haven't you talked about a wife yet? Is it that the girl really dislikes that you can't cook, so she doesn't like you?" It seems that after returning, he has to learn how to cook.
Xia Juhua didn't expect Liu Xi's skill in mending the knife was so high, and she laughed out loud.
The time on the train passed very slowly. Fortunately, I bought a sleeper ticket, so I could lie down and sleep when I was bored. Although the train was shaking violently and the sound of the wheels hitting the rails was very harsh, Xia Juhua still slept soundly after getting on the train.
It had been a long time since she had been so relaxed and done nothing, and fell into a deep sleep, Xia Juhua herself had forgotten. Now she only felt that her whole body was relaxed and heavy, lying on the narrow bed without wanting to move.
Liu Xi always remembered Wu Ye's request to take good care of Xia Juhua on the way. Seeing the lights in the carriage come on, he came over and called her: "Sister-in-law, get up and eat something before going to sleep."
Xia Juhua then reluctantly opened her eyes: "What time is it? You guys eat first."
Liu Xi insisted: "You have slept for the whole afternoon, you should get up and eat something, otherwise you will not be able to sleep at night."
Xia Juhua stood up helplessly, put her hair back, and found that it was dark outside the car window. She stood up lazily and smelled the pungent smell in the car, mixed with a little food smell.
Looking around, I saw some people eating eggs and munching on biscuits on the small chairs beside the aisle of the carriage. There were also a few people who were obviously dressed as cadres and brought a roasted chicken on the train. Several people took turns drinking from a bottle of wine.
There was only their small compartment and nothing happened. Qi Weidong sat on the shop opposite and glanced at Xia Juhua before turning his gaze to the window.
There are six bunk beds in a small compartment. Xia Juhua and Qi Weidong are in the two lower bunk beds. Liu Xi is unlucky as he lives in the upper bunk bed on Xia Juhua's side. There is no one in the two middle bunk beds and the other upper bunk bed.
"What do you want to eat?" Now that she was awake, Xia Juhua couldn't help but start making preparations.
Qi Weidong grabbed Liu Xi's hand as she was trying to get some dry food, and said to Xia Juhua with a smile on his face, "Auntie, I didn't bring anything. I'm just waiting to eat your hot and sour rice noodles."
He didn't believe Xia Juhua would be willing to eat dry food for two days after sitting on the train for such a long time, so he thought she would definitely bring some hot and sour noodles.
After hearing this, Liu Xi stopped trying to take out the eggs: they have been making instant hot and sour noodles in Ping'an Village for such a long time, and no one has tasted the finished product, so of course he wants to try it too.
Unexpectedly, Xia Juhua said, "We're not having hot and sour noodles today. I brought something else good for you to try." As she said that, she took out three packs of instant noodles from her bag.
Qi Weidong took the instant noodles and saw that the packaging was similar to that of the hot and sour rice noodles, except that the words "Xia Xiaohuo Hot and Sour Rice Noodles" were replaced with "Xia Xiaohuo Instant Noodles". He couldn't help but ask, "Auntie, is this your new product?"
Xia Juhua nodded: "Yes, but it has not been mass-produced yet, and I don't make much. If it weren't for the fact that the train ride is too long and the chili in the hot and sour noodles makes you get a sore throat, you wouldn't be able to eat it this time."
Qi Weidong and Liu Xi suddenly understood why they couldn't eat it - it was probably like the members of Ping'an Village couldn't eat instant hot and sour noodles now, so instant noodles must also be supplied to the troops.
At this time, people who went out were used to bringing their own large aluminum lunch boxes. Each small compartment in the sleeper car was equipped with a hot pot. Xia Juhua instructed Liu Xi to get some hot water, put the instant noodles into three lunch boxes, poured in the seasoning and oil packets, and then asked the other two: "Are you eating pork or shredded chicken?"
They could actually choose the flavor, so Liu Xi looked at Qi Weidong, meaning that he should choose first. Qi Weidong trusted Xia Juhua very much, and thought that anything she brought out would definitely not be unpalatable, so he said, "I can eat any flavor."
This time, Xia Juhua only brought two flavors, and gave each of them one of the crispy ones, while she chose the shredded chicken one. As soon as the hot water was poured into the lunch box, the oil bag and seasoning were washed away by the water, and the overbearing aroma spread all at once, and the people in the nearby cubicles couldn't help but sniff.
Xia Juhua had already closed the lunch box lid, and the fragrance disappeared, as if the person next door had just smelled it was an illusion. It was not until Xia Juhua thought the noodles were ready and opened the lunch box lid again that the person next door realized that what he had just smelled was not an illusion, but a real fragrance that he had never smelled before.
Those who were drinking wine with roast chicken turned their heads back and forth, trying to figure out the source of the aroma. Someone next door had already poked his head into Xia Juhua's compartment and found that the lunch box was steaming, and along with the steam came an aroma that made people want to take a bite.
"Sister, where did you buy this? I didn't see you going to the dining car just now." Someone couldn't help but ask.
The whole carriage was silent, waiting for Xia Juhua's answer. Xia Juhua said directly, "I brought this food from home for the trip. The train is on for two days, and I can't stand just eating dry food, so I had to come up with this stupid idea."
The people who heard the answer looked at the food in their hands, and no one said anything. One of the people eating roast chicken asked loudly: "Is this what you brought from home? Is it your local cooking method? From your accent, you are also from L Province. Did I hear it wrongly?"
Qi Weidong smiled and said, "You heard it right, we are from L Province."
"Impossible." The man was a very honest person, and his tone carried a hint of superiority: "I have traveled all over L Province, and I have never seen food that is so delicious."
Liu Xi and Xia Juhua looked at each other, but neither of them said anything. Qi Weidong answered, "We are from Chengping District. Have you been there?"
The man put down the half-eaten chicken claw and staggered to Xia Juhua's compartment. He watched Liu Xi stuffing big mouthfuls of noodles, swallowed his saliva and said, "Of course I've been to Chengping District. I also worked in Pingde County for a while. When I was there, the wheat production in Pingde County was not high, but I've never seen anyone make this kind of noodles."
The noodles are so delicious when soaked in water, and they are twisted and curved. I have never seen or even heard of such a dish.
Qi Weidong was even more proud: "You've never seen it. In the past two years, people ate less white flour, so naturally they were reluctant to make it. Now that the production volume has finally increased a little, I'm thinking about making things more delicious."
After that, he also started to eat noodles. The man swallowed his saliva again, and the silk of grace flew to the country of Zhua Kuo, and asked Xia Juhua carefully: "Big sister, did you bring much? Can I exchange some with you?"
The other person had clearly stated that he wanted to exchange, so Xia Juhua could no longer pretend that she didn't know what he was doing. She shook her head in embarrassment and said, "I'm sorry, there are three of us, and what we brought is enough for ourselves, so we can't exchange with you."
When going out on the bus, most people bring their own food. Nowadays, no one has enough food. It is not difficult to understand why Xia Juhua said that she did not bring much. In addition, Qi Weidong and Liu Xi ate voraciously. The man felt that he could not achieve his wish. He looked at Xia Juhua again and went back to his seat embarrassedly.
They returned home, but their hearts stayed with Xia Juhua and the others for a little while. The rest of the ride was almost a torture for everyone in the carriage: in the next day or so, Xia Juhua and Qi Weidong ate the braised pork and shredded chicken flavors alternately, and discussed from time to time whether to add eggs or more seasonings. The aroma impacted the taste buds of everyone in the carriage again and again.
Later, Qi Weidong whispered to Xia Juhua, "Auntie, please ask Liu Xi to take the bag to the upper store. Why do I feel like those people are looking at your bag with strange eyes?"
He was not exaggerating. Ever since they had their first meal of instant noodles, there were always people passing by their cubicle, and every person who passed by would look at them deeply, even if the three of them were not eating.
Xia Juhua was amused by Qi Weidong's expression: "Nonsense again, the people who use the couchette are all people of status, can they just fight over food?"
It is impossible to snatch it, and it is also necessary to ask. The person who first came to talk to Xia Juhua kept chatting with her, and every sentence he said was about instant noodles. Xia Juhua was annoyed by his pestering, so she simply told him that this thing was something she tried out herself, and no one else could make it because the ingredients were too exquisite and the process was too complicated.
Anyway, apart from her, no one else has heard of making instant noodles, so Xia Juhua doesn't mind raising its price a bit.
The man nodded repeatedly, "That's what I said. I've never seen this way of eating in Pingde County. If you say you figured it out yourself, that's right. Sister, have you ever thought about handing over your instant noodle making technology to the country? That would be a great contribution for you, and the country would also praise you. Maybe you could even get it published in the newspaper."
Xia Juhua narrowed her eyes slightly after hearing this. Qi Weidong had already become alert, and his gaze towards that person was as sharp as a knife: "My aunt took the trouble to prepare some food for our convenience on the road. Does this have to be handed over to the country? Why haven't I heard of this? There is no such rule in our country, right?"
The man wanted to put some pressure on Xia Juhua in a roundabout way, but he didn't want to be exposed by Qi Weidong. Instead, he blushed and repeatedly explained to Qi Weidong that he just said that and had no other intentions:
Who knows who these three people are who can sit on the berths? Among these three people, Qi Weidong is a person who often travels outside. Maybe he was the one who got these three berths.
That's why that person dared to put pressure on Xia Juhua in a roundabout way. As soon as Qi Weidong opened his mouth, he frightened and didn't want to trick Xia Juhua anymore, so he went back to his seat in shame.
Liu Xi secretly memorized Qi Weidong's expression and words, and whispered to Xia Juhua, "Sister-in-law, is that guy planning to take advantage of our instant noodles? He knows that we are from Pingde County, and he even said that he worked in Pingde County. What if he causes trouble for us?"
Before Xia Juhua could answer, Qi Weidong sneered, "If you want to find an aunt in Pingde County, even in Chengping District, ask if anyone can help you find an aunt."
He did not lower his voice on purpose; half of the people in the carriage could hear it. The man who had just returned to his seat glanced at his companion and found that everyone was listening attentively to what was happening in Xia Juhua's compartment.
To be precise, I was waiting to hear Xia Juhua's answer.
Unfortunately, they listened carefully for a long time but did not hear what Xia Juhua said. They did not know whether she did not say anything at all or her voice was too soft for everyone to hear clearly.
Even without Xia Juhua's answer, the number of people hanging around in front of their cubicle was significantly reduced, and those who passed by also hurried past without even looking in the direction of the camera.
Xia Juhua thought these people were a little ridiculous. They actually believed Qi Weidong's exaggerated statement. Maybe they even had a big idea in their minds that they might be bullying others by taking advantage of their power.
It was all Xia Juhua's fault for being too kind. The leaders she met were all good leaders who only cared about their departments or regions. They ignored the people's hearts after the chaos, which was the most unstable period. People did not believe in their own abilities, but in who knew whom and what they could accomplish.
So not only did they not think Qi Weidong was exaggerating, but they felt that Xia Juhua was hiding her talents too much: this person was not well-dressed, but the things she showed were unprecedented, she also had a shiny watch on her wrist, and she sat in a hard-to-buy shop. Who would believe that she had no power?
Xia Juhua was happy to have a good rest when no one was disturbing her. She started to pack her luggage when they were less than two hours away from Guangzhou. At this time, a man in a railway uniform came to their compartment and stood there watching Xia Juhua and the others pack.
It was difficult for Xia Juhua and the others to ignore such an obvious target. Qi Weidong took on the responsibility of foreign relations, looked up at the man standing, and asked, "Comrade train attendant, do you have something to talk to us about?"
The railway uniform smiled and said, "Hello, I am the conductor of this train. I want to know if you have any opinions on this train service."
Xia Juhua and the others didn't dare to take this seriously. The train conductor was just saying it and didn't really ask for their opinions. Instead, he continued to watch Xia Juhua and the others pack their luggage.
Seeing that he was not leaving, Qi Weidong curled his lips in disdain and raised his opinion to the conductor: "Comrade conductor, let me give you a suggestion. We are still in a sleeper car, and we can't even guarantee hot water in the second half of the journey. Shouldn't we make some improvements?"
This was a little unexpected for the conductor, and he explained awkwardly, "Except for the sleeper cars, our train was seriously overcrowded. There were too many people using water, and we passed fewer stations in the second half of the journey, so we didn't replenish water in a timely manner. This may have caused inconvenience to the comrades. We will try to improve this next time."
Xia Juhua had packed her luggage and looked at her watch. It would take about an hour to reach the station. The two-day journey was finally coming to an end. Even if the train conductor's answer was insincere, Xia Juhua felt that Qi Weidong didn't need to take it seriously.
It's unknown whether we can see each other again after an hour. What's the point of comparing them? It will only ruin my mood of showing my talents in Guangzhou.
After Xia Juhua looked at her watch, the train conductor also looked at his watch and moved his feet into the compartment. Seeing that Qi Weidong got Xia Juhua's hint and lowered his head to pack his things instead of focusing on himself, he sat down next to Xia Juhua without hesitation.
"My dear sister, the train will arrive in Guangzhou soon, so I won't be polite with you. I heard from the train attendant that you brought a kind of noodles that smells really good when soaked in water. I have an immature idea. Can I take up a moment of your time to teach our dining car staff how to make the noodles? This way, passengers can buy them in the dining car when they travel next time..."
Qi Weidong suddenly raised his head, without a smile on his face: "Comrade conductor, how much money are you going to spend on my aunt's cooking?"
He started by asking for money, which stunned the conductor: "Spend money to buy it? Comrade, did you misunderstand?"
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