Chapter 113 Fried Meatballs
"That's right, I picked this specially."
Hearing this, Jin Qiaofeng tilted her head and saw Gao Xiulan holding something and talking to her in the front yard.
She looked at it carefully and found that the sunlight shining on it was a bit dazzling.
"What is it?"
Jin Qiaofeng threw away the stick, took two steps at a time down the stairs, and took a closer look.
"Gao Xiulan, did your family buy a radio?"
Jin Qiaofeng looked at Gao Xiulan in surprise, who was holding a brand new radio in her arms, and couldn't stop talking.
Diao Yulian and Yu Afen from the backyard also rushed over after hearing the noise.
"Xiu Lan, you bought this radio at the supply and marketing cooperative, right? Oh, it's Peony brand, that brand is not cheap."
Yu Afen also has a radio at home, which was bought when her father-in-law was still alive. It is a Panda brand radio, and it is still in use.
"Gao Xiulan, you're really generous now, you're even willing to buy a radio!"
Diao Yulian came over with her hips twisted, looking at the radio with envy, because her family didn't have any of the three major items.
No, she has to buy one this year, so she might as well buy a sewing machine.
"How could I bear to do that? My Xiaotong bought it for me and her dad to listen to when we have nothing to do at home.
You say, how could I have the time? I'm so busy every day that I have no time to rest.
I have to tell him to buy it, he has to buy it. The child is stubborn and I can't persuade him, so I just buy it.
I turn it on and listen to it while I work, just to pass the time."
Gao Xiulan held Lin Xiaotong's hand with a smile on her face, her mouth almost reaching the sky.
Lin Xiaotong stood aside obediently, seriously playing the image of a daughter-in-law who doesn't spend money very much.
"It's not good for a child to be filial."
Jin Qiaofeng was so envious that her eyes almost turned red. Why couldn't her son find such a caring and lovely daughter-in-law?
"My Xiaotong is really good in every way, but she spoils us old couple too much."
"This was bought for us old couple using my son Xie Yi's allowance. Xiaotong decided to buy it for us old couple."
Gao Xiulan knew that Xie Yi’s allowance was definitely not enough, and Xiaotong must have added to it, but she had to make it clear in public that the money came from a clean source.
If you hide it, you are afraid that someone with a narrow mind will report it. But if you are open and honest, you won’t be afraid.
"I only have this one son. He's out there defending our country, and I only see him a few times a year."
"Now it's good. Whenever I see the radio, I think of my Xie Yi."
"That's what you said."
Jin Qiaofeng was no longer envious, after all her son Ernengzi was by her side.
"I'm going to go back and cook."
"You said this big thing is heavy! My elbows are sore from holding it."
"Xiu Lan, let me take it."
"Okay, okay, you take it."
Gao Xiulan's arms were sore from holding the radio. She walked through the hanging flower gate and into the backyard, then reached out and put the radio back into Xie Dajiao's hands.
It’s a heavy burden, a truly happy worry.
"What's so great about it? It's not like my family can't afford it."
Diao Yulian pouted, cursed under her breath, and stormed back into the house.
When he returned to the room and saw Wu Shengli lying on the bed rubbing his waist, he was filled with anger.
"Look at you. You haven't bought anything big yet, and that bitch Gao Xiulan brought back a radio."
Diao Yulian twisted Wu Shengli's ear. She said she didn't care, but in her heart she was jealous like a little ant that was about to give birth to a grandson.
She and Gao Xiulan married into the compound together, and she always liked to involve Gao Xiulan in everything she did.
"What's so good about a radio? If you want me to buy something, I'd buy a bicycle. That's more impressive!"
Wu Shengli thought that his family was the only one in the compound that didn't have a bicycle, so he turned over and sat down while talking.
"All of these require tickets. How can you get them?"
Diao Yulian rolled her eyes. She also liked bicycles, but she had never been able to get a bicycle ticket.
"Don't worry about it, just wait and see."
Wu Shengli chuckled, lowered his chin silently, and had an idea in his mind.
…
Lin Xiaotong pushed her bicycle into the yard. Diao Yulian was washing cabbage in the sink. She glanced at her for a few seconds but said nothing.
"Mom, I'm back. The company distributed New Year's goods today."
Lin Xiaotong pushed the bike to the east room, put the bike under the eaves, and took out a cardboard box from the snakeskin bag tied at the back.
"Come on, come on, let me see what's there."
Gao Xiulan hurried over and opened the box. There was a small bucket of oil, a two-pound bag of rice, two pounds of frozen hairtail, and a small bag of flour.
"Your company's treatment is really good, plus the New Year's gifts your father gave you, you can have a prosperous New Year."
"Also, a bottle of vanishing cream. I brought an empty can from home and opened a box."
Lin Xiaotong took out a box of vanishing cream from the canvas bag. She had originally planned to buy a bottle for Gao Xiulan, and this bottle was just right for Gao Xiulan.
As expected, workers' families are more comfortable. The things the company distributes during the Chinese New Year are all several kilograms of good stuff.
"Your dad's factory also issued a few bath tickets, and they happened to be used up on the 28th of the lunar year."
"Old Xie, where has your dad gone again? He must be tinkering with the radio."
Gao Xiulan said this while moving the New Year's goods into the kitchen.
After cleaning up, I was about to sit down and rest at the door of the main room when I looked up and saw Xie Da Jiao with red eyes and a radio on next to the table.
"Old Xie, what's wrong?"
Lin Xiaotong also followed.
"Xiu Lan, listen—"
"On January 8, 1976, our beloved Premier Zhou Enlai left us forever..."
Sad news came over the radio.
After hearing this, the family's eyes were red. After a while, occasional crying and wailing could be heard in the courtyard.
Many people were deeply impressed by this year's Laba Festival.
…
The wheel of time keeps rolling forward without stopping. No matter how hard or difficult it is, life must go on.
Children, don't be greedy, after Laba it's New Year; drink Laba porridge for a few days, it's the 23rd...
The festive atmosphere was getting stronger and stronger. The children were happily jumping and singing nursery rhymes at the entrance of the alley, their little faces flushed with excitement.
The women in the compound have been very busy recently, and the fire in every household's kitchen is always burning.
After steaming the buns, I have to get busy frying the meatballs.
An intoxicating aroma of meat lingered in the courtyard for a long time.
The children eagerly came to the kitchen door, looking at the fried meatballs with envy.
There are two types of croquettes, meatballs and vegetarian meatballs.
The more meat in the meatballs, the better, and it is more satisfying to eat the meat in big bites.
The vegetarian meatballs taste pretty good too, with finely shredded radish, eggs and flour inside, and you can eat one in one bite.
The Xie family in the east was also frying meatballs in the kitchen, and Lin Xiaotong was helping Gao Xiulan make the meatballs.
After shaping the meatballs, Gao Xiulan gritted her teeth and poured half a pot of oil into the large iron pot with great concern.
Xie Da Jiao was sitting on a small stool and making a fire.
Carefully drop the meatballs along the side of the pot, being careful not to splash them on your hands.
There was a sizzling sound of oil, and the meatballs slowly turned golden. They were scooped up with a colander and placed on a small bamboo winnowing basket to cool.
Use a basin to catch the oil underneath to avoid wasting it.
Lin Xiaotong was swallowing her saliva, it smelled so good.
“Come and try it.”
Gao Xiulan picked up a bunch of noodles with chopsticks and handed it to her with a smile, then turned around and picked up another bunch and handed it to Xie Da Jiao who was sitting and making a fire.
“It’s delicious. Very delicious.”
Lin Xiaotong carefully took a bite of the meatball, nodded, and couldn't wait to give Gao Xiulan a thumbs up.
The meatballs just out of the pot have a strong aroma of the pot, and they are still hot when you take a bite. They are moderately salty and fragrant, and the meat is slightly chewy. It is very satisfying to take a bite.
After the fried meatballs have cooled, drained the oil, and packed, place them in a cool place.
When eating, fry them again in the pan to make them more crispy.
Croquettes can also be made into separate dishes, such as meatball soup.
Put a few of them in there and the quality of the soup will change. You don’t need to fry them fresh when serving them to guests. It is convenient and decent.
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