Chapter 50: Planning Mutton Soup

Mingdai and Zhou Sinian didn't know all this, they arrived home early.

After locking the door, Zhou Sinian wanted to take a shower after entering the house, so Mingdai quickly took him into the room.

Without Mingdai's call, he threw the basket away, ran into his room and started taking a bath.

Mingdai was also exhausted, so she went upstairs, turned on the hot water, and took a bath to recover.

When I came out, Zhou Sinian was already washing his back under the faucet outside, using rose-scented shower gel.

Ming Dai was helpless looking at the foam all over the floor. There was nothing she could do, as long as he was happy.

After finishing her meal, she went to the back to check the sheep pen. The lambs' hair had been dried and was fluffy, like little clouds that smelled of roses. They were quite cute.

It's just that the chocolates all over the floor are a bit unsightly. Mingdai is thinking about how to coax the germaphobic Zhou Sinian to work in the sheep pen.

It has to be Chinese food!

Mingdai is thinking about making the mutton soup for tomorrow. She wonders if Aunt Huang is willing to let her do it.

I put some corn as feed for the sheep, and thought I should plant some grass for them to eat. It’s time to make use of the land in the space.

As he was thinking about this, he walked past Zhou Sinian who was washing and entered the house.

We had dinner in the living room. Mingdai fried some spicy chicken, stewed some rice, and made some tomato and egg soup.

Perhaps they were too tired, so they finished all the food and soup.

Mingdai shouted that they must make money, otherwise they would be bankrupt just by eating!

After washing up, Zhou Sinian went to light the kang on his own accord, and put plenty of firewood.

Looking at the weather, it's going to snow soon. If I don't heat the kang at night, I'll wake myself up many times from the cold.

That night, the two of them fell asleep immediately, while the other villagers suffered from insomnia due to excitement, regret or jealousy.

The next day, early in the morning, the members who were going to work arrived at the place early, hoping to finish their work quickly and have dinner early.

Mingdai and Zhou Sinian also got up early, cooked millet porridge, steamed buns, and ate them happily with some pickled vegetables.

After dinner, Zhou Sinian hurriedly washed the pots and dishes, took his small bag and waited for Mingdai at the door.

Mingdai took some seasonings and put them in her backpack before going out.

Mingdai had prepared the bed for Zhou Sinian in the morning, and today at noon she stewed him some mutton soup that was even better than chicken soup. He couldn't wait to drool when she described it.

The two of them wandered to Captain Liu's house. At this time, only Aunt Huang and Mrs. Huang were at home; the children had already run out to play.

"Oh, Miss Xiao Ming is here, come in quickly!"

The captain's family had finished their meal long ago, and Aunt Huang was taking her daughter-in-law out to dry the dried vegetables.

Ming Dai saw a lot of dried beans and was moved: "Auntie, you are so diligent to pick up so many dried vegetables!"

Farmers love to be praised for their diligence. Aunt Huang smiled and said, "These are all free things grown in the fields. I'll ask the boss to send some to you in the evening. You came here late, and there is indeed no food to eat in winter. You can't just eat cabbage and radishes all the time."

Ming Dai smiled shyly: "Thank you, Auntie. I was too embarrassed to ask you for it just now."

Mrs. Huang said with a smile: "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. They are all our own."

It’s not that Huang Dalian is generous. Although these dried vegetables are free and are all grown in her own private plot, it is still a waste of time and energy.

Of course she was unwilling to give it to other people, but it was different to give it to Xiao Ming, the educated youth. Her own son had eaten a lot of things given by Xiao Ming, the educated youth. She was not the kind of person who only knew how to eat without giving back.

Auntie Huang is satisfied with Huang Dalian because of this point: she understands the ways of the world, is not blindly generous but not picky either, and knows when to be strict and when to be lenient. She is much better than her second daughter-in-law who is petty-minded!

It’s worthy of my choice.

Mingdai smiled and praised a few words, then talked about sheep.

Aunt Huang pointed to the main room and said, "It's hanging in the room. I watched it carefully all night, for fear that mice would eat it. I also added salt to the sheep's blood to solidify it, waiting to stew it together at noon!"

Huang Dalian looked at the madman squatting beside the stable with some fear: "Xiao Ming, educated youth, how did you catch this sheep?"

Aunt Huang glared at her daughter-in-law and said, "Don't ask nonsense questions!"

Mrs. Huang smiled sheepishly: "Isn't this just curiosity?"

Ming Dai shook her head nonchalantly: "It's okay, auntie, there's nothing to hide. We are just lucky. Zhou Sinian and I went to the mountains to see if there were any chestnut shells, which would be a good trigger. We happened to see a goat sliding down the hillside. Before I could react, Zhou Sinian rushed over and hugged me, and I was knocked unconscious by a stone."

Huang's wife and Huang's husband suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. No wonder you are so lucky. Normally this beast doesn't come down the cliff. I guess it came down the mountain to eat the tender leaves during this period, so you met it."

Ming Dai nodded and asked, "Auntie, how are you going to feed the sheep?"

Aunt Huang said with a smile: "Your uncle said that he would make lamb soup for lunch today. Let's share it. I'll leave a lamb leg for you. You can see how to eat it later."

Ming Dai's eyes flashed with understanding. It turned out that they wanted to stew mutton soup. "Who will cook it at noon?"

Auntie Huang said embarrassedly: "I will do it. I am the only one who has time. Everyone else is still catching up. Auntie's skills are average, please don't be dissatisfied."

Ming Dai rolled her eyes and said, "The food cooked by Auntie must be delicious, don't be modest, that's it..."

She hesitated to speak, successfully attracting the attention of both people.

Mrs. Huang then spoke up: "What is it? Xiao Ming, the educated youth, tell me. We are not outsiders."

Ming Dai touched her green headscarf shyly: "You know, I came from the capital, and we like to drink mutton soup in winter. This time I brought a lot of seasonings, Auntie, see if you can use them."

After saying this, he took off his backpack and took out small paper packages to show the two of them.

The two of them looked at it and said, "Oh, city people are really picky! They need so many seasonings to make a lamb soup?! We just stew it in water! At most, we add some green onions, ginger and salt!"

Ming Dai smiled and said, "There are some Chinese medicinal herbs here. My father is a Chinese medicine doctor and I have been weak since I was a child, so I often stew these soups. I also learned some from him."

Upon hearing this, Auntie Huang slapped her thigh and said, "Oh my! What a coincidence! Xiao Ming, you will be the main cook for lunch!"

Ming Dai laughed inwardly, but her face was stunned: "No, no, Auntie Huang has to come. How long have I been cooking?"

Mrs. Huang had long been attracted by the mutton soup described by Xiao Ming, and now she also urged: "That's right, let us country people taste what the mutton soup in Beijing tastes like?"

After some persuasion from the two, Xiao Ming agreed nervously (happily) and promised to make the mutton soup.

Aunt Huang encouraged with a smile, thinking to herself, it’s all meat, how bad can it be?

There will be no problem!