Chapter 67 Egg Yolk Rice Dumplings
Zhao Xuan plans to make some zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) to eat.
She didn't know how to make zongzi (sticky rice dumplings). To be precise, before the apocalypse, she didn't like eating zongzi. Back then, she was terrified of high-calorie foods, as they were all figure killers. Before the apocalypse, she hadn't eaten zongzi for a long time, even during the Dragon Boat Festival. Besides zongzi, she avoided many high-sugar and high-oil snacks whenever possible. Humans are such strange creatures; when they can eat something, they don't want to.
She craved food terribly when there was no other way to eat it.
Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) are not fattening monsters at all; they are clearly auspicious creatures that can prolong life.
The glutinous rice they had, like flour, was a scarce commodity. Glutinous rice has a longer growth cycle than regular rice, but even with the most careful tending, they only managed to get a small amount. They used a little to make white rice cakes last time, needed to make some New Year's cakes for winter, and also wanted to save some as seeds for next year. Zhao Xuan and Lu An were in the storage room, their backsides sticking out, their heads huddled together. Lu An watched as Zhao Xuan carefully scooped out several large spoonfuls, even picking up the grains of rice that accidentally fell on the floor. He asked, "The rice dumplings are ready. Should we send some to Brother Yao?"
Zhao Xuan answered earnestly, "Although I'm reluctant, I'll still give it to you!"
The Yao family didn't have any glutinous rice seeds. They did exchange some seeds with them during the spring planting season, but since it was still early for the glutinous rice to mature, the Yao family still wouldn't have any glutinous rice to eat before the autumn harvest. So it was only right to give them some.
Zhao Xuan never hid his true thoughts from Lu An.
She was reluctant to give away the zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), but it was only right that she should.
The day before the Dragon Boat Festival was as simple as usual, except that Zhao Xuan had soaked the glutinous rice a day in advance.
On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the weather was a bit warm. Zhao Xuan and Lu An carried two stools and ingredients to the courtyard. It was still early, and the sun had not yet reached its zenith, casting a long shadow from the courtyard wall. Zhao Xuan and Lu An hid in the shadow, sat on small stools, and began wrapping zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) for the first time.
460 lay sleeping with its two paws on its back at their feet, making even, soft snores.
A gentle breeze was blowing, and occasionally a clear bird song could be heard.
This year, the two of them picked a lot of reed leaves again. Reed leaves are somewhat like bamboo leaves, with a refreshing fragrance. After being dried and properly stored, they can last for a long time. When needed, they can simply be taken out and soaked in boiling water. Zhao Xuan really likes reed leaves; they are very convenient for tying meat or wrapping rice balls.
Two kinds of fillings were prepared: one is salted pork and egg yolk rice dumpling with chestnuts, and the other is sweet red bean paste rice dumpling.
The egg yolks were selected from salted eggs and roasted slightly over charcoal, while the meat was marinated in soy sauce the day before. The chestnuts were harvested last autumn, dried, and then left unattended. When cooking, some were found to be spoiled, but the quality was still excellent. After removing the spoiled ones, peeling off the shells and removing the fuzz, a small basket of golden chestnuts was obtained.
The sweet red bean paste was made a few days ago. It's filled with red beans and has some sugar added. Foods with enough sugar don't spoil easily. Zhao Xuan would make a whole jar of it from time to time, and when he had a craving in the afternoon, he would spoon a little on to satisfy his craving.
Zhao Xuan instructed that if more filling was added, less glutinous rice would be needed.
Two young people, each with two reed leaves, began to research how to wrap zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).
Zhao Xuan wouldn't, and Lu An even less so.
After some discussion, the two felt that they were very clear about the shape of the zongzi before the apocalypse, but they just couldn't fold it into that shape. In the end, Zhao Xuan waved his hand and said, "Whatever. They're all just glutinous rice wrapped in reed leaves. Why be so fixated on the shape?"
So the two of them did whatever was convenient for them. They tied two bamboo leaves into a circle, then took a leaf from each end to block it, tied it with cotton thread, and made it into the shape of a small pillow. Done!
Although they are ugly, they are made of high-quality materials, and each one feels heavy when held in the hand.
Zhao Xuan was very satisfied with the rice dumplings he had made. After finishing each one, he would hold it up high and admire it carefully.
The two chatted as they worked, and time flew by. Zhao Xuan finally understood why so many aunties and uncles in the countryside liked to work together; chatting made the work seem less tiring.
The wrapped zongzi were steamed in a pot, and Zhao Xuan and Lu An sat together by the stove watching the fire.
Zhao Xuan took out the red and blue machine to play, while Lu An watched from the side.
Zhao Xuan had been playing Zelda: Breath of the Wild for quite some time now. She usually played for a while on quiet afternoons. Without internet access, and naturally without a walkthrough, Zhao Xuan wasn't very good at games. As a result, she wandered around the starting plateau for quite a while before finally leaving and officially embarking on her adventure.
Lu An had played this game before, but he was very patient. No matter how well Zhao Xuan played, he just watched from the side without making a sound.
Zhao Xuan's game characters die in all sorts of bizarre ways. Finally, after miraculously blowing herself up once again, Zhao Xuan threw up her hands, leaned back in her chair, and howled, "Why is Zelda's health bar so short? One touch and you die!"
Lu An asked, "Which one is Zelda?"
Zhao Xuan pointed to the pitiful little figure lying on the screen: "Didn't you play this game? It's me, the little figure I control is called Zelda!"
Lu An gasped: "Is it possible that the princess he needs to save is named Zelda?"
"Huh?! What's this little guy's name, Hyrule?"
Luan's eyes widened for the first time: "This little guy, he's not called Zelda, nor Hyrule, nor Yahaha, he's called Link."
Zhao Xuan's eyes widened: "Ah!"
Although she mispronounced his name, it didn't dampen Zhao Xuan's enthusiasm for the game. Lu An discovered that Zhao Xuan seemed to be a casual player; she didn't really like fighting monsters or clearing temples. She preferred chatting with various NPCs in the village, enjoying the scenery, and taking everything she could. She spent a lot of time picking apples and frying fish.
Time flies, and the aroma of glutinous rice is already wafting from the pot.
Zhao Xuan tossed aside the red and blue machine, picked out a steaming rice dumpling with his chopsticks, and looked at Lu An: "Shall we try some together?"
The ugly rice dumplings, which had been simmering for a long time in a wood-fired stove, were placed into a large bowl.
Lu An took the scissors and cut the cotton string, then blew on the rice dumpling while peeling back the layers of bamboo leaves.
The boiled, brownish-yellow bamboo leaves resemble lotus petals; unfolding the scalding hot leaves reveals the tempting filling inside.
This pot contains salted egg yolk, lean pork, and chestnut zongzi. The sticky rice is interspersed with golden chestnuts. Zhao Xuan couldn't wait to take a spoon and peel the sticky rice and chestnuts apart. The oil and juices flowed out, revealing the essence of the zongzi: the salted pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat and the soft, sandy salted egg yolk.
Zhao Xuan and Lu An sat side by side, each holding a large bowl and scooping out rice dumplings with a spoon.
The freshly cooked zongzi were too hot to handle, so they had to let them cool in a bowl first. The weather was already very hot, and both of them were sweating profusely. The zongzi were also scalding hot when they ate them, but they were enjoying them immensely.
First, scoop out a corner of plain glutinous rice without any filling, and taste the pure texture of the rice. The second spoonful is of rice with half a chestnut; this part of the rice has been soaked in the flavor of the salted pork, and chewing it with the chestnut is a perfect balance of slightly salty and sweet. The third spoonful, of course, is for the salted pork and egg yolk filling. A large spoonful, the translucent cubes of fat glistening in the sunlight, melting into oil at the slightest touch, coating the brownish-red lean meat and orange-yellow egg yolk—it's absolutely beautiful.
The two shared a large zongzi (sticky rice dumpling), and the courtyard fell silent for a moment.
Halfway through the meal, Lu An looked up and saw that Zhao Xuan's eyes were misty. He put down his spoon and used the back of his clean hand to wipe her eyes: "Why are you crying?"
"It's sweat!" Zhao Xuan retorted, trying to save face.
This was the first time in her life she had cried because of something so delicious.
"We've run out of peanut butter at home. Let's grind another jar tomorrow and pour it over the zongzi," Zhao Xuan suddenly said. This is a common way to eat zongzi in the southern part of the province. They add sesame paste, peanut butter, tomato sauce, and sweet chili sauce—the sauces for zongzi are incredibly varied. Zongzi in the southern province are all-encompassing. Because of its coastal location, zongzi contain seafood such as shrimp and abalone, as well as traditional fillings like egg yolk, dried mushrooms, and cured meat. A zongzi is essentially a bowl of richly filled glutinous rice. After being topped with various sauces, it's eaten with chopsticks and can be paired with a bowl of soy milk with an egg. A zongzi and a bowl of soy milk with an egg make a delicious and high-calorie lunch.
Lu An nodded in agreement. They shared a savory rice dumpling and a sweet red bean paste rice dumpling. Before the sun set, the two packed up six rice dumplings and delivered them to the Yao family.
The still-warm rice dumplings were placed in an enamel basin by Zhao Xuan.
The Yao family was flattered by the zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), as they hadn't had such exquisite food in a long time. They warmly invited Lu An and his wife to stay for dinner, but Lu An and his wife had already filled their stomachs when they arrived, so they declined the Yao family's offer. Zhang Xiaohe then asked Yao Yuan to bring out a few freshly dried bean curd sticks from the kitchen, saying that they had made them while making soy milk and there weren't many left, so she suggested that the young couple take them home to try.
Now it was Lu An and his group's turn to be flattered.
On the way back, it was already dark, and the orange-red sunset only peeked out from the mountaintop.
The light was dim, yet strangely it gave people a feeling of immense gentleness.
Birds fluttered out from the depths of the forest, chirping incessantly, adding a touch of inexplicable melancholy to the listener.
Zhao Xuan said he had a big meal today and had a lot of energy to burn, so he told Lu An to sit in the back of the truck and he would pedal.
She lifted her buttocks off the stool, leaned forward, and pushed off with her feet, causing the tricycle to spin and carry the two of them home.
Leading the way was effortless for Zhao Xuan; after a year and a half of farm work, she had become much stronger. The temperature was starting to drop, and a gentle evening breeze was blowing. She looked up, riding with great pleasure.
Suddenly, she felt a tightness around her waist—Lu An reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her waist, then rested his head on Zhao Xuan's back.
Zhao Xuan smiled slightly but didn't say anything.
She recalled the time when her serious illness first broke out, her parents had passed away, and she had become despondent. She often slept during the day, but at night she couldn't sleep for nights on end. At that time, Lu An was extremely tired; he had to go out to find supplies and also had to take care of her.
Back then, the security situation hadn't collapsed yet, and Lu An would go out during the day and come back at night. He was on edge every day, and even when he got back, he didn't dare to sleep soundly—he was worried that Zhao Xuan might do something foolish.
He would wake up at the slightest sound from Zhao Xuan. Seeing Zhao Xuan sitting blankly, he would reach out and pull her close. The two would snuggle together to sleep. Sometimes Zhao Xuan would burst into tears, and he would squat down, pat his back, and Zhao Xuan would climb on top of him. He would carry Zhao Xuan on his back and slowly walk around the small house.
Zhao Xuan, who was on his back, gradually went from crying loudly to sobbing, and then, when he was completely exhausted, he would fall asleep on his back.
Being carried on someone's back seems to evoke a sense of security in many people.
Lying on the back of someone you trust, hugging their neck, absorbing their warmth, you can gradually calm your mind and find temporary relief as they walk slowly.
I don’t know when it started, but Lu An carrying Zhao Xuan on his back became a way for him to comfort her.
Zhao Xuan suddenly burst into laughter; her Lu An was truly the best person in the world.
It wasn't because Lu An was kind to her, but because Lu An himself was a resilient yet gentle person.
"Lu An!" She didn't turn around, but kept riding her bike and suddenly called his name.
"Huh?" Lu An responded lazily.
"The scenery is so beautiful today."
A low chuckle came from behind him. Lu An said, "I think so too."
"The scenery is so beautiful today." What she really meant was: I love you.
He understood, so he replied, "I think so too."
I think so too.
--I love you too.
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