Wei Ling looked at Qin Qingman's expression and immediately knew that his wife really liked the Hericium erinaceus in the willow basket. He remembered the Hericium erinaceus he had encountered when patrolling the forest area and fell silent. He didn't know if there would be any more next year. If there was...
"Given by your uncle?"
Qin Qingman took the willow basket from Wei Ling and asked.
"Well, they said it's for you and Chuchu to replenish their bodies." Wei Ling expressed Jiang Linshan's meaning.
Qin Qingman was a little surprised, "This is the first time my family has received a gift from them." When the original owner's parents were alive, they had never received any gifts from the Jiang family. One reason was that the original owner's parents were kind and generous, and the other was that Qin Xiang was used to crying poor and always took things from the original owner's family.
"My dear aunt, you are so generous." Chuchu also came over and looked at the things in the willow basket.
The child and Qin Qingman had the same idea that their family actually received a gift from their aunt's family when the sun rose from the west.
Qin Qingman glanced at Chuchu who was curiously picking at the willow basket, then looked at Wei Ling and smiled, "Thanks to you."
"Wife, how about I go back?" Wei Ling understood the meaning of Qin Qingman's words.
"No, why return it? It's a waste of time." Qin Qingman stopped him, then carefully carried the willow basket to the storage room, "Why should we return such a good thing? Besides, the things my aunt and her friends have taken from my house for so many years are much more valuable than this little Hericium erinaceus."
Wei Ling followed Qin Qingman's steps and replied in a low voice: "I thought you didn't like it."
"I like it. Why not?" Qin Qingman turned around and glared at Wei Ling, explaining, "Whether they really want to be good to me and Chuchu, or they do it for your sake, I am very willing to accept such a gift, because you are a member of my family, which proves that I have good vision and am blessed."
"Really?"
After hearing Qin Qingman's words, Wei Ling felt like he had drunk a bowl of sour plum soup in the hot summer, and every pore of his body exuded a joyful aura.
There was also a hint of sweetness in the look he gave Qin Qingman.
"Of course it's true." Qin Qingman looked into Wei Ling's eyes without dodging or avoiding.
She is telling the truth.
It is not a bad thing to be able to use Wei Ling's power to make some people around respect you, because this is how the real world is. Everyone is taking advantage of others, and being able to use others' power also proves your ability and strength.
"Wife, I will protect you and Chuchu."
Wei Ling understood what Qin Qingman meant.
"A Ling, you have to work harder for us and go to the next level." Qin Qingman took the opportunity to encourage Wei Ling.
As the saying goes, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier.
Once you become a soldier and join the army, of course the higher your position, the more you can protect your family and provide them with a stable living environment.
Qin Qingman knew the current situation in the country, and knew that without some power, she would be unable to move forward.
"Wife, I know what to do." Wei Ling made up his mind.
In the past, he was confused and at a loss when he suddenly came to this strange world. Moreover, the country he served had become history and he had to live a dull life. In addition to avoiding his unfamiliar family, he was transferred to the border and just muddled through.
Now with Qin Qingman, Wei Ling understands the meaning of his existence.
"A Ling, I know you are a capable person. I am not asking you to be rich and powerful by being with you, but I also hope that we can be worthy of the heavens above and the people below. This country is our root, we must love her and protect her."
Qin Qingman didn't know what Wei Ling's secret was, but after spending a few days together, she still realized that Wei Ling kept a subtle distance from everyone.
It seems that he doesn't even take the initiative at work and is just following orders.
Qin Qingman's words awakened Wei Ling. Although the past had disappeared, the country was the same country and the people were the same people. He could not stand idly by just because the former country had become part of history.
"Wife, marrying you is the happiest thing in my life."
Wei Ling followed into the storage room and saw that Chu Chu did not follow. He suddenly hugged Qin Qingman from behind and leaned his head against his wife's cheek in conviction.
"A Ling."
Qin Qingman felt uncomfortable for a moment when Wei Ling suddenly hugged her, but feeling the heat behind her, she tried to adjust her mood, relax herself, and leaned in Wei Ling's arms trustingly.
At this moment, the couple's hearts are closely connected.
It seems that both of them have the goal of living seriously in this world, and they also have the motivation.
Wei Ling hugged Qin Qingman tightly with his arms. He could smell his daughter-in-law's scent. He felt very satisfied in his heart. He was so satisfied that he hoped that this relationship would last forever.
"Ah Ling, Chu Chu."
Qin Qingman was still a little uncomfortable with being close to Wei Ling. She was worried that Chu Chu would suddenly run over, so she quickly reminded Wei Ling in a low voice.
At the same time, he patted Wei Ling's big hands that were around his waist.
"Chu Chu is playing with two geese." Wei Ling had very sensitive ears, so of course he could hear what Chu Chu was doing. The storage room was only separated from the living room by a wall.
Qin Qingman blushed; she understood Wei Ling's hint.
My back, which was touching Wei Ling, felt as if it was on fire and was trembling.
"Wife." Wei Ling tilted his head to look at the face so close to him and really wanted to kiss her, but he had never done such a reckless thing before. He didn't know whether to ask his wife's opinion first or take the initiative.
"What...what are you doing?" Qin Qingman seemed to sense something.
"Wife, can I kiss you?" Wei Ling thought about the education he received in this world, which seemed to be that men and women were equal, so if he wanted to kiss his wife, he should indeed respect her opinion.
Qin Qingman's face instantly turned as red as a persimmon hanging on a tree in autumn because of Wei Ling's words.
Just kiss her, no matter how you ask it, how should she answer it!
How embarrassing!
"Wife?" Wei Ling was still simply seeking Qin Qingman's opinion.
Qin Qingman, whose legs and feet had long been weak, both longed to be kissed by Wei Ling and was made extremely uncomfortable by his politeness. She simply made up her mind and kissed Wei Ling's face which was resting on her cheek.
This is the signal.
Wei Ling immediately understood what Qin Qingman meant.
Wei Ling turned Qin Qingman's body around, held her carefully in his arms, then held the back of her neck and kissed her.
Some things can be learned naturally without any training and only require instinct.
The two parties, who had long been interested in each other, fell into this trap.
Tension, sweetness, anticipation, desire, the bodies of both parties were very close, their breathing quickened, blood rushed up quickly, and the sound of each other's heartbeats seemed to vibrate each other's eardrums.
This is a warm word, but also a fierce word.
Don't talk too much, don't talk too much, some things are out of control.
As adults, both want more.
Wei Ling tightened his grip on Qin Qingman's waist and tried to squeeze her into his arms. Qin Qingman also wrapped her arms around Wei Ling's neck and raised her head to endure the invasion from Wei Ling.
Intoxicated, both husband and wife were intoxicated.
"Sister, brother-in-law."
Just as the couple was getting too excited, Chuchu's voice rang out in the hall, along with the sound of Chuchu's approaching footsteps.
The two people who were in a state of confusion suddenly woke up.
Qin Qingman let go of Wei Ling's neck and pushed his chest, stammering, "Ah...Ah Ling, Chu Chu is here." She didn't want the child to see anything, so she urged Wei Ling to let her go.
Wei Ling was also upset.
He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't even notice Chuchu's footsteps.
"Wife, let me hug you, hug you again." Wei Ling was reluctant to let the soft and elastic body leave him, and hugged Qin Qingman tightly, unwilling to let go.
Qin Qingman was frightened by the sound of Chuchu's footsteps and her scalp went numb.
My whole body is tense.
"A Ling, Chu Chu... Chu Chu..." Qin Qingman reached out and pinched the soft flesh on Wei Ling's waist. She was almost sweating from fear.
"It's okay, Chuchu is still far away from us, let me hug you again."
Wei Ling accurately calculated the distance between Chu Chu and the storage in his mind, and at the same time took a deep sniff of the scent coming from his daughter-in-law.
"Sister, can we make dinner now?" Chuchu walked towards the storage room happily. He wanted to eat fish. He had heard Qin Qingman say before how delicious fish was in winter. He was so hungry now that he couldn't play with Dabai and Xiaobai anymore.
"Chu Chu, add some more firewood to the stove. I'll get some mushrooms to stew the fish."
Qin Qingman did not calm down Wei Ling. Facing the sound of Chu Chu's footsteps, she quickly found an excuse to stop him. At the same time, she raised her foot and stomped on Wei Ling hard.
When Wei Ling saw that his daughter-in-law was angry, he quickly let go. They could be together forever and there was no need to rush.
He just got to know his daughter-in-law and lost his sense of propriety because he was so overwhelmed.
Qin Qingman, who was now free, gave Wei Ling a glare, then turned around, filled a willow basket with some small yellow mushrooms and dried day lilies, and left the storage room with a slightly blushing face.
Wei Ling stood in the storage room for half a minute before going out.
At this time, Chuchu had already obediently lit the fire on the stove, "Sister, is the pot on the stove too small?" The fish they caught today weighed nearly 20 kilograms, and the small iron pot on the stove could not hold such a big fish.
"Use the iron pot on the stove to stew it. I will make you a fish stew in an iron pot. I guarantee that you will be so delicious that you will not be able to stop eating it."
Qin Qingman soaked the small yellow mushrooms and day lily in hot water.
The side dishes in the iron pot fish stew depend on the season, whatever is available is added.
The enoki mushrooms are very delicious and will definitely make stewed fish more fragrant.
"Sister, I heard from Brother Anping that Aunt Zhang's family is making tofu for dinner today. Should we go and get some?" Chuchu is very concerned about food and actively reports the latest situation in the village to Qin Qingman. Speaking of which, he hasn't eaten tofu for a long time, and tofu is the best food for ordinary people to supplement protein.
The child had previously said that he did not forgive Qin Anping, but he eventually heard the news about tofu from Qin Anping.
Qin Qingman glanced at Chuchu, who was looking very satisfied, and said, "Go get some beans and exchange them with Aunt Zhang for some tofu. Tofu is also very delicious when it is added to the fish stewed in the iron pot."
It is not yet the era of reform and opening up, and private transactions are not allowed, but barter is allowed in rural areas.
In fact, it is a disguised form of buying and selling, but it cannot be measured in large quantities.
"How much?" Chu Chu was a little unsure.
"Let me go. I'll go see how much tofu is left at Aunt Zhang's house." Qin Qingman thought that it was cold outside and the tofu could be kept, so she planned to go to Aunt Zhang's house to check. If there was a lot, she would exchange it for more. If there was less, she would exchange it for a meal.
"Sister, I'll go with you."
Chuchu wanted to see tofu as soon as possible.
"Okay, you come with me." Qin Qingman smiled and rubbed Chuchu's head, then looked at Wei Ling who had just come out of the storage room, "Ah Ling, thank you for your hard work in collecting a fish. I will take Chuchu to Aunt Zhang's home to exchange some tofu."
"good."
Wei Ling took the cotton coat that was drying by the fire and touched it. Only after he felt it was dry did he put it on Qin Qingman.
"I was so angry, but my cotton coat wasn't that wet. It must be dry now, don't worry."
Qin Qingman knew that Wei Ling was worried that the cotton-padded jacket would not dry, so she explained.
"Okay, let's do it." Wei Ling nodded, then went to the hanger to get Qin Qingman's scarf. It was too cold outside, so he had to wrap himself tightly when going out.
"A Ling, go to the storage room and use a willow basket to pack two kilograms of soybeans for me."
Qin Qingman, who was tightly wrapped by Wei Ling, began to help Chu Chu dress, and at the same time gave Wei Ling some instructions.
"I'll get it right away." Wei Ling took the willow basket and went into the storage room.
The Qin family's storage room was tidy and organized by Qin Qingman. Even if Wei Ling went in to get something for the first time, he could quickly identify and take out what Qin Qingman needed.
Wei Ling weighed the soybeans in the willow basket and felt that there were about two kilograms, so he took it out.
The Qin family didn't have a scale, so they didn't weigh the tofu. Anyway, when they got to Aunt Zhang's parents' house, they would weigh the tofu before giving it to them.
Carrying a willow basket, Qin Qingman took Chuchu out.
Although it was not dark yet, the sky was getting dim. Thick white smoke was coming out of the chimneys of every household in the village. It was obvious that everyone was cooking dinner. Only when cooking dinner would a large amount of firewood be burned and so much smoke would be emitted.
"Sister, it's colder here this year than last year."
Chuchu followed Qin Qingman and tried to walk with her short legs. Wei Ling couldn't go, and since no one was holding him, he had to walk by himself.
"Chu Chu, why don't you go back? I can go by myself." Qin Qingman saw that Chu Chu was having difficulty walking in the snow with her short legs, so she simply advised her.
"Sister, I can walk." Chu Chu tried to prove that he was right by deliberately letting go of Qin Qingman's hand and running.
"Chu Chu, be careful."
Qin Qingman was frightened by the child and broke into a sweat.
Although it's not a big deal if a child falls in the soft snow, it will definitely hurt.
"Sister, it's okay. Look how well I can walk." In order to prove that she was really okay, Chu Chu turned around and smiled brightly at Qin Qingman, and then she stepped on a piece of ice and slipped out from her joy.
"Ah——" Chuchu's scream rang out.
Qin Qingman could only watch Chuchu fall into the snow.
It’s not that she doesn’t want to save him, but that there is no way to save him.
At this time, Chuchu was at least ten meters away from her. She could not catch up with her at such a long distance no matter how fast she ran. Another point was that she was holding soybeans in her hand, and it would take her until dark to pick up all the soybeans. The last point was that Qin Qingman saw that Chuchu's whereabouts were not dangerous, so she did not rescue her.
"puff--"
Chu Chu, who was lying in the snow, struggled to raise her head and spit out the snow in her mouth.
In just one move, his whole face turned red.
Covered with snow and ice.
"You deserve it. I told you to walk but you ran instead. Now you're suffering." Qin Qingman walked past Chuchu calmly without even lending a hand, let alone comforting her.
Chu Chu knew that it was indeed her fault for falling, so she quickly got up, brushed off the snow on her body, and followed Qin Qingman.
"Sister, I was wrong."
The child actively admitted his mistake and obediently put his hand into Qin Qingman's hand and let her lead him away.
"Will you be so stubborn next time?" Qin Qingman held the child's hand tightly.
"I won't dare to do it again." The child who fell down shook his head violently.
Qin Qingman saw that Chuchu's face was indeed full of regret, so she asked, "Does it hurt?"
Since Qin Qingman and Wei Ling got married and had no shortage of supplies, Chuchu had been wearing thicker clothes. Hearing Qin Qingman's question, he shook his head and replied, "Sister, it doesn't hurt, it's just cold." Just now, his face was buried in the snow, and it was freezing cold.
Qin Qingman wanted to laugh, but she still acted like a sister and said, "I'll cook you a fried egg when I get home."
"Okay, cook some poached eggs." Chuchu smiled brightly when she heard there was food to eat, and she didn't even forget the people around her. "Cook two more, one for my sister and one for my brother-in-law, and we'll eat together."
Looking at Chuchu who was still thinking about her and Wei Ling, Qin Qingman didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
At the same time, I also feel that it is really easy to raise children these days.
If it were in the future, an egg would not be able to soothe a crying child who fell down.
At the Qin family, Wei Ling looked away from the brother and sister who were walking away hand in hand, then continued to clean up the fish by the well. The moment Chuchu's scream was heard, he glanced over, and did not move when he saw that the child was not injured.
But I also heard the conversation between the siblings.
After hearing that the fried eggs also had their share, the adult Wei Ling worked a little faster.
He wants to eat poached eggs with honey.
The Qin family was not far from Aunt Zhang's family, with seven or eight houses in between. When Qin Qingman and her brother arrived at the door of Zhang's house, they ran into Aunt Ayun who had just exchanged tofu. "Qingman, are you exchanging tofu?"
"Auntie Ayun."
Qin Qingman smiled and replied, "I heard that Aunt Zhang's family had some tofu. Chuchu and I haven't had tofu for a long time, so we came here to exchange some."
"The tofu is delicious. Qingman, please go in quickly. There is not much tofu left at Zhang's place."
Auntie Ayun gave a reminder enthusiastically, and then happily left with the tofu she had exchanged.
Although many families in the village know how to make tofu, none of them are as good as Zhang Hongmei's family. As soon as Zhang Hongmei's family makes tofu, the more spacious families in the village will bring one or two pounds of beans to exchange for tofu to take home.
Making tofu in the middle of winter is not only freezing, but also a waste of firewood and labor. Most people are really unwilling to make it themselves.
After being reminded by Auntie Ayun, Qin Qingman and her brother hurried into Zhang Hongmei's house.
"Qingman is here to exchange tofu. How much do you want?" In the Zhang family kitchen, Zhang Hongmei turned around and saw Qin Qingman and her brother. Seeing the brother and sister looking better and better, Zhang Hongmei asked enthusiastically.
"Auntie, how much is left?"
Qin Qingman looked around the Zhang family's kitchen.
Everything was neatly arranged. Both the basket for the tofu and the cloth for covering the tofu were very clean. Qin Qingman immediately knew that Zhang Hongmei was a clean person and the food prepared by such a person would definitely be of good hygiene.
"Qingman wants more, right?"
Zhang Hongmei understood the meaning of Qin Qingman's words.
"Yes, auntie, I don't know how to make tofu either. I'll take all the leftovers while the weather is good. Frozen tofu is delicious when stewed with vegetables." Qin Qingman did not hide her plan from Zhang Hongmei.
Frozen tofu is suitable for eating hot pot in winter, and it is even more delicious if it is paired with fish stewed in an iron pot. The holes in the tofu can fully absorb the soup. One bite of it is hot and satisfying.
"You want frozen tofu?"
Zhang Hongmei stopped lifting the gauze.
"Does my aunt have it?" Qin Qingman heard the hidden meaning.
"My family makes tofu several times every winter. I froze a lot before. If you want some, I'll share some with you." Zhang Hongmei smiled warmly at Qin Qingman.
Qin Qingman sensed from her smile that Zhang Hongmei might need help from others, and said, "Auntie, if it's convenient, please give me some." Her family was not short of supplies now, so she was not afraid of Zhang Hongmei asking her for help.
"My second daughter-in-law gave birth to a grandson for me last month. He's good in every way except that he doesn't produce much milk. I heard that your family caught a few fish today. Can you give me one?" Zhang Hongmei asked a little embarrassedly.
"Okay, auntie, I'll give you a fish."
Qin Qingman is willing to help in emergencies rather than in poverty.
"Girl, that's great. I don't know how to thank you. Just wait, I'll go pack some frozen tofu for you." Zhang Hongmei was a hardworking person. She was decisive in her words and deeds. When she saw that Qin Qingman agreed to share the fish with her, she immediately took a large basket from the side and went to pick up tofu from the snow in the yard.
The tofu has already been cut into one-inch cubes, so just put them in the pot when cooking.
Zhang Hongmei picked up a full basket, at least more than ten kilograms.
After weighing the things in her hand, Zhang Hongmei felt that it would not be enough to exchange these things for Qin Qingman's fish weighing more than ten kilograms. After thinking for a while, she said to Qin Qingman, "Qingman, I still have more than twenty kilograms of fresh tofu left. You can take them all back."
"Okay, auntie, I won't be polite to you then."
Qin Qingman put down the willow basket in her hand. She didn't plan to take the soybeans home.
"Qingman, I'll take you back." There were more than ten kilograms of frozen tofu and more than twenty kilograms of fresh tofu. Qin Qingman and Chuchu could not carry them back alone. Zhang Hongmei originally wanted to exchange them for the Qin family's fish, so she simply planned to send them to their door.
"Auntie, thank you very much."
Qin Qingman appreciated Zhang Hongmei's kindness.
"Qingman, I have to thank you. It's hard to catch fish in the river at this time. My husband and two sons took turns to go to the river to pick ice, but they couldn't completely break through the river surface. It's very difficult to eat fish here in this season." Zhang Hongmei walked beside Qin Qingman and told her about the hardships of picking ice and catching fish in winter.
Qin Qingman also had a deep understanding of this and agreed: "Auntie is absolutely right. It's so cold here that even if there are fish in the river, we can see them but can't catch them."
"Your family is well managed."
Zhang Hongmei praised Wei Ling.
"My brother-in-law is so awesome." Chu Chu replied proudly. He admired Wei Ling very much and was genuinely happy to hear someone praising Wei Ling.
"Yes, Chuchu's brother-in-law is very capable." Zhang Hongmei smiled at the proud Chuchu, and at the same time, she was deeply moved that Qin Qingman had finally gotten what she wanted after all the hard work.
Before Wei Ling appeared, the little girl was bullied like a quail by several aunts. She usually didn't even dare to raise her head and looked at people with lowered eyebrows every day. No one really thought that Qin Qingman was outstanding in appearance. Now, with Wei Ling, she has a backer and she is much more energetic.
When a person's spirit changes, even his temperament changes dramatically.
What a blessing!
Qin Qingman didn't know that Zhang Hongmei thought of her in this way. With Zhang Hongmei's help, they returned to Qin's house a few minutes later.
"Ah Ling, go pick a bigger fish for Auntie. Auntie is going to give it to her daughter-in-law to nourish her body."
As soon as Qin Qingman entered the door, she saw Wei Ling standing in the yard, giving orders from a distance.
"Okay." Although Wei Ling didn't know the situation, he still obediently did as Qin Qingman asked.
A minute later, a heavy fish was delivered to Zhang Hongmei.
"Qingman, thank you so much. From now on, when my aunt makes tofu, I will send you a piece to taste." Zhang Hongmei is also very kind.
A pound of beans can produce several pounds of tofu. She knew that the value of the tofu she gave was not as great as the fish Qin Qingman gave her.
"Auntie is really good at making tofu. We will be in for a treat in the future."
Qin Qingman smiled and sent Zhang Hongmei out the door.
Sometimes favors between neighbors are not considered too straightforward, but it is good like this now, doing good things will also earn you favors.
Wei Ling already knew the details from Chuchu's little mouth. He buried all the frozen tofu in the snow near the well. Under the snow were not only wild boar meat, fish, and frozen tofu, but also a pair of bear paws brought back from the mountain.
It can be said that it is full of supplies.
"Let's go and cook some poached eggs and then stew the fish." Qin Qingman locked the courtyard door and called Wei Ling and Chu Chu into the house.
It's getting dark, and it's time to prepare dinner at her house.
"Wife, what should we do with these fresh tofu?" Wei Ling asked Qin Qingman while holding about twenty kilograms of tofu.
They are all fresh tofu, and the best way to store them is definitely to make them into frozen tofu.
But Qin Qingman had her own considerations. She had already thought about how to deal with the fresh tofu since Zhang Hongmei gave it to her. She instructed Wei Ling, "Ah Ling, bring it to the living room, away from the stove. Go get some wheat stalks with Chuchu and wash them clean. I will need them later."
"Okay." Wei Ling never questioned Qin Qingman's decisions and always supported them unconditionally.
Qin Qingman's eyebrows suddenly showed a frown.
"Sister, what do you need reeds for?" Chuchu looked at Qin Qingman in confusion.
"Make hairy tofu." Qin Qingman answered and turned to go to the kitchen to get busy.
It only took a few minutes to cook a few poached eggs and the family shared them. After they had finished eating and were warm all over, they went about their own business.
Qin Qingman took a look at the fish that Wei Ling had cleaned up. It was very big and heavy. It would take a long time to stew such a big fish. She had to hurry up, otherwise other people would have finished their meals while they hadn't started yet.
On the other hand, Chu Chu, who had never eaten or heard of hairy tofu, had no idea what it was. He didn't ask, but just nodded and led Wei Ling to the backyard.
The backyard is a vegetable garden with a lot of things piled up nearby.
All kinds of reeds are there.
Wei Ling and Chu Chu picked out some fresh strawberries and brought them back to the living room to sort them out.
Remove the head and tail, leaving only the middle part. Qin Qingman has also been consulted about this treatment.
After sorting them out, Wei Ling took the stalks to the well to wash them clean before bringing them back to the hall to dry on a willow basket.
"Brother-in-law, it smells so good."
Chu Chu, who was following behind Wei Ling, kept breathing in the fragrance in the air. He smelled the smell of food coming from the kitchen.
"Pick some garlic sprouts and go to the kitchen to help."
Wei Ling very cleverly found an excuse to go to the kitchen.
"I'll go." Chu Chu quickly ran to pull the garlic sprouts.
In the kitchen, Qin Qingman was kneading dough. Iron pot fish stew requires iron pot pancakes, which are made of 70% cornmeal and 30% white flour. The dough is more fragrant than steamed buns.
Looking at the two men, one big and one small, coming together, Qin Qingman knew that they were going to help her, so she instructed them, "You go watch the fire. Don't make it too big, or too small. Just keep the soup in the pot bubbling quietly."
"I'll go." Chu Chu volunteered.
Even though he is only five years old, he has been cooking for two years. Although his control over firepower is not perfect, at least he can meet Qin Qingman's requirements.
"Be careful not to burn your hands."
Qin Qingman gave Chuchu a warning.
"Hey, sister, I get it. I'll use the fire tongs." Chu Chu moved a small stool and sat down in front of the stove, and began to prepare the firewood on the stove. She smelled the rich aroma from the iron pot and swallowed hard.
He just took a look and saw that his sister had already stewed the fish in the pot, cooking it in a braised style.
"Wife, let me help you." After washing his hands, Wei Ling stood beside Qin Qingman and began to roll up his sleeves.
"No need, you don't know how to make iron pancakes. I've kneaded it almost enough, and it can stick to the edge of the pan." Qin Qingman didn't intend to bother Wei Ling to do it.
"Wife, I can learn."
Wei Ling is very positive. He does not know how to make hot pot pancakes now, but he can help his wife after he learns. He can't force his wife to make hot pot pancakes himself every time she wants to eat them in the future. He also wants his wife to taste his cooking skills.
"Okay, then watch me do it."
Qin Qingman saw what Wei Ling was thinking and felt happy.
The fish in the pot had been stewed, and the iron wall of the pot had also reached a very high temperature. Qin Qingman rolled up a ball of dough with her hands and threw it hard on the edge of the pot.
As soon as the dumpling touched the edge of the pot, it began to slide down, but it only slid a little and then stopped.
"A Ling, just follow my instructions and cover the entire rim of the pot." Qin Qingman kneaded a lot of dough today, ensuring that it would cover the entire pot wall.
Making pastries is very simple, and Wei Ling learned it after just watching it once.
He was a martial artist and had very precise control of strength. With his help, the entire edge of the pot was filled with pancakes of almost identical sizes.
"Very good." Before putting the lid on the pot, Qin Qingman put the soaked cremini mushrooms into the pot and also threw in some dried day lily. These two things not only enhance the freshness, but also thoroughly bring out the deliciousness of the fish.
"Sister, when can we eat?"
Chu Chu had long since abandoned the warm stove and followed Qin Qingman. Smelling the increasingly strong aroma from the pot, he couldn't wait to eat it.
"The fish is big, so it can be eaten after stewing for half an hour."
Qin Qingman answered Chuchu while putting the frozen tofu into the pot.
The pot filled with enough sauce does not need to be turned over or added with anything else during the half hour of simmering. It is just the right time to put frozen tofu in. The tofu will be more easily absorbed by the soup and taste better after being cooked and simmered for a long time.
"It will take another half an hour."
Chuchu's eyes were fixed on the iron pot.
"Yes, it will take another half an hour. If not, the cooked fish will not taste good." Qin Qingman smiled and flicked the child's head lightly with her freshly washed hands.
"All right, I'll go watch the fire."
Chu Chu covered her forehead which was hit by Qin Qingman and sat back at the stove door obediently.
Wei Ling did not help Qin Qingman when he saw her bullying the children, because he knew that Qin Qingman knew her limits and that such fights were a bridge to enhance family affection.
"Chu Chu, help me heat another pot."
It would take another half an hour to stew the fish. Qin Qingman didn't plan to just wait there, so she started giving orders, first to Chu Chu and then to Wei Ling, to go to the hall and bring the fresh tofu to the kitchen.
Qin Qingman cleaned the newly-cooked pot skillfully, and then heated up most of the pot.
While the water was boiling, she brought in a clean willow basket.
"Sister, the water is boiling."
Chuchu was curious about how Qin Qingman made hairy tofu, and reminded her immediately when she saw the water boiling.
"Got it." Qin Qingman noticed from the corner of her eye that the water in the pot had boiled. She did not clean the tofu immediately, but threw the washed rice straw into the boiling water to cook. After boiling for five minutes, she took it out, drained the water, and put it in front of the stove in the hall to bake.
The straw is hollow and is used as a fire starter. Qin Qingman was worried that it would burn if it was over-baked, so she specifically reminded Wei Ling to watch and turn it over.
After processing the reeds, Qin Qingman poured out the used water and washed the pot and heated water again.
Five or six minutes later, Wei Ling came back with the dried straw.
Qin Qingman touched the reeds and found that they were all dry, then she spread a thick layer of them in the willow basket. Just as she finished spreading the layer, the water in the pot boiled.
Without Chuchu's reminder, Qin Qingman placed a piece of tofu on her left hand, and with the other hand took a knife to cut the tofu into neat one-inch cubes and put them into the boiling pot, putting several pieces of tofu in a row before stopping.
Then he took the chopsticks handed to him by Wei Ling and picked up the tofu pieces one by one and placed them in a willow basket covered with reeds.
Leave a certain amount of space between each piece of tofu to facilitate the fermentation of fungal threads.
The mycelium overflows and becomes extremely cute and fluffy.
This was the first time Qin Qingman made hairy tofu. She knew how to make it from what she had seen her grandmother make when she was a child. But remembering something didn't mean she knew how to make it, so she didn't plan to make all her fresh tofu into hairy tofu.
Make half and freeze the other half so you can eat it until the snow melts next year.
"A Ling, help me put on a layer of straw."
Seeing that the tofu in the willow basket was almost full, Qin Qingman instructed Wei Ling to help her cover the boiled tofu with a layer of reeds. Once the new reeds were covered, she put the tofu into the pot again, rolled the tofu around, and then picked it up and spread it on the reeds.
It was laid layer by layer, and finally there were five layers.
After laying five layers of fresh tofu, there are still three pieces left. Each piece of tofu is very large, at least two kilograms.
"A Ling, help me move the willow basket to the living room and place it against the wall. It doesn't need to be too close to the stove, but the tofu in the basket must be able to feel the temperature." Qin Qingman instructed Wei Ling while cutting the remaining tofu into thick slices and putting them into a basin.
She planned to cut the remaining tofu and freeze it in the snow.
Wei Ling came back from the hall very quickly and took the cut tofu outside to freeze it without Qin Qingman's reminder.
After so much busy work, the whole kitchen is already filled with rich aroma.
The fish meat was already delicious, and it was mixed with small yellow mushrooms, dried croaker, and a little bit of the fatty aroma of pork belly, which made the three people in the family unable to hold back their saliva.
"Sister, can I eat now?"
Chu Chu really couldn't sit still at this time, and followed Qin Qingman around like a little tail.
"Wait for me to lift the lid and take a look." Qin Qingman took a look at the boiling water in the pot that had been used to boil the tofu and covered it with a lid. There was still residual heat from the fire in the stove, so the water would be cold by the time they finished their meal and could be used to wash the dishes.
"Sister, open the lid quickly."
Chuchu cleverly brought the rice basket over. There was a cake stuck to the edge of the pot, so she had to peel it off first.
Qin Qingman was very satisfied with Chuchu's cleverness. Just as she saw Wei Ling coming in, she said, "A Ling, close the door. Let's get ready to eat."
"Okay." Wei Ling closed the door behind him. Once the door was closed, the cold outside was locked out.
At this time Qin Qingman just opened the lid of the pot.
As soon as the lid of the pot was opened, white steam rose instantly.
The aroma that had been locked in the pot quickly filled the entire kitchen along with the heat, and then spread through every tiny gap in the kitchen to the entire Qin family, and then diffused outwards.
Jiang Linshan's family next door is having dinner, and they are having fish today.
But they could not bear to eat it all, so they only chopped a quarter of it and stewed it. The fish was so delicious that the family couldn't even lift their heads to eat. At this moment, they smelled an aroma that was even more delicious than the fish they had at home.
Jiang Linshan sniffed hard and couldn't help but sigh at Qin Xiang, "My dear, when did Qingman learn such cooking skills? This dish is so delicious. If I had known that she had such cooking skills, the threshold of marriage would have been flattened long ago."
Jiang Dongmei, who was eating, also looked at Qin Xiang curiously.
Qin Xiang drank a mouthful of the fish soup and then said, "What's so strange about this? Before, we didn't know Qingman's cooking skills because our family was poor and we didn't give her any chance to show her cooking skills. Now, she married a capable man and has meat to eat every day, so of course she doesn't have to hide her cooking skills anymore."
In the past, Qin Xiang would definitely not speak for Qin Qingman, but now the two families have a good relationship, so of course she has to praise her own family.
"That's right. When my eldest brother and his wife were around, we didn't let Qingman cook. It's normal that we didn't know that Qingman had such cooking skills." Jiang Linshan felt that his wife was right.
Jiang Dongmei also had something to say. She looked at her parents' expressions and saw that they were both smiling. She then said with relief, "Dad, Mom, my aunt's cooking is very delicious. Maybe my sister Qingman inherited her aunt's good cooking skills."
Qin Xiang and Jiang Linshan looked at each other and nodded at the same time.
"It's really possible. Every time we went back home, it was my sister-in-law who cooked. Even the same dish, hers tasted better than ours." Qin Xiang's eyes were filled with memories when she said this.
“Yes, indeed.”
Jiang Linshan served his wife a bowl of chicken soup with Hericium erinaceus and said, "Wife, drink it quickly. You will get better soon after drinking it."
He is still very considerate to his daughter-in-law.
Being taken care of by her own man, Qin Xiang's old face turned slightly red.
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