When the village chief heard that the wild boar had broken into the door and died after breaking the bolt, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. What incredible luck!
He glanced at Grandma Yan, then turned to look at the expectant gazes outside the door, and hesitated, unsure how to begin.
Grandma Yan, being an old woman of wisdom, understood the village chief's meaning perfectly well. She pointed to the wild boar on the ground. "Why don't you gut it? The village chief can take these entrails and distribute them. They're all from the same village, and everyone has their own struggles."
The village chief looked at Grandma Yan and nodded. The head of the Yan family was indeed generous and knew how to handle things.
Yan Xiaoqiang quickly gathered a few of his close friends from among the villagers, and together they placed the wild boar on a discarded door panel, preparing to slaughter it.
When the villagers heard that Old Lady Yan was going to separate all the internal organs, they excitedly spread the news. The village chief thought that there was no point in dividing these things, so it would be better to stew them all in one pot so that everyone could have a taste.
That's true, such a small amount isn't enough to share. So, each family can gather some wild vegetables, potatoes, cabbage, and the like, and cook them all in one pot. Make it a little thin, and everyone can just taste it.
So, two large pots were set up in the rice drying area of the village, and everyone added firewood and water to wash the internal organs, getting busy. Mushroom Village, which hadn't been lively for a long time, was unusually bustling today.
There was a small river at the entrance of the village, its water frozen into a thick layer of ice. Yan's three sons, Bei Nan and Wang Er Niu, were digging an ice hole to catch fish.
There are already two small fish, each about the thickness of a finger, in the small bucket next to us. Let's scoop out a few more to make some fish soup for Nan Nan.
Wang Jia's eldest daughter ran over, "Bei Nan, Bei Nan, your family slaughtered a pig, hurry back!"
Yan Beinan was somewhat dazed. "Where did we get pigs? We only have three laying hens, and they don't even lay ten eggs a month."
Wang Daniu grabbed Bei Nan and ran, saying, "Now that your family is rich, wild boars will come and break down your door."
Yan Beinan broke free from Wang Daniu, picked up her bucket and makeshift pole, and ran home.
Wang Erniu gave his twin sister a meaningful look. "Trying to trick Bei Nan into eating meat? You're such a fool, you think you can fool someone like that? You're such an idiot."
Bei Nan rushed home and saw his father cutting meat in the yard. The pork was cut into neat pieces, and a large pig's head was placed upright on the door panel.
Grandma took a piece of pork and put it aside, telling her father to take it to the village chief's house when no one was around that night.
The voice was very low, but it was just enough for the village chief to hear. The village chief left with a smile on his face.
Yan Xiaonan, inside the room, was pleasantly surprised. Could this be the golden finger of a time traveler? But uncertain things shouldn't be taken seriously. Maybe she should try again?
Yan Xiaonan focused her thoughts, "Mother hen, mother hen, I want to eat eggs."
Nothing happened. It must be a coincidence. He sighed in disappointment.
"Cluck, cluck," came the cheerful chirping of a hen from the coop. Yan Xiaonan was delighted. This golden finger was quite powerful. Good things come to those who wait.
Cuihua, who had just finished cooking the noodles, rushed to the chicken coop. Peeking inside, she was surprised to find three large eggs, still warm in her hand. She quickly grabbed a handful of rice bran from a nearby bag and sprinkled it in, a treat for today.
She happily carried the eggs into the house. "Mom, Mom, what a wonderful day! All three hens have laid eggs, and look, they're still warm!"
"What a wonderful day! It's the little fairy's birthday!" Grandma Yan walked into the inner room. "Oh my, my darling is awake! Come on, let's put on our coats first, we'll have longevity noodles later."
Yan Xiaonan nodded. It was her first birthday in this place, so she should have a bowl of birthday noodles.
A bowl of fragrant egg noodles was served, and Grandma Yan fed her granddaughter with a pair of chopsticks and a spoon, becoming happier with each bite. "My sweet baby, eat more and grow up quickly."
Yan Xiaonan was somewhat moved. This old lady was frugal with herself, saving every penny for herself.
She pushed the bowl in front of her and said, "Milk, drink." The sound of "Milk, drink" filled Grandma Yan's heart with joy; her precious baby could talk now.
"Cuihua, Cuihua!" Cuihua, who was putting eggs in the pan, rushed out again. "Mom, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Our little darling can talk now. Go get a piece of pork later. We'll make pork and radish stew for dinner to celebrate."
"Mommy, really? Come here, sweetie, call me Mommy."
Yan Xiaonan was preparing to give out treats today, pointing sweetly at the noodles and saying, "Mom, eat!"
Overjoyed, Cuihua picked up Yan Xiaonan and kissed her passionately, prompting Old Lady Yan to angrily scold, "Let go of Nannan, you're about to strangle her to death!"
Cuihua was startled and quickly let go. Yan Xiaonan breathed a sigh of relief; this was too enthusiastic!
The mother and her children were having a good time when Yan Xiaoqiang walked in, wiping the sweat from his brow with his arm; he was sweating even in the dead of winter.
"Mom, all the meat outside has been cut up, what should we do with this pork?"
Upon hearing about the pork, Grandma Yan got off the kang (a heated brick bed), went to the yard, and saw eight neatly cut pieces of meat, each weighing more than ten pounds, plus four legs and several large pieces of fat.
"This piece is for the village chief, this piece is for Cuihua to take to her parents' home, and this piece is for us to eat while we bury our legs in the snow for the New Year."
Also, leave half a piece for the Wang family and half for the Chen family, and press the fat for oil. The rest, go to town tomorrow and exchange for rice, flour, oil, salt, and other necessities.
The Wang family is Wang Danu's home. She usually has a good relationship with Aunt Wang, who often brings snacks to Xiao Nannan.
The Chen family is the maternal family of the granddaughter-in-law, Chen Xuemei. Although she was acquired by paying twenty catties of cornmeal, basic etiquette still needs to be observed.
Speaking of the Chen family, one could see Dongnan carrying a rice bag on his back, Xuemei carrying a bag in her hand, and Xinan carrying a basket as they stepped through the gate. The three of them immediately noticed the pork in the yard.
Excitedly, she put down the bags and baskets and ran to the pork, asking, "Grandma, where did all this meat come from?"
Grandma Yan happily took out her pipe, slowly lit the tobacco, and took a deep drag. "Where did this come from? My granddaughter got it for me."
"You can't say that to a few rascals like that: 'This pig is stupid; he walked right into our door.'" Grandma Yan said, taking another puff of her cigarette.
Cuihua's eyes lit up when she heard this. That's right, it was this stupid pig who bumped into her. She quickly pulled her husband to cut off a piece of meat for dinner, radish stew with pork.
The little ones drooled at the mention of it, and Grandma Yan's face crinkled with laughter as she bent down to open the bag and take a look.
Ten catties of refined grains, this is my granddaughter's food ration; fifty catties of cornmeal; in the basket, there is also a small bottle of oil, a bar of soap, half a catty of sesame seeds and peanuts, a few ounces of white sugar, and two packets of salt.
He took the handkerchief package from Dongnan, counted the food, and found that half of it had been used. He sighed, "There's still not enough food." But his words were heartwarming.
"Wow, you guys are really something! The three of you managed to snatch so much stuff. Grandma feels like there's hope for the future."
Southeast, Southwest, Xue Mei, ~Grandma is so good.
Yan Xiaoqiang picked up a piece of pork weighing about ten pounds and handed it to Dongnan: "Your grandma wants you two to take it to your mother-in-law's house tomorrow."
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