Zhou Xiaoye went home and, as Li Weidong had instructed, went to his room to get the money. Then he went to the village entrance to buy three catties of pork ribs and stopped by the vegetable garden on the way.
The pig was just slaughtered this morning, and the ribs are very fresh. After chopping them up, I put them in a pot with spices to stew.
While the pork ribs were stewing, she quickly peeled the rice and beans she had picked from the field, chopped two potatoes, and when she estimated that the pork ribs were almost done, she added the potatoes and rice and beans to the stew.
Then I made cornbread, stuck the cornbread to the side of the stew pot, and put the lid on.
A pot of vegetables has both staple food and main dishes, plus some bok choy hearts.
After Zhou Xiaoye finished all this, he took advantage of the break to sweep the yard, feed the pigs and chickens, and cook the pork ribs and potato stew.
The rich aroma of meat, combined with the unique fragrance of cornbread, filled the entire yard.
Zhou Xiaoye lifted the pot lid, added some salt, tasted it, and felt it was about right before serving the dish.
Three pounds of pork ribs, along with potatoes and rice, filled a large bowl, and the aroma was irresistible.
The cornbread was put in a separate bowl before I started stir-frying the bok choy.
Pour lard into the pot, then add the bok choy. With a sizzle, the oil splatters out.
Zhou Xiaoye was burned and immediately gasped.
Just then, Li Weidong, who had returned from work, rushed over and grabbed her hand: "Are you alright? How could you be so careless?"
As he spoke, he pulled her to rinse off the water.
Li Xiaoli, carrying a hoe, followed behind. Seeing this scene, she immediately teased, "Tsk tsk tsk, who hasn't been burned by oil while cooking?"
"Brother, aren't you being a bit too exaggerated?"
Zhou Xiaoye was extremely embarrassed and quickly withdrew her hand, saying, "Brother Weidong, I...I'm fine, there are still vegetables in the pot!"
With that, he turned back to the stove and hurriedly continued cooking.
Li Xiaoli said with a grin, "Don't put the sugar in instead of salt, I don't eat sweet stir-fried bok choy!"
Li Weidong gave her a sharp rap on the head: "You're so nosy! Your sister-in-law can cook whatever she wants. You're eating for free and you dare to complain?"
Li Xiaoli covered her head: "Mom, look at my brother!"
Zhao Xiulian went to put down the hoe: "Who told you to bully your sister-in-law?"
"How did I bully my sister-in-law!"
Li Xiaoli stomped her feet in anger.
Zhou Xiaoye kept her head down, focused on cooking, but her heart was filled with sweetness, as if she had eaten honey.
At home, let alone if she spills oil while cooking, or even if she almost cuts off her finger while chopping vegetables, no one cares at all; they just scold her for being incompetent.
But when it came to Li Weidong, it was cherished like a precious treasure.
This was a feeling she had never experienced before.
So this is what it feels like to be loved...
Li Weidong washed his hands and feet, and the food was already on the table.
"It smells so good!"
Looking at the stewed pork ribs and cornbread on the table, Zhao Xiulian was very happy: "Xiao Ye, your cooking skills are even better than mine, someone who has been cooking for half my life!"
"It seems that it was definitely the right decision to have you come back to cook. If Lili had come back, I doubt we would have even been able to have lunch today."
Zhou Xiaoye blushed and said, "It was just something I made casually, how could it compare to Auntie's cooking?"
Li Xiaoli complained, "Mom, you can praise Xiaoye, but why do you have to belittle me?"
Did I say something wrong?
Zhao Xiulian glared at him: "Look at you! You're about the same age as Xiao Ye, and he's so capable, but you can't even wash a dish properly. What will you do if you can't get married in the future!"
"If I can't get married, I won't get married!"
Li Xiaoli pouted: "My brother can't possibly kick me out, can he?"
Li Weidong drawled, "That's not necessarily true!"
The brother and sister started arguing.
As Zhou Xiaoye listened to their argument, he couldn't help but feel a little envious.
She also had two older brothers, but in their eyes, she was just a free maid who could be ordered around and exploited at will.
She never dared to imagine a relationship like that between Li Weidong and his sister.
But soon, she cheered up again.
Now that I've joined the Li family, I won't have to go back and face the Zhou family anymore!
As Zhou Xiaoye thought about it, he couldn't help but smile, and then he got up to serve everyone the dishes.
"I can do it myself, you just sit down."
Zhao Xiulian immediately offered to help.
Zhou Xiaoye shook his head and said, "Auntie, you've been working in the fields all day, just sit down and eat. I'll do it!"
As he spoke, he filled a bowl with pork ribs and potatoes and placed it in front of Zhao Xiulian.
He then served two more bowls to Li Weidong and his sister before it was his turn.
Li Xiaoli had been craving it for a long time, and seeing this, she stopped arguing with Li Weidong and picked up her bowl to eat.
While eating, he suddenly stared at Li Weidong's bowl and stopped eating.
Why are you looking at me?
Li Weidong was taken aback: "You don't have any meat in your own bowl? Go get some yourself after you finish eating, don't keep staring at my bowl!"
Li Xiaoli's eyes darted around Zhou Xiaoye twice, then she grinned mischievously: "I have some in my bowl, but not as much as you do!"
"Mom, look, doesn't my brother have more meat in his bowl than we do?"
Zhou Xiaoye never expected that her selfish motives would be discovered. Already shy, she felt even more ashamed and wished she could bury her face in her crotch.
Zhao Xiulian was pleased to see this, but she still glared at Li Xiaoli: "So what if your brother has more meat in his bowl? He and your sister-in-law will be a couple in the future, and they'll be sleeping in the same bed."
"Your brother dotes on your sister-in-law, and your sister-in-law is willing to dote on your brother too. They have a good relationship, what business is it of yours?!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiaoye blushed even more.
Li Weidong couldn't stand it anymore: "Mom, please say less!"
"And you too!"
He glared at Li Xiaoli: "Even meat can't shut you up, huh? If you're not going to eat, go back to your room. If you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll see how I deal with you!"
He then placed a piece of spare rib on Zhou Xiaoye's plate: "Xiaoye, don't listen to this girl's nonsense, eat it quickly, or it will get cold!"
Looking at the extra ribs in her bowl, Zhou Xiaoye felt both shy and sweet. She nodded gently and began to eat.
Afraid that she would feel embarrassed, Li Weidong changed the subject and started discussing mushroom cultivation with Zhao Xiulian.
The meal was finally finished smoothly.
Zhou Xiaoye hurriedly put down her chopsticks and ran away after finishing her meal.
Li Weidong then began to reprimand Li Xiaoli: "You brat, you know your sister-in-law is easily embarrassed, yet you keep making her feel awkward like this. Are you itching for a beating?"
Zhao Xiulian chimed in, "Your brother is right. Although we welcome your sister-in-law to live with us, we're not married yet, so she's probably feeling quite uncomfortable!"
"You, as her good friend, not only do you not help her adapt, but you also embarrass her at every turn. How can you be like this!"
The mother and son took turns criticizing Li Xiaoli.
Li Xiaoli pouted, initially looking defiant, but suddenly her eyes reddened and tears streamed down her face.
Then, her voice trembling with tears, she cried out, "How could you do this?!"
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