The happiest people when slaughtering the pig for the New Year are the children.
After all, apart from Li Weidong's family, almost no one in the village was willing to slaughter a pig.
And after slaughtering the pig, there would be a feast to eat. Li Weidong was never stingy. Every year after slaughtering the New Year's pig, the children in the village, even those who weren't from the same clan, would come over to eat the feast.
Normally, we only get to eat meat during holidays, and even then, we have to be careful with our portions. But at Li Weidong's house, we can eat as much as we want. Who wouldn't be happy?
All the children in the village came running over.
The adults were all very envious. Even those who weren't relatives and couldn't come to eat the pig-slaughtering feast still gathered around to see what was so special.
Li Weidong changed into rubber shoes, put on an apron, and led everyone into the pigpen to drag the pig out.
A big, fat, white pig; it looks so rare.
The villagers watching were so envious that their eyes were practically glued to the pig.
Someone exclaimed, "Wei Dong is really capable. He slaughters a pig every year, so he never has to worry about meat all year round. That's great!"
"When I'm rich, my family will slaughter a pig and eat meat to our hearts' content!"
The others joked, "Wei Dong is capable; he makes a lot of money, that's why he's willing to slaughter a pig for the New Year. Li Laoliu, what kind of capability do you have?"
"Exactly! Even if you make money and slaughter the pig for the New Year, you'll probably have to sell most of it, leaving not enough for your family to eat for two days!"
Everyone else burst into laughter.
"Weidong, your pigs are doing really well this year!"
Someone exclaimed in surprise, "I reckon it must weigh at least 300 pounds!"
Li Weidong laughed and said, "Pretty much, we've fed them well this year."
Another gasp rippled through the crowd.
The man couldn't help but ask, "So, do you sell pork?"
Li Weidong shook his head: "I won't sell it, I'll keep it for my own consumption."
After sending some meat to my maternal grandfather's family for the New Year, the rest can be cured and eaten for half a year!
Anyway, he's not short of money, and the pigs he raises himself taste better than the ones he buys outside.
His words drew gasps of amazement and envy.
Li Xiaoli, who was standing nearby, blurted out, "Uncle Mingchao, the pigs are doing so well this year because my sister-in-law came. She's taking such good care of them!"
As she spoke, she glanced at Zhou Xiaoye and teased, "My brother is really lucky to have married her. After all, a wife who is so devoted to her husband's family even before she's married is hard to find even with a lantern."
The others joined in the praise.
After all, once Zhou Xiaoye moved into the Li family's house, she would inevitably have to interact with other people in the village, and everyone knew that she was smart, obedient, and hardworking.
Now that we've got the chance, we have to praise it to the skies!
Zhou Xiaoye's face turned as red as a ripe shrimp. While humbly responding to everyone's comments, he secretly pinched Li Xiaoli.
Li Xiaoli was not one to suffer in silence, so she immediately started playing around with him.
Zhao Xiulian was washing vegetables when she saw the two of them like this. She shook her head and said, "You're a grown woman in your teens, yet you're still acting like a child. Aren't you ashamed?"
The words were a reprimand, but the doting smile on his face was just as strong.
The others laughed and said a few words, then moved on to other things.
While chatting, the work at hand didn't stop.
The pig is slaughtered and bled, its hair is scalded with hot water, and then its belly is cut open to remove and process its internal organs.
The remaining whole pigs are cut up for easy storage.
Li Weidong is not old, but he has been in charge of the household for a long time. He is used to doing these things. In just half an hour, a pig has been divided up.
The pig's tail was placed aside separately.
"Mom, take the pig tail and stew it first. We'll use it to offer to the gods and ancestors later."
As Li Weidong spoke, he picked up the chicken crest oil from the bowl next to him and called to Li Xiaoli, "Go get some vegetable leaves."
Li Xiaoli was playfully fighting with Zhou Xiaoye when she saw the meat in his hand. She immediately perked up, grabbed a few cabbage leaves, and rushed over.
Li Weidong skillfully wrapped the chicken comb oil in vegetable leaves, tied it with straw, dug a hole near the stove, and buried the wrapped chicken comb oil inside.
This piece of fat is located near the pig intestines; it won't taste good if cooked directly.
You can wrap it in vegetable leaves, put it in the stove to simmer until cooked, sprinkle with a little salt, and it tastes delicious!
Li Xiaoli had eaten this many times in previous years, but Zhou Xiaoye had never eaten it before.
After all, the Zhou family was poor and rarely slaughtered pigs.
Even if the pig is slaughtered, she won't get to eat the rooster comb oil.
Just you wait!
Li Weidong said with a smile, "You can dig it out when you can smell the aroma, and then you two can eat it together."
Li Xiaoli nodded emphatically: "Yes!"
He even pulled Zhou Xiaoye to sit aside and waited, describing the deliciousness of the chicken comb oil to her.
The two huddled together and started chattering away.
Li Weidong glanced at it, shook his head, and went back to work.
After slaughtering the pig for the New Year, there's a lot to do!
At noon, the pig-killing feast was served.
Boiled cabbage with pig's blood, stewed pork with vermicelli, and stir-fried lean pork with mushrooms—bowls of steaming hot "pig-killing feasts" are served on the table.
It's cold today, and there aren't many fresh vegetables to eat; the menu is quite monotonous.
But the pigs are raised on our own, and the vegetables are freshly picked from the garden. With such fresh ingredients, the taste is naturally quite good.
The pork was fresh and fragrant, and even the cabbage was sweet and delicious.
Everyone gathered together; those with stools sat on them, and those without held their bowls and ate standing up, chatting and laughing—it was quite a lively scene.
The large courtyard was filled with the warmth of everyday life.
Li Weidong sat at a table with several of Li Baotian's older uncles, drinking and chatting, and soon they were all a little tipsy.
"Uncle, you guys eat, I'm going inside to get some water."
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