Chapter 275 New Year
As the sky gradually darkened, the soup in the pot was bubbling, and the steam was gently trembling against the lid.
The rich aroma of mutton filled the room. Even Lu Liangchen, who was reading documents in the living room, couldn't help but peek in: "So fragrant?"
"Dad!" Little Taozi lifted the door curtain and poked her head out, saying, "The mutton stewed by Mom is so delicious. I tasted it for you to see if it was salty enough!"
Lu Liangchen couldn't help laughing and said, "You're really getting smarter and smarter. You just ate it secretly and even said you tasted it to see if it was salty or not!"
Jiang Haitang was busy in the kitchen baking two more dough pancakes.
When the pancakes are baked, the mutton is ready to be taken out of the pan.
The moment the lid of the pot was opened, the milky white soup was boiling and the mutton was stewed until it was tender.
Jiang Haitang sprinkled the green garlic sprouts grown in her own home, and as the hot soup was stirred, the fragrance immediately filled the air.
"Liangchen, go next door and call Zhao Kai to come over for dinner."
"Mom, I'll go, I'll go!" Little Taozi immediately raised her hand to indicate that she wanted to go.
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Taozi ran out with a clatter.
She was wearing a thick cotton coat, and when she ran, she rolled like a small ball.
Xiao Taozi ran to the next door and found the door was open, so he ran straight in.
"Uncle Zhao, Uncle Zhao, here I come!"
When Zhao Kai heard Xiao Taozi's voice, he immediately opened the door and walked out of the house.
"Xiao Taozi, why are you here in such a cold day?"
"Mom asked you to come over for dinner. Let me tell you a secret. My mom stewed mutton. It smells so good that my mouth is watering." Little Peach said in a serious tone and swallowed her saliva.
"Okay, let's go right away." Zhao Kai didn't refuse and agreed directly: "Xiao Xia, let's go and have a free meal together."
Kang Xiaoxia lifted the door curtain and walked out, saying, "It would be so embarrassing for the two of us to go."
"Auntie Xiaoxia, I love you the most. Let's go!" Xiao Taozi immediately grabbed Kang Xiaoxia's clothes like a little elf.
Zhao Kai looked at Xiao Taozi's red face from the cold and her bright eyes full of expectation, and rubbed her head with a smile.
"Okay, listen to our Xiao Taozi! Xiao Xia, take the sugar-roasted chestnuts I just bought this afternoon and give them to Xiao Taozi."
Kang Xiaoxia was being pulled by Xiao Taozi on the corner of her clothes, and when she heard what Zhao Kai said, a gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Little Taozi, wait for your auntie. I'll get you something delicious." She turned around and went back to the house, and swiftly picked up a bag of sugar-roasted chestnuts.
Xiao Taozi held Zhao Kai's big hand in one hand and Kang Xiaoxia's hand in the other, and walked back happily like a happy little bird.
Dusk was falling, and the smoke from the cooking stove seemed particularly warm in the cold air. The white breath exhaled by Xiao Taozi floated in the air, and she chattered away.
"Uncle Zhao, Aunt Xiaoxia, the mutton Mom made is so soft, it falls apart just by picking it up with chopsticks! Dad was so overwhelmed by the delicious taste just now... I even helped Dad taste it to see if it was salty enough..."
In the Lu family courtyard, the rich aroma of meat penetrated into the nostrils more domineeringly.
In the kitchen, Jiang Haitang was scooping out the last bit of golden and crispy unleavened bread from the pan, cutting it into pieces and arranging them on a plate.
Lu Liangchen had already neatly placed the square table in the middle of the living room and was putting dishes and chopsticks on the table.
"Wow, you're so quick! My daughter is the best!" Lu Liangchen joked with a smile when he saw them come in.
"Of course not! Xiao Taozi came to invite us personally, running faster than a rabbit, afraid that we'd be late and there would be nothing to eat." Zhao Kai laughed heartily and placed the still-warm sugar-roasted chestnuts he brought on the table. "Sister-in-law, I'm bothering you again."
"Why are you bothering me? It's more lively when there are more people eating." Jiang Haitang brought out a big, steaming pot of mutton soup. In the rich white soup, big chunks of mutton were trembling, dotted with green garlic sprouts, exuding an enticing aroma.
"Come on, sit down, Xiao Xia, don't stand, sit next to me."
"Sister Haitang, how can I help you?" Kang Xiaoxia hurried forward and took the plate of pancakes from Jiang Haitang's hand.
"This pancake is baked so beautifully, golden in color, and looks delicious." Looking at the golden pancake, Kang Xiaoxia couldn't help but praise it.
"Mom! Chestnuts! Uncle Zhao bought them!" Little Taozi couldn't wait to point at the paper bag on the table.
"Little greedy cat, eat first! You can't eat rice after eating the sugar-roasted chestnuts." Jiang Haitang smiled and tapped her daughter's forehead.
"Zhao Kai, would you like some wine?" Lu Liangchen asked.
Zhao Kai shook his head: "No, the New Year is coming soon, we have to stay alert."
Lu Liangchen didn't object, and the two of them started eating meat and talking.
The little girl who couldn't eat the sugar-roasted chestnuts couldn't help but look at the tempting mutton soup again, and she couldn't help smacking her lips several times.
Obviously, his mouth was watering.
Little Taozi obediently brought her own small stool and sat down. She reached out to grab it impatiently, and even blew on it with a hissing sound when she was burned, but she still refused to let go.
"Slow down, no one is going to snatch it from you." Lu Liangchen reluctantly took the pancake from his daughter's hand, broke it in half and handed it to her.
Then he scooped a bowl of mutton soup for the little guy.
The mutton melted in the mouth, the radish was tender and juicy, and Little Peach's mouth was full of oil. She mumbled, "I like my mother's cooking the most. My mother's cooking is the most delicious meal in the world."
"This little guy speaks so well." Kang Xiaoxia couldn't help laughing.
"Sister-in-law, your cooking skills are truly amazing!" Zhao Kai picked up a piece of mutton, which melted in his mouth. It was fresh and fragrant, with the unique aroma of green garlic sprouts. He couldn't help but praise it, "This soup is thick and white. Drinking a bowl of it in winter is something even a god wouldn't trade!"
"It's just a home-cooked way. It'll be cooked when the heat is right. If you like it, I'll teach it to Xiaoxia later." Jiang Haitang smiled and gave Kang Xiaoxia a large piece of mutton with tendons. "Xiaoxia, try it quickly. It's been stewed for a long time and it's full of flavor."
"Thank you, sister-in-law." Kang Xiaoxia looked at the trembling piece of mutton in the bowl, covered with milky white soup, and felt a little confused.
Jiang Haitang, on the other hand, although the mutton was delicious, she didn't know why she always felt a little uncomfortable in her stomach, as if she was a little nauseous.
But Jiang Haitang didn't take this feeling to heart. She picked up the chopsticks and carefully picked up a small piece. As soon as she brought it to her mouth, the unpleasant taste seemed to be amplified several times, and the discomfort in her stomach suddenly intensified.
She resisted the urge to put down her chopsticks, tried to maintain a smile on her face, and forced the piece of mutton into her mouth.
The mutton was indeed stewed very well, soft, tender and fragrant.
However, the food that usually tasted so delicious now seemed a bit greasy in her mouth. She chewed hard, trying to suppress the churning feeling in her throat, and even a few beads of sweat seeped out on her forehead.
"What's wrong, Haitang? Are you feeling unwell?" Lu Liangchen immediately noticed her abnormality and asked softly.
Jiang Haitang quickly shook her head, swallowed the food in her mouth, picked up the water glass and took a big sip.
"Maybe he caught a cold, but he should be fine."
Jiang Haitang didn't know why such delicious mutton made her feel uncomfortable.
She smiled in a concealed manner, but her face looked a little pale under the light.
Lu Liangchen didn't bother to continue talking to Zhao Kai. He considerately served Jiang Haitang a bowl of mutton soup, skimmed off the fat on it, and added some refreshing garlic sprouts. "Then drink some soup first. Pancakes are delicious in soup too, not greasy."
Kang Xiaoxia was actually a little envious when she saw the couple being so affectionate with each other. Zhao Kai was not bad either, but she didn't know if he would be as considerate and caring as Director Lu in the future.
Jiang Haitang took the bowl of soup, and the warm clear soup slid into her throat. The feeling of boredom seemed to be suppressed a little.
She sipped the soup and looked at Zhao Kai, Kang Xiaoxia, Lu Liangchen and Xiao Taozi who were eating enthusiastically beside her. Although she felt a little uncomfortable physically, she felt warmed in her heart.
"Mom, I love the mutton you cooked so much. It's so delicious." The chatterbox Xiao Taozi was very busy providing emotional value to Jiang Haitang while eating.
"If it tastes good, eat more." Jiang Haitang added another piece of crispy bone to her bowl. "Mom will make you some mutton dumplings tomorrow. Take them to Grandma Kong to try."
In the blink of an eye, it is New Year's Eve.
That day, Lu Liangchen brought back a frozen Yellow River carp from the factory.
Little Taozi squatted in the backyard and watched her father clean the fish.
"It's very cold, go back inside." Lu Liangchen said to Xiao Taozi, his hands were numb from the cold.
It’s a pity that Xiao Taozi is obviously not someone who is willing to give up the delicious food and go back.
For Xiao Taozi, a little foodie, he has to wait for food to be cooked, whether it is raw or cooked.
"Dad, I'm not going. Mom said we can have fish tonight. She's going to make me some hot and sour Yellow River carp."
Unable to persuade his daughter, Lu Liangchen stopped forcing her and let the little girl squat beside him.
The kitchen was filled with steam, and Jiang Haitang was adding firewood to the stove.
There were many delicious foods on the table, including fried fruit, golden twisted dough twists shaped into a wish-fulfilling knot;
The mutton rolls are steamed in the steamer. The rolls are soaked with gravy and smell delicious.
Jiang Haitang also specially made stuffed skin, mixed with oil and chili peppers, which was bright red and tempting.
"Little Peach!" Jiang Haitang shouted towards the backyard.
Little Peach heard it immediately and ran in, asking, "Mom! Did you call me so that I can help you taste the saltiness?"
Little foodies are obviously very keen on tasting the saltiness of food.
"Can you take this bowl of stuffed skin to Grandma Kong's house?"
"Of course, Xiao Taozi is so awesome!" The little guy was obviously very confident in his abilities.
Xiao Taozi held the bowl of stuffed skin and staggered towards Liu Hongmei's house next door.
Smoke was coming out of Grandma Kong's chimney. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were cooking. When the door curtain was lifted, the aroma of meat wrapped in cold air came out.
"Grandma Kong! My mom asked me to deliver the fermented skin!" She tiptoed to hand over the bowl, her nose red from the cold, making her look even cuter than usual.
Grandma Kong took the bowl and wiped her face with her apron: "Girl, your hands are frozen. Come, let grandma warm them for you."
"No, Grandma Kong, I'm not cold. My mother told me to take the bowl back."
Aunt Kong nodded immediately, put the stuffed skin in the big bowl on a plate, then washed the bowl, put a few fried meatballs in it for Xiao Taozi, and stuffed a handful of roasted melon seeds into her pocket.
"Hurry back. Today is New Year's Day, so grandma won't keep you. Come to our house tomorrow to have dinner with your brothers and sisters."
When Xiao Taozi ran home with melon seeds and a bowl in her pocket, Lu Liangchen had just brought the cleaned Yellow River carp into the kitchen.
Jiang Haitang was spreading soy sauce on the fish. The sauce on her fingertips accidentally rubbed onto her apron, like an unopened flower.
"Mom, Dad said that fish needs to be fried three times to be crispy!" Little Taozi shouted while clinging to the door frame, and the melon seed shells in her pocket fell to the ground.
Lu Liangchen smiled and helped his daughter pick it up, saying, "Go work with mom, and we'll have mutton dumplings tonight."
He turned around and saw Jiang Haitang frowning at the fish. "What's wrong? Do you think it's fishy?"
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