“The soldiers’ digestive systems are at their weakest right now, so hard flatbread is hard to digest. I think noodles are better. Unleavened dough helps them get through the day, and they won’t get hungry easily after eating them.”
Then, after thinking for a moment, he added, "Radishes can be stewed into a radish soup to dispel cold and expel gas."
After this meal, Qian Wei was quite satisfied with her.
The young comrade is not only meticulous but also logical and well-reasoned.
In April, after spending a day in the flood, it's definitely time to warm up properly.
"Alright! Pass down the order: the whole regiment will have braised pork topping for lunch today."
After giving the instructions, he realized, "A woman knows how to braise meat?"
"Yes, I will!" Ruan Xianxian nodded shyly. "I'm from the capital."
The entire regiment of over a thousand people was waiting for their meal. There was more than one kitchen. When the messenger returned, he told the deputy regimental commander that some of the other kitchens had already started preparing.
He thought for a moment, "Okay! That's settled for today. What we eat tonight is up to this lady."
Ruan Xianxian's smile deepened, and she stepped forward to grasp Qian Wei's large hand. "Thank you for your trust, leader. I will report to you in advance what I will eat each day."
If you are busy, I will speak to your guards and make sure you and your soldiers are not disappointed.
Qian Wei was even more satisfied with her, not only because she was thoughtful, but also because she was reliable in her work.
He wasn't in a hurry to leave. He leaned against the counter and started watching Ruan Xianxian give orders, arranging who would wash the vegetables and who would prepare them in an orderly manner.
Seeing no problems, he couldn't help but ask before leaving, "Are any female comrades interested in coming to the Northeast Production and Construction Corps to serve the organization?"
He valued talent and felt that this was a logical and organized young comrade who was not suitable for farming but could serve as an errand boy for the political commissar.
Ruan Xianxian: ...
She was initially delighted, but then shook her head with regret. "Being able to join the army is the dream of every Chinese son and daughter, and I am no exception. Unfortunately, I had already promised a leader in the provincial capital that I would be his translator."
Provincial capital? Translation?
Qian Wei's heart skipped a beat. Had the little girl already been chosen by Old Master Feng?
Sure enough... his judgment is just as good as the boss's!
He patted Ruan Xianxian's small shoulder with his big hand, his smile deepening: "Work hard, and if you encounter any trouble, you can come to me. I have faith in you."
Only after Qian Wei left did the others, who had been suffocated by the aura of a deputy regimental commander, dare to relax.
After relaxing, all I felt was envy and jealousy, not hatred. There was no way around it; even junior colleagues could chat and laugh freely in front of such a high-ranking leader, and even if they cooked better than her, they would still feel inferior.
The camp fell silent for a moment.
Aunt Yang, with a shameless grin, was about to come up and say a few flattering words. She had deliberately injured herself this morning after hearing that wounded soldiers could be transferred to the cooking squad.
If we're sent back in such a humiliating way, won't all this injury have been for nothing?
"Hey, Xianxian, right? See if you can help me with something."
While mixing the seasonings, Ruan Xianxian tilted her head and saw that the old rascal, still harboring wicked intentions, was secretly learning from her. She asked in surprise:
Why are you still here?
Aunt Yang's fawning face instantly turned gloomy. She gave her one last deep look, her eyes seeming to say "You wait," and turned away without saying another word.
The troublesome person is finally gone!
The other three aunts were no match for her, so Ruan Xianxian began to focus on preparing lunch for the soldiers.
He taught Mu Xia how to clean pig offal with wood ash, saying, "Actually, flour works even better. In special times, we don't want to waste the soldiers' rations, and wood ash works just as well."
Mu Xia has a strong learning ability; she can master it after just one demonstration.
Meanwhile, Chen Zhaodi and her three aunts were proofing and letting the dough rise, while two uncles were shredding radishes, and a frail girl was helping out.
About half an hour later, the cleaned pig offal was put into a container, and Ruan Xianxian added soy sauce, cooking wine, rock sugar and salt in turn.
Add water to cover the pork offal, and Gao De takes the initiative to control the heat. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and braise for about half an hour.
Throughout the conversation, Gaode kept making casual, indirect attempts to engage with the other person.
Ruan Xianxian noticed a callus on his hand from years of holding a gun. She remained outwardly calm, but her heart skipped a beat.
Having just been suspected of being an enemy agent, is he about to encounter a real enemy agent?
What does he want to do?
Poisoning the food? To kill the soldiers?
"Uncle Gao, please open the lid and taste the pork offal to see if it's flavorful."
Gao De, who was already drooling, didn't hesitate when he heard this. He lifted the lid of the pot, scooped up a big mouthful with his chopsticks, and showed it off.
When he was about to take a second bite, Ruan Xianxian stopped him, saying, "Uncle Gao, why don't you go outside and get some more firewood?"
Gaode clicked his tongue and left with a hint of regret.
As Ruan Xianxian sat on the small stool, she felt increasingly uneasy. What if the other party really was an enemy agent who poisoned her food? Even if it wasn't poison but laxatives or something, she would still have to get involved.
She wasn't the kind of stubborn person who would refuse to use help and insist on investigating on her own until it was too late to make arrests. Once she had suspicions, she turned to Qian Wei's guard and told him the whole story.
The guard looked very serious, told her to go back and keep an eye on things, and then quickly ran off to find their deputy regimental commander!
Hey! I reported an enemy spy. Arrest him, but don't arrest me too!
When she returned, Gaode greeted her, "The pot is still sitting on the stove, where did it go?"
Trying to get her to say something? Ruan Xianxian raised an eyebrow, "She went to take a dump!"
Gaode Maps: ? ? ?
"Pfft, cough cough cough!"
When Qian Wei came in, he heard her ramblings about defecating. He couldn't help but cough a few times, then looked up at Gao De and said, "You, come out with me."
Gao De looked honest and simple, but Ruan Xianxian noticed their brief eye contact.
This is... getting to know each other?
If you still can't understand her after considering all of this, you're just an idiot!
So Gaode isn't an enemy agent; he's most likely sent by Feng Bai to monitor her.
After all, she knew that poisoning the food was an excellent opportunity, so how could Commander Feng not know?
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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