Chapter 68 Crucian carp in March is fresh and nourishing.
Upon hearing this, all four of them looked dazed, and even Professor Ming had an incredulous expression on his face.
Xu Meng wondered if such a fantastical thing really existed in the world.
They also said that Lingde Town is full of hidden talents, and there are actually two chefs with such experience and excellent cooking skills. However, their school is located in the provincial capital, which is much more economically developed than the town, but there is not a single chef like them around the school.
Now they realize that the two people they thought were the same person were actually the same person?
Xu Meng's mind went blank. She wondered what their argument from the previous two days meant. They insisted on deciding which was better, braised beef or oden, and even had a small debate about which was the most delicious food.
There's no need for debate at all; oden and braised beef were born from the same source.
Xu Meng looked at the braised meat stall in a daze, recalling the owner's young and handsome face, and thought that the person she liked the most should be the owner.
Fang Song was munching on a chicken wing beside him, enjoying it immensely while muttering to himself, "No way, no way, this is too much of a coincidence..."
Luo Zhu was relatively calm and clear-headed: "Thinking about it carefully, it's not a coincidence. Good chefs are hard to come by. It's too exaggerated for a small town to have two. In comparison, it's more reasonable for one chef to be proficient in both."
Xu Meng said, "That doesn't make much sense... Braised beef and oden are completely different kinds of food. How could one person be proficient in so many cuisines?"
Sun Pengcheng didn't say a word from beginning to end. What were they chattering about? He wanted to eat his fill first, because he wouldn't be able to eat anymore once he got back to school.
Watching the students discuss, raise their viewpoints, and then have them reasonably challenged and supplement their arguments, Professor Ming couldn't help but nod. The students he had chosen were indeed good; they had also demonstrated academic spirit in their lives.
"Alright, students, instead of arguing here, let's go ask the boss directly," Professor Ming said calmly, though he was also quite curious.
Xu Meng nodded abruptly, handed the braised food to her classmate, and strode towards the braised meat stall.
Song Xinran was also watching them. When she saw Xu Meng running over, she thought something must have happened, so she took the initiative to walk towards Xu Meng.
Before Xu Meng could ask anything, Song Xinran spoke up first: "Excuse me, is there something you need?"
Xu Mengxin jumped suddenly; that familiar address…
Did the boss already know they were college students surveying the Zhang Family Ancestral Hall and the memorial archway complex? In that instant, Xu Meng had a definite idea about the dispute over braised beef and oden, but she still said tactfully, "Boss, your braised meat is really delicious, it tastes just like the one we had at the guesthouse."
Song Xinran's lips curved slightly. She thought to herself that these students had very sharp palates. She didn't hide anything: "I also made the braised beef in the guesthouse."
In that instant, Xu Meng let out a short scream inside, but managed to maintain a calm expression: "Boss, oden, do you make oden too?!"
Song Xinran smiled gently and nodded: "Yes."
Although she had already guessed it, hearing the person's affirmative answer still gave her a huge shock. Xu Meng turned around to tell her teachers and classmates about it. They no longer needed to argue about whether oden or braised beef was the best. These two dishes were like brothers!
But when he turned around, he found that they had somehow gotten behind him.
Sun Pengcheng's voice rose slightly with excitement: "My God, it really is you! I knew it tasted exactly the same! Boss, you're the new generation's culinary god!"
After saying that, he didn't forget to take a couple more bites of chicken wings. The braising sauce was so rich that every fiber of the meat was soaked in the juice, and every bite was incredibly satisfying.
Eating on the street is a novel way to eat, but Sun Pengcheng didn't feel ashamed at all, because that's how the locals do it, and he felt he was deeply integrated into the local life. He had a wonderful time eating.
Fang Song also said, "Boss, you're amazing! We thought the oden and braised beef were made by two different chefs, but it turns out they were made by the same person."
Luo Zhu's expression was equally excited: "Boss, how can you make two such different dishes so perfectly? You're simply an all-rounder."
Song Xinran's eyes crinkled as she thought that these college students behaved much like primary and secondary school students when they ate delicious food, except that they had a richer vocabulary and could compliment others more eloquently.
In a gentle voice, she said, "Thank you for liking my cooking. I just enjoy cooking in my spare time; I'm no culinary genius."
Professor Ming said, "Master, your skills are not just cooking, but an art. It gives people who have tasted your food a unique memory of Lingde Town. It is a rare fate that we can taste your skills, and it is a blessing to be able to eat braised beef for these three days."
Song Xinran blushed from the praise, thinking to herself that her teacher's way of speaking was truly unique; even her compliments were so artistic.
"Professor, you flatter me. I just like this line of work. It allows people to taste, remember, and like what I do. That makes me feel that it is very valuable and makes me very happy."
As she spoke, Song Xinran headed towards the stall, saying, "I'll pack some up for you to take back to school. You've traveled for several hours from the provincial capital to Lingde Town, enduring a bumpy ride, all for the sake of Lingde Town's development and construction. You've really worked hard."
Professor Ming hurriedly said, "Master, we'll buy it!"
Setting up a stall is the hardest job. You have to get up early and work late, braving wind and rain. It's hard-earned money, so how can he let you lose money?
Xu Meng quickly stuffed the money into Song Xinran's apron pocket. She was very skilled at doing this; she would do it every time she went home to visit relatives and friends during the Chinese New Year.
When Xu Meng finally carried a big bag of braised food back, she said, "I'm taking it back for my junior classmates to try. Our teacher even brought us local specialties when he took us on field trips."
Upon hearing this, Professor Ming said calmly, "Put it in my seat; it's more spacious."
But what he was really thinking was that he was planning to take some back for his wife to try; he couldn't give it all to the students.
“Okay, I’ll put it next to the teacher’s seat.” Xu Meng said, then felt a little hungry again. Remembering that she had given the first batch of braised food to Sun Pengcheng, she said, “Since the big ones are too big to move, let them share these smaller ones. Sun Pengcheng, where’s the braised food I bought first? Let me have a taste.”
Sun Pengcheng scratched his head, gave a slightly embarrassed smile, and didn't say anything.
Xu Meng immediately sensed something was wrong, her eyes sharp: "Have you finished eating?"
Sun Pengcheng immediately shouted, "It's a miscarriage of justice! Fang Song and Luo Zhu ate it too!"
Xu wanted to hit someone: "You didn't even leave me a little bit? Do you remember who paid for it?"
Sun Pengcheng immediately ran away, saying, "It's none of my business!"
Xu Meng chased after him: "I think you want to die!"
*
Song Xinran returned to her stall. By then, the braised meat was almost sold out. Song Xinwen noticed that the people who had spoken to Song Xinran earlier were not locals; they seemed to be from a big city, with a different demeanor and bearing. He asked in a low voice, "Xinran, are those people from the city?"
Song Xinran nodded: "Yes, they are professors and students from Rongcheng University who came to conduct an inspection."
Song Xinwen exclaimed, unable to hide his excitement: "Those are all college students! They're really different from the people in our town!"
These days, college students are still very precious. If a family produces one, they will throw a big banquet to celebrate, and everyone around them will look up to them.
"What did they say to you? I saw they even bought some braised meat. Did they really like it?" Song Xinwen pressed.
Song Xinran smiled and nodded: "Yes, they are going back today, so they bought some to take back with them."
Song Xinwen was utterly astonished to hear this news. The university teachers and students from the provincial capital actually loved their braised meat so much that they even took some back with them. Didn't that mean that their braised meat was one of the best in the provincial capital?
Song Xinwen felt an overwhelming surge of excitement and pride, and whispered, "Xinran, you should go to a big city."
Previously, Song Xinwen had never had this idea in his mind. In the countryside, the key to life is to work hard and be busy. He only thought about finishing the work that needed to be done that day. There were different tasks to do in each season.
But she followed Song Xinran to the town, worked and lived there, went to the city to attend banquets, and now even met people from the provincial capital. Her thoughts started to wander further and further away.
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Let's talk about it later. Sister, don't just talk about me. You can go if you want."
Song Xinwen waved his hand awkwardly, saying he hadn't thought that far ahead, but a strange look was undeniably on his face.
Song Xinran certainly wanted to go to a bigger city, but she had more important things to do right now, which was to make money. To establish herself in a big city, she needed more initial capital.
Things must be done step by step, and the road must be walked one step at a time. Her current plan is to successfully open the mala tang (spicy hot pot) restaurant.
Having just finished selling all the braised meat and returned home, Song Xinran was about to go check on the progress of the shop's renovation. She had been quite busy these past few days, as Song Xinwen was handling most of the renovation work, and she hadn't had time to go. Now that the group from the Municipal Bureau of Culture had left, she could finally focus on her own business.
But before he could even leave the house, Zhou Jianfeng came over, carrying a box of fruit and beaming, saying, "May your business prosper, Mr. Song!"
"Our guesthouse's important reception work has been successfully completed. Mr. Song, you are the number one contributor!" Zhou Jianfeng stated his purpose directly, placing a beautifully packaged box of fruit on the table. "This fruit was brought to me by my relative. Mr. Song, please have a taste."
Song Xinran glanced at it and saw that it was a box of strawberries. Such expensive fruit was not sold in town at all. Transportation was not well developed at the time, and strawberries were very delicate. They would spoil if they were bumped or bruised. Moreover, the price was high, and the market in town was very small, so she had never seen anyone selling them.
Song Yu met strawberries at school, but had never seen one in real life. She had only heard others say that they were fragrant, sweet, and delicious, and she always looked forward to seeing them.
However, Song Xinran still pretended to decline, after all, this was almost a traditional custom. She waved her hand and said, "Director Zhou, you are too kind. I just did what I should do. There is no credit to speak of. You have planned and worried a lot. The reception was able to be completed successfully thanks to you!"
No one dislikes hearing compliments, and Zhou Jianfeng's smile grew even brighter: "This is all my job, what I should do."
Song Xinran said solemnly, "This is what I should do. It concerns the construction and development of Lingde Town, and every resident has a responsibility to participate. Director Zhou, it is my honor that you selected me. You gave me this opportunity to contribute my modest efforts to the development of Lingde Town. I should be thanking you!"
Zhou Jianfeng was beaming with joy. He thought Song Xinran was incredibly politically astute, possessing a strong sense of the big picture that far surpassed that of many within the system. She also had her own unique skills. He wished he had someone like her under his command.
Zhou Jianfeng: "Mr. Song, please accept this. It's my personal way of thanking you. I also have other things to discuss with you!"
Song Xinran replied magnanimously, "Director Zhou, please just tell me what you need. I will definitely do what I can."
Zhou Jianfeng felt both happy and relieved at that moment. He thought that talking to Song Xinran was so easy. He said, "The people who participated in the reception work this time all liked the braised beef made by Boss Song. As the person in charge of the guesthouse, I naturally have to take everyone's dietary preferences into account and plan to include braised beef in the guesthouse's menu. However, I also know that Boss Song has his own business and must be too busy to handle it. So, we will provide braised beef once a week. Is that alright with you, Boss Song?"
Song Xinran understood; this meant a long-term partnership.
This is naturally a good thing. Although she is helping Zhou Jianfeng now, their status and position are different, and they don't usually interact much. In the short term, Zhou Jianfeng will remember her favor, but in the long term, without any contact, he may forget about it in three to five years. Even if he doesn't forget, by then, not much of the friendship will remain.
But long-term cooperation is different. Even if the guesthouse is shut down in the future, there will still be the unit canteen.
However, Song Xinran also had concerns. She was now selling oden, and on market days she would also set up a stall to sell braised meat. After the shop was renovated, she would have to take care of it. She was sure that she would have to provide a lot of braised beef to the guesthouse, and she felt that she would be too busy to manage it all.
But he smiled and said, "Sure, thank you Director Zhou for giving me this opportunity. I wonder how much you need to provide once a week?"
Zhou Jianfeng thought for a moment and said, "Let's provide about ten kilograms first, and we'll make up the difference if we need more later."
Song Xinran looked troubled: "Director Zhou, it is my honor that you chose me, but the guesthouse wants too much, and I don't have enough time and energy to keep up. My home equipment is also limited. How about this, I won't provide you with braised beef directly, but I can send you the flavor. That way it won't be a regular menu, and the staff at the guesthouse can eat it whenever they want."
Upon hearing the second half of the sentence, Zhou Jianfeng immediately perked up. He actually wished he could have braised beef every day. Mayor Wu was quite fond of this dish, and he himself was also a little craving it.
However, Song Xinran doesn't work full-time for the guesthouse; she also has her own business. This once-a-week arrangement was something Zhou Jianfeng decided on after much deliberation. Now, hearing Song Xinran say she could "deliver flavors," he immediately became very curious: "How do you deliver them?"
If you're talking about braised meat, you can find it everywhere in town, but only Song Xinran can make braised beef that tastes this good.
Seeing Zhou Jianfeng's expression, Song Xinran knew that the suggestion was approved. She said, "I'll give my family's braising liquid to the guesthouse. All the guesthouse chef needs to do is buy beef and braise it. Just follow the braising method and heat control I wrote down, and the taste will be exactly the same as mine. This way, you can make it fresh and eat it whenever you want. The cost is also lower than buying ready-made products from me, which will also save the institute some expenses."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Jianfeng was startled. He had actually considered this idea, but he quickly dismissed it. Selling braised meat was Boss Song's livelihood. If he were to ask Boss Song to share the recipe just to satisfy his own appetite, would he have any humanity left? Zhou Jianfeng couldn't bring himself to do something so immoral.
But now that he'd actually heard these words from Boss Song, he couldn't help but wonder if she was a little foolish. Didn't she know how precious and unique the flavor of her braised meat was?
But Boss Song is definitely not stupid. Who is not bright enough to speak as eloquently as her or make as delicious food as her?
These words swirled in Zhou Jianfeng's mind, but he still cautiously asked, "Boss Song, if you give the recipe to the guesthouse, then your braised food won't taste unique anymore."
Song Xinran chuckled softly, thinking to herself that Zhou Jianfeng was a fairly upright person. She could have easily portrayed herself as even more virtuous, but she still told the truth: "Director Zhou, actually I'm also cooperating with a restaurant owner in Tangjia Town. I regularly sell him braising sauce, and he makes his own braising dishes, and the taste isn't too different. However, the braising sauce will eventually run out, and if he doesn't buy from me, he won't be able to make the same taste. Only I have the braising sauce recipe. His opening a shop in Tangjia Town won't affect my business in Lingde Town."
The same applies to guesthouses. Since guesthouses are not open to the public, people who come to town for the market will naturally only be able to buy their meat from Song Xinran's braised meat stall.
When Zhou Jianfeng heard her say that, he felt relieved. He thought it was a good idea, and that if Chef Fang from the guesthouse made it, the dish could be served every day.
He was pleased and felt that it was most important for people to have their own unique skills. Someone like Song Xinran was confident that others could not replicate her braising sauce. He nodded and said, "In that case, let's follow Boss Song's method."
The matter was resolved in a very satisfactory manner. As Zhou Jianfeng was leaving, he was still thinking that no matter what the matter was, it was always so pleasant to cooperate with Boss Song. He was a smart man.
Song Xinran was also happy, as this meant another business opportunity.
She looked at the strawberries on the table, carefully opened the box, and found individually wrapped strawberries inside. They were quite large, plump, and bright red, looking very fresh.
Song Xinran could smell the rich and pure fruity aroma of the strawberries. She couldn't help but take out the largest one, wash it, and taste it. The flesh was soft and tender, melting in her mouth with a gentle bite, releasing a burst of abundant juice. The taste was excellent, and she could tell at a glance that it was a high-quality strawberry.
Song Xinran ate three or four strawberries in a row before putting them down. She would wait for Song Yu to come back so they could eat the rest together. She had eaten a lot of strawberries in her previous life, but this was Song Yu's first time eating them.
After leaving the strawberries in the kitchen, Song Xinran went to her shop.
The shop was completely different now. A bricklayer was laying wall tiles and looked at Song Xinran with some surprise: "What are you doing here?"
Another worker quickly said, "This is the shop owner!"
Upon hearing this, the bricklayer suddenly realized: "The one who came a few days ago was your sister, boss, wasn't she?"
Song Xinran hummed in agreement and walked around, observing the progress of the renovation.
She doesn't plan to lay wood flooring; instead, she'll use simple terrazzo flooring. This is because it's easier to clean and less slippery. Many hot pot restaurant staff have to be extra careful when carrying bowls of food to avoid slipping and falling, since the bowls are full of boiling soup.
She used a "half-white" strategy for the walls, which is a popular shop decoration method nowadays. This means that only the part of the wall below 1.5 meters is covered with white tiles, while the part above is simply painted white.
Use inexpensive PVC panels for the roof; it will look clean and elegant.
In short, Song Xinran's definition of this renovation was to do it as cheaply as possible while meeting her requirements, since she was really short of money right now.
Her requirement was that the shop should look simple and clean. There were some tricks to achieving this: install more high-wattage fluorescent lights to make the shop brightly lit, and keep the area within sight simple and convenient.
Even with such frugal spending, she still needs to prepare at least seven or eight thousand yuan. Song Xinran now invests all her earnings into the renovation every day, leaving her only with enough money to buy groceries for the next day.
Her only hope is that the shop can be renovated and put into operation as soon as possible, so that everyone can make money at the same time.
Seeing her scrutinizing gaze, the bricklayer said, "Boss, you can rest assured about our work. Our boss, Mr. Zhang, specifically reminded us to do a good job. We've done everything very solidly, and it won't collapse even after decades."
Song Xinran knew that the "General Manager Zhang" he mentioned was someone similar to a contractor, someone Lei Hong had introduced to her. She nodded and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
Hearing her words, the bricklayer seemed to have an idea: "Boss, you should talk to your sister too. She's so stingy. She watches me every day as if she's afraid I'll take something from you. If the tiling isn't even slightly aligned, she'll nag for ages. She even picks up the broken tiles and corners left over from the tiling. It makes me feel like I'm in prison while I'm working. Boss, I think you're a reasonable person. You should talk to her."
Song Xinran understood immediately and said, "I'm sorry, Master, that's just my sister's personality. She's quite meticulous and frugal. She always wears clothes that are patched and repaired. As her younger sister, I can't really say anything. Please bear with her, Master. I'll tell Manager Zhang that you're doing a great job!"
Her tone was apologetic, but the message was clear: I can't persuade my sister, so you'll just have to bear with it. If things don't go well, I'll go tell Boss Zhang.
The bricklayers and other manual laborers are used to being straightforward. A few days ago, they even argued with Song Xinwen. Neither of them would give in. They thought Song Xinran was easy to talk to because of her good temper, but they didn't expect her to be a soft knife.
The bricklayer realized that Song Xinran was not someone to be easily fooled, as he couldn't argue or make a scene with such a soft knife.
Song Xinran went up to the attic and looked around. The attic had been completely cleared out, and the space looked much more spacious, which immediately reduced the oppressive feeling.
After she came down, she smiled and said to the bricklayer, "Master, the upstairs also needs tiling. My sister will be coming to take care of it. She's a bit stubborn, so don't argue with her. Just let her have her way. After you're done, I'll talk to Boss Zhang and give you a red envelope."
The bricklayer hurriedly said, "No need, no need, this is what we should do!"
Mr. Zhang is very strict. If the boss mentions giving out red envelopes (bribes), Mr. Zhang will definitely think that they are threatening the boss because they are not working hard enough, and they might even lose their jobs.
Song Xinran didn't insist, and said, "Alright then, I'll go first. The project needs to be accelerated, as electricians and carpenters will be coming in later."
The bricklayer understood everything; he just thought to himself that neither of the two sisters was easy to deal with.
Song Xinran felt relieved after checking the renovation progress herself, and it was just right to leave this matter to Song Xinwen. Judging from the workers' complaints today, Song Xinwen had been paying close attention to details.
With the guesthouse matter settled and everyone having worked hard these past few days, Song Xinran went to the market to buy some food so she could invite Song Xinwen and Chen Jingfang to dinner that evening. Coincidentally, she saw some crucian carp for sale at the market entrance, and quite a few people were buying them.
Song Xinran could tell at a glance that the crucian carp were not from mass-produced fish. The scales of the crucian carp in the basin were firm and shiny, and their bodies were streamlined. The stall owner shouted from the side, "These are all raised in our own reservoir, and they taste very good!"
In a few days it will be March. As the saying goes, crucian carp is fresh and nutritious in March. It is good to braise or make crucian carp soup. Song Xinran bought twelve. Three for each adult, one for each child, and the remaining two to make soup.
There are also stalls in the market that specialize in cleaning chickens, ducks and fish. The prices are not expensive. They scrape off the scales and clean the internal organs of the fish, and quickly give them to Song Xinran, saying, "You chose these crucian carp well. Several of them have roe inside."
The fish roe tastes great; it's golden, plump, and round. After soaking in the broth, the spicy fish roe, coated in the broth, is firm when picked up but crumbles easily when bitten, with no fishy taste whatsoever. The texture is superb.
However, fish roe can only be eaten during specific seasons. April and May are the peak season when fish roe is at its fullest. In March, only some crucian carp have it, and even then, it is relatively rare.
Looking at the crucian carp in her pocket, Song Xinran thought to herself that she could have a good meal tonight.
After buying the crucian carp, she also bought two pieces of tofu, which she could use to make crucian carp and tofu soup and Mapo tofu.
When Chen Jingfang arrived in the afternoon, Song Xinran said, "Jingfang, I saw some nice crucian carp at the market this afternoon, so I bought a few. We'll have them for dinner tonight, and my sister will be coming too."
Although Chen Jingfang had eaten at Song Xinran's house several times, she still felt embarrassed, but the taste was truly tempting.
Chen Jingfang feigned reluctance a couple of times, and Song Xinran also tried to persuade her to stay. Chen Jingfang then readily agreed: "Okay, then don't go to the stall this afternoon. Xinwen and I will go together. Otherwise, you'll be cooking very late."
Song Xinran agreed, secretly wanting to laugh. She thought to herself that China was indeed a society heavily reliant on personal connections; one couldn't simply accept gifts directly, and always had to decline them a couple of times—it was a unique custom and culture.
Song Xinran enjoys the process of cooking, but she can't rush it or squeeze out the time, otherwise the enjoyment will turn into torture.
Today is a day to enjoy herself. The shop renovation is proceeding smoothly, the guesthouse business is finished, and there are people to help with the stall. All she needs to do is cook according to her own ideas step by step.
A simple dinner of two dishes and a soup was prepared: a scallion-filled crucian carp, a Mapo tofu, and a crucian carp and tofu soup.
She also washed the remaining half of the strawberries and put them on a plate on the table, which could be served as fruit before or after meals.
Song Xinran set off to pick up Song Yu from school. She rarely did this, firstly because she had to set up her stall while Song Yu was at school, and secondly because Song Yu often went to play at his classmates' houses after school. Today, she couldn't let him go to his classmates' houses, as dinner was already prepared at home.
She timed it perfectly; she didn't even wait a minute at the kindergarten gate before Teacher An led the first-grade class out of the kindergarten.
Song Xinran spotted Song Yu at a glance. He was walking at the front, holding the class sign high in both hands, his little face serious and very cute.
Before Song Xinran could speak, Song Yu saw her. His eyes lit up instantly, and he grinned, wanting to run towards her. But then, remembering something, he handed the class sign to Teacher An at the dismissal point.
His voice was childish yet excited: "Teacher An, my mom has come to pick me up and take me home!"
Teacher An smiled at his excited expression and waved, saying, "Goodbye, Song Yu."
"Goodbye, Teacher An!" Just as he was about to run away, clutching his backpack straps, his clothes and hat were grabbed.
Zhang Xiaoda said, "Song Yu, are you trying to sneak away? I told you to come to my house to play today!"
Song Yu looked a little embarrassed; he had genuinely forgotten his promise to Zhang Xiaoda when he saw his mother.
While playing shuttlecock on the playground in the afternoon, Zhang Xiaoda said that his family had a colorful shuttlecock made by his grandmother, who had dyed some of the rooster's tail feathers red with ink, and that it was very beautiful.
Zhang Xiaoda warmly invited Song Yu to his house to play shuttlecock, and Song Yu agreed.
But Song Yu never expected that his mother would come to pick him up from school today. Since his mother was here, he definitely couldn't go with the other children.
Song Yu said earnestly, "Tomorrow, look, my mother is there!"
As he spoke, his tone became excited.
Upon seeing this, Zhang Xiaoda's eyes seemed to light up, and he actually ran towards Song Xinran before Song Yu could.
Song Yu was stunned for a second by his agile movements, then quickly chased after him. Did Zhang Xiaoda want to steal his mother?
"Aunt Song," Zhang Xiaoda said as he ran up to Song Xinran, "when will you make braised beef again so Song Yu can bring it to class?"
He played a little trick: "Song Yu told me that he really wanted to eat it because he hadn't had it in a long time."
Hearing this, Song Xinran couldn't help but laugh. She knew exactly what the child meant. She bent down slightly, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and said, "Then let's make it this weekend. Song Yu can invite you all over to our house for dinner, okay?"
Zhang Xiaoda's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected to be so lucky; he had gotten the chance to go to Song Yu's house with just one sentence. He quickly nodded, "Okay, okay, thank you, Aunt Song. I love braised beef the most!"
Song Xinran chuckled.
Song Yu stood to the side, puffing out his cheeks, looking a little unhappy. He remembered that he hadn't told Zhang Xiaoda that he wanted to eat braised beef, even though he really liked it.
Song Xinran quietly took his hand and waved, "Say goodbye to Xiao Yu and Xiao Da, we're going home."
Zhang Xiaoda was particularly understanding at this moment, and said like a little adult, "Song Yu, you go back with your mother, and come to my house to play shuttlecock again tomorrow."
On the way home, Song Yu immediately complained to Song Xinran: "Mom, I thought about it for a long time, and I didn't tell Zhang Xiaoda that I wanted to eat braised beef."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Okay, but I think it's been a while since Xiao Yu's good friends have come to visit. It's always Xiao Yu who goes to their house. Let's invite them over this weekend too."
Song Yu nodded and agreed.
He was very happy and even bounced around a bit as he walked: "Mom came to pick me up today."
The parents of the other children in the class all came back to pick up their children, but Song Yu was used to going home by himself. He knew his mother was busy and he wouldn't be unhappy, but if his mother came, he would be twice as happy.
Song Xinran said, "Mom has prepared dinner at home, and we're just waiting for Xiaoyu to come home so we can eat."
The moment the topic of food came up, Song Yu became excited and asked, "What should we eat?"
"There's scallion crucian carp, Mapo tofu, and crucian carp and tofu soup. Xiao Yu, eat slowly so you don't get a fish bone stuck in your throat."
Song Yu nodded: "I will be very careful. When we ate crucian carp at my aunt's house before, only my little brother Xiao Yang got choked. I've never had one!"
As he spoke, he even imitated the motion of someone choking on a fishbone, bending over and coughing, mimicking the action perfectly.
Song Xinran chuckled: "Not only are there vegetables, but there are also strawberries."
"Strawberry?" Song Yu was surprised. "Is it the kind of strawberry in the picture book? Is it the strawberry from the strawberry eraser that Zhu Guo gave me?"
Although he already knew the shape, color, and appearance of strawberries, he had never actually handled one. Now that he heard there were some at home, he was extremely curious.
Song Xinran nodded.
Song Yu ran off, her voice filled with joy: "Mom, I want to hurry home to see the strawberries!"
They looked so excited, as if they had found some hidden treasure at home.
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