Two hours later, the three of them gathered in a small courtyard in town.
Yang Zinuo looked unwilling, like a black slave being forced to work.
"Old Gu, you're really unfair! Why do you have to sacrifice my rest time when you're chasing after girls?"
Shen Jingyan was parking her tricycle when she heard the second half of Yang Zinuo's sentence.
"Comrade Yang, I won't let you work for nothing. You and Comrade Gu will each get a 5% cut."
As she spoke, she pulled a thick stack of bills from her pocket.
"Here is 30 yuan and 40 cents, 15 yuan and 20 cents each. I have counted it all out, take it."
Yang Zinuo swallowed hard when he saw such a thick stack of money.
He came from the capital city. His parents were both factory workers. Although they were not extremely wealthy, they were not short of money either.
However, he didn't have the ability to earn more than 300 yuan in one go.
No wonder Old Gu has his eye on her, she's so good at making money!
Gu Zhiyun pushed away Shen Jingyan's hand and said, "Jingya, we don't want your money. We're asking for money for such a small favor. What do you take us for?"
"So I'm just free labor, huh?" Yang Zinuo muttered.
Gu Zhiyun's refusal to accept Shen Jingyan's money made her feel a little embarrassed.
But if we look at it another way, if Gu Zhiyun doesn't want money, doesn't that mean he doesn't treat her like an outsider?
She was actually quite happy.
"How about I treat you to dinner?"
Yang Zinuo's foodie spirit kicked in, and she excitedly rubbed her hands together, saying, "I'm fine with eating, but I want your cooking! Like that chicken and potato dish..."
Calmly and smilingly nodded: "Okay, I'll cook. I'll make whatever you want to eat."
"That's great!" Yang Zinuo smacked her lips impatiently. "Do you know how to make braised pork knuckle, the kind that falls off the bone when you pick it up? I love pork knuckle skin the most!"
Gu Zhiyun nudged Yang Zinuo with his elbow, looking displeased.
"You haven't even started the work yet, and you're already thinking about eating?"
Shen Jingyan chuckled to herself. This Yang Zinuo was really honest. He was willing to do his best after being invited to a meal.
Without further ado, Shen Jingyan first demonstrated the process of making Yuanxiao (sweet rice balls) to the two of them, explaining each step and precaution very clearly.
The steps are very simple. The first step is to spread the glutinous rice evenly in a winnowing basket and sprinkle hot water on it. Once the surface of the glutinous rice is moistened, it will become sticky. The second step is to sprinkle the filling of the glutinous rice on the rice. The third step is to shake the winnowing basket clockwise so that the filling slowly coats the glutinous rice, like rolling a snowball. Once it reaches the size of a longan, it is done.
Gu Zhiyun has excellent hands-on skills; he learned it after watching it only once.
Under Shen Jingyan's guidance, he rolled out the first batch of glutinous rice balls. Each one was the same size, like a sphere drawn with a compass, neatly arranged, a pleasing sight to behold.
Although Yang Zinuo is tall and strong and his mind is full of food, he is also quite capable. After practicing three or four times, he can roll out glutinous rice balls of about the same size.
The three of them chatted and laughed all afternoon, and finally, at eight o'clock in the evening, they had made eight hundred catties of glutinous rice balls.
Eight flavors, each flavor weighing 100 jin.
Finally, there were a few pounds of glutinous rice and filling left. Shen Jingyan made a few more pounds of Yuanxiao (sweet rice balls) and prepared to take them back to the forest farm to share some with Old Xu and his wife, some with the educated youth in the forest farm, and some with Shen Honggang.
"I'm starving, I'm starving! Jingya, do you have anything to eat here?"
There is no ready-made food available unless you redeem it in the space shop using points.
However, Shen Jingyan cannot conjure food out of thin air, otherwise the two men will treat her like a "fairy godmother".
However, she often makes glutinous rice balls in this courtyard these days, staying there for a whole day at a time, and occasionally cooks a meal here, so there are quite a few ingredients left over.
"Can I make you a bowl of noodles?" Shen Jingyan asked.
Yang Zinuo rubbed his empty stomach: "What about the promised potato and chicken nuggets and braised pork knuckle?"
Gu Zhiyun nudged him with his elbow again: "Do you think Jingya is a state-run restaurant, where she can order whatever she wants?"
Shen Jingyan took off her apron, shook off the glutinous rice crumbs, and said with a smile, "Let's go back to the forest farm tomorrow at noon. You can all come to my dormitory, and I'll cook a table full of dishes for you."
Yang Zinuo readily agreed, "Great, great, great!"
Gu Zhiyun pondered for a moment and said, "Jingya, invite your uncle and Anzi too. Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival, and the whole family should have a reunion dinner together."
Shen Jingyan nodded, feeling a warmth in her heart at Gu Zhiyun's thoughtful consideration.
If she only invited two grown men, Gu Zhiyun and Yang Zinuo, to the dormitory for dinner, it would inevitably attract gossip, since they were all teenagers and young men in their early twenties, and it would be easy for them to be labeled as having "improper conduct".
But if an elder like Shen Honggang and a child like Anzi were present, no one would gossip.
Chen Jingyan sighed, noting that Gu Zhiyun was not only handsome, but also exceptionally kind and considerate towards her, truly a perfect partner.
Object?
Her heart skipped a beat, and she covered her flushed face as she ran to cook noodles.
What on earth is she thinking about?
How could Gu Zhiyun possibly become her boyfriend!
Just as she was adding water to the pot, Gu Zhiyun walked into the kitchen, sat down by the stove, and lit the firewood.
His movements were as natural as if he were cooking for Shen Jingyan every day.
The aroma of pickled cabbage and shredded pork noodles quickly filled the entire kitchen. Amidst the swirling smoke, Gu Zhiyun looked up and asked earnestly:
"Jingya, can I ask for a different reward?"
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