Chapter 22: Feeling sorry for me losing my baby?
Sang Zhixia raised an eyebrow: "Just open it and take a look, and you'll know."
She found the medicine bottles she had hidden with her and placed them on the only board in the shed that could hold anything. She said, "The herbs I found aren't very effective. I'll just use them as a daily compress to fool you. I also bought you two bottles of medicine. You'll use these from now on."
After saying this, Xu Yu did not respond.
She turned her head curiously, and met Xu Yu's inexplicably red eyes.
The hand holding the jade button trembled silently. After taking a deep breath repeatedly, he said in a hoarse voice: "This thing, how could you..."
"You've got to keep it well this time."
Sang Zhixia raised her index finger to her lips and hushed, then lowered her voice and whispered, "I redeemed it for you quietly, and the old lady didn't even know."
"Also, don't tell your mother-in-law about it, so she doesn't reveal it to others."
It’s not that she is wary of Xu Wenxiu, but mainly because she is not someone who can hide things.
When they were tidying up the vegetable garden together yesterday, Xu Wenxiu sighed in worry when she thought of the jade button that Xu Yu had sold.
Sang Zhixia's ears were filled with the constant talk about this thing, and since she happened to be going out today, she simply brought it back.
Xu Yu's throat slid up and down violently, and after a long while he said, "Actually, it's not necessary."
He had no regrets when he sold it.
Now it feels hot when I hold it.
After hearing this, Sang Zhixia said, "Since it's something you always keep with you, it should be in your hands."
"Anyway, I got the things back for you. Keep them safe. If someone finds out and something goes wrong, I won't have the extra money to redeem them for you."
The small pendant, about two fingers wide, is quite expensive.
She had to pay an additional ten taels of silver before the pawnshop owner agreed to pay. If she did it again, she would be left with no money.
Xu Yu could hear her distress and found it a little funny. He relaxed his posture, leaned against the board and said, "Are you distressed?"
"What else?"
Sang Zhixia said exaggeratedly: "You don't know how difficult it is for me to hide something!"
Although she did hide a lot, they were all hers, and no one else was allowed to touch them!
Xu Yu was amused by the lingering fear on her face. He stared at her straightly, raised his long eyebrows, and indulged in a bit of romance for no reason.
"Are you worried about your private money, or about me losing my treasure?"
This may seem insignificant at first, but upon closer inspection, it seems to be completely off-base.
In his previous life, Sang Zhixia was a poor man who only wanted to make money to fill his stomach. He had no interest in romance and did not care about love between men and women.
I haven't figured it out yet, and I feel like something is not right.
But I can't figure out why.
Just as their eyes met and the atmosphere was silent, Aunt Xu's surprised voice suddenly rang out from outside: "What time is it now? Where is the person who promised to cook?"
"If you don't turn on the stove, it will heat up on its own. Is your whole family going to starve while you're being lazy?"
Sang Zhixia, who was called upon, shuddered inexplicably. She rolled her eyes at Xu Yu and said unhappily, "Why are you talking so much? You're delaying my cooking."
She said and strode out.
Xu Yu sat there stroking the jade button that he had lost and found again in his palm, closed his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of scorching hot air.
He packed up and walked out. Sang Zhixia was busy with the meat in the wooden basin.
It was too much trouble to go to town, so I just bought ten kilograms of meat at a time.
Xu Wenxiu wanted to help, but looking at the pile of red and white raw meat, she really didn't know where to start.
"Xia Xia, how are you going to do this?"
Sang Zhixia picked up the knife and cut the meat into small pieces with alternating fat and lean parts. Without looking up, he said, "Second Uncle and the others haven't come back yet. I'll simmer the meat first so they can eat it hot when they come back."
Aunt Xu, who was originally dissatisfied with Xu Yu's return first, relaxed a lot after hearing this.
Second Aunt Xu couldn't help but ask, "Xu Yu, what on earth delayed your second uncle and the others? When will they be back?"
Xu Yu said lazily, "Something must have delayed them. I don't know. We'll know when they come back."
He rolled up his sleeves and said in a good mood, "Zhizhi, what should I do?"
The labor force that comes forward voluntarily will not be wasted.
Sang Zhixia pointed at the red-hot stove and said, "Please help me roast the pig skin. There are still some hairy stubble on it."
If the hair stubble cannot be removed by hot water, it can be burned clean by rolling it in charcoal, and the burned pig skin tastes better.
This was the first time Xu Yu did this job, and his movements were clumsy but his expression was extremely serious.
The red-hot charcoal made the pig skin crackle, and the pinkish white pig skin was burned black. Use a brush to scrub off the black surface, revealing the golden pig skin.
Sang Zhixia cut the meat into slices of even thickness, scooped them up and put them all into the boiling hot iron pot.
The oil was crackling and a strong aroma of meat slowly spread from the stove.
Xu Mingyang couldn't help but peek out from the house.
Three-year-old Xu Mingxu was more direct. He stared at the steaming iron pot with his eyes sparkling and the corners of his mouth sparkling.
“Meat!”
I can eat meat now!
Adults can still bear not seeing meat at home for a while, but it is extremely difficult for greedy children.
Sang Zhixia held back her laughter and stuffed a small bowl into his hand. In the bowl were two pieces of freshly fried meat.
"Xiao Mingxu, can you help me taste it and see if it's delicious?"
As soon as Xu Mingxu took the small bowl with both hands, Aunt Xu raised her eyebrows in dissatisfaction.
“You…”
"Mingyang, Yanran, come here too."
Sang Zhixia interrupted her before she could continue the conversation, saying with a smile, "Children are greedy, so having a couple of bites first is nothing, don't you think?"
If she only gave it to Xu Mingxu, someone would definitely cause trouble.
But if all the children who can be taken care of eat it, it doesn’t seem to be a big deal.
Second Aunt Xu was forced to swallow back the words that were on the tip of her tongue. Sang Zhixia also distributed the same piece of meat to each child who came to her. Xu Jinxi, who was nestled in Xu Wenxiu's arms, also got a small piece.
The children were eating the meat in their hands with joy in their eyes. When the old man who was taking a rest in the yard saw this, his eyes gradually softened.
It is good to be able to show partiality and still be fair.
The child was busy chewing the favorite in his hand, and Sang Zhixia didn't stop moving his hands either.
After the meat slices are cooked for a while, most of the oil will be released. The lard scooped out is collected in a jar and can be used for cooking.
She also took out most of the remaining slices of meat and soaked them all in a jar full of lard.
Aunt Xu was wiping Xu Yanran's mouth. Seeing this, she asked curiously, "What are you soaking in it for?"
Sang Zhixia lowered her head and picked through the vegetables in the basket. Without looking up, she said, "If you can't finish it all at once, soak it in oil so it won't go bad. When you cook, you can scoop it out directly from the jar without delay."
This is a great way to extend shelf life when there is no refrigerator.
Aunt Xu will be the one to cook tomorrow. After hearing this, she looked thoughtful and watched Sang Zhixia cooking by the stove.
Sang Zhixia noticed her intention and didn't hide it. She said openly: "When it's inconvenient to cook with a lot of people, you can make stew."
"When the oil is hot, put the meat in. Stir-fry the washed vegetables for a while, add water to cover everything in the pot, and sprinkle some salt to test the saltiness."
Meat stew, simple and easy.
Aunt Xu seemed to understand. When Sang Zhixia lifted the lid of the pot on the other stove and smelled the fragrant rice, she suppressed her uneasiness and said, "What about the water for cooking rice? How do I add it?"
"Fingers."
Sang Zhixia extended her index finger, pointing to the second knuckle, and said, "Put your fingertip on the rice. The water should be added to this level, which is just right."
Aunt Xu secretly took note of this and took Xu Yanran away.
Xu Yu squatted by the stove watching the fire, and after listening, he tentatively touched his index finger.
Are you here yet?
"Xu Yu?"
"Um?"
He was suddenly brought back to his senses by Sang Zhixia's voice and subconsciously looked up.
Sang Zhixia was a little amused: "What are you thinking about? Why are you so obsessed?"
Xu Yu laughed and shook his head: "Nothing, what's wrong?"
"There are still some potatoes from yesterday. Please help me find them."
The stew is also delicious with some potatoes.
Xu Yu got up and left. Xu Wenxiu saw him naturally pick up a knife to peel the potatoes, and she looked inexplicably uncomfortable.
The work on the stove should be done by women. Why would Xu Yu, a grown man, be willing to follow his wife to the stove?
Xu Minghui and Xu Mingyang from the second house are far apart. How can this go on?
She was just wondering whether to ask Xu Mingxu to call Xu Yu away when Second Aunt Xu, who had been peeking out of the door, suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Second Master, what's wrong with you?"
"How did it become like this?"
Her cry attracted everyone's attention, and Xu Yu, who was peeling the fruit, silently raised the corners of his lips.
Uncle Xu walked in with a staggering gait and a dark face. Seeing Xu Yu, who had already changed his clothes, he was so angry that he gritted his teeth.
Xu Yu, as if he had just seen him, placed the plump, peeled potatoes into the basin and said with a smile, "Second Uncle, Third Uncle, you're back."
Uncle Xu walked in trembling like a zombie, his face pale and a wry smile on his face: "Yes."
"Finally I'm back..."
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