"Auntie, don't you have bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise, or Sichuan peppercorns?"
Deng Fangping felt as if Zhou Jian'an had died, her heart aching as she stared at the wine bottle that was missing a centimeter of liquor. She mustered her strength and said:
“No,” Deng Fangping said, taking the leaves off the wall. “The villagers in our Shanguan Village all use this as a seasoning. I don’t know its scientific name, but it can remove fishy smells and enhance flavor.”
Chu Yu grabbed a handful and put them in, boiled them for over an hour, then cut them into sections and stir-fried them in oil.
When the oil was poured in, there was a sizzling sound in the pan, and Deng Fangping almost had a heart attack. She refused to let her do as she pleased.
If this continues, we won't make any money, but we'll squander our entire fortune!
Chu Yu smiled. In her memory, Xiao Jiang went swimming in the river with someone and caught two fish. When he got home, his second aunt scolded him for bringing these things back. She said that fish bones are troublesome to deal with and that it would take a lot of oil to fry them. Fish are free, but oil is precious. People who can't afford to eat rice are reluctant to spend money on oil. It's normal for his aunt to be worried about the oil.
Xiao Jiang and Chu Chu were playing on the mountain, munching on night-shining sand, when they reached their doorstep and smelled a strange fragrance from afar.
"My uncle's family is eating meat again!" Xiao Jiang said dejectedly.
Yunyun, with her sharp nose, exclaimed, "Why does it smell like it's coming from our kitchen?"
Xiao Jiang took off running home.
Chu Xiang knew her sister was back when she saw the bicycle. Her mother and Chu Chu were not home, and she was staying at her uncle's house alone during the day, which made her feel uneasy. Seeing her sister made her happy.
"sister."
"You're back? Wash your hands and eat."
Chu Yu spread out the five sacks of luminous sand they had shoveled back to dry. Country folk eat two meals a day, and it was only a little past four o'clock. The sun was high in the sky, and the sand would be dry by tomorrow morning.
Chu Xiang's eyes lit up when she saw the stir-fried pork intestines and white rice on the table. Her uncle's family's food was really not very oily, and she was always hungry. Pork intestines were not as tasty as pork, but at least they had some oil. Besides, the stir-fried pork intestines were glistening with oil and looked very flavorful. They were incredibly fragrant when mixed with white rice.
Chu Xiang went to get bowls and chopsticks to serve rice, while Yunyun took Xiao Jiang to wash his hands. The family finally had a full meal.
The Shu family next door also smelled the aroma.
Shu Jiandang put down his chopsticks, frowned, and said, "Why do I smell pig intestines? Could it be that the second brother's family ate them?"
"He's so poor, yet he still tries to put on a show of wealth to support Shu Hui and her four daughters. Do you think he has the money to eat pig intestines?" Sister-in-law Shu said with a face full of disdain.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
