Chapter 223: Make Snowflake Crisps for Her
Yun Tangyin was sitting by the bed, mending Nian'an's jacket. When she heard Song Yushuang's words, she couldn't help but look up and smile, "Your tiger puppet is getting more and more lively. I'm afraid Nian'an will be respectful to it when he sees it."
Song Yushuang put down her needlework and held the puppet up to the light. "That's how it should be, so it can hold its composure. Look at that 'king' character. It takes a few more stitches to make it solid."
She pinched the red thread with her fingertips and added a few stitches on the forehead of the doll to make the words look more eye-catching.
The aroma of wheat wafted from the kitchen. Jiang Jianhua was preheating the iron pan to prepare the ingredients for making snowflake crisps tomorrow.
She cut the dried mulberries into small pieces and cracked the walnuts, peeling out the plump kernels. "These mulberries need to air-dry again, otherwise they'll be too humid and the snowflake crisps will stick together."
Song Yushuang walked into the kitchen, picked up a mulberry and tasted it: "The sweetness is just right, no need to add sugar."
Jiang Jianhua smiled and nodded: "I think so too, the original flavor is healthier."
At night, Nian'an turned over, muttering "tiger, tiger", and his little hands were still groping on the pillow.
Song Yushuang quickly stuffed the tiger doll into his arms, and the little guy immediately hugged it tightly, with a satisfied smile on his face.
Yun Tangyin watched this scene and said softly, "This doll has become his amulet. He can't sleep well without it."
Song Yushuang tucked the corner of the quilt: "The child is young, and he will feel at ease if he has something to think about. When he grows up, he will know that this is all grandma's love."
The next morning, Fu Yucheng rushed to the town with his money bag. When he passed by Aunt Zhang's house, Aunt Zhang was walking out with a basket filled with freshly picked beans.
"Yucheng, are you going to town?" Aunt Zhang asked with a smile, "Please bring me two kilograms of coarse salt. We're running out of salt at home."
Fu Yucheng replied, "No problem, Aunt Zhang. Your beans are really fresh. Did you grow them yourself?"
Aunt Zhang nodded. "Yes, I picked them right from the garden. I'll send some to you later. They're so tender when fried."
Fu Yucheng bought everything at the grocery store in town, including brown sugar, granulated sugar, sesame seeds, and even picked out some plump walnuts.
The boss smiled and said, "Fu bought so many good things today. Is there something happy happening at home?"
Fu Yucheng smiled and replied, "Make some food for the child. The little guy is very greedy."
He paid the money and walked back with the heavy bag on his back, thinking about how happy Nian An would be when she ate the snowflake crisps.
When he got home, the courtyard was already bustling with activity. Aunt Zhang had brought some beans, and she and Song Yushuang were sitting under the eaves, picking vegetables.
Jiang Jianhua was busy in the kitchen, with various ingredients for making snowflake crisps on the chopping board.
Nian An and Xiao Lan were playing with bamboo dragonflies in the yard, their laughter as clear as wind chimes.
Fu Yucheng put the bag on the stone table and said, "I've bought everything." Jiang Jianhua poked his head out of the kitchen and said, "Great, I'll start cooking now."
Fu Yucheng poured the sesame seeds into a winnowing basket, sat on the doorstep and sifted them carefully, picking out all the small stones in it.
After Song Yushuang finished picking the vegetables, she came over to help: "These sesame seeds need to be washed clean and dried to make them fragrant."
She brought some clean water, poured the sesame seeds into the basin, and stirred it gently with her hands. Immediately, a layer of fine impurities floated on the surface of the water.
"You have to wash it several times," Song Yushuang said, "otherwise it will taste terrible."
Jiang Jianhua put the butter into the pot to melt, then added granulated sugar and simmered it over low heat until the sugar was completely melted and emitted a sweet aroma.
She poured in the chopped mulberries and walnuts and stir-fried them evenly, then added the broken biscuits and mixed them quickly. Finally, she sprinkled with sesame seeds and poured it into a wooden plate lined with greaseproof paper and flattened it.
"Once it's completely cool, you can cut it into pieces," Jiang Jianhua wiped the sweat from his forehead. "It looks delicious."
Nian'an and Xiaolan lay at the door of the kitchen, staring at the snowflake crisps in the pot, sniffing with their little noses.
"We have to wait a little longer," Jiang Jianhua said with a smile, "it will become crispy only when it is completely cool."
Nian An stretched out her hand, trying to reach for the wooden tray, but Fu Yucheng gently pulled her back: "Don't worry, I'll pack a small bag for you and Xiaolan when it's done."
In the afternoon, the snowflake crisps were finally ready.
Jiang Jianhua cut it into neat small cubes and put them into a clean paper bag.
The golden crispy pieces are dotted with purple mulberries and black sesame seeds, which looks tempting.
"Try it," Jiang Jianhua handed a piece to Song Yushuang, "and see how sweet it is."
Song Yushuang took a bite. It was crispy and sweet with a hint of mulberry sourness. It was so delicious that she squinted her eyes. "It's so delicious, Jianhua. Your cooking skills are amazing."
Fu Yucheng also picked up a piece and tasted it, nodding his head in praise: "It's better than the ones sold in the snack shops in town. I'll send some to Zhou Desheng's family and Aunt Zhang's family later so they can try it too."
Jiang Jianhua quickly packed two small bags and said, "I'll go deliver it right away and bring Aunt Zhang's coarse salt with me."
Nian An took her own small paper bag, carefully took out a piece and put it in her mouth. Her eyes immediately lit up, and she picked up another piece and handed it to Xiaolan beside her: "Sister Lan, eat it."
Xiaolan took it, took a bite, and nodded in delight, "It's delicious! Even better than the sugar cakes my mom makes."
In the evening, Fu Yuanshan came back from the field with a bunch of fresh grapes in his hand, which he found in the back mountain.
"These grapes are ripe and very sweet," Fu Yuanshan placed the grapes on the stone table, "give them to Nian'an as a snack."
Nian An ran over, picked up a grape and stuffed it into his mouth. The sweet and sour juice burst in his mouth. He smiled and said, "Sweet, sweet."
At dinner time, the kitchen was filled with the aroma of stir-fried beans and meat, and a pot of fragrant rice.
Nian An sat on a small stool, eating with a spoon, occasionally picking up some beans with chopsticks, and her little face turned red from eating.
Fu Yucheng picked up a piece of meat and gave it to Yun Tangyin: "Eat more, the meat is well stewed and easy to digest."
Yun Tangyin smiled and said, "You should eat more too. You've been busy working in the fields all day."
After dinner, the family sat in the yard to enjoy the cool air.
Fu Yuanshan took out the bamboo fan he had woven during the day and fanned Nian An.
Song Yushuang leaned back in the rocking chair, humming a familiar old tune.
Jiang Jianhua was mending Nian'an's clothes under the lamp.
The moonlight sprinkled in the yard, giving everything a gentle halo, and the locust leaves rustled, as if telling the story of this ordinary and happy day.
Nian An lay in Song Yu's arms, holding a piece of snowflake crisp in his hand, chewing it slowly, his eyes gradually narrowing.
Song Yushuang patted his back gently, and the tone of her words became softer and softer.
Fu Yucheng and Fu Yuanshan sat on a stone bench, chatting about the crops in the fields and their plans for the coming year. Their voices were low, but full of hope.
The days in the locust tree courtyard are like the snowflake crisps made by Jiang Jianhua, sweet but not greasy, and full of love.
Every ordinary moment is filled with warmth and happiness, flowing quietly in the long river of time, exuding a faint sweetness.
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