Chapter 202 Chicken Thighs to Avoid the Summer Heat
Today was not a day off, and at noon, Su Yanli, Su Dalang and Sanlang were not at home, so Cheng Yingzhen did not sit at the table. It appeared that she wanted Xiao Silang to entertain the guests, but in reality it was Su Ruojin and Su Xiaomei who accompanied the two noble gentlemen for dinner.
Zhao Lan, who always keeps silent while eating, ate his favorite lotus leaf glutinous rice elegantly, accompanied by a bite of steamed pork ribs with rice flour. The rice was fragrant and glutinous, and the pork ribs were tender and juicy. Ajin's cooking skills were still so good, and it was delicious.
There were no adults at the table, but Fan Yanjia didn't follow the rule of not talking while eating. While tearing the lotus leaf chicken with his hands, he talked to Su Ruojin, "Ajin, besides the lotus leaf delicacies, are there any other delicacies suitable for eating now?"
The adults were not around, and Su Ruojin ate while taking care of the two little ones. She did not follow any table manners. The younger brother and sister were gnawing on the chicken wings. Why didn't they gnaw on the chicken legs? Because a chicken has only two legs, she shared them with the two guests, Zhao and Fan.
The brother and sister could only gnaw on the chicken wings, but the chicken wings tasted just as good as the chicken thighs, and they enjoyed eating them very much.
Shuangrui was stunned by what he saw. If he were somewhere else, his master, who could even pick bones out of eggs, would definitely not tolerate someone picking bones and gnawing on meat. But as long as he was in the Su family, he would not dislike anything.
It turns out that the young master's indifference and harshness vary from person to person. Shuangrui shook his head secretly. At a round table, people were either eating elegantly or gnawing on bones. Only Su Erniang would take care of her younger brother on the left from time to time, rolling up his sleeves, or wiping the oil stains off her younger sister on the right's cheek. She was a gentle and bright head of the family sister.
While Shuangrui was sighing about the Su family, he looked at his young master, always paying attention to what he had eaten and whether he needed more food. He glanced at the small plate and found that the chicken leg that Mrs. Su had picked up for him was still on the small plate. Didn't she like it?
Shuangrui wanted to step forward to remind him, but when he saw his little master eating piece after piece of steamed pork ribs with rice flour, he gave up the idea and continued to be invisible quietly.
Su Xiaomei is six years old this year, just the age of a glutinous rice dumpling, with a chubby oval face. Just like Su Ruojin in the past, she is fair and tender, and very lovable.
The chubby little hands were gnawing on the chicken wings while glancing at the chicken thigh next to Zhao Lan from time to time. When their eyes met Zhao Lan's, her little mouth opened up in a very adorable smile, and the meaning was self-evident.
But the older brother, who was three times older and one year older, seemed not to understand the younger lady's wishes.
Su Xiaomei didn't give up. After finishing her chicken wings, she asked with a smile, "Brother Zhao, don't you like chicken thighs?" Her big eyes blinked as if to say, if you don't like it, just give it to me.
Zhao Lan glanced at the cute little girl, reached out and picked up a piece of steamed pork ribs with rice flour and placed it in front of her.
Su Xiaomei's eyes still moved to the chicken leg.
Zhao Lan smiled and said gently, "This is delicious too."
(*@ο@*)Wow~
Brother Zhao is good-looking, looks even better when he smiles, and speaks sweetly. Six-year-old Su Xiaomei was also fascinated by the handsome boy. She reached out to take the steamed pork ribs in a daze and took a bite: "Brother Zhao's is really delicious."
Su Ruojin: ...
Prince Zhao is so handsome that he even eats children. His killing power is really amazing. Sister Su is shaking her head while eating and is extremely happy.
Su Ruojin looked at the chicken leg and reminded with a smile: "Little Prince, if it gets cold, the meat will become tough. Eat it while it's hot so that it's tender."
Zhao Lan lowered his eyes and reached out to pick up the chicken thigh.
Seeing that he finally picked up his chopsticks, Su Ruojin stopped paying attention to him. Just as she was about to wipe the oil off Lala's hands with a towel, a chicken thigh was placed in front of her, "Ajin, help me eat."
Su Ruojin: ...
Fan Yanjia, who was chewing a chicken thigh: …
Su Silang, who hadn’t finished eating the chicken wings yet: …
Su Xiaomei's mouth stopped at the bone, her eyes wide open, why did Brother Zhao give the chicken thigh to her sister? She turned to look at her sister, what was going on?
Zhao Lan glanced at his glutinous rice.
Su Ruojin, who was almost stunned, asked in confusion: "Young Prince, do you mean that you have eaten too much glutinous rice and can't eat chicken thighs?"
It’s fine if the young lady wants to understand it this way, Zhao Lan smiled and nodded.
Su Ruojin blinked, reached out to take it, and was about to give it to her younger sister.
Zhao Lan blocked it, "She's young, be careful of indigestion."
Everyone looked at the chubby Su Xiaomei, and then at the table where she was eating. Apart from a chicken wing bone, there was the spare ribs that the young prince had just given her.
Children may seem to be eating happily, but in fact they cannot eat much.
Will eating another chicken leg cause indigestion? Fan Yanjia and Su Silang looked at each other. Both families lived a well-off life and had no shortage of food, so it seemed that they would suffer from indigestion.
Hearing Zhao Lan's words, Su Ruojin stared at him with a surprised smile, thinking, Prince Zhao can take care of children? And he also knows about indigestion?
Only Su Xiaomei felt the most aggrieved, "Brother Zhao, I can still eat, I won't have indigestion."
"What if I don't look good if I eat too much?" Zhao Lan stared at the glutinous rice dumpling Su Xiaomei, who looked fat and ugly.
Su Xiaomei looked at herself, subconsciously touched her face, looked at her hands, and instantly drooped: "Dad told Mom that I'm a little fat, Brother Zhao, do I really look ugly?"
Zhao Lan smiled, "It will look better if you eat two more ribs."
Even babies love beauty.
Su Xiaomei immediately shouted, "Brother Zhao, I want to eat spare ribs." She wanted to look as pretty as Brother Zhao.
"Okay." Zhao Lan put the chicken leg into Su Ruojin's bowl, and then picked up a piece of pork ribs for Su Xiaomei.
What kind of logic? Su Ruojin was confused by Zhao Lan. She looked at the big and small one, then at the chicken leg in her bowl. What was going on?
Su Xiaomei ate the ribs with big mouthfuls and did not forget to look at Zhao Lan, as if to get his affirmation that she would look better if she ate the ribs.
Zhao Lan looked at the stunned Su Ruojin, smiled slightly, and reminded: "Eat it while it's hot!"
Huh? Is this what she just reminded me of?
The young lady looked at the chicken leg in confusion? Zhao Lan smiled and looked at the small pile of rib bones in the small plate beside him.
Su Ruojin was hesitating whether to eat the chicken leg. She followed Zhao Lan's gaze and decided not to eat the chicken leg. However, Zhao Lan finished most of the plate of steamed pork ribs in lotus leaf.
It turns out this guy likes spareribs! The spareribs are coated with spice powder and steamed, with the meat and bones connected. One bite is full of juice. Who doesn’t love such spareribs!
She grinned, "Thank you, little prince!"
Su Silang had been coveting the big chicken leg for a long time, and grinned, "Sister didn't even call me Brother Zhao, but she still got the chicken leg. I called Brother Zhao several times but still couldn't get any. Brother Zhao, you are biased."
Zhao Lan: ...What are you doing here, little brat?
Su Ruojin: ...Why do I feel guilty about eating a chicken leg?
Fan Yanjia: ...What's going on? Why did Zhao Lan give the chicken leg to the 13-year-old A Jin? Why is there no tradition of respecting the old and loving the young? Is it because you didn't participate in the imperial examination? Fortunately, I participated, so when I have a chicken leg, I will give it to the younger one. Seeing the chicken leg bone in front of him, Fan Yanjia almost flicked his tongue. Who chewed it?
There were people of all ages at the table, and except for the young master, all were stupid. Shuangrui looked up at the roof beams and said, "Madam Su Er, oh Madam Su Er, you only think about taking care of your younger siblings and don't eat yourself. My master feels sorry for you and specially left the chicken thigh for you. Did you feel it?"
Mao Ya came in and served lotus leaf tea, diverting the discussion at the table about the chicken thighs. After drinking the lotus leaf tea that relieved the greasiness, everyone started drinking again until they were full.
Help digestion after meals.
Now the Su family has two entrances and two exits, and the inner and outer courtyards are clearly divided.
Zhao Lan could no longer sit in the corridor and see Su Ruojin playing or busying herself. Even if she was sitting in a lounge chair in the corridor enjoying the breeze and looking at the scenery in the courtyard, it was no longer the same as it was a few years ago.
It was not until after a nap that Su Ruojin came out from the inner courtyard and prepared to go to the kitchen to cook dinner.
Zhao Lan stopped him and said, "I'll treat you tonight, let's go to Fuxi Restaurant." It was Zhao Lan's property.
So, in the evening, the Su family went to Zhao Lan's restaurant to save Su Ruojin from having to cook herself.
The weather was getting hotter and hotter, but there was little rain. The water level in the moat dropped sharply, and water supply became tight in Bianjing City.
After discussion, the Su family decided that except for Su Dalang who was studying and Su Yanli who was on duty, the rest of the Su family went to Dongshan outside the city.
On the one hand, it is a way to escape the summer heat, and on the other hand, the water sources outside the city are better than those inside the densely populated city, so there will be no water shortage.
Su Yanzu somehow heard that the Su family went to Dongshan to escape the summer heat, so he specially found Su Ruojin and asked her to look after Shangguan Yu.
"Uncle, are you kidding me? He's older than me, and you want me to take care of him?"
"I'm sorry, Ajin. The weather has been bad recently and his health is getting worse. I asked him to go to the city, but the environment in the city is not suitable for him to recuperate. The princess's affairs are complicated, so..."
Too many chores?
Su Ruojin looked at him thoughtfully. Could it be that the honeymoon period was over and things were finally returning to normal?
Su Yanzu's scalp tingled when his niece looked at him, and he sighed, "The imperial medicine that Ayu takes is not so easy to get."
"Oh~" Su Ruojin responded in a strange tone, "Okay, I understand."
"Thank you, Jin."
Su Ruojin waved her hand and said, "My father and elder brother are in the city, you can help take care of them."
Su Yanzu smiled bitterly: "I do think so."
Forget it, just pretend she didn’t say that.
Yang Si Niang came to find Su Ruojin, and knowing that she was going to escape the summer heat, she wanted to go with her too.
"Your mother needs to agree to this. If she doesn't agree, I won't dare to take you there."
Yang Si Niang hurried back to find her mother.
The water supply in the city was tight, and business was not doing well for most small businesses. Su Ji Breakfast’s business was also reduced by half.
"Dad, if the office is not busy, you can take a few days off and go to Dongshan."
Su Yanli nodded, "I know, you have to be careful outside the city and stay safe."
"Dad, don't worry, Uncle Hua Ping is in Dongshan."
With the young prince's people around, Su Yanli felt relieved. He sent his wife and children to the Dongshan courtyard and returned to the capital. Shu Tong stayed with him in the capital to take care of Su's business.
Yang Si Niang finally got involved with her mother and went out of the city with the Su family to escape the summer heat.
The two young ladies ate and slept together. Yang Si Niang was very excited. "Ah Jin, we are both thirteen years old. We will be engaged in the next two years. Once we are engaged, we will get married. We will never have such a chance to play together again."
Su Ruojin disagreed, "If you want to go out, just make an appointment, just like now, eat together and sleep together. Now we are best friends, and in the future it will be called stealing half a day of leisure. You have to give yourself a break in life."
If Ajin can think of it, he can do it.
"As long as you can call me out, I will go out with you." Yang Si Niang was happy but also a little sad.
"What's the matter?"
The two young ladies were lying on the couch by the window, looking outside through the gauze window. The moon was passing through the clouds, and the breeze blew through the gauze window and onto the young ladies' faces, which were so tender that water could be pinched out of them.
Yang Si Niang sighed, "My marriage is almost arranged."
"Whose family?" Su Ruojin sat up suddenly, "Is he your cousin from your maternal grandparents' family?"
Yang Si Niang nodded, "If nothing unexpected happens, but my aunt is a little disgusted that my father has been a supervisor for many years and has offended many people. It will not help my cousin's future. She doesn't agree."
Su Ruojin actually didn't agree with her cousin marrying her cousin, but the best condition Yang Si Niang had met so far was the cousin from the Zhengguo Mansion. Moreover, by marrying into the Zhengguo Mansion, she would belong to her maternal grandparents' family and would not need to enter an unfamiliar environment to adjust.
For a young lady in ancient times, getting married meant being reborn. If she married the wrong man, her life would almost be over. So she couldn't say something like her cousin would probably give birth to a deformed baby if she married her cousin.
She reached out and held her best friend's hand and asked, "So do you like your cousin?"
Yang Si Niang pouted and said, "I don't know either."
Su Ruojin was dissatisfied with her attitude towards marriage when she heard this. "If you like it, you like it. If you don't like it, you don't like it. You don't know what it means?"
Yang Si Niang lost her former liveliness and became dull. "My cousin didn't like me very much when I was a child."
But what Su Ruojin heard from her was that every time she went back to Zhengguo Mansion, she always called her cousin all the time, which means that Yang Si Niang liked her cousin.
In the past two years, when watching the lanterns during the Lantern Festival, she had seen the second son of the Zheng family. His appearance and temperament were definitely better than ordinary people, but he could not compare with Fan Yanjia and Zhao Lan. He was just average among the children of aristocratic families.
But Yang Si Niang and she were also ordinary ladies, and what they wanted was an ordinary life, so if they were in love, it would not be unreasonable for the woman to marry a slightly higher-class man.
Su Ruojin sighed, "Does your mother know that your cousin doesn't like you very much?"
Yang Si Niang nodded, "Mother said this is the best husband's family she has found for me so far. Even if I don't like them, they are cousins after all, so it can't be that bad."
She didn't know what to say, so she squeezed her hand and looked outside, "Look, the colorful clouds are chasing the moon."
Yang Si Niang didn't seem to want to let go of this topic. "Ah Jin, what about you? I heard that your family disagreed, and Lord Wen's family found another daughter of a sixth-rank official, whose official rank is higher than yours."
Su Ruojin reached out and patted her, "I don't even know where you got that information from."
Yang Si Niang chuckled, "I often go to the milk tea shop to help out and listen to what the wives of officials who drink milk tea say."
"I have no intention, so of course they will look for another one. Isn't that normal?"
"Alas!" Yang Si Niang sighed, "If my father hadn't offended so many people, perhaps there would be many people who came to my house to propose marriage!"
Because Lord Yang offended too many bureaucrats, the marriages of the Yang family's brothers and sisters seemed to be unsuccessful. Madam Yang married Yang Si Niang back to her parents' home, probably out of love for her daughter!
Before we knew it, they had all grown up!
Looking at the moonlight outside the window, Su Ruojin smiled helplessly. She was only thirteen years old and already she was talking about marriage.
The two young ladies chatted for an unknown amount of time before they fell asleep.
(End of this chapter)
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