Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Cooking Longevity Noodles Sometimes he actually felt...
Zhao Mingsheng smiled sweetly at his brother, trying to get away with it, but was ruthlessly exposed.
"Don't try to trick me with that excuse about dirty clothes. I don't believe it." Zhao Qingyue said with a cold face, looking difficult to coax. "Why did you change into men's clothes when you wanted to change clothes?"
Seeing that he couldn't get away with it, Zhao Mingsheng had to tell the man that he had been to Yanliu Pavilion.
"What? You know this is dangerous!?"
Zhao Qingyue's eyes widened after hearing this. Although he had never been to that kind of place, he knew that Yanliu Pavilion was a mixed crowd. Although she had sneaked in wearing men's clothes, if she was discovered, the consequences would be disastrous.
Zhao Mingsheng also knew that she was indeed a bit reckless today, so when Zhao Qingyue scolded her, she lowered her head and listened obediently.
Zhao Qingyue was a little angry at first, but when he saw his sister's pitiful appearance, he couldn't bear to say anything more.
"If something like this happens again in the future, you can tell me and I will help you!" He also knew that his sister wanted to help that person out of kindness, but she also had to protect her own safety first.
"Yes! I know I was wrong." Zhao Mingsheng quickly admitted his mistake.
In view of her good attitude, Zhao Qingyue finally let her go.
"Okay, I don't have anything to do this afternoon, so let's go home now."
"etc."
Zhao Mingsheng called him, "There is one thing left to do..."
The brother and sister came to the pharmacy.
Zhao Mingsheng handed the box of scar removal cream to Shopkeeper Yu and gave him some instructions.
The pharmacy is at its busiest right now, with people coming to buy medicine and ask for pills in an endless stream. There are even several wealthy families coming from other places.
Zhao Qingyue was amazed. He knew that his sister brought the medicinal herbs and pills from home to the pharmacy to sell, but when he saw it with his own eyes, he realized that his sister was so amazing. She earned more than him at such a young age. It seemed that he had to work harder.
After explaining everything, Zhao Mingsheng said before leaving, "In a few days, someone from Yanliu Pavilion should come to buy scar cream. Then you can give them this box of ointment."
She took out an ordinary porcelain bottle from her sleeve and opened it to find just ordinary moisturizer inside.
Manager Yu agreed readily.
Only then did Zhao Mingsheng feel relieved and went home with Zhao Qingyue.
When he returned home, Mrs. Meng was picking something in the courtyard. Zhao Mingsheng went over to take a look and saw some dried chrysanthemums, honeysuckle, licorice, cassia seeds, mulberry leaves, etc.
Meng sorted them and put them into earthenware jars.
Zhao Mingsheng helped to categorize them and asked, "Why did you suddenly want to share these?"
"The day after tomorrow is the hottest day of the year. These can be dried and made into cold tea." Meng pressed the mouth of the jar with a wooden cork and explained with a smile.
They have many customs here, picking fresh fruits is one, making herbal tea during the Great Heat is another. Between the Lesser Heat and the Greater Heat, there is also the Dog Days, and the herbal tea made there is called the Dog Days Tea.
Mrs. Meng had been feeling much better recently, so she started preparing the ingredients needed to make the Sanfu tea early.
"By the way, there will be a temple fair in Qingkang Town tomorrow to commemorate the dog days. You young people can go and have a look. Your father and I won't be going then."
In addition to making Sanfu tea, some places also hold some sacrificial temple fairs. It is cold in the 39th day of the coldest period and hot in the 39th day of the hottest period. Before the hottest weather arrives, they will pray to the gods for blessings, hoping that the weather this year will not be too hot and the drought will not last too long, so that the crops can grow well.
"Time flies so fast. The day after tomorrow is the hottest day of the year." Zhao Mingsheng said with some emotion. In her daze, she felt as if she had forgotten something.
At this time, Mrs. Meng picked up the jar containing cassia seeds and said, "I embroidered a pillow for Xiao Cui. Now all I need to do is put the cassia seeds in it and sew it shut. I can give it to him as a birthday present tomorrow."
Birthday gift?
Zhao Mingsheng slowly widened his eyes before he reacted.
"Oh right! Cui Ergou said before that his birthday is the day before the Great Heat. If mother hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten it because I was so busy these past few days..."
"Forgot what?"
At this time, Cui Ergou's voice suddenly came from behind.
"Nothing, why are you back so early today?"
Zhao Mingsheng reacted very quickly. He immediately pretended nothing had happened and smiled awkwardly. At the same time, he winked at his mother, telling her not to let Cui Ergou know that he almost forgot his birthday, otherwise he would start making a fuss again.
Cui Cen glanced at her suspiciously, wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "The weather has been too hot recently, so the school is dismissing students early so that they can go home and relax."
"Is that so?" Zhao Mingsheng asked eagerly, "Then what do you want to eat tonight?"
Cui Cen felt that Zhao Mingsheng was a little strange today, but he didn't say much.
"That's fine. I'll go wash up first." After saying that, he walked towards the backyard.
Seeing Cui Ergou leaving, Zhao Mingsheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she had fooled him. Otherwise, if Cui Ergou knew about it and made a fuss, she would not be able to bear it.
What should I give Cui Ergou on his birthday?
This is really a dilemma.
The next morning, just as the sky was getting light, Cui Cen was awakened by a knock on the door.
"Cui Ergou, are you awake?" Zhao Mingsheng's voice came from outside the door.
I wasn't awake at first, but now I was woken up by the call.
"...wake up." He said helplessly.
"Then wash up and come to the kitchen. I'll wait for you there."
In the kitchen early in the morning, the girl rolled up her sleeves, revealing two arms as white as lotus roots.
Normally, if Cui Cen saw this, he would definitely blush, but at the moment his mind was not here. He stared blankly at the kitchen around him.
Zhao Mingsheng scooped two bowls of flour into the dough bowl. Turning around, he saw Cui Ergou still standing there in a daze. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Why are you still standing there? Roll up your sleeves!"
If you ask what to eat on your birthday, longevity noodles must be it.
Zhao Mingsheng thought about it and decided that instead of making him a bowl of longevity noodles, it would be better to teach him how to make a bowl of longevity noodles.
It is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish.
Cui Cen didn't know what was going on in the little girl's head, but he didn't mind.
He had never cooked before and was quite curious at the moment.
How to make a delicious bowl of longevity noodles?
Under the guidance of Zhao Mingsheng, after some frantic work, the dough was finally kneaded, and Cui Cen's face turned into a calico cat.
Seeing Zhao Mingsheng laughing beside him, he was still confused.
Until I felt the flour on my face.
Cui Cen: ...My reputation is ruined!
The dough was rolled into thin strips, and then pulled into a long noodle by fingers. All this felt very novel to Cui Cen.
As he pulled the noodles, he asked, "Why did you suddenly think of teaching me how to make longevity noodles?"
"Since you can cook, I don't have to worry about you being hungry in the future. Even if you leave the Zhao family, you will still have something to eat, right?" Zhao Mingsheng was planning for his future.
"Are you going to kick me out?"
Zhao Mingsheng noticed that the tone of this sentence was not right. He turned around and saw the young man with his eyes lowered, his expression gloomy, and he was pulling his face with a wronged look.
"No, no, I'm not chasing you away." Zhao Mingsheng quickly comforted her in a soft voice.
During the time Cui Ergou stayed at the Zhao family, he had already integrated into the family and became like a part of this family. She also felt that it was good for Cui Ergou to stay at the Zhao family like this.
"But one day you will get married and have children!"
Cui Cen was slightly stunned. He had never thought about this.
Seeing his dull expression, Zhao Mingsheng thought he was worried about not having enough money to marry a wife.
Zhao Mingsheng patted his shoulder and said proudly, "Don't worry about not having money to marry. Starting this month, I will pay your school wages! You won't be a penniless pauper anymore!"
"How about twenty taels a month?" Zhao Mingsheng asked tentatively. Seeing that the boy didn't respond, he increased the amount a little, "Thirty taels! No more."
If she gets any more, the small treasury she has saved with great difficulty will be gone.
"I'm still young and there's no need to rush into marriage." Cui Cen argued with a red face. How could this little girl think so far ahead!
A man should first make achievements and then start a family, just like his uncle did.
Besides, his uncle is already 22 and still hasn't gotten married. Why should he be in such a hurry when he's only 16?
"Okay, okay, no rush."
The water in the big pot beside was bubbling, and Zhao Mingsheng quickly instructed Cui Cen to put the pulled noodles into the boiling water.
Zhao Mingsheng was really foresighted. Fortunately, he woke Cui Ergou up early, otherwise they might not be able to prepare breakfast on time.
By the time the longevity noodles were served, it was time for breakfast.
"Xiao Cui, this is a birthday gift for you." Meng took out the cassia seed pillow that she had prepared early in the morning. There was a simple cloud pattern embroidered on the pillow, which looked grand and beautiful.
Father Zhao took out a bottle of pills, which was his latest masterpiece.
"This pill can strengthen your bones and muscles. Although your leg injury has healed, you can't be careless. Taking this pill will also be beneficial to you when you are old."
"Brother Cui, didn't you say you really like Master Cen's calligraphy? I found this for you." Zhao Qingyue handed over a book and said with a smile, "I wish Brother Cui a bright future."
Most of the gifts Cui Cen had received in the past were more valuable than the ones before him. But in his heart, these were far more precious than those gifts, and he cherished them even more.
Because every gift is filled with deep thoughts.
“Thank you…thank you everyone!”
Cui Cen was so moved that he was speechless for a moment. He didn't know what to say except thank you.
"Alright, alright, let's eat. This is the longevity noodles Cui Ergou made himself. It won't taste good if it clumps together!"
Zhao Mingsheng greeted everyone.
When they heard that this was made by Cui Cen himself, everyone showed a surprised expression.
"Then we must try it."
It was just a simple bowl of longevity noodles, but everyone was satisfied.
Cui Cen had eaten a lot of longevity noodles before, but this time was the most profound one for him.
He looked at the distinct longevity noodles in the bowl, and suddenly remembered that on his birthday in the past, his grandmother would ask the kitchen to prepare a bowl of longevity noodles for him.
Recalling that kind face, Cui Cen suddenly felt uncomfortable.
He knew that the news of his disappearance and murder must have been reported back to the Dingguo Marquis Mansion long ago, and his grandmother must be very worried about it, but he didn't know how to face everything in the Marquis Mansion, especially how to go back and face the person in the Marquis Mansion.
Sometimes he even thought it would be nice to stay in a small village for the rest of his life and be a teacher...
"Hurry up and eat, Xiao Cui. After you finish eating, think about what delicious food you want to eat in the evening. Aunt Zhao will make it for you."
Meng's voice brought Cui Cen back to his senses. He hurriedly responded, picked up the bowl, and drank the soup and noodles without leaving a drop, which warmed his internal organs.
Time flies and it is the day of Great Heat.
Mrs. Meng prepared the dog days tea early in the morning. After drinking a cup of refreshing cold tea, the heat of the day was greatly reduced.
Because there was a temple fair in the town, the school also had an extra day off.
It was a rare opportunity for everyone to rest, so Mrs. Meng and Mr. Zhao urged the children to go for a walk in the town.
After breakfast, Zhao Qingyue took Zhao Mingsheng and Cui Cen on an ox cart heading to the town.
When passing by the market, some gossip from a roadside tea stall drifted into Zhao Mingsheng's ears.
"Hey, did you hear?"
"What's going on?"
"Cui Yingying from Yanliu Pavilion brought people to smash the medicine shop!"
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