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"No need. I'm just wandering around by myself, seeing if I can find anything good."
"Go ahead then. I've been at the Armed Forces Department all day. If you need anything, just come find me."
"Hmm. Maybe I'll come back with you guys tonight?" I hadn't expected Zhang Shouyi to still be at work. Judging from his relaxed demeanor, I'd assumed he was just staying home unemployed.
"Hongmei is about to get into trouble, you'd better be careful."
Why create chaos?
"There are both natural disasters and man-made calamities, so just be careful."
"Okay, I'll go see what good stuff they have and buy it for the villagers."
"Okay. Are you going to have lunch at the Armed Forces Department's canteen?"
"I'm not going, I'm going to the restaurant instead." Zhang Hongmei winked at Zhang Xingguo, looking mischievous.
"Okay. I'll give you more food coupons and meat coupons later. Your Brother Zhang has a lot of meat coupons."
"That would be great! I wish we could buy meat. I'm craving dumplings."
"Hongmei, I want to eat some too. I'll have Xiaoshun go buy some right now. We'll make pork and scallion dumplings tonight, the kind with lots of meat and little scallion."
"But you have to be able to buy meat first."
"Don't worry, we'll definitely be able to buy some. Xiao Shun, don't go buy breakfast, go to the supply station and buy as much meat as you can, understand?"
Xiao Shun's eyes lit up when he heard about buying meat. He went inside and came out a short while later, pushing his bicycle in the yard and running away.
"You brat, all you know is food. You get excited as soon as you hear there's meat."
Zhang Hongmei: You do that too!
Zhang Shouyi had been doing push-ups the whole time without saying a word. Only after Xiao Shun left did he stand up and say, "I'll go buy some food."
"Brother Zhang, what time do you start work?"
"7:30."
"We still have plenty of time, how about we make it ourselves? How about pancakes?"
"Hongmei surprised me this morning." Zhang Xingguo is a typical northern man with a strong palate; besides, it's already quite an achievement for three men to cook it properly. Who knows how to make pancakes? Of course, he was excited to hear that there would be pancakes to eat.
Zhang Shouyi also wanted to eat, but he was more reserved than Zhang Xingguo. "Hongmei, let me help you start the fire."
"Do you know how? There's an art to making pancakes and starting a fire."
"I don't know how to cook, can you teach me? Didn't you say that if you can't cook, you won't be able to get a wife in the future? So I'm going to learn now."
"Hehe." Zhang Hongmei felt awkward; it was a little embarrassing to say these things in front of someone's father.
"Yes, yes, let your brother Zhang learn from you, and he'll cook for you in the future."
Both of them ignored Zhang Xingguo's words. Only Zhang Xingguo seemed to enjoy this topic, while the two people involved remained calm and didn't take it seriously.
Because of the limited time, Zhang Hongmei directly scalded the dough with boiling water, thus reducing the resting time.
Zhang Shouyi actually sat on a small stool in the kitchen to help stoke the fire, while Zhang Hongmei deftly kneaded the dough and washed the pots.
"Brother Zhang, what kind of vegetables do you have at home?"
"We don't have any leafy greens. We do have some pickled vegetables."
Pancakes rolled with pickled vegetables? That works too. But then I'd have to make some millet porridge.
"Brother Zhang, go and light the other pot. Let's make some millet porridge. Do you have any millet at home?"
"Yes, they're all in those jars over there."
Zhang Shouyi followed orders and went to heat another pot.
Making these pancakes uses a lot of oil, luckily we have plenty at home.
Zhang Shouyi still knows how to cook millet porridge. The two of them were busy with their own things in the kitchen, and Zhang Xingguo outside saw it as a warm and cozy scene between the young couple.
If Zhang Hongmei knew what Zhang Xingguo was thinking, she would definitely despise him. What kind of look is that? Where's the warmth?
Wang Xiaoshun rushed in, carrying a bag on the back of his bicycle.
"Commander, commander, I actually managed to buy thirty catties of meat today."
Zhang Xingguo was also startled when he heard this: "Why are there so many?"
"I arrived early and have plenty of meat ration coupons. There are no purchase limits today."
"Hehe, my Hongmei is so lucky, we can buy more meat whenever she comes."
Zhang Hongmei: What does this have to do with me? I absolutely refuse this big label.
Wang Xiaoshun sniffed. "Sir, where are the pancakes?"
"Yes, Hongmei makes pancakes, and Shouyi cooks porridge. They cooperate very well."
"Then I'll go put the meat in the kitchen and then put it on the table."
"Aren't you going yet? Don't you have any common sense?"
Wang Xiaoshun: Innocent face!
Zhang Xingguo finally got to eat the pancakes he had been longing for. After finishing his meal, he even took the remaining two with him. It was lunch!
Looking at the 30-pound ribs, Zhang Hongmei said, "Uncle Zhang, you can't eat all this meat at once. How about I marinate it for you? Just like the one I brought back yesterday."
"Okay? What materials do I need?"
“I have them at home, but this is the first time I’ve ever made this. Besides, I don’t have any pine branches here, so I used fruit trees instead.”
“Okay, you handle it.” Zhang Xingguo had absolute faith in Zhang Hongmei’s skills.
“Hongmei has some pine branches at home, Xiaoshun, go find them. I still think pine branches taste better. They have a pine nut flavor.”
Zhang Hongmei didn't mind; she'd be even better off with pine branches.
All three of them went to work, and Zhang Shouyi left his bicycle at home. "Hongmei, I'll teach you how to ride it when I get back tonight."
"Okay!" Do I need you to teach me? What can't I do?
After they left, Zhang Hongmei locked the door, took the meat back to her room and went into her spatial dimension. Now she didn't have to worry about cameras or anything like that, so she could go in with peace of mind. It was also faster to marinate the meat inside. Besides, she needed to organize some things; she had to go to make a transaction in the afternoon.
After rubbing the meat with salt and seasonings and letting it sit for a while, I went outside to the yard, lit some pine branches, set up a tripod, hung the meat on it, and let it smoke slowly.
Then I went to the kitchen and chopped the remaining ten-odd pounds of meat into minced meat, which would save me trouble when I came back in the evening.
I spent a busy morning chopping the meat and kneading the dough. I had a simple lunch of noodles online; I was too lazy to cook for myself, and no one praised my cooking skills, so I didn't feel a sense of accomplishment.
We'll head out after lunch. It takes more than half an hour to get to the city from here. So there's no rush, we'll walk slowly. It's still very hot at midday, especially this year with the drought; the weather is dry and hot.
When they arrived at the place where the transaction had taken place yesterday, they found that the young man was not there. Reassured, they put out the cart, which contained a 100-pound bag of rice and a 100-pound bag of flour.
I don't lack these things, and besides, even ordinary things would be worth it for him.
After waiting for a while, the boy came over pushing his cart and was quite surprised to see Zhang Hongmei.
"I thought there would be fewer people here at this time, making it easier to push things around. I didn't expect you to be here so early too?"
"We think alike, so I'll check the goods first."
"Feel free to look around, I brought everything from home with me."
Zhang Hongmei lifted the lid of the box. Wow! It really is full of good stuff. This box alone is such a great deal. Inside are all translucent porcelain pieces. They look so delicate, and their quality is superb.
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