"I want to eat, but I can't eat much. Brother Jingze, I'm going back now. Grandma, I'm going home."
"You want goat milk again? What delicious food are you planning to make?"
"I want to make fried dough twists this year. Besides, I'm leaving when I'm sixteen, so I want to make a lot so the two of us can eat them on the train."
"That's good. Fry something salty, and make sure it's crispy."
"Okay, I also want to fry some leavened dough; I think it would taste good."
"It's made with white flour, oil, milk, and sugar—how could it not taste good?"
"I'll go back and fry some to try today. If it's good, I'll fry more."
Do you have oil?
"Yes, there are plenty. Don't worry, you'll definitely get to eat some fried dough twists."
I don't eat sweets, it has to be salty.
"I know, it'll be fried until crispy, don't worry."
Liu Jingze picked up the milk bucket. "Hongmei, I'll take you back and help you with some chores."
"Let Jingze assist you."
When the two got home, Zhang Hongmei quickly washed her hands, cleaned the pot, and poured the goat milk into it. "Jingze, just boil the goat milk."
"Okay, let's use sorghum stalks first. I'm afraid the fire will be too high and the pot will burn."
Zhang Hongmei began preparing the ingredients. She brought over a bag of flour, two large bottles of soybean oil, twenty eggs, two pounds of brown sugar, a salt shaker, and three basins, all of which were placed on the table.
"In my memory, twisted dough sticks should be made with oil. Yes, and there should be eggs too, no, eggs are for sweet flavors. But if I use oil, I'm afraid it won't hold together. I'll use goat milk instead."
"Hongmei, you don't know how?"
"Yes, I only know the general steps. I'll figure it out slowly."
Liu Jingze was speechless. Only this girl would go to such lengths as to use such precious grains for scavenging. But so what? He had the ability to let her live the life she wanted.
Zhang Hongmei hesitated for a moment, then decided to start by making the dough. She scooped out two ladles of flour, and while Liu Jingze was chopping firewood, she added a small packet of yeast, cracked four eggs, and then gradually added cooled goat milk. After kneading the dough, she covered it with a lid and placed it on the stovetop, where it was warm and the dough would rise easily.
Zhang Hongmei, who prefers salty food, plans to use water to make the dough, adding salt to it. The dough needs to be very stiff, otherwise it won't be easy to fry.
Then I dissolved brown sugar in hot water and made two ladles of dough. I'll save those for later to proof.
Shi Tou and Er Ya came over. "Sister Hongmei, what are you doing?"
"Fried twisted dough sticks?"
"Really? I've been wanting to eat this for ages, I've even forgotten what twisted dough sticks taste like."
Sanya complained to her brother, "You want to eat everything, but I don't remember ever having a fried dough twist."
"Our Sanya has never eaten fried dough twists before? Today we'll let you try three kinds."
"Three kinds? I've only had the salty one. What other kinds of Sister Hongmei are there?"
"There are three kinds: sweet fermented dough with goat milk, sweet unfermented dough, and salty unfermented dough."
"Hongmei, how come you can do everything?" Er Ya was particularly envious of Zhang Hongmei.
"I don't know either, but I'll try."
"Are you really that unreliable?"
"What do you mean by unreliable? This is me breaking through my own limitations and innovating myself."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Second sister, this is the first time I've brought porridge home today. It feels really strange," Shi Tou said, somewhat puzzled.
"Hehe, it's probably others who find you strange. The principal hasn't arrived yet?"
"We should be there soon. The principal said he found a car." Er Ya also found it strange; perhaps the road was too slippery, making them walk slowly.
"Second sister, will the principal be living in our village from now on?"
"Yes, he retired and came to live in our village."
"Shitou, your results should be out by now, right? Will you be able to get into a good primary school? I trust Sanya, but as for you, you'll have to decide for yourself." Zhang Hongmei would tease Shitou whenever she had a spare moment.
"Hehe, I'm even less of a problem, Sister Hongmei, don't worry. Although I want to join the army, you said that those without education can only be soldiers, not generals."
Did I say such a thing?
"Sister Hongmei, how could you do this?"
Zhang Hongmei laughed heartily. At this moment, Liu Jingze also came in, his forehead covered in sweat.
Shi Tou stood up and offered his seat to Liu Jingze. "Brother Jingze, please sit down. I'll go call Brother Zhuzi; he still has work to do when the principal moves."
Zhang Hongmei went inside, took out a towel, and handed it to Liu Jingze, saying, "Jingze, wipe your sweat, or you'll catch a cold."
"I'm not that weak," Liu Jingze said, but he still took the towel and wiped his forehead.
"Sister Hongmei, Second Sister, a car has arrived in the village," Shi Tou ran in to report.
Zhang Hongmei stood up. "The principal must have arrived. Shitou, why don't you go and call Brother Zhu over?"
The car stopped at the entrance, and Zhang Hongmei looked at the elderly principal and his wife getting out of the car. "Grandma, what's wrong? Are you carsick?"
"Yes, a little, but it's alright. I was just driving slowly. Thank you so much, Hongmei."
“What’s the trouble? Our village is a great place.”
"Hehe, we're all so old now, it doesn't matter where we live. We're getting old, and living in a place with mountains and water can help us live a few more years."
"It's great that you think that way. You'll know how good this place is when you get to the civilized world. Hurry up and come inside. I cleaned it all up yesterday. We just need to heat the kang (heated brick bed) in a bit."
"Thanks to you, you even arranged accommodations for us."
Hongmei helped her into the house, and Zhuzi came over as well. Liu Jingze and the others helped move the furniture.
Liu Maocai and a few others came over to help move the items.
Zhang Hongmei and Er Ya were arranging things in the room, saying, "The principal has brought all his treasures here."
"Yes, old man, look at all those books in those big cabinets, you've brought them all over."
After all the furniture was moved down and arranged, the driver left. "The principal hasn't eaten yet, has he? I steamed some buns this morning; I'll go get them for him now. He should at least have something to eat."
"Hongmei, you stay here with me, I'll go get it."
"I'll go heat the kang (a heated brick bed)." In Zhu Zi's eyes, he was the most capable person.
After everything was settled, Er Ya helped prepare two bowls of egg drop soup; they couldn't just eat steamed buns all the time.
"Hehe, I've eaten this steamed bun before. Hongmei is smart and skillful. I still remember the taste."
"There are also red bean buns here, these are even tastier." Zhang Hongmei handed over a red bean bun.
After finishing their meal, the group went home, as they still needed to pack up their personal and valuable belongings.
"Hongmei, shall we go up the mountain tomorrow?" Zhuzi had also received his family's permission to go up the mountain.
"Go ahead, remember to wear more layers when you get back. Let's give it a try. If it's okay, we'll go up the mountain. If the snow is too thick, then forget it. We can't knowingly go into danger."
"Sure, I'll bring the rope from home."
"Let's bring the pot too, otherwise we won't even have a sip of hot water." Er Ya was in charge of people's livelihood.
"You have to bring a machete, a pickaxe, and an axe."
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