In my seventh month of pregnancy, the legendary morning sickness finally arrived.
Even though Jiang Meimei cooked in various ways, Sun Lifang couldn't eat a single bite.
Today we're stewing oxtail and tendon, paired with the "secret braising sauce" that Jiang Meimei asked for over the phone. The whole kitchen is filled with the irresistible aroma of spices mixed with beef.
"Hey? Aren't you from Guangxi? How come you can cook Northeastern cuisine?"
Although she didn't want to eat, Sun Lifang still wanted to participate in the hands-on activity.
He looked around here and touched there, which eventually prompted Jiang Meimei to complain repeatedly: "Madam, please go out!"
“I had a plan, but you messed it all up as soon as you came over.”
Yes, Jiang Meimei likes to cook for herself, and Sun Lifang calls her "the solitary gourmet".
Although Jiang Meimei is from Guangxi, her mother is from Northeast China.
Therefore, Jiang Meimei is an excellent cook.
The hot braised beef bone broth was bubbling away. Jiang Meimei picked out the tendons and bits of meat from it, then tossed out a piece of dough that had been resting.
"What? What are you trying to do?"
Is it a magic trick?
Even though she had seen every step of the process, the final outcome always surprised Sun Lifang.
For example, right now, after a busy morning making braised beef, I've picked out the tough bits and chopped them up—
It turns out it's going to be bread and steamed buns.
“I just called my mom, and she said that if you mix beef buns with celery, she’ll definitely whet your appetite.”
As she spoke, Jiang Meimei saw the onions in the corner and had a sudden inspiration, so she mixed two bowls of minced meat.
Fresh green scallions, washed and chopped, are stuffed into the meat filling, making it look very appealing.
This must be what the warmth and life of everyday life is all about, right?
Jiang Meimei had been working all day to prepare for her afternoon shopping trip, making a total of thirty-four steamed buns—
With meat, there had to be vegetables too. Glass noodles, cabbage, wood ear mushrooms, carrots—Jiang Meimei asked Sun Lifang as she wrapped the vegetables, "Is this vegetable okay?"
Okay, that's definitely possible.
The steamed buns she made today weren't just for her own family. With the Winter Solstice approaching, a time for family reunions, Jiang Meimei reminded Sun Lifang to send some food to relatives and friends.
Upon hearing this, Sun Lifang immediately thought of Old Lady Sun and Qiu Ju—
Do these special schools also celebrate the winter solstice?
We wanted the children to experience the festive atmosphere, so the kitchen was constantly busy all morning.
"Make these forty first, and put the rest in the refrigerator. We'll wrap them when we get back."
The vegetables ordered from Mrs. Tong were still piled up on the balcony. Sun Lifang said to Jiang Meimei, "After we finish shopping at the mall, we'll go to the market and order some more."
Since we don't have enough ingredients at home, we'll share what we've already made among the families. Mrs. Tong and her husband eat a lot, so we'll take a whole pot of the food to them first.
In a spirit of reciprocity, although Sun Lifang had no appetite, she still felt very involved.
With nothing to do at home, Sun Lifang, as an observer, felt very fulfilled watching Jiang Meimei busy herself.
"This is just too good!" Sun Lifang imitated Jiang Meimei's Northeastern accent on the phone, her mouth watering as she looked at the steamed buns with their juices inside.
At midday, they eat freshly steamed buns and drink porridge. This simple life is something they wouldn't trade for any amount of money.
The congee had cooled down, and when it was served in a pot, a layer of white film had formed on top.
With fragrant celery and beef dumplings, paired with Jiang Meimei's crisp and refreshing cucumber salad, Sun Lifang felt like she was living a "heavenly life".
For lunch, Sun Lifang ate two large steamed buns and half a bowl of smashed cucumber. She only realized she was stuffed when she got up.
This has never happened before.
"Hey, if I were with you, I definitely wouldn't be able to lose weight."
"I've gained weight."
“You haven’t gained weight!” Jiang Meimei retorted.
Originally, Sun Lifang only wanted to complain, but she didn't expect Jiang Meimei to take it seriously.
He put down the bowl in his hand, dragged a scale from the balcony and made her stand on it. "Madam, you haven't gained weight. I have a good eye. If you don't believe me, go up and see for yourself."
To kill someone is to destroy their spirit; Sun Lifang shouldn't stand on that path.
She knows it, but she's still unwilling to face reality.
So Sun Lifang finished eating and slipped away, setting a time to leave before going into the bedroom, saying, "I'm leaving after 2 pm, so you can take a nap too."
Who wants to go shopping at midday after a big meal?
We should wait until the sun is a little lower before going.
That's what Sun Lifang thought, but she never expected that everything would change when she woke up.
An elderly man in a black cotton-padded jacket stood in the room, his eyelids drooping, wearing two gold earrings. If you looked closely, he bore a resemblance to Li Zhi.
Jiang Meimei sat to one side crying, one side of her face still bearing a red mark. When she saw Sun Lifang coming over, she sobbed softly, "Madam—"
When the old man saw Sun Lifang coming over, he quickly put on a smiling face and said, "You're awake. I've come to take Meimei back home."
catch?
Do you slap someone when you receive them?
Sun Lifang didn't say anything, but opened the restaurant door and let Jiang Meimei in, saying, "I'll talk to her."
Despite being twenty-one, Jiang Meimei was as timid as a little sparrow in front of her mother-in-law, her hands and feet seemingly frozen.
If they had fought back, things wouldn't be like this now.
After locking the restaurant door, Sun Lifang went to the living room and called Li Zhi. She briefly explained the situation before saying meaningfully, "You'd better choose between the two women."
A mother-in-law hitting her daughter-in-law, though an accident, can also become a turning point.
It all depends on how Li Zhi handles it.
The woman was still complaining about Jiang Meimei, saying, "We're quitting, I'm taking her back."
“A perfectly good daughter-in-law, after only a few months away from home, has become wild.”
"You want a divorce? Jiang Meimei, come out here right now!"
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