The seventh day of the seventh month is the most anticipated day of the year for both boys and girls. It was originally used to pray to the Weaver Girl for dexterity, but later it was given the love story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, and some activities to seek marriage were added to that day.
Zhu Cuilan seemed to have thought of this as well, and regarded the day of Qiqiao as a hope: "But it's also true that we can't remember things that depend on fate. There's only about half a month left before Qiqiao, and who knows if anything good will happen by then."
She sighed and thought of Yun Qiaolai again: "Yun Qiao is really capable. If he hadn't just finished his confinement and couldn't be tired, I wouldn't have entrusted this matter to someone else and let him do a favor for nothing."
Although it is reasonable that matchmakers are used to judging the relationship between people, the two parties introduced are usually not very different. Although Zhao Fangchu is a young man and not as good-looking as a girl, he has the advantage of being handsome. As a young man, he does not look inferior. He is also light in stature and has not seemed to have any troubles.
Besides, everyone knows that the Zhao family is doing well, and there are only advantages and no disadvantages in becoming relatives with their family. There are men who want to talk to her brother, but Zhu Cuilan has high standards and looks down on those people.
The matchmaker dared to use the pig farmer to fool Zhu Cuilan. She knew very well that if the matter failed, the two families would become enemies, but she still did it. The only explanation was that the matchmaker accepted benefits from the pig farmer and would get a reward regardless of success or failure.
If she is lucky enough to find a wife for the pig farmer, her family will probably never be short of pork in the future.
Doing this is despicable. Once it gets out, I'm afraid no one will look for the matchmaker to propose marriage anymore.
Zhu Cuilan was filled with anger when she mentioned this. Yang Donghu tried to persuade her but failed. He let her vent her anger before he spoke to divert her attention.
"I heard Fang Chu say today that he ate peaches in syrup when he was a child. The taste was unforgettable. The peaches on the tree in our yard will be ready in the next two days. We can't finish all of them. Auntie, do you remember how to make those peaches in syrup?"
Zhu Cuilan was stunned when she heard him say that. Zhao Fangchu added, "My aunt used to make this for us when we were little. It was as sweet as sugar and had a bright red juice inside. It was served in a bowl."
"Oh, you are talking about sweet peaches." Zhu Cuilan slapped her thigh and then suddenly realized.
"Remember, remember, Dachuan Niang, your mother-in-law. Like you, she was a clever girl. Because she came from the south and worked as a maid for a wealthy family, she had seen more of the world than us, so she could make a lot of exquisite food. However, our family was not rich at that time, and our conditions were limited. We couldn't make many dishes exactly the same. Only the sweet peach was easy to make, and it was ripe at that time, so Lianyi made it to please the children."
When talking about Xu Lianyi, Zhu Cuilan forgot her unpleasantness and didn't want to stop talking. When she talked about sad things, she sighed several times.
"She has a gentle nature. We've been together for so many years and haven't had a single argument. She went through so much hardship in her first half of her life, and now that things are starting to get better, she... well, if she were still alive, I wonder how happy she'd be to see you."
Every time Yang Donghu heard Zhu Cuilan lamenting the tragic fate of Xu Lianyi, he would recall the sad scene of Zhao Luochuan crying for his mother when he was a child. Although Zhu Cuilan treated him like her own son and Zhao Fangyu treated him as his brother, they were not born of the same mother after all.
In the past, when Zhao Luochuan talked to him about his deceased parents, he only picked out some naughty things in his childhood and did not say any sad words. But if you think about it, you can tell that at such a young age, he lost the protection of his mother and must have suffered a lot of grievances in the outside world.
No matter who Yang Donghu is, he has never felt this kind of family love. Zhu Cuilan was still talking beside him, talking about how gentle and quiet Xu Lianyi was in the past. Yang Donghu's thoughts gradually drifted away, and a sense of sympathy inexplicably arose in his heart.
Zhu Cuilan kept talking about Zhao Luochuan from childhood to adulthood, and Zhao Fangchu couldn't help but interrupt her: "Mom, you should wait until they are alone to talk about these things at night. Now that you've finished talking about them, how can Dachuan joke with Dong? Tell us how to make candied peaches. Maybe Dong can make them."
"You are just a child, why are you talking about whether it's night or not? You are just talking nonsense." Zhu Cuilan was displeased with being interrupted and nodded Zhao Fangchu's head.
Zhao Fangchu helplessly spread his hands: "One moment you say I'm old enough to get married, and the next moment you say I'm still young. Why do you change so quickly?"
Yang Donghu was brought back to his senses by the conversation between the two. He had only been teased by those aunts and sisters before, but he didn't expect that Zhao Fangchu had also learned it now. However, perhaps because the two were of similar age, he didn't feel embarrassed, but just chuckled.
"The sweet peach recipe isn't difficult. Lian Yi taught me, but peaches were out of season by then, so I didn't find the chance to try it. I originally wanted to make it the following year, but as you know, something unexpected happened at home, so I didn't have the energy to do it."
Zhu Cuilan frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Actually, I don't remember it very clearly. I just remember that I peeled the peaches without cutting them, put them in the pot and boiled them whole. I added rock sugar and brought them to a boil. Then I put the peaches and the water in the well water and chilled them. I could eat them the next day. Hmm... I think there was something else, something else..."
After all, so many years had passed, and Zhu Cuilan was old, so it was normal that she couldn't think of a complete answer at the moment. Yang Donghu saw that she had been thinking hard for a long time but still had no idea, so he didn't force her and said softly: "Forget it, auntie, I know how to do it. I will try to make it tomorrow, and we can tell you if I need anything then."
"Oh, that's fine." Zhu Cuilan smiled and said, "Anyway, the recipe is quite simple. It should be pretty much as I told you. I really can't remember what's missing, but make it tomorrow and have Fang Chu taste it for you. He'll definitely know if it tastes right. He'll remember everything he's tasted."
Zhao Fangchu chuckled: "Just think of it as a compliment from my mother, but seriously, Dong brother, I'll be with you tomorrow. I'll remember what it looks like, and I'll help you think about it then."
"Oh, okay."
The pickled plums in the jar have been put in sugar. They should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Move them to a cool place and leave them for three to five days until the green color on the surface of the plums turns yellow.
Then pour the plums out onto a winnowing basket and place it on the roof to be exposed to direct sunlight. After half a month, they will be almost completely dry.
After dinner, Yang Donghu went to look at the peaches on the tree again. The ones under the tree that received less sunlight were not edible, while those on the top of the tree that were easily exposed to the sun grew big and red, and were most suitable for making candied peaches.
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