Gong Zhaodi understood. They all came from the countryside, so they naturally understood how important cows were to rural farmers. One cow was equivalent to several strong laborers. The most important thing was that they could use cows to plow the fields, and they could also earn income during the farming season.
Working half a day or a day can earn you a few cents, and it is no problem to earn more than ten yuan during the Grain in Ear season.
Just these ten or so yuan are enough to cover the farmers' expenses for half a year.
"How many pounds of beef?"
"Eighteen pounds, including beef, tripe, and steak. The beef bones were a gift from someone else." Wang Daya said, turning back to the other two, "Comrade Gu, Comrade Zhong, thank you for coming along. I should have let you rest a little longer, but chopping beef takes effort. Comrade Gong and I don't have enough arm strength, so you're the ones who have to do it."
Beef is harder to chop than pork.
The key is that the meat must be chopped while it is raw, otherwise, the finished product will lack flavor.
Gu Lingguo nodded and said calmly, "Just tell me what you need to do."
"I can help too." Fang Guozhong spoke at the right time. They would also enjoy the delicious food if these were made.
Wang Daya brought two cutting boards and two sharp kitchen knives. "Wash the beef hind legs and mince them. Ten pounds of meat will take quite a while. After you chop the beef, you can also chop the pork. Comrade Gong and I will clean the mushrooms and bamboo shoots and prepare the seasoning."
"No problem, it's no big deal." Gu Lingguo put the kitchen knife on the chopping board and picked up a basket of beef to wash.
Fang Guozhong followed closely behind, and the two of them cooperated with each other. After a while, the sound of chopped meat could be heard in the kitchen. Gu Lingguo and Fang Guozhong had enough arm strength and good eyesight, so they chopped the meat effortlessly. Their knives were like afterimages, and they quickly chopped out two pounds of beef.
The chopped beef was placed in a large ceramic basin. After Wang Daya and Gong Zhaodi washed the mushrooms and bamboo shoots, they turned around and washed the pickles; these could be used when making meat sauce.
Gu Lingguo and Fang Guozhong took more than an hour to chop the beef, and then the pork; when they stopped, their arm muscles were very sore. They were already in such a miserable state, and if Wang Daya and the others were asked to do it, they might be in even worse shape.
"Comrade Gu, Comrade Fang, thank you for your help. Please go sit outside and rest for a while. We will take care of the rest of the work."
"Okay, just call us if you need anything." Gu Lingguo didn't want to be stubborn. His arm muscles were really sore and painful that he thought it would be best to get a massage.
Soldiers all know how to relieve muscle and joint pain.
Gu Lingguo and Fang Guozhong went to the bathroom to wash their faces and brush their teeth, then went upstairs to sleep for a while after the massage.
Wang Daya and Gong Zhaodi began to cut the mushrooms and bamboo shoots into small pieces for later use; they also prepared the seasonings. The ingredients for the meat sauce were insufficient, so it would not be flavorful and would not taste good.
......
Yan Guofeng and his grandson woke up from their nap and smelled a spicy meaty aroma when they walked out of the room. Yan Ruhai was very sensitive to this smell and knew at once that meat sauce was being made.
"Grandpa, it's Aunt Wang and the others making meat sauce. I'll go take a look."
"You don't even wash your face?" Yan Guofeng looked at his little grandson, speechless and helpless.
Yan Ruhai waved his hand and was already at the kitchen door; Yan Guofeng could only go to the bathroom alone to wash his face.
Yan Ruhai opened the kitchen door and a fresh, spicy aroma filled his nose. "It smells so good! Aunt Wang, Aunt Gong, how much have you made?"
"It's just the beginning." Wang Daya turned her head to look at him, took out sixty yuan from her pocket and put it on the stove. "This is the money left over from buying meat. You put it away."
"There are still some left. How many did you buy?"
"Ten pounds, one dollar and eighty cents a pound. I bought so much, I can't give it all to you, so you keep the money. When it's ready, I'll give you half, just half. The rest will be at home. Comrade Zhong and Comrade Yan both love it." Wang Daya took care of Zhong Yuxiu first. "It cost a little over forty yuan in total. Comrade Zhong paid over twenty yuan for the vegetables, and you paid twenty yuan."
Mushrooms and bamboo shoots are not worth much, what is valuable are beef and pork.
"No, no, you can take the rest. Buy more good things tomorrow to nourish my sister-in-law. Also, my three little nephews need to eat complementary food, buy them some good food." It is impossible to get back the money you gave out once you come back.
Wang Daya handed the spatula to Gong Zhaodi, walked to the door with the money, and stuffed it into his hand.
"Comrade Xiao Yan, we won't accept your money; otherwise, we won't be able to keep our jobs. If you want to show your appreciation, just go out and buy it yourself. We won't accept it, please forgive us!" After stuffing the money into his hand, Wang Daya turned around and went back to her work.
Yan Ruhai looked at the money in his hand and sighed silently, "Okay, Aunt Wang, you're right; I was inconsiderate. I'll go out for a while."
Wang Daya nodded, said nothing more, and turned to make the meat sauce; the heat, seasoning, and the degree of doneness of the meat are very important when making the meat sauce.
Yan Ruhai went to the bathroom with the money and met Yan Guofeng.
"Grandpa, are you done washing?"
"I'm done. Wash your face quickly. I'll go see if my three great-grandchildren are awake." Yan Guofeng had already reached the crib in the living room before he finished speaking. But the child was not in the crib, so Yan Guofeng hurried to the kitchen to ask, "Comrade Wang, Comrade Gong, are the children still awake?"
Gong Zhaodi slapped her head and said, "Oh no! I was so busy that I forgot if the children were awake. Mr. Yan, I'm sorry. I'll go check on them right away."
"Go, bring the children out. You guys are busy, I'll take care of the children."
Gong Zhaodi handed the kitchen work to Wang Daya. When she returned to the room, she saw that the three little ones had already woken up and were happily playing by themselves. When she touched their pants, she found that they had peed.
I quickly changed their diapers. There were no diapers at that time. When the child urinated, not only the pants but sometimes even the clothes would get wet, not to mention the small mattresses they slept on.
After changing and leaving the room, Gong Zhaodi took the dirty clothes to the bathroom and washed her hands with soap.
"Mr. Yan, please look after the child."
"Okay, you guys are busy. Oh, and please prepare the milk powder and bring it over." Yan Guofeng played with the children, and even if he felt a little dissatisfied, he would not show it at this time.
When Yan Ruhai came out, he saw Gong Zhaodi bringing over some prepared milk powder, and he quickly reached out to take it.
"I'll do it, Aunt Gong, you go ahead and do your work."
Gong Zhaodi nodded, let go of her hand, and watched him turn around and hand the bottle to Yan Guofeng before she turned back to the kitchen.
Wang Daya turned around and said, "Master Yan didn't say anything, did he?"
"Nothing." Gong Zhaodi shook her head.
"It's our fault. We were so busy that we forgot about the children." After all, they are not their biological children. Even if they try their best, they cannot watch over them as closely as their own children. From this point of view, their work is very lacking.
Gong Zhaodi sighed and nodded, "I wonder if Mr. Yan will fire us?"
"I shouldn't, I'll admit my mistake later." Wang Daya understood that some things can only happen once and not again, so one must truly recognize the mistake.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
