Seeing this, Niu Niu clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Mommy, you're so amazing!"
The third child didn't understand, but he still clapped along with his sister, looking especially cute with his innocent expression.
After the ice was cleared away, Chen Yunyun used the earthen wall to climb onto the roof.
The snow on top was really thick, almost half her height.
Carefully clearing the area under her feet, Chen Yunyun stood steadily on the roof, took the shovel handed to her by Da Wa, and began to clear the snow.
With one shovelful, the snow fell down the eaves, and large chunks of snow slid down when Chen Yunyun pushed them.
Although the process was tiring, it was very therapeutic and stress-relieving.
Moreover, Chen Yunyun grew up in the south and had never seen such heavy snow before. Even cleaning it up was a novel and fun experience for her.
Even after the roof was cleaned, Chen Yunyun was still reluctant to leave. She jumped down and landed in a snowdrift without feeling any pain.
She spat out the snow she had accidentally swallowed, dusted herself off, and didn't notice the strange looks the children were giving her.
Niu Niu wondered to herself, "Do monsters live in places without snow?"
The new stepmother loves playing in the snow so much; she's even more like a child than they are.
Da Wa was shoveling snow, but when he saw that Chen Yunyun's hands were red from the cold, he walked over and handed her the gray gloves he was carrying.
He opened his mouth to speak, and white mist billowed from his lips. His tone was flat, but his voice was slightly tense. "Put it on."
The boy turned his head away, refusing to look at her.
Chen Yunyun's gaze fell down, and all she could see was the little boy's strong jawline. She smiled, took the gloves, put them on, and said with a smile, "Then thank you, Arun."
Seeing her take the gloves, the little boy walked a short distance away, picked up the shovel, and continued working.
Although he tried his best to hide it with indifference, the blush on the tips of his ears could not conceal the thoughts of a child.
Chen Yunyun smiled, her previously tired body instantly filled with energy.
She thought she had a natural talent for being a mother.
After sweeping the snow in front of and behind the house and clearing a path for people to pass through, the morning passed just like that.
At noon, Chen Yunyun prepared to cook, and the children obediently stayed in the kitchen.
Firstly, lighting a fire in the kitchen would make it warmer and brighter, and secondly, the stepmother seemed to glow every time she cooked.
The children watch it every day; it's become a habit.
Niu Niu was by the stove, Sanwa was snuggling up to her older sister, and Dawa was sitting alone at a wooden table with a book on it.
Fearing that her eldest child might hurt his eyes, Chen Yunyun moved one of the kerosene lamps over.
As Niu Niu started the fire, she asked, "Mommy, what are we making today?"
Last night's pork lard rice left a very deep impression on Niu Niu.
She originally thought that plain white rice was the most delicious food in the world, but she never expected that there was such a heavenly delicacy as rice mixed with lard.
If there hadn't been no more food left in the pot, she probably would have eaten three big bowls.
Chen Yunyun took out the soaked bamboo shoot slices and replied, "Today we're having pickled mustard greens and bamboo shoots."
The winter bamboo shoots were dug up by Chen Yunyun from the mountain. The newly sprouted winter bamboo shoots under that bamboo forest were plump and big.
Peel back the outer skin, and inside is tender bamboo shoot flesh.
Slice it thinly, sprinkle with fine salt, and soak it in water to remove the bitterness.
When cooking, drain the bamboo shoots, blanch them in boiling water first, and then stir-fry them in oil.
The pickled mustard greens are taken out of the pickling jar, chopped, and poured into a hot pot and stirred. The fragrance of winter bamboo shoots and the salty and fresh taste of the pickled mustard greens are all released.
Once stir-fried and served, add a spoonful of pickled mustard greens and winter bamboo shoots to rice. The crisp sweetness of the winter bamboo shoots, combined with the savory aroma, makes it especially delicious with rice!
They quickly cooked the dishes and the group sat down to eat lunch.
Niu Niu and Da Wa were both engrossed in their food, eating with great relish.
He used to eat pickled mustard greens often, but he and his sister would pick the mustard greens up by the roots, wash them briefly in the river, and eat them raw.
The leaves of the pickled mustard greens are sour, and the stems are bitter. They taste both sour and astringent, with an earthy flavor that can't be washed off.
To stave off hunger, he ate so much pickled mustard greens that his tongue turned green, and the smell made him feel nauseous.
So every time he ate pickled mustard greens, his resentment towards his stepmother grew stronger.
No, not just towards his stepmother; gradually, he discovered that he harbored immense malice towards everyone.
When the villagers looked at him with hypocritical eyes, when they stood by and pointed fingers, he wished they were all dead!
Da Wa didn't know why he had such evil thoughts.
Perhaps it's because the pickled mustard greens are too unpalatable?
When a piece of pickled mustard greens was placed in the bowl, the eldest child felt resistant.
The eldest child ate the food expressionlessly, but the expected bitterness did not come.
Conversely, the crisp sweetness of winter bamboo shoots takes over the taste buds first, followed by the flavor of pickled mustard greens.
The pickled mustard greens have a sour and spicy flavor. When you bite into them, the juice is soaked in the sour and fragrant taste, making your mouth water instantly. They are so delicious that you want to swallow your tongue! So fresh!
The eldest child froze, even stopping his chewing. He stared at the remaining vegetables on the rice, the vibrant green pickled mustard greens glistening with oil…
Is this what pickled mustard greens taste like?
Chen Yunyun was focused on eating when the system suddenly announced: [Xu Jingrun's corruption level has decreased; mission progress is 100%. Congratulations, host, on completing the mission! You have earned 100 points.]
She looked up and saw that Da Wa was holding a bowl and staring blankly.
Chen Yunyun was puzzled. This task was completed inexplicably. Could it be that Da Wa was also a hidden foodie?
Unlike Niu Niu, who loves to eat meat, could Da Wa perhaps prefer wild vegetables?
After lunch, the snow outside stopped, and the long-awaited sun came out, warming everyone's bodies.
Chen Yunyun moved a chair to the yard, leaned back lazily, and had a pot of boiling water next to her. When she was thirsty, she would pick it up, blow on it, and take a small sip.
Under the eaves not far away, children were studying, and even the third child was seriously drawing on the ground with a piece of charcoal.
"These days are so comfortable," Chen Yunyun smacked her lips contentedly and closed her eyes.
In early December, Chen Yunyun went out again. The weather was getting colder and colder, and it was only a matter of time before the mountains were blocked by heavy snow.
As for what she wanted to buy, she had already stocked up on it the previous times, so going out was just for show.
Leaving the post office empty-handed, Chen Yunyun went straight back to the village, completely unaware of the pair of eyes watching her intently beside the post office.
The original owner's husband still hasn't replied, so she can only take it one step at a time and think of a solution next spring.
After returning to the village, Chen Yunyun went door to door to return the money. The timid villagers kept their distance from her, while the bolder ones asked her directly if she knew about Hu Zi's trip to the hospital.
Chen Yunyun genuinely didn't know.
The auntie struck up a conversation with her as if they were old friends. She said that Tiger had been in the hospital for over a week and was still not better, staying there with the Zhang hunter and his wife taking care of him every day...
At the end of his sentence, he looked Chen Yunyun up and down, then lowered his voice and said, "It's strange, how come the one who wanted revenge is now targeting unrelated people?"
The underlying meaning of those words is all too obvious.
Chen Yunyun felt displeased, but she didn't show it on her face and continued speaking in accordance with the person's words.
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