Mu Yi'an got up early in the morning; it was her turn to cook again today.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mu Yi'an."
"It's really tough. Cooking for so many people is hot and tiring. I'm afraid I won't be able to keep going. I haven't done any manual labor for almost ten years since I started working, and I'm really not used to it."
It is easy for people to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to return to frugality.
Mu Yi'an glanced at Chu Yue, who was sleeping soundly, got dressed, and went out.
Jiang Shuyun also got up and wrapped the blanket around the bed to prevent the little girl from waking up and rolling off the bed.
What can I do to help you?
Do you know how to kill a chicken?
"Won't?"
Do you know how to prepare chestnuts?
"Won't?"
Jiang Shuyun's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke; he really couldn't help her at all!
"You'd better get moving and take advantage of your clear head this morning to study. Once you pass the imperial examination, there will be something I can do to help. Go to the inner room to study and keep an eye on the child. If she wakes up, throw some pee on her."
"I understand, I've already learned this."
Jiang Shuyun quickly went to exercise. After a period of deliberate exercise, his health improved a lot, and he felt that he and this body were completely compatible.
Breakfast was simple, and Mu Yi'an prepared it with ease.
After breakfast, Jiang's father and the others went to school, and the house suddenly became quiet.
Although Jiang's wife didn't say anything about yesterday's events, she was still a little resentful. She was unhappy all morning, and since Mu Yi'an didn't respond, she wasn't going to tolerate it. So, Jiang's wife had completely wasted her morning's energy; it was like a blind man lighting a lamp – utterly pointless!
After cleaning up the kitchen, there was no rush for lunch. Mu Yi'an fed Chu Yue, changed her clothes, and put her in her crib.
This bed was a gift from the Mu family, given to the original owner by the eldest brother of the Mu family when she gave birth to her first child. It's a small bed, 1.2 meters long, with smooth wooden railings without any burrs, and the natural wood color without any varnish.
The weather was nice outside, so Mu Yi'an and Jiang Shuyun carried the bed out and placed it not far from the window. That way, they could keep an eye on the child while working in the kitchen.
"Shao Yun, you play in the yard and keep an eye on your little sister. Mom is going to kill a chicken; we'll have chicken for lunch."
"Okay, I think so."
Shao Yun could understand what his mother was saying, so he played near the small wooden bed, occasionally glancing at his younger sister in the bed, who was chewing on a cloth tiger.
Mu Yi'an went to kill the two pheasants first. She did this very quickly. She once spent a whole summer killing chickens at the slaughterhouse.
"Second sister-in-law, you're so efficient! The chicken is already killed and the water is already boiling!"
"Why did your sister-in-law come here? Where's Shao Kun? I didn't hear him crying today?"
"She's playing with Shao Yun in the yard. She's really showing her true colors today, not being so clumsy at all. I wonder who this child takes after. I wasn't like this when I was little! Shu Wen was also very naughty and mischievous when he was little. This child is like a little crybaby."
Li Qiuniang was also helpless. She was never a good-tempered person to begin with, and this child had worn her down to the point where she felt like she had no temper left. Otherwise, that night, after listening to Shaoqin's words, even though Shuwen tried to stop her, she would still have said a few words.
“I read in a book before that if a child is crying, it might be because they are lacking something in their body. Try to get them some milk to drink and let them get some sunshine.”
"Missing something? What's missing? He's not missing any limbs, is he?"
"Ha ha……"
Mu Yi'an was amused by Li Qiuniang's words; what a generation gap!
"It's not about missing limbs, it's about the nutrients your body needs to grow, just like how you need to eat meat to recover faster after an injury."
Mu Yi'an thought for a long time but still couldn't explain why her child might be calcium deficient.
"Ah, I understand now. Second sister-in-law, we don't have cow's milk here, but we do have goat's milk. How about I buy a ewe?"
“It’s not impossible. I also plan to buy one so that Shao Ming and Shao Yun can drink some. Drinking more goat milk will help them stay healthy and less prone to illness.”
Mu Yi'an thought it was a good idea. Jiang Chuyue was almost six months old and wouldn't be able to breastfeed for much longer. There was no formula available at the moment, and what would she eat after weaning? Solid foods alone wouldn't provide enough nutrition.
Is goat milk useful?
“It worked. When I was pregnant, my family kept sending me goat milk. Look, all three of my children are quite healthy.”
“That’s true. Shao Yun is only two months older than Shao Kun, and he can fit inside Shao Kun. Moreover, I’ve almost never heard Shao Yun cry or fuss, and neither has Chu Yue.”
Li Qiuniang envied her second sister-in-law, whose three children were truly easy to manage and never caused any trouble.
The two of them talked a lot about the child, and while they were talking, their hands didn't stop either of them. They had already finished plucking the feathers off both pheasants, and were just about to pick out the fine feathers.
Because Jiang Shaokun didn't cry or make a fuss, Li Qiuniang kept helping Mu Yi'an in the kitchen. This wasn't for nothing; Mu Yi'an would help with cooking tomorrow too.
Two chickens were simmered in a large pot of water over low heat, mainly for making soup. Mu Yi'an put the two pheasants in whole, and later took them out, shredded them, seasoned them, added chestnuts and bok choy to the soup, making it a delicious soup as well.
The two sisters-in-law were quick and efficient. Li Qiuniang wasn't good at delicate work, but she was strong, which complemented Mu Yi'an perfectly.
The two of them worked quickly, and within an hour, the chicken soup was simmering, the side dishes were washed and chopped, and the dough made from a mixture of cornmeal and wheat flour had risen. They could start steaming buns soon.
"Sister-in-law, thank you. You can cook tomorrow, and I'll help you. The two of you can work pretty fast. Let's go outside and cool off; the kitchen is too hot."
"Second sister-in-law, I think we work together quite well. You are meticulous, and I am strong."
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
