They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 9 Preparing to Make Konjac Tofu

"you--"

This damn girl!

Zhang was furious, feeling that Xu Zhichun was talking about her, but she had no evidence.

Zhang retorted angrily, "Anyway, they're elders!"

She is anxious!

Xu Zhichun ignored him and focused on his own business.

Zhang felt she had her figured out. Look, the girl didn't dare to talk back after she said just one more word. Humph, she's just a seemingly capable but actually weak girl. She finally felt satisfied and started washing her clothes.

Xu Zhichun took the cleaned konjac home, planning to start making it today, just to go through the process first, and then try to cheat or tamper with it later.

Peel the konjac and cut it into small cubes about the size of a finger and a little over half an inch long. There's a millstone in my backyard, so I grind the konjac cubes into a paste.

How I miss soy milk makers and food processors! They're useless in the harbor warehouse because there's no electricity.

I tried making it today; the quantity wasn't large, and it was very easy to make.

After grinding, a handful of rice straw was burned, and the ashes were used to boil water, which yielded alkaline water.

After mixing the alkaline water and konjac paste evenly, place them in a large bowl and let them stand until they solidify.

After it has solidified for half a day, cut it into large pieces and put it in a pot to boil for about two hours. Then rinse it with clean water, changing the water every half hour or so. After changing the water two or three times, keep rinsing it with clean water overnight.

When you want to eat it, take it out, wash it with clean water, and cut it into slices or strips. It's delicious whether you make a cold salad, stir-fry it, or stew it with chicken or meat.

The point of selling this is to make it novel and unique; no one else has it, only her family does.

New things never have trouble selling.

Xu Zhichun smiled with satisfaction as he rinsed the konjac blocks in water.

Great, everything went smoothly.

I'll let it float tonight, and I can make it and try it tomorrow.

After making the konjac tofu, she peeled the bamboo shoots and threw all the peels into the pigpen. The young pigs would eat them, and the older ones would be used as bedding for composting.

The peeled bamboo shoots were cut open and spread out in a winnowing basket to dry in the sun. The mushrooms were also sorted out and dried in the sun.

There were plenty of fresh bamboo shoots and mushrooms in the fresh food warehouse of the harbor. Xu Zhichun found some that could be passed off as fresh bamboo shoots and mushrooms, and took about 20 jin of each to dry together.

Once they're dried and stored away, there'll be even more dried goods in the harbor warehouse, so we can make another batch.

perfect.

Seeing that it was getting late, she knew the children would be home from school soon. She needed to hurry and give the chickens and the two pigs a big meal.

Chickens are truly creatures that remember food. No wonder she didn't need to coax them back by clucking; they all came back on their own when it was time, eagerly circling around her with bright eyes and impatient clucking.

"Yes, we have them all!"

Xu Zhichun smiled and scooped up a ladle of fragrant chicken feed, added several handfuls of corn kernels and a handful of fish bone powder, mixed it with chopped wild vegetables, and poured it into the feeding trough.

The chickens swarmed up.

I collected five eggs today. I'll feed them more so they can lay more eggs.

After feeding the chickens and pigs, cooking the rice, frying two crucian carp, and washing the vegetables, I looked outside countless times before finally seeing the child return.

Xu Zhichun finally felt relieved.

"Mingxuan!"

The child's two books were carefully wrapped in an old bundle, and he was also holding a large bundle of fresh pig feed in his arms.

Xu Zhichun quickly stepped forward and took the bundle of pig feed from him. "I said, why haven't you come back so late? What were you doing cutting pig feed? Come back earlier next time, okay?"

Liang Mingxuan called out "Sister-in-law" and pursed his lips: "I didn't go out of my way to gather pig feed. I just happened to see some by the roadside. Don't worry, Sister-in-law, I won't wander off after school."

Xu Zhichun smiled and said, "Anyway, come back earlier in the future, otherwise your sister-in-law will worry."

"Okay." "Go wash your hands and rest for a while. Your sister-in-law is making dinner."

"it is good."

The child put down his book, washed his hands, and went to feed the chickens and pigs. Seeing that there wasn't much short firewood left in the corner of the kitchen, he went to the backyard and chopped the long pieces of firewood into shorter pieces, carrying them back to the kitchen and stacking them neatly. Then he picked up a bamboo broom taller than himself and swept the yard.

Xu Zhichun smiled helplessly and shook his head, letting him go.

Dinner consisted of steamed white rice, a soup of two crucian carp stewed with shredded radish, steamed egg custard with three eggs, and a bowl of stir-fried bok choy.

Where did the crucian carp come from? They were caught in the river, of course! Yes, that's how reliable she is.

"Come on, have some soup first. This fish, sister-in-law, was lucky, but it wasn't easy to catch. It's a bit small, but the soup tastes great. Fish soup is delicious and nourishing. Drink up."

"Sister-in-law, you should drink too."

"Hey!"

They drank soup first and then ate dinner. After the uncle and aunt finished eating, Liang Mingxuan helped clean up the dishes, following Xu Zhichun around like a little tail, doing his job.

Seeing the konjac tofu floating in the water, Liang Mingxuan asked with curiosity, "Sister-in-law, what is this?"

He knew Xu Zhichun would have told him even if he hadn't asked, so he smiled and explained.

Liang Mingxuan nodded: "I see. Your hometown must be a place blessed with beautiful scenery and outstanding people, so you came up with such a method that even poisonous things can be made into delicious food."

"Who says it isn't?"

Thinking of the dazzling lights and advanced technology of modern times, Xu Zhichun sighed, "I really miss it."

Nostalgia is useless.

She joked, "Konjac is poisonous. Do you really believe that your sister-in-law can make delicious food from konjac?"

Liang Mingxuan replied without hesitation, "Of course."

"why?"

"Because that's what my sister-in-law said."

Xu Zhichun covered her mouth and giggled. This child really knows how to talk.

"You believe it just because your sister-in-law said it?"

"Yes, what my sister-in-law said must be true."

Xu Zhichun was a little touched; she hadn't spoiled this child for nothing.

She gently patted his shoulder: "Of course it's true. My sister-in-law is counting on it to make money. Don't worry, our lives will definitely get better and better in the future."

Liang Mingxuan looked up at her and said, "I will definitely study hard and repay my sister-in-law in the future."

Although Xu Zhichun was full of plans to make the child repay her, she felt a little guilty for being too materialistic when she heard the child say it so seriously. She said gently, "Your sister-in-law already knows, so there's no need to say it again. Just do your best in your studies, and don't push yourself too hard, okay? It's okay, we'll take it slow."

Even if I don't pass the exam, it's okay. I can do business with her.

But these words didn't sound like words of comfort, so Xu Zhichun didn't say them.

Besides, given the child's temperament, it would be difficult for him not to pass the exam.

Liang Mingxuan nodded, indicating that he would go to read the book immediately.

Xu Zhichun turned on an extra lamp, saying, "I'll watch for a while and then go to sleep. I want to watch it again tomorrow morning, but dim lighting can hurt my eyes."

"Ah."

The next morning, after the children left for school, Xu Zhichun gave the chickens and pigs at home a big meal, and took some oral liquid to replenish qi and blood from the harbor warehouse to drink. He also ate a piece of bird's nest that he had discovered the day before.

I was a little tempted, so I ate two more pieces of chocolate.

After changing the water for the konjac tofu, she planned to go up the mountain again.

(End of this chapter)