A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

"Add vinegar to the sugar?"

Aunt Wang felt her worldview was completely overturned at that moment. She had lived for over thirty years and made sugar for ten, and had never heard of such an unorthodox approach! Wasn't this like sprinkling a handful of sand into a perfectly good pot of chicken soup?

"Nianci...you...you're not wrong, are you?" Yaya asked softly, uncertainly, "Vinegar is sour, sugar is sweet, so what does it taste like when they're mixed together?"

"You'll know once you try it," Su Nianci said with her usual confident smile.

She knew how incomprehensible this kind of "dimensional reduction attack" across eras was to people of this time. Adding a small amount of vinegar when boiling sugar can effectively prevent the syrup from crystallizing and make the cooled sugar coating more brittle; this is basic common sense for pastry chefs of later generations. But in this era, it was nothing short of a fantasy.

"Aunt Wang, do you have rock sugar, white sesame seeds, and vinegar at home?" Su Nianci asked directly without offering much explanation.

"We don't have rock sugar... we don't have any..." Aunt Wang shook her head, her face full of trouble. "That stuff is too precious, we usually can't bear to buy it... we do have some sesame seeds and vinegar though."

"If you don't have any, go buy some." Su Nianci's tone left no room for argument. "Don't worry, I'll pay for the rock sugar."

As she spoke, she actually pulled out the small kerosene lamp that Scarface had "gifted" her earlier from her pocket and handed it to Aunt Wang. "Aunt Wang, could you please take this to the supply and marketing cooperative, or exchange it with your neighbor? Just exchange it for a pound of rock sugar, half a pound will be enough."

Aunt Wang stared at the kerosene lamp, then paused, startled. In those days, kerosene was a scarce commodity; the oil in this small lamp was worth at least a penny or two. Looking into Su Nianci's unwavering eyes, she gritted her teeth and finally took it. "Okay! I'll go change it!"

After Aunt Wang left, Su Nianci didn't rest either. She directed Ya Ya to start making preparations.

"Ya Ya, go and bring out all the hawthorns in the house. Our first step is to remove the pits from them."

"Remove...remove the core?" Ya Ya heard a new term again.

"Yes." Su Nianci found a small knife and a hawthorn, and personally demonstrated to Ya Ya. She didn't use the professional pitting tool from later generations, but instead used a most ingenious, traditional method.

Using a knife, she made a horizontal cut around the middle of the hawthorn, just deep enough to reach the pit but not completely severing it. Then, she held the hawthorn at both ends and gently twisted it in opposite directions.

With a "click," the hawthorn split in two, exposing the pit completely. Su Nianci gently flicked the pit out with the tip of her knife. Then, she put the two halves back together, and from the outside, there was almost no trace of the pit.

The whole process was smooth and efficient, as if it had been done a thousand times before.

Ya Ya watched in astonishment! She had never known that hawthorns could be prepared in this way!

"Did you understand it?" Su Nianci asked.

"I...I know!" Ya Ya nodded vigorously, her admiration for Su Nianci deepening in her eyes.

So the two little girls, one as skilled as a master craftsman and the other as clumsy as a beginner apprentice, sat on small stools and began to "operate" on a basket of hawthorns one by one.

Soon, Aunt Wang returned. She not only brought back half a pound of bright yellow rock sugar, but also wore a strange, almost divine expression on her face.

"Nian... Nianci... you..." She pointed at Su Nianci, her words slurred, "When I went to exchange the rock sugar just now, I heard from the people at the supply and marketing cooperative that this morning, a man with a military officer's ID was asking around about a military doctor named Zhou Wenxuan... Is that person... is that the... professor who came with you?"

Su Nianci's heart skipped a beat!

Zhou Wenqian! He's already taken action!

She hadn't expected him to act so quickly! And to cause such a commotion! Showing off his military ID and asking around was tantamount to announcing to the outside world that he was going to thoroughly investigate the matter!

Su Nianci's mind raced. She knew that she absolutely couldn't let Aunt Wang and the others get involved in this.

"Aunt Wang, you might have misheard." Su Nianci's face instantly changed to an innocent expression. "Uncle Zhou has been with us all day. How could he have time to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to inquire about people? Besides, how could a university professor have a military officer's ID? You must have misheard."

She vehemently denied everything, completely denying any involvement.

Aunt Wang was skeptical, but seeing Su Nianci's "I know nothing" expression, she didn't press further. After all, that was a matter for "big shots," a world away from ordinary people like them.

"Alright, Aunt Wang, the rock sugar is here. Let's start making the sugar!" Su Nianci quickly changed the subject.

Under Su Nianci's guidance, Aunt Wang, half-believing and half-doubting, began the entirely new process of boiling sugar.

"The pot must be thoroughly cleaned, with not a drop of oil left."

"The ratio of water to rock sugar should be approximately two to one. There shouldn't be too much water, nor too little."

"Use low heat and simmer slowly. Remember, low heat! If the heat is too high, the sugar will burn and taste bitter!"

"When simmering, don't stir with chopsticks all the time! Stirring too much will cause it to crystallize! Let it melt slowly on its own."

Although Aunt Wang was full of doubts, she still strictly followed Su Nianci's instructions. To her surprise, the syrup made with rock sugar was indeed much clearer and more transparent than that made with granulated sugar!

The sugar syrup in the pot gradually changed from large bubbles to fine bubbles, and its color also gradually changed from transparent to a light amber color.

"Now!" Su Nianci's eyes were fixed on the changes in the pot. The moment she saw the color change, she immediately shouted, "Drip in a drop of vinegar! Quickly!"

Aunt Wang's hand trembled, and she almost poured the whole bottle of vinegar in. Trembling, she dipped her chopsticks in the vinegar and dripped it into the pot.

With a sizzling sound, the syrup in the pot seemed to undergo some kind of wonderful chemical reaction. The foam instantly became finer, and a strange caramel aroma, mixed with a barely perceptible vinegar smell, spread out.

"Turn off the fire! Turn off the fire immediately!" Su Nianci ordered again.

Aunt Wang hurriedly turned off the stove.

"Now, sprinkle in the toasted white sesame seeds!"

Ya Ya had already prepared a small bowl of fragrant white sesame seeds, which she then sprinkled into the boiling hot syrup.

Instantly, the aroma of sesame, activated by the high temperature, blended perfectly with the sweetness of sugar! That domineering, mouthwatering fragrance filled the entire small house in an instant, and even drifted outside!

"Quick! Dip it in sugar!" Su Nianci picked up a string of pitted hawthorns and handed it to Aunt Wang, who was staring in disbelief.

Aunt Wang seemed to wake from a dream. She took the hawthorn skewers and, imitating Su Nianci, quickly rolled them in the pot of golden syrup covered with sesame seeds.

The moment she took out the candied hawthorn, both she and Ya Ya couldn't help but gasp in surprise!

The candied hawthorn skewer looked as if it had been enchanted! It was coated with a thin, translucent, golden sugar glaze, evenly dotted with countless plump white sesame seeds. Under the dim light of the kerosene lamp, it shimmered like a work of art!

Is this... is this still the kind of sticky, dark-colored candied hawthorn they used to make?!

This is a complete transformation!

"Where...where should I put it?" Aunt Wang asked, holding the scalding hot candied hawthorn skewer, at a loss for what to do.

"Place it on an oiled cutting board, or directly in cold water to shock it!" Su Nianci instructed.

Aunt Wang quickly placed it on the cold stone slab that had been prepared beforehand.

With a soft "sizzle," the scalding hot sugar coating instantly solidified upon contact with the cold air!

Su Nianci picked up the freshly cooled, brand-new candied hawthorn skewers and handed them to Aunt Wang and Ya Ya.

"Try it." A slight smile played on her lips. "Try this, a taste from the future."

Aunt Wang took it with trembling hands. She looked at the unbelievably beautiful candied hawthorn skewer, took a deep breath, and then gently took a bite.

"Boom!"

A crisp, melodious sound rang out in the quiet little house.

Aunt Wang's eyes widened like saucers!