The Way of Heaven Rewards Diligence in Film and Television

Chapter 81 Crispy Pot and Gifts

Lin Yang looked at Xu Hongdou, who smiled and said, "Then...whatever! By the way, I'll ask Nana if she's eaten, and see if we should cook for her too."

"Me too..." Nana walked in with a smile, exchanged glances with Xu Hongdou, Master Ma, and Da Mai, and then, as if in unison, smiled and turned to Lin Yang, saying, "Whatever!"

"You bunch of irresponsible people... Fine! Just you wait!" Lin Yang went to the kitchen, both amused and exasperated.

Less than half an hour later, when the group gathered around the kitchen table, looking at the contents of the pot, even Master Ma couldn't help but chuckle:

A hodgepodge of ingredients?

"Whatever, that's just a hodgepodge!" Lin Yang laughed.

Xu Hongdou, Nana, and Damai looked at each other and couldn't help but smile.

"Mmm, it's delicious!" Da Mai, the first to take a bite, nodded with a bright look in her eyes. "It tastes a bit like hot pot, but it's more flavorful."

"The stew from the big pot is delicious!" Master Ma exclaimed after taking a bite.

"This is somewhat similar to the crispy pot from my hometown," Xu Hongdou said.

"What is a crispy pot?" Da Mai asked curiously.

"Every family has a different way of doing it. Take our family for example. We use a clay pot, with a pork hock bone at the bottom, then we press down cabbage, kelp, and fried food on top, press it down, add water, then add seasonings, and start stewing," Xu Hongdou explained.

"Hmm, it sounds delicious," Fu Mai couldn't help but say.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yang's eyes flickered slightly, and he silently made a note of it, preparing to search for the detailed instructions later.

After dinner, Nana and Damai volunteered to clean up and wash the dishes.

Lin Yang and Xu Hongdou went out for a stroll, so Master Ma had to make and drink tea by himself.

Upon reaching the village entrance, Lin Yang gestured to the RV parked in the village parking lot: "Would you like to get in, sit for a while, and rest?"

"Let's go back!" Xu Hongdou said with a hint of resistance.

"The soundproofing in the rooms in the courtyard doesn't seem to be very good. We'll disturb other people's rest," Lin Yang said.

"What are you thinking?" Xu Hongdou stared at Lin Yang with slightly wide eyes: "Let's go back and sleep separately."

Xu Hongdou turned and went back first, leaving Lin Yang scratching his head in slight helplessness. Weren't they fine just now? Did she think they hadn't officially become boyfriend and girlfriend yet?

The next day, Lin Yang, who had left breakfast for Xu Hongdou, left Yunmiao Village early in the morning in a rented car.

Lin Yang, who didn't return until after 10 a.m., carried some ingredients into the kitchen and busied himself. It wasn't until almost noon that he sent a message to Xu Hongdou, who was helping Nana at the restaurant, asking her to come back for lunch.

"Where have you been all day? I haven't seen you since this morning!" Xu Hongdou asked as she returned to the courtyard and saw Lin Yang sitting at the stone table, playing on his phone and waiting for her. "What have you been up to? Why did you insist I come back for lunch?"

"Come and see for yourself," Lin Yang said, pulling Xu Hongdou directly into the kitchen.

Smelling a slightly familiar aroma wafting from the kitchen and seeing the casserole dish on the dining table, Xu Hongdou went over and opened it. She looked at Lin Yang in surprise: "Crispy casserole? You can make crispy casserole?"

"Didn't you teach me? Later I specifically searched for the recipe and went to buy groceries this morning to try making it..." Lin Yang said with a smile.

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Hongdou, feeling a little envious and touched, couldn't help but step forward and hug him, then looked up and kissed him.

"Come on, have a taste and see if my crispy pot tastes authentic," Lin Yang said after a sweet kiss, then quickly invited Xu Hongdou to sit down.

"How is it?" Lin Yang asked expectantly after Xu Hongdou tasted it.

"Yes, that's the taste," Xu Hongdou nodded with a smile.

"That's good! I was worried I'd mess it up the first time!" Lin Yang breathed a sigh of relief.

"Very good, you've never done this before, this is already a great success," Xu Hongdou said. "You went out early this morning and worked all morning just so I could have some crispy pot?"

"It's not just about buying ingredients," Lin Yang said with a slightly mysterious smile, taking out a square jewelry box from his pocket.

"What is this?" Xu Hongdou asked, taking the jewelry box from Lin Yang.

"Open it and take a look," Lin Yang said with a smile.

Xu Hongdou opened it with some curiosity and saw two small, exquisite high-quality icy green jadeite pendants, one large and one small, a pair of jadeite bracelets with floating flowers, and a delicate bracelet.

"Jade jewelry? You're buying wholesale? So much?" Xu Hongdou asked in surprise.

"These weren't bought, they're jadeite I found while gambling on rough stones," Lin Yang said with a shake of his head and a smile. "Just before, when I took you, Nana, and Damai to the ancient city, I bought a few pieces of jadeite rough stones on the antique street. I was lucky and found two pieces of jadeite. One was big and one was small. The smaller one was of better quality, but it wasn't enough to make a bracelet. So I made three pendants, two big and one small, and I made a bracelet for you with the rest."

As Lin Yang spoke, he took off a jade pendant he was wearing and showed it to Xu Hongdou: "I'm already wearing the other one. You can have one of the remaining two, and the other... didn't you say your sister has a daughter? Give it to her later!"

"Jade gambling? How much did you spend on the stones that yielded so much jade?" Xu Hongdou asked repeatedly.

"You definitely won't believe it if I tell you," Lin Yang said with a smile. "I sold a rough stone for three thousand, and it turned out great after polishing. It performed well, so I gave it to the boss for about thirty or forty thousand yuan. I bought a rough stone that was not small, and cut out a large piece of jadeite, which could probably make a dozen or twenty bracelets."

"I asked the boss in charge of processing to speed things up and get these items done for me. The rest will take a while to finish. When they're all done, there will be enough for my uncles, aunts, and my sister and brother-in-law to each have a few pieces, with some to spare!"

"That's my sister," Xu Hongdou said, rolling her eyes at Lin Yang. "No way. You got the jade by luck. Although I'm not an expert, I can tell it's of very good quality and definitely not cheap. I can't take it."

"It's not like I bought it with money. I'm giving it to my girlfriend, or even my future wife. What's wrong with accepting it?" Lin Yang said.

"Are you really going to marry me?" Xu Hongdou couldn't help but ask.

Lin Yang nodded repeatedly: "Of course! I'm serious! Hongdou, I've told you before, now that I've made up my mind, I'll go wherever you go from now on."

"That...that won't work either," Xu Hongdou hesitated.

"Red Bean, are you still not willing to be my girlfriend?" Lin Yang asked.

"I didn't, I..." Xu Hongdou stammered, then paused before continuing, "Okay, I'll accept what you gave me, but I can't agree to give Lingdang anything. As for what you said about my parents, sister, and brother-in-law, you don't need to give them anything. Lin Yang, are you a spendthrift? Just because you are, does that mean you have to give it all away?"

"Red Bean, I don't have any relatives myself. I don't plan to sell these things, so if we get married in the future, they will be my relatives, and I will give them these things then," Lin Yang said.

"We'll see when the time comes!" Xu Hongdou seemed slightly exasperated by Lin Yang's insistence, then suddenly realized something and exclaimed, "Wait a minute! This jadeite is of two kinds, clearly different. You cut two kinds from one piece of material?"

"No, it was cut from two pieces of jade. The other piece was a gift from the boss. It wasn't worth much, only a few hundred yuan a piece. He gave away several pieces! I didn't expect it to turn out to be a high-quality, icy green jadeite, but it's too small," Lin Yang explained.

"This works? Then your luck is..." Xu Hongdou was at a loss for words.