Reborn in '77, I have a job panel!

"Clean it up so we can continue tomorrow," Qian Cheng said.

Zhang Changtian hummed in agreement, his gaze falling on the two chairs beside the worktable.

He walked over, picked up the first one, examined it carefully, nodded, then picked up the second one and examined it even more closely.

"Did you just make this?" he asked.

"Well, after finishing the first round, we saw there was still some material left, so we made another round."

"How long did it take?"

"About an hour."

Zhang Changtian didn't say anything, but simply compared the two chairs back and forth.

The first one is already pretty good, but there are still some rough details. There are some gaps at the mortise and tenon joints, and the chamfer on the edge of the seat is not smooth enough.

The second one is much more refined, with tight mortise and tenon joints, a flat and smooth seat, and a more symmetrical overall appearance.

After examining it for a while, Zhang Changtian finally spoke up and commented, "You've made quite a bit of progress. The first one looked like something an apprentice would do, but the second one is barely noticeable; you could tell that you've learned some of my techniques."

Qian Cheng was overjoyed: "Really?"

"Would I lie to you?" Zhang Changtian glared at him. "But don't get cocky, this is just the beginning."

In the field of carpentry, there is no end to learning.

You can make stools now, but you're still a long way from being able to make cabinets, doors, and windows.

"I know, I will study hard."

Zhang Changtian nodded in satisfaction, put down the chair, and walked out with his hands behind his back. When he reached the door, he turned back and said, "Come early tomorrow, and I'll teach you other ways to do mortise and tenon joints."

"Okay, Master."

Zhang Changtian is gone.

Qian Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and touched the flesh in his arms; it was still warm.

He glanced at the clock on the wall; it was a little past three in the afternoon.

If I go home now, my mom probably won't be back yet. She said she was going to Aunt Li's house to help make cotton-padded clothes today and wouldn't be back until before dinner.

Just right.

Qian Cheng packed up his tools and cleaned the carpentry shed again before putting on his cotton-padded coat, stuffing the meat in his pocket, and quietly slipping out of the Zhang family's house.

He walked very fast along the way, afraid of running into acquaintances.

When I got home, the yard was quiet.

Hou Yufen had indeed not returned yet.

Qian Cheng quickly went inside, closed the door, and took out the oil paper package from his pocket. The meat was still warm, and the oil paper was soaked through, glistening with oil.

He swallowed hard.

I'm really craving meat.

In the days since I transmigrated here, apart from eating a few pieces of meat in scrambled eggs at the Zhang family's house, I haven't seen any meat at home. My stomach is completely dry, and everything looks delicious to me.

Today I can finally eat meat!

Qian Cheng didn't plan to wait for Hou Yufen to come back before cooking. He knew his mother's temper; if she saw such a long piece of pork belly, she definitely wouldn't want to finish it in one meal. She would cut it into small pieces and add a little bit each time she cooked, enough to last for several days.

That won't do.

Qian Cheng wanted to eat his fill all at once.

He went into the outer room, first adding some firewood to the stove to make the fire burn brightly, then scooping a ladle of water from the water vat to wash the meat.

The pork belly was marbled with fat and lean meat, and the texture was distinct. Qian Cheng placed it on the cutting board, picked up a knife, thought for a moment, and decided not to cut it all.

He cut about two-thirds of it, leaving one-third for his elder brother and sister-in-law.

The cut meat chunks were white and tender, with bright red lean meat. Qian Cheng also sliced ​​a few pieces of ginger and found a dried chili pepper.

Put a small spoonful of lard in the pot.

If Hou Yufen saw this, she would be heartbroken.

But Qian Cheng didn't care; he had to eat well today.

Melt the oil, then add ginger slices and dried chili peppers and sauté until fragrant.

Then pour in the meat chunks.

"Sizzle."

When boiling oil meets raw meat, it explodes with a loud sizzle, and the aroma of meat instantly fills the air, mixed with the smoky fragrance of chili peppers, wafting straight into your nose.

Qian Cheng stir-fried the meat, watching it change from bright red to pale white, and the fatty parts began to become translucent, oozing oil.

He added some salt and poured in some soy sauce. There wasn't much soy sauce left at home, so he had to use it sparingly.

Continue stir-frying.

The meat chunks gradually turned a golden brown, with slightly curled edges, sizzling and oozing oil.

The oil in the pot kept increasing; it was all rendered from the fatty meat.

Qian Cheng swallowed hard, resisting the urge to reach out and take a piece to try.

When the meat was almost cooked, he added a ladle of water, covered the pot, and simmered it over low heat.

It needs to be stewed for a while before the pork belly becomes tender and fragrant.

While the meat was stewing, Qian Cheng cut up the remaining third of the meat and wrapped it in another piece of oil paper. This was for his older brother and sister-in-law.

Then he started kneading the dough.

The cornmeal was mixed with a little wheat flour. Hou Yufen had been saving the wheat flour for a long time to make dumplings for the New Year. Qian Cheng scooped out a small bowl, feeling a little guilty, but thinking that he was eating meat today, he needed to have some staple food with it.

The dough is ready, I'm awake.

The meat was still simmering in the pot, and the aroma was getting stronger and stronger.

It was a pure, rich aroma of meat, mixed with the salty and savory flavor of soy sauce and the slight spiciness of chili, wafting out from the gaps in the pot lid and permeating the entire outer room.

Qian Cheng sat by the stove, watching the fire and listening to the bubbling sound in the pot, feeling extremely satisfied.

This is the kind of life a human being should live.

After stewing the meat for about half an hour, Qian Cheng lifted the lid of the pot.

The broth had reduced to almost nothing, and the meat chunks were glossy and reddish, trembling slightly, looking incredibly tender.

He poked it with his chopsticks, and it went in easily.

All right.

Qian Cheng ladled out the meat and filled a large bowl.

The meat chunks were piled high, the broth was thick and glistening with oil.

He took out the rested dough, rolled it into a flatbread, and stuck it to the side of the pan. The pan was still warm, so it was perfect for baking the flatbread.

The pancakes were baked until golden brown on both sides, and had a meaty aroma.

Just as Qian Cheng finished cutting the cakes, the gate to the courtyard rang.

Hou Yufen is back.

As soon as she entered the hospital, she sniffed and asked, "What smells so good?"

Qian Cheng came out carrying a bowl of meat, grinning, "Mom, you're back? Perfect timing for dinner."

When Hou Yufen saw the bowl of meat, her eyes widened: "Where...where did this meat come from?"

"My master's wife gave it to me," Qian Cheng casually made up an excuse, "saying I had just recovered from my illness and needed some tonics."

Hou Yufen was skeptical, but the aroma of the meat was too tempting, so she didn't bother to ask any more questions and quickly washed her hands and went inside.

Qian Cheng placed the bowl of meat on the table, then served the flatbread and two bowls of cornmeal porridge.

"Just the two of us eating?" Hou Yufen asked.

"Yes, I saved a portion for my older brother and sister-in-law. You can bring it over in a bit."

He pulled another oil paper package from his pocket: "This is the meat I set aside. You can take it to your elder brother tonight."

Hou Yufen took the oil paper package, opened it, and saw that it contained chopped meat, about two or three ounces. Her eyes suddenly reddened.

"Chengzi," her voice choked with emotion, "you...you're thinking about your brother?"

"What are you saying? Of course I'm thinking about that!"

"Over the years, my older brother and sister-in-law have taken good care of me."

When I was sick, my older brother came to visit me every day, and my sister-in-law even brewed medicine for me. I know how kind she was to me.

Hou Yufen wiped her eyes: "You've grown up, you've really grown up."

"Mom, eat quickly, the meat won't taste good if it gets cold." Qian Cheng picked up the biggest piece of meat and put it in Hou Yufen's bowl.

Hou Yufen looked at the meat in the bowl, then at her son, and finally smiled: "Okay, eat."

The mother and son sat down to eat.

Qian Cheng took a bite of meat first.

The fatty parts were stewed until translucent, melted in your mouth, and not greasy at all.

The lean meat is tender and has absorbed the broth, making it savory and delicious.

When you chew it, the aroma of meat, oil, and sauce blend together, making your mouth water.

So delicious.