Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

"No...no need to trouble Comrade Zhou Feng!" Qin's father snapped out of his daze and hurriedly waved his hand, his voice trembling with urgency. "We...we'll just go out and buy a couple of sesame cakes to tide us over. How could we let you go to such lengths..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Zhou Feng walk to the locked low cabinet in the corner of the kitchen, take out the key, open it, and pull out a piece of pork belly that weighed three or four pounds!

The meat was perfectly marbled with fat and lean, with distinct layers. The white fat was a finger's width thick, and the red lean meat was bright and fresh. It was clearly top-quality pork!

In an era when meat coupons are scarce and ordinary families may not be able to afford meat even once a month, this piece of meat is practically shining with gold!

Qin's father was immediately silenced, his eyes widening even more than when he heard about the hundred yuan, and he let out a "ho" sound, his whole body stiffening.

Qin Jingru also let out a soft gasp, covered her mouth with her small hand, stared intently at the piece of meat, and couldn't help but swallow.

She ate Zhou Feng's braised pork here last time, and since returning home, she has been dreaming about the taste and texture of it.

Now that Zhou Feng has brought out such a big piece of meat, her eyes are practically glued to it!

Zhou Feng, however, seemed oblivious to the shocked expressions on the father and daughter's faces. He carried the meat to the cutting board, picked up a cleaver, and began to process it skillfully.

He first heated the iron wok, rubbed a small piece of fat around the inside of the wok, and then sizzled the large chunks of pork belly into the wok to start stir-frying.

The moment the meat pieces come into contact with the hot pan, a rich aroma of oil bursts out, accompanied by a sizzling sound!

The aroma is incredibly strong, almost as good as the lamb skewers we just had, but the meat and seasoning flavors are slightly different.

But the sound eventually escaped through the crack in the window, immediately making the expression on Old Yan's face across the street turn sour.

"Sigh, just how much money does Zhou Feng have? He's so wasteful, cooking meat in the middle of the day!"

The three women sighed, losing all interest in their food, and the children in the family all pouted.

Yu Li looked up at Yan Jiecheng, took another deep breath, and smelled the aroma of caramel and meat. She was truly disappointed in him.

What a useless person I've been paired with! He's good for nothing!

Qin's father and Qin Jingru sat in the inner room, their stomachs rumbling and their mouths watering from the aroma.

Looking up at his daughter, Mr. Qin quickly shut his mouth. How embarrassing it would be if she found out he was swallowing!

But Qin Jingru didn't notice him at all; she was looking towards the kitchen with a slightly flushed face and bright eyes!

Unconsciously, he was still holding the bamboo skewers he had left over from eating the lamb skewers.

Zhou Feng's technique was swift and skillful. He stir-fried the meat chunks until they were golden brown on all sides and the oil had seeped out. Then he added scallions, ginger, and garlic to sauté until fragrant, and finally sprinkled in a handful of rock sugar.

Once the rock sugar had melted and turned caramel color, he picked up the kettle next to him and poured boiling water into the pot with a "whoosh".

When hot water meets hot oil, a plume of white steam rises up, a mixture of caramel and meat aromas.

Next, pour in soy sauce and cooking wine, then add two star anise and a small piece of cinnamon.

Zhou Feng covered the pot, turned the heat to low, and simmered it for a while before wiping his hands and returning to the inner room.

He wouldn't dare say about other dishes, but this braised pork belly is something you have to handle with one hand.

Seeing the father and daughter still looking a little hesitant, Zhou Feng smiled and said, "It needs to stew for a while longer. The rice has just started cooking too. Let's have some of this to tide us over. Don't be shy!"

As he spoke, he took out the roasted chicken leg, put on disposable gloves, tore it into strips of different sizes, put it on a plate, and handed it over.

Qin Jingru didn't stand on ceremony and picked up a piece with her chopsticks. The chicken skin was crispy and fragrant, the chicken meat was tender and smooth, and the Orleans-style braising sauce was salty and sweet, which made him squint his eyes.

Qin's father hesitated for a moment, then picked up a piece of meat. It tasted different from the lamb skewers he had eaten before, but it was still incredibly delicious!

"Zhou Feng, I'm back! Are you grilling those lamb skewers again?"

The three of them were eating when Bai Ling's voice came from the courtyard.

The next second, she opened the door and walked in.

After all, someone had already reported to the Special Operations Division when the Qin family arrived, so she naturally rushed back as quickly as possible.

Upon entering the house, her expression froze, and her gaze swept over the two members of the Qin family.

Qin's father immediately clutched his chest, and Qin Jingru also shifted her gaze somewhat uncomfortably.

Given her current mental fortitude, she's not capable of meeting Bai Ling's gaze directly; it's normal for her to look away.

"Oh, you're making braised pork again? I remember last time Sister Qin came, you made braised pork too!"

The smile on Bai Ling's face seemed somewhat forced and insincere.

That scoundrel! They woke up together this morning, and he took advantage of almost everything. At noon, he even invited Qin Jingru to have lunch at his house, along with her family.

What's wrong?

Is this a pre-wedding reunion?

Zhou Feng, however, showed no embarrassment whatsoever, and waved to Bai Ling: "You're one to talk about Comrade Qin Jingru, aren't you? You've been there both times she made braised pork. This meat wasn't just for her, it was also for you, wasn't it?"

Qin Jingru pouted as she watched the interaction between Zhou Feng and Bai Ling. Although she had never been in a relationship, she could sense that the way Zhou Feng and Bai Ling got along was different from that between normal friends.

Qin's father immediately understood. As someone who had been through it all, how could he not see the relationship between the two?

"Uncle Qin, this is Comrade Bai Ling, who lives next door. We usually cook together, so let's have a meal together today. Please don't mind. Comrade Bai Ling, this is Comrade Qin Jingru's father. He really helped me a lot today!"

"Hello, Comrade Bai Ling. We just came from the countryside and will be going back this afternoon. Sorry to bother you."

"Oh, what's the big deal? I'm just here to mooch a meal from Comrade Zhou Feng. I'm the one who's bothering you today."

Zhou Feng introduced the two to each other, and Qin's father quickly stood up to greet Bai Ling, who didn't put on any airs.

Although she didn't know what help they had given Zhou Feng, she guessed it was just the pile of wood in the corner. She could ask Zhou Feng about it after they left.

But Qin's father glanced at Bai Ling from the side and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Looking at this woman, she must be Zhou Feng's girlfriend. In terms of both looks and temperament, she is far superior to my own Jingru, this country girl.

However... becoming a junior member shouldn't be too much of a problem, right?