During famine years, I had a divination slip in hand, and my whole family ate chicken, duck, fish, a

After leaving the academy, Ye Qingqing felt refreshed and relaxed...

He jumped into the car and said, "Let's go home for dinner!"

By the time we got back to Kaoshantun, it was already dark.

Dim yellow light shone from the windows of several houses, and the barking of dogs rose and fell.

"Er Yatou and the others are back from shopping!"

I don't know which sharp-eyed child shouted it out.

The mule cart stopped in front of the Ye family's house, making quite a commotion.

The neighbors, who were still half asleep, heard it and couldn't resist coming out to see what he had bought this time.

Seeing the huge pile of things in front of the Ye family's door, I was so shocked that my eyes almost popped out.

"Oh my goodness! Chunyan, have you emptied the entire fabric shop?"

Li Chunyan finally had a chance to show off. She jumped out of the car, not caring about the cold, and pointed at the pile of things in her clear voice.

"Aunt Wang, look! This is dark blue cloth for Dali, this is blue printed cloth for Dazhuang, and this is white cotton cloth for the two little ones to make undershirts!"

And with these twenty pounds of new cotton, none of us will freeze this winter!

As she spoke, she untied the bundle as if presenting a treasure, revealing a corner of the bright red peony-patterned Lu silk.

"See that? It's Lu silk! I'll make a new jacket for it for the New Year; I guarantee it'll be bright and shiny!"

Aunt Wang watched with envy, reaching out to touch the smooth silk surface and then pinching the snow-white cotton, clicking her tongue in admiration.

"Oh my, how much money must this cost... The Ye family is..."

"I bought it with money!"

Li Chunyan said smugly, "Second Girl said, only a fool would sit around freezing with money! Isn't the point of making money to spend it?"

At this moment, other villagers also gathered around in twos and threes, craning their necks to look.

"With so much fabric, the whole family can make new clothes, right?"

"That cotton looks really good, much better than what we fluff."

"Tsk tsk, they even bought shoes, and they're even multi-layered soles..."

Envy, jealousy, and disbelief swept over Ye Qingqing.

Ye Qingqing acted as if she hadn't seen anything, directing Ye Dali and Ye Dazhuang to move things into the house.

Once inside, closing the door shut out most of the outside chatter.

An oil lamp was lit inside, its dim light illuminating the lively atmosphere.

Li Chunyan couldn't wait to unfold the dark blue cloth, spread it on the kang (a heated brick bed), and pull Lu Dali's arm...

"Dali, come try this on! See if this color suits you!"

Ye Dali was a little embarrassed, but he still let his wife do as she pleased.

The dark blue cloth accentuated his dark skin, making him appear much more energetic.

"Beautiful! Beautiful!" Li Chunyan clapped her hands, smiling so broadly that her eyes disappeared from her grin.

She then took out the other pairs of children's shoes and gave them to Huanhuan.

"This is for my daughter, do you like it?"

"Wow! New shoes! Mom, these shoes are so pretty!"

Little Huanhuan hugged her new shoes and happily bounced around on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Ye Qingqing took out the scented soap and handed it to Li Chunyan.

"Sister-in-law, boil some hot water tomorrow, let's wash off this sweaty mess with this new soap, it'll keep us feeling refreshed."

Li Chunyan took the soap, brought it close to her nose, and smelled it, feeling so happy she almost fainted.

"We've really gone too far with this! Second daughter, do you think we can finally have a new quilt next year?"

As Ye Qingqing moved the cotton towards the end of the kang (a heated brick bed), she casually remarked...

"Once the cotton is ginned, the remaining cottonseed can be pressed for oil, and the cotton stalks can be used as firewood, so nothing is wasted."

Li Chunyan would touch the cloth for a while, and then pinch the cotton.

Inside the Ye family's small earthen house, the heat suddenly surged up to the roof beams.

"Sister-in-law, I'm hungry."

Ye Qingqing frowned and asked, "Aren't you hungry?"

"Yes, yes, we were so happy, let's get cooking!"

Li Chunyan exclaimed "Hey!" and nimbly jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed) to start cooking.

Ye Dali blew the fire in the stove into a bright flame with a "whoosh".

The firewood crackled and popped as it burned, the firelight making his dark red face shine even brighter.

Li Chunyan put a small piece of lard into the hot pan, and with a "sizzle," the aroma instantly burst forth.

She first threw in the sliced ​​meat to stir-fry, the meat curling up and the oil sizzling out.

Then, the fish cut into sections was placed on top, and the salty and savory aroma mixed with the smell of smoke immediately filled the entire kitchen.

"My goodness..."

Li Chunyan watched, her mouth watering, forgetting to add firewood to the fire with her hand. "This smell is so enticing!" she exclaimed.

Soon, the pot began to gurgle and bubble, steam billowing out from the lid and carrying a strong aroma of meat that even made the spiderwebs on the ceiling sway.

While fish and meat were stewing on one side, Ye Cuicui was busy preparing the staple food on the other.

She scooped out the white rice from the cloth bag, washed it clean, steamed it, and then took out some cold steamed buns.

"Cui'er, give me the steamed bun."

Li Chunyan hurriedly said that once the fish in the pot was almost cooked, she would spread the slices of steamed bun on top of the dish and steam and braise it together.

This method allows the steamed buns to absorb the savory flavor of the meat broth, making them a hundred times better than eating them alone.

Finally, she made a pot of cabbage and tofu soup. She threw in a handful of thin glass noodles, added a pinch of salt, simmered it for a couple of minutes, and the light and refreshing soup was ready.

"It smells delicious!"

Ye Qingqing lifted the lid of the pot and couldn't help but gasp, "Sister-in-law's cooking is amazing!"

A plume of white, hot air rose into the air, blurring the flame of the oil lamp.

As the steam dissipated slightly, the fish in the center of the pot was a deep reddish-brown, the cured meat glistening, and the surrounding slices of steamed buns were soaked in the broth until golden brown. Beside it sat a bowl of cabbage and vermicelli soup, its vibrant green and snow-white color looking refreshing.

Ye Dali was already waiting by the side with a large bowl in his hand, and his stomach was growling loudly from the aroma.

"Quick, eat it while it's hot!"

Each person was served a large bowl of rice, each grain distinct and translucent.

Li Chunyan was the first to pick up a piece of meat, which was so hot that she breathed out hot air, but she still couldn't help but put it in her mouth.

The fatty parts were stewed until they melted in her mouth, while the lean meat was savory and chewy. The rich, oily aroma slid down her throat and into her stomach, soothing her every pore.

"Mmm...delicious!"

She mumbled something indistinctly and picked up another large piece of fish. After stewing, it became tender and flavorful, with strands of garlic-like meat that were so delicious they made your eyebrows fall off.

The white rice is sweet, and you can eat more than half a bowl without any side dishes.

But he quickly set his sights on the slices of steamed bun that were soaked in soup.

The slices of steamed bun were soft on the outside and tender on the inside. With one bite, he tasted both the wheat aroma of the steamed bun and the salty freshness of the meat and fish. He ate until his forehead was sweating and his mouth was oily.

Ye Dazhuang ate slowly and carefully as usual, but in Ye Qingqing's opinion, he seemed much more relaxed.

He first took a sip of the cabbage soup, the refreshing broth washing away the greasiness in his mouth.

Then he picked up a piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, and then picked up a piece of steamed bun soaked in broth, and put them both into his mouth.

He ate very slowly, as if savoring the rare delicacy.

Their eyes met briefly, and Ye Qingqing looked up and smiled, "Big Zhuang, eat more!"