Song Wei, ignoring Luo Yecheng's overconfident thoughts, was quickly preparing the snake meat.
Although she wasn't a skilled cook, cleaning a snake was no problem.
She gutted the snake, its gallbladder a valuable ingredient, used in medicine.
Then she skinned it in one swift motion.
Li Juan, watching her smiling as she skinned the snake, swallowed hard, finding Song Wei rather terrifying.
"Alright, the rest is yours."
Clapping her hands, Song Wei went to start a fire.
Li Juan was an older educated youth; her room had a door at the back, and a small stove had been built in the backyard where she usually cooked. She
only had a clay pot, not an iron pot. Buying an iron pot required industrial ration coupons, and even then, it wasn't guaranteed.
Iron pots were also scarce at the supply and marketing cooperative.
But a clay pot was enough for stewing snake meat.
Li Juan quickly cut the snake into sections, heated some oil in the large clay pot, added garlic and other seasonings, and began stir-frying the snake meat.
Song Wei glanced at the food; Li Juan had used very little oil.
But she understood; oil was precious.
Everyone finds food with a little oil delicious, and in the countryside, most meals were boiled, with little oil used for stir-frying.
Once the snake meat was fragrant, Li Juan added water.
Remembering something, Song Wei contributed the mushrooms she had collected.
"Add some of these,"
Li Juan said enviously. "You found so many mushrooms!"
Song Wei's trip into the mountains had been quite fruitful.
Song Wei replied, "Just lucky."
Few people ventured deep into the mountains, and it was mushroom season.
The snake meat was tender and wouldn't stew for long.
The aroma filled the entire educated youth compound.
They ate their coarse grains, finding them somewhat tasteless.
They were drooling…
someone swallowed hard, taking a large bite of their multigrain steamed bun while inhaling the aroma.
Luo Yecheng moved; he came out of his room, carrying a bunch of greens, and went to Li Juan's.
The other educated youths were secretly observing, and seeing this, they all opened their doors a crack and listened intently.
Luo Yecheng walked to the backyard, glanced at the stewing meat in the earthenware pot, swallowed hard, and then looked at Song Wei with deep affection.
"Song Wei, I know you're sad because of Jiang Xiaowan, but you have to believe that you're still
in my heart. From the moment I met you, I've always considered you a younger sister. I never expected you to treat me like this… But don't be sad. Although I will marry Jiang Xiaowan in the future, you will still be that little sister in my heart who needs my care, and I will help you in the future."
After he finished speaking, Song Wei looked at him with a shocked expression.
Shocked by his shamelessness.
Luo Yecheng straightened his chest confidently, revealing a gentle smile.
However, the next second, his smile vanished.
Song Wei: "...Where did this big idiot come from?"
Li Juan almost burst out laughing; she quickly covered her mouth.
She really hadn't expected Song Wei to react this way.
If it were before, if it were before, Song Wei would definitely have been moved and forgiven Luo Yecheng.
Luo Yecheng's expression stiffened slightly: "I know you're still angry..."
Song Wei glanced at the bunch of green vegetables in his hand, interrupting his nagging and unpleasant ramblings; she didn't want to hear it.
"Hey Luo, you're not trying to use a bunch of green vegetables to smuggle some snake meat from me, are you? And making such a fancy deal out of it! Not a single word you said is pleasing to me. If you want to leave, just turn around and get out."
Luo Yecheng looked at her with a disappointed expression: "What happened to you? You weren't like this before."
Song Wei picked up the unburnt firewood on the ground: "Don't make me want to hit you! Are you prepared to return those tickets? Do you really think I wouldn't dare cause a scene at your wedding?"
Her actions looked serious, and Luo Yecheng was so frightened that he took two steps back.
"Song Wei, you..."
Song Wei swung a matchstick at him, grazing his face.
Luo Yecheng was truly startled this time, staggered, and hurriedly ran away, dropping the small green vegetables he was holding.
Song Wei picked them up and threw them back at him.
"Take your small green vegetables and get out, we don't want them!"
Luo Yecheng was filled with shame and indignation, never expecting to be kicked out like this; he had completely lost face.
How had Song Wei become like this, selfish, self-centered, and extremely rude?
Luckily, he hadn't fallen for her, otherwise he would regret it to death facing such a shrew!
Luo Yecheng comforted himself with this thought, returning to his room with a grim expression.
The educated youths who were secretly observing saw that Luo Yecheng had been kicked out, and they knew they had no chance either.
Xu Laidi, smelling the aroma of meat in the air, pursed her lips and muttered curses.
"Eat, eat, eat! How can you not eat yourselves to death? What's wrong with sharing a little bit of such a big snake? You're such a selfish person! No wonder Luo Yecheng doesn't like you. If I were a man, I wouldn't like you either..."
Regardless of what the other educated youths thought, Song Wei and Li Juan ate happily.
The meat was really fragrant and delicious.
The soup was milky white, and even just dipping the coarse grain steamed buns in it made them taste delicious.
Li Juan was a little embarrassed: "I'll treat you to a meal next time. I still have a piece of cured meat."
In any case, she was the one who benefited from this meal, even though she provided the grain.
Song Wei ate without looking up.
"Okay."
Just as she was eating, someone called her from outside.
Song Wei took her rice bowl and went out. A middle-aged man was standing at the gate of the educated youth courtyard.
"Educated Youth Song, I've come to set up the kang (heated brick bed) for you."
This man was Aunt Ma's husband, Jiang Erzhu.
Song Wei immediately smiled: "Thank you, Uncle Erzhu."
"No trouble at all. This kang isn't difficult. It'll be ready soon."
For those who work in the fields in the countryside, physical labor is really not difficult. The men here mostly build kang (heated brick
beds), because it's cold in winter, and anyone without one can freeze to death. Uncle Zhu quickly unloaded the mud bricks from the cart. Song Wei, having almost finished eating, asked Li Juan to keep the remaining meat warm before joining in the unloading.
She, of course, hoped her little nest would be finished soon.
"Song, you're so fast!"
Seeing Song Wei carrying a huge stack of mud bricks so quickly, Erzhu was worried they might crush her.
Song Wei smiled shyly: "I'm just a little bit strong."
What did her delicate appearance have to do with her strength?
Jiang Erzhu had been busy all night, and the kang was almost finished, but she couldn't sleep yet.
Song Wei made do on the wooden plank bed for now.
Around nine o'clock that night, seeing Uncle Erzhu was about to leave, Song Wei took out a bowl of snake meat soup, with some meat chunks and mushrooms floating in it, smelling delicious.
"Uncle Erzhu, you've worked hard. Take this soup home and try it."
The aroma of the meat made Jiang Erzhu swallow hard, but he still waved his hand to refuse.
"No, no, I ate before coming here and I'm not hungry yet."
Song Wei stuffed it into his hand: "It's not much, let the kids at home try it. Aunt Ma and I are good friends, let her try it too."
Thinking of his children at home, Jiang Erzhu smiled sheepishly and finally didn't refuse, giving Song Wei a sincere smile.
"Then I'll shamelessly accept it."