Song Weian and Du Juan looked at their two lively and adorable children and said in unison, “Go wash your hands. Once they’re clean, come back and eat.”
The two children shouted back a resounding “Okay!”
They ran to the bathroom together, scrubbed their hands quickly, and dashed back to the table. They sat down obediently, waiting for their parents to serve them rice, dish out the food, and feed them.
As the little ones began eating the braised pork, the eldest son’s eyes sparkled as he looked at his mother. “Mom, this braised pork is so delicious! Mom, you’re the best!”
The younger daughter added sweetly, “Mom, the braised pork is really, really yummy! I want to eat it again in the future! Mom, you’re the greatest!”
Song Weian turned to Du Juan, looking visibly moved. “Wife, this braised pork is incredible! It’s even better than the one made by the master chefs at the Banxi Restaurant—the best one in Guangzhou! Honestly, this is the first time I’ve ever felt genuinely moved while eating braised pork.”
The Banxi Restaurant was one of the most famous garden-style restaurants in Guangzhou and a designated high-end venue for receiving foreign guests during that era. Song Weian had eaten the braised pork prepared by their master chefs once while on a business trip to Guangzhou, and he had considered it a once-in-a-lifetime delicacy. Yet now, having tasted his wife’s cooking, he realized that today’s flavor was even a step above that of the famous restaurant.
While Du Juan also found the meat superb, she felt Song Weian’s reaction was a bit exaggerated. Still, the praise from her husband and children filled her with a sense of confidence and happiness. She smiled and placed another piece of meat into each of their bowls, saying softly, “If it’s good, eat a bit more.”
The two children were so focused on devouring the food that they didn’t even have time to talk.
After eating several pieces and satisfying his initial meat craving, Song Weian reached his chopsticks toward the plate of scrambled eggs. These eggs had also been purchased from Jun Ning. After taking a few bites, his face filled with surprise once again. “Wife, these scrambled eggs are just as delicious. Try some, quickly!”
Du Juan took a couple of bites herself and immediately nodded in agreement. “You’re right, these eggs are also exceptionally tasty. Could it be that everything Ah Ning sells is of such high quality?”
Song Weian nodded without hesitation. “The quality of this batch of goods is definitely top-tier! I can already imagine how satisfied everyone will be at Weining’s wedding banquet tomorrow with this pork and these eggs.”
Du Juan smiled. “As long as everyone is satisfied, we can rest easy.”
Jiang Xiaoli and Ding Jiaqi lived in the same apartment building as Du Juan. Jiang Xiaoli was Du Juan’s next-door neighbor, while Ding Jiaqi lived on the floor above them.
After they had managed to get two pounds of meat each from Du Juan, they had originally planned to save it for dinner. However, the aroma wafting from Du Juan’s kitchen was so intoxicating that it wasn’t just the children who craved it—even the adults found themselves constantly swallowing. Jiang Xiaoli and Ding Jiaqi couldn’t wait until evening; they immediately took out the meat and started cooking.
Once the dishes were ready, the flavor was so intense that their families felt as though they might swallow their own tongues.
“How can braised pork be this good? It’s fragrant, tender, and bouncy, yet it doesn’t feel greasy at all. It’s too delicious!”
“I’ve never eaten such good braised pork in my life. It’s truly wonderful… It’s an indescribable kind of fragrant…”
After finishing their meals, the husbands of both Jiang Xiaoli and Ding Jiaqi gave them the same instruction: “Wife, if this meat doesn’t require coupons, go buy ten or twenty more pounds next time. Let the whole family have a good supplement. I feel like I’m full of energy after eating this.”
Jiang Xiaoli and Ding Jiaqi had already been thinking the same thing. Hearing their husbands speak up, they planned to ask Du Juan later if it was possible to buy more of this meat.
That day, while the textile factory quarters were buzzing with excitement over the braised pork, similar scenes were playing out at the County Party Committee quarters and several other administrative housing units.
The commotion at the County Party Committee quarters was caused by Zheng Youcai. He had purchased a large amount of pork, eggs, rice, and peanut oil from Jun Ning in one go.
His parents were high-ranking cadres who had retired and stayed at home. Zheng Youcai had four older brothers and one older sister; he was the youngest in the family and the most pampered by both his parents and siblings. He lived with his parents, and after his father retired, Zheng Youcai had taken over a vacancy at the County Party Committee. He had started as a junior clerk and worked hard until the age of twenty-eight, receiving two promotions to become a minor official.
Because the entire family worked in various government units, they were well-off. His parents were fair, and the relationship between the siblings was exceptionally good. Since the family was wealthy, the spouses his brothers and sister married were also from good backgrounds. Although the brothers had established their own households and the sister had married out, they still exchanged good food, clothes, and items frequently, often gathering at their parents’ house for parties. Their relationships hadn’t grown distant after moving out; instead, they grew closer.
Knowing that what Jun Ning sold was high-quality, Zheng Youcai had intentionally bought extra to share with his siblings. After driving back to the county seat, he distributed the pork, eggs, rice, and oil to them at their respective workplaces.
The goods he brought back successfully delighted his parents and siblings. Every household enjoyed an incredibly satisfying meal, and everyone was beaming with joy. Families like theirs, where both spouses worked in government units, had higher salaries and better benefits. They ate much better than the average person, so they could tell immediately when something was truly high-quality.
After finishing their meals, Zheng Youcai’s siblings all called him, pressing him for information: Where did he buy the meat? Could he help them buy more pork, eggs, and other good things?
His brothers and sister even told him generously, “Ah Cai, money is not an issue. As long as the goods are high-quality, we want them.”
Zheng Youcai didn’t dare to make any promises. He wasn’t even sure if he could find the seller again. After all, stalls at those rural markets were rarely permanent. For someone as bold as Jun Ning, who brought a truck for such a large operation, it was even less likely she would stay in one spot. They usually operated on a hit-and-run basis, changing locations constantly to avoid trouble.