When the dishes were placed on the table, little Xiao Feng couldn’t resist picking up his chopsticks and trying a bite.
The fresh, delicate flavor of the mugwort egg spread softly in his mouth. It was delicious, and his hand instinctively reached for another piece.
Ye Qiuling cleared her throat lightly, “Hmm, hmm.”
Xiao Feng, feeling guilty, put his chopsticks down and sat on the bench by the stove, his ears slightly red, head lowered, unwilling to look at Ye Qiuling.
She took out the other pot of steamed rice and poured it into hot water to cook, setting it aside for later.
Ye Qiuling kneaded the large and small pork intestines with flour, washing them thoroughly inside and out to remove all mucus. After three or four rinses, the water ran clear. Then she placed them in a pot with cold water, adding six or seven slices of ginger, some green onions her parents had grown, and a splash of wine.
She skimmed off the foam, then rinsed the intestines in warm water. Using cold water would make the meat contract and toughen, reducing its chewiness.
She heated oil in a pan and added sugar. Ye Qiuling instructed, “Xiao Feng, move the firewood back a bit so the heat is low enough to melt the rock sugar.”
Xiao Feng obediently pulled back two pieces of firewood, curious, “Big sister, what are you doing?”
Ye Qiuling smiled and explained, “This is called caramelizing sugar, we heat the sugar until it becomes a thick reddish-brown syrup.”
Xiao Feng nodded, half-understanding, fascinated by the process.
The sugar in the pan turned a rich jujube red, bubbling gently. Ye Qiuling quickly scooped a bowl, poured it into the larger pot, and stirred it into a sugar-colored liquid.
She added the pre-mixed brine from the Gourmet Recipe System and placed the large and small intestines into the pot. The liquid was kept at a gentle simmer. According to the recipe, the large intestines needed to braise for an hour, while the small intestines only required about half an hour.
Ye Qiuling called out to the little hamster, “66, set a timer for one hour, remind me at thirty minutes and one hour.”
The sleepy little hamster was startled awake, rubbed his eyes, and lazily said, “Okay, host, timing started.”
If the intestines were cooked too long, they wouldn’t be suitable to take along, so they would have to be eaten at home.
Shen Wanru tried a bite and nodded in silent approval.
Ye Dazhi also silently praised his daughter’s culinary skill.
Next, the four of them at the table began competing for the food, eating until the plates were empty. They exchanged smiles, enjoying the meal together as a happy family.
66 chimed in from the system, “Host, thirty minutes have passed.”
Ye Qiuling immediately went to the kitchen, removed the small intestines, and cut them into small sections, placing them in a side bowl.
She prepared the condiments, chopping scallions and mixing them with some brine, then set everything neatly on the table.
The reddish-brown small intestines looked appetizing, and everyone instinctively swallowed.
Shen Wanru could hardly believe her eyes, “Qiuling, are these the large intestines we just brought home?”
Ye Qiuling nodded. “Yes, Mother. I processed them a bit. Try them and see if they taste good.”
Her eyes full of anticipation, Xiao Feng was the first to pick up a piece of small intestine with his chopsticks. The rich sauce coated it completely, without any unpleasant odor.
It was chewy but not tough. After a few bites, he swallowed, grinning.
“Big sister, these small intestines are so good! I want more.”
Shen Wanru tried a bite and found them even more flavorful than the last batch of blanched large intestines, fully coated in the sauce, perfectly balanced.
Ye Dazhi also tasted a piece, agreeing silently that it was better than anything he had eaten before.
Clever Xiao Feng scooped some rice into a bowl, added a piece of large intestine with sauce, and took a bite, exclaiming with satisfaction, “Mmm, delicious.”
They all laughed at his antics.
Ye Qiuling placed the remaining braised large and small intestines into the system space storage, using a large insulated container she had exchanged 60 points for.
The container kept food at its original temperature and had an on/off switch for when she didn’t want it to stay warm.
She felt exhausted but pleased, thinking about earning enough tomorrow to move into town and avoid the miserable donkey cart rides that made her carsick.
The next day, Ye Qiuling was thinking of how to present the system’s large pot in town without it seeming out of place. She planned to say a kind passerby lent it to her for her stall.
She hesitated, asking, “Mother, Father, if I borrow something expensive and break it, will you be mad at me?”
Shen Wanru gently held her hands, comforting her. “No, even if we had to sell everything, we’d help you pay it back.”
Ye Dazhi agreed. “We’re your strongest support, always.”
Tears welled in Ye Qiuling’s eyes. In her modern life, she had been an orphan, never experiencing parental love. Now, she felt grateful for her loving parents and Xiao Feng.
Shen Wanru hugged her and patted her back silently.
After crying freely, Ye Qiuling took out the insulated container, but realized she had no cutting board. She checked the system store but had zero points and sighed.
She asked her father, “Father, can you make a cutting board?”
Ye Dazhi cheerfully replied, “Of course! I’ll get the wood now,” and went to find some.
Soon he returned with a plank, chopped it with a small axe, and used a chisel to smooth out the surface into a round, flat cutting board.
Ye Qiuling gave him a thumbs-up. “Awesome.”
Her father beamed with pride.
She tested it by smashing garlic on the board, chopping it finely, and adding some scallion pieces into a bowl. The leftover tools were packed away.
They took the donkey cart to town.
As they arrived, the County Magistrate Su received the news and hurried over, knowing how Chen Xuanmo had protected Ye Qiuling yesterday.
He told her, “Young lady, Madam Zhou has already been sent to prison. Anything else you want done?”
Ye Qiuling smiled brightly. “No need, official procedure is enough.”
After Magistrate Su left, she opened the insulated container, took out some small intestines, cut them into small pieces, and displayed them with a call:
“Free tasting! Come try!”
The crowd saw the offal and hesitated, many stepping back in distaste.
Ye Qing and Su Cheng, the fat son of Magistrate Su, came by and mocked her.
“Big sister, selling discarded offal? You’re just trying to annoy people!”
Ye Qing, embarrassed, covered her mouth. “Sister, I didn’t mean it…” she leaned on Su Cheng’s shoulder, feigning weakness.
Su Cheng, proud with a beauty in his arms, sneered, “Yeah, selling offal like this, what’s wrong with your heart?”
Ye Qiuling rolled her eyes. “Are you out of your mind? Selling it or not is none of your business. Look at your fat head, you’ve obviously eaten too much crap.”
Nearby, Chen Xuanmo watched with a smile. In his eyes, Ye Qiuling was like a fluffed-up cat attacking a fat, large-eared pig.
Ye Qiuling’s verbal barrage left Su Cheng and Ye Qing powerless; they slunk away.
Approaching the stall, Chen Xuanmo saw the small intestines were indeed offal. Their color was enticing, but he was cautious, trying to calm himself.
For the sake of his good friend’s stall, he said, “Miss, may I try some?”
Ye Qiuling smiled. “Of course.”
She handed him a small bowl and chopsticks, along with the prepared sauce. Chen Xuanmo dipped a piece, coating it thoroughly, and ate.
The rich flavor spread in his mouth. The small intestine was perfectly chewy with no trace of unpleasant odor.
His eyes lit up in surprise. “Miss, this is excellent. How much?”
Ye Qiuling grinned slyly. “Three copper coins per bag.”
For such a small sum, Chen Xuanmo didn’t hesitate and bought two bags.
Seeing his excited eyes, Ye Qiuling chuckled inwardly at her little money-lover friend.
That first sale went smoothly thanks to her loyal friend.
Observing others buying, the crowd rushed forward, eager to try. The rich flavor made them compete for more: two bags, four bags, six bags—they wanted it all.
Everyone became busy. Ye Qiuling handled packaging and cutting, while Ye Dazhi, Shen Wanru, and Xiao Feng managed the sauce and packing.
Just the last portion remained when Qin Jiu, dressed in his blue-and-white outfit, approached with a smile.
“I’ll take this. The qingtuan you made last time was delicious. Will you make more next time?”
Ye Qiuling’s mind flashed with irritation, remembering being framed, though she didn’t blame him.
She smiled politely. “Sorry, probably not.”
Qin Jiu’s smile froze instantly.