Upon returning home, Lin Yao didn't even pause to rest before diving straight into the kitchen. She first took out the freshly harvested perilla, hawthorns, and wild chrysanthemums, arranging them neatly on the table.
Lin Yao began by washing the perilla leaves and setting them aside. Next, she picked up the hawthorns and skillfully removed their pits with a small knife, her movements practiced and efficient. The sweet and tangy juice of the hawthorns splattered onto her hands, filling the air with its fragrance.
Lin Song curiously approached, "Second Sister, I want to help too!"
Lin Yao tapped his little nose affectionately: "Song'er, help your second sister sort through the wild chrysanthemums. Just pick out the bad ones and any weeds."
Lin Song nodded earnestly and began carefully examining the chrysanthemums.
Lin Yao cut the pitted hawthorns into small pieces and placed them in a pot with an appropriate amount of water. Soon, the tantalizing aroma of hawthorns filled the air, making one's mouth water.
After boiling for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Lin Yao added the chopped perilla leaves to the pot, simmering them together with the hawthorns. Instantly, the unique fragrance of perilla blended perfectly with the sweet and sour scent of hawthorns, permeating the entire kitchen. Lin Song couldn't help but swallow his saliva at the enticing aroma.
"Second Sister, this smells so wonderful! It must taste delicious," Lin Song exclaimed excitedly.
Lin Yao smiled in response: "I'll let you have a taste once it's ready."
While the perilla hawthorn tea was brewing, Lin Yao didn't remain idle. She started another pot, boiling water to steep the sorted wild chrysanthemums in a teapot. The golden tea liquor swirled in the pot, releasing the refreshing fragrance of chrysanthemums.
After much busy work, both the perilla hawthorn tea and perilla chrysanthemum tea were finally ready.
Lin Yao poured them into two large teapots respectively and set them aside to cool.
When Lin Cheng returned carrying two large buckets of pig offal, he was greeted by waves of refreshing fragrance from the house.
He placed the pig offal by the kitchen door and wiped the sweat from his forehead, "A Yao, why do I smell wild chrysanthemums?"
Lin Song bounded out like an excited young deer, grabbing Lin Cheng's arm with overflowing enthusiasm: "Brother, you're finally back! Second Sister made new drinks – perilla hawthorn tea and perilla chrysanthemum tea. They smell wonderful and taste delicious!" Saying this, he pulled Lin Cheng toward the kitchen.
Entering the kitchen, Lin Cheng immediately spotted the two large pots of enticingly colored drinks on the table. He leaned in and took a deep breath, the mixed aromas of sweet-sour and fresh fragrance directly filling his nostrils.
As the scalding hot tea entered his mouth, Lin Cheng grimaced in pain, but couldn't bear to spit it out. He endured the heat, swishing it around in his mouth several times before swallowing.
"Ouch… that's burning hot!" Lin Cheng gasped while praising, "But it's truly delicious! It's washed away all my fatigue from the journey!"
Lin Yao was both amused and exasperated, quickly saying: "Brother, you're too impatient. Aren't you afraid of burning your mouth?" She handed him a bowl of cool water as she spoke.
Lin Cheng took the water, drank a few sips to recover, then looked at the pot of perilla chrysanthemum tea, "This chrysanthemum tea must be just as good." He moved to pour himself another cup.
Lin Yao quickly stopped him: "Don't drink too hastily, or you'll burn yourself again. This chrysanthemum tea clears heat and reduces internal heat – you can drink it slowly later."
Lin Cheng chuckled, this time gently blowing on the tea before taking a small sip. After savoring it carefully, he said: "Refreshingly sweet and pleasant, with a subtle floral aroma. If we pair this with our pancake stall, business is sure to be even better!"
While Lin Yao and Lin Cheng were talking, Lin Song also took a small sip of the perilla hawthorn tea. His eyes lit up immediately after tasting it: "Wow, this is delicious! Second sister is amazing!"
After finishing their drinks, Lin Cheng began cleaning the Lu Zhu Xia Shui.
Lin Yao went to the courtyard and retrieved the pork belly and pork bones she had bought at the market yesterday from the well water. During the hot summer weather, to prevent the meat from spoiling, she had specifically tied it up with rope and hung it in the well, using the low temperature of the well water to keep it fresh.
Placing the meat and bones on the cutting board, Lin Yao carefully inspected them to ensure there were no off odors before starting to prepare them. She first cut the pork belly into uniformly sized cubes, each cut into neat squares, and set them aside. Then, she picked up the pork bones and began scrubbing them clean, removing even the impurities from between the bone joints.
Outside the kitchen, Lin Cheng had also finished cleaning the Lu Zhu Xia Shui. The pork intestines were cut into even sections, and the pork stomach was spread out, with all the mucus and excess fat removed. "A Yao, the Lu Zhu Xia Shui is ready," he called.
Lin Yao, busy stewing the pork bone broth, responded without looking up, "Brother, just put the Lu Zhu Xia Shui into the previous braising sauce to continue braising. The braising sauce has a rich flavor and can be reused a few more times."
Lin Cheng lifted the wooden bucket and poured the Lu Zhu Xia Shui into the pot. The braising sauce had been simmering on low heat in the kitchen all day, and after settling, its color had deepened and its aroma had become more intense.
Meanwhile, Lin Yao wiped the sweat from her brow and began making the braised pork. She first blanched the cubed pork belly in boiling water to remove blood and impurities, then drained it. Next, she layered scallions and ginger slices in a clay pot, placed the blanched pork belly skin-side down on top, and added a bit of turbid rice wine and sugar before pouring in enough hot water to just cover the pork.
At this moment, Lin Yao felt a tinge of regret—if only she had soy sauce, it would be even better. Soy sauce actually existed as early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, when it was called "qingjiang," so it was available in this dynasty as well. However, due to its complex production process, it wasn't mass-produced and was expensive, making it unaffordable for her now. She could only make this bland version of braised pork.
She had researched traditional soy sauce making, but it was time-consuming and labor-intensive. Perhaps once her business expanded, she could spare the effort to experiment with it.
Lin Yao covered the pot, first bringing the broth to a boil over high heat, then reducing it to a simmer. In another large pot, she placed the cleaned pork bones, added enough water, along with ginger slices, scallions, and wine. After bringing it to a boil and skimming off the scum, she turned down the heat to let it simmer slowly. Gradually, the pork bone broth turned milky white and filled the air with its rich aroma.
Lin Song occasionally handed her seasonings and helped with stirring, his small figure bustling around like a spinning top.
In the kitchen, the rich aroma of the Lu Zhu Xia Shui, the sweet fragrance of the braised pork, and the savory scent of the pork bone broth intertwined.
Just as she finished her tasks, Lin Yao remembered something else. She said to Lin Cheng, "Brother, let's sell the drinks in bamboo tubes tomorrow. It'll be more convenient for customers who didn't bring their own water containers."
Lin Cheng nodded in agreement, "That's a good idea. I'll go to the nearby bamboo grove and cut some bamboo to make them." With that, he set down his work and prepared to fetch the tools for cutting bamboo.
Lin Yao, meanwhile, continued to watch over the pots, occasionally lifting the lids to check on the braised pork and pork bone broth.
The braised pork had been simmering over low heat until it took on a glossy reddish hue, its aroma growing richer by the minute. She gently poked it with chopsticks, and the meat yielded effortlessly. It was perfectly tender now. Carefully, she flipped the pieces skin-side up and let them simmer a while longer to allow the skin to absorb more flavor.
Before long, Lin Cheng returned, carrying a large bundle of bamboo tubes.
By then, the Lu Zhu Xia Shui was nearly done stewing.
Lin Yao lifted the lid, and an intense fragrance instantly filled the air. The Lu Zhu Xia Shui looked irresistibly appealing, its rich color making mouths water. She scooped it out with a ladle and set it aside in a large basin.
The pork bone broth had also reduced to a thick consistency. Lin Yao turned off the heat and poured the soup into a large bucket.
The braised pork was so tender it practically melted, its savory scent saturating the entire room.
Lin Yao brought the dishes to the table and called out to Lin Cheng and Lin Song, "Let’s eat first. You must be starving after a long day’s work."
Lin Cheng and Lin Song hurried to the table, their eyes widening at the sight of the glistening braised pork, aromatic Lu Zhu Xia Shui, and creamy white bone broth. They couldn’t help but swallow hard.
Lin Song’s gaze fixed intently on the braised pork. Marbled pork like this was a rarity even during New Year’s in their household. Most days, their meals consisted of wild greens, with only occasional small fish or shrimp that their eldest brother managed to catch in the river.
Though Lin Cheng often hunted in the mountains, most of the game had to be sold for coins, leaving little for them to eat.
Lin Song picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of braised pork, and popped it into his mouth. "So delicious! Even better than Grandma’s meat!" he mumbled through a full mouth.
Their grandmother’s meat dishes were tough and dry. Spices were expensive, and Grandma Ye was frugal with them, resulting in bland, almost tasteless meals. Worse, during festive meals, their grandfather would give the choicest cuts to the eldest branch of the Lin family, leaving the three siblings with only a few tough, scrawny pieces. Though young, Lin Song understood their grandfather’s favoritism.
Watching his younger siblings, Lin Cheng felt a pang of sorrow.
Noticing his distant expression, Lin Yao said softly, "Elder Brother, have some more. From now on, our family will eat meat with every meal."
"Alright!" Lin Cheng picked up a piece of Lu Zhu Xia Shui, savored it slowly, and nodded in approval. "The Lu Zhu Xia Shui is as rich as ever." He then ladled a bowl of bone broth, took a sip, and sighed contentedly. "The soup is wonderful too."
Lin Yao, now in her growing years, found herself relishing the once-disdained fatty pork. Lin Song ate with such gusto that a shiny ring of grease formed around his lips, his eyes sparkling with delight.
After dinner, Lin Yao and Lin Cheng began clearing the table while Lin Song eagerly wiped it down, his small figure bustling around the kitchen with energy.
Once everything was tidy, Lin Yao carried two large buckets of cooled perilla hawthorn tea and perilla chrysanthemum tea back to the kitchen. Lin Cheng brought the bamboo he had chopped that afternoon outside and began crafting bamboo tubes.
With practiced ease, he cut the bamboo into suitable lengths, then smoothed both ends with a sharp knife in one fluid motion.
Drawn by the sound of whittling, Lin Song scurried out and crouched nearby, watching Lin Cheng work. He helped by neatly arranging the finished bamboo tubes on the ground.
Lin Yao also sat down to help, carefully smoothing the edges of the bamboo tubes that Lin Cheng had whittled. "Big brother, for drinks served in bamboo cups, we'll charge two coins. If customers bring their own water pouches, we'll charge one coin per cup."
Lin Cheng straightened up and rubbed his sore shoulders. "Alright, whatever you say."