Under the two children’s incredulous gazes, the aroma from the kitchen grew richer and richer with each passing moment.
In just half an hour, Jiang Tang had actually managed to produce a hearty meal of three dishes and a soup.
Not only was there crisp and vibrant stir-fried Shanghai greens, but there was also braised pork belly in a rich sauce that could easily be mixed into two bowls of rice. On the coal stove beside it sat a pot of freshly steamed white rice.
In these times, every household ate steamed buns and cornmeal. White rice could only be obtained by exchanging ration coupons pound by pound, and sometimes the grain station didn’t even have it in stock—you had to wait before you could get your hands on it. That made white rice especially precious.
But this household was different. Twenty pounds of ration coupons arrived every month, sent by Fu Sinian from the military. On top of that, the coupons bore the military’s red stamp, so the grain station chief didn’t dare to be negligent. They always gave full measure of rice—and it was the new crop from that year, never old rice passed off as new.
The good life the original owner enjoyed was all thanks to Fu Sinian. Twenty pounds of rice was more than enough for her and the two children to eat well. Unfortunately, the original owner was a stubborn blockhead who had no idea how hard-won this good life was, nor did she understand her parents’ “deep planning for their children’s future.” She let herself be ruined over some scumbag—what a waste.
Back to the present—the white rice was done cooking.
As soon as the lid was lifted, wisps of steam rose up, carrying a rich, fragrant rice aroma.
That alone was already intoxicating. As the steam dispersed, there was actually a bowl of golden egg custard sitting on top of the steamed rice.
The custard had been made with a full three eggs, mixed with some warm water and steamed until it was jiggly and smooth, just like a pudding.
Jiang Tang used a cloth to protect her palm, lifted out the steaming egg custard, sprinkled a few chopped scallions on top, drizzled a spoonful of soy sauce over it, and combined with the lard that had been mixed in when whisking the eggs, all the seasonings melded together—just the smell alone was enough to make you swoon.
Yueyue couldn’t resist the pull of the aroma. Without realizing it, she had drifted over to Jiang Tang’s side, even forgetting her fear of her.
Jiang Tang set the food on the table, then patted the little girl’s head, took a towel to wipe her hands, and lifted her onto a small stool.
The moment Jiang Tang picked her up, Yueyue’s eyes widened in amazement. Her little hands instinctively grabbed onto Jiang Tang’s clothes. In that instant, it felt like she had fallen into her mother’s embrace, and she caught a whiff of a fragrant scent.
Not the smell of food—it was the scent of a mother.
She was so close to her mother. So this was what her mother was like—soft and sweet-smelling.
Jiang Tang settled Yueyue down, then turned and waved at the little boy, who was still on guard. “Chaochao, come over. Wipe your hands and eat.”
Chaochao had already seen the steaming dishes on the table—braised pork, egg custard, white rice. Any one of them alone would have him wolfing it down, and he couldn’t stop swallowing his saliva.
He was more mature than Yueyue, and cleverer too, so he wasn’t as easy to win over. He still remembered the disgust in the original owner’s eyes when she looked at them, and the vicious way she kicked them away.
The twins weren’t afraid of the original owner’s harshness—they were afraid of being hated by her.
But… it smelled so, so good…
In the end, Chaochao couldn’t hold out. Swallowing his saliva, he walked over.
He didn’t let Jiang Tang pick him up. Instead, he climbed onto an adult-sized stool by himself and looked up at the spread of food on the table.
Though the twins were young, they were very well-behaved. They didn’t immediately grab for the meat the moment they sat down. Instead, they stared at Jiang Tang with their big, dark eyes and took small, quiet breaths, as if just smelling the aroma could fill them up.
Jiang Tang couldn’t help but laugh. “Chaochao, Yueyue, you can start eating now. Mommy will scoop the rice for you.”
She gave each child a bowl of white rice and a bowl of egg custard. She mashed the custard with a spoon, blew on it to cool it down, then placed it in front of them with a reminder.
“Eat the egg custard first. It’s a bit hot, so blow on it to cool it before eating.”
Jiang Tang had a reason for having them eat the custard first—both children were starving and showed signs of malnutrition.
If children who had been in a constant state of hunger suddenly ate something greasy, their stomachs wouldn’t be able to handle it. They’d feel nauseous and sick, and it could upset their digestion.
The egg custard was light and nutritious. It would let the twins’ stomachs adjust first, and once they were settled, the richer braised pork would be just right.
“Brother, it really is egg custard!”
Yueyue held her small bowl with both hands, smiling so sweetly, with shallow dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth.
It was only then that Jiang Tang noticed her little daughter had dimples. With her adorable apple-shaped face, big sparkling eyes, and those dimples, she was going to charm countless people when she grew up.
Yueyue stuck out her little pink tongue and licked the custard. It was a bit hot, so her tongue quickly retreated.
Even so, it couldn’t dampen her longing for the egg custard. She puffed out her cheeks and blew on it, then immediately went in for a second bite.
The egg was silky soft, seasoned with soy sauce, and infused with the rich aroma of lard sealed within. Three flavors burst on the taste buds.
Yueyue didn’t know how to describe it in fancy terms. Her eyes went wide as saucers in shock, and she exclaimed loudly, “So yummy!”
She didn’t just eat by herself—she tugged at Chaochao’s hand and said, “Brother, hurry, blow on it, eat the eggy.”
Chaochao watched Yueyue scarf down the egg custard in big mouthfuls. His stomach had already been growling for a while, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. He picked up his spoon and dug in.
First bite—whoa! So good!
Second bite—whoa whoa! Still so good!
As he ate, Chaochao stole glances at Jiang Tang from the corner of his eye. He never expected that his mom could actually cook, and cook this well. Didn’t she used to hate stepping into the kitchen?
Mom… is amazing…
The little spark of surprise, along with his growing fondness for Jiang Tang, was all hidden deep in the little boy’s dark, shining eyes.
What a little cold-hearted boy who says one thing but means another~.
Jiang Tang caught every one of Chaochao’s careful little glances. Just you wait, kiddo! Her egg custard was good, but her braised pork belly was even better!
In the blink of an eye, the two little ones had polished off the egg custard, licking their small bowls with lingering desire. Yueyue especially—her little face practically wanted to bury itself in the bowl, unwilling to waste even a single drop of the broth. She was a spitting image of an adorable little kitten.
Seeing that they showed no signs of any adverse reaction, Jiang Tang picked up some braised pork belly and placed it in their small bowls. “Eat! Eat up! The pork belly is even tastier!”
This time, Jiang Tang didn’t just watch them eat—she dug in herself with big mouthfuls too.
This body she’d inherited was one raised on fine clothes and rich food—fair-skinned, delicate, and pampered through and through. She needed to eat well to keep it up.
Jiang Tang wasn’t just raising the two kids; she was raising herself well too.
Watching Jiang Tang eat with such gusto, the two little ones unconsciously relaxed and threw themselves fully into the meal.
If you’re not enthusiastic about mealtime, something’s wrong with your head!
The pork belly wasn’t just seasoned with rock sugar—it had been simmered in the pot for a full twenty minutes. It was so tender and soft that it practically melted on the tongue, the juices rich and glossy, easy even for Chaochao and Yueyue’s little baby teeth to chew.
“Brother! This meaty is so yummy! Mom is so amazing, she makes the meaty smell so good!”
Yueyue’s little belly was completely won over by Jiang Tang’s cooking. Her heart, which had already been leaning toward Jiang Tang, now wanted nothing more than to stick to Jiang Tang like glue after feeling that little bit of warmth from her.
Chaochao ate the soft, tender pork belly bite after bite, his little mouth shiny with oil. Under the watchful gazes of both Yueyue and Jiang Tang, who were looking at him together—
He nodded and said softly, “Mm. Mom’s meaty is yummy.”
Jiang Tang smiled with satisfaction. She also noticed that Chaochao’s ears had turned red. What an adorable little boy he was~
That meal left all three of them completely content. Even the burnt crust at the bottom of the pot was scraped clean by the two little ones, munching away with gusto.
If Jiang Tang hadn’t stopped them, they probably would have licked every bowl and plate clean before calling it quits.
When they finished eating and climbed down from their stools, the two little ones stood there holding their waists, feeling completely out of sorts.
They looked down at their round, protruding little bellies—wow, they were this~ big~!
Yueyue curiously patted her belly, then tilted her head to look at Chaochao’s.
She giggled. “Brother, we’re the same—round and full!”
Chaochao blushed with embarrassment. He hadn’t expected to eat so much either. So full, so full~
It felt so good not having to go hungry. (^▽^)