Li Yulan gave Liu Tiegen a thorough scolding right in front of the villagers.
When she finished, she smiled and lifted the door latch in her hand, ignoring Liu Tiegen on the ground, then turned to Liu Sanbo. “This matter is closed as far as I’m concerned. I, Li Yulan, keep my word—everyone here can be my witness.”
She shook the door latch in her hand. “After all, we’re all from the same village. If we make a scene, it reflects badly on our village. When our production team is evaluated for being advanced, our reputation must remain intact.”
“Yes, yes, Yulan’s right. I heard that being named an advanced production team comes with recognition in the telegraph and other matters first for our village!”
“Exactly, exactly.”
Immediately, the villagers aligned their opinions. Li Yulan was satisfied. Now the village gossips and idlers would have to be more careful.
At this moment, the usually quiet brigade leader spoke: “Alright, alright, everyone disperse. Eat and then get back to work—don’t be lazy! Go home quickly!”
Li Yulan didn’t linger, following the crowd back home.
“Mom, you’re back!” Song Qinghuan was washing the pickled vegetables.
Li Yulan smiled. “Wang Auntie from next door came over and insisted on bringing us these things.”
Wang Auntie was the woman who had helped look after the children; her husband Liu Chang lived next door.
“Let’s accept it. Once the chives on our private plot grow, I’ll cut some and give it to her,” Li Yulan said, squatting beside Song Qinghuan and reaching for the vegetables. “I’ll cook.”
“Mom,” Song Qinghuan called, holding back her mother’s hand. “I’ll do it.”
Li Yulan froze. She had seen the two deep scars on Song Qinghuan’s wrist—just imagining the severity of the original injury made her pause.
“Mom, I want to go into the kitchen,” Song Qinghuan said.
Li Yulan knew Song Qinghuan had been trained in cooking since elementary school. She paused for a moment, then quickly said three enthusiastic “Alrights!” before standing. “I’ll start the fire for you.”
“Gu Ding’an!” she called, turning her head toward the main room. “Come here for a moment.”
After summoning him, she explained to Song Qinghuan: “When I went to Liu Sanbo’s house earlier, the brigade leader didn’t stop me. He also helped when you went to the county town. I thought you could have your father return the bicycle while everyone is eating at their homes and also deliver ten eggs as a thank-you.”
Song Qinghuan nodded. “Alright, Mom, I’ll follow your plan.”
Li Yulan truly cared for her daughter-in-law. Song Qinghuan was excellent in every way—just a bit too obedient.
After washing the pickled vegetables, Song Qinghuan entered the kitchen. The door latch, left near the well, had picked up some water, tinged faintly with blood, leaving a shallow stain.
Gu Ding’an went to return the bicycle and deliver the eggs. Nian Nian and Sui Sui followed, sitting with Li Yulan by the stove.
The orange-red firelight warmed their little faces, and their eyes shone like stars in the sky.
Song Qinghuan looked down, quickly slicing the pickled vegetables. She prepared to cook pickled cabbage with pork and vermicelli, preparing the ginger, garlic, and green onions, and taking out some chili. She poured hot oil into the wok.
She had seen the soaked vermicelli after returning home, so she chose this dish.
Ideally, the pork in pickled cabbage with vermicelli would use pork belly, but using lean meat worked too. The household’s fat came from pork lard, so the dish would still turn out fragrant.
Cold oil in the wok smoked as Song Qinghuan squinted, gauging the temperature.
She stir-fried ginger and garlic for aroma, then added the marinated lean pork to prevent it from becoming tough.
“Mom! Mom!”
“Smells so good! Smells so good!”
The two little ones squatted near the stove, anxious and excited. When Song Qinghuan added the pickled cabbage for simmering, their mouths watered.
Song Qinghuan squinted. “Mom, turn the heat down a bit now.”
“All right!”
She pre-portioned some vermicelli and pork for the children before adding the pickled cabbage.
This portion was lightly seasoned for the kids, while the remaining portion was for the adults.
With children at home, their diet had to be considered. Li Yulan rarely argued with Song Qinghuan on such matters. For example, Song didn’t allow too much salt for the children, and Li Yulan respected that.
Besides the lean pork vermicelli, she also steamed two bowls of egg custard for the children.
“When your grandfather and I cooked, you two weren’t this eager,” Li Yulan said, carrying a child in each arm. “Go wash your hands first.”
Leaving the kitchen, Li Yulan couldn’t help but inhale the aroma. No wonder the children were so excited—her daughter-in-law’s cooking smelled incredible.
The pickled cabbage with pork and vermicelli carried both the savory aroma of meat and the tangy fragrance of the cabbage. It was incredibly appetizing.
The smell spread not just through the Gu household but to neighboring homes.
Some neighbors couldn’t help but grumble. “The Gu family still has the mood to eat fancy today, what nerve!”
“Don’t forget, when Gu Qingyan got married, he was already a battalion commander. One month’s salary could easily support a family.”
“Hah, even if he’s rich, he didn’t go to the city. Two years have passed and no letters have come back; who knows how things are?”
“Enough! Even without Gu Qingyan, the three adults in the Gu family can easily support two children.”
“Mom, I want meat too!”
“Eat, eat! Look at you—like a little chunk of meat yourself!”
Nowadays, most families had several children. Families like Li Yulan’s, with only one child, were rare. Usually, after raising two or three children, each of them would have two or three more, slowly forming a large household.
Money had to be carefully accounted for. In most villages, children didn’t have new clothes all year, and in summer, they often ran around bare-bottomed.
In the Gu household, they didn’t care what others said. Gu Ding’an and Li Yulan enjoyed the meal thoroughly.
“My goodness, I’ve never eaten anything this delicious in my life!” Li Yulan blushed slightly, still amazed at how her daughter-in-law’s cooking could taste so good.
After eating Song Qinghuan’s food, Li Yulan finally understood the level of her own cooking—and Gu Ding’an’s, which had always been far less tasty.
Gu Ding’an nodded quietly.
Both had struggled through tough times.
Even when Gu Qingyan went into the army and the family’s circumstances improved, they hadn’t known how to cook well.
Besides, only three years had passed. With limited money, they couldn’t afford to experiment. In this era, simply having enough to eat was a blessing.
As Song Qinghuan was about to speak, the Chef God System notification sounded in her mind:[4 diners satisfied. Open system shop.]