"Yes..." Song Fang's smile stiffened slightly. "You're right, sister-in-law. I'll be going now."
Holding her belly, Song Fang headed home. As she reached her door, she suddenly remembered something and turned toward Wang Guifen's house instead.
Wang Guifen wasn't there; only Wu Li was curled up on the kang bed, eating snacks.
Seeing her arrive, Wu Li merely cast a glance and didn't even utter a greeting.
Song Fang sat sideways on the kang and smiled, "Sister-in-law, have you heard? Your sister-in-law is going to marry the regiment commander!"
Wu Li's hand, which was cracking melon seeds, paused. "Who did you hear that from?"
"The commander has already entered her house and is helping her with chores."
"Oh."
Wu Li seemed to have no reaction and continued eating melon seeds.
Song Fang observed her expression and bit her lip. "She really has good luck. She's pretty, and even as a second-time bride, she managed to marry a regiment commander."
Wu Li sneered, her fleshy face full of mean-spiritedness.
"A widow dragging along a little girl as a burden. If you ask me, even if she marries him, she'll be dumped sooner or later. He's a regiment commander—what kind of virgin girl couldn't he marry? Marrying secondhand goods... just you wait. When her looks fade with age, she'll definitely be kicked out in disgrace. We'll just wait and enjoy the show."
Song Fang pretended to look helpless. "She is pretty, so it's no wonder she can hook a man. It's just that Brother Zhou Chen hasn't been gone for long. She's too heartless."
Wu Li put the melon seeds back onto the plate and brushed the shells off her clothes.
"Song Fang, stop acting. Did you just want me to go and curse at Lin Zhilan?"
"Of course not," Song Fang stood up and hastily explained. "Why would you think that?"
"Song Fang, you usually put on a good act, smiling at everyone, but don't treat others like fools. We've barely spoken before, and now you come here out of the blue to tell me all this. Do you think I can't see through it? You're just jealous of Lin Zhilan's good looks. You're green with envy that she's pretty and marrying well!"
Hit right on the mark, Song Fang's face flushed red, her emotions slipping out of control. "I don't look bad either! Why would I be jealous of her? If anyone should be jealous... it should be you."
"What did you say?!"
Wu Li glared at her, her eyes fixed in a dead stare.
Song Fang finally realized things were taking a bad turn. Without another word, she quickly hurried out.
Infuriated, Wu Li wanted to find Zhou Jianmin to vent her anger, but there was no sign of him.
She spat on the ground, dragged her cotton shoes, and went to find Wang Guifen to complain.
Following Lin Zhilan's instructions, Su Lang cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces and then sat in front of the stove to tend the fire.
Since she was about to move with the army, Lin Zhilan didn't skimp on the lard. She scooped out a generous spoonful and dropped it into the wok.
Once the oil was hot, she added the chicken, along with minced pickled peppers and pickled mustard greens, stir-frying them together. Then, she poured in a bowl of water mixed with spiritual spring water from the water vat, covered the wok, and let it simmer.
Lin Zhilan didn't like eating takeout. Whenever she had the time, she preferred to cook for herself and often watched short recipe videos.
The pickled peppers and mustard greens were made according to a video she had seen before.
Perhaps because of the spiritual spring water, they turned out very successfully.
Before long, an enticing aroma wafted from the wok.
Lin Zhilan was from the south and was used to eating rice, and she had influenced Linlin to love rice too.
But the locals here preferred wheat-based foods.
So, Lin Zhilan imitated the method for making earth-pot chicken. Using the last remaining flour in the house, she added water, kneaded it into a dough, flattened it, and stuck the pieces around the edge of the wok.
The flavors of the chicken, pickled peppers, and mustard greens permeated each other, and bursts of extraordinary fragrance erupted from the pot.
As soon as Chen Dongfeng carried Linlin through the door, he was drawn to the kitchen by the smell.
"Sister, what are you making? It smells so good!"
Lin Zhilan took her daughter, who was reaching out to her, and said, "Chicken. Later, you and Godfather and Godmother can taste it and see if it's good."
"It'll definitely be delicious!"
Chen Dongfeng could barely hold back his drool, sniffing toward the wok.
"It should be ready. Take Linlin out to wash her hands, and I'll dish out the food."
Chen Dongfeng laughed, "I'll help you dish it out. Let Brother Su take Linlin to wash her hands."
Su Lang tentatively reached out. Linlin blinked, looked up at her mother, and leaned her little body over.
Su Lang's movements were stiff, as if he were holding a bomb. His arms were rigid, and he didn't dare to move an inch.
Lin Zhilan chuckled softly and guided him to adjust his posture. Once Linlin was sitting comfortably on his arm, Su Lang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Zhilan poured a scoop of hot water into the washbasin. Su Lang carefully tested the temperature before helping Linlin wash her hands.
On the other side, while carrying the dishes, Chen Dongfeng couldn't resist using his chopsticks to grab a piece of chicken to taste first.
Witnessing this, Zheng Hui rapped him hard on the head.
"How old are you? Have some manners!"
As soon as the chicken entered his mouth, Chen Dongfeng lost all interest in being glib. Pointing at the basin of chicken, he said, "Mom, this chicken my sister made is absolutely incredible! It's too delicious!"
Zheng Hui glared at him. "Even so, you shouldn't be so ill-mannered!"
Lin Zhilan happened to walk in and smiled. "It's fine. We're all family; we don't need to stand on ceremony."
"Hehe," Chen Dongfeng patted Zheng Hui's shoulder. "My sister is right. Mom, you guys sit down first. I'll go to the kitchen to get the bowls and chopsticks."
Zheng Hui pulled Lin Zhilan down to sit. "Why did you kill the chickens we had at home?"
"It's nothing, Godmother," Lin Zhilan said, the corners of her mouth lifting. "I'm going to follow the army soon, and I can't take the chickens with me. So I just butchered them for everyone to eat together."
Zheng Hui gave her a reproachful look. "Why can't you take them? Just tie them up with a rope, bring some corn kernels, and you'll be there in a few days."
In this era, railway security wasn't strict. Many people brought live poultry like chickens and ducks onto the trains, and as long as no one reported it, the staff wouldn't care.
Lin Zhilan loved cleanliness, and she cleaned the chicken coop in the yard every morning and evening.
The thought of having chicken droppings and the like in the train car instantly made her feel a bit faint.
The corners of Su Lang's mouth curled up slightly. He tore the chicken leg into shreds, placed them in Linlin's bowl, and said, "Godmother, our island base sends people out to purchase supplies every month. If she wants to eat anything, she can just ask them to bring it back."
"That works too."
Having tasted the chicken, Chen Dongfeng was already impatient and urged everyone to eat.
The chicken meat was delicate and tender, perfectly blended with the sour and spicy broth. The taste was absolutely exquisite.
The flatbread was also very chewy. Having soaked up the chicken broth, a single bite was both soft and springy, wonderfully savory, instantly conquering everyone's taste buds.
Chopsticks flew across the dining table. Especially Chen Dongfeng, the foodie, who slurped down two pieces of flatbread in the blink of an eye.
Su Lang naturally didn't miss out on the good food either. His movements seemed elegant, but he actually didn't forget to put food into Lin Zhilan's and Linlin's bowls.
In no time, the chicken and side dishes in the pot were picked completely clean.
Still wanting more, Chen Dongfeng dumped some leftover rice crust from the kitchen into the basin, soaking up every last drop of the broth before he was satisfied.
After eating, he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his belly, looking incredibly satiated.
"Delicious, so delicious!"
Lin Zhilan smiled, "I saved a large bowl. You can take it back tonight and let Yueyue have a taste too."
Zheng Hui: "You should keep it for yourself."
"Linlin and I can't eat that much. It'd be a waste to just leave it."
Chen Dongfeng patted his belly, "Thanks, Sis."
With the meal finished, they began to discuss serious matters.