To pick up where we left off… After placing the pork intestines into the wooden basin, Chen Shi found herself at a loss for what to do next.
One set of pork intestines weighed approximately 5-6 jin, so two sets amounted to ten jin. Piled layer upon layer in the basin, they nearly filled it to the brim.
Ignoring the originally pungent odor, Su Li poured half a bucket of pre-drawn water into the basin. She then crouched down and began scrubbing the intestines with a generous amount of plant ash. The first round of cleaning only required removing the surface mucus.
Seeing this, Chen Shi also crouched down to help with the cleaning. Su Tao stood to the side, pinching her nose. After a long while, as if having mustered enough mental preparation, she turned her head, took a few deep breaths, and came over to assist as well.
The three of them quickly cleaned the surface of the pork intestines, but the intestines remained extremely foul-smelling. The stench was so overpowering that Su Tao felt as though she might vomit up the meal she had eaten the previous night. Fortunately, Su Li soon said to her:
“Fourth Sister, could you please help me boil some water?”
Hearing this, Su Tao finally felt a sense of relief. She quickly washed her hands, stood up, and went to the kitchen to light the fire.
This step was mainly to boil the pork intestines and further reduce the odor.
While waiting, Su Li asked her mother, Chen Shi, for a pair of scissors. Upon learning that her youngest daughter intended to use the scissors to cut the pork intestines, Chen Shi specifically selected a pair that had long been unused. There was no helping it—the pork intestines were too smelly, and even after washing them, her hands still carried a faint odor.
It was at this moment that Chen Shi came to her senses. How had she so easily believed her youngest daughter’s words? Leaving aside the foul smell of the pork intestines and whether they could be made delicious, even if they turned out tasty, so what? They had used a considerable amount of salt, which already raised the cost. If they couldn’t sell the dish later, it would be a disaster.
She sighed inwardly as the evening glow cast its light on her rough face, adding a layer of melancholy.
Well, since they had already started, there was nothing to do but give it a try.
“Fifth Sister, it really does seem less smelly now,” Su Tao remarked. The boiled pork intestines had a slightly milder odor. Su Li thought it was only natural—she had just added wine to remove the gaminess, so the smell was certainly less intense than before.
As she spoke, Su Tao picked up a piece of Feichang and gave it a light sniff, then nearly vomited again.
…
She had spoken too soon. It wasn’t much better—the smell was still quite foul, though it had been worse before. Tears welled up in Su Tao’s eyes, and she secretly vowed that no matter what, she would not eat this thing later.
Even if it might hurt Fifth Sister’s feelings, there was absolutely no way she would eat this! Absolutely not!!
Unaware of Su Tao’s inner thoughts, Su Li focused solely on cutting open the pork intestines with the scissors and trimming away the internal fat.
Trimming the fat required no particular skill. Those who preferred a stronger flavor could leave more fat, while those who disliked the taste of Feichang could remove it entirely—it all came down to personal preference.
Su Li wasn’t particularly fond of the smell of Feichang, so she trimmed the fat very thoroughly. Once she finished, she drew more water and continued washing the intestines repeatedly until no unusual odor could be detected.
By then, the sky was growing dim. A flock of sparrows landed in the yard but were quickly startled away by Chen Shi’s bamboo pole. Setting down the bucket she used to feed the chickens, Chen Shi hurried inside to fetch a Bamboo Basket and a Broom, then began gathering the dried rice in the yard. The rice was almost fully dried and would likely be ready for storage after a few more days of sunning.
Su Li withdrew her gaze, scooped a small half-bowl of rice, washed two sweet potatoes, cut them into chunks, and placed everything into an earthen pot to simmer.
She began by lighting the fire, heating the wok, pouring in oil, and stir-frying the Feichang. The key to making Feichang delicious lies in controlling the heat. Quickly toss the Feichang into the sizzling hot wok to sear off excess moisture, then add a small amount of wine to enhance the aroma and remove any unpleasant odors. Finally, add the freshly chopped pickled peppers and fresh chilies, stir-frying everything together. The entire process doesn’t take long.
Throughout this, Su Tao repeatedly stood up from the stool and sat back down, as if she couldn’t stay seated. Watching the large iron wok sizzling with oil and releasing the bold, enticing aroma of Feichang, she couldn’t help but swallow her saliva, utterly baffled at how something that had smelled so foul earlier could now be so irresistibly fragrant.
Could it be that Fifth Sister knew some kind of magic trick, transforming that stinky intestine into a delicious delicacy?
Over on the other side, Chen Shi, who had just carried the rice into the house, naturally caught a whiff of the aroma too. Curiosity stirred within her—had Fifth Girl actually succeeded?
She couldn’t resist speeding up her actions, eager to taste it for herself. Her stomach, distracted by the thought, let out a low growl.
“Fourth Sister, would you like to try some?” Su Li picked up a pair of chopsticks and asked, looking at the girl with a complicated expression.
Su Tao hesitated, still deeply affected by the earlier shock.
Was it really tasty?
Seeing Su Tao’s reluctance, Su Li took the lead, picking up a piece and putting it into her own mouth.
With just one bite, Su Li felt that all the day’s hardships had been worth it.
The Feichang was crispy yet not tough, wonderfully chewy, coated with the tang of pickled peppers and the heat of chilies—sour, spicy, and refreshing. The flavors exploded in her mouth all at once, making her crave another bite immediately.
Moreover, because the Feichang had been stir-fried until relatively dry, it carried an extra layer of savory crispness without being hard to chew. It was truly addictive.
That one bite of Feichang seemed to awaken her taste buds, reviving an appetite that had been lost in the sweltering summer heat. It was utterly satisfying. If she could have a cup of cool, refreshing plum juice at that moment, she wouldn’t trade it for anything, not even a fortune.
Su Tao watched Su Li eat without blinking, silently counting in her heart, waiting for Su Li to spit out the foul-smelling Feichang. But to her surprise, after a long while, Su Li showed no sign of spitting it out, nor any hint of discomfort. In fact, she even ate a few more pieces.
Chen Shi had walked in at some point without anyone noticing. “How is it?” she asked.
Seeing this, Su Li picked up a piece with her chopsticks and offered it to Chen Shi. Chen Shi merely furrowed her brows slightly, opened her mouth, and ate it.