The flames in the stove licked the bottom of the pot, and the bubbling sounds echoed clearly in the quiet afternoon courtyard.
In the large iron pot, dark brown braising broth rolled and churned.
The rich aroma of spices and meat mingled together, lingering in the air in curling threads.
Li Lanxiang stood by the pot, occasionally turning the pieces of pig head meat and pork trotters inside with long chopsticks.
Heat control was the key. If braised too long, the meat would become overly soft and lose its bite; if not long enough, it wouldn’t absorb the flavor.
Judging the time carefully, she poked a piece of pork trotter with her chopsticks. They slid through easily, yet the meat still held a bit of firmness—exactly the perfect point.
She picked up a slotted ladle and scooped out part of the pork head meat and trotters that had braised just right, placing them into a clean large clay basin to cool slightly.
These were meant for the family’s meal today.
As for the rest, she removed most of the firewood from the stove, leaving only glowing embers so that the broth in the pot stayed gently simmering, continuing to warm the meat.
This way it would keep absorbing flavor without becoming overcooked.
She planned to leave it like this until the next morning. By then she would check the texture and flavor again before deciding whether to take everything out or make adjustments.
“Mother, can we eat now?”
Wang Shizhu had already been driven restless by the aroma and hovered eagerly at the kitchen doorway.
“Soon. Let it cool a little first.”
Li Lanxiang smiled.
She sliced the still-warm braised meat into thick pieces and chopped the pork trotters into small chunks, arranging them onto two large plates.
Then she scattered chopped wild scallions on top and drizzled a little hot braising sauce over them.
Immediately, the glossy reddish-brown meat slices and trembling pork trotter pieces glistened under the sauce. Paired with the bright green scallions and the shining broth, the dish looked irresistibly appetizing.
At dinner, the two plates of braised meat became the undisputed stars of the table.
Served with stir-fried cabbage and steaming coarse-grain flatbread, the whole family ate with great satisfaction.
Wang Dashan picked up a slice of pig head meat.
The piece held layers of fat and lean, the skin almost translucent, soaked with the savory saltiness of the braising sauce and the complex fragrance of spices.
When he put it into his mouth, the meat was tender yet rich—fatty but not greasy, lean but not dry. The deep flavor slowly spread across his tongue, leaving a faint sweetness in the aftertaste. It was hearty and deeply satisfying.
He chewed slowly, yet his gaze drifted unconsciously toward Li Lanxiang across the table.
She had her head lowered slightly, eating small bites of flatbread, occasionally picking up some cabbage. The lamplight softened her profile, giving her a calm and gentle appearance.
Her manner of eating wasn’t rough. In fact, it carried a subtle refinement—an unconscious habit perhaps from her previous life—completely different from the woman in his memories, who had always hurried through meals, her mind busy worrying about where the next meal would come from.
The taste of this braised meat was also unlike any meat he had eaten before.
It wasn’t merely delicious.
It carried a sense of care… of deliberate thought… something that went beyond simply filling the stomach.
He swallowed the bite of meat, yet the confusion and unfamiliar feeling that had lingered in his heart for several days had not faded after the intimacy of the previous night. Instead, it had become even clearer… and more unsettling.
It was still the same body, the same face and eyes.
Even some small habits remained unchanged.
Yet the soul inside seemed like a completely different person.
The former Li Lanxiang had been his wife, the mother of his three children, and his partner in struggling for survival in these mountains.
Between them, it had been more like a silent alliance bound together by life.
There was responsibility and care—but more than anything, there was the numb routine of day after day.
She saved every grain of food and managed the household while he hunted in the mountains to support the family.
They rarely spoke much; their thoughts were buried beneath the weight of survival.
He had always felt the responsibility of being a husband and head of the family, but never anything like now…
Now he found his gaze following her without thinking.
He found himself unconsciously obeying her arrangements.
Even last night, he had felt a surge of uncontrollable desire and… tenderness?
Yes. Tenderness.
When he saw her pale face after hitting her head, his heart had tightened.
When he heard her calm yet firm voice arranging household matters, he followed her lead without hesitation.
When he saw the light in her eyes as she tried new things, he couldn’t help wanting to help her.
And last night, when he touched her and felt the stiffness and trembling of her body, along with desire there had also been a strange caution—afraid he might hurt her.
He even…
Did not want to do anything that might make her uncomfortable.
Just like this morning, when he clearly sensed her differences and his mind was full of doubts—yet when their eyes met, he was the one who hurriedly looked away.
Just like when she insisted on slaughtering the pig, rendering lard, and selling braised meat in town. Though he didn’t understand and even thought it risky, he ultimately chose to support her silently—driving the cart for her and helping carry things.
He simply wanted to treat her a little better.
And then even better than that.
Such thoughts had never appeared so strongly or clearly in his thirty years of life—except perhaps toward his young children.
What exactly was happening?
Wang Dashan absentmindedly ate another piece of pork trotter. His taste buds enjoyed the flavor, yet his mind was in turmoil.
He had lived over thirty years and been married to “Li Lanxiang” for twenty of them.
Why could this person—bearing the same name and face—make him feel something entirely different?
Why did the calm lake of his heart keep having stones thrown into it, sending ripples spreading again and again, catching him completely unprepared?
He secretly raised his eyes and looked toward Li Lanxiang again.
She seemed to sense his gaze and looked up as well.
Their eyes met.
Her gaze was clear and calm, carrying a trace of questioning.
Wang Dashan’s heart skipped again. Almost awkwardly, he lowered his head and hurriedly stuffed a few mouthfuls of food into his mouth. The tips of his ears grew warm.
Li Lanxiang watched his slightly flustered behavior and felt a strange stirring in her own heart.
She could sense the complicated emotions hidden in his silence and watchful glances over the past few days. After last night, those feelings seemed even stronger.
But since he did not ask, she did not know how to explain.
Or perhaps… she herself had not yet fully sorted out her thoughts.
Well, so be it.
She withdrew her gaze and continued eating.
Life was long. Some things did not need to be understood immediately.
As long as, for now, he could accept her changes—and the family could gradually improve because of her small efforts—that was enough.
As for the doubts and unfamiliar emotions stirring in his heart…
Li Lanxiang picked up a slice of braised meat and chewed it slowly.
Perhaps time would provide the answer.
Or perhaps, within the daily rhythm of firewood, rice, oil, and salt—within each ordinary meal—the answer had already quietly appeared, waiting only to be felt with the heart.