The Lu Family Old Mansion was bustling, and Shen ng had no idea about it. Her kitchen was so well-stocked that she couldn’t help but show off her cooking skills by simring a pot of pork bone soup with a stear of white buns on top, placing two logs of wood in the big stove and cooking a dish of stir-fried pork slices with dried red chilies and cabbage, and a stew of pork with radish, tofu, and glass noodles. After she finished cooking them, she glanced outside and placed a basin of sour soup braised at in the sand basin—this was cheating because she got it from her dinsional space, but luckily she had sent everyone out while she cooked.
Finally, she stir-fried so salty mustard strips, and a sumptuous lunch was ready.
Shen ng brought all the cooked als to the square table in the main room, then went to the entrance of the courtyard and shouted.
"Mingyang, call your dad to co ho for lunch!!!"
"Mingliang, did you hear that? Co ho for lunch!"
Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang were walking ho with Lu Zhenping, hearing Shen ng’s voice, the two kids darted towards ho, followed by Ming Fang and Ming Kai.
"Mom, we’re back! Dad caught several big fish in the river, so black-headed ones too. Will you make us tasty fish dishes tonight?"
Lu Mingliang was quick, he had already placed his dinner order before even arriving.
Shen ng was montarily speechless; she had wanted to rest in the evening, but looking at her children’s hopeful eyes, she nodded.
"Alright, we still have plenty of tofu at ho, tonight I’ll make you a hot pot with fish and tofu. Go ho first, look at how sweaty you are, go wash your face when you get ho."
"Yes!"
Lu Mingyang looked at Shen ng’s loving deanor and also leaned in.
"Mom, do you see any sweat on my head?"
Shen ng: "...Yes, let wipe it off for you."
"Thank you, Mom."
The little guy knew how to take advantage of the situation; he was willing to go ho only after his forehead was wiped. The other two followed suit, even the man carrying the bucket lined up. Shen ng kept a straight face, not wanting to lose her temper at the courtyard entrance. For a mont, she felt like a bathhouse attendant, with everyone just waiting to be taken care of by her!
When Lu Zhenping ca over, Shen ng glanced left and right, seeing no one around, she not only wiped his forehead but also playfully smacked his face, then swung her arms as if whisking away clouds.
The man was left thrilled, joyous, and with affection brimming in his eyes.
It seed like they were going to eat at tonight; lately, Ming Kai had been fussing to sleep with mom, and because of his late-night hunting, he was up late, seeing but not eating, touching but not kissing, feeling like his heart was being scratched by a cat.
Looking at the dinner table filled with hearty als, Mingyang and the kids felt incredibly happy; indeed, whenever their mom cooked, they knew there was none left.
Their dad usually made sweet potato stew, bun, or corn porridge; only occasionally would he cook a couple of dishes, mainly for Mom. Now they could finally enjoy als cooked by their mom.
"Eat more, there’s also a big pork bone stew in the pot, the dipping sauce is very fragrant. This big piece is for your dad, kids can’t open their mouths that wide."
She had stewed the wild boar at all morning. The soup was fresh, flavorful, and especially satisfying to eat with a bit of dipping sauce. The at was tender—a treat easy on the children’s teeth.
Shen ng used chopsticks and a soup spoon to give Lu Zhenping the biggest piece, and then distributed the remaining to the kids one by one. Ming Kai didn’t get a big tube bone, so she gave him two ribs, which he gnawed just the sa.
After she finished distributing, she took a bun for herself, eating so vegetables, sipped so hot soup, and felt utterly comfortable as she glanced at the cold wind blowing outside.
Lu Zhenping glanced at Shen ng, then dipped so lean at scraped from his big bone into the sauce and placed it on the plate in front of Shen ng, before slurping on the bone again and scooping up a smaller piece for himself.
"Eat it yourself, I don’t really like these."
"Lean at is tough, eat more, get so strength, put on so weight. Many tis when I’m with you, I hope we are equally matched."
Shen ng: "...."
Look at your shaless face, it’s unbearably smug!!!
Mingyang gave his dad a look, not understanding why he suddenly threw out an idiom while eating normally; it was a bit hurtful, knowing that his mom only recently got her elentary school diploma, why show off knowledge here? Didn’t he see mom’s face go red from anger? Dad really doesn’t know how to make mom happy.
"Soup, soup!"
"Alright alright, mom will serve it. Oh yes, tonight let’s have hot pot with fish tofu, and invite your three uncles and aunts, Xiao Gang, and Ni, sound good?"
"Good."
In the countryside, fish isn’t sothing rare; if you want to eat, just catch one from the river. During New Year’s, everyone adheres to having a fish on the dining table as it symbolizes surplus every year. Anyway, catching lots at ho ans there’s plenty to eat together.
"Mom, when I was fishing with dad, I saw Brother Ah Man, he said he’s sent a letter from Shangjing, it seems like there’s so news about his case being redressed, he might return to the city after New Year. He asked to tell you, and also ntioned soone sent so money, telling us not to buy anything for him since he has money now."
"It’s his anyway, our giving is our choice. Once he’s back in the city, he’ll have many more places to spend money. Let him save his money properly, tonight we’ll also send so bone soup to him and his grandpa later."
"Alright."
Kids running around every day won’t raise any eyebrows, but if adults go to the cowshed, it’s too conspicuous.
Shen ng wouldn’t listen to Ah Man’s words; this man is her biggest connection after going to Shangjing, now a big fish in her pond. Even if they usually don’t interact much, she must flatter skillfully, maintaining a relationship of comfortable distance.
"Also take so frozen buns and dumplings over, let them stash it away to eat whenever they want. This weather keeps food well. And hey, remind them, even if they might return to Shangjing soon, they shouldn’t show it now to avoid giving others a hold on them."
"Mom, I understand. I’ll make it clear to Brother Ah Man."
Dinner was halfway when the courtyard door was knocked. Lu Miaomiao and Lu Lanhua sang out loud at the door, with Zhou Jiaojiao standing alongside, holding her belly.
"Big brother, elder sister-in-law, it’s Miaomiao, I’ve co to visit my maternal ho today. Are you ho? Co eat at mom’s place, we made at!"
"Is elder sister-in-law there? It’s been so long since I’ve seen Ming Kai, I’ve missed him so much. I even brought him so candy. Elder sister-in-law, open up, let’s have a good al together, we’ve got at, your favorite fatty pork."
Zhou Jiaojiao was speechless, just sniff hard and sll it, everyone’s about to faint from the delicious scent of the food, and yet they keep talking about eating, were they gluttonous pigs in their past lives!
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