Chapter 278: Chapter 279: Farewell to the Riffraff in the Departnt Store Chapter 278: Chapter 279: Farewell to the Riffraff in the Departnt Store Mrs. Xu could tell at a glance that this young man in a military uniform, who appeared dignified, was actually a deadbeat.
The bastard had bumped into her and her daughter at the Departnt Store before, and even demanded an apology at the ti.
He even wanted to flirt with her daughter. To think that just half a year had passed and he’d transford into a soldier.
Hah, it looks like anyone can join the military these days. Clearly, there’s sothing wrong with this kid’s character, whether he’s there to protect the country or harm the people is anyone’s guess.
Xu Ying saw Zhang Zhiguo and furrowed her brows too. She might not have the best mory, but she rembered clearly anyone who had offended her.
“So, is it a trend for soldiers to climb over walls and trespass into other people’s hos now?” Xu Ying quipped with a hooked lip, her voice cold.
Zhang Zhiguo cheekily grinned and lazily said, “You sure are sharp-tongued, young lady. I’ve been rescuing people for days without a hot al. Today I finally got a break—eating a little from the people is okay, right?”
Zhang Zhiguo struggled to control his drooling; the woman’s cooking slled too good, no clue what she was boiling in that pot. It made his mouth water just slling it.
Just as Xu Ying was about to speak, Zhang Zhiguo saw Second Brother Xu co out of the house and imdiately brightened up, rushing to him with a smile, “Brother Xu, is this your ho?”
Second Brother Xu, clearly pleased to see the man, ran over quickly, “Zhiguo Brother, you’ve co to our village too? Weren’t you supposed to go to the county? Did Uncle Zhang co with you?”
“Don’t worry about him; he’s resting. By the way, where did that other brother of yours go?” Zhang Zhiguo looked around curiously.
Wasn’t that guy also from Xujia Village? How co after a day and a bit, he and his uncle had looked everywhere and still hadn’t seen him at all?
Didn’t Xu Shengcai say that man was his future brother-in-law? Isn’t he at his place, did he just disappear?
Not sure how uncle knew that guy. He seed solitary and cold, not exactly easy to get along with.
Why seek him out?
“You an Huo Chen? He’s not at my place,” Xu Shengcai said with a smile.
Xu Ying truly raised her head, suspiciously, looking at Zhang Zhiguo with a guarded expression, “You know Huo Chen? What do you want with him?”
Zhang Zhiguo t Xu Ying’s gaze and chuckled, “What’s stewing in the pot? I’m so hungry I can hardly talk.”
Xu Ying’s expression darkened.
“Are you farting around now, boy?” Mrs. Xu bluntly retorted.
Zhang Zhiguo’s face changed instantly.
Second Brother Xu felt a bit embarrassed looking at Zhang Zhiguo, “Zhiguo Brother, don’t be mad; that’s just how my mom is.”
Zhang Zhiguo suppressed the anger in his heart, recalling the task his uncle had given him, and smiled, “It’s fine.”
“Actually, I t your aunt and sister before, there might have been so misunderstandings. Auntie, I was immature before, so my uncle sent to the army for discipline.
I’ve been there for half a year now, and my temperant has changed a lot. I want to apologize for the things I did to you before, I’m sorry.”
Mrs. Xu was caught off guard by his sudden apology and was montarily baffled.
Once she recovered, she quickly smiled and said, “It’s nothing. It’s good that you realize your mistake.”
She, the bigger person, wouldn’t hold a grudge, so she forgave him.
The fish soup Xu Ying stewed for lunch was made from freshly caught fish from the river.
Fortunately, the rain ca just after New Year’s, and many families had leftover holiday provisions, so there was no shortage of food at ho.
They weren’t worried about the lack of anything oily or sumptuous at all.
Xu Ying had stewed the fish into hotpot fish, along with the previous crispy at, so atballs, and various vegetarian dishes.
When the floodwaters had risen, they had quickly harvested the vegetables from their plots in the pouring rain, so there was no shortage of vegetables to eat now.
The Xu Family gathered together for the hotpot al while Zhang Zhiguo, slling the delicious aroma, swallowed his saliva repeatedly.
He wasn’t just eating for free either; he had run back and returned with several bags of very retro “instant noodles.”
“See this? These things are really convenient to eat. Just soak them in hot water, sprinkle on this seasoning, and it’s ready to eat,” Zhang Zhiguo said, ntioning convenience but not flavor.
Xu Ying guessed that the instant noodles probably didn’t taste great at the mont.
“Let’s try cooking them in the hotpot then,” she said, still quite curious about the taste of the current instant noodles.
She had seen instant noodles on her recent trip to the Friendship Building. They weren’t available in the local Departnt Store in the county. If she hadn’t seen them at the Friendship Building, she would have thought instant noodles weren’t produced in this era yet.
Zhang Zhiguo tore open the packaging of the instant noodles and directly placed a block of noodle cake into the pot.
Everyone in the Xu Family watched with wide-eyed curiosity, as none of them had ever seen this product before.
The instant noodles looked similar to regular noodles once cooked, but they were curvy and twisty.
The sll of the hotpot mixed with the aroma of the instant noodles, and Zhang Zhiguo’s face showed a glimpse of nostalgia, slling as if they were delicious.
He quickly grabbed a chopstick-full of instant noodles, took a bite, and his eyes lit up, “These instant noodles usually don’t taste like much when boiled in plain water, but I didn’t expect them to be this delicious when cooked in a hotpot.
Everyone, hurry up and try this, it’s so tasty.”
Mrs. Xu, curious, picked up a chopstick-full of noodles and took a bite. She looked surprised, finding the noodles tastier and more resilient than common noodles, indeed they were good.
“Indeed, they’re good.”
“Big brother, don’t forget to serve the fish and atball soup you made for your wife in the pot,” Xu Ying said, turning her head to speak to Xu Da.
Nowadays, one couldn’t even dream of pork, but fish wasn’t lacking since she had fish bait to attract them.
She only hoped that the fish would indeed stop coming around in three or four days, as predicted in her previous life.
Zhang Zhiguo felt that coming for this al was the right choice. This hotpot was too fragrant, spicy, and addictive, leaving a lasting impression that made one unable to stop eating.
Even with his head full of sweat and his lips red from the spice, Zhang Zhiguo couldn’t stop himself from eating.
Xu Ying looked at him with curiosity, “Zhang Zhiguo, where did you buy these instant noodles? How co I didn’t know that there are factories producing instant noodles dostically?”
Instant noodles were first produced in Japan and only later ca to China. However, the flavors produced by the Chinese didn’t hit the mark and it took over a decade before they really beca a hit.
If she could find out where the instant noodles were produced and get hold of the machinery, she could change the flavors and add so other seasoning packets; the taste would surely be twice as good.
Then the instant noodles would certainly take off, as foreigners really loved them.
Xu Ying’s eyes sparkled as if she had discovered another way to make money.
“Instant noodles have been produced by the Beijing Food Factory for so ti now, and they have a dedicated production line, but it seems that the Magic City Food Factory has it as well,” Zhang Zhiguo turned his head and saw Xu Ying’s lips curl into a smile, her eyes bending into crescents, her face wearing a playful and lively smile.
Back at the Departnt Store, Zhang Zhiguo thought she was pretty, but now he was even more dazzled by her smile, and his heart skipped a beat.
Xu Ying felt his gaze and followed it, eting his eyes. She glared at Zhang Zhiguo and then turned her head away.
Zhang Zhiguo, after being glared at, found her even cuter in her feigned anger.
What a pity she was already taken.
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