Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Warm Stove Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Warm Stove Bai Xiao didn’t let Liu Baoguo and Li Chuni’s families leave at noon, instead, she used their vegetables, at, rice, and flour to prepare a lavish al for the two families.
The table was a small round one borrowed from a neighbor, and so were the stools and the tableware.
Two tables were arranged under the jujube tree in the courtyard.
Liu Baoguo and Li Chunhua were quite astonished by the variety of dishes. Could this girl be such a skilled cook?
The couple exchanged a glance. It seed Bai, the eldest, was a capable person; she had brought up this girl well at ho. Just look at their daughter!
Li Xiaotian glanced at the full table and couldn’t help but swallow his saliva.
“Uncle, shall I go buy so liquor for you?”
Liu Baoguo slapped Li Xiaotian on the head. “Are you the one who wants to drink?”
Li Chuni took out two yuan from her pocket and gave it to Li Xiaotian. “Go on, buy two jars of rice wine and two bottles of spirits. We all must not fail to appreciate Bai Xiao’s kind intentions.”
Li Xiaotian imdiately took the money and ran off with a sigh.
Li Chuni walked to the kitchen door, just as the last dish was ready, sizzling, and a delicious aroma wafted from inside.
“Oh, Xiao, that should be enough. These were originally for you, and now it’s all ended up in our stomachs; what are we supposed to make of this?”
Although that’s what she said, she was pleased inside. The girl was sensible and understood the niceties of social interactions well.
Bai Xiao lifted the curtain and ca out, carrying a large bowl, “Auntie, here’s another bowl. You take it out, one bowl per table! Fair and square, so you won’t accuse of playing favorites! Everyone, please try my cooking, it’s rare for you all to experience it! I’m just showing off a bit, and it’s like everyone here is warming the stove for . It’s just perfect to join the fun together!”
Li Chuni hurriedly agreed and carried it out.
“Oh, Xiao, your cooking skills, even the best banquet chefs in our village can’t match you. You are so skilled!”
Bai Xiao smiled and pressed her lips together, “Auntie, please stop praising . If you keep it up, I’ll be so full of myself I might just float away.”
Li Xiaotian was back very quickly, carrying two bottles of spirits and accompanied by two people; Liu Baoguo saw them.
“Oh, Mr. An, the drill instructor, you’re indeed lucky. It’s just right that we are warming Bai Xiao’s stove today. Co, co, sit down,” he invited the drill instructor and his student to sit down together.
Drill Instructor An handed over the rice wine, canned fruits, and two bags of milk powder he was carrying to Bai Xiao, “Just a small token, please take it!” Yesterday, seeing Bai Xiao like that was no joke; the girl wasn’t in good health, so he had brought these especially for her. He hadn’t expected to arrive just when they were warming her stove; luckily, he hadn’t co empty-handed.
Bai Xiao was forthcoming; these people had saved her and had helped her so much, to continue being formal would be ungrateful.
“Thank you, Drill Instructor An, I’ll accept it without any more fuss.” She then took the items back inside.
Li Chuni and Liu Baoguo set up places for the drill instructor and student, adding bowls and pouring white spirits.
Drill Instructor An objected, “We have rules; we can’t drink!”
Liu Baoguo laughed, “Drill Instructor An, don’t be shy! Since you’ve co today to warm our stove, how can you not have a drink? Just drink a little, or maybe switch to rice wine. Rice wine hardly counts as alcohol. A cup or two just symbolically, we understand your school and military’s strict requirents. But you’ve been helping out in our village for these past days. We need to show our gratitude, right?” He even specially switched to a rice wine bowl for the drill instructor.
Liu Baoguo was insistent on refusing, and Liu Baoguo couldn’t keep persuading since he knew being a military school instructor involved strict discipline.
Bai Xiao ca back and saw Instructor An sitting next to her. Without a word, she sat down to eat.
An Zhiyuan glanced at the dishes on the table and then looked at Bai Xiao in surprise. The girl had impressive cooking skills.
Boiled beef slices, stead pork, sweet and sour fish, double-cooked pork and four-joy atballs, along with stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, cucumber salad, sugared tomatoes, and tofu mixed with green onions—she had managed to cater to both southern and northern tastes. Most importantly, the appearance, aroma, and taste seed even better than what the master chef at their army canteen could make.
He picked up a piece of boiled beef with his chopsticks. Wow, how refreshing.
Bai Xiao took the rice wine from her bowl, stood up, and said, “I’m very thankful to everyone today for coming to warm my stove. I have no parents, and my brothers and sisters aren’t by my side. I really appreciate everyone’s help this ti. Here, I sincerely thank you all. People say to drink first as a mark of respect, so I’ll finish this bowl of rice wine. Everyone, please feel at ease.” Bai Xiao downed it in one go, as her character was straightforward despite her hardships in her past life.
She held up the empty bowl upside down to show everyone.
Liu Baoguo slapped his thigh, “Good, Bai Xiao is straightforward! If us guys don’t drink along with her, wouldn’t that an we’re losing face?” He picked up a bowl and drank the white liquor in one gulp.
“Xiao, your uncle here also owes you an apology. Over the years, everyone thought your grandmother and your little uncle were taking care of you because they’re your family, and they wouldn’t mistreat you. We never expected your grandmother to do such a thing. Child abuse is unheard of in our village. No one knew about it before, but from now on, if you have any issues, co to , your village chief. I’ll take care of it and make sure they can’t harm anyone like that again.”
This was the first ti he had taken such a clear stand. In the past, Liu Baoguo would never have publicly promised to intervene in family matters like this.
But this ti, of course, was different.
Bai Xiao smiled and thanked him, “Then thank you, uncle.”
For a mont, everyone was toasting and eating non-stop from the mont they started.
The dishes were truly authentic. Even though they were villagers who hadn’t eaten many delicacies, who hadn’t tasted food from wedding feasts or full moon celebrations? The taste of these dishes was still sothing different.
Everyone was full of praise for a while.
Li Chuni kept praising Bai Xiao incessantly and assured her that she could always co to them, the village leaders, for help as they were there to serve the people.
An Zhiyuan ate heartily, occasionally glancing at Bai Xiao.
The girl seed unfazed by praise or criticism, eating her al with a serene expression.
By the ti the al was over, all the plates and cups were empty, and Liu Baoguo and the others staggered off, drunk.
It wasn’t that Liu Baoguo was neglecting decorum. An Zhiyuan was present, and as the village chief, he should have stayed, but the food was so delicious that everyone lost control for a mont. After a few bottles of strong liquor, they were all tipsy, unable to stay seated any longer despite their desire to keep company.
An Zhiyuan and so students helped Li Chuni and others escort the village chief back ho.
Bai Xiao was tidying up the dishes and chopsticks on the table when she saw a pair of big hands reach out and start gathering everything into a large basin. An Zhiyuan and his students had not left yet.
“Instructor An, please don’t trouble yourself, I’ll clean up. It doesn’t make sense for guests who co to eat to have to tidy up,” she protested.
An Zhiyuan laughed, “We’re not so particular. With more people, the work gets done faster.”
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