Chapter 25 - Welp, that was awkward. (2)
Old Lin’s wife snapped right then and there when she heard that. “Why do I have to give you 10 jin of rice?”
10 jinof rice costed 1.43 yuan. What audacity of hers to straight up ask for 10 jin?
Tong Xuelu, looking aggrieved, said, “Didn’t Aunty just said that us neighbor should help each other out? My family is running out of rice, so I thought I’d ask you for some.”
Aunty Cai finally found her opportunity to chime in. “Aiyo, you said we should help each other out when you asked her for meat and now you don’t want to chip in anything? What audacity.”
“……”
Old Lin’s wife’s face, resembling that of a chicken with its neck pinched, turned beet red.
Many in the courtyard were also tempted when Old Lin’s wife said she was going to fetch her bowl. Now they all looked embarrassed.
Tong Xuelu continued to prepare dinner with her lips curved upward after Old Lin’s wife was gone.
She wanted to take advantage of her?
Not gonna happen. Not in this lifetime.
Tong Xuelu went to peel the potatoes and cut them up into strands while waiting for the pork belly to shimmer.
She was good with the knife and each strand of potatoes were evenly sized. Aunty Cai was, once again, amazed.
After Old Mr. Lin’s wife had gone home, she became progressively more annoyed as she replayed what had transpired in her head. Her eyes rolled and she left her house again and went over to the Xu’s.
Xu Baigen and his wife Zhou Fang were still at work but Old Mrs. Xu was home.
After a little while, Old Mr. Lin’s wife walked out from the Xu’s place and spit violently toward Tong Xuelu’s direction.
Pei!
That brat girl. She wanted to see Tong Xuelu cry when the Xu family refused to give their position back to them!
Tong Xuelu had no idea that Old Mr. Lin’s wife had plotted against her behind her back. She quickly tossed the diced potatoes into the clay pot and pulled the pre-soaked potato strands out of the water.
Once the wok was hot, Tong Xuelu tossed in peppercorns, ginger, garlic, green onion and stir fried them until aromatic before she added potato strands in for sauteing. She added in some vinegar a minute or two later.
As the sun began to set, the workers began to come home.
As soon as they walked inside of their compound, they were instantly attacked by the wanton aroma. They stirred immediately.
“Where did this aroma come from?”
“It smells so good. What is it?”
“It smells like meat. Then there’s something that’s sour and spicy!”
Everybody looked over at the Tong family’s direction reflexively. They all shrieked in their mind when they saw Tong Xuelu.
Everyone’s tears started coming out of the corners of their mouths––
How are they going to live like this?
Tong Jiaming and Tong Jiaxin were the last to return. Each of them carrying a bundle of firewood in their hands.
When he saw the smoke from the cooking from his house, Tong Jiaxin’s eyes widened. “Oh yay! Finally, we will have dinner tonight!”
Tong Jiaming looked up and glanced over at him. “Finally? What had you been eating this whole time then?”
Tong Jiaxin was salivating wildly. Chuckling a couple of times awkwardly, he said, “Second Brother, I am not complaining that your food tasted like pig feed at all!”
Tong Jiaming, “……”
Really? What did he call equating his cooking to pig feed then?
Tong Mianmian pitter pattered out of the house when she heard noises.
Tong Jiaxin quickly tossed down the firewood and stretched out his arms. “Little Sister, how your third brother had missed you!”
Tong Mianmian ran straight passed him as though she didn’t even see him, “Second Brother!”
Tong Jiaxin, “……”
The situation was a bit on the embarrassing side.
Tong Xuelu’s lips curved upward some when she witnessed that.
The braised pork was almost ready and, when the lid to the clay pot was removed, the aroma filled the courtyard.
Tong Jiaxin sniffled and instantly forgot about the awkwardness. He appeared next to the stove the very next minute and refused to look away from the braised pork.
The pork belly and potato had been softened from the stewing. The fatty part of the meat was translucent and the pig skin glistened with grease. The meat, coated with browned sugar, were a delectable color and very juicy.
It smelled amazing!
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