mtl008 Chapter 144: Treat the villagers who helped to a meal.
Chapter 144: Treat the villagers who helped to a meal.
"Let's put this aside. I'm counting on you, Second Uncle and Sister-in-law, and Erniu, to help me in the future." Su Panpan stuffed the purse into their hands, pushing it back and forth several times. "Take it, it's as much as you deserve."
Erniu and Shen Ru had no choice but to accept it. They also understood Su Panpan's character, and it would be inappropriate to refuse further.
Su Panpan glanced outside the house and said, "It's getting late. I'll go make dinner and we'll eat together." Without waiting for others to agree, she got up and went to the kitchen.
Shen Ru also went to the kitchen to help.
……
Under the dim light, a table full of delicious food exudes an enticing aroma.
In the yard, a few chicks chirped in the corner, foraging for food. A fox spirit ran around happily, occasionally approaching the table to smell the aroma of food, only to be chased away by the adults with a smile. Not far away, Mengmeng lazily lay on a stone, watching all this quietly.
Outside the yard, the distant mountains appear and disappear in the night, like a tranquil ink painting.
Su Panpan walked out of the kitchen carrying the last dish into the living room, smiling and waving her hand to everyone: "Come on, come on, don't just stand there."
Several children immediately gathered around happily. Sisi jumped up and down and said, "Wow, it smells so good!" Linlin held Sisi's hand, her eyes fixed on the delicious food on the table.
Qin Mu, Xiaoxiao, Qin Xiao, and Yueyue also said excitedly: "It's been a long time since I've tasted mother's cooking."
In the middle is a large pot of steaming hot beef stewed with potatoes. The beef is stewed until it is soft and tasty, the potatoes are also very soft, and the rich soup exudes a mellow aroma.
The bright red braised duck next to it has firm meat, moderate saltiness and fragrance, and exudes a unique aroma.
There is also a plate of spicy and delicious fried rabbit meat. The rabbit meat is tender and juicy, and each piece is coated with rich seasoning.
A plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, green and juicy, looks very refreshing.
The dish of stewed pork ribs with radish was also particularly tempting, with the radish being sweet and the pork ribs being full of meaty aroma.
Su Panpan smiled and extended her hand to greet everyone: "Come on, come on, don't just stand there."
Erniu sat down happily, staring at the plate of beef. He couldn't wait to pick up a piece and put it in his mouth. He squinted his eyes in satisfaction and said, "I liked eating this beef when I was in town. The chefs took it so fast that I couldn't get many pieces. Hehe, I'm in for a treat tonight." As he said that, he picked up another piece of beef.
Shen Ru also responded with a smile: "Yes, several chefs kept praising Panpan's good cooking skills and said that Panpan was very generous." She picked up a piece of duck meat, tasted it carefully, and showed a happy expression, "This duck is really well cooked."
Qin Youwen's face was full of joy. He picked up a piece of rabbit meat, ate it, nodded and praised, "This rabbit meat is also very delicious. Panpan's cooking skills are impeccable. It's just like the chef in the restaurant."
The children also began to taste the food, laughing happily from time to time.
Everyone ate and talked about trivial things in life.
After not seeing each other for several days, their relationship seemed more harmonious and intimate. Laughter and conversation intertwined together, making the night full of warmth and happiness.
The next day, the sun shone on the earth.
Erniu remembered Su Panpan's instructions and came to Aunt Wang's house early.
He smiled politely and said, "Aunt Wang, Panpan asked me to tell you that she would like to borrow your oxcart for 20 wen a day. If you and Uncle Xiao can lend someone else, it would be 50 wen a day per person. Panpan specifically asked me to invite you and Uncle Xiao to her house for lunch."
When Aunt Wang heard this, she was delighted and quickly nodded in agreement. After all, there was no need to work in the fields now. The cows were idle, and the people were idle too. She was just worried about having no work to do.
Then, Erniu rushed to the homes of Liu Dazhuang, the three brothers Zhao Gensheng, Zhao Genlai, and Zhao Xi, Lao Li Facai, the old couple Wang Xierong, and Uncle Wang Er and Sister Chu, and told them one by one that Su Panpan had invited them to have lunch.
Everyone agreed.
On this side, Shen Ru came to Su Panpan's house early in the morning to help.
She knew that Su Panpan had important things to do today, so she started to clean the house and prepare ingredients quickly.
The sun shines into the yard, full of vitality and vigor everywhere.
Shen Ru rolled up her sleeves and washed the vegetables carefully. The clear water flowed through the tender green leaves, making a crisp sound.
Her eyes were focused and her movements were skillful. She placed the washed vegetables in a basket beside her, picked up the kitchen knife, and began to cut the vegetables neatly.
As the blade rises and falls, the vegetables are cut into uniform shapes and neatly arranged on the plate.
Su Panpan was carefully preparing the seasonings. She carefully selected various spices, put them in a stone mortar and gently crushed them, emitting bursts of tempting aroma.
On the other side of the yard, Xiaoxiao's small figure was busy in the vegetable garden.
She bent over and carefully dug radishes, taro and sweet potatoes.
Soon, her small basket was filled with fresh radishes, taro and sweet potatoes, and she walked back happily carrying the basket.
Qin Mu stood in the middle of the yard, holding an axe and chopping the bones vigorously.
Each blow was full of power, and the thigh bone was gradually divided into appropriate sizes under his hands.
Qin Xiao took the broom and carefully cleaned every corner of the yard.
Three little girls, Yueyue, Sisi, and Linlin, sat together, shelling edamame. As they did so, they chatted quietly, occasionally letting out cheerful laughter.
Qin Youwen was not idle either. He hummed a little tune and moved his table to Su Panpan's yard.
After washing the vegetables, Shen Ru started to busy herself with cutting the meat. With a flick of the knife, the meat pieces were evenly sized.
After Xiaoxiao came back from the vegetable garden, she put the taro and sweet potatoes aside, and ran to help Yueyue, Sisi and Linlin peel edamame. The little girls laughed while working.
After Qin Mu finished chopping the pork ribs, he began to clean the big pot and prepare for stewing.
After Qin Xiao finished sweeping the floor, he joined the team preparing ingredients and helped sort and organize the vegetables.
After Qin Youwen set the table, he moved some stools and placed them neatly.
In the kitchen, Su Panpan and Shen Ru started cooking.
Su Panpan skillfully heated the pan, poured in oil, and when the oil was hot, added onions, ginger, and garlic to stir-fry until fragrant. Then she added the chopped meat into the pan and stir-fried it.
Shen Ru was preparing a big pot for stewing pork shanks. She put the pork shanks and various seasonings into the pot, added water, covered the pot, and let it stew slowly.
The other people in the yard were not idle either. Xiaoxiao and a few little girls handed the peeled edamame to Shen Ru, while Qin Mu kept carrying firewood into the kitchen to ensure there was enough.
Qin Xiao helped pass plates and take spoons, and everyone worked in perfect harmony, busy but not chaotic.
The whole yard was filled with busy figures and a lively atmosphere. Everyone was working hard for this sumptuous lunch and looking forward to the arrival of the villagers.