Sunday, 5 July 2020

BTTS 52




Chapter 52. Lamb and goji berry soup

"Nobody would deny that. She came back yesterday evening and talked like that." Eldest Sister-in-law's lip twitched as she spoke.

"Don't quarrel with her. You're pregnant, don't make yourself angry." Lin Qing He coaxed.

Eldest Sister-in-law burst into a smile when she comforted her instead: "I wouldn't keep it on my chest."

Then she looked at the cloth in her hand and pointed out, "After making another winter innerwear for Fourth Brother-in-law, I estimate there's enough leftover to make two sets of summer clothes for him."

"One summer set is enough. The rest will be for the three boys'. They don't any to wear." Lin Qing He responded.

Zhou Qing Bai didn't bring many clothes back, but there were two sets. According to Lin Qing He's perspective, he didn't have enough to wear. In the mind of this era, it was definitely enough. But making an extra set isn't a bad idea.

The three boys definitely needed it.

Lin Qing He's speed was now very fast because she became skilled in using the sewing machine. Plus she was irritated from seeing Second Sister-in-law's face. So it took two and a half days to complete Zhou Qing Bai's second winter clothes.

The rest was summerwear. Lin Qing He also spent a few days to finish these and packed it in the closet.

She doesn't need to go to the old Zhou's house and run into Second Sister-in-law anymore.

In the morning, they had millet porridge with salted eggs. Lin Qing He announced: "Today I have to pickle another batch. You guys eat too fast."

It was only that long before the pickled eggs were almost devoured up. She had brought over the eggs twice to Father Zhou and Mother Zhou. Each time two, so four in total.
Now there were only a few left. The rest was eaten by the father and sons.

"I will go out and buy some eggs later." Zhou Qing Bai nodded.

"Is there no lamb sold here?" Lin Qing He asked.

"Not here." Zhou Qing Bai looked at her and said, "Want to eat?"

Lin Qing He shook her head and replied: "Don't torment yourself, going so far to the county city in this weather."

The last time he bought a bicycle, he also brought a jin of lamb back. She had added goji berry and stewed a lamb and goji berry soup. The taste was really delicious.

Although it was only a jin, the whole family was extremely content.

Zhou Qing Bai nodded and said nothing. After taking care of the two little piglets after breakfast, he pushed the bicycle and carried the basket out.

Lin Qing He continued to knit the woolen trousers at home. It was for the kids. She also wanted one. This weather was extremely freezing.

She assumed Zhou Qing Bai had gone to the community's supply and demand cooperative. To her surprise, he only returned from this trip at 11:30. He also brought back three jin of mutton!

"The snow and wind are so big, why did you go to the county city?" Lin Qing He couldn't help saying when she saw his cheeks were flushed.

"It's not cold riding a bicycle." Zhou Qing Bai stated.

Not only did he brought back the lamb, but also five jins of eggs.

Lin Qing He quickly sent him to go to Kang and wait. First, she boiled him a bowl of ginger soup for him to down. Then she nagged: "You better let up a bit next time!"

"Mother, Father knows that you want to eat lamb, so specially bought it for you." Er Wa interjected.

Lin Qing He looked at Zhou Qing Bai, saw Zhou Qing Bai rubbed Er Wa's head and his gaze that met her eyes carried obvious indulgence.

"Only you know to speak eloquently!" Lin Qing He was a little embarrassed and glared at Er Wa.

Er Wa giggled. Lin Qing He picked up San Wa and put him in Zhou Qing Bai's arms: "Hug your son, he is warm all over."

San Wa stayed in his father's arms and blinked at his mother with big eyes, which expressed that he is very obedient and be his father's body warmer.

"Instead of bean paste bun for lunch, we're having lump soup." Lin Qing He harrumphed and stated.

Previously a lot of sticky bean paste buns were made, and there were still leftovers. A lot of leftovers.

She initially planned to eat this for lunch, but now she changed her mind.

The lump soup was the kids' favorite, especially the lump soup made by their mother, which was really yummy.

Lump soup was very easy to make. Lin Qing He used a lot of ingredients, including chopped mushrooms, minced meat, and eggs. There were no delicious vegetables during this season, otherwise, the taste will be better after adding green vegetables and tomatoes.

Zhou Qing Bai had no complaints about what his wife makes. He eats whatever she cooks.

After the children had their fill, they went to Kang. At this time, it was still snowing outside. It just was too cold.

Lin Qing He chopped the mutton by herself.

Including the skin and bone, it was three jins. Lin Qing He put in a half. The other half was left for tomorrow to eat. In this weather, it won't turn bad from leaving it out.

She placed it on the coal stove and stewed it. It'll be ready to eat at night.

"It's too cold. You brothers better bundle up for me. And you're not allowed to drink cold water. If I find out you drank cold water, you won't get anything to eat then!" Lin Qing He strictly instructed. She especially looked at Da Wa.

Da Wa cried out in injustice: "I don't do it now!" What's more, the winter was so freezing. Only fool would drink cold water!

Lin Qing He nodded: "It's fine if you don't. Tonight you get an extra piece of lamb."

"Me too," Er Wa said.

"Okay, give you extra," Lin Qing He responded.

Zhou Qing Bai watched the mother and sons interact. His gaze mostly focused on Lin Qing He.

Lin Qing He raised her eyes to glance at him. She coughed dryly and said: "You must be exhausted from this morning, sleep a bit."

"You sleep too." Zhou Qing Bai steadily looked at her.

The woolen pant in Lin Qing He's hand was almost ready, so she put them away first. The whole family took a nap on the kang. When she got up, Lin Qing He continued to knit the woolen pants.

Zhou Qingbai was no longer on the kang. At this time, he had to make pig food for the piglets, so he was preoccupied.

Lin Qing He was thankful that there was still some wool at home that would allow her to pass the time. Otherwise, there was no way to pass the days. It was really boring.

At around four o'clock in the afternoon, she completed the woolen pant.

Then she started knitting the second one, because there was really nothing to do. The speed of knitting pants wasn't slow at all.

It was really idle on these snowy days.

The smell of mutton and goji berry soup in the pot was already fragrant. Lin Qing He saw that it was cooked and scooped some. for Zhou Qing Bai to deliver to Father Zhou and Mother Zhou.

Da Wa? Forget it. The snow outside was pretty hefty. It was better to stay in the room on this freezing day.

"Mutton soup? Keep it for yourself. You don't need to bring it over." Mother Zhou refused.

"My wife said to bring it." Zhou Qing Bai maintained, then went to the kitchen to get the bowls. He poured it out. Just perfect, two bowl full and two pieces of lamb, one for each.

Zhou Qing Bai didn't stay any longer. He went back after distributing it.

Father Zhou and Mother Zhou didn't act reserved, so they drank the warm mutton soup.

"Fourth's wife's cooking skill is really good," Mother Zhou remarked while drinking soup.

Whether it was pickled eggs or this mutton soup or the occasional ginger date soup that was sent over, the taste was superb.

Moreover, Mother Zhou felt that her body had been warmed a lot this year. Don’t know if it was linked to these soups.

5 comments:

  1. So she's indeed gonna open a restaurant i guess?

    I really hope that her magical space actually gets some use and it wasn't just used at the beginning to give her an out for being able to live a bit more comfortably at the beginning but that it's actually used in a meaningful way, a personal space? That's fucking op, at least have her become a smuggler or something.

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  2. What happened to teaching Da Wa a lesson ??

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    1. Oh, he learned his lesson quickly and declared that he, as his parents' oldest son, would take care of them well, feeding them plenty of dumplings and white buns stuffed with meat, meaning he would study and not be like those uneducated poor peasants that have no buns to eat.

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