Chapter 228
None of the Nansheng family returned home empty-handed. After Siqi got home, she unwrapped all the gifts, her eyes sparkling as she said to her parents, "This new uncle is so rich!"
Nansheng felt her daughter was subtly criticizing the previous uncle, but she had no proof.
The gifts were all wrapped in oil paper, so Linhan and the others hadn't known what was inside. Now, opening them, they found eggs, instant noodles, milk powder, canned meat, and a bag of apples.
Nansheng gave Linhan a knowing, amused look and echoed her daughter's sentiment. "Your brother-in-law is indeed very generous."
"Too much talk!"
Linhan didn't look particularly pleased, simply expressing his honest opinion.
Sizhe, however, thought this uncle was pretty good, certainly better than the last one. But thinking about those twins made his heart ache; he wondered how they were faring now that they had a stepmother.
In this era, instant noodles weren't something you could just buy easily; they were considered a luxury. Curious about the taste, Nansheng cooked all the instant noodles the very next morning, adding poached eggs.
She found the taste rather ordinary, and Linhan also thought the instant noodles weren't as good as his wife's handmade noodles. Only the two children ate with great relish.
"Regiment Commander Lin, how about a trip to town? Help me buy some things, and I'll make you something delicious."
Without another word, Linhan got up to get dressed, his action swift and decisive. He was a bit curious, though, about why his wife wanted to buy so many things—not just various spices and medicinal herbs, but also beef and mutton.
Nansheng gave him a look that promised he wouldn't regret it. She planned to make her own hot pot base. Eating hot pot on a heated brick bed (kang) during a northern winter promised an explosion of happiness.
The only pity was that ingredients weren't as varied nowadays. But as long as the base was well-made, even just dipping meat would be delicious.
When Linhan went to town, he took their son along. He had wanted to bring their daughter too, but she refused, saying she wanted to stay home with her mother.
After the father and son left, Siqi said in a sweet, slightly performative tone that she cared for her mother more than her brother did. "Mom, next time you go out, don't take brother, take me!"
Nansheng pinched her daughter's chubby cheek, thinking this girl's schemes were all written on her face. "Alright, alright, from now on, Mom will take our Qiqi wherever she goes."
The things Nansheng wanted were too varied; many couldn't be found at the supply and marketing cooperative. Linhan had no choice but to seek help from Shitou. Before leaving, he invited him to dinner at their home that evening.
"Brother-in-law, I really can't make it today. Once I'm done with work, I'll come over with Brother Yi."
Linhan didn't press him. With many purchases, he tied everything onto the vehicle. Afraid the oil jar might break, he had Sizhe hold it from behind. The father and son hurried home after shopping, and Sizhe immediately burrowed onto the heated kang upon arrival.
"Mom, it's really cold outside."
Linhan had bought some meat buns. As it was already half past ten, Nansheng simply got up to cook some porridge and heat the buns, making do with a warm, simple meal.
After eating, the two children ran out to play again, planning to hitch rides on the local kids' ice sleds. They didn't forget to bring their spinning tops either, so they could swap toys.
Siqi had initially wanted to sneakily take Nansheng's top, but after dawdling for a long time, she didn't dare. In the end, Sizhe, impatient with her slowness, dragged her out the door.
Nansheng decided to skip the nap and started preparing the hot pot base. Linhan tended the fire for her. Although it was the couple's first time making it, they worked together with remarkable tacit understanding.
"I forgot to mention earlier, we should have bought some spirit money. The New Year is almost here; let Da Wa send some money to his mother."
Nansheng said this mostly to please her son, amused at the thought that Sizhe might, like before, write a letter to burn along with it.
Linhan grunted in agreement. He actually believed that when a person dies, that's the end; things like burning spirit money or paper ingots were just to give the living a sense of connection.
But since his wife mentioned it, he'd take his son to do it. Who knew if they'd even be able to return next year.
Once the oil was hot, Nansheng didn't worry too much about the order; she just tossed in the necessary spices. She had checked the ingredient list using her system. Although the ingredients weren't complete, she figured the taste wouldn't be far off.
After the base was done, the two of them were coughing in the kitchen, tears and runny noses threatening. Nansheng washed her face, saying, "I put in too much chili."
Linhan was long accustomed to spicy food. He couldn't wait to find out what new dish his wife was making for him that evening.
Nansheng didn't let him idle either, assigning him to slice the meat as thinly as possible. The only slight drawback was the limited supply of green vegetables; they hadn't managed to buy many varieties.
Before sunset, the two children returned home on their own, and not empty-handed. Sizhe was carrying a wild duck, and Siqi was holding over a dozen duck eggs.
They had intended to show off to their parents, but were instantly captivated by the aroma from the pot. "It smells so good!"
Nansheng was pleasantly surprised to see the duck in her son's hand. Even after being away from home for so long, the boy hadn't forgotten how to raid the wild ducks' nests. Upon asking, she learned it was actually Sizhong who led the way.
They had caught two wild ducks that day, so each family got one.
"Let your dad put it away. Go wash your hands; we're having hot pot for dinner tonight!"
Outside on plates, plenty of meat was frozen: pork belly, lean pork, beef, and mutton. Linhan had good knife skills. After letting the meat freeze outside for a while, it was easy to slice thinly.
Now that the kids were back, they could cook everything in the pot and bring it straight to the table. Nansheng mused that someday she'd like to get a copper hot pot; the essence of hot pot was dipping and cooking while you eat.
When Linhan went to town that day, he also bought some soda. After the hot pot was ready, everyone poured themselves a bowl. Just as the family was about to clink glasses, there was a commotion from the yard.
"Sis, brother-in-law, I'm here!"
Nansheng thought, "Mingli—this kid—sure has good timing." He pushed open the door and entered the living room. Sizhe hurried into the kitchen to fetch him a bowl and a pair of chopsticks.
"Uncle, come in and sit down quickly. Mom made something delicious."
Entering the east room, Mingli saw a large basin on the table, filled with a red broth containing meat, vegetables, shrimp, and such. It smelled good, but looked like a big hodgepodge. He wondered silently if it would actually taste good.
Nansheng found making dipping sauces too troublesome, so she didn't bother. Fortunately, many families in the village made their own chili paste. She got a canned food box from a neighbor, added some crushed peanuts and sugar to adjust the flavor, and it turned out quite tasty.
After everyone took their first bite of the hot pot, their faces showed surprise and satisfaction. This numbing, spicy, refreshing sensation was incredibly fragrant! The sliced meat had a completely different texture from stewed meat.
Delicious!
Really, really delicious!
The three adults and two children finished the entire basin of hot pot ingredients in under twenty minutes. Then they started cooking the second batch, with Linhan slicing the meat fresh.
While waiting for the food to cook, Nansheng asked her brother, "Why are you so happy today? You can't even stop smiling."
Mingli chuckled; he had planned to say it after the meal.
"Sis, Uncle Yu's situation is resolved. Orders came from above, transferring Uncle Yu to the Agricultural Bureau as its director!"
Although it was a demotion in position, with achievements, he could still be promoted later. When Yufeng called to deliver the news, his voice was trembling with excitement. He was very moved and said he would return to the town for the New Year to celebrate with the Nan family!