Reborn in the 1980s: I became a stepmother in the 1980s

Part 166 let me help you

The younger brother, feeling left out because Mom only praised his older brother, became anxious and pulled Si Nian aside.

"Mommy, I want to ask the teacher for a red flower tomorrow too," he said urgently.

Seeing his slightly damp clothes and sniffly nose, Si Nian chuckled and pinched his cheek playfully. "Okay, first go take a bath and change your clothes. I bought you some nice-smelling soap."

Her tone didn't quite please the younger brother, and his little brow furrowed even deeper. He looked at his clean older brother and then at himself, his shoulders slumping.

Zhou Zehan also understood deep down that his older brother had the red flower because he was the best student in class. Teachers praised him, wondering why his brother couldn't be as good.

In the past, Zhou Zehan hadn't cared at all. Wasn't it good that his brother was so good? But now, looking at his brother shining brightly, he couldn't help but feel envy bubbling up inside him.

Smart and talented kids were not only liked by teachers but also by moms. He looked back at Si Nian, who was smiling at him, and couldn't help but clench his little fist, vowing to study hard and earn a red flower just like his brother.

When the time comes, if he gives the red flower to Mom, she will surely like him more. The little guy, who was quick to both hope and despair, soon became distracted by the scented bath soap Si Nian had bought, and happily took it outside to bathe.

Both Stone and the other little guy were dirty, so they sat in a basin together, heating water and bathing each other, quickly making the water very murky.

Zhou Zedong, sweating profusely, carried hot water for his two younger brothers, not even taking off his own jacket.

Meanwhile, Si Nian entered the kitchen and saw the good things like pig intestines on the countertop, realizing they were probably sent by Yu Dong today. She had bought quite a few ingredients for braised dishes in town this time.

Today was perfect for making braised dishes. She washed the ingredients thoroughly, prepared spices in cheesecloth bags, and cleaned the pig intestines, pig kidneys, and pig trotters with salt, wine, and ginger for a while.

Continuing with the recipe, bring the braising liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) to season. Finally, remove the ginger and green onions from the pot, then add the cleaned pig intestines and pig trotters to simmer.

The rich aroma soon began to waft eagerly from every corner. Before long, the Zhou household was enveloped in its fragrance.

The two children playing and bathing at the doorstep couldn't resist the tantalizing smell, their mouths watering. They hurriedly sped up their bathing, not even bothering to dry themselves properly, and dashed towards the kitchen in their shorts.

The aroma was unmistakably the scent of the braised pork Si Nian had made before. It was so fragrant that they remembered it vividly. The younger one had even gnawed on half a pig trotter back then, savoring its deliciousness and chewiness.

Just as Si Nian had covered the pot, the two little ones appeared at the kitchen door, staring at her with wide eyes, their clothes still not on.

Si Nian glanced over at her younger son, who had gained quite a bit of weight. However, he was still a bit hard to raise. Coupled with his natural tendency to grow tall quickly, his height had indeed shot up, but he remained slim with visible ribs. It seemed he still needed to eat more meat.

On the other hand, Zhou Zedong, though he also smelled the delicious aroma, had strong endurance and was not like the other two. He calmly helped his little sister put on her shoes after she woke up, then carried her downstairs for the meal. He began teaching her to speak.