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

Part 214 I won't look for a mistress.

Si Nian came home and casually placed her things on the desk.

As soon as she entered the house, someone knocked on the door and said, "Miss Si, the stove that Factory Manager Zhou ordered for you has arrived!"

Hearing that the stove had arrived, Si Nian's eyes lit up.

She hurriedly went outside to open the door.

Two men were unloading the stove from the truck.

The stove was square-shaped with a chimney on top.

This was exactly how Si Nian had requested Zhou Yue Shen to arrange it, so it could be used not only for cooking but also as a table.

The coal for the stove had already been brought in, but they hadn't had the chance to use it yet.

Finally, the stove had arrived.

The two men helped her carry it inside and thoughtfully installed it for her. Since the placement had been planned in advance, there was a spot left in the room for it. The chimney could be fitted through the window, ensuring that the smoke would be properly vented and not cause any irritation.

After the stove was installed, Si Nian brought a few embers from the kitchen stove, added some firewood, and the flames quickly leaped up, warming the entire room.

"Xiao Dong, Xiao Han, go and fetch some coal," Si Nian said to her two curious children who were watching.

This was the first time they had used coal, and they were excited by the novelty.

Mom had said that burning coal would make the house warm and cozy. They would be able to watch TV in the living room at night and enjoy meals by the stove.

Just thinking about it made them feel happy.

The two children quickly grabbed small shovels and dustpans and went outside. Next to Da Huang's doghouse, there was a large pile of coal.

One child was picking up the coal while the other knocked it loose. In no time, they collected a large scoopful of coal and carried it inside.

Si Nian placed the coal onto the burning firewood, covered it with the lid, and the smoke smoothly traveled up the chimney, clearing the air of any lingering smoke.

With the fire now blazing, Si Nian immediately dug out the spices she had previously bought—star anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and more than a dozen others.

Beef tallow hot pot requires a lot of spices.

The coal burned well, quickly glowing red. Once she covered the stove, the heat beneath it became intense, making it incredibly warm to sit nearby.

Si Nian heated some vegetable oil in the pot, then added beef tallow to release its rich aroma.

She then sautéed prepared cilantro, scallions, and ginger slices, then removed them, leaving just the oil.

Due to limited conditions, Si Nian only used minced garlic and ginger, adding bean paste to fry until fragrant.

Since she didn't have Sichuan chili paste, she used some pre-made chili from the city, frying it until aromatic. Afterward, she added some sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, and other seasonings, letting the oil turn a rich red color.

The pungent spiciness made the children sneeze repeatedly.

Even just watching made their mouths water.

Seeing the kids struggling with the spice, Si Nian sent them to wash the vegetables.

The vegetables grown in the yard had grown quite large, enough to last the entire winter.