Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs

Chapter 34

When they arrived home, it was already dark.

As soon as the mule cart entered the yard, Xiaonian and Xiaodou ran out, "Big Brother, Sister-in-Law!"

Lu Yao stretched and jumped off the cart. "How were the piglets today?"

"They're doing well. Auntie Daman gave us a big bowl of sheep's milk, and the piglets drank until their bellies were round."

"Don't feed them too much, or you'll spoil their stomachs."

Zhao Xiaonian nodded vigorously. "I understand." Last time, the chicks were fed too much and ended up with diarrhea.

Xiaodou tugged at Lu Yao's sleeve, shyly swaying. "Sister-in-Law, when are you going to cook meat for us~"

So the children were waiting for this. Lu Yao couldn't help but laugh and cry. "I'll go wash my hands and start cooking. You two help your brother bring the vegetables from the cart into the house."

"Okay!" The two children immediately got to work, carrying cabbages into the house.

Lu Yao first brought the fabric and cotton into the house. These items were valuable and must not be lost.

Thinking about how these things almost cost two strings of coins, Lu Yao couldn't help feeling pained. No wonder the ancients used cloth as currency; it was indeed very expensive!

She put the salt, rice wine, and spices in the kitchen cabinet, lit an oil lamp, and started a fire to cook.

She sliced a large piece of pork belly. This morning, one trotter wasn't enough for three people, so she decided to cut more this time to satisfy the children.

She chopped the pork belly into small pieces, blanched them in cold water to remove the blood scum. After the water boiled, she removed the meat, changed the water, and put the meat back in. She added rice wine, green onions, ginger, white cardamom, and cinnamon. The only regret was that there was no dark soy sauce to color the meat.

Suddenly, Lu Yao remembered there was some sugar left. She could make caramelized sugar. She quickly broke off a piece and placed it in a clay bowl, then took a few red-hot charcoal pieces from the bottom of the pot and placed the bowl on top to roast, ensuring the pot wouldn't burn through.

Soon, the sugar in the bowl began to melt, turning darker and bubbling. Seeing it was ready, Lu Yao quickly grabbed a cloth to lift the bowl and pour the caramel into the pot. The originally clear broth instantly turned into a familiar caramel color!

Lu Yao praised herself again for her ingenuity! As long as one doesn't give up, there are always solutions to problems!

The meat needed at least an hour to stew. While it cooked, she used another pot to make half a pot of vegetable porridge. They hadn't eaten anything all day, and their stomachs were growling.

*

Outside, the two children finished moving the last few cabbages and rushed into the kitchen.

Upon entering, Zhao Xiaonian exaggeratedly inhaled deeply. "It smells so good! Sister-in-Law, why does your stewed meat smell so delicious?"

Zhao Xiaodou drooled, standing by the stove, wanting to reach into the pot.

"Hey, don't touch it. The pot is hot; you might burn yourself. Xiaonian, take your brother to play in the room for a while. I'll call you when the meat is done."

Reluctantly, the two children left the kitchen.

Zhao Beichuan unhitched the mule and led Dahuahua into the stable. The stable he and Uncle Zhao had built a few days ago used leftover wood from building the house, with a thatched roof. He planned to add boards around it later to prevent the mule from freezing in the coming cold weather.