"But Grandpa, even though you really enjoy pig trotters, you should control yourself. They’re too greasy; it’s okay to have them once in a while," Xu Nianhua instructed, "When cooking on regular days, keep it light, eat more vegetables and fruits, and make sure they’re fresh."
"When did Nianhua start studying medicine?" Ji Xinghua teased with a smile, feeling an extra touch of warmth in his heart.
What Xu Nianhua had said was the same as what Xu Nian’an had said when he came the other day. The concern expressed in those words was something he could still feel.
"If my second brother studies medicine, then I, as his sister, have picked up a little bit," Xu Nianhua said playfully. Though she didn’t cook often, her cooking skills hadn’t gotten rusty at all.
After washing the pig trotters, she blanched them directly, made caramelized sugar, and then put them on the stove to stew.
Originally, Ji Ying wanted to bring a duck over to nourish Grandpa’s health, but the journey was long. She was worried that if she killed the duck and brought it over, it might spoil, and if she didn’t kill it, Xu Nianhua wouldn’t dare to do so. It seemed inappropriate to ask Grandpa, who was getting on in years, to handle such a task.
So Ji Ying simply gave Xu Nianhua some money to buy some vegetables to deliver to Grandpa.
Apart from Grandpa’s favorite pig trotters, she also bought some beef, which her eldest brother loved, and chicken legs, which Shuyuan loved to eat. She planned to make a spicy diced chicken and added a few vegetarian dishes as well: Mapo Tofu, smashed cucumbers, and a mixed vegetable and meat soup, creating a balanced combination of dishes.
When Ji Shuyuan got home, he even thought he was seeing things. Rubbing his eyes, he looked at his grandfather and asked, "Grandpa, where did all this come from?"
He knew about Grandfather’s cooking skills; these lavish dishes were definitely not made by him.
As for his own mother, Deng Juan, she was capable of cooking. Unfortunately, Shuming believed she would cook for Ji Shuming if he trusted her, but he didn’t believe she would cook for Grandfather.
"Guess?" Ji Xinghua’s face was filled with smiles. With Xu Nianhua there, it was as if a lark had arrived, constantly talking to him, chatting about everything under the sun — home affairs, factory matters, things from her school. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⁂𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⁂𝓷𝓮𝓽
For the entire morning, the smile on Ji Xinghua’s face never stopped.
"Did Nianhua come?" Ji Shuyuan asked tentatively.
Xu Nianhua’s voice came from the kitchen, "You’re back?"
"I knew it was you, Nianhua. When did you come back?" Ji Shuyuan stepped into the kitchen and saw her wearing the apron he usually wore, busy preparing the final bowl of mixed vegetable and meat soup.
"I came back the day before yesterday, and I specially came today to check on Grandpa. How about you? How are the hair flowers and hairpins selling?" Xu Nianhua tasted the soup and then took it off the stove.
Ji Shuyuan scooped up a big bowl of water and drank it down before quenching his thirst, "It’s doing well. Speaking of which, I have to thank you and Nian’an. Otherwise, how would I have found such a good opportunity?"
In the past six months, Ji Shuyuan had made enough from selling hair accessories not only to pay for his rent and school fees but also to save up almost a thousand yuan!
One wouldn’t realize it until they did the calculations, and what a surprise it would be!
What does a thousand yuan mean?
It’s more money than his mom and dad could earn in a year.
"That’s because you’re hardworking," Xu Nianhua complimented, carrying the soup into the house before saying, "By the way, have my eldest brother and the others not come back yet?"
No sooner had she finished speaking, Xu Nianji and Ma Zhijun arrived.
"Looks like our timing is perfect," Xu Nianji said as he walked into the yard, already enticed by the aroma.
"Grandpa, I’ve come to see you again."
Xu Nianji spoke loudly while placing the fresh watermelons, bananas, and grapes he had bought onto the empty table and said, "Grandpa, these fruits are really fresh."