New Year’s Eve, the snow continued to fall all day, piling thicker on the roads.
On the 28th, the Xu Family was bustling with activity. Today, Xu Qinghe and Xu Yuchun were slaughtering a pig together. The two families shared a pig, something that was unimaginable in previous years. To buy ten pounds of meat a year was already considered a luxury.
But now, they don’t feel that way. The Qingsong Furniture Factory allowed them to earn money, giving them confidence. The pig was fattened with leftover food from the factory and occasional pigweed brought by Ji Ying and Xiong Xihua, making the pig both plump and robust.
In past years, during New Year’s, several families would often slaughter one pig together and divide the meat among them. The day of slaughtering was the happiest day for both adults and children, symbolizing having meat to eat.
Even the poorest families could satisfyingly have meat on this day.
Xu Nianhua loved eating the slaughtering day’s meals. Fresh pig meat was stir-fried with ginger and soy sauce directly after slaughter, resulting in tender, fragrant, and sweet flavors that pig raised on modern feed could never achieve.
At noon, Xu Qinghe distributed half a pig, and the three of them carried it in large tubs. Ji Ying directly sliced off three pounds of meat for stir-fry, braised half a pig’s head, bought some tofu for two yuan, and cooked a soup with pork blood and tofu sprinkled with scallions. It smelled amazing.
A big bowl full of stir-fried meat, pork blood tofu soup, and chili-fried pig’s head meat, although only three dishes were on the table, each dish was generously portioned.
"It’s so sweet!"
Xu Nianhua soaked rice in the soup, noting how even the soup had a fresh sweetness.
"I can eat an extra bowl of rice."
Xu Nian’an ate heartily, recalling how at school, when the meal quality occasionally dropped, everyone would eat out together. Although it was still chili-fried meat, it tasted completely different from today’s home-cooked meal.
In the afternoon, Xu Nian’an brought two pounds of pork belly, a pig intestine, and Xu Family-made sausages and cured meat to Du Chang’s house in the county.
Du Chang couldn’t help but ask, "Nian’an, why did you bring so much meat?"
"Master, my mom said these two pounds of pork belly are for you to make braised pork. The sausages and cured meat were homemade by my mom and are delicious. Fried cured meat with bamboo shoots is especially fragrant. The pig intestine has already been cleaned by my dad, so you can just stir-fry it." Xu Nian’an cheerfully organized and categorized the items he brought, including fresh meat, pig intestine, sausages, and cured meat, all of which Du Chang enjoyed.
"Your parents are really generous, sending so much food every year." Looking at these heartfelt gifts, Du Chang felt truly happy and grateful.
He accepted Xu Nian’an, partly because of his talent and hard-working nature and also because he liked his little girl.
Now, it’s more than just that; interacting with the Xu Family feels like being with true family.
"Master, I’m your apprentice; bringing you food is only right." Xu Nian’an said and added, "Tomorrow, our family is sure to fry crispy meat and lion’s head meatballs. I’ll come again then, Master. I’m heading home and will check the mountains for bamboo shoots this afternoon."
"No rush, have dinner at home before going." Watching Xu Nian’an eager to leave, Du Chang invited him to stay, saying, "Yicheng called; his train might have arrived yesterday, so if we wait a little longer, Yicheng might come home."