Chapter 45 : Dried Chicken Stewed with Tofu
With his wife before him, even Qi Shaoqiang, as disciplined as he was, couldn’t control himself this time.
He gently touched Jiang Li’s long, damp black hair and softly called, “Lizi, wake up. Your hair is still wet. If you fall asleep like this, you might get a headache.”
Jiang Li didn’t respond and instead let out a soft snore.
With no other choice, Qi Shaoqiang took a dry towel and carefully dried her hair. Afterward, he stepped out to the yard for a cold shower to cool himself down.
Later, Jiang Li woke up feeling the heat. The embrace from behind was warm and firm, like a wall, and she could hear soft, steady breathing near her ear.
The morning light had only just begun to peek through, and the crowing of roosters echoed across the quiet village.
“You’re awake?” Qi Shaoqiang noticed her stirring immediately. He hadn’t been able to sleep all night. With his delicate wife so close, his self-control was pushed to its limits.
He shifted, turning Jiang Li to face him.
“Wife, since you’re awake, shall we continue our wedding night?”
Jiang Li’s face flushed, but before she could respond, he leaned in and kissed her. His overwhelming presence surrounded her entirely.
Through trial and error, Qi Shaoqiang figured things out on his own, his hands moving gently to her waist.
The morning air was cool, sending shivers across her skin as it contrasted with the warmth emanating from her chest. Jiang Li was caught between the two sensations, unable to move and only able to endure.
She could feel something firm pressing against her, and her scalp tingled with nervousness. In her past life, she’d been confident in theory but found herself utterly inexperienced when it came to reality.
She placed her hands on Qi Shaoqiang’s chest in a bid to push him away, her muffled voice pleading, “Don’t.”
However, Qi Shaoqiang wasn’t willing to let go so easily. He guided her hands down to his toned abdomen, whispering, “Wife, be good and help me.”
Jiang Li couldn’t resist the allure of his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and well-defined muscles. She followed his lead almost unconsciously.
The wooden bed creaked beneath them, and outside, the sound of Chen Xianyun sweeping the yard became faintly audible. Flustered, Jiang Li tensed, and moments later, a warmth spread across her body. She noticed a crimson stain forming on the bamboo mat.
Qi Shaoqiang froze when he saw the red mark. Realizing what had happened, he exhaled heavily, forcing himself to calm down. Frustration showed in his playful complaint as he bit her shoulder lightly. “Wife, are you playing with me?”
Despite his words, he quickly got up, cleaned the bed, fetched water for Jiang Li to wash, and handed her clean clothes.
Embarrassed, Jiang Li offered, “I can do it myself.���
Qi Shaoqiang chuckled. “There’s no need for you to worry about such a small thing. Just think about how to make it up to me later.” He lightly pinched her cheek and took a deep breath to regain his composure. “If this keeps happening, I might end up a eunuch.”
“Does your stomach hurt? I’ll make you a bowl of brown sugar boiled eggs.”
Jiang Li nodded. A dull ache lingered in her lower abdomen. Her body had once been healthy, thanks to her loving parents who ensured she was well-fed and cared for. But after their passing, the harsh treatment she endured had left lasting effects, including menstrual pain.
Noticing her pale face, Qi Shaoqiang gently touched her cheek. “Lie down and rest. Don’t move.”
He carried the soiled sheets and clothes outside, crossing paths with Chen Xianyun, who was preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
Chen Xianyun’s sharp eyes immediately caught sight of the red stain on the sheets. Embarrassed, she scolded, “Be mindful, boy! Don’t overdo it and bully your wife.”
Qi Shaoqiang sighed, knowing it was a misunderstanding. “Mom, where’s the brown sugar? I need to make some for Lizi.”
Chen Xianyun handed him the brown sugar. “In the cupboard. Lizi looks so thin. Make sure she eats enough. Let her rest for now, it’s still early.”
Jiang Li hadn’t planned to stay in bed, but after drinking the warm brown sugar water, she dozed off again.
When she woke later, the sheets were already hanging in the yard, dried by the breeze. Chen Xianyun sat under the eaves, sorting soybeans to make tofu.
“Mom, let’s cook this dried chicken,” Jiang Li said, pulling out the gift Qin Xiaoting had given her. Its rich aroma suggested it was high-quality.
Chen Xianyun smiled, nodding in agreement. “Sounds good, let’s make it for dinner.”
“Alright, should we stew potatoes or tofu?”
“Let’s stew tofu.”
The Qi family had their own stone mill for tofu-making. Qi Shaoqiang washed the mill thoroughly, set it up, and began pushing it in circles.
The weather was scorching, so he took off his shirt. Sweat glistened on his well-defined muscles, and his damp black hair clung to his forehead.
Chen Xianyun held a small basin of soaked soybeans, adding spoonfuls into the millstone’s center hole as Qi Shaoqiang ground them.
Jiang Li couldn’t help but stare, mesmerized. With his looks and hard-working nature, she felt marrying him was the best decision she’d ever made. Just watching him, she thought, could make her appetite grow.
“My mom is great at making tofu,” Qi Shaoqiang said with a grin. “You can taste it later and see for yourself.”
Chen Xianyun carefully poured brine into a large pot of fresh soy milk. As the mixture simmered, the soy milk gradually solidified into tofu.
“Lizi, have some soy milk,” said Old Mrs. Qi, handing Jiang Li a bowl she’d set aside earlier. She had sweetened it, as she preferred it that way.
Jiang Li took a sip of the hot, fragrant soy milk. The beans from their own land gave it a rich, comforting flavor that warmed her heart.
For lunch, they had dried chicken stewed with freshly fried tofu. The tofu was sliced into small pieces, fried until golden brown on both sides, then simmered with chopped chicken in a clay pot.
Only a pinch of fine salt was added for seasoning, allowing the tofu to absorb the chicken broth fully. Finally, some freshly chopped green onions were sprinkled on top, creating a dish so fragrant that its aroma filled the neighborhood.
“Grandma, I want to eat meat, I want meat!” Zhuang Xiaobao, a child from next door, caught the scent of chicken and threw a tantrum, rolling on the ground.
He started it, and soon all the children in his family joined in, crying for meat.
“That wretched Chen Xianyun,” Zhao Xiangyu cursed loudly by the courtyard wall. “Had a banquet yesterday and now cooking meat today? Eat, eat, eat, why doesn’t she eat herself to death?”
Her tirade went unheard by the Qi family, as the tall courtyard wall muffled her shouting, making her effort entirely futile.
Cheng Yanyan, ever cunning, turned to her mother. “Mom, why don’t we cook some meat too? Don’t we have that piece of fatty pork at home?”
She had seen it the other day, her brother-in-law brought home two pounds of pork belly, which Zhao Xiangyu promptly hid.
“Eat, eat, eat! All you think about is eating!” Zhao Xiangyu snapped. “You’re like reincarnated hungry ghosts. How do you expect us to afford so much food? And why don’t you have this much energy when it comes to working in the fields?”
She was especially annoyed at her second daughter-in-law, who, ever since becoming pregnant, seemed to have a bottomless appetite. “What bad luck it was to have married her!” she muttered.
“Mom, it’s fine if we adults don’t eat, but the children are still growing,” Wu Meili, the second daughter-in-law, pleaded, using the children as an excuse.
“Absolutely not!” Zhao Xiangyu declared. “You ate meat yesterday, and now you want it again today? Ridiculous! That pork belongs to my eldest son. It’s for him and his children, not for you lot to waste.”
Wu Meili, cowed by her mother-in-law’s sharp tongue, quietly muttered, “The sun is already so high in the sky. Why hasn’t Fourth Sister-in-law gotten up yet? It’s her turn to cook today.”