"Eat something first, then we can finish up."
Zhao Tianlei originally intended to send his wife off to rest, but she, holding a kerosene lamp, came to the kitchen intending to make them something to eat.
"Is dough drop soup okay?"
"Sister-in-law, I’m fine with anything."
Er Dan wanted to say he didn’t need to eat, but suddenly his stomach made a gurgling noise.
She grabbed some pickled cabbage, chopped it up and fried it with some oil and water, then kneaded the dough, ready to make dough drop soup.
Since coming here, even though she wasn’t very good at cooking, she’d slowly learned a bit and could make some simple meals now.
The soup was sour and spicy, very appetizing, and the three of them thoroughly enjoyed it.
"Wife, leave the rest to us, go sleep."
Yun Xiaoxiao eyed the pig and a few rabbits.
What followed was a bloody scene she preferred not to watch.
All the meat was to be turned into cured meat and the rabbits were to be air-dried.
Er Dan intended to help, and seeing him still not home so late, Zhao Tianlei taught him how to clean a rabbit, gave him one, showed him how to air-dry it, and then sent him home.
The pig was processed by the two cousins, who even added some salt and other seasonings.
Zhao Tianlei had originally planned to give Zhao Tianhe half of the meat, but Zhao Tianhe only took the meat from one leg in the end, joking that he got the better end of the deal, since it was caught by Zhao Tianlei.
After sending them off, Zhao Tianlei also took a bath, using his wife’s soap to remove the blood smell, before going back to the room to cuddle with his wife and sleep.
"Wife, I’m going to the town later to buy some salt, we’re running low at home."
Yun Xiaoxiao subconsciously blurted out, "How can we be running low?"
She suddenly remembered the things they brought back last night.
Those things, decades later, had all become protected animals.
"Go ahead, go ahead!"
Zhao Tianlei first went to the old house with a basket.
He also brought some meat for his father and mother.
"Mother, in a few days I’ll be going out again, Xiaoxiao doesn’t know how to make cured meat, could you help her a bit?"
What could Mrs. Zhao say?
Now that they, the two elderly, had their sons move out, the house had become much quieter, but at the same time, they were less frugal with food.
The last time their son brought them malted milk, they, the two elders, would make a bowl to drink every day, not letting it expire.
Yun Xiaoxiao was worried they would skimp on themselves, saving the good stuff for their grandchildren, so she mentioned it only had a month left before expiry, otherwise, Mrs. Zhao would have surely waited until the New Year to drink it.
"Okay, I’ll come by to check on it."
You really do dote on your wife.
Mrs. Zhao was reminded of another thing, "Is your wife still studying for the college entrance exams next year?"
Hasn’t she given up yet?
"Yeah, she’s determined to make it next year, we’ll all follow her to the university city then."
Going to the university city along with Da Bao’s mother?
"If she’s admitted to a university in the capital, will you also take the children to the capital?"
Mrs. Zhao didn’t know what to say.
"Your wife has attempted the college entrance exams several times, and you’ve been to high school too. Why don’t you consider taking the exams?"
"Mother, you know I got into high school by accident, and besides, the teachers at school didn’t really teach much."
Mrs. Zhao glared at her son, who once seemed very bright but seemed to change after meeting Da Bao’s mother.