In the evening, Comrade Zhang Yun also stayed over, and Gong Mingxia was arranged to stay with a widow, who lived alone since her children were attending university in other places. Zhang Yun stayed in a tent to watch over the stuff. Gong Mingxia had planned to watch them herself and even brought a cot for that purpose, but Zhang Yun insisted that, as a man, he should be the one to stay. With no other choice, Gong Mingxia agreed to let him.
After a busy day, to recharge their energy, Gong Mingxia helped Sister Ma cook dinner, and then they went to sleep early.
The next morning, just like always, she woke up at five o’clock and went straight to the tent below the embankment to prepare food.
Yesterday, she had already discussed with the village officials. They agreed to continue with their usual routine and didn’t need to concern themselves with her side of things.
Because the civilian side had been arranged by the army in advance, with someone specifically going out to buy groceries each day, what Gong Mingxia was doing was somewhat superfluous, but it was well-meant, and there was no harm in the warriors having a bit more to eat.
To avoid duplication, she asked in advance, and found out that the civilians were making steamed buns and porridge that day.
So, Gong Mingxia made tea eggs, deep-fried dough sticks, sugar cakes, and vegetable dumplings. Later, when the civilians delivered food, she and Comrade Zhang Yun also brought out what they had made. However, neither of them spoke; they just handed eggs to the warriors—two per person—and let them freely take the dough sticks, sugar cakes, and let them eat as they wished.
After coming down from the embankment, she asked the aunties what they were making for noon.
"We need to eat something that fills us up. We had rice yesterday, so today we’ll have braised noodles, steam a few big pots of noodles."
Gong Mingxia nodded, "Okay, then I’ll make a pot of braised pork, plus steam some rice. We can mix and match, letting them choose whatever they like."
"Alright, alright, alright. But we don’t need to make soup. We’ve been making mung bean soup every day—it’s good for cooling down. Even though they might get tired of it, it’s better for preventing heatstroke."
"I bought watermelons. I’ll cut them up for them after the meal. Now I’ll go home to cut the meat. Brother Zhang, let’s go carry the meat."
They hauled an entire half pig, already slaughtered, into the tent, where the two of them began to slice and cut the meat. After cutting the meat, they started cutting potatoes. Without some vegetables, the braised pork would be too oily, so potatoes were the perfect addition.
Considering that the braised noodles would be quite oily and the braised pork was also fatty, Gong Mingxia also stir-fried half a pot of vinegar fried cabbage.
By noon, the two of them followed the main group again to carry the food up. This time, Gong Mingxia stayed to help serve the food. Each person got a big spoonful of braised pork, a big scoop of cabbage, piled high on top of their plates, making the warriors beam with joy.
"Eat plenty! We’ve got watermelons later. Don’t be shy, everyone; fill your bellies."
"Big sister, I haven’t seen you before. Are you new here?"
"Yes, I just arrived yesterday. The tea eggs, dough sticks, sugar cakes, and vegetable dumplings you had this morning were made by me, as well as the braised pork and vinegar fried cabbage for lunch. Just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it for you. Don’t be polite with me!"
"Can you make sauerkraut fish as well?" ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel※fire.net
"How about fish-flavored shredded pork?"
"Do you have Northeastern ’three vegetables’?"
"Actually, I just want to eat dumplings made by my mom."
When these eighteen to nineteen-year-old kids stood in front of her with their sunburned faces, smiling so honestly and naively, Gong Mingxia felt an overwhelming urge to cry.
Smiling with tears in her eyes, she nodded nonstop, "Granted, granted! Whatever you want to eat, just tell me. I’ll write it down, and we’ll make it happen meal by meal, okay?"