Siheyuan: Starting from 1958

Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, and everyone in the courtyard has a genuine smile on their face.

The courtyard was filled with children chasing each other, and every now and then a few firecrackers would go off.

Starting at noon, the courtyard was filled with various aromas.

It is clear that the residents of the courtyard house have already begun preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner.

After simmering overnight, Wang Dong's much-anticipated "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" is finally nearing completion. It is being kept warm over charcoal fire, ready to be opened and enjoyed at the New Year's Eve dinner table.

At this very moment, Wang Dong, along with his wife and sister-in-law, was preparing the other dishes for the New Year's Eve dinner.

Large chunks of beef are blanched to remove impurities and blood, pig's trotters are singed and cleaned, and pre-cleaned pig intestines, chicken feet, pig liver, pig tongue, etc. are all placed aside. Once the beef and pig's trotters are cooked, they will be braised.

"Brother-in-law... I've cleaned all the pig's feet... Why isn't the beef ready yet... I love braised pig's feet and braised large intestines the most..." Chen Li placed the freshly cleaned pig's feet on the cutting board and looked at Wang Dong with anticipation.

"It'll be soon..." Wang Dong replied with a smile.

Then, take out an iron spoon to skim off the foam in the pot, then take out the beef, wash it and set it aside.

After cleaning the iron pot, first stir-fry the sugar over low heat to caramelize it, then add water, the prepared spice packet, soy sauce, salt, and Sichuan peppercorns for seasoning.

In less than twenty minutes, a pot of fragrant braising liquid was ready.

The pig's feet and beef were braised for the longest time, and Wang Dong put them into the braising liquid one after the other, followed by chicken feet, pig intestines, pig tongue, pig liver...

After asking his sister-in-law to watch the stove fire, Wang Dong returned to the cutting board.

To ensure a good New Year, Wang Dong specially asked the restaurant to reserve a large carp, a duck, and several pounds of high-quality pork belly for him.

The duck was made into the very popular beer duck of later generations, the carp was made into sweet and sour flavor, and the pork belly was cut in half and made into steamed pork with rice flour and stir-fried twice-cooked pork respectively.

…………

The Jia family of Zhongyuan.

Although Jia Zhangshi's attempt to show off in the front yard a couple of days ago backfired and she was instead ridiculed, the thought of a delicious lunch today instantly dispelled her bad mood.

I've been standing guard at the kitchen door since noon, watching Qin Huairu and Kuihua prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.

He would personally taste every dish he served, ostensibly to help Qin Huairu ensure quality.

"Huairu...is the old hen not cooked yet? The chicken smells so good, it should be ready by now, right?" Looking at the steaming chicken on the coal stove, Jia Zhangshi asked with a drooling mouth.

"Mom...it's still early," Qin Huairu replied, shaking her head.

"This old hen we ate today must have been raised for at least two years; it wouldn't be cooked properly in less than an hour..."

A look of disappointment flashed across Jia Zhangshi's face, and she then looked at Kuihua, who was chopping vegetables by the cutting board.

"Braised pork cooks quickly, let me try it first..."

"Kuihua, when are you going to start cooking braised pork..."

Kuihua had disliked her grandmother, who often called her a money-loser, since she was little. But now she couldn't leave the Jia family, so no matter how dissatisfied she was with Jia Zhangshi, she had to suppress her resentment and put on a happy expression as she replied, "Grandma..."

"I'll make braised pork right now..."

"But it takes about half an hour to stew the braised pork until it's completely tender."

"It's been so long... isn't there anything faster? I'm starving!" Madam Jia was clearly very dissatisfied with the answer, frowning and looking quite annoyed.

Qin Huairu suddenly interrupted, "Mom..."

"Didn't we just finish lunch? How come we're hungry again so soon..."

Jia Zhangshi replied with an embarrassed expression, "I'm saving room for dinner; I didn't eat much at noon."

Qin Huairu rolled her eyes, then took out a steamed bun made from two kinds of dough from the cabinet next to her: "I knew there was a leftover steamed bun from lunch today." "Mom..."

"If you're really starving, eat this mixed flour bun first to fill your stomach."

Jia Zhangshi immediately shook her head vigorously, refusing without hesitation: "I don't eat steamed buns..."

"If I'm full, I won't be able to eat braised pork or stewed chicken at night..."

"Qin Huairu, you just can't stand seeing your old mother eat a good meal."

"Do you know how long it's been since I've had stewed chicken or braised pork?"

"Thanks to my precious grandson, I finally got to eat braised pork and stewed chicken tonight, but you actually made me eat steamed buns made from mixed flour. What are you up to..."

"Take your mixed-flour steamed buns away. Tonight I'm not eating anything except braised pork and stewed chicken."

Perhaps because he knew Jia Zhangshi's personality so well, Qin Huairu neither got angry nor refuted her when faced with her rejection and ridicule.

After putting the steamed bun back, he went to Kuihua's side to continue preparing the New Year's Eve dinner.

Bang Geng sat in the house chatting with Yi Zhonghai, waiting for the New Year's Eve dinner. It was mostly Yi Zhonghai asking questions and Bang Geng answering.

Perhaps because Yi Zhonghai lent him 500 yuan and even helped him borrow 1,500 yuan from Old Wang's family in the front yard, Banggeng's attitude towards Yi Zhonghai was noticeably better than when he first came home, and he answered almost any question.

Although Yi Zhonghai had secretly invested 1,000 yuan in Xu Damao, out of caution, he still wanted to learn more about their "foreign trade business" from Banggeng.

I want to understand the specific process of this business to ensure that the thousand dollars I invested won't go down the drain.

In the exchange of questions and answers, the last trace of worry on Yi Zhonghai's face disappeared.

Bang Geng was very confused as to why Yi Zhonghai, who had previously scoffed at "foreign trade business," had suddenly become interested.

But I didn't think much of it.

I subconsciously thought he was worried that the 500 yuan he lent me would go to waste, which is why he wanted to ask more questions.

I never imagined that Yi Zhonghai would invest a thousand yuan in Xu Damao behind my back.

…………

The He family's backyard.

He Yuzhu was busy in the kitchen with his wife Liang Lati and his apprentice Er Mao.

Da Mao is married and has a child.

With He Yuzhu and Liang Lati having two more children, the family has a total of ten people. Preparing a New Year's Eve dinner for so many people is no easy task.

Fortunately, He Yuzhu was the sous chef of Dongjun Hotel and was allocated a large amount of New Year's goods. Even without visiting the supply and marketing cooperative, he was able to make a very sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner.

"Honey... wash the mutton, I'll make braised mutton tonight..."

"Er Mao, you make braised pork and braised fish. I'll take this opportunity to check your cooking skills and see if you've improved."

"Beef and pork intestines are directly made into braised dishes..."

"Make another chicken stew with mushrooms, a braised pork rib, a scrambled egg, a green vegetable, and a shredded potato. That should be enough."

Er Mao is now very confident in his cooking skills and answered with certainty, "Uncle He, don't worry..."

"I'm sure my cooking skills will satisfy you now..."

"Our head chef said that after the New Year, I'll take the head chef assessment... If I pass, I can become the head chef." (End of Chapter)