After dying early, I traveled to ancient times and became a boy

After seeing Liu Xiaojing off, Ye Xunqing called Ye Xunbai and Mo Yuyan out for dinner. For dinner, they had Sanzi (fried dumplings) soaked in sugar and eggs. This was what his grandmother had made for him when he was little, though she'd used brown sugar back then. After his grandmother passed away, he stopped eating it much.

When he turned around, he saw Chen Jinhua leaning against the door and looking at him, her eyes full of resentment, like a female ghost who died unjustly.

Ye Xunqing asked, "Why are you glaring at me, Second Mother?"

Chen Jinhua complained, "You fed that damn girl and gave her money. You're just being so ungrateful."

Ye Xunqing said as he walked, "Is this the first day you've met me, Second Mother? It doesn't seem to be any of your business where I lean towards you, right? Besides, even if I lean towards you, I'm still at home. Your two good sons lean towards you, but where are they now?"

Chen Jinhua's face became even uglier when she mentioned her two sons. She had raised those two bastards for more than ten years in vain, and now that something happened at home, they ran away faster than anyone else.

"We are family!" Chen Jinhua began to play the emotional card. "If you don't think about your two brothers, you should at least think about your father. He's lying in bed unable to move now. Can't you show your filial piety?"

"That's interesting. Was it me who let him lie there?" Ye Xunqing approached and said, "Second Mother, do you want me to remind you who cut Father's leg? People outside say that Father was robbed, but only we know what happened."

Chen Jinhua was angry but dared not say anything, for she was afraid that Ye Xunqing would expose this matter.

After Ye Xunqing finished speaking, he said to his room, "Xiao Yan, Xiao Bai, clean the table. It will be time for dinner soon. There will be eggs tonight."

Chen Jinhua jumped up and down, "I raised the chickens!"

"Yeah." Ye Xunqing crossed his arms and said, "But I've been feeding them."

"I don't care, you can't eat the eggs." Chen Jinhua said as she was about to go to the kitchen. She had listened to Ye Xunqing making trouble in the kitchen all day, and she had no idea what he had cooked.

Mo Yuyan packed up his food and came out. He gestured to Ye Xunqing, "I won't eat anymore. Give it to Aunt Jinhua."

Ye Xunqing smiled helplessly, "Silly child, I've told you before, we're still growing, we can't let anyone else suffer but ourselves. Don't worry, there are still plenty of eggs. Fried dough sticks need eggs, so I bought some this morning and haven't used them all yet."

Mo Yuyan felt relieved.

When Ye Xunqing entered the kitchen, Chen Jinhua was secretly eating fried dough sticks, her mouth full of them.

Ye Xunqing stretched out his hand and said, "Excuse me, one penny per mouthful, please give me the money."

Chen Jinhua nearly choked. She quickly scooped up a mouthful of cold water to swallow the steamed bun. "What money? I want money for eating your food?"

"Of course." Ye Xunqing said, "It's a hot day. Liu Xiaojing spent half a day kneading dough and adding firewood, and only got five cents. You didn't do anything, and you want to eat my food. How can it be so cheap? Hurry up and pay me. My patience is limited. If you don't pay, I will hit you."

Chen Jinhua knew how powerful Ye Xunqing was. None of them could get any advantage from him. Now she was the only one left, so if she confronted Ye Xunqing, she would definitely suffer a loss.

"I... I can work too!" Chen Jinhua took a long time to utter a word.

Ye Xunqing frowned and said, "What can you do? Eat?"

Chen Jinhua looked around and said, "I'll help you clean the kitchen!"

Ye Xunqing smiled slightly, "Deal."

This was his idea. The kitchen was covered with batter and oil, which was very troublesome to clean. If he cleaned it alone, he didn't know how long it would take.

Mo Yuyan walked over and gestured, "I'll do it."

Ye Xunqing didn't let him start. "Your hands are precious. Copy the books first. Finish copying the books I want first."

Mo Yuyan nodded, "Yeah."

Chen Jinhua knew that Ye Xunqing did it on purpose, but she couldn't say it. They hadn't had dinner yet, and she didn't want to argue with Ye Xunqing.

"Come on, let's get ready for dinner." Ye Xunqing scooped a small spoonful of boiling water from the pot and poured it into the bowl with sugar. Then he said, "Xiaobai, bring four eggs over."

Ye Xunbai picked out four large eggs and said, "Brother, these are for you."

Ye Xunqing scooped out the water from the pot and rinsed it before pouring it back in. Well water has too many impurities, so this is the best way to drink it. He'd have to find less hard water to drink next time, to avoid kidney stones from drinking too much hard water.

Chen Jinhua had been secretly observing Ye Xunqing's cooking. Isn't it just boiling eggs? This is too simple, right?

But the focus of sugar and egg Sanzi is not the eggs and sugar, but the Sanzi. Not everyone can fry Sanzi, at least no one here can.

Place some broken Sanzi in a bowl, then scoop an egg over it. Soaking in hot water will soften the Sanzi quickly. If you like crispy Sanzi, you can eat it right away. If you like softer Sanzi, you can wait a little longer.

"It's sweet." Ye Xunbai took a sip of the sugar water. "Brother, this fried one is soft and a little crispy."

"If it tastes good, eat more." Ye Xunqing said, "But don't eat too many eggs. One a day is enough. Eating too much can easily cause kidney stones."

Ye Xunbai didn't understand anything, but he knew to listen to his brother, "Xiaobai understands."

Chen Jinhua also got a bowl. To be honest, she had eaten candied eggs before when she gave birth, but this candied egg in a Sanzi (fried dough) was the first time she'd ever eaten it. It was delicious, much better than just eggs on their own.

"Qing'er, how do you make this Sanzi?" Chen Jinhua ate from her bowl while looking at the pot. If she could learn how to make Sanzi, she could eat it every day.

Ye Xunqing glanced at her and said with a smile, "Want to learn?"

Chen Jinhua nodded, "I do."

"I won't teach you." Ye Xunqing changed his attitude, "Eat quickly, we're waiting for you to wash the dishes."

Chen Jinhua was so angry she couldn't vent it. "I know, I know!"

After dinner, Ye Xunqing gave Ye Xunbai and Mo Yuyan a lantern to light up, and also gave them a bag of fried dough sticks wrapped in oil paper.

"Go give this to my aunt and grandma." Ye Xunqing said to Ye Xunbai, "If anyone harasses you, Xiaobai, just shout."

Mo Yuyan nodded, "Yeah."

After they left, Ye Xunqing went to the kitchen to watch Chen Jinhua dry flowers. In order to make it easier for Chen Jinhua to wash the dishes, Ye Xunqing even lit an oil lamp and a candle.

While washing dishes, Chen Jinhua muttered, "Don't stare at me like a thief. I won't steal anything."

Ye Xunqing said: "I don't mean to stare at you, I just want to remind you of something."

Chen Jinhua was a little angry. "Are the dishes not put away properly, or is the basin not clean? All you do every day is pick a fight."

Ye Xunqing said calmly, "You are full, but some people haven't eaten yet."

Chen Jinhua was stunned for a moment, then her eyes widened, "Oh no! That damn thing hasn't eaten yet!"