Ugly girl only wants to farm

Xu Chaoyan had never killed a chicken before and didn't know what to do. The three people who went out hadn't returned yet. Ya Ya, on the other hand, was very excited and kept clamoring to come and catch the chicken. Zhang Yueniang was so frightened that she had to coax and trick her into going back.

In the past, whenever I ate hot pot, I would fry a plate of crispy pork, dip it in some chili powder, and it was so fragrant and delicious that it was almost too tasty. Or, cooking it in hot pot would also be a good option.

Zhang Yueniang came running over, panting, rubbing her forehead. "Isn't this little girl causing trouble? She insisted on hugging the rooster. What if it pecks her? It was so hard to coax her back. I came over to help you out."

Xu Chaoyan cut the meat into long strips, dipped them in batter, and then fried them directly.

“Sister, there’s nothing to do right now. You can just sit there and watch the fire. You can also warm your hands so we can have hot pot when they come back. I wonder if they’ve bought any pea shoots yet. There’s a patch of land behind this yard. We can sow some vegetable seeds after spring so we can have some vegetables to eat.”

“You’re right. The cost of living in the county is indeed much higher than in the town. Xuyang needs to go to school, and I don’t know how he’ll manage in the future.” He finished speaking with a worried look on his face.

Xu Chaoyan put some meat in and coated it with batter before encouraging her, "Sister, I see there are quite a lot of people on the street. Let's try it tomorrow. We'll meet at the county school gate at noon and then go for a stroll on the street in the morning."

Zhang Yueniang still looked unsure and said dejectedly, "Sister, you know I'm shy and not as eloquent as you. I can't say a word when I see those uncles and elders. I've been staying at home and that's been a burden on Xuyang. I was too willful before, and I took Yaya and ran back home. My parents don't seem to care, but he's reached the age to get married and have children. I don't know when he'll be able to find a wife. I just hope the woman won't look down on me because I have a divorced sister-in-law."

Xu Chaoyan didn't know what to say for a moment. She touched the oil in the pan with her hand to check the temperature. When she felt that the oil was almost hot, she picked up her chopsticks and put a piece of meat in.

She quickly moved aside, using a sieve to shield her face from the splash, and also told Zhang Yueniang to move away.

It was an hour later when they finally sat around the fire and started eating hot pot. Shen Siheng had his restaurant waiter bring over some wine and seasonal delicacies.

Xu Chaoyan was worried about not having enough ingredients when the waiter brought them over. Zhang Yueniang stared at the sea bass, wondering, "What should I do with this fish?"

Sea bass is best eaten steamed, which is perfect for Ya Ya and her sister-in-law.

"We'll prepare it and steam it for Yaya and her aunt. This fish doesn't have many bones, so it's suitable for them."

Zhang Yueniang: "How could I accept that? This was specially brought by Young Master Shen, so let's serve it according to his taste! After all, he is a guest."

Shen Siheng, carrying two pig trotters in one hand and several large bones in the other, hurried forward, shouting, "Meng Jiuhe, wait for me! Why are you walking so fast? Ouch, these pig trotters are so heavy! Wait for me!"

Meng Jiuhe walked ahead carrying a bundle of small green vegetables. Shen Siheng had just insisted on paying, so he simply left.

He originally wanted to buy a pair of pork kidneys to take home, as his wife loves to eat offal, but this man ruined that plan.

With a "thud," Zhang Xuyang almost lost his balance.

Shen Siheng put the pig's trotter on his shoulder and said, "Give me a hand. My hands are all red and you don't even know how hard I work. Oh, and is there anything else we haven't bought? Let's hurry over and have a good meal today."

Shen Siheng kept babbling on and on, so Meng Jiuhe quickened his pace. They hadn't bought all the dogwood yet, but they still had some meat at home, so they could chop it up and make meatballs to boil. They would buy some of their wife's favorite foods during the New Year.

Zhang Xuyang shoved the things back. Meng Jiuhe had just been very resistant, so he didn't dare to put them away on his own. He scolded him with a stern face, "Put these things away right now. Brother Meng was already being nice to you, why are you doing this? Doesn't he have any pride?"

Shen Siheng looked at him with a pitiful expression: "I just wanted to have a nice meal with you guys. This braised pig's trotter is really delicious. My mom used to braise it for me all the time, and she'd add some chicken pieces. It tastes even better the next day, especially when I add one to braised pork noodles. Tsk tsk, my mouth is watering!"

Zhang Xuyang looked at him with disgust: "Wipe your drool. Anyway, I dare not do anything that might offend people, or Brother Meng will be unhappy later."

"Brother Meng, wait for me. Your wife said she wanted to buy pea shoots. Look, there's a big basket over there. I'll go buy some."

Meng Jiuhe stopped and turned around, his voice clearly carrying a hint of displeasure. He glanced at Shen Siheng without making it obvious, his brows furrowed.

Shen Siheng jogged forward, dropping a bone from his hand onto the ground. After a few steps, he ran back, looking anxiously at Zhang Xuyang beside him: "Can't you pick it up for me? You're just watching the show here."

Meng Jiu sighed helplessly, stepped forward to pick it up for him, and held it in his hand: "Don't spend money next time, this time it's fine."

"Okay, I'll buy everything I like, as you say. Oh, and I'll go get some of the pea shoots that your sister-in-law likes. Wait a minute."

The hotpot meal lasted until around 9 PM. Shen Siheng was flushed and very happy, so he naturally stayed overnight. Meng Jiuhe's face darkened again.

Xu Chaoyan had prepared the soup last night, and around 3 AM she was about to get up. She planned to cook some radishes in it, as white radishes would be more flavorful if cooked for a longer time.

Last night, she and Yue Niang skewered some vegetables with bamboo sticks. The day before yesterday, Granny Yuan from the neighboring courtyard brought over some lotus roots. It's just the old lady and her husband. They have a pond at home, and when the weather is a little warmer, they go down into the pond to dig some fish and sell them at the market. The two old people don't have any sons, only a daughter who married far away. They usually give some to the neighbors.

Meng Jiu stretched out his long arm and pulled the person over, his voice still slightly nasal: "Why are you up so early? It's pitch black outside. Be careful not to catch a cold. Can you sleep with me for a while longer?"

Meng Jiu pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, whispering in her ear, "My wife."

Xu Chaoyan struggled a few times, but Meng Jiuhe held her even tighter, his tone somewhat harsh: "Wife, if you keep moving around, you won't be able to get up today."

He had drunk two extra glasses of wine last night, and his head was spinning when he rested. Fortunately, his wife had prepared some hangover soup for him. He rubbed his still groggy head and, taking advantage of her distraction, left a kiss on the corner of her mouth.