Divorced woman with child travels through time

Aunt Liu actually brought another five jin of cornmeal.

Chen Wenfang said, both amused and exasperated, "Aunt Liu, are you afraid I'll starve to death? You always bring food when you come over."

Aunt Liu scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about? You don't grow your own food, yet you keep inviting us to meals. If we don't bring any food, what will you eat in the future?"

Uncle Liu Hai was astonished by the amount of meat in the kitchen, clicking his tongue in amazement and asking, "Why did Sister Chen buy so much meat?"

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "We're craving meat, but the market is too far away. We'll buy more to make jerky and eat it slowly later."

Aunt Liu said, "You should be more careful with your money."

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "It's alright, I know what I'm doing. Aunt Liu, come and help me cook."

Aunt Liu responded and went to the kitchen with Chen Wenfang. Boss Li had already finished cutting the meat, so he gave up the kitchen and went to the main room to chat with Uncle Liu Hai.

Aunt Liu asked, "Hua'er, what should I do first?"

Chen Wenfang said, "Help me wash and marinate the meat first, then I'll go deal with the offal."

Aunt Liu said, "Okay."

Chen Wenfang carried a basin into the water to get salt and flour and went to the riverbank. Passing by the house, she called out to Dazhuang, "Come with me for a moment."

Dazhuang followed them out and asked, "Sister-in-law Chen, do you need me to help carry this?"

Chen Wenfang took out some money from her pocket and said to him, "Go to Wangjiazhuang and get me a jin of wine. Your father's wine gourd is still in my kitchen. Also, buy some new chopsticks and bowls."

Dazhuang went to the kitchen as instructed. Aunt Liu, seeing him carrying the wine gourd, guessed what was going on and asked, "Did your sister-in-law Chen ask you to get some wine?"

Dazhuang agreed. Aunt Liu sighed helplessly, "Fang'er treats Uncle Liu Hai like her own father."

Chen Wenfang used salt and flour to wash and scrub the offal thoroughly by the river. After rinsing off the blood, she stewed it in a pot.

There were still a few small fish left from the last time I dried them, so I fried five of them to make a dish.

I took a piece of meat, cut off three pounds, and made a braised pork belly and stir-fried green beans with the meat.

I had some sauce at home, so I chopped some meat and made braised eggplant. I used plenty of oil, and the eggplant looked especially delicious.

I'll make another loofah and egg drop soup. The chickens at home have started laying eggs too, so I used four eggs for one soup. Finding the bowl too big, I used a small mixing bowl to hold the soup. Anyway, there are many people, so we won't have to worry about it not being finished.

The vegetables were cooked and the offal was stewed. They were taken out, washed, shredded, and stir-fried with ginger and garlic. Chen Wenfang sighed again, noting the lack of chili peppers. In another pot, rice was cooked, along with cornbread prepared by Aunt Liu. Chen Wenfang made the cornbread without salt, keeping it plain and delicious with rice.

Chen Wenfang did the math: three main meat dishes—braised pork belly, pan-fried crucian carp, stir-fried offal (actually large and small intestines), stir-fried pork with green beans, and braised eggplant. There was also stir-fried greens. That was enough; the portions were generous.

Looking at the table full of delicious-looking dishes, Aunt Liu finally understood why restaurant banquets were so expensive.

Look at Chen Wenfang's meal, it must have cost quite a bit of money. The braised pork is in large chunks, two large bowls filled to the brim with meat that's stewed until it's tender and flavorful.

The fried crucian carp was also served in two bowls. The stir-fried offal was even more, and two large bowls couldn't hold it all. Basically, Chen Wenfang's family didn't have any extra bowls left. Since there was nothing to put the later dishes in, Chen Wenfang put the offal in a wooden basin and served it on the table.

Mr. Li and his two employees were genuinely surprised by how honest Mrs. Chen was. Mr. Li felt his hard-earned money was a bit too much, so he delivered some meat and ended up enjoying such a fine meal. When Da Zhuang brought out the wine, Mr. Li couldn't hold back any longer and stood up to say to Chen Wenfang, "Mrs. Chen, you're too kind. We feel unworthy of such hospitality."

Chen Wenfang smiled and said, "Mr. Li, you're too kind. I live so far away, and it's already very kind of you to bring it over for me. It's only right that I treat you to a meal. Don't be shy, please eat."

Mr. Li was also starving, so he cupped his hands and said, "Mrs. Chen is really kind. If you need any help next time, just ask me. I, Li Laosan, will definitely lend a hand."

Chen Wenfang smiled and said, "Thank you in advance, Brother Li. Be careful with your drinks later, we have a long way to go."

Mr. Li nodded repeatedly, eagerly picking up a piece of braised pork and putting it in his mouth. "Oh my, the taste!" he exclaimed, too busy eating to speak. After finishing the pork, he couldn't help but give Chen Wenfang a thumbs up and say, "How did you cook this pork, Mrs. Chen? It tastes absolutely amazing!"

Chen Wenfang smiled and said, "Mr. Li, you flatter me. It's just country cooking. It's delicious, so please have more."

Mr. Li picked up another piece of meat and said, "If my wife had this skill, I'd have her cook meat for me every day. Mrs. Chen, are you really not considering opening a restaurant?"

Uncle Liu Hai chimed in, "I've said it before, Chen's daughter has great skills, so I suggested she open a restaurant, but she says she's too lazy to do it."

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "Uncle Liu Hai is right. I'm just lazy. If it weren't for making a living, I wouldn't want to sell herbs."

Aunt Liu laughed from the side, "You, you're so good at talking nonsense. You're such a hardworking woman, but you have to tell others that you're lazy."

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "Actually, I'm really lazy. Don't blame me if you don't believe me. Haha."

Aunt Liu laughed and said, "Never mind, let's eat."

Chen Wenfang smiled and urged everyone to eat. The children ate their fill. Except for Boss Li and Uncle Liu Hai, who were a little more reserved, the two waiters were also stuffed.

After the meal, everyone couldn't help but exclaim how excellent Chen Niangzi's cooking was.

Mr. Li couldn't help but persuade her again, "Madam Chen, why don't you open a restaurant? Don't waste this skill. If you open one, I'll eat there every day, and I guarantee you won't lack customers. I'll be so sad if I can't eat there anymore."

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "I'm not going, it's too tiring. I just love to shirk my responsibilities. Didn't you find a restaurant you liked in town, Mr. Li?"

Mr. Li said with difficulty, "Yes, there is, but it doesn't taste as unique as Mrs. Chen's cooking. Alas, what a pity."

Mr. Li tried to persuade her repeatedly, almost saying he would pay for her work, but Chen Wenfang still refused. Mr. Li had no choice but to say, "I sell meat, and I never knew anyone could cook meat so well! Alas, I'm afraid I won't be able to swallow my wife's cooking in the future."

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "Mr. Li is joking. You've been eating this for decades, and you've survived."

Everyone laughed. Seeing this, Boss Li stopped sighing, got up to say goodbye, and Chen Wenfang saw them out.

At midday, when the sun was high in the sky, Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu helped Chen Wenfang string together the marinated pork. The pork, which had been marinating for three hours with soy sauce and salt, looked very beautiful. The stringed meat was then hung out to dry on a rack in the yard.

Mr. Li was very thoughtful. Worried that Chen Wenfang wouldn't be able to carry it, he cut it into small strips weighing about half a pound each, making it easy to hang. Moreover, the strips were of uniform thickness and had a good mix of lean and fat.

Chen Wenfang, finding the straw mat too small to hang any longer, placed it on top to dry in the sun. The summer sun was quite strong; it would probably be half-dry in half a day.

After hanging the meat, Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu said goodbye and went home. Chen Wenfang offered them two more pieces of meat, but Aunt Liu refused to accept them no matter what. After Chen Wenfang's repeated threats were to no avail, she said that she would give them to her after they were dried.