Four Foods in the Mountains

Because of Lu Yunchuan and Cen Ning's return, the boiler in Cen's house had been burning for an hour at noon today, and the smell wafted far away, causing the neighbors to smell it at home and grit their ears.

"I can smell the smell of stewed meat from all the way. The Cen family is really willing to do it. It's not a Chinese New Year holiday."

"Brother Ren led his brother-in-law back, I'm glad."

Mrs. Shen was really happy, so she didn't care about these things, and greeted her second daughter-in-law to bring the dishes to the table.

A bowl of pork ribs, a plate of pork ribs, a pot of stewed local chicken and a few plates of stir-fried vegetables, a drawer of steamed corn cakes, and a few sesame sesame cakes.

Yuer shook his head and stared blankly at the table, the table was full of bowls and dishes, and Shenshi brought an extra bowl of bone soup from the pot. The eldest daughter-in-law was pregnant and had a weak appetite and could not eat oil. This was prepared separately for him. down.

In autumn, the mountain roads are not easy to walk in the dark, for fear of bumping into mountain beasts, I have to hurry back after lunch.

Mrs. Shen wanted to put something on for them, but she had to give up because outsiders would see that she was going to gossip in front of her brother-in-law.

I just called out to Cen Ning secretly and said, "If my brother-in-law is willing to come next time, don't let him take such things, not to mention how much the two catties of spare ribs cost, the wine is so expensive, so don't take it again , keep it for yourself."

Cen Ning agreed, knowing in his heart that if Lu Yunchuan really wanted to bring things home, he would not be able to persuade him.

There were no people on the way back, the weather was cool and windy, and they didn't carry anything in their hands. Both of them were very relaxed.

Cen Ning was in a good mood when he saw his family, and when he saw a bump in the roadside, he became playful, instead of walking, he ran to walk over it.

He opened his hands to keep his balance, but his feet were unstable and crooked, and Lu Yunchuan stretched out his hand to help him.

There was a strong wind in the mountains, and Cen Ning's hair was blown messy by the wind. He stretched out his hands and tucked them behind his ears, and asked, "Is the corn cake delicious?"

Lu Yunchuan nodded: "It's delicious."

Soft, glutinous and sweet with a corn fragrance.

Although it is said to be made from fresh corn, it does not cost anything, but it is troublesome to make. Country people do not cook for fresh tastes, as long as the quantity is large enough to fill their stomachs. Aunt Cen Ning can cook this for Cen Ning every year, which shows how much it is. It hurts Cen Ning.

Cen Ning smiled: "I saw clearly from the side when Auntie made it today, and I will try to make some when I go back, and give my sister-in-law and them all a taste."

As the weather turned colder, the work in the field became easier, so Lu Yunchuan and Lu Yunlang discussed finding some other work to earn some money to survive the winter.

It just so happened that a family in the neighboring village built a new house and went to find the two of them, including a meal at noon, and passed before dawn every day, and came back after dark.

In the past few days, taking advantage of the good sun, Cen Ning unwrapped and washed the thin quilts and clothes that he had covered in summer, and took out thick quilts from the cupboard to dry.

There are two quilts in the cabinet interlayer.

When the weather is hot, it doesn’t matter. When it’s cold, there are usually two beds on the kang. One person sleeps on one quilt, which is warmer than two people’s, and doesn’t catch the wind.

But Lu Yunchuan never mentioned it, Cen Ning pursed his lips, and still only came out with a blanket.

In late autumn, people in the village are more idle, and when the harvest is over, shopkeepers will show up, carrying bamboo baskets, selling from village to village.

There are usually chestnut cakes and jelly beans and jujubes in the baskets, which are not as delicious as the cakes in the shops in the town, but they are cheaper. Children in the countryside can afford them by asking their parents for a hundred yuan.

A copper plate is exchanged for a handful of jelly beans or a piece of chestnut cake the size of a bowl. Although the taste is not very sweet, it doesn't hurt to stuff a lot of them into your mouth. It can satisfy a gluttonous child.

In the afternoon of this day, Cen Ning packed up all kinds of sun-dried melons and fruits, went into the house and took out two copper coins from the money bag under the bedding.

The whole family money was converted into silver and kept in the money box. There were dozens of copper plates in the bag, which Cen Ning usually used to buy a piece of tofu or colored thread.

Cen Ning walked towards the entrance of the village with a copper coin in his pocket. He rarely went out on weekdays, and when he walked under the tree at the entrance of the village, he was a little worried when he saw many people surrounded him.

The shopkeeper came to the village at about the same time every day. He estimated the time. At this moment, there were already many adults and children waiting at the entrance of the village.

Cen Ning was a little shy of people, so he didn't go to the aunts who were chatting together, but stood under the tree and waited for the shopkeeper.

He was wearing the padded jacket made of smoked green cotton that Lu Yunchuan pulled for him today, his long hair was tied up with a hair rope of the same color, he didn't wear silk flowers or jewelry, and he was clean, but standing there was more impressive than others look better.

Cen Ning felt the eyes of his surroundings, his fingertips tightened, and the corner of his clothes was pulled twice from behind.

He lowered his head to look: "Big Huzi?"

Da Huzi nodded and said hello: "Aunt Ning, are you here to buy snacks too?"

Cen Ning smiled: "Yes, I'll buy some for Brother Zhi."

Brother Zhi caught a cold and had a fever while sleeping two days ago, and has been lethargic for the past two days.

Lu Yunlang had to go out to work, and Yao Chunling was alone at home. Every afternoon, Cen Ning would go and coax Brother Zhi for a while, so that Yao Chunling could sleep for a while and relax.

Yesterday afternoon, he was playing in the main room with Brother Zhi in his arms. Two older children passed by holding jelly beans outside the courtyard. Ning is soft-hearted.

But after all, I was afraid that I would catch a cold if I carried him to the entrance of the village to buy it, so I had to come here to buy it today.

The salesman's cries sounded, and the children rushed forward, and Da Huzi also ran over with his younger siblings.

Cen Ning stood aside and waited for the children to finish their purchases before going forward and bought a handful of jelly beans, jujubes, and some candied melons with sesame seeds.

Handing over two copper coins, Cen Ning walked to his sister-in-law's house with snacks.

In the back room, Brother Zhi had just woken up from a nap, the little one was wrapped in the quilt, his face was flushed from sleeping, and when he saw Cen Ning coming in, he narrowed his eyes and smiled.

Cen Ning warmed his hands before touching him: "You seem to be in better spirits today, did you have a fever last night?"

Yao Chunling was leaning on the kang to embroider. Brother Zhi was ill. She didn't sleep well for two or three days, and she didn't have much energy. I just can’t eat anything.”

Cen Ning nodded: "Today, I'll sweat some more, and I'll be warm and sleep at night and I'll be fine."

Brother Zhi was full of sleep and didn't want to lie down, so he stretched out his arms from the quilt to be hugged by Cen Ning.

While dressing him, Cen Ning said, "Sister-in-law, go to sleep for a while, there will still be sun here, I will dress him warmly and go out to get some air."

Then I went to coax brother Zhi: "Xiaoma bought jelly beans, jujubes and sugar melons, wrapped in white sesame seeds. Brother Zhi will eat two sweet mouths later, and then go to eat, okay?"

Hearing snacks, Brother Zhi dimpled with joy and put his warm face against Cen Ning's neck.

Cen Ning wrapped him round and carried him to the main room, washed his face with the hot water in the pot, and sat under the sun.

Brother Zhi had a bean in his mouth and a piece of candied melon in his hand.

Cen Ning asked, "Is it sweet?"

"Sweet!" Brother Zhi nodded childishly, and handed the candied melon in front of Cen Ning.

"Little Mama won't eat it, Brother Zhi will eat it." Cen Ning held Zhi Ge'er's little hand to coax him, "Can I eat the stewed brown sugar eggs? I can go out and play."

Brother Zhi swallowed the jelly beans in his mouth, and stuffed the candied melon into his mouth, hesitating.

When he was sick, his mouth was bitter, and he didn't like to eat these two days.But he really wanted to go out and play, so he blinked his big eyes twice and nodded.

"So cute." Cen Ning patted Brother Zhi's head, carried him to sit on the small kitchen bench, and fed him another jelly bean.

I beat two eggs and broke some brown sugar cubes. Brown sugar eggs are made in the same way as egg custard, except that brown sugar and enough sesame oil have to be added, so that the stewed custard is moist and sweet.

He and his elder brother were sick when they were young. After eating a bowl of brown sugar stewed eggs, sweating will be cured, which is more effective than taking medicine.

Because the brown sugar tastes good, his elder brother ran to get in the rain to eat the bowl when he was a child, but he didn't eat the brown sugar egg, so he ate the bamboo whip.

Cen Ning laughed when he remembered what happened when he was a child, Brother Zhi laughed happily when he saw him, and the elder and younger gathered together in the kitchen happily.