Make a living

Zheng Haichuan planned to go out the next day to find a new job, so when he came back from the supermarket the night before, he quickly prepared the brine first.

The old locker space above the stove in the kitchen has long been used up in daily necessities.Zheng Haichuan dug out dozens of spices packaged in plastic bags, picked out a few pieces of tangerine peel familiarly, grabbed a handful of fragrant leaves and strawberries, wrapped them in gauze into a small bag half the size of a fist, and put it aside for later use.

Onion, ginger and garlic are always available at home. Zheng Haichuan cut them into slices after brushing them twice. Put the hot oil in the pan and fry until fragrant. Then add a few large pieces of rock sugar, appropriate amount of soy sauce and cooking wine to the oil, and the golden and transparent oil in the pan It quickly turned into a thick sauce with a sauce-colored rich aroma and scattered small bubbles.

The urban village at night is a different kind of lively compared to daytime.

Many young people who just came back from overtime at the company gathered on the side of the road in twos and threes, ordering a basket of grilled skewers, or cooking a bowl of Mala Tang, or eating some cold dishes with beer on the small table propped up by the roadside Fisting, the worries of work and love are all left behind with roaring and laughing, and are brought into the night and air by various food aromas, and gradually dissipate.

Compared with the tempting smell that comes in from time to time in the old rented rooms through the windows, the smell in the room where the uncle and nephew of the Zheng family live tonight is not much better.

Zheng Haichuan explained the method of making brine to his mobile phone, and at the same time adjusted the soup of the base material.When the gas in the pot rose up, I couldn't help taking a deep breath, "Well, this taste is right! Fortunately, I'm full tonight, or my stomach will growl!"

"Next, just put the spice packs you just prepared into the pot, and the brine will be boiled out slowly."

He said while doing it, "My friends, I'm not boasting about Dachuan, this brine is delicious when you use it to marinate shoelaces! Hahaha!"

As Zheng Haichuan talked, he was amused by the exaggerated statement, and laughed several times, before continuing to stir the pot with the iron spoon.It's just that the movements of his hands are getting slower and slower, because Zheng Haichuan suddenly remembered that he seemed to... forgot to put something.

"Oh, I forgot to buy it!" He slapped his forehead, hurriedly turned the fire to the minimum, and ran out of the house wearing an apron.

As someone who has stayed in restaurants, Zheng Haichuan's cooking skills are really not bad.

He is honest and willing to endure hardships. He was also deeply loved by the head chef in the back kitchen, and he was given a lot of unique secret recipes.And if this stewed dish is to be moist but not greasy, and the sauce has a lingering aroma, a unique seasoning must be added to the stewed brine-beer.

Yes, after adding beer to the brine, the alcohol, malt, yeast and other ingredients in it are mixed with other spices and slowly simmered, not only to remove the fishy smell, but also to add a wonderful and smooth taste to the meat and vegetables in the brine. The rich and tender taste penetrates to the innermost part of the taste buds.

It's a pity that Zheng Haichuan doesn't usually drink alcohol, and he doesn't have any at home. Where can he find it now?

He could only hurry downstairs to buy a bottle from the commissary, and he had to be quick, otherwise the pot would burn!

"In the evening, are you going to run in an apron?"

Running to the first floor, Zheng Haichuan happened to run into Sister Hong who was about to close the stall.

"Sister Hong, don't wash my head." Zheng Haichuan scratched his head and explained to her, "I'm making brine. I'm short of beer and I'm going to buy it."

"Beer." Sister Hong got up from behind the sewing machine and said casually, "How much do you want?"

"Huh? Half a bottle is enough."

"Then don't buy it, I'll get it for you."

"What's the matter! Is that what you want to drink, Miss Hong?" Zheng Haichuan hastily refused.

"I don't drink much by myself," Sister Hong said, and walked to the room on the first floor. "Just in time, you used half of the bottle and left half for me. I'll drink it for supper at night."

Sister Hong looks thin and weak, but her character is unambiguous.It is said that when she was young, she was also a well-known figure in the entire urban village, loved by men and hated by women, but even though there were many emotional disputes, it did not affect her life at this age.

"Then... well, thank you, Miss Hong."

Zheng Haichuan counted the time, but did not refuse Sister Hong's kindness.He took the beer and said, "Then I'll marinate some side dishes and bring you down with the beer!"

"Come on, I'm going to have a beauty sleep when your dishes are ready!"

Sister Hong waved her hand, not caring, "Just let Xiaohe Miaoer take it down for me after you've used up the beer."

In fact, most of the neighborhood relationships in this city are not like this.

People come here from all over the world to work and earn money. In addition to going to work and caring about themselves, they are actually more indifferent to the things around them.You don't bother me, and I don't bother you. Maybe the neighbor who passed by in the corridor the day before left the rental house with his suitcase dragging his suitcase the next day, and he never saw each other again.

The building where Zheng Haichuan lives is an exception.

I heard that most of the tenants in the building have been renting for several years, and some have even lived here for more than ten or twenty years without changing places.There are many reasons, but the housing rent that has not risen sharply is the main factor that many people are willing to live in.

After all, many of the foreigners living here work hard for 30 days a month, and in the end one-third of their income must be handed over to the landlord.But here, it only costs a few hundred to have a bed, and one or two thousand to own a house.

Because we have been looking up and seeing each other all year round, everyone has gradually become acquainted with each other. If there is anything that needs help, they are willing to communicate with each other.There is even a young couple in the building who just gave birth. I heard that they met and fell in love because they also rented here. Now they are planning to settle here, so they opened a small noodle restaurant in the village.

Zheng Haichuan is a person who can get acquainted by himself. He has only been here for half a year, and he has made friends with the residents in the building.

Of course, a large part of the reason is because of the little ones around him, so he has to build a good relationship with the people around him, otherwise Zheng Haichuan can't go out to work with peace of mind.

"This weekend, there are a lot of people coming in and out on the first floor. Miss Hong is probably busy too. Uncle will send you to Teacher Lu?"

The next morning, Zheng Haichuan took out one of the tea eggs that had been marinated overnight in the pot, peeled them on a plate for Zheng Jiahe, scooped out milk powder and mixed them with ease, and placed them in front of his little nephew.

"it is good."

Zheng Jiahe had no objection.In fact, when Zheng Haichuan went out to work, he basically wandered around the various residential houses in the building.Sometimes it was Aunt Hong downstairs, sometimes Uncle Lu upstairs, sometimes Aunt Luo across the street and Uncle Wang, and sometimes Grandpa Qi next door.

Anyway, he knew that uncle gave the money.

He ate lunch with those uncles and aunts, stayed all day, and when he was hungry at night, Dad Yao came back.

Zheng Jiahe knew that he was a drag.He has made Dad Yao very hard, so on weekdays he has always tried his best to behave well, and stayed obediently in the place where Dad Yao asked him to stay.

"You bring the book that Mr. Lu taught you to read last time, and ask him to teach you when he is free today."

Zheng Haichuan picked up four steamed buns from the steamer, broke off half of them, and soaked them in a milk bowl for Zheng Jiahe. While biting the remaining half, he said, "I'll take you up later. Well, just ask Mr. Lu, That... picture book, what is it? If it's good, uncle will take you to the bookstore to buy two next time!"

"Then where are you going today, Dad?"

Zheng Haichuan didn't hide from Zheng Jiahe that he didn't go to the construction site recently.

The last time I promised my nephew that I would not hide my money from him if he had money or not, Zheng Haichuan kept his word, and he would never just go along with it just because Zheng Jiahe was young and ignorant.

He told Xiaohe Miao'er that the family has saved a little recently because he paid part of his previous salary, so don't worry.But it also means that there may be no other income for several months, and he has to find something else to make money.

So for the past two days, Xiao Douding has been very concerned about what job he is looking for, whether he will be tired, and whether he is far from home.

"Do you think that Uncle Yang on the fifth floor is wearing blue every day?" Zheng Haichuan made a fool of himself.

"Ang. There is also Ding Ling's big purse." Zheng Jiahe, who has a short memory but has a good memory, nodded.

"Haha, that's his toolbox!"

Zheng Haichuan wiped out half of the steamed buns, picked up another one, and explained to his nephew: "He is engaged in water and electricity maintenance, and he is attached to some housekeeping company. He does endless work every day."

"Father Yao, are you going too?"

"Well, I asked him yesterday, and he said that he could go for an interview." Zheng Haichuan patted his chest confidently, "Your father and I also joined the decoration team. In the past, the village was connected to sewers, and the town was waterproofed. I've done it before, I will do it!"

"Yao Dad is the best!" Zheng Jiahe responded with admiration, his eyes shining brightly: "There must be endless work!"

"Hahaha, I still don't want it." Zheng Haichuan happily rubbed his little nephew's head, "If you have money, it's best to get off work on time! Taking care of your kid is more important!"

"I take care of myself!" Zheng Jiahe pouted.

"All right, all right, our Xiaohe Miao'er can already take care of himself, that's great! When Dad gets old, I will still count on you to take care of me."

"That's for sure!"

"Haha, Dad Yao remembered. Then eat the eggs first, so that you can grow strong."

"……Oh."

"What are you doing with a bitter face? This is a tea egg. The yolk has no fishy smell. Eat it quickly! When I come back tonight, I will give you marinated chicken wings, um, and marinate some chicken feet county liver. This week's meal will be ready... "

With the warm words of one big and one small at the dining table, a new and fulfilling day kicked off again.