"Whatever you want." Madam Chen said gently. If her beloved granddaughter wants to eat it, then let her eat it. Anyway, they’re not short of at now, and money isn’t tight either. Their family’s living standard is among the best in the village.
"Grandma, you’re the best." Xu Mumu was extrely excited, thinking of the delicious pig’s feet and all that collagen, she was salivating.
"You sweet talker, I’ll go get so soybeans to soak." Madam Chen said with a smile.
"Grandma, soak more. I want to have tofu pudding tomorrow." Xu Mumu’s eyes glead with mischief.
"Alright, alright." Madam Chen said helplessly.
A lot of at appeared at ho all of a sudden. With Xu Mumu and a few kids helping, they finally managed to marinate all the at by the end of the afternoon. They just needed to smoke it with so pine branches.
Those pine branches? Xu Hai sent the kids up the mountain to collect several bundles after lunch, which they placed in the courtyard.
The small courtyard was lively even with just a few children around because there was a lot of at to eat.
When Sun Huiping returned, the pig offal had been thoroughly cleaned by her.
Except for the small intestines, Madam Chen divided the remaining offal among the second and fourth branches of the family, and of the at, each household got ten pounds. Ten pounds of at wasn’t a small amount, considering they had just helped carry the pig back.
Li Caixia was satisfied with this arrangent. Their house got the most at.
The cleaned pig’s feet were put into a pot to be stewed.
"Big sis, big sis, my mom said she’s going to buy so spices tomorrow to braise the pig offal. It’ll definitely be delicious." Xu Jiaojiao licked her lips in anticipation.
"Yeah, braised pig offal must taste great." Xu Mumu replied with a smile, already planning to try so of Sun Huiping’s braised pig offal.
"When the ti cos, you’re free to co and eat." The little girl said boldly.
"Sure, I’ll co and eat everything." Xu Mumu pinched Xu Jiaojiao’s cheek. The little girl had gained so weight, her face was round like a little apple, very cute.
"Big sis, we want to eat too." The little girl looked at Xu Mumu pitifully.
"Just teasing you, and you believe it." Xu Mumu laughed.
"Big sis is an." Xu Jiaojiao pretended to be angry.
The pig feet soup at dinner, Xu Mumu ate several pieces of pig feet, completely satisfied.
"Grandma, can we have pig feet again tomorrow?" Xu Minglei licked his lips and rubbed his belly, so full and comfortable, looking at Madam Chen expectantly.
"In your dreams, I’ve marinated the remaining three pig feet to eat during the New Year." Madam Chen glared at Xu Minglei. Tonight’s feast was already quite good, yet the little rascal wasn’t satisfied.
"What will we eat tomorrow then?" Never mind, if they can’t have them, they can’t. There’s so much other at to eat.
"Your sister wants to eat tofu pudding. I’ve soaked the beans; tomorrow we’ll borrow the village leader’s mill to grind them." Madam Chen said calmly.
"I want to drink sweet soy milk." Thinking of soy milk, Xu Minglei’s eyes lit up. Now that the family is a bit better off, they can surely add more sugar to the soy milk, which will make it taste even better.
The next morning, Xu Minghui returned carrying a backpack.
Xu Minghui only had a day off and would soon be heading to the county town.
Unless there’s overti, Xu Minghui cos back almost every week.
"Brother, you’re back! Did you bring anything?" As soon as Xu Minghui returned, Xu Minglei eagerly ran over asking for gifts.
"Only a few pieces of winter lon candy. Take it and eat." Xu Minghui fished out a small bag from his backpack, inside were so pieces of winter lon candy.
"Big brother is the best." Xu Minglei didn’t mind at all, and took the winter lon candy to find Xu Tao and Xu Jiaojiao.
"Ungrateful little one, imdiately forgetting about as soon as you get the candy." Looking at his young brother leaving with the candy, Xu Minghui scoffed.
"Minghui, are you hungry? Shall I make you so pancakes?" Madam Chen looked at him lovingly. Her eldest grandson hadn’t been back for a week, surely working at a job is even more tiring than farming.
"No need, Grandma. I had two stead buns in the morning. I brought back a few at buns." Xu Minghui took out the at buns from his bag. Besides the at buns, the rest were books that Xu Mumu wanted him to read.
Xu Minghui didn’t have much money and didn’t dare to spend lavishly. So every week when he ca back, at most he’d buy so buns, or so snacks for the kids.
Even so, whenever he ca back, Madam Chen and Li Caixia would shower him with praises.
Watching her brother, Xu Mumu noted how much Xu Minghui had changed over the past few months of working. At least, he seed more spirited and not as lazy as before, and he’d matured considerably.
"Son, when are you bringing a daughter-in-law? Aren’t there any girls in your transport team?" Li Caixia looked expectantly at Xu Minghui.
"Mom, these things can’t be rushed." Xu Minghui was a bit overwheld. Now that he can earn money, he’s not in a hurry to get married. Once he has money, what kind of girl couldn’t he marry? There’s no need to rush, it’s just his parents who are eager.
"Not in a hurry? You’re already twenty!"
Xu Mumu quietly stepped away a bit. She could already feel her mother’s deep-seated frustration.
In the village, people younger than Xu Minghui were already married. Won around Li Caixia’s age were already grandmothers, leaving her full of envy.
After being nagged by his mom for quite so ti, Xu Minghui finally managed to escape Li Caixia’s relentless pestering.
Upon learning that his sister had managed to hunt a wild boar, Xu Minghui was wide-eyed. Well, now even the at for New Year’s was ready.
Thinking of being able to eat at every day at ho, the als in the transport team, which he would have considered good in previous years, now seed less appealing compared to ho-cooked als. He was longing to be ho more.
"Brother, since you’re back, let’s go check your study progress." Xu Mumu said cheerfully.
"Little sister, you’re so ruthless." From one difficult situation into another, that was how Xu Minghui felt.
"Off you go to study, I’m going to grind soybeans now." Madam Chen said with a smile. From the example of her eldest granddaughter, the Old Xu Family realized the importance of education.
Walking with his head down, Xu Minghui followed Xu Mumu to the main room. Xu Mumu took out the books from Xu Minghui’s bag. The books had many notes in them, indicating that he was being quite serious. Xu Mumu directly started quizzing Xu Minghui.
The questions she asked were quite basic; her expectations for Xu Minghui weren’t too high. She just wanted him to master the basics thoroughly, and in the last couple of months, they could focus on extensive practice problems.
Because the questions were simple, Xu Minghui could answer them all.
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