Chapter 167
167 Li Xiaoran’s Family
When Li Xiaoran returned and saw her mother busying, she suddenly felt a little guilty.
Speaking of which, her parents would support her in whatever she wanted to do.
However, she was so focused on earning money that she forgot to let her mother go home to visit.
To be honest, ever since Li Xiaoran took over the Host’s body, she could feel her parents’ love for her at all times.
It could be said that in Li Xiaoran’s heart, Li Shun and Zhao Xiu were her biological parents.
Thinking of this, Li Xiaoran decided to let everyone rest during the new year!
She could take this opportunity to return to her uncle’s house with her mother.
She had not gone back to visit for so many years. She had to prepare some gifts this time.
Thinking of this, Li Xiaoran pulled Luo Cheng aside.
“Husband, let’s go back to my family’s house for the new year! We have to prepare some gifts for Grandpa and Grandma! Previously, Grandma and Grandpa treated me very well. Now that I have the ability, it’s time to repay them!” Li Xiaoran said what was on her mind.
“I didn’t inform your family when we got married. It’s indeed my mistake. You’re right. No matter what, it’s our first year of marriage. We have to visit your family!” Luo Cheng thought for a moment and said, “Don’t worry about these things. I’ll prepare them! But you have to tell me about your family’s situation first!”
Li Xiaoran nodded and searched the Host’s memories before briefly explaining the Zhao family’s situation.
The Zhao family lived in a place called Eagle Village under Jiangzhong County.
In the past, it would take a day to walk there. Now that there was an ox cart at home, it might only take four hours.
The Zhao family wasn’t local to Eagle Village. They had settled in Eagle Village later.
Therefore, other than her family, there were no other relatives in Eagle Village.
The Zhao family had a total of three children. Zhao Xiu was the eldest and had two younger brothers.
In other words, Li Xiaoran actually had two uncles.
Zhao Long and Jin Xiaojing had two sons and a daughter.
Zhao Liang and Tan Wan had two sons.
After Luo Cheng learned about the Zhao family’s situation, he nodded. “Don’t worry! I’ll remember it!”
With that, Luo Cheng thought of something and asked, “Wife, you’d better talk to Mother-in-law when you’re free, lest she keeps thinking about this matter!”
Li Xiaoran nodded and planned to talk about it later.
Because they were going to the Guan Dongshan family’s house to eat tofu pudding tonight, the knife-cut noodles in the shop were only sold for four hours at noon.
After cleaning up the shop, Yuan Chengzhao was left to look after the shop. The family went straight to the Guan family’s home.
Unlike the last time they went, the Guan family’s house was no longer deserted. The courtyard was very lively.
“Why did you kill all the ducks?” Zhao Xiu asked when she entered and saw Guan Dongshan and He Hui burning the fine feathers on the ducks’ skin with straw.
“Our family won’t be able to raise so many ducks in the future. It just so happens that we can kill a few to make pickled radish soup as a side dish. We can’t just let you guys only eat tofu pudding!” He Hui said with a smile.
“That’s right. No matter what, today is a festive day since our families are gathered together. We have to order a sumptuous meal!” Guan Dongshan said with a smile.
“In that case, we won’t stand on ceremony! These beans are still soaking. Wife, why don’t we grind these beans into soy milk together?!” Li Shun walked in and heard Guan Dongshan’s words, then he saw the soybeans soaking at the side. He didn’t treat himself as an outsider at all.
“Alright, I’ll go get some water and wash my hands. After I’m done, I’ll go push the mill!” Zhao Xiu smiled and nodded.
On the other side, Little Huzi and Little Huzi’s grandmother also walked over with a basket of things.
“These are the chameleon plants and wild onions we dug up outside. We brought them over to add to the dishes today!” Little Huzi’s grandmother said with a smile.
When He Hui heard this, she quickly smiled and took the basket.
“If you had brought anything else, I wouldn’t have accepted it. However, I won’t stand on ceremony if you brought chameleon plants and wild onions! Our family really has a penchant for these!”
When Little Huzi’s grandmother heard He Hui’s words, she smiled even more happily.
After that, everyone got busy.
Li Xiaoran took her mother’s place and added the soaked soybeans to the mill with a spoon. Luo Cheng and Luo Ziyang also took Li Shun’s place. The two took turns grinding.
He Hui and Zhao Xiu were busy in the kitchen. One pot was boiling water, and the other was used for cooking veggies.
After the ducks had swilled the water, they were placed in the pot with the pickled radishes and boiled.
Little Huzi’s grandmother helped look after the two pots.
Li Shun and Guan Dongshan took out the big table that they had not used for a long time and washed it.
Little Huzi, Li Xiaoqing and Guan Kang cleaned the chameleon plants and wild onions that Little Huzi’s grandmother had brought.
The chameleon plants were delicious but not easy to take care of. After all, there were many roots on the chameleon plants.
To be honest, there was no harm in eating the roots after washing them.
However, there were too many roots, which didn’t taste good, so it was better to clean it.
On the other side, He Hui and Zhao Xiu found a piece of old cured meat and ribs from somewhere.
“If I hadn’t wanted to cook some cured meat today, I would have forgotten that I still have a piece of preserved pork ribs here. The vegetables I planted in the field are ready to be eaten. I’ll go and cut two nests later. Stir-fried vegetables with cured meat taste very good!” He Hui said happily.
“Speaking of which, your family’s cured meat is the best in the entire village! Why does the same meat taste much better at your house?” Zhao Xiuying thought of something and asked in confusion.
When He Hui heard this, she was immediately amused.
“It’s not that my cured meat is delicious, but that you used too little oil to cook it in the past!”
When Zhao Xiu heard this, she was immediately enlightened.
That made sense. In the past, what tasty food could their family possibly eat in the Li family?
After not eating well-cooked food for a long time and suddenly eating one or two pieces of cured meat, they naturally felt that it tasted the best.
In the end, it was because their life was too tough back then.
“Try it when I’m done cooking later. You’ll know!” He Hui looked at Zhao Xiu and said.
Zhao Xiu nodded and didn’t say anything else. Instead, she went to the kitchen to scoop out hot water.
Before eating the cured meat, they had to burn the skin first. Only when the pig skin was soaked could it be considered cooked.
After that, she used a knife to sc.r.a.pe away the dirt on the skin, revealing the golden color of the cured meat.