Siheyuan: The romantic and suave Xu Damao

"Don't think too much, just wait and see how the situation develops before making any plans!"

Xu Damao rode his bicycle like a nimble fish, moving freely among the crowd. He shook his head vigorously, as if he wanted to throw away his so-called troubles like trash.

"Give me a roast chicken to take away." Xu Damao shouted loudly.

"Tear it open?" the guy asked.

"Tear it open! Give me another portion of potato chips and mixed bean curd, and ten more sesame cakes. Take them all away." Xu Damao added.

"okay!"

The shop assistant packed the dishes skillfully and handed them to Xu Damao, who took the dishes and nodded with satisfaction.

With one hand he paid, and the other hand he received the goods. Xu Damao gently put the vegetables he bought into the basket, and then galloped towards the Qianmen courtyard he had bought like a horse.

He turned the key skillfully and pushed the car into the yard.

"It's Brother Damao, you scared me!"

Cuinong, who was cooking in the kitchen, ran over like a frightened deer, her face full of joy. She was wearing a white dress, and when she ran over, she looked like a beautiful butterfly, dancing gracefully.

"Are you cold Cuinong wearing this now? Who is cooking? Where is your sister Cuilan?" Xu Damao looked at the smoking chimney on the roof, looked at Cuinong with a bright smile, and asked three questions in a row.

"It's not cold. The fire is still a little warm. I'm steaming steamed bread made with a mixture of white flour and cornmeal. My sister will be home soon. She found a job and won't be back until around seven in the evening."

"Oh? What kind of job did your sister find?"

Xu Damao was also very curious about what kind of job Cuilan found.

"My sister and I went shopping that day and happened to see someone posting a notice to recruit a domestic servant, so my sister went."

"maid?"

"It's... it's a job of taking care of people. There were several people competing for this job, but my sister was chosen, hehe."

"What's your main job? Is it far from here?"

"After my sister got off work, I asked her about it. The job is not tiring at all. It mainly involves taking care of an elderly person at home. Hehe, and it also includes two meals at noon and dinner. My sister said it seems like she is a high-ranking official!"

Cuinong said to Xu Damao with a smile on her face.

"I see. I'll ask Cuilan when she comes back. By the way, what are you going to cook?"

"Brother Damao is here, so we must kill a chicken! Shall we have stewed chicken tonight?"

As Cuinong said this, she was about to go to the chicken coop to catch a chicken, but was stopped by Xu Damao.

"Don't! I just happened to bring a roast chicken and two other dishes, so you don't have to cook anymore!"

“But I have already cut the vegetables…”

"Then let's fry it and eat it together."

Xu Damao said this and walked into the kitchen with Cuinong.

"Brother Damao, I haven't seen you for a long time. I feel like you have changed a little."

In the kitchen, Cuinong was lighting a fire while chatting with Xu Damao.

"What changes?"

"It seems that you have grown taller and become stronger."

After Cuinong finished speaking, a faint pink appeared on her delicate, doll-like face, making her look even more attractive and lovely.

Xu Damao couldn't help but walk forward and reached out to gently pinch Cuinong's chubby face.

"Of course, I'm only eighteen years old, and my hair still has two years to grow!"

As Xu Damao spoke, he helped Cuinong clean up the kitchen.

"Brother Damao, please go inside and have a rest. I'm alone here."

"It's okay. I'll wait for you to finish steaming the steamed bread. I'll also let you see my cooking skills!"

"Okay then. I'll wash the vegetables first. The steamed bread is almost done. We can finish cooking after these two pieces of firewood are burned."

"it is good!"

Cuinong took the cut cabbage out to wash, while Xu Damao walked to the wall, grabbed a few red dried peppers from a string of dried peppers hanging there, and gave them to Cuinong to wash.

A thick white smoke drifted by, and Xu Damao lifted the lid of the earthen pot.

"Why are you steaming so many steamed breads? Isn't your sister making two meals there?"

"If you steam less, you won't waste firewood. Firewood is hard to come by in the city. You can only buy it with money."

"Besides, I'm also going to send some to Sister Qian. When we first moved here, Sister Qian took good care of us sisters."

"Your sister Qian is just like your sister. She eats lunch and dinner directly at work..."

"I know. We have to eat it in the morning. Don't worry, brother Damao. The weather is getting cold now. The steamed bread won't go bad. Oh! It's hot..."

Cuinong said this as she stretched out her hand and carefully placed the steamed bread in the pot on the cooking rack, but she accidentally got scalded. She jumped in pain and kept blowing air on her hands.

"Let me do it!"

Xu Damao put his arm around Cuinong's shoulders and gently "moved" her outside. He dipped his hand in the basin of cold water for washing vegetables and reached for the steamed bread in the pot like an arrow.

"Look at my invisible hand!"

Xu Damao quickly put the steamed bread in the pot on the pot rack, then picked up the steaming cloth and steadily took down the bamboo grate. Then, he scooped out the water and prepared to cook.

"Stir-fry spicy and sour cabbage, Cuinong, you have to learn it well."

"Uh-huh!"

Xu Damao added two pieces of firewood into the stove, then scooped a small spoonful of lard from the oil can and put it into the big pot.

"Put the peppers in first, then the cabbage stalks. The cabbage stalks are hard to cook, so you have to put them in first."

Xu Damao was talking as he worked, his bamboo spatula flying in the pot, his movements were as skillful as a chef...

"Let's go and eat first." Cuinong walked into the main room carrying the cabbage that Xu Damao had just fried, while Xu Damao followed behind with a basket of steamed bread.

"Not waiting for your sister?"

"No need to wait. My sister always eats out before coming back, so the family can save some money."

"Okay, let's eat first. I'm hungry, so I'll give you a big chicken drumstick."

Xu Damao picked up a large chicken leg from the plate on the table and handed it to Cuinong. Cuinong happily took it with a happy smile on her face.

"Thank you, brother Damao, you should eat quickly too!"

When they had almost finished eating, there was a noise at the door. It must be Cuilan coming back.

"My sister is back. Brother Damao, take your time eating. I'll go out and take a look."

Cuinong stood up suddenly and ran out like a gust of wind.

There were sounds of doors opening and closing outside, accompanied by the chattering of two sisters, and Cuilan and Cuinong walked into the room one after another.

"Brother Damao, you are here."

"Well, Cuilan, have you eaten? Do you want to eat something together?"

"I've already eaten. I'm not hungry now. You guys eat first."

Cuilan, who was wearing blue-gray clothes, greeted Xu Damao with a smile on her face. Then she sat on a small stool beside the table, supporting her cheek with one hand, blinking her big eyes, and quietly watched her sister and Xu Damao eat.