Siheyuan: Bringing Warehouses to 1959

There is no need to clean the loaches as they are not big. The eels vary in size. The largest one is thicker than a thumb, and its belly is pure golden yellow. It is absolutely authentic local eel.

Zeng Wangcai clamped the eel between the knuckles of his index and middle fingers. Because there were no wooden boards or nails, he gently stepped on the eel's head to prevent it from struggling, then used scissors to cut open its belly and removed the internal organs.

Zeng Wangcai killed all the eels, no matter how big or small.

There were also some miscellaneous fish that were about the length of a palm. Zeng Wangcai didn’t know the scientific name of this fish, but that didn’t stop him from killing it.

Zeng Jinhuan and her two sisters squatted beside their eldest brother with great interest, watching him clean up with full concentration.

"Brother, what are you going to do with this eel? Why is its belly broken? Mom used to cook it directly." Zeng Yinhuan asked curiously.

Hey, if you cook it directly, how can it not smell fishy?

There was not even any seasoning in the kitchen, only a bottle of salt, half a can of oil, no soy sauce, and half a bottle of vinegar.

Not to mention garlic, ginger and other things. Without private plots, rural people's kitchens are even worse than in ancient times. Who would be willing to spend money to buy those things? It's good enough to have a full stomach.

Zeng Wangcai smiled and said, "Brother is going to braise it. I guarantee you will like it."

It took Zeng Wangcai almost an hour to clean and prepare these things for use.

He came to the kitchen with his schoolbag and took out a bottle of soy sauce, a bottle of vinegar, pepper, MSG, ginger, garlic, dried chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns and star anise. These things don't take up much space, but they are essential items in the kitchen and they are all fully equipped.

He also equipped his home with this set before he left, secretly so that his mother wouldn't ask.

Finally, he took out a bag of white sugar. Since he didn't have a jar, he found a bowl, cleaned it and filled it half with sugar, and he would put the rest away for Second Aunt later.

Nowadays, among most families in rural areas and even in the cities, Zeng Wangcai is the only one who uses white sugar in cooking. If you put this sugar in water, children can drink it to make their stomachs full.

There is also brown sugar, which is considered to be a tonic. People who need blood supplements, women who have just given birth, etc., all believe that drinking brown sugar is good for them.

However, there was no need for this at home, so Zeng Wangcai did not take it.

For Zeng Wangcai, it was a great pleasure to have more open access to supplies in the countryside.

For most people, the feeling of satisfaction does not require enjoying high-end services or eating rare delicacies, but rather comparison. If you don’t have something, you may feel satisfied. This is a potential feeling that no one has thought about carefully.

For example, Zeng Wangcai now, his sense of satisfaction does not come from the resources that others do not have, but from the fact that he has the ingredients to cook delicious food. This is also a kind of comparison, a comparison between with ingredients and without ingredients.

Zeng Wangcai came out with ginger and garlic and sat in the yard to peel the garlic. His three sisters immediately came over to help.

When his grandmother saw this, she felt sorry for him spending money recklessly.

Everything was ready. Zeng Wangcai talked with his grandmother for a while. Seeing that it was almost time, he went into the kitchen to light the fire and called the older Jinhuan to help.

What makes Zeng Wangcai happy is that the big pot in his home has been preserved and was not sacrificed in last year's catastrophe, because during last year's steel production campaign, many people lost their iron pots and basins.

Zeng Jinhuan lit the fire skillfully and soon the stove was lit.

After the pan is heated, add oil. Ingredients like eels require a lot of oil because there are a lot of ingredients. Zeng Wangcai used half a pound of rapeseed oil. Once the rapeseed oil is heated, the aroma wafts around, making people salivate.

Zeng Yinhuan, who was watching the cooking, opened her mouth wide and looked at her eldest brother in shock: "Brother, you gave me too much oil. My mother usually only adds two drops. If you eat so much oil in your stomach, your poop will be slippery."

"Why are you, a little girl, talking about these things? Don't worry, big brother has plenty of oil." Zeng Wangcai laughed and told his elder sister not to make the fire bigger.

When the oil is at the right temperature, add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, then garnish with a little bit of dried chili peppers. Finally, pour in all the miscellaneous fish.

Stab it!

After the popping sound comes the aroma of ingredients and condiments.

Stir-fry, add water and seasonings, cover the pot and then Zeng Wangcai will knead the dough, which must be cornmeal. Then knead the cornmeal into a cake and stick it to the edge of the pot. The fish is ready and the cake is cooked too.

Zeng Xiaohuan was not as tall as the stove, so she stood on tiptoe to see but couldn't see anything. She held her finger in her mouth and said, "Brother, your cooking smells so good..."

There was nothing to do afterwards, so Zeng Wangcai pulled his two younger sisters out. The kitchen was too hot, so he told the eldest sister to turn down the fire and come out without needing to watch over them.

Zhang Xiuzhi came back. After working hard for several hours, she caught a grass carp weighing more than three kilograms but less than four kilograms. She skewered it with a reed and carried it on a branch she got from somewhere. She hung the bamboo basket around her waist.

Her clothes were half dry and half wet, her hair was also wet, but the bamboo basket was dry. It was obvious that she went into the water to catch the fish and did not use the bamboo basket.

"Grandma, I'm back...Yeah, why are you here?" Before Zhang Xiuzhi entered the yard, she saw Zeng Wangcai looking at her with a smile. She guessed Zeng Wangcai's identity and said, "You are Zeng Wangcai, right?"

Although she used a question, Zhang Xiuzhi had already confirmed Zeng Wangcai's identity in her heart.

Thinking of the way Zeng Wangcai stared at her in the morning, she naturally thought that Zeng Wangcai was examining his future daughter-in-law.

So Zhang Xiuzhi glared at Zeng Wangcai and slapped him on the back of his head.

"Grandma, I caught the fish. I'm going to take a bath." Zhang Xiuzhi put the fish in the yard and went into the kitchen to find a bucket.

Smelling the aroma from the pot, Zhang Xiuzhi couldn't help swallowing her saliva... Was this made by him? It smells pretty good.

She came out carrying an empty bucket. There was water in a large wooden tub in the yard. After half a day's exposure to the sun, the cold water was now hot, and using it for bathing could save firewood.

"Xiuzhi, why don't you talk to Wangcai?" Grandma said to Zhang Xiuzhi who was busy.

"Grandma, we met this morning and talked. We'll talk later. I'm going to take a shower first." Zhang Xiuzhi replied, picked up the large wooden basin and poured a bucket of water into it.

Zeng Wangcai was secretly amazed. This basin of water was not light. He now completely believed that Zhang Xiuzhi was a martial artist and that this kind of strength was not something an ordinary girl could have.

"Have you two met?" Grandma asked in surprise.

"Yeah, I saw her slacking off when I came back."

"How is it? Not bad, isn't it?" Grandma saw Zhang Xiuzhi carrying a bucket and whispered, "Look, Xiuzhi heard that you are back and wanted to eat fish, so she ran to catch such a big fish. Such a good girl, beautiful and capable..."

"Grandma, you've said it eight hundred times this afternoon." Zeng Wangcai was speechless.

He admitted that Zhang Xiuzhi was very capable. Apart from anything else, she was able to catch a three or four kilogram grass carp with her bare hands, which was amazing.

Grandma said earnestly, "Grandson, trust me. I won't make a mistake in choosing people. Look, your second aunt is the one I chose, as well as your eldest uncle. I can't tell who your youngest uncle is yet, but I'm sure he's right."

Zeng Wangcai had to admit his grandmother’s vision.

Second aunt Ma Ping doesn't talk much, but she is hardworking and manages the household. She works with her husband to make the family of eight one of the best in the village. The man my eldest aunt married is Zhou Bingnan, who is also a good man and they live a good life.

"I know, grandma. I don't have the final say on this matter, right? I heard from Xiaobao that she has a hot temper and she is still young, so there is no need to rush."

"Okay, okay, no hurry, I have a good temper and can protect the house..."

Zeng Wangcai was speechless again. Even the house-guarding magic had come out. It seemed that Zhang Xiuzhi was indeed liked by the old man.

Grandma suddenly remembered something and said, "Oh, Xiuzhi is so reserved that she refuses to use anything at home. She's going to take a bath today and she needs soap. You can give her the soap on the table in the living room."

This is not good, she is taking a shower...

Zeng Wangcai immediately stood up and went into the house and found the soap - a long strip of Lighthouse brand soap.