The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 34

 

| TBBOTOF | 34

If it were any normal ger from this world, they wouldn't casually go to another man's house alone to praise their brother and express liking for them. It's too easy to misunderstand.

But Tang Xu wasn't normal, and even though he tried hard to integrate into the current life, many things he did were unconventional.

He realized this, but he didn't care.

Wei Dong also noticed, but he didn't think it was a problem either.

It wasn't their fault. One was open-minded, and the other had never encountered gers from other families, so he didn't know what they were like nowadays.

The unexpected encounter made them both become special in each other's hearts, which led to their current relationship.

Wei Dong was clear that his initial interest in Tang Xu was only because of his sudden change, which piqued his curiosity. But now, he couldn't understand where his slight discomfort was coming from.

"Wei Dong? Wei Dong!" Tang Xu called him several times but got no response. When he turned around, he saw Wei Dong standing behind him, holding the bamboo that was supposed to be broken open, with a somewhat dazed expression, staring blankly at him with empty eyes.

What's wrong?

Why did he suddenly space out?

Weren't they just talking about making a bamboo basket?

"What are you thinking?" Tang Xu raised the thin bamboo strip in his hand and lightly tapped him with it. Wei Dong refocused his gaze on him and asked, "Do you want some fruit?"

"What fruit?" Tang Xu's mouth watered instantly. He hadn't eaten fruit in a long time! 

Wei Dong shook his head, indicating that he didn't know the name. "I picked them from the mountain. I'll get them for you." He put down the thin bamboo in his hand and quickly went into the main house. In no time, he came out with a bowl filled with small red fruits.

Tang Xu's face lit up as he recognized the fruits as cherries!

Back in his childhood, there was a cherry tree in his family's courtyard. Every May and June, small red fruits would ripen, hanging in clusters from the branches, presenting a picturesque scene with the red fruit against the green leaves.

He hadn't expected to find them here, though the ripening time seemed to be earlier than he remembered.

But it didn't matter. After all, this wasn't the world he was familiar with, and many things couldn't be judged by his usual standards. He expressed his gratitude and took the bowl, placing it on his lap. He picked up a couple of cherries and popped them into his mouth, enjoying the sweet and sour taste.

As the cherries stimulated his taste buds, his mouth started to water.

"When did you pick these? Up at Yuanbao Mountain?" The cherries looked fresh, indicating that they must have been picked recently.

Wei Dong sat on a small wooden stool, using a knife to work on the bamboo strips. He replied, "I went to Xiaoyou Mountain yesterday. There are quite a few fruit trees there. These are the red ones. If you like them, I can pick more next time."

Tang Xu happily nodded his head. Despite Wei Dong's reserved demeanor and few words, his actions were genuinely touching, and Tang Xu loved this kind of capable person who didn't speak much.

Wei Dong worked quickly and soon broke the bamboo into strips of similar width, as Tang Xu had requested. He brushed off the debris from his clothes and said to Tang Xu, "I'll go catch some fish."

He actually wanted to say more, but he seemed unsure of what to say. In the end, he could only give a brief response, feeling somewhat frustrated as he pursed his lips and glanced down, waiting for Tang Xu's reply.

Tang Xu crossed his legs, placing the bowl of cherries between his knees, and looked up at Wei Dong.

With a bright smile and sparkling eyes, he replied, "Great! Catch a few more fish, and I'll weave two baskets first." Tang Xu pointed to the house behind them. "Is that the kitchen over there? What are we having for lunch?"

He asked the question quite naturally, achieving three out of the four words of "entering the house."

"I bought some meat and ribs, and there are also vegetables. You can cook whatever you like," Wei Dong scratched his leg nervously, showing his inner unease.

Tang Xu nodded with a smile, "Then go and come back soon."

Wei Dong responded with an "okay," grabbed his fish spear and basket from the wall, and quickly left with long strides. Wei Xi peeked out of his room, sneaking glances outside through the window. He dared not go out until his brother left, feeling anxious.

Seeing his brother leave the courtyard, he happily climbed down from the kang (a heated brick bed) and headed outside. Remembering Tang Xu's advice to put on more clothes, he went back to his cabinet, pulled out a thin coat, and put on thick fur boots before heading out.

His outfit, well, it looked good. Despite being thin, he had a handsome face. However, considering it was May, it seemed a bit exaggerated to dress so warmly. If anyone else saw him like this, they would probably say, "He looks sickly." But Tang Xu thought it was appropriate.

Covering up in spring and braving the cold in autumn could prevent various illnesses, especially for Wei Xi, who was already in poor health. He needed to dress warmly outside to avoid catching a cold, which could seriously affect his lifespan.

Seeing Wei Xi walking over slowly with an eager expression, Tang Xu realized that Wei Xi couldn't engage in vigorous activity. Even fast walking or running was too much for him, as his body couldn't handle it.

His heart tightened at the thought of Wei Xi's frail health. He needed to be taken care of.

Waving his hand and patting the small wooden stool beside him, Tang Xu said, "Come here and sit, out of the wind." As he said that, a gust of wind blew, carrying a faint fragrance. Tang Xu took a deep breath, the scent becoming even more intense. His eyes lit up as he stood up and looked around.

Wei Xi, who was about to sit down next to him, was startled by his sudden movement and looked at him in confusion.

"What are you looking for, Brother Xu?"

Tang Xu sniffed the flower fragrance as he followed its scent with his steps, replying, "Over there, there are locust trees, with clusters of white flowers and round leaves."

Wei Xi pointed his hand, "In the backyard, there are several locust trees on the mountainside behind the back door. Brother Xu, you're amazing. You didn't even see them but you know what kind of trees they are."

"It's not that I'm amazing, it's just that this fragrance is too familiar," Tang Xu said, unable to resist swallowing his saliva at the thought of the delicious food made from locust flowers. He turned to Wei Xi, "Let's go pick locust flowers and make locust flower rice for lunch."

"That tree is very tall, and it's dangerous to climb up. How about we wait for Brother to come back and let him pick them?" Wei Xi looked at him anxiously, afraid of making him angry by refusing.

Tang Xu scanned the yard and spotted a sickle against the wall.

"It's okay, let's make a tool ourselves. If we wait for your brother to come back, we won't be able to eat lunch until who knows when. You stay here and don't move," he said, picking up the sickle. He examined its blade, which gleamed with sharpness, indicating it had been recently sharpened.

He took two untrimmed bamboo sticks, cut them into lengths of over two meters, and then tied the sickle to the bamboo sticks with hemp rope, wrapping it securely and adding an extra layer for safety.

After finishing, he lifted it up to test, finding it manageable. For the sake of a good meal, he could overcome any difficulty!

"Let's go," Tang Xu turned back to see the astonished expression on Wei Xi's face, "Bring the basket, let's go pick flowers!"

Wei Xi involuntarily followed his footsteps as they passed by the back of the house and headed out.

Tang Xu also surveyed the backyard, which was large and barren.

There were some vegetables planted in the ground, not many, similar to the front yard. There were also separate pigsties and chicken coops, and a small pond with not much water, presumably intended for ducks, although they were never raised.

As his gaze swept over the area, Wei Xi quickly added, "Brother doesn't know how to farm. I wanted to help, but Brother wouldn't let me. He just randomly scattered seeds, saying they would grow without needing care. Anyway, since we didn't have any vegetables, we could use money to buy them from the neighbors..."

Tang Xu didn't think much about it. He agreed with Wei Dong's approach. If one didn't know how to farm, it was better not to mess around. It was better to leave the land as it was, especially since there weren't many weeds, indicating it was regularly cleared, which was good.

"Brother Xu, my brother is very skilled at catching wild animals. He can always sell a lot of silver from them. Don't think badly of him for spending money," Wei Xi said anxiously, seeing Tang Xu's lack of response. "He's very strong and can do a lot of things."

Tang Xu raised an eyebrow and poked his cheek, "How old are you?" It was surprising that such a young child would speak up for his brother to gain favor.

Wei Xi blinked, confused. "Nine," he said, pinching his fingertips, and whispered, "I really am nine years old, I'm just small for my age."

Tang Xu thought of Wei Dong's height and comforted him, "Take care of your body and you'll grow taller. Drink your medicine on time, eat well, sleep well, and don't get sick. Maybe you'll grow even taller than your brother in the future."

Wei Xi's eyes sparkled with determination. Growing taller than his brother was definitely motivating! "I'll remember, Brother Xu, I'll take good care of myself!" 

"You're a good kid," Tang Xu poked his cheek again, and then the two of them walked out through the back door.

When the large mansion of the Wei family was built, a piece of mountainous land was deliberately enclosed. The back door didn't lead to an open village road but to a semi-enclosed high wall, half of a small hill, and a piece of land. In contrast to the inside of the courtyard, this area was lush with many flourishing green plants, some edible and some not. Apart from these, there were many trees on the hillside.

Scanning the area, Tang Xu mentally counted: seven locust trees, two pine trees, and three elm trees.

Most of the locust trees were in full bloom, and when the wind blew, the fragrance of the flowers was intoxicating.

The elm trees were also covered in elm seeds, clustered together and looking very tempting.

The pine needles were long and upright, with pine cones between the branches. Tang Xu never expected to see such a sight, and his eyes widened in astonishment. He was completely amazed by the treasure trove of a courtyard. 

"Brother Xu?" Wei Xi noticed him standing still and nudged him. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just surprised," Tang Xu wiped his face, revealing a bright smile. "Let's go, pick some flowers, and taste the elm seeds." 

"What are elm seeds?" Wei Xi followed him through the grass and asked.

Tang Xu pointed, "Those green pieces growing on the trees are elm seeds. They're sweet, and I remember they're good for coughs." 

The elm trees weren't too high. He tiptoed and stretched his arm, grabbing a bunch and pulling hard. "Here, it's this."

"Can we eat this?" Wei Xi looked at the thing in his palm, not quite believing it.

Their brother's culinary skills were never good, just getting something edible was considered a success. There were a few times when he brought back wild plants, but the resulting dishes were indescribable in taste.

Now seeing these elm seeds, Wei Xi hesitated to reach out.

Tang Xu nodded, blew away the dust on the elm seeds, grabbed a small handful and put it in his mouth. He chewed on it and savored the slightly sweet taste with a hint of grassy fragrance. "Try a piece."

Wei Xi picked up a small piece and put it in his mouth, touching it with his tongue first. It didn't taste like much, but when he bit into it carefully, a slight sweetness spread out. "Huh?" He looked up in surprise. "It's actually a bit sweet."

"Yeah, but don't eat too much," Tang Xu handed him some more, then finished the rest himself. As he chewed, he walked towards the locust tree and raised the long-handled sickle he had prepared, cutting off a bunch of locust flowers that were about to bloom.

He picked up a greenish-white flower bud and tasted it, confirming its sweetness. Then he handed the bunch of flower buds to Wei Xi. "Try these, see if you like them. They're very fragrant."

Wei Xi took them, followed Tang Xu's example, tasted one, found it delicious, and then continued to eat. Tang Xu didn't overindulge, he put the basket down and started cutting locust flowers.

Nowadays, without a refrigerator, the only way to store the locust flowers is by drying them in the sun. Once dried, they can be used to make flower tea by steeping them in water. However, Tang Xu's strength was limited, and after cutting off a large basketful, he found it difficult to lift his arms.

Not wanting to overexert himself, he wiped his sweat and turned to look at Wei Xi.

The boy had been helping to pick up the fallen locust flowers from the ground. Probably due to the exercise, his face was slightly flushed, and his breathing was a bit rapid, but Tang Xu didn't hear him cough.

Tang Xu nodded to himself. Moderate exercise is good for the body, and breathing fresh air is also beneficial to health.

"Wei Xi, stop picking. Let's go back."

Wei Xi responded with an "Oh" and dusted off his hands. He reluctantly glanced up at the big locust tree, realizing that he had never noticed how fragrant the flowers were before.

Tang Xu picked some locust flowers that had fallen on Wei Xi's head, then waved his hand over his own head, shouldered the basket, held the long-handled sickle in one hand, and held Wei Xi's small hand with the other. "Let's go. It's not cold."

"I feel hot, like I'm sweating." Sweating was a rarity for Wei Xi. Even on the hottest days, he rarely sweated.

Tang Xu smiled slightly. "Moving around makes you sweat, which helps detoxify." Wei Xi didn't understand, but it didn't stop him from smiling along. Oh, this kid's smile is so lovely.

…

Back at home, they soaked the locust flowers in clear water and added some salt. Tang Xu finished weaving the bamboo basket in the kitchen and Wei Xi followed closely, always eager to lend a hand, but Tang Xu stopped him several times.

"The water is too cold, don't touch it. You can't weave this, you'll hurt yourself," Tang Xu said, seeing Wei Xi pouting unhappily. Instead, he took some shredded pork from a small jar and put it in a bowl, handing it to him. "Here, hold this and eat."

Shredded pork is easy to digest and can fill the stomach. Wei Xi hadn't eaten anything since he got up, and Tang Xu wasn't sure if he had already eaten and gone back to sleep, or if he just didn't have the habit of eating breakfast.

Wei Xi smelled the faint aroma of meat and stared at the shredded substance in the bowl, unable to associate it with meat no matter how hard he tried.

"Is this meat?" he asked.

Tang Xu chuckled as he finished weaving the handle of the bamboo basket. "You'll know if it's meat once you taste it."

Wei Xi had heard "taste it" several times today. He picked up some with his chopsticks, brought it close to his nose, and sniffed. It smelled like meat and sauce. He put it in his mouth and found that it melted instantly without needing to chew.

Wow!

So delicious!

Tang Xu froze when he saw Wei Xi put a mouthful of shredded pork into his mouth, and his eyes even welled up with tears.

What's going on?

Was he moved to tears by eating a bite of shredded pork?

Surely not, right?

Well, as it turned out, he was!

Wei Xi shed silent tears while continuing to eat the shredded pork, his expression so devout as if eating it could make him ascend to immortality. Tang Xu couldn't help but marvel at the overflowing emotions of children.

As Wei Xi continued to eat the shredded pork, he felt a sense of sadness and even despair. The thought that once this jar of shredded pork was finished, he wouldn't be able to eat such delicious food again filled him with heartache.

That might be an exaggeration, but he might truly appreciate the taste in the future.

At this moment, the young boy had yet to taste more delicious dishes, but he believed shredded pork was the best in the world. If he could eat a bowl of shredded pork every day, he was sure he could live to be a hundred years old.

Tang Xu didn't pay any more attention to the child, letting him be moved by himself. With the bamboo basket woven in his hands, he pressed the two ends towards the middle to tidy up the shape.

Realizing that there weren't enough bamboo strips to finish weaving the basket, he looked up at the sky and decided to steam the rice first. Then he would stew the meat, and while the meat was stewing, he could continue weaving the basket.

"Let's go to the kitchen," he suggested. He had noticed earlier that the kitchen was particularly large, with several big iron pots. He had wanted to show off his cooking skills and make some delicious dishes, but unfortunately, apart from a large piece of pork belly and some ribs, there were only a basket of potatoes and two withered cabbages. Well, he also had the wild vegetables he picked earlier, but as the saying goes, "A clever wife cannot cook without rice."

"What do you usually eat?" Tang Xu asked as he scooped water from the nearby big water jar to clean the pots. Suddenly, he remembered seeing a well in the backyard earlier. They didn't need to go to the river for water, which saved a lot of effort.

Wei Xi thought for a moment as he held the bowl in his hands, then recounted the brothers' usual meals.

"We eat potatoes, cabbage, radishes, onions, some leafy greens, sweet potatoes, and corn. We didn't grow much ourselves; my brother would buy them from the neighbors with the copper coins. In the summer, we eat more vegetables. I can't name them all, but they're all brought back by my brother," he explained. Then he added, looking at Tang Xu, "And tofu. I like tofu."

"Don't you eat meat?" Tang Xu glanced at the large piece of meat in the basin, which was even bigger than the one he had bought the other day, weighing at least six or seven catties.

"We do, regularly, but I don't like it," Wei Xi frowned, sounding a bit disdainful. "My brother's meat dishes aren't tasty, I'd rather eat eggs."

Tang Xu: "..."

He understood now. Wei Dong wasn't good at cooking, but in order to prevent himself and his brother from starving, he had to tough it out. No wonder this kid was so thin. It might not all be because of his poor health; it was more likely because the food was so bad that he ate less and couldn't gain weight.

There was a moment of mixed feelings, followed by a full heartache.

He gently patted Wei Xi's head and said, "It's okay. If I cook something delicious in the future, I'll have your brother bring it back for you." 

Wei Xi's eyes lit up with anticipation as he asked, "Can't you marry my brother? He's a really good person!"

Tang Xu was once again caught off guard by his directness, causing his face to turn red. He cleared his throat and averted his gaze. "Well, that's not really up to me to decide." He had already taken the initiative; Wei Dong had to do the same for this to happen!

"You sit over there and help me peel garlic. Finish the shredded pork quickly. Do you know where the rice is?" Tang Xu asked.

Wei Xi sat on a small stool and pointed to another door. "There are various kinds of rice and beans over there, as well as radishes and sweet potatoes."

Tang Xu went over to take a look. The floor was covered in hemp sacks. Upon opening them, he found that they contained almost all the varieties of rice available in the market, as well as various colors and sizes of beans, including beans of all kinds. The variety was quite extensive.

It had to be said that Wei Dong, despite his lackluster cooking skills and lofty aspirations, had prepared a lot of ingredients. He probably wanted to make a variety of dishes for Wei Xi to eat more, but unfortunately, his skills were lacking, and the taste was even worse. Most of the things he made ended up in his own stomach, and it was already good if Wei Xi could eat one or two bites.

With a light sigh, Tang Xu scooped two large bowls of rice into a basin to steam. He then steamed some rice with the locust flowers. As for the staple food, it should be enough. Thinking of Wei Dong's physique again, he scooped another bowl of rice into the basin. As he sealed the mouth of the bag, he noticed another door on the opposite wall.

Out of curiosity, he asked, "Wei Xi, what's kept in that room?"

"That's the firewood room," Wei Xi explained as he came over to stand next to him. "There are two doors, and you can also enter from the back." 

Tang Xu nodded. It made sense for the firewood room to be connected to the kitchen so that firewood could be easily accessed on rainy or snowy days. The layout was quite reasonable.

"Take the basin and sit over there. It's dirty here, don't get choked by the smoke," Tang Xu said as he picked up a bundle of firewood and handed the basin of rice to Wei Xi. "Let's go back."

Wei Xi turned around, carrying the basin, and walked through the grain storage room back to the kitchen. "I'll cook the rice."

Tang Xu nodded. "Great, you cook the rice, and I'll stew the pork ribs and meat first." With multiple stoves available, there was no need to worry about one dish getting cold while another was being prepared.

"What are you going to do, Brother Xu?" Wei Xi curiously watched him wash the meat and scrub the pigskin against the hot iron pot, emitting a burnt smell.

"Cleaning off the pig hair. Otherwise, the skin will be covered in hair and we won't be able to eat it," Tang Xu replied, his hands moving swiftly. He took the burnt skin off only after it was charred, then started scrubbing the skin vigorously.

Wei Xi watched in amazement as Tang Xu brushed off the blackened layer of the pigskin, magically removing all the original hair. "You're so skilled!" he exclaimed sincerely. 

Without waiting for Tang Xu's modest response, he continued, "My brother used to leave the hair on the meat at first. It was prickly to eat. Later, he found it too troublesome to remove the hair, so he just threw the meat into water to stew, adding some salt and soy sauce. Once it was cooked, he ate it."

Tang Xu imagined the scene based on what he said and thought that even if the meat was fresh pork, cooking it that way would probably still have a strong bloody smell.

"In that case, why don't you learn from me? Next time when he cooks, you can sit beside him and tell him the steps. If he doesn't listen, you can tell him that I taught you, and ask him to learn to cook so he can make it for you," Tang Xu suggested.

Wei Xi vigorously nodded. "Okay, I'll sit here and learn!"

Tang Xu smiled and watched as he poured the washed rice into the pot. When adding water, Wei Xi seemed unsure of the right amount and poured it in little by little. Tang Xu reached over, inserting his middle finger into the pot until the tip touched the rice. The water level didn't reach the first joint of his finger. "Your hands are small, so it should be about one and a half joints down, like this."

Wei Xi tried it with his fingers and smiled brightly. "This method is useful. Brother Xu, you're so clever!"

Tang Xu chuckled dryly. This finger method was well-known among all Chinese people who had ever cooked rice. No matter what kind of pot you encountered in the future, using this finger method to add water would never go wrong!

He placed the whole piece of pork belly on the chopping board and took out a kitchen knife from the knife rack, its blade shining brightly. It had to be said that all the cutting tools in this house, regardless of size, were very sharp.

"Are all these meats for stewing?" he asked Wei Xi, then turned to him. "It seems like too much for stewing. How about I make some oil-preserved meat? When you need it later, you can just scoop it out and use it for stewing."

Wei Xi nodded. "Brother Xu, it's up to you. I'm fine with anything."

Meat was never attractive to Wei Xi, except for that jar of meat floss!

Tang Xu cut the large piece of pork belly into three strips, leaving one for making the preserved meat later. He cut the rest into chunks, then boiled the chunks in cold water until they changed color. Afterward, he scooped them out and washed off any blood foam in another pot of hot water. "This way, the meat won't taste fishy when stewed," he said.

Wei Xi widened his eyes. "I'll remember that!"

Tang Xu chuckled lightly and used a strainer to remove all the meat chunks. This kitchen was really well-equipped, unlike Tang Erhu's side, where they had to make their own utensils to cook a meal.

The seasonings were stored in small ceramic jars, and he picked them up one by one, pleasantly surprised. Apart from the usual salt, sugar, and vinegar, there was soy sauce, dried chili flakes, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, and dried wolfberries! There were also cloves and bay leaves, but very few.

With so few seasonings, it would cost at least a hundred taels of silver to buy them all back. "Did your brother buy these?" Tang Xu asked.

Wei Xi nodded. "Brother said these are all medicinal herbs. He heard from someone that they can be added when cooking meat, but when he tried it once, the smell was almost like Chinese medicine. I didn't like it, so he stopped adding them."

"Of course, if you add too much, the taste won't be good. Adding a little bit enhances the flavor," Tang Xu said as he popped a Sichuan peppercorn into his mouth. The taste was acceptable. He then took a sniff of a bay leaf. Its aroma was very faint, indicating that it had been left for too long.

The smell of the crushed dried chili was pungent, and when he tasted a bit, he initially didn't feel much, but soon his entire tongue started to tingle and sting—it was very spicy!

Putting down the small ceramic jar, he tasted the black soy sauce. Its flavor was not much different from the dark soy sauce used in later generations.

"Do you also buy soy sauce from the neighbors?" Tang Xu asked.

Wei Xi nodded and pointed to the row of jars in the corner. "Brother buys soy sauce and pickled vegetables from the neighbors. Usually, he doesn't let me eat too much pickled vegetables, saying it's bad for my health," he licked his lips shyly and lowered his eyes. "But when he's not home, I sneak a few more bites."

Tang Xu smiled at him and said, "When making pickled vegetables, a lot of salt is used, so eating too much isn't good for you."

He picked up a basin of ribs next to him. The ribs had been chopped into small pieces by Wei Dong, blanched in water, and washed clean. There wasn't too much meat on the ribs. Usually, when ribs were sold here, the meat would have been shaved off. Wei Dong probably bought them from a familiar butcher and asked them to leave some meat on.

"Half will be stewed with radishes, and half will be made into sweet and sour ribs," Tang Xu said, looking at the small stove nearby. Stewing ribs with white radish in that large-bellied clay pot would surely make them very flavorful.

"That's the pot I use for medicine," Wei Xi said, seeing him glance at the small stove and pointing to the small clay pot. "I use it every day, and I've already broken several of them."

Tang Xu sighed lightly and pinched the child's cheek. "It's okay, just keep a few more at home. Don't worry about breaking them."

Wei Xi nodded with a smile. "Brother bought a lot and put them in that room over there. He even made a wooden shelf. It's quite big. Do you want to go take a look, Brother Xu?"

"We'll have a chance to visit later. Let's focus on cooking for now," Tang Xu said as he took out the sugar jar, preparing to caramelize the sugar later. He was busy bustling about, and Wei Xi watched intently, occasionally exclaiming in amazement and sniffing the air deeply. He had never smelled such a delicious fragrance before!

"Doesn't your brother render pig fat?" Tang Xu asked. Rendering fat was something almost every household did.

Wei Xi watched as Tang Xu poured the rendered fat into a large bowl. He couldn't help but swallow saliva unconsciously as he replied, "When he renders the fat, it always turns into a paste."

"You need to simmer it slowly over low heat; otherwise, it's easy to burn," Tang Xu explained as he poured boiling water into a pot to stew the pork belly.

He peeled and cut a large white radish into chunks, placing them in a large bowl next to him, ready to add them to the pot when the pork ribs in the clay pot were almost done.

In another pot, the pork ribs were also stewing. Tang Xu prepared the sweet and sour sauce in a bowl and used chopsticks to dip a bit, letting Wei Xi taste it. "Is the sweet and sour balance okay?"

Wei Xi nodded and said it was very good; he liked it.

The rice in another pot was almost ready. Tang Xu washed the locust flowers soaked in the basin several times, drained them, and then poured a large bowl of flour into it, adding a little salt. He stirred until all the locust flowers were coated with flour. One bowl wasn't enough, so he added half more.

Locust flower rice cooks quickly, so it would be done when the meat was ready.

After wiping his hands, Tang Xu went outside to check the sky. The sun was already overhead. It was almost half-past eleven. Why hadn't Wei Dong returned yet? Tang Xu returned to the kitchen and pulled out a few pieces of firewood from the stove, simmering the stew over low heat.

"Wei Xi, do you want to go inside and rest for a while? I'll call you out to eat when your brother comes back," Tang Xu asked Wei Xi, who was sitting on a small stool. He had been by his side all morning, and Tang Xu didn't want him to get tired.

Wei Xi shook his head and quickly stood up when he saw Tang Xu was about to leave.

Wei Xi got up a bit too quickly and felt dizzy. His body swayed, and Tang Xu quickly supported him. Before Wei Xi  could take a step, his legs started to feel numb. It was painful, tingling, and uncomfortable. Wei Xi's face twisted in discomfort, and he began to gasp. 

Tang Xu chuckled and asked, "Is your leg numb? Shall I massage it for you?"

"No, no, no, I'll just take a moment to rest. I'll be fine on my own later," Wei Xi shook his head vigorously.

Tang Xu insisted that he stay in the kitchen. It was warm inside with all the layers of clothing he had on, and going outside in the cold breeze might make him sick.

"I'll bring the things over and weave the basket at the door. If you don't want to go back to rest, you can walk around the kitchen and keep an eye on the fire for me."

As Tang Xu started to weave the bamboo basket, he heard voices clearly coming from outside the courtyard wall.

"Xiao Wei, how can you catch so many fish to eat? Sell me one. I want to stew tofu with it," one of the women said.

"Sell me one too. I'll use it to make fish soup to help my daughter-in-law with lactation," said the other.

The voices of the two women sounded enthusiastic, but Wei Dong simply replied with two words, "Not for sale."

The two women's smiles faded instantly, and one of them muttered, "Why so stingy? We're not asking for a freebie. You've bought salted vegetables from my house before."

"Yeah, and you've bought sweet potatoes from my house too!"

Wei Dong responded bluntly, "I won't buy them next time."

Tang Xu couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange.

Wei Xi also heard the conversation. Although he didn't understand why Tang Xu was laughing, he explained for his brother, "Those fish were caught for you, brother Xu, so of course, we can't sell them to others. And what they said about buying salted vegetables and sweet potatoes, that was a long time ago. The salted vegetables were too salty, and the sweet potatoes were very small. We stopped buying from them later because their stuff was expensive and not good."

"Then who does he buy from?" Tang Xu calculated that in the future, they would definitely need to utilize the vegetable garden in the backyard. Besides searching for seeds in the mountains, they would also need to buy some from nearby neighbors.

Wei Xi thought for a moment and replied, "It seems like he buys from Grandpa Wu's house and Grandma Sun's house. I'm not too sure. If you want to know, you can just ask my brother directly, Brother Xu."

Tang Xu nodded in acknowledgment, but he didn't pause in his weaving.

The aroma of the meat wafting from the kitchen grew stronger and stronger. Not only did Wei Xi inside the kitchen feel tempted and salivate, but the fragrance also drifted to neighboring houses, teasing their senses.

"Who's cooking meat? It smells so good!"

When Wei Dong entered, Tang Xu set down the half-woven bamboo basket, washed his hands, and shook off the water droplets. "You're finally back. Wash your hands, drink some water, and take a rest. The meal will be ready soon."

Wei Xi fetched a bowl of water and obediently handed it to his brother.

Wei Dong glanced at his brother and noticed that his complexion had improved significantly. "What have you been up to?" he asked as he took the water and finished it in one gulp.

Wei Xi's eyes sparkled as he began to excitedly tell his brother how amazing Tang Xu was and how skilled he was in cooking. He also mentioned how happy he was after eating acacia flowers, elm seeds, and meat floss, emphasizing just how delightful the experience had been.

Wei Dong listened with joy and envy.

Afterward, he went to the well in the backyard to take a cold bath, then returned to his room to change clothes. Seeing a pair of hemp thread socks lying on the kang, he picked them up, felt them, and tried them on. They fit perfectly, and wearing them felt different from cotton socks, but still quite comfortable. He also fetched a new pair of cloth shoes from the cabinet and put them on before heading out.

Standing outside the kitchen, watching the busy figures inside, Wei Dong drifted off into his thoughts once again.

His mother used to be like this, bustling around in the kitchen, preparing meals. When his father returned from the fields, his mother would smile at him tenderly and prepare a bowl of sweet soup to coax him into behaving.

Back then, his younger brother hadn't been born yet, and both his parents were always around.

"Why are you spacing out again, Wei Dong?" Tang Xu nudged him and looked him over. He noticed Wei Dong's new shoes and the hemp thread socks peeking out. Feeling quite pleased with himself, Tang Xu asked, "Are they comfortable?"

Wei Dong nodded but didn't say anything, looking rather dull.

Tang Xu suppressed a smile and chuckled to himself.

"So, where should we eat? The meat is ready," Tang Xu asked.

Wei Dong replied, "In the main hall."

Tang Xu ladled the braised pork and potatoes into a large porcelain bowl, the bowl itself looked expensive just by its appearance. The radish and pork rib soup was served directly from the clay pot onto the table, with each person serving themselves. 

The cold mixed wild vegetables were seasoned with minced garlic and drizzled with hot oil, producing a sizzling sound that filled the room with the aroma of garlic, masking the smell of the meat.

"Take the dishes over first. The acacia flower rice will be ready soon, and I'll finish the sweet and sour ribs," Tang Xu instructed, pointing to the steaming pot beside him. "Get some bowls and chopsticks."

Wei Dong acknowledged with an "oh" and, together with his brother, carried the pot and the bowl back, then returned with bowls and chopsticks.

The fragrance of the acacia flower rice permeated the air, surrounding Tang Xu. He lifted his arm and took a whiff, confirming that it had absorbed the flavors well.

He sliced the remaining pork belly, lightly stir-fried it in the oil leftover from frying the pork belly earlier, added some salt, and then transferred everything into a jar, covering it with a lid.

"Is it ready?" Wei Dong entered, seeing him still busy and said, "There’s no need for more, let's eat first." The aroma of the meat was so enticing that Wei Xi couldn't help but sit at the table, swallowing his saliva. He didn't voice this thought, though.

"It's ready," Tang Xu opened the lid of the jar, scooped out the acacia flower rice inside, and glanced around. "Wei Xi hasn't come over yet?" 

Wei Dong shook his head, puzzled, "Are you looking for him?"

"No, I'm going to fry some chili oil. I don't want it to be too overwhelming for him," Tang Xu waved his hand, indicating for him to close the kitchen door.

He poured the dried chili flakes into a large bowl, heated up some soybean oil in a pot, then poured it over the chili flakes. While stirring, he poured the oil to prevent the chili from burning, as it would if it remained in one spot too long. A pungent and spicy aroma filled the air, causing Tang Xu to sneeze several times in a row.

Once the chili oil was ready, with its deep red hue, he scooped out the acacia flower rice - giving a small bowl to Wei Dong and saying, "This one's for Wei Xi, it's a bit spicy. I'll mix in some chili flavor for the two of us."

Wei Dong nodded, feeling unable to put his current feelings into words.

With three dishes, one soup, and two bowls of rice, the table was full.

Tang Xu sat on a chair, seeing both brothers eagerly looking at him, he chuckled and said, "Let's eat, what are we waiting for?" 

Wei Dong picked up his chopsticks, his bowl filled with steaming white rice. "Let's eat." These two words were spoken with the authority of a household head.

Tang Xu smiled as he picked up his bowl, eagerly anticipating being able to sit down like this and eat together every day in the future. Should he subtly hint to the other party to propose soon? Things like hating being unmarried, that's all about him!

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