The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 38

 

| TBBOTOF | 38

Recently, Wei Xi has experienced both "pain" and "joy".

How so?

Ever since tasting the dinner made by his brother, Tang Xu, Wei Xi couldn't bring himself to even look at the concoction his brother made in a pot.

He used to be able to force it down, but after eating braised pork, for the next two days, he didn't even have the courage to lift the bowl to smell what was served on the table.

It's not fair to blame him for despising his brother's cooking skills. Didn't he notice that his brother himself ate it with a black face?

Eating his brother's lunch and dinner was painful, and Wei Xi experienced what it meant to have no appetite for life.

But!

He still had a jar of shredded pork given by his brother!

When he couldn't swallow his brother's cooking, he would scoop out a small bowl of shredded pork. Reluctantly and devoutly, he would take a little bite, and the aroma and taste would revive him once again!

It's not an exaggeration to say that for the past ten days, he has been surviving on that small jar of shredded pork!

Question: Didn't Tang Xu marinate some pork belly in oil to be used for cooking? How could the food still be unappetizing? 

Answer: When Wei Dong cooks, he pours in a spoonful of oil to marinate the meat, but then he throws in a bunch of vegetables and pours in water. Conclusion: No matter how delicious the meat is, it can't withstand the disaster caused by the kitchen killer.

Anyway, Wei Xi couldn't smell even a hint of meat fragrance, and the vegetables were so soft and mushy, it felt like they melted in the mouth...

Not all dishes need to be so soft that they melt in the mouth. When it comes to leafy greens or cabbage, that sensation, taste, and visual impact of them melting in the mouth are quite something.

Wei Xi volunteered to cook, and Wei Dong thought it was fine since he had been mostly in the mountains lately. He entrusted his little brother with preparing lunch.

The result of Wei Xi's cooking was no better than Wei Dong's. Apart from their resemblance, their skill in cooking dark cuisine was also equally unparalleled.

After eating his own cooking for two days, Wei Xi gave up decisively, no longer torturing himself. He still had shredded pork; even if his brother didn't come back to cook lunch, he could survive on the shredded pork. Watching the shredded pork diminish day by day, Wei Xi's heart was in pain, almost falling ill!

On another note, whether it was because of the new medicine from Chun Tang or because he had grown up and had stronger immunity, Wei Xi, although still prone to coughing, hadn't experienced fever, dizziness, or breathing difficulties, which was much better than previous years.

Wei Dong had been busy lately going into the mountains to find old ginseng. He found quite a few ginseng roots, but many of them had poor appearances. Only the day before yesterday did he find a very good one, with long roots forming a perfect zigzag shape, with each spiral layer pressed tightly together. The entire ginseng was at least two meters long after being dug up, and there were still some broken roots in the ground, but he didn't waste any and dug them all out.

After digging the big pit, he decided to make a trap out of it.

Being busy with frequent trips to the mountains, he didn't pay much attention to Wei Xi's physical condition. He only knew that his brother wasn't sick, although he didn't seem too energetic at meal times, his complexion was still decent.

Wei Xi was also aware that his brother's busyness was for his sake. He just did some simple chores every day, enough to keep himself exercised without getting too tired.

He had asked his older brother when Tang Xu would come back home again, and Wei Dong replied that he didn't know, he was busy lately. After that, Wei Xi stopped asking and silently counted the days in his heart.

Today!

Wei Xi heard Tang Xu's voice!

Sitting on the kang, he doubted whether he had hallucinated from not eating much for lunch. But the knocking on the door wasn't fake, and the shouting wasn't fake either! He hastily got off the bed and walked out quickly.

Tang Xu was peeking through the crack in the door, and when he saw Wei Xi coming out of the house, he quickly shouted, "Don't run, walk slowly, I'm waiting for you here."

Wei Xi slowed down his pace, catching his breath. He pulled back the door latch, and Tang Xu, hearing the movement, pushed the door open. Wei Xi excitedly threw himself at him, "Brother Xu, you finally came! If you hadn't come, I would've starved to death!"

Tang Xu couldn't help but laugh and cry. He held Wei Xi's head in his hands and carefully examined his complexion. It seemed fine, not as pale as before, and he hadn't lost weight either.

"Wow, why are you so pitiful? Didn't your brother make you any food to eat?" 

Wei Xi pouted and pulled him towards the courtyard, leaving the courtyard door open.

Tang Xu reached back to close the main gate. 

"Look, this is the lunch my brother made." Wei Xi took him straight to the kitchen, pointing at the big bowl sitting in the pot, containing cabbage stewed with meat.

Calling it stewing was already too much of a compliment; calling it soup would be more accurate.

Tang Xu's breath hitched for a moment as he glanced at it. 

"...You only eat this?" 

Wei Xi nodded, pointing to the steamed buns placed in a small winnowing basket nearby. "And steamed buns." Tang Xu turned to look at them again, his expression freezing.

These were steamed buns?

Wasn't it too generous to call them that? Where was the softness? The fluffiness? The roundness?

Even if they weren't round, they should at least be square!

These irregularly shaped, unevenly sized, and pockmarked things, were they really steamed buns? He picked one up, and unsurprisingly, it felt solid.

"Wei Xi," Tang Xu's expression turned solemn as he looked down at him, "Have you always been eating these kinds of steamed buns?"

"Yeah, my brother doesn't know how to steam buns, and even when I try, they don't turn out well," Wei Xi nodded, grabbing Tang Xu's hand and shaking it. "Although my brother isn't very good at cooking, at least he's willing to try! Brother Xu, please don't look down on him."

Wei Xi was truly a boy who never forgot to praise his thoughtful brother.

Tang Xu chuckled and pinched his cheek. "Alright, alright, I understand what you mean. I haven't looked down on him. Have you finished all the shredded pork I gave you these past few days?"

"No, I've been very frugal with it, I haven't dared to eat too much at once," Wei Xi's big eyes stared at him eagerly. "Brother Xu, why didn't you come earlier? I missed you so much."

"Your brother didn't ask me to come," Tang Xu snorted lightly. "If I hadn't come today, carrying a load of ginseng, your brother would have forgotten about me." 

Wei Xi quickly interjected, "No, no, my brother definitely remembers you! Just like me!" 

Tang Xu asked calmly, "He remembers me? Then why didn't he come find me?"

Thinking of the look Wei Dong gave him earlier, Tang Xu felt a shiver run through his body, tingling and electrifying. So dominant, so enticing.

Wei Xi led him outside, explaining as they walked, "He went to find mountain ginseng, and now he's in town delivering it to someone. Brother Xu, please wait here, I'll have my brother talk to you when he comes back."

Wei Xi thought Tang Xu had come by himself, unaware that his brother had already seen him. Tang Xu raised an eyebrow. Mountain ginseng, what a valuable item.

Not to mention that. Even in future times, a well-preserved wild mountain ginseng is worth a lot of money. But now they're protected, so they can't be dug up anymore.

Tang Xu quickly pulled his wandering thoughts back and followed the direction Wei Xi was leading him.

They entered the main hall, and after sitting down, Tang Xu put his backpack aside and glanced around the room. It was the same as last time, not much decoration, but quite clean.

It seemed that Wei Xi was the one tidying up, and Wei Dong's ability to come back in time to cook despite being busy in the mountains was commendable.

"Tang Xu, would you like some honey water?" Wei Xi picked up a tea cup and the teapot nearby. "My brother found wild honey in the mountains, it's sweet and fragrant."

The last time Tang Xu saw this tea set, he thought Wei Dong truly understood the finer things in life. Despite his rough appearance, the items in his house were quite good, and they had a complete variety.

In the big mansion, they never used clay bowls, only ceramics.

Outsiders said Wei Dong was poor, spending all his earnings on medicine for his brother, and marrying him meant enduring hardship.

But the truth was, while he might not have much spare money, he was definitely not poor. Even if Wei Xi's daily medication cost money, it wouldn't drag Wei Dong down.

To put it into perspective, if he earns five hundred taels a month and Wei Xi's medication costs three hundred taels, he still has two hundred taels left.

Living in the village, with only the two brothers, and without extravagant tastes, even if they eat meat every day, they wouldn't finish a whole pig in a month. How much is a pig anyway? Three to four taels at most!

As for clothing, Wei Xi hardly ever goes out, and Wei Dong mostly goes into the mountains. While good fabric may be expensive, having a couple of sets of clothes for special occasions is enough. For everyday wear, even if they buy good fabric, ten taels for a piece of cloth is more than sufficient.

In terms of living expenses, they have a well-built big house to live in, and when they go out, they walk. As for utilities, they use cooking pots and utensils, but even these, being consumables, are rarely replaced on a daily basis.

So, the villagers say that Wei Dong is as poor as can be, despite living in a big house. They claim they have nothing, and marrying into their family would mean enduring hardship.

But how did these rumors spread? Could it be that Wei Dong intentionally acted in a way that led to these misunderstandings?

The brothers went through a few years of hardship, borrowing money from others, and even selling their fields. The villagers made fun of them for it. But why don't they consider how they managed to build such a big house without money? 

The plot of land that Wei Zhong bought couldn't have been so large. Buying land, building the house, digging a well, and fencing off half a hillside—how could they have done all that without money? Wei Dong did it, all by himself.

Furthermore, if they've done all these things, wouldn't they have bought back the land they sold before? What does that prove? It proves he's capable of earning money!

And, he's not poor at all!

The front and back gates of the big house are locked every day. Wei Xi doesn't open the door for anyone he doesn't know, and they don't let strangers into the house either. At most, they exchange a few words with Wei Dong in the courtyard.

To put it simply, apart from the brothers Wei Dong and Wei Xi, Tang Xu is the only one who has seen the large porcelain bowl in the kitchen. Even Wei Zhonghong, the elder sister who still exchanges a few words with the brothers, has never drunk water in the main hall.

Wei Dong has a strong sense of territoriality. He's also a bit solitary. In simple terms, if he doesn't like someone, they'd better not get close to him. So far, Tang Xu is the only one he respects and allows into his territory.

Tang Xu is unaware of these dynamics, nor does he think about them. He just thinks that Wei Dong knows how to live. Making money to buy things he likes and putting them in his house lifts his spirits.

As for saving money instead of spending it all, worrying about how to support children in the future, Tang Xu believes in living in the present. Who knows if they'll live to see tomorrow?

But I digress. Right now, Tang Xu, holding the tea cup, is blissfully enjoying the sweet floral fragrance emanating from the tea. It's hard to tell what flower it is, but it's rich and dense without being overwhelming.

With every sip of honey water, his mouth is filled with sweetness.

"Tastes good," Tang Xu smiled at Wei Xi, who was looking at him expectantly. Understanding his thoughts with a moment's reflection, he praised, "Your brother is amazing, very talented!"

Wei Xi's smile grew wider. "Brother Xu, are you hungry?"

Tang Xu glanced outside. "Isn't it a bit early to eat now?"

"In that case, can you stay a bit longer if we eat late?"

"...Alright, then I'll go see what we can eat," Tang Xu pinched his cheek gently.

They walked back to the kitchen from the main hall. As they crossed the courtyard, Wei Dong happened to open the main gate. Tang Xu raised his eyes and their gazes met, sparking a sudden connection.

Tang Xu felt his cheeks heat up under Wei Dong's focused gaze. He was the first to avert his eyes. "Wei Xi, do we have any meat at home?"

"No, my brother said it's getting hot, and buying too much meat might spoil easily," Wei Xi replied, turning to look at his brother who was already walking towards the backyard without even saying hello. Frowning slightly, he complained, "Brother, why aren't you talking to Brother Xu!"

Wei Dong stopped in his tracks, turned to look at Tang Xu, nodded, then quickly headed towards the backyard.

It didn't seem like he didn't want to interact with people. Rather, it seemed like there was some issue he didn't want Tang Xu to see, and he needed to deal with it quickly. Tang Xu narrowed his eyes, sensing something was up.

"I think my brother probably feels dirty coming back from outside, so he's going to clean up in the backyard before coming over. He's always been very clean," Wei Xi explained.

"You're truly a thoughtful younger brother," Tang Xu couldn't help but feel moved by having such a 'praise your brother' kid around. Even though he didn't have much of a feeling towards Wei Dong, he found himself swayed by the words.

In Wei Xi's constant praise for his brother, aside from his cooking, one could hardly hear anything negative about him.

"Brother Xu, did you come here just to see my brother?" 

"I came to see you," Tang Xu replied with a serious face.

Wei Xi rolled his eyes. "I don't believe you. Your eyes lit up when you saw my brother earlier."

"If your eyes don't light up, you must be blind," Tang Xu retorted. He wasn't about to engage in a discussion about feelings with a little kid, making himself look inadequate. "Is there a butcher in the nearby village? It would be best to buy some meat."

Tang Xu didn't argue with him about who would pay. Instead, he thought about needing more dough later. Otherwise, they might not have enough for the pancakes.

"Let's make meat pies. I'll knead the dough, and we'll go buy some meat together."

Tang Xu rolled up his sleeves to wash his hands and fetched a large wooden bowl from the shelf to pour the flour into.

The flour they used here was whiter and finer than the kind Tang Erhu's family used. It was almost impossible to see any bran inside; it was sieved very thoroughly.

Judging by Wei Dong's appetite last time, they would probably need to eat thirty or forty meat pies today. Tang Xu simply scooped a large bowl of flour, added equal parts of cold and hot water, a little salt to increase the gluten of the flour, and started kneading the dough.

Wei Xi stood beside him, watching as his hands kneaded the dough in the bowl, gradually forming it. Initially sticky and messy, the dough under his movements gradually took shape. Although it was still very soft, it wasn't as sticky as before!

This was so amazing!

Wei Xi exclaimed with awe.

Tang Xu patted the soft dough and wiped the sweat from his shoulder. "What's wrong?" He reached out and took down the large cover curtain hanging on the wall, covering the bowl with it. "Let's go. Let the dough rest for a while."

"Wow, Brother Xu, you're really amazing! I can't believe you can knead dough like this! My brother always struggles with it, adding more water if it's too dry and more flour if it's too sticky. He says it's too sticky and hard to work with, and he can't even form it into a ball!" Wei Xi's eyes were full of admiration, all because Tang Xu knew how to knead dough!

Tang Xu coughed lightly, patting the flour off his body. "As long as it's not too watery, you just need to knead it a bit longer," he said, glancing towards Wei Dong standing outside the door.

Wei Dong came to the kitchen after showering, hearing Tang Xu's words. His eyes swept over the large bowl on the long table, then back to Tang Xu. Tang Xu felt his presence exuded a sense of satisfaction and calmness.

Satisfaction with what?

Was he satisfied that he chose the largest bowl to knead the dough? Tang Xu's mind was suddenly filled with such thoughts. How could that be possible? The person he was interested in wouldn't be thinking about food all the time!

"Brother, Brother Xu wants to make meat pies. I'll go buy the meat with the copper coins," Wei Xi said, also noticing Wei Dong and pointing at the large bowl. "We need to buy more meat for more dough."

"And we can't just have meat filling, we need some vegetables too," Tang Xu interjected. "I saw some tender Chinese cabbage in the yard, we can pick some, along with a few radishes and scallions. Three types of fillings."

Both brothers looked at him eagerly.

Wei Dong nodded. "I'll go buy the meat," he said, then turned and left. Wei Xi looked confused, raising his head to look at Tang Xu. "Didn't you say I should go buy the meat?"

"No worries, if your brother wants to go, let him. You can help me pick the vegetables," Tang Xu said, taking Wei Xi's hand and heading outside. He found two iron scissors in a wooden box against the wall, roughly made but similar in appearance to modern scissors.

He tested them with a press and found them quite handy.

 

“Does Wei Xi know how to use them?" Tang Xu showed him the scissors. Wei Xi nodded, "Yes, I've used them a couple of times."

"Then be careful not to poke yourself. Don't cut too close to the stem, leave some so they can continue to grow," Tang Xu said. In fact, he wanted to discuss with Wei Dong about planting various vegetable seeds in the empty spaces. With good weather, they could harvest in two months, and by summer, they would have a yard full of various vegetables that could be stored for winter consumption.

But the problem was, he was afraid that if he brought it up, Wei Dong would refuse, citing the lack of someone to tend to the garden. As Wei Xi had mentioned, they didn't plant anything because they didn't know how. Could he come every day to water, fertilize, and deal with pests? 

Tang Xu sighed as he trimmed the vegetables, wishing he could hurry up and get married to take charge of the household!

Early in the morning, Wei Dong went to the town to deliver the old ginseng to Boss Wu. When the ginseng was taken out, the person beside him was shocked, followed by jealousy that he couldn't hide.

This old ginseng could fetch a lot of money!

Boss Wu turned his thumb ring on his thumb, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the old ginseng. This quality was the first time he had seen it!

"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Wei. Please, have a seat."

"No need." Wei Dong had been running to the mountains these days, with limited care for Wei Xi. Today, he got the money early and wanted to go back sooner to make sure his younger brother ate properly at home.

He even wanted to take a walk in the bamboo forest in the afternoon. Even if he couldn't see Tang Xu, he could leave a mark for the other person.

Tang Xu was so clever, he would surely understand his intentions if he saw him.

Thinking about things in his mind, his eyes were fixed on Boss Wu, his expression somewhat indifferent.

Boss Wu had originally planned to chat with him, but being stared at like this, he felt stiff and pulled out a stack of ten thousand silver bills and pushed them over to the table.

Wei Dong's gaze lowered, looking at the stack of silver bills.

 

He slowly raised an eyebrow, "Boss Wu, that's too much." Even if the old ginseng was of good quality, it wasn't worth ten thousand silver taels. There had to be a reason for giving this much money.

Boss Wu chuckled, "Well, Brother Wei, we've known each other for so long and done many transactions together. You know my character."

Wei Dong grunted, "Get to the point."

"You know I have a beloved daughter who is just coming of age, and she's also beautiful..." 

"No, I'm leaving. I can't match up." Wei Dong grabbed the silver bills, stood up, nodded to Boss Wu, and said, "Goodbye."

Boss Wu stared blankly as he left, hissing in shock.

The steward of the Wu family, who had been silent the whole time, approached, "Master, Wei Dong really didn't give you any face!"

"You know nothing!" Boss Wu snorted and patted his chest, "If he really agreed to be my son-in-law, I'd have to worry every day. He's not someone who knows how to cherish others. How could I let my daughter marry him and suffer? He's not worthy! Damn it!"

The steward chuckled along, realizing it was true. Wei Dong didn't seem like someone who would treat others kindly. They couldn't let Miss marry him and endure frustration. He wasn't worthy! Damn it!

Boss Wu ignored the steward, happily approaching the old ginseng that Wei Dong had tied to the board. He leaned over and sniffed it vigorously, "Fragrant! Fresh! The earthy aroma is still there!"

The steward grinned beside him, agreeing with everything the master said.

After leaving the Wu mansion, Wei Dong went straight to the official bank, deposited nine thousand and five silver taels, kept five hundred silver taels on him, and then went to the Huichun Hall to get a month's worth of medicine packages from the shopkeeper. He also told Dr. Xu about Wei Xi's recent condition.

Dr. Xu listened while stroking his beard, nodding slowly, "Next time you come to town, bring him along. I'll take his pulse and have a good look at him, and adjust the prescription as well."

"Alright." Wei Dong took out five hundred silver taels and placed them on the table. "Keep it."

Dr. Xu's lips twitched as he looked at him. "Do you know that even Dr. Sun in the capital has heard of you?"

"Hmm?" Wei Dong didn't understand what he meant. Who was Dr. Sun?

"Dr. Sun is the head physician at the Rejuvenation Hall in the capital. His family has been producing renowned doctors for generations. Your brother's prescription this time was looked over by him, which is why I was able to change the medicine to two different ingredients." Dr. Xu seemed proud to be associated with such a renowned physician.

Wei Dong, however, replied coldly, "Having renowned doctors doesn't prevent people from dying. I don't care who knows about me. As long as my brother can be cured and live a healthy life, I'll pay whatever it takes."

Dr. Xu sighed heavily upon hearing about Wei Dong's family situation and said, "Alright, alright, I've said too much. You can go now. When you come to collect the medicine next time, don't forget to bring Wei Xi."

"Got it." Wei Dong stood up, about to leave, but then remembered he had a ginseng root in his backpack. He took it out and showed it to the senior doctor. "How is it?"

Dr. Xu took it and examined it carefully. "The quality is good. How much are you asking for it?"

"How much would you pay?" Wei Dong asked.

Dr. Xu thought for a moment and gestured with his hand, indicating eighty.

"Eight hundred?"

"...Eighty!"

Wei Dong nodded. "Sold." This ginseng root was something he had seen while digging for the old ginseng. It was palm-sized and had fine tendrils, appearing to be of little value.

Eighty taels were reasonable, similar to what he had in mind. Dr. Xu stared at him with old eyes, pointing and scolding, "You scoundrel."

"Too low? Then I'll sell it to you for a hundred." Wei Dong smirked slightly, ready to leave before the old doctor started scolding him. "I've deposited five hundred taels and I'll take the eighty taels in silver fragments."

Dr. Xu sighed, "Go on, go on. Just go to the accounting office and get it yourself."

They were indeed very familiar with each other. The old gentleman in charge of the accounting office at the Rejuvenation Hall smiled as soon as he saw Wei Dong coming in. He was their big client, a premium one!

He heard that Wei Dong had deposited five hundred taels, with the silver notes kept by Dr. Xu, and then sold a ginseng root to Dr. Xu for eighty taels in silver fragments.

The gentleman nodded, found Wei Dong's individual ledger, recorded the transaction, and handed over the silver.

With the eighty taels in silver fragments in hand, Wei Dong went to the pharmacy and said to the pharmacy boy, "Sichuan pepper, star anise, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon, one jin each."

Wang Qi, the pharmacy boy, looked surprised, standing in front of the medicine cabinet without moving. Wei Dong frowned and repeated himself, "Remember?"

Startled by his cold demeanor, Wang Qi quickly nodded and fetched the herbs for him. But he couldn't resist his curiosity and asked, "What are you going to do with so many of these?"

"Eat," Wei Dong replied impatiently.

He had heard from Wei Xi that Tang Xu liked to use these spices when cooking meat. Buying some to keep wouldn't hurt. If Tang Xu knew about his plan, he would probably tell him that the flavor of the spices would diminish if kept for too long!

However, at this moment, being able to buy these spices at the pharmacy was already good enough, considering that many spices had not yet been discovered. Wang Qi's hands trembled slightly, causing a few Sichuan peppercorns to spill out of the copper scale. He hurriedly picked them up.

Now too afraid to ask further questions, he quickly weighed and wrapped the herbs in oil paper and handed them over. "It's a total of forty-nine taels of silver," he said.

 Wei Dong placed down a fifty-tael silver ingot. "Also, give me another tael of Sichuan pepper." 

Wang Qi nodded and handed it to him. Wei Dong put all the herbal packs into his backpack and left.

As he hurried back along the road, he wondered if he should make a trip to the mountains later. Otherwise, he would go tomorrow morning to see if he could meet Tang Xu on the mountain. He also had a gift to give to him, as a return gift.

Then, he saw Tang Xu and his elder aunt walking side by side on the village road.

Wei Dong went to the butcher's house. The butcher was sitting under the eaves, smoking a pipe, with thick smoke billowing out, which was quite choking.

“Oh? Why did you come over at this time, Dongzi?” The butcher, seeing Wei Dong coming in, tapped his pipe and stood up to greet him. “What meat do you need?”

Wei Dong followed him into the house and looked at the meat laid out on the meat counter. It was red and had dried on the surface.

“Just killed this morning, a whole pig,” the butcher pointed to a corner where the pig's head was still visible, “You want any particular cut, I'll chop it for you.”

“All of it,” Wei Dong glanced over the meat on the counter. There was still quite a bit left, around fifty pounds or so, with pork belly, lean meat, and ham, but the fat had been mostly taken away. 

There were also a few large bones, some ribs, but not much meat left on them. Usually, they wouldn't leave any meat on the ribs unless they were given prior notice.

“All of it?” The butcher was surprised. “How are you going to eat all of this? It'll spoil if you keep it for too long. Otherwise, I can get you a pickle barrel, and you can stuff some sausages in it to cure.”

Wei Dong thought for a moment. Tang Xu should be able to make sausage. He nodded. “Alright, tally it up.”

Although the butcher's surname was also Wei, his relationship with Wei Dong was distant. They had to go through several circles to figure out their distant kinship. They didn't have any close relationship, just normal interactions. Wei Dong rarely bought this much meat at once.

The butcher was curious as to why he was buying so much meat, but his hands were swift as he weighed the meat.

“Five hundred and thirteen wen. Give me five hundred, that'll do,” the butcher brought over the offal basket. “Here, it's quite delicious when stir-fried with sauce, but it's a bit of a hassle to clean up afterward.”

Wei Dong thanked him and took out half a tael of silver coins from his money pouch. “And pack those few big bones for me.”

The butcher happily tied up the big bones with hemp rope and then strung all the meat together with more rope. Half a tael of silver was worth much more than five hundred copper coins.

Wei Dong walked briskly back home, carrying the meat in one hand and the basket of offal in the other.

In the kitchen, Tang Xu was chopping vegetables. He chopped the green radish finely, adding a pinch of salt to remove excess moisture. After washing the green vegetables and draining them in a basket, he took out some winter onions that Wei Dong had bought from a nearby neighbor's house during the winter. They hadn't been used up and had sprouted again in the ground.

Tang Xu pulled out two of them, noticing that Wei Dong hadn't returned yet, but then he heard the courtyard door slam shut.

"Brother, why did you buy so much meat?" Wei Xi, who had been watching Tang Xu chop the large onions and got teary-eyed from the sting, was ushered out of the kitchen by Tang Xu to wash up in the courtyard.

Wei Xi saw his older brother carrying so much meat and felt sorry for him. "Did you buy half a pig?"

"No, it's not even fifty pounds," Wei Dong gestured for him to bring out two empty basins and began to separate the meat and offal into them. Tang Xu, hearing the commotion, came out of the kitchen, shaking off the water droplets from his hands. "Your family doesn't have an apron, do you have any linen? I'll make one."

"Yes, I'll get it for you."

"Wait," Tang Xu saw the meat and offal in the basin and couldn't help but ask, "Why did you buy so much? How are we going to eat all of this?"

Wei Dong looked at him, his expression full of trust in Tang Xu. "You cook. Any excess, you can take back and eat."

"...Me cook?" Tang Xu licked his lips, his eyes scanning the meat and offal in the basin. He pointed to the large bones. "Split the bones in half."

"Okay." Wei Dong nodded and grasped the ends of the bones with his hands, muscles bulging, and snapped them apart.

Tang Xu was startled by the sight. He had just witnessed something unbelievable. Did this man just break thigh bones with his bare hands? These were bones, right? Not wood!

Wei Dong didn't notice Tang Xu's shocked expression as he quickly snapped the bones. "Here, no need for a knife."

Tang Xu couldn't believe what he had just seen. This man was something else!

Tang Xu shook his body vigorously. No wonder Wei Dong managed to escape from the claws of tigers and bears. Wei Dong was definitely a beast!

"Xiao Xi, don't hang around here. Go rest in the house. I'll help your brother clean up."

The offal needed to be washed quickly and boiled, or it would definitely start to smell if left overnight.

There was quite a bit of meat, both fatty and lean. Tang Xu looked at the pile of intestines and then turned to Wei Dong. "Scrape some ash from the stove and wash these intestines. Wash them thoroughly a few times, and then rub them with salt. I'll use the small intestines to make sausages."

"After separating the fat and lean meat, use that piece of pork belly to make some preserved meat and put it in a jar. Scoop some out when you want to eat it," Tang Xu said, thinking about the leftover pot of cabbage soup. "And when you stew the vegetables, don't add so much water."

Wei Dong nodded and got to work.

It was around two-thirty in the afternoon, and Tang Xu and Wei Dong were busy. Thanks to Wei Dong's strength and skill with a knife, they made quick work of chopping and cutting the meat. Tang Xu was impressed by how thoroughly Wei Dong washed the offal, even turning the large intestines inside out and washing them clean.

He gave Wei Dong a thumbs up in his heart. He was meticulous in his work, which was really good.

Wei Dong complied with Tang Xu's request while cutting the meat for the sausages. "I bought some more medicinal herbs. You can use them when stewing the meat."

Tang Xu was momentarily surprised when he heard about the medicinal herbs, but then he realized Wei Dong was talking about spices.

"Where did you put them?"

"They're inside, in the backpack."

Tang Xu went to the main room and saw the backpack placed at the door, filled with packets of herbs. He picked it up and sniffed each packet. Some had a single distinct aroma, while others had a mixture of scents, with a strong bitter taste.

Wei Xi, poor little guy, must suffer so much from drinking the bitter concoctions made from these herbs every day. He opened the packets of herbs and raised an eyebrow when he saw what was inside.

"Wei Dong, you must have spent quite a bit of silver on these, right?" Tang Xu knew that Wei Dong probably bought these for him, considering that he rarely used the spices in their seasoning jar.

Wei Dong nodded. "Fifty taels."

Tang Xu sucked in a breath. "That's expensive."

"It's okay," Wei Dong turned to look at him. "Do you like them?"

"I do," Tang Xu grinned, revealing a row of small white teeth. "I really like them!"

This man is so thoughtful. Although he doesn't say sweet words, his actions are truly touching.

Tang Xu secretly rejoiced. This man I've set my eyes on is truly wonderful!

No, no, I must get a definite answer from him today. I can't hold back anymore! Forget about restraint and playing hard to get. I want to get married!!!

Wei Dong also smiled. "As long as you like them. I'll buy more when they're used up."

"Yeah, I'll grind these into powder and mix them into the filling."

"There's a small stone mortar on the shelf over there," Wei Dong pointed in the direction. "It hasn't been used in a long time."

Tang Xu went over and brought down the stone mortar, which felt heavy. "No problem, I'll just give it a rinse."

One of them pounded the spices, the other cut the meat, while a pot bubbled with simmering pork bone soup, and another pot simmered with pig fat. The third pot remained untouched, as Tang Xu would use it later to make stuffed pancakes.

At four-thirty, Tang Xu and Wei Dong began stuffing the sausages. They used clean thin bamboo tubes and bamboo skewers to fill the meat into the small intestines, stuffing them tightly and tying them with hemp rope. At first, their cooperation wasn't very good; either the small intestine wasn't tied tightly enough and the filling fell out, or they stuffed too much meat, making the sausage too thick.

But gradually, they became more proficient, their cooperation improved, and their speed increased. In no time, they finished filling all the small intestines.

  

 "Hang these up, preferably in a cool and ventilated place, higher up to prevent rats from stealing them," Tang Xu instructed.

Wei Dong nodded and carried the basin to hang up the sausages.

With a little bit of meat filling left, they decided to chop it up and make filling pancakes. The large dough that Tang Xu kneaded earlier was now soft and pliable, showing excellent elasticity.

With three types of fillings in three different basins, Tang Xu instructed Wei Dong to add some firewood to the stove where the pork bone soup was simmering and to pull out two large pieces of firewood from the stove where the pig fat was being rendered.

"You flip the fat in there with a spoon," Wei Dong nodded and followed Tang Xu's instructions.

Meanwhile, Tang Xu heated up the pan and poured in soybean oil. Then, he started wrapping the filling into pancakes and frying them in the pan, drizzling oil over them as they cooked. After they were lightly fried, he placed them neatly in a bamboo basket, standing upright one by one.

Wei Xi, who was inside the house, could already smell the delicious aroma and couldn't resist coming over to the stove, peeking through the door. "Brother Xu, is it ready?" he asked eagerly.

Tang Xu turned around and said, "Come over here and try a couple of pancakes first."

"No, no, I'll wait for you guys to eat together," Wei Xi replied reluctantly, shaking his head.

Tang Xu chuckled and handed him a bowl with two pancakes—one with pork and cabbage filling, and the other with pork and green radish filling. "After you finish these, I'll serve you some soup."

Wei Xi glanced at his brother secretly. Seeing that his brother didn't object, he quickly took the bowl and said, "Thank you, Brother Xu."

Tang Xu nodded. "Go eat in the living room; the smell of oil here might be too strong for you."

"Okay," Wei Xi obediently carried the bowl out of the kitchen.

Tang Xu worked quickly and soon filled the bamboo basket with pancakes. He glanced at the pot where the oil was being heated and said, "Scoop out the oil residue in there and pour the oil into jars."

  

Wei Dong obediently scooped out the oil residue. The color of this residue was different from the one he usually got when rendering oil—it was a large piece, with a golden brown color and a fragrant aroma, unlike the small, black, and sticky pieces he usually obtained.

"I usually simmer it over high heat," he explained.

"I heard from Wei Xi that not only do you use high heat, but you also cut the fat too finely, which can easily darken the oil. After it's cooled, this oil should be white. Next time you render oil, try adding less hot water," Tang Xu advised.

Wei Dong nodded, his expression showing that he was receptive to the advice.

He couldn't help but admire Tang Xu's skills. Not only was he good at manual work, but he also excelled at cooking. It seemed like there was nothing he couldn't do. How could there be such a capable brother!

"Leave some oil in the pot and stir-fry the chopped large intestines. Add plenty of chili peppers and green onions, and a little vinegar," Tang Xu instructed, while his hands were busy making pancakes.

The spicy aroma of the dried chili peppers made both of them sneeze simultaneously, followed by a shared smile.

How amusing!

After finishing the pancakes, Tang Xu began to simmer the ingredients. This pot of simmered dish needed time to soak up the flavors, and it would need to soak overnight before it was ready. They wouldn't be able to taste it today.

"Let's eat," Tang Xu said, covering the pot and adjusting the stove to a low heat.

It was already past six o'clock.

The sun was setting, and darkness would soon fall.

The spicy stir-fried large intestines were solely prepared by Wei Dong. He nervously watched as Tang Xu took a piece, cut into a diamond shape, and tasted it.

Wei Dong stared at Tang Xu and asked, "How is it?"

“Delicious!” Tang Xu nodded, “You cooked it a little longer than usual, but it turned out great.” At least for Wei Dong, it was a delicious dish he wouldn't even dream of cooking.

Wei Dong was very happy, his eyes filled with smiles. "Thank you. This is my first time cooking," he admitted. He used to only know how to stew, not because he didn't want to stir-fry, but because he couldn't get the oil quantity right every time. Oh well, it was best not to dwell on it.

Wei Xi had already eaten without lifting his head. He had eaten three pancakes, which were quite large, and he was starting to feel full, but he still wanted to eat more. "Can I have half of the green onion filling?" he asked Tang Xu eagerly.

Tang Xu raised an eyebrow and handed him a portion of the green onion filling. "Sure, but after you finish eating, go for a walk around the yard."

Wei Xi nodded repeatedly, "Okay, okay."

Wei Dong silently ate, focusing on his food. He held a pancake in one hand and a bowl of bone soup in the other. The soup was creamy white with no fishy taste at all—very delicious!

"Follow the method I just showed you, and make bone soup for Wei Xi every day. Add some wolfberries and red dates for extra nutrition," Tang Xu advised as he sipped his soup and ate a piece of large intestine. "I'll leave after dinner, and I'll come back tomorrow to finish that pot of simmered dish."

Wei Dong nodded. "I'll walk you out." It was perfect timing to give the gift as well.

He couldn't help feeling a little nervous about whether Tang Xu would like the gift he had prepared.

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