The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 242

 

| TBBOTOF | 242

Luo Pingping went out with Tang Dahu in the cow cart, bringing some meat and eggs but nothing else.

Initially, Tang Dahu didn’t want to go. In his view, accepting help meant that the family could not get by on their own. 

But if they took the initiative to visit, it would be as if they were admitting defeat.

After scolding her, she sat on the edge of the kang and started to cry. Eventually, he agreed.

Tang Xu wasn’t aware of this matter. In three days, it would be New Year’s Eve, and he and his family were preparing for the holiday.

They made these preparations every year, but this year, with more people in the family, Tang Xu had started working early in the morning.

Early on the twenty-eighth, he was originally working alone in the kitchen. Before long, Liu Yao and Tang Li came over to help. Since the two of them could work at the stove, Tang Xu didn’t stop them.

The next person to enter the kitchen was Wang Cuicui. Seeing the three of them already busy, she smiled and said, “Why did you all get up so early? I was planning to come over and mix the cake batter.”

“I already prepared the batter last night. In a bit, you all can go inside and start wrapping the bean buns. I’ll fry other things,” Tang Xu said as he sliced the pork tenderloin. 

He planned to make crispy meat, frying plenty to store in the freezer, so they could simply re-fry it whenever they wanted to eat it. “Later on, we’ll also make meatballs. Let your brother-in-law and Zhao Ming chop the meat,” he added, turning to Tang Li.

Tang Li nodded and went out to find Wei Dong.

Xu Ze and Liu Ge’er had also woken up. They were in the yard cooking pig feed, and afterward, they still needed to feed the other livestock.

"Brother, should we also make fried egg puffs and rings?" Liu Yao asked, holding an empty bowl. "Shall I mix the batter first?"

"Yes, and don’t make it too sweet; add a few extra eggs."

Wang Cuicui glanced at the two of them and said, "I’ll go wrap the bean buns. Where’s the bean paste?"

"It’s in the big jar on the frozen side from yesterday. Just take it out, but don’t make the buns too big—we’re freezing them."

"Alright."

Everyone busied themselves with their tasks, and Tang Xu didn’t forget to prepare breakfast first to make sure the older family members wouldn’t go hungry when they woke up.

Zhao Ming, who had been well-fed and well-rested since he came to the Wei family, no longer looked as frail as when he first arrived. He had bulked up considerably and now held a kitchen knife in both hands, chopping the pork filling with a steady rhythm. His arm muscles were quite developed.

Wei Dong, on the other hand, wasn’t using a knife. Instead, he gripped two iron rods and pounded the beef. He’d once heard Tang Xu mention a type of chewy meatball made from minced meat and had been curious to try it.

When Tang Xu saw the large bowl of minced meat, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. “How much dedication do you have to eating?” 

Pounding meat into a paste was hard work, especially for such a large bowl. Good thing Wei Dong had the strength for it; otherwise, turning that much meat into a paste would leave anyone exhausted.

“Ever since you mentioned it last time, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Is this enough? If not, I can pound another bowl,” Wei Dong said, eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

Tang Xu’s mouth twitched in amusement, and he sighed, “This is enough. It’ll make two pots’ worth.” 

After a moment of thought, he added, “Take out a piece of the aspic, and chop it up later—I’ll wrap it inside the meatballs.”

Wei Dong nodded eagerly and turned to fetch the aspic.

Tang Xu chuckled and shook his head. This man didn’t seem to have any hobbies other than eating.

“Brother, I’ll help you fry the meatballs,” Tang Li said, coming in from the side. She washed her hands in the basin, then caught sight of the large bowl of meat paste and gasped. “Did my brother-in-law chop this? How did he get it so fine?”

“It wasn’t chopped. He pounded it with iron rods. Don’t touch this bowl just yet—wait until Zhao Ming brings over the other meat filling, and then you can start frying. Have you finished wrapping all the sticky rice buns?”

“There’s still half a bowl of glutinous rice flour left. Auntie asked me to come help you with the frying, and she’ll finish up the rest with Ze’er and Liu Ge’er.” Tang Li paused and couldn’t help but say, “Brother, could you make a little less next time? Three big bowls of sticky rice flour—it’s a huge amount to wrap.”

"Once they're steamed, we’ll freeze them directly. When we want to eat them, we can just reheat them from the jar. With so many people in the family, if we don’t make plenty, there won’t be enough," Tang Xu said with a smile, raising his hand to scratch his itchy chin with the back of his hand.

Tang Li tilted her head slightly and counted the family members, then gasped, "There are three more mouths to feed this year."

She couldn’t help thinking that it was fortunate her brother and brother-in-law were good earners; otherwise, they’d struggle to support such a big household.

Tang Xu looked at her with amusement. "So, have Dad and Auntie mentioned anything about setting a date for you and Ah Yao’s wedding?"

Tang Li was taken aback for a moment, surprised that her brother had brought up the topic out of nowhere.

But unlike a few years ago, she didn’t blush. Instead, she said, "Dad hasn’t said anything, but Auntie has talked to me about it." 

She scratched her cheek, a slight smile touching her lips as a hint of shyness crept in. "After New Year’s, I’ll be fifteen. Auntie said that if I don’t marry soon, people around here will start gossiping."

She was well aware that people were already talking, since even though they were engaged, they hadn’t officially married yet. Seeing them coming and going together always attracted some disapproving looks.

"And what do you think?" Tang Xu asked, knowing that fifteen was still quite young.

However, he was also aware that in their time, fifteen was already an age when many girls became mothers.

"Me?" Tang Li looked up, a hint of confusion in her eyes. After a long pause, she finally said, "I haven’t really thought much about it."

"Do you want to marry?" Tang Xu asked. He was a bit worried that, if they kept going as they were now, their relationship might lose its spark after marriage. That was why he decided to bring it up.

As people grew up, all sorts of thoughts and uncertainties came into play.

Tang Xu licked his slightly dry lips, wiped his hands, and poured two glasses of water—one for Tang Li, and one for himself. 

After taking a sip, he continued, "If you don’t want to marry, then I—"

"Brother, I do want to marry!" Before he could finish, Tang Li quickly interrupted him.

Tang Xu raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself that her earlier hesitation didn’t exactly seem like the reaction of someone eager to marry.

Tang Li’s face reddened under his gaze, and she lowered her head to avoid his eyes. In a soft voice, she said, "I’m just… a little embarrassed, that’s all."

Tang Xu sighed and was about to say something when the kitchen’s thick curtain lifted, and Wei Dong walked in, wrapped in the cold air from outside. He was holding a basin.

Inside the basin was the aspic Tang Xu had prepared the day before. He’d made a large batch, and there was quite a bit left. Originally, he had planned to use it to make soup dumplings, but now it would be perfect for adding to meatballs.

“Ah Dong, could you fill the pots in the yard with water and start steaming the sticky rice buns? Ah Li and I are going to fry the meatballs.”

Wei Dong simply nodded and, without a word, turned to head back out.

Once he’d gone, Tang Xu looked back at Tang Li and asked, “Are you really sure about this?”

Tang Li paused, needing a moment to understand what he meant, and then replied, “I am, Brother. I like Ah Yao, and he treats me well.”

“If he doesn’t treat you well, I’ll be the first to deal with him,” Tang Xu said firmly. 

After all, he’d watched his little sister grow up, and over the years, Ah Li had blossomed into a beautiful young woman—not at all the simple country girl she used to be.

Tang Li smiled sweetly, hugged his arm, and swayed a little, playfully saying, “I know my brother dotes on me the most~”

Tang Xu let out a small huff, his face darkening at the thought of his sister getting married.

How should he put it? 

It felt oddly like the vegetable he’d carefully tended all these years was now being snatched up by the pig he’d also raised himself.

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