The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 340

 

| TBBOTOF | 340

Tang Xu lifted the large pig’s head out of the pot. After a long time of stewing, the pig’s skin trembled, looking incredibly tender and soft.

A few of the kids were drawn over by the delicious aroma, standing nearby with eager eyes, drooling as they stared.

"Dad, dad, let me have a bite!" The chubby boy clung to Tang Xu’s arm, craning his neck to look at the large tray, his eyes fixed on the glistening, soy-red pig’s head.

Tang Xu glanced at them and chuckled as he coaxed the children, "It’s still too hot. Let it cool a bit before I cut it. You all go wash your hands first, don’t just stand here crowding around."

"Go, go." Er Bao shook his head vigorously, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth. He quickly wiped it with his chubby little hand, then looked up at Tang Xu with pitiful eyes. "Dad~~ meat, meat!"

Before he could finish, Xiao Bao had already tilted his head back, opening his small mouth and calling out in his soft, milky voice, "Dad!"

The chubby boy glanced around and quickly mimicked his younger brother, opening his mouth wide. "Meat, meat!"

The three of them stood in the front row, while the others in the back followed suit. From tallest to shortest, all of them had their mouths open, looking just like baby birds in a nest waiting for their mother bird to feed them.

Tang Xu found the sight amusing and playfully poked their cheeks with his fingers. "Alright, alright, close your mouths. If the cold wind gets in, your stomachs will hurt. Go inside and wait, I’ll cut some for you to eat."

The children cheered excitedly, pushing and pulling each other as they ran off toward the main hall.

Tang Xu scooped out the braised meat from the pot and placed it onto a large bamboo mat. Turning his head, he asked, “Has your brother-in-law come back yet?”

“No, but he should be back soon,” Tang Li shook her head, her eyes fixed on the glistening red braised offal. She couldn’t help but ask, “Brother, why does your braised meat smell better than mine? Even the ones at the shop don’t have this rich red color.”

“I added a little red yeast rice. It enhances the color, but you can’t use too much or it would be too red, and it won’t look appetizing,” Tang Xu explained as he cut a piece of pork stomach with a small knife and handed it to her. “Try it.”

Tang Li pouted and blew on it twice before popping it into her mouth.

“Mmm!” She chewed for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise. “It has a hint of soy fragrance!”

“I used homemade fermented soybean paste. It does make the flavor richer compared to just using regular braising spices,” Tang Xu said as he sliced another piece for himself. 

The seasoning was well-balanced, the meaty aroma mixed with a faint bean fragrance—just the way he liked it.

Tang Li grabbed a slotted spoon and helped him scoop more braised meat from the pot. The thick, rolling aroma filled the air, making her swallow hungrily. “No wonder the kids were drooling—I can barely hold myself back from eating more.”

“Cut a bit into a bowl while it’s still hot and share it among yourselves. Slice some meat for the kids too,” Tang Xu said as he stepped into the kitchen, pulling out the soaked tofu skins to make meat rolls. 

“Take some over to Wu’s family as well. I’ll make a few meat rolls—once they cool down, we can dip them in garlic sauce.”

Tang Li agreed readily.

Tang Xu quickly sliced the meat while the pig’s head was still warm. If it cooled down, the separation of meat from the bones would become troublesome.

He was focused on rolling the meat when he was suddenly patted on the shoulder from behind, startling him.

Turning around, he saw that his husband had returned at some point.

“You picked them up?” Tang Xu glanced behind him and saw his grandparents supporting each other as they entered the courtyard.

Wei Dong carried a large bundle in his hand and said, “Grandma made cotton-padded jackets and pants for all the kids. She also made one for you.”

“That many?” Tang Xu eyed the bundle, estimating it weighed nearly ten pounds.

Wei Dong raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to ask her yourself?”

Tang Xu thought to himself, Would I dare? Grandma had painstakingly made them, and if he dared to say it was too much, he’d be in for a lecture.

"What are you talking about?" Wu Guizhi smiled and waved at Tang Xu. "Hurry and help your grandpa inside to rest. The bumpy ride made his back ache."

Wei Dong reached out to support him.

"Did he strain it? Should I call Old Wu over to take a look?" Tang Xu glanced at his greasy hands and wiped them on a cloth. "I’ll go get him."

"No need, no need. Just rub some medicated oil on it," Tang Guangliang waved his hand dismissively, hunching over as he walked slowly. 

"It’s an old problem, from years of working in the fields. It always acts up in the cold weather—it’s not from the ride, don’t listen to your grandma’s nonsense."

Wu Guizhi rolled her eyes and tugged at Tang Xu’s arm. "Let him go lie down. How much meat did you cook? The whole yard smells delicious!"

"There are a lot of us, so I made extra. Grandma, try the braised offal I just made—I added fermented soybean paste, so it’s even more flavorful." Tang Xu subtly signaled Wei Dong with his eyes, indicating that he should go fetch Old Wu later to check on his grandpa.

Wei Dong nodded and helped Tang Guangliang to the side room to rest.

Meanwhile, in the backyard, the pork had already been portioned out. Luo Pingping and Wang Cuicui placed the meat on racks—given the cold weather, it would freeze solid in no time.

Wei Zhonghong carefully lifted the boiled blood sausages from the large pot and placed them in a basin. Turning his head, he said, "We’ll just heat them up again when it’s time to eat."

"They taste better if they’re a bit tender. Steam them and mix with garlic sauce, then sprinkle a little chopped cilantro. I remember Xu Ge’er has some frozen cilantro in the cold storage," she said, turning around and calling, "Ze’er, go bring some cilantro!"

Xu Ze straightened up and responded.

Hearing this, he reached out to stop him. "You don’t need to go, I’ll go instead. The cold storage is too chilly, you will get sick again."

Xu Ze blinked his eyes, obediently nodding.

He had been ill, he had to rest for six or seven days to recover. If the family was busy with the pig slaughter, he was still allowed to help out. Even the water for washing his clothes had been specially heated to make sure he didn’t catch another chill.

At twelve years old, Xu Ze had a round face and a cheerful smile, which made him appear especially lively and festive.

Tang Xu liked teasing him, especially because of his cute dimples—he was simply adorable.

Xu Ze wasn’t just watching Wei Xi go to the cold storage; he had followed along, standing outside the cold storage door, waiting.

The two of them walked ahead and behind, and Wei Zhonghong and Luo Pingping exchanged a glance. 

Luo Pingping was the first to smile and tease, "It’s almost the New Year, and Xiao Xi will be fourteen. It’s the right age for engagement. As his elder aunt, shouldn’t you be helping with the arrangements?"

Wei Zhonghong waved her hand. "I dared bring it up once before, but Wei Xi directly refused, saying his body is still too weak and he’s not in a hurry to get married." 

She glanced around, moving half a step closer to Luo Pingping and lowered her voice, "I suspect it’s because of all those herbal medicines he took in the past few years. It’s probably affected his health, and I’m worried it’ll be difficult for him to have children in the future."

When it came to matters concerning their own nephew, it wasn’t easy for the elders to ask too much, and Wei Zhonghong had judged from Wei Xi’s expression back then.

Luo Pingping frowned slightly, a mix of concern and surprise in her voice, "How could this be? 

There are two doctors in the family with such great skills. If there’s really a problem, shouldn’t they be able to treat him?"

"What are you two talking about?" Wang Cuicui suddenly appeared behind them and gave them both a light tap on their backs.

Luo Pingping jumped, startled, and Wei Zhonghong shuddered, both of them turning around and glaring at the unexpected interruption.

Wang Cuicui was holding a basin filled with shredded sauerkraut. She had originally planned to go to the well to wash the cabbage, but when she saw the two leaning in close, whispering, she came over to call them out—only to end up scaring them instead.

Wang Cuicui burst into laughter. "Who are you two gossiping about? You’re both so scared your faces went pale!"

Wei Zhonghong swatted her arm irritably. "You nearly scared us to death! Why do you have to walk around so silently?"

"You two are talking too seriously. I was just coming over to wash the sauerkraut. So, what were you really talking about?" Wang Cuicui asked, genuinely curious.

The two of them exchanged a glance, considering that she lived nearby and might know something, so they decided to ask her.

After hearing their question, Wang Cuicui shook her head. "I haven't heard anything. Xu Ge’er never mentioned it to me. I’m usually around the shop, so I know most of what's going on, but I’m not aware of this."

The three of them continued to chat, and meanwhile, Wei Xi came out of the cold storage quickly, holding a small handful of frozen cilantro.

Xu Ze, smiling, took it from him with a "thank you." He tilted his head up to carefully observe Wei Xi's face, noticing that his complexion was red, likely from the cold. 

Relieved, Xu Ze relaxed a little.

Despite his words of caution, Xu Ze couldn't help but remind, “Brother Xi, take care of your health. The weather’s getting colder, so you should drink ginger tea every day. Grandpa Wu said that you’ve had a weak constitution since birth, and even if you seem fine now, you can’t be too careless with it.”

Wei Xi nodded and teased him with a smile, "Ze'er, you’re becoming more like a little doctor every day."

Xu Ze’s face turned red, and without saying anything, he quickly turned and walked away.

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