Chapter 30: Pickled Eggs
Chapter 30: Pickled Eggs
Mei Jie expressed: “These two pig’s trotters are nothing. If you tell me one day in advance, I will get it.”
“Thank you, Jie.” Lin Qing He nodded.
The two chattered for a while, and Lin Qing He talked about the kerosene. Mei Jie told her to come over tomorrow and take it all back together. Seeing that there was a guest at Mei Jie’s counter, she said goodbye.
Lin Qing He wasn’t in a hurry to go back. She covered the basket with a tablecloth at the bottom of the basket and wandered around a lot of places. She bought some peppers, dried ginger, garlic and the like, before returning home.
When she almost reached Zhoujia Village, Lin Qing He took the eggs out of the space. Around three jin of it. As for the meat, she took out none.
That was tomorrow’s matter.
However, two buns were brought out. The three kids had not eaten meat for several days, so got to give them some meat.
In fact, this was her standard. If it was according to the village’s standard, the brothers were undoubtedly living in a honey jar.
One egg every day and occasionally white rabbit candies, apples, pears, and red dates.
If this was suffering, then what was terrible?
But Lin Qing He didn’t have this awareness.
After returning home, Lin Qing He told Mother Zhou about the trotters, saying that she needs to give a head up one day before she wants it.
Mother Zhou saw that she really had a way, and she felt a surge of emotions inside. As expected, one who can eat can further one’s own interest.
She peeked into her basket. Lin Qing He was naturally not afraid of her looking. She took out two white buns.
“White buns!” Both Da Wa’s and Er Wa’s eyes lit up.
San Wa, who became more intelligent in recent days, immediately ran up and uttered ‘eat, eat’.
Although he hadn’t eaten this white bun for a while, he still had the impression that it was delicious!
“Da Wa bring it in and cut it in half with a knife. Remember, you are the eldest brother. You have to be fair and just.” Lin Qing He handed the two big buns to Da Wa as she instructed.
Da Wa said: “Of course I will be fair and just!”
Er Wa was worried and followed him into the kitchen.
It was just cutting a bun. He’ll be six years old after the New Year. So it wasn’t a big deal. Lin Qing He was at ease letting him handle it. (T/N: without supervision, I wouldn’t)
Da Wa cut it, divided one half to Er Wa, and another half to San Wa. But he worried that San Wa will spill the oil all over his clothes and make it difficult to wash, so he didn’t give it to him. Instead, he put it in a bowl and brought it out to his mother.
“Give that half to your grandma.” Lin Qing He took the bowl and spoon-fed it to San Wa.
Mother Zhou wanted to say no, but Lin Qing He had carried San Wa and the bowl inside to eat in the hall. It was too cold outside.
“Grandma, taste it. This white bun is very yummy!” Zhou Da Wa gave it to his grandma and urged.
“Yummy!” Er Wa nodded.
Mother Zhou received the bun. This contained eggs and meat. What’s more, the bun was made from flour. It’ll be strange if it wasn’t yummy.
Seeing her daughter-in-law really doesn’t mind her eating, Mother Zhou ate it too. Really must say … It’s so delicious that she was about to swallow her tongue.
“Mother, do you want to stay for lunch.” Lin Qing He asked.
“No, I’ll go home now that you’re back,” Mother Zhou responded.
“Da Wa, Er Wa, send your grandma back.” Lin Qing He directed.
“Grandma, let’s go, we will send you back.” Da Wa and Er Wa said.
Mother Zhou let the brothers sent her back since there was not much distance and the two of them were wearing much warmer this year.
She saw that there was a lot of firewood in the house. This winter, they didn’t need to be afraid of not having enough to burn. Also, Da Wa had a sweater on, and Er Wa’s was already half woven.
There were many yarn balls at home, it seems like San Wa also had a share.
Once she reached home, Mother Zhou let Da Wa and Er Wa go back before she entered the old house.
Father Zhou was dozing off. When he saw her coming back, he uttered, “Why you’re back?”
“Fourth’s wife is home.What’s the point of staying.” Mother Zhou said.
Father Zhou’s nose moved and voiced out, “What’s that smell?”
“Had half a bun over there.” Mother Zhou answered.
There was meat at home, but when he thought about the bun, Father Zhou can’t help but feel nostalgic.
In his life, he had eaten white bun once. The taste was something that he would never forget in his life and still think about it even until now.
“Want to eat?” Mother Zhou looked at him and knew what he was thinking and chuckled.
“What eat. Third’s wife is about to give birth, no need to waste. Leave it for her to eat.” Father Zhou waved his hand and said.
The current days were much better than before. Everyone was full and satisfied. He was satisfied. As for the white bun, nothing bad will happen if he doesn’t eat one.
He never thought over at this side, Er Wa mentioned to his mother: “Mother, Grandma has eaten, Grandpa hasn’t eaten yet.”
Grandpa was usually very nice to them.
Da Wa also nodded: “Before we were hungry, Grandpa would call us to go over and eat.”
Although it wasn’t delicious, it can fill their stomach.
Because the original owner didn’t pay much attention, they used to go to their grandpa and grandma when they were hungry, so they still remember these things.
Lin Qing He understood and said: “Then tomorrow when the mother goes to buy meat, I will bring a white bun back. You guys bring it over to your grandfather. However, you have to be stealthy when bringing it and must watch him eat it.
“Alright.” Both Da Wa and Er Wa nodded.
Lin Qing He beamed and rubbed their heads: “Not bad.”
Both of their eyes shone.
“What do you want to eat at noon?” Lin Qing He asked.
“Eat egg dumplings,” Da Wa responded.
Er Wa nodded.
This was made last night, and there was no problem to leave it out in this weather overnight.
So Lin Qing He cooked dumplings for them. The dumpling soup also had some shrimp skin, and the taste was very good.
Now that there was nothing to do at home every day, Lin Qing He wanted to pickle some salted eggs.
She knew how to. What’s more, she was using the soil method. She used to learn it from her grandmother. It oozed out a lot of oil.
She preserved a small jar of salted eggs. Not much, just around two jins. She took it from the space again and also used the ones she brought back today from ‘outside’.
When marinating the eggs, she had to add some white wine. The pickling time was one month. Now it was marinated, it’ll be next month before she can take it out to eat.
When pickling eggs, she naturally called Da Wa and Er Wa to help out. For example, she handed the task of egg scrubbing to them.
She had no intention to raise them delicately.
After washing the eggs, she immediately rinsed their hands with warm water and smeared it with vanishing cream. With that, she sent them to the kang to eat apples.
Putting the jar of pickled eggs in the corner, she came to Kang and squeezed in with the brothers. However, she was knitting a sweater.
With the current temperature and sufficient firewood at home, she didn’t need to save on her usage. The kang was burning, so it was very warm.
The kang was relatively dry and they got to consume more moisturizing food like fruits. But there was no fruit in the supply and marketing cooperatives.