Chapter 208 Lin Heng’s Bad Thoughts
It seemed to be because it had just snowed. The sky was high and there were not many clouds.
It was just enough time to get some sunshine, so Lin Heng speeded up. It was around three o'clock in the afternoon when he got home.
Moving the things home and tying the horse, Lin Heng went to Liu Lan's house to take a look. There were quite a few guests here today, all of whom were their own relatives.
Lin Yue saw Lin Heng coming over and said with a smile: "If you don't want to come, just stay at home for the time being. There are not many people. I can make soju for you."
"Then thank you, brother."
Lin Heng patted the elder brother on the shoulder and was not polite.
I saw Mr. Hui Yin Yang’s practice, and there were also people singing filial songs, and it was very lively with gongs and drums.
A large number of people in the village gathered here to watch, and some who could sing sang a few words along with it.
After watching for a while, Lin Heng lost interest. He told his elder brother and turned around and went home.
In the house, Xiulan Xiulan had just boiled water and made a simple pickled cabbage noodles.
After eating, Xiulan looked at Lin Heng and said, "You roll out the dumpling wrappers, and I'll make the dumpling fillings."
"Okay."
Rolling out the dumpling wrappers is not No problem, Lin Heng washed his hands, put the dough he had woken up from yesterday on the wooden chopping board and rolled it out.
No skills, just roll out the dough thinly. Lin Heng was so strong that he rolled out the wrappers of Xiulan's dumplings before the fillings were ready.
Use a knife to cut, and each palm-sized square dumpling wrapper is ready.
They all use this square dumpling wrapper here, and the dumplings they make look like gold ingots.
“It’s done, let’s start making the dumplings.”
Xiulan finished filling the dumplings, brought them over and said with a smile.
At this moment, Xiaoxia was riding a wooden horse in the main room, and no one was causing trouble, so the two of them quickly started to do it.
Since there is no refrigerator, I don’t pack much at one time, only 150 or 60 pieces, which is enough for three people and three meals.
"I'll knead some more dough. If there's still some dumpling filling left, I might as well make it into a pie." Xiulan looked at Lin Heng and said.
"Go ahead, I'll get some wheat to make malt."
Lin Heng went out to look at Xiaoxia, then scooped two kilograms of wheat from the cabinet and soaked it in water.
To sprout malt, it is natural to soak it overnight to allow the seeds to fully absorb water.
After finishing this, Lin Heng went out to the yard and pulled some coriander and green onions for Xiulan to make vinegar soup later.
Xiulan added some green onions to the meat filling and made it into a pie the size of a vegetable steamed bun. After it's done, put oil in the pot and fry over low heat until both sides are golden brown, and the aroma spreads to the yard.
“It smells so good, I want to eat it!”
Xiaoxia sniffed and trotted towards the kitchen.
She was not as tall as the earthen stove. She raised her hands and barely grasped the edge of the stove. Her eyes could not see the pot, and she was so anxious as she smelled the aroma.
"It's coming, it's coming."
Xiulan smiled and shoveled the pie out and put it on the chopping board.
“I want to eat, I want to eat~”
Xiaoxia kept shouting while looking at the golden pie.
But it wasn’t just her, Lin Heng was also drooling. It was already past five o’clock, and he was also hungry.
The remaining dumpling fillings were used to make a total of four pies, ten centimeters in diameter.
After it cooled down a bit, each of the three took one and ate it.
When you take one bite, the skin makes a crispy sound, and the inside is soft and full of fillings. When you eat it in your mouth, the various aromas of oil residue, walnuts, sesame and spring onions explode in your mouth, especially the taste of oil residue and walnuts, the combination is perfect.
But Lin Heng was not satisfied yet, so he went to get some fermented bean curd and smeared it on the surface of the pie, adding a texture and fragrance that really made people want to devour their tongues.
The faces of the three of them were all filled with happy smiles. In this era, underdeveloped rural areas had to cook their own delicious food, but it seemed to taste much better than what they bought.
Just these two bites of pie, Lin Heng felt that the walnuts he spent a long time smashing yesterday were worth it.
“It’s surprisingly delicious.”
After Xiulan finished eating the pie in her hand, she smiled and said, this life is really happy.
“It also depends on your craftsmanship.”
Lin Heng said with a smile that his wife’s craftsmanship also contributed a lot.
Some women in rural areas cook dishes that are so unpalatable that they make them vomit.
Xiulan smiled slightly, cut the remaining pie in half, and gave the larger part to Lin Heng. The two of them were full after eating.
As for Xiaoxia, that pie was enough for her to eat. Lin Heng was afraid that the pie would cool too quickly, so Lin Heng took her into the bedroom. The warm room would not cool down so quickly.
After adding a little fire to the fireplace, Xiulan cleaned the tripe she bought today. This thing needs to be cleaned well with flour and baking soda.
Lin Hengze cut up the beef he bought this year and hung it outside the house. It would be naturally frozen overnight.
After thinking about it, Lin Heng took out a large wooden barrel from the house, filled it with water and placed it in the backyard.
After everything was done, Lin Heng went back to the bedroom, got some rosin and lit it, placed the stove on the windowsill, poured a cup of tea and drank it slowly.
"Dad, tell a story."
After Xiaoxia finished eating the pie, she threw her oily little hands into Lin Heng's arms.
When caught by Lin Heng, she still looked innocent, her big eyes were dazzling, and she looked like she was unsteady and wanted to be hugged.
Lin Heng took him to wash his little paws, then held her in his arms and read her a storybook.
Sometimes you can only see results if you do something and persevere. Just like Lin Heng's insistence on reading to Xiaoxia, it seems that nothing has changed in a short period of time, but now more than half a year has passed, and Xiaoxia is much better than the children of the same age in the village, both in terms of speaking ability and wisdom.
Many three- and four-year-old children cannot speak fully and do not understand basic principles, but Xiaoxia is very smart and can remember many things.
It seems that she was tired from walking on the street for too long today. Not long after Lin Heng read it, Xiaoxia fell asleep in his arms.
Putting her on the bed, Lin Heng wanted to go to bed, but was pulled by Xiulan. She opened her big bright eyes and said, "I'm not sleepy yet, you can read a little longer."
"Okay."
Lin Heng nodded and read this chapter of the story to Xiulan.
It was only eight thirty after finishing reading, and Xiulan had already moved to Lin Heng's side unknowingly and leaned on his arm.
"You can rest if you want, I've heard enough."
Xiulan said softly after seeing Lin Heng stop.
"I suddenly want to write."
Lin Heng looked at his wife and said with a smile.
He also had a lot of practice with brush calligraphy in his previous life. Of course, it was not calligraphy, just a level that ordinary people would find aesthetic.
There was ink in the room, but no writing brush. He remembered that his father's house had one. But it doesn't matter if he has it or not, he can just buy one later.
He can do this himself, but he finds it troublesome and the steps are really cumbersome.
However, although there is no writing brush, there are still pens. After all, I often need to keep accounts.
Lin Heng found two pieces of blank paper, took a poetry book and copied poems for a while.
His handwriting with a pen was usually average, but this time he started writing with a pen and unexpectedly found that he had improved.
He thought for a while and felt that this might be because his ability to control his fingers had increased, and his ability to control pen writing would not be that bad.
“Do you want to write, wife.”
Lin Heng wrote for a while, looked at Xiulan who was leaning on him and asked with a smile.
"Then let me try."
Xiulan took the pen and copied Li Yu's Poppies in the Tang poetry collection.
Her family is poor and she is a girl. She only attended the fourth grade of elementary school and her educational level is not high. When he started writing, it was a bit beyond Lin Heng's expectations.
She writes horizontally and vertically, in regular block letters. "Honey, your calligraphy is pretty good too."
Lin Heng said in surprise that he never noticed that Xiulan had this talent in his previous life. But when she thought about it carefully, she was so overwhelmed by life that she had no chance to hold a pen.
Xiulan looked at him and blinked: "Is this the truth or are you trying to make me happy?"
"Of course it is the truth, the word "伱" is written correctly."
Lin Heng said with a smile.
A gentle smile appeared on Xiulan's face after being praised: "No one has ever said this before. When I was in school, my favorite things were painting and writing."
Lin Heng looked at his wife He said softly: "Then later I will find someone who is a master of painting to teach you."
Going to school in this era is very luxurious. Many rural people only go to school for one or two years, so they probably know some of them. I was forced to drop out of school after I became a child.
Poverty blocks the way for too many people. Xiulan is like this, and Caiyun would be like this if it weren't for Lin Heng.
"Then I'll be waiting." Xiulan blinked, looking forward to it.
"Then let me teach you how to write first."
Lin Heng grinned and motioned for Xiulan to sit on his lap.
Xiulan rolled her eyes at Lin Heng, thinking that this guy really couldn't be serious for more than three seconds.
But after Lin Heng’s repeated requests, she still sat on it.
Lin Heng didn't have any bad intentions. He just held his wife's hand and put his head on her shoulder to teach her to write.
On this late night, there was silence outside, the faint scent of pine lingered in the room, and the flames danced in the fireplace. Lin Heng held Xiulan's hand and wrote word by word, and the fragrance of her Dharma was refreshing in his breath.
With the one I love by my side, just writing has become a different feeling. Gradually, the two of them were immersed in this wonderful feeling, and they finished writing a page without realizing it.
"You are so patient now."
Xiulan put the pen down, turned sideways and put her arms on Lin Heng's shoulders, looking at him with eyes like autumn water.
“This seems to have started in May.”
Xiulan looked at Lin Heng again and said curiously.
“Because you believe me every time I say the prodigal son comes back.”
Lin Heng smiled slightly.
Paused for a moment, then continued: "Actually, I had a dream before I came back. I dreamed about things that would happen for a long, long time in the future, and I was frightened by what happened inside."
Xiulan looked at Lin Heng. After looking at him for a while, his arms gently hugged his neck: "That must be God's help."
Xiulan still wanted to speak, but Lin Heng moved his mouth forward and touched the red lips that were very close at hand.
“Oops, that’s not serious again...um...”
Xiulan still wanted to speak, but Lin Heng blocked her mouth.
Her body went limp at that time, and she cooperated in a confused manner, and the two of them quickly peeled each other off on the small bench.
Lin Heng hugged his wife and brought her to the bed.
The lights were not extinguished. Lin Heng looked at Xiulan, whose face was flushed with red. He immediately pounced on the food with a move of a hungry tiger, eating from top to bottom, not sparing anything wherever he went.
Xiulan looked at Lin Heng's head gradually descending and felt that the door to the new century had been opened.
After a long time, Lin Heng pulled Xiulan's head and wanted to kiss her, but she turned away to avoid it.
"No."
Xiulan shook her head, remembering what Lin Heng had just done. If she was kissing herself, wouldn't it mean that she was eating her own food? It was really hard to accept.
Lin Heng suddenly held her head down and kissed her.
“Well…”
For a moment, Xiulan’s eyes widened.
For the first time since birth, she knew her own taste.
After a few minutes, after Lin Heng let go, Xiulan glared at Lin Heng fiercely: "You bad guy, you did it on purpose."
Lin Heng chuckled: "I don't despise you, but you despise yourself."
"Besides, you die!"
Xiulan grabbed Lin Heng's mouth , the other hand pinched the flesh of her waist.
“I don’t dare anymore.”
Lin Heng quickly begged for mercy, it was really painful to pinch him to death.
"Hmph!"
Xiulan glared at him fiercely, turned around and didn't want to say anything to him. This guy definitely did it on purpose and had planned it for a long time.
Lin Heng moved his body a little further, and Xiulan immediately leaned over again.
Waiting until the next morning, when Xiulan washed her face and brushed her teeth, her pretty face could not help but blush when she thought of yesterday's ridiculous things.
Then he raised his head and glared at Lin Heng fiercely.
Lin Heng pretended not to know anything and did not dare to speak.
After washing his face, Lin Heng took out the wheat that had been soaked yesterday, threw it through a sieve, put a layer of cloth on it, and poured the wheat on top.
Of course he is preparing to make maltose. With the warm environment of the bedroom, the malt will be very lush in three days.
“Wife, look at the natural refrigerator I made.”
Lin Heng shouted to his wife with a smile.
The water in the wooden barrel he put outside yesterday was frozen, but the water in the center was still liquid.
Pour out the water in the center, take the wooden bucket and place it on the wall where the sun cannot shine. It will be a natural refrigerator that can be used for more than a month.
Xiulan looked at it and felt that Lin Heng's mind was quite smart. She nodded and said, "Put the beef in first."
After saying that, she said, "You go ahead. Pluck some green onions and let’s eat dumplings in the morning.”
“Okay.”
Lin Heng had missed this dumpling meal for a long time and went to the front yard to pull green onions. Xiulan quickly prepared a bowl of fragrant vinegar soup.
Lin Heng went to wake Xiaoxia up and get dressed. After washing her face, she came over and cooked the dumplings in the pot.
Ladle it into a bowl and pour the vinegar soup on it. Lin Heng's saliva can't help but flow down.
Take another bite. The sourness, the taste of coriander, the aroma of scallions, spicy and other seasonings wrap the dumplings with good texture and taste. Lin Heng thinks this is even more delicious than the pie yesterday.
And this vinegar soup is definitely the soul that makes the dumplings taste better. With this bit of sourness, it seems that all the fragrances have a brand new taste.
Lin Heng and Xiulan didn't say anything, but ate dumplings with big mouthfuls. Only Xiaoxia couldn't hold the spoon for a long time and couldn't eat it in her mouth. In the end, she was so anxious that she grabbed one and put it in her mouth.
“It’s delicious~”
After taking a bite, a smile suddenly appeared on her face, and she was conquered by the taste of the dumplings.
"I feel like I've finished these twenty before I finish them. They're so delicious."
Lin Heng took a sip of the vinegar soup and said with a smile.
"Then do you want to order more?"
Xiulan looked at him and asked. The expressions of Lin Heng and Xiaoxia made her feel that holding the dumplings was worth it.
"Actually, I'm full, but my mouth still wants to eat, isn't it Xiaoxia?"
Lin Heng said with a smile while feeding Xiaoxia.
“Yes!”
Xiaoxia chewed something in her mouth and muttered quietly.
(End of this chapter)