Chapter 17 Will she?
Jiang Xia glanced at Tian Caihua: "If sister-in-law thinks this house is better, I can trade with sister-in-law."
Tian Caihua: "."
Mother of Zhou Shi walked in with a red, white and blue bag, and asked casually: "What do you want in exchange for your sister-in-law?"
Tian Caihua immediately said: "No, Jiang Xia is just joking. Mom, do you want anything else?" Move? I'll move it!"
Mother Zhou was confused and handed the big red, white and blue bag to Jiang Xia: "These are Ah Lei's clothes, you put them away. Go back to your room."
"Okay." Jiang Xia paused and then agreed.
Zhou Chenglei told her today when he was cleaning the house. He was afraid that his parents would not agree to the separation, so he did not talk about their divorce. He only talked about the separation and asked her not to talk about it for the time being.
Jiang Xia had no choice but to take it and carry it into her room.
She thought for a while and did not help him tidy up.
The bed and wardrobe in Jiang Xia's room are all new. Zhou's mother also cut out some 囍 characters of different sizes from the leftover red paper when the two got married and pasted them on the walls, windows, and doors, making them look like newlyweds. Same as the room.
Jiangxia’s wedding dowry included thirty-six legs, two Phoenix brand bicycles for a man and a woman, a Huanan brand sewing machine, a Shanghai brand watch, and a Red Star brand radio.
It’s only the early 1980s, and these dowries are already very respectable, especially in rural areas. Of course, in the cities, some people’s dowries are already equipped with TV sets instead of tape recorders.
In a few years, washing machines, refrigerators, and televisions will become high-end wedding accessories.
Jiang Xia took out her clothes from the red leather suitcase and put them in the wardrobe.
At this time, Zhou's mother came in carrying a black plastic bucket with a long-handled wooden lid. She said to Jiang Xia: "Xiao Xia, please take out Ah Lei's clothes and give me the bag. I'll use it." Come and put the quilt.”
Jiang Xia had no choice but to open the red, white and blue bag and take out Zhou Chenglei’s clothes.
Most of them were white shirts and military uniforms, as well as boxer briefs and vests. Jiang Xia quickly stuffed these underwear into the closet, as if it was hot to the touch.
After taking it all out, Jiang Xia took out the bag and gave it to Zhou’s mother. Her face was still a little red, but when she saw Zhou’s mother put a black bucket behind the door, she asked curiously: “Why is this bucket? Behind the door?"
Mother Zhou: "This is a urine bucket. It can be used to pour vegetables."
Jiang Xia: "..."
Put a urine bucket in the room. Wouldn't it stink?
Seeing Jiang Xia's surprised expression, Zhou's mother asked, thinking that Jiang Xia was from the city, "Do you want to put one in the room?"
Jiang Xia shook her head hurriedly: "No need."< br>
Zhou Chenglei walked in at this time.
Jiang Xia quickly changed the subject: "My great-grandmother and eldest brother helped us with the day's work today. You go buy some seafood and come back. I will cook two tables of meals to thank them and celebrate our move to a new home. "
Jiang Xia didn't say anything, but Zhou Chenglei also had this intention. He came in because he wanted to tell his mother that he was going to buy seafood and ask his mother to pick some vegetables from the vegetable garden.
Jiang Xia brought it up, which surprised him a little.
Mother Zhou was also a little surprised that Jiang Xia would think of this. As for what she said about cooking two tables of meals, Mother Zhou was not at ease.
She smiled and said: "I will go to the vegetable garden to pick vegetables. Ah Lei, you go buy seafood."
Zhou Chenglei nodded: "I was just about to buy it."
Then he said to Jiang Xia: "Just let my mother cook the food. Don't get your hands wet."
Jiang Xia nodded, "I know."
After listening to her son's words, Zhou's mother glanced at Jiang Xia and went out with the urine bucket.
My son is kind to her, but I don’t know if he really paid her by mistake.
As for letting Jiang Xia cook? Will she? Mother Zhou didn’t dare to hope!
Today she helped with some small tasks without making any fuss. Mother Zhou was like Amitabha.
Mother Zhou didn’t know that Jiang Xia had a hand in cleaning up the yard, otherwise she wouldn’t have thought so.
Next, Zhou Chenglei went to buy seafood, Zhou’s mother went to pick vegetables, Jiang Xia washed the pots, wiped the stove clean, washed rice and cooked, Tian Caihua washed the dishes and set them aside. These dishes and chopsticks have not been used for a long time. , all gathering dust. Grandma brought over a piece of pork belly, weighing more than three kilograms, and a few fresh cucumbers. Jiang Xia felt quite embarrassed.
Grandma said cheerfully: "Then, I will make braised pork for everyone tonight. We will move into the new house. The house will be fat and prosperous."
My grandma has said this, and it is not good to refuse any more. Jiang Xia accepted Grandma Chengtai's affection with a smile, "Grandma Chengtai, please kindly ask me to make braised pork for Grandma Cheng."
Grandma Cheng smiled and said, "I have bad teeth. I like braised pork that melts in my mouth.”
“It’s guaranteed to melt in your mouth!” Jiang Xia said with a smile.
My grandma went to light the fire with a smile.
Melt-in-your-mouth braised pork is not difficult to make, but it takes time.
Zhou Chengxin went home and brought a large iron pot over. The two iron pots cooked together, which was fast enough.
When the family was separated, each family had a big iron pot.
Tian Caihua was worried that Jiang Xia didn't know how to cook, so she said, "I'll do it, and you can wash the dishes and vegetables!"
Jiang Xia smiled and said, "It's okay, thank you for your hard work today, sister-in-law. I’ll cook, and my sister-in-law will help me.”
Tian Caihua didn't insist after hearing this. It wasn't her family that was treating the guests, so it wasn't her who was doing it badly, and it wasn't her who was embarrassed.
And cooking for so many people makes me smoke so much that I can’t eat.
Mother Zhou happened to come back with two large baskets of vegetables, including beans, eggplants, cucumbers, melons, and Chinese cabbage.
Tian Caihua went out to wash vegetables.
Zhou's mother saw Jiang Xia, the chef, and looked at Tian Caihua: "Why do you ask her to cook? Can it be eaten?"
Tian Caihua: "She doesn't need my help, she has to cook it herself. "
Tian Caihua felt that her mother-in-law was partial and went to wash the vegetables with a sullen face. Her great-grandmother's daughter-in-law also helped wash the vegetables. She couldn't bear to look bad in front of outsiders, so she didn't quit in shame.
Mother Zhou quickly went in to help.
Jiang Xia was making cucumbers. She just took a look at the vegetables picked by Zhou's mother and knew what to make.
She has soaked the braised pork cut into uniform sizes in light salt water. The meat soaked in light salt water will become softer and firmer, easier to cook and taste better, and the blood can be soaked out. Remove fishy smell.
While it was soaking, she made a cucumber salad.
Mother Zhou was a little surprised when she saw that Jiang Xia looked presentable and had the right salt and sugar, as well as wine and vinegar. Then she went out to wash the vegetables with confidence.
After the pork belly has been soaked and dried, Jiang Xia pours the meat into the hot iron pot without adding oil, and stir-fries it like this. Stir-fry it over low heat until the oil comes out on the surface of the meat. Turn golden.
Jiangxia scoops up the excess oil and uses it to fry eggplants and melons or stir-fry vegetables, which will be very fragrant.
Then she added ginger, green onions, dried chili peppers, sugar, salt, soy sauce and other seasonings to the braised pork, and continued to stir-fry until the rock sugar completely melted and the pork belly was colored. She added water and wine. After boiling, put it directly into a casserole and simmer over low heat next to the large stove.
Jiangxia cleaned the large iron pot, fried the eggplant and melon, and then made a braised eggplant with perilla, green beans and perilla together with green beans and perilla.
Tian Caihua brought the washed vegetables in and saw that she used so much oil to fry eggplant and melon, and her tongue smacked!
Oh my god, is this eggplant or melon, or is it oil?
Fortunately, the family was separated. She would not have dared to let her cook even if the family was separated.
However, it smells good! It smells so good!
Just looking at the shiny purple eggplant and green beans makes me want to eat them.
Zhou Chenglei also bought seafood, including bamboo shrimp, green crab, tiger spot, mud fish, small red squid, and white clam.
When he saw Jiang Xia holding the spoon, surprise flashed in his eyes, and then his eyes fell on her small white hands. Thinking of the blisters on her hands, he walked over and reached out to take the handle of the spatula from her hand, " I'll do it."
The tall figure suddenly approached. Jiang Xia subconsciously turned around and looked back. Her elbow accidentally bumped into his waist. Because of this turning movement, Zhou Chenglei stretched out his big hand to hold her small hand. .
(End of this chapter)