Chapter 72 – Pan-Fried Ribs

Chapter 72 - Pan-Fried Ribs

In the courtyard, four tables were set up, alongside a wooden plank stained with blood, suggesting where the pig had been gutted. Next to it stood several large buckets of steaming hot water, the air filled with the pungent scent of butchering, an aroma akin to the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

The smell of butchering was much like the festive odor of the New Year, symbolizing revelry and joy.

Wei Dahu held up half of the pork slab and gave it a pat. The skillful way the pig had been carved suggested that it wasn't the work of his elder brothers, but likely the doing of that rascal Chen Erniu. It was done with remarkable efficiency. Next to a few clean buckets, strips of freshly cut meat and two plump hind legs of the pig could be seen.

As for the offal that Jin Guiren found disdainful, such as large and small intestines, liver, and other parts, they were hung up with palm leaves, not to be discarded. These items could be transformed into delightful dishes with generous use of spices; some people had a particular fondness for them. The shoulder blade meat, tenderloin, front leg meat, ribs, and belly pork that were shaved off were taken by Second Sister-in-law and others to the kitchen. It was likely too late to prepare braised pork shanks today, but with this entire pig, there were many edible parts to enjoy.

Especially since Wei Dahu had said they could cook extravagantly without sparing anything, except for a few pieces of belly pork he specifically requested to be set aside. The rest was left to the creativity of his sisters-in-law.

The menacing pig head and tail were placed in a wooden basin in the main room. These would not be consumed tonight; the best way to enjoy them was to braise them with spices to accompany alcohol. Pork head meat, ears, and tails were beloved snacks for men to pair with their drinks.

However, no matter how much they craved these treats, they wouldn't be able to savor them tonight, as time simply wasn't on their side!

In the kitchen, Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, Wu Zhaodi, and Third Uncle Grandfather's granddaughter-in-law were busy cooking and chatting, creating a lively atmosphere. Fang Qiuyan wasn't particularly skilled at kitchen tasks, so her primary responsibility was tending to the fire. One should never underestimate the task of stoking the flames; it required skill, especially when the head chef wielding the ladle was Second Sister-in-law, who had high expectations. The fire needed to be neither too strong nor too weak, a challenging requirement indeed!

In the compact kitchen, there was barely enough space for another person to maneuver, yet the agile women were bustling about with great energy.

How could Taohua, as the hostess, allow her guests to work while she stood idle? She entrusted Little Ya to her aunt and carried her mother's bundle to her room shared with Dahu. Changing into work clothes and rolling up her sleeves, she entered the kitchen to lend a hand.

Seeing her, Fang Qiuyan smiled and waved her away. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you chatting with your aunt? This is her first time visiting, and she probably doesn't know anyone else. She might feel uncomfortable."

"Everything's fine. Aunt is keeping her company, and they seem to have hit it off immediately. They're so close that I can't even interject a word," replied Taohua. She couldn't let a guest do the work; it was her turn now.

The sprightly young woman, who was Third Uncle Grandfather's granddaughter-in-law, laughed. "Don't treat me like a guest anymore. Everyone here for the pig-killing feast is family, so let's not distinguish between 'you' and 'I'. Let's all help out and finish preparing the evening meal soon, so those men outside won't keep sneaking into the kitchen. The same goes for the kids; they slip in unnoticed, their mouths watering at the sight of the food!"

"Ahaha, you're talking about your Iron Bull here!" Fang Qiuyan chuckled heartily, pointing the fire tongs at Wu Zhaodi, who was busy slicing meat, and couldn't stop laughing.

Wu Zhaodi, upon witnessing this, chided with a laugh, "Be more careful. Don't get so ecstatic that you end up tumbling into the hearth. Mind the flames, or they might set your hair ablaze, and then you'll be the one crying!"

After saying this, he teasingly added, "What's the matter? Are your duck and goose eggs not following behind my Iron Bull? A string of children, one after another—how could they all be the same?"

A burst of laughter echoed from the kitchen, provoking a chorus of inquiries from the men in the courtyard. They asked what was so amusing, urging the others to share the joke and spread the joy. The women inside, however, playfully scolded them for being idle and wanting to meddle, dismissing them with a "get lost!"

The men were left with bruised noses, not daring to retaliate. Seeing this, Wei Dahu was delighted. With a swift slice of his knife, he cut off a piece of tender, marbled pork belly. He taunted Chen Erniu, "Why are you still afraid of your wife? Where has your manly pride gone? Don't you want to show it off?"

Chen Erniu, with his neck stiff, retorted loudly, "How could I be afraid of my wife? Just wait and see how I'll handle her tonight!"

"One way or another, ha ha, you seem less fierce than your wife. Maybe she'll be the one on top, settling the score with you tonight!"

"Damn your father's dog's fart! Every night, she's the one yelping under my punishment!"

Their bawdy banter unfolded in the courtyard, causing the women in the kitchen to blush crimson. Wu Zhaodi, having laid aside her knife, rushed out from the kitchen, chasing Chen Erniu around the yard with laughter echoing from the crowd, creating a lively spectacle.

Iron Bull, witnessing his father being scolded again, was initially crouching down to watch his newly acknowledged Uncle Doggy skillfully spin a top. Upon seeing this, he immediately jumped up, clapping his hands and cackling joyously, "Mama is hitting Papa again! Mama is hitting Papa again!"

Fuming, Chen Erniu rushed over to lift his obedient son, resulting in the father-son duo being chased around the yard by Wu Zhaodi.

Taohua laughed until her stomach ached. Recuperating her strength, she took over Wu Zhaodi's task and began slicing the cooked meat into strips. She typically cut the meat thinly, but today she decided on thicker cuts, considering the predominantly male guests who appreciated hearty servings. A chunky bite with a mouthful of grease was ideal; if the host served too thin slices, others might interpret it as stinginess. Of course, as Third Uncle Grandfather's daughter-in-law had mentioned, all the guests were close friends and family who knew each other well. Dahu, with his straightforward personality, wouldn't tolerate any ill-behaved individuals. If he was aware of someone's bad character, he certainly wouldn't invite their entire family.

Taohua smiled, working swiftly. In no time, she finished cutting the meat and transferred it to a clean bowl nearby.

With so many people attending, the tables, benches, chopsticks, and bowls were borrowed from her eldest uncle, second uncle, and Chen Erniu's homes. There was no other choice, as the Wei family was small, and even with extra tableware, it wouldn't suffice for such a large gathering. The vegetables were also brought over by Second Aunt.

Taohua noticed two bundles of firewood under the eaves, which weren't there when they left home. With the afternoon spent boiling water to scald the pig's hair, her father wouldn't have had the time to collect wood from the mountains. It must have been contributed by one of their thoughtful neighbors. Everyone was pulling together to make this event a success.

The cooking stove was small, and preparing food for so many people was no easy task. Second Sister-in-law spent most of the day in the kitchen, her face flushed red from the heat. When Taohua saw this, she offered to take over. Cao Xiuhong was indeed exhausted and, concerned about nursing her baby, she willingly gave up her spot. She went outside to cool down and feed her little girl.

Taohua glanced at the stove, where the rice had been steamed to perfection - all pure white rice, with no coarse grains mixed in. Presumably, Father had given instructions beforehand. Given that the feast was an excuse to celebrate Father's birthday, it was clear that he was genuinely happy and enjoyed such festivities.

With the meal taken care of, the worry now was making mistakes in the rush. If they forgot to cook the rice, it would be a disaster. So, Taohua assisted Chef Qian with the preparations, knowing that neglecting such basics could cost him future jobs in the village. Once, when Chef Qian made such a mistake, word spread through the village, and no one dared to hire him again.

The chicken soup had also been simmered beforehand. As Taohua lifted the lid, the rich aroma of the broth instantly filled the air, with a layer of golden chicken fat floating on top, enough to make anyone's mouth water. Even without children running into the kitchen, the smell of that pure chicken broth made Taohua's mouth water.

Quickly, she replaced the lid, trapping the delectable scent of the soup.

She then looked at the boiled ribs next to her, already sliced. Beside them was a large basin of rendered lard, and next to that, a bowl of pork cracklings. Taohua popped a piece of the crackling into her mouth; it melted in her mouth, oozing with flavor. It was incredibly delicious.

Fang Qiuyan laughed, observing, "Your Second Sister-in-law started by rendering the lard first. Your family's oil jar is cleaner than a face, not a drop of oil left. She found it quite amusing."

Taohua promptly stuffed a pork crackling into Fang Qiuyan's mouth, silencing her elder sister. Then, she offered one to Third Uncle Grandfather's daughter-in-law. Retrieving a bowl from the cupboard, she filled it with cracklings and called out to Mancang, who was playing with his friends and their spinning tops.

Mancang, who had been watching Dogzi spin the top, was easily swayed by his extroverted younger brother, convincing Iron Ox to let him play with it. His chatter never strayed far from "Uncle Dogzi," and his cheeks were flushed from excitement. Hearing his sister's voice, Mancang hurried over to the kitchen door. Taohua smiled, feeding him a piece of crackling before handing him the bowl. "Take this to share with Dogzi and the others. There's more in the kitchen if you want seconds."

Mancang eagerly nodded, his eyes shining as he ran off to share the treat with his friends.

Taohua watched his joyful departure, unable to suppress the smile on her face. That's how it should be; children should have the playful nature of children. The adults will handle the work while they just need to be mischievous.

In farming households, lard was a precious commodity. Her sister-in-law scolded her, "You've scraped the oil jar clean and still feed the kids pork rinds as snacks? There are boiled chestnuts on the table – they won't go hungry!"

"But hasn't the jar been refilled?" Ignoring her sister-in-law's complaint, Taohua, unfazed by the heat, ladled a generous amount of freshly rendered lard into the pan. After the oil heated up, she dumped all the blanched spare ribs into it. A sizzling sound erupted, followed by an overpowering aroma that drifted from the kitchen to the courtyard. "In life, you can't shortchange the children. Look at the half-hog hanging in the yard, the buckets filled with pork legs, and the cuts of meat ready for cooking in the kitchen. In comparison, do those pork rinds still seem so precious?" She mimicked Dahu's bold tone, laughing as she spoke to her sister-in-law.

"Funny, you got me there!" Fang Qiuyan laughed too. It was their generosity, not stinginess, that allowed them to freely serve dish after dish of meat without hesitation. Piles of sliced meat were prepared, waiting to be stir-fried, not to mention the pot of simmering chicken soup and the full steamer of white rice.

Only at Uncle's place would you find such extravagance. Forget about Dahe Village, even many families in town couldn't afford such indulgence. They slaughtered a whole pig, kept only a few pieces of belly meat, and consumed the rest. The rice was purely refined, without any coarse grains mixed in, and the feast was so lavish that it made one's heart flutter.

As the spare ribs turned slightly crispy on both sides, Taohua flipped them over and continued to stir-fry. She had used ample oil, ensuring none was spared, so the frying process was non-stick. Once the ribs achieved a slight crispness, she transferred them to a bowl. Then, she added prepped slices of ginger, fennel seeds, a bundle of tied-up green onions, and a pinch of sugar to the pan. Stirring for a moment, she removed them from the heat, returned the ribs to the pan, and gave them a quick toss to infuse the flavors under high heat.

In no time, a simple yet delicious dish of pan-seared spare ribs was ready.

There were plenty of ribs – enough to finish off an entire hog. Taohua transferred them to a large basin, which overflowed with the bounty. For now, they couldn't be served immediately. Once all the dishes were cooked, they would be portioned out into plates, one for each of the four tables.

Ah, the men chatting in the courtyard inhaled deeply, savoring the aroma.

My goodness, how delectable! When's dinner? We can hardly wait!

"Author's Note"

This isn't just an extra chapter, it's a bonanza!

——Let me start with a teaser.

I've finally polished the blurb for my upcoming novel. Does it share the same flavor as this one? Perhaps?

Feel free to bookmark it if you're interested, or support the bookmark even if you're not (prostrates).

"The Daily Lives of Adorable Kids Farming and Supporting the Family in Ancient Times"

Also known as "A Lazy Father and His Hopeful Wife's Everyday Struggle for Their Son's Success"

My grandmother gave birth to three sons. The eldest is honest, the second is diligent, and the third, my father, is a lazybones.

My aunt, the first wife, has three daughters. The second aunt has four, and my mother, two. She's currently expecting another child, about to give birth - that's me.

For ten months, while my mother was pregnant, my grandmother dragged her to the Taoist temple every month for fortune-telling. The temple master consistently predicted a son, but wouldn't you know, I turned out to be a girl.

"Wah!" was the first resounding cry upon my landing.

The second came from my mother's lips, incoherent yet poignant: "Third Brother Du, I'm your family's great hero! I've given the old Du household its only grandson!"

"..." Um, Mom, could you maybe take another look?

-

As the sole "scion" of the old Du family, Du Yi-er displayed extraordinary intelligence from a young age. She called out "daddy" at one, earned money at two, helped her sixth sister choose a husband at three, kicked her abusive brother-in-law until he spat blood at four, and by five, had found herself a "child bride," completing the task of marriage a decade early and becoming the strong support for her nine older sisters.

Du Yi-er: Yes, that's right, it's not a rumor. Modestly speaking, I am a time-traveler with a mere golden finger, =,=

*Highlight: [Cross-dressing as a man][Child Bridegroom]