Chapter 188
"Where did you go?" Zhao Ger asked as soon as he saw him.
"Nowhere much! Just wandering around." Fang Zichen was happy to see Zhao Ger. He had missed him terribly after just a morning apart. "Why are you back? Did you feel my deep longing?"
Zhao Ger chuckled softly and gently pushed him away. "So frivolous."
"Don't you just love my frivolous side!" Fang Zichen leaned in again, blowing a roguish puff of air against his ear. Zhao Ger shivered. His skin was as thin as ever. Glaring at Fang Zichen, his face flushed red as he pushed him toward the kitchen. "Go eat your meal quickly."
After going out for that verbal sparring session, Fang Zichen was also starving.
Fourth Uncle He delivered the ducks. Zhao Ger went outside to help weigh them. The ducks were originally meant to be sent to the town. Once prepared, they would be sold directly at the shop. Zhao Ger had checked on the shop earlier; the roast duck business was still quite good. Li Yanmei mentioned that recently she'd seen some people also selling pumpkin cakes. The pumpkin cake sales at their shop weren't as good as before, but it wasn't too bad either.
After the incident with the blood sausage, Zhao Ger had anticipated this. There wasn't much technique to making these cakes; it was only a matter of time before others copied them.
However, the pumpkin cake was introduced by their shop, and the price wasn't high. Other vendors wanting to compete would have to sell at two coppers each, but at that price, there'd be no profit—they'd even lose money. This cake relied on small profits and quick turnover. At the same price, most customers recognized the 'old established brand.' When they came to buy, they would often take half a catty of roast duck or a jar of chili sauce with them.
Only in the morning when customers were especially numerous and the queue too long would people choose to buy one or two from other vendors.
The shop's supply of pumpkin was running low, but Zhao Ger was not particularly worried. The custom-made pans he had ordered previously had been delivered. Zhao Ger intended to make rice noodle rolls. The day before, he had told Zhou Ger to buy some glutinous rice and soak it. Lin Xiaoxia had already ground the soaked rice this morning, turning it into a milky slurry. Zhao Gre brushed a little rapeseed oil onto a flat pan, ladled two spoonfuls of the rice slurry into it, and then placed the pan over a pot of steaming hot water.
"Are you working on a new dish?" Zhou Ger asked, while helping by adding a couple of sticks of firewood to the stove.
"Yes!" Zhao Ger was busy preparing the fillings. "Let's try it first, see how it tastes. If it's good, we'll sell it at the shop."
Zhou Ger said, "This is also a food from your husband's hometown, right?"
Zhao Ger told him everything and had nothing to hide. "Yes, otherwise how would I know these things."
He was just a village ger; the dishes he knew how to make were only a few.
Zhou Ger knew he was being modest. He understood Zhao Ger's skill level. Even though he didn't know many dishes, with the same boiled vegetables, he could make them taste better than anyone else. That counted as talent.
There were many possible fillings for rice noodle rolls. Zhao Ger only had Lin Xiaoxia buy two kinds, planning to use chives and carrots, add some lean pork, and then put in some mushrooms and dried shrimp for flavor. After stir-frying the filling and the rice slurry had steamed into a skin, he spread the filling inside and rolled it up—and it was done.
He made six rolls. For their own consumption, the filling was generous. Each roll was about the size of a child's arm, around ten centimeters long. He added specially prepared sauce and chili sauce. The red and white combination looked inexplicably appetizing. He asked Zhou Ger and the others to taste it and give their opinions.
It was a novel food, and with meat added, it was savory and delicious. Everyone, ignoring the heat, finished it in two or three bites, still feeling it wasn't enough. They unanimously said it was delicious. Only Jiaojiao frowned and didn't speak.
Zhao Ger smiled and asked her, "What does Jiaojiao think?"
"I don't know." Jiaojiao licked the plate, cleaning off all the juice before shaking her head and saying, "It was too little. It was gone before I could taste it properly. Uncle Zhao, can you make three more rolls for me? I think if I eat three more, I'll be able to taste it properly."
Zhao Ger: "..."
He finally understood. No wonder Fang Zichen said this child was something else; even at such a young age, she had her father's style. He himself was eighty percent full after just one roll.
The rice noodle rolls were delicious. Zhou Ger thought they would definitely sell well. He had originally been worried about what to sell after the pumpkin ran out. It seemed a pity for such a large shop to sell only a bit of chili sauce and roast duck. Now that Zhao Ger had introduced a new food item, he felt relieved.
After the Lin Xiaoxia family arrived, Zhao Ger's workload lightened considerably.
Lin Xiaoxia mostly handled preparatory work in the backyard. Zhao Ger was responsible for taking money and selling roast duck.
In the village, they might not even kill a chicken all year. Zhou Ger was top-notch at chopping pig feed, but his knife skills for chopping ducks weren't great, and he was slow. He originally thought of having Lin Xiaoxia and Li Yanmei do it, but for some reason, these two completely changed the moment they touched a knife, as if they became different people. Their aura was like that of gang bosses, inexplicably intimidating. Their demeanor made people feel that if they approached, they too would end up like the roast duck on the chopping board, getting a couple of slashes. When customers came and saw either of them holding a knife, they would steer clear, not daring to come up and buy. There was no choice; Zhao Ger had to step up.
With Zhou Ger and the others at the shop, it wasn't too busy, so Zhao Ger took Guaizai and went home.
Fang Zichen didn't have to go to work until the afternoon. Xiao Feng hadn't fully recovered yet, so he had to go back and prepare lunch for these two.
Last time, Li Yanmei mentioned that the well in the courtyard had little water recently; the level had dropped significantly. Winter was mostly overcast and drizzly, but that rain seemed like a joke. Putting a basin in the yard to collect it wouldn't even fill a ladle in half a month. Compared to summer, this was a drought.
Preparing the ducks used a great deal of water: scalding, plucking, then gutting and washing the intestines. Doing a thorough job required at least ten buckets of water. Considering this, Zhao Ger decided their home was more spacious and better suited for the task, so he made up his mind to process the ducks at home.
Seeing him busy tying up the ducks, Guaizai, covering his pocket, ran out of the kitchen.
"Father~"
"Hmm," Fang Zichen waited for him to duck between his legs, then picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and offered it. "Want some?"
Guaizai loved meat and wouldn't refuse. He ate it from the chopsticks, chewed a couple of times hastily, stretched his neck to swallow, lifted his outer garment, and pulled out half a piece of rice noodle roll from the small pocket of his second layer of clothing. "Father, for you."
Fang Zichen: "..."
The rice noodle roll was smashed beyond recognition. It looked unappetizing.
And this thing was greasy, how could it be kept in a pocket!
Whenever Guaizai ate something delicious and Zhao Ger and Fang Zichen weren't there, he would eat half and save half for them.
Telling him not to didn't work. Afraid Zhao Ger would throw it away, he specifically hid it in his inner pocket.
Guaizai held up the rice noodle roll, looking at him expectantly. Fang Zichen fell silent for a moment. Ultimately, he didn't want to disappoint the child's heartfelt gesture. He ladled a bowl of congee, put the rice noodle roll in it, stirred a couple of times, and slurped it down directly.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Guaizai looked up. "Father, is it delishious?"
Fang Zichen patted his little face. "Delicious. My son is so filial! Father is very touched."
Praised, Guaizai laughed happily and threw himself into his arms. "Next time Guaizai will save some for Father again. Good things must be shared with Father."
Fang Zichen: "..."
That really isn't necessary.
Xiao Feng still couldn't work. Zhao Ger worried he might grow restless cooped up inside. He therefore helped him out to the courtyard to sit in the sunshine.
Guaizai let him hold the puppy, then pattered off to help.
The task of killing ducks sounded cruel. Fang Zichen couldn't bear to let Zhao Ger do it. Before, when he wasn't here, Zhao Ger had no choice. Now that he was here, it was naturally his job.
He asked Zhao Ger how to do it. After listening for a bit, he thought it was simple too. Zhao Ger helped hold the feet and wings. Fang Zichen sharpened the knife menacingly, grasped the duck's neck, and slit it with the knife. Blood spurted out. After all, it was his first time; Fang Zichen's hand trembled. He froze for a moment but quickly steadied himself.
After draining the blood, he tossed the duck aside and prepared to kill the second one. The duck actually stood up and ran quacking toward the courtyard gate.
Fang Zichen stared dumbfounded, the knife in his hand almost dropping. "...Has it become a spirit?"
Zhao Ger laughed. "Ducks are all like this. Even after having their necks cut, they can still flop around for quite a while."
"Guaizai, come help."
Guaizai dashed out to catch the duck. This child often 'caused more problems than he solved.' Not daring to rely on him, Zhao Ger hurried after him. Just as he reached the courtyard gate, he saw Guaizai leap at the duck. The duck beat its wings and sent him tumbling straight down the roadside slope.
"Ouch..."
Zhao Ger sighed and shook his head helplessly.
Guaizai climbed back up from below, glaring at the duck angrily. He refused Zhao Ger's help, stubbornly insisting on catching it himself. After a long struggle, once the duck had tired itself out and died, he dragged it victoriously back into the yard, his little chest puffed up with pride.
With three people working, nine ducks could probably be finished in about two hours. But the two of them worked as if playing. Fang Zichen plucked the feathers one by one. Guaizai plucked a clump here and a clump there. Killing ducks also required skill; if the plucking technique was wrong, there would be many small down feathers. Watching them made Zhao Ger feel mentally exhausted. He told Fang Zichen to go play elsewhere.
Fang Zichen was not pleased with the suggestion and retorted, asking if Zhao Ger really thought he was the type of man who would just sit back and watch his fulang do all the work alone.
Zhao Ger had to let him help. Fortunately, in the afternoon, Aunt Liu came over.
Seeing that help had arrived, Fang Zichen finally washed his hands and left for work.
Zhao Ger did not allow Xiao Feng to do any chores, so Xiao Feng sat to the side playing with the puppy. The little puppy was still very small, fluffy, and at its most adorable age. What’s more, it was the only one of its kind in the entire village, making it especially popular among the children.
Aunt Liu glanced at him and asked softly, "Zhao Ger, are you planning not to send this child back?"
"Yes," Zhao Ger also lowered his voice. "I want to raise him."
Aunt Liu hesitated. "This child is eight years old. Your business is doing well now. Raising him isn't too much of a burden; you're not short of that bit of food. But will his mother and Liu Gouzi agree?"
Zhao Ger said, "They will agree." Seeing Aunt Liu frowning and about to speak again, he continued, "Even if they don't agree, I have ways to make them agree."
Fang Zichen was busy for half a shichen. After handling matters, he went out to wander.
When he returned in the evening, Zhao Ger saw he had bought some pottery jars, pots, and some unrecognizable things. He blinked and leaned over. "Husband, what are you... planning to blow up whose kitchen this time?"
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