Chapter 81: Thank You, Regiment Commander Zhou, Thank You, Sister-in-Law!  

Zhao Guifen tugged at Jiang Rou, trying to persuade her to add some water.  

However, Jiang Rou shook her head and firmly said,  

“Not even a single drop?”  

“Not even a single drop. Trust me.”  

Jiang Rou nodded seriously, her expression unwavering.  

This dish relied on the pure, natural flavor of the chicken. Adding water would dilute its taste, making it less authentic.  

Zhao Guifen hesitated, torn between trusting Jiang Rou and worrying about the chicken. In the end, she chose to trust Jiang Rou.  

“Sister Rou, since you say so, you must have a reason. You can read and have studied—you definitely know more than I do. I’ll trust you. No water, then!”  

“Sister Guifen, just relax. By noon, we’ll be enjoying this chicken together.”  

Hearing this, Zhao Guifen’s eyes lit up. She was getting a share of the chicken too?

The thirty minutes of braising over medium heat passed in the blink of an eye.  

Jiang Rou returned to the stove and lifted the lid—  

First, a swirl of steam rose into the air. As the mist dissipated, it revealed the hen, now coated in a glossy, soy sauce-infused glaze.  

It glistened under the light, shimmering with oil.  

A rich, mouthwatering aroma filled the kitchen.  

It was incredibly enticing.  

As for Zhao Guifen’s earlier concerns, not a single one had come true.

The whole hen remained perfectly intact, without the slightest sign of burning.  

The ingredients that had been placed beneath the chicken, however, had gradually broken down during the long braising process. With the bubbling oil and sauce, the onions, ginger, garlic, and wild scallions had completely dissolved into the liquid, eventually charring into a deep blackened layer.  

At that moment, Zhao Guifen finally understood.  

Because the heat had been kept at medium, and there was a thick layer of ingredients lining the bottom, there was no way for the chicken to burn.  

Jiang Rou took the initiative to explain,  

“When I covered the pot earlier, I deliberately placed something on the lid to keep it sealed. That way, the steam wouldn’t escape. The chicken itself contains water, and there’s also moisture in the marinade and ingredients. As long as the steam stays trapped inside, the chicken won’t burn.”  

“In this high-temperature, sealed environment, the flavors of the scallions, ginger, and garlic gradually infuse into the chicken with the rising heat. There’s no need for boiling water—it absorbs the flavors just the same.”  

“Even the remaining scallion oil sauce won’t go to waste. It’s perfect for mixing with rice—it tastes amazing.”

Zhao Guifen, upon hearing this, suddenly had a look of realization on her face.  

Clicking her tongue in amazement, she couldn’t help but exclaim: “Brilliant! Sister Rou, your method is simply brilliant! No wonder the aroma is so rich and intense!”  

At that moment, the small kitchen was filled with the fragrance of wild scallions and chicken.  

The rich aroma was enough to make one’s mouth water.  

However—  

The fragrant, water-free scallion oil braised chicken was not yet fully completed.  

There was still one final step.  

Jiang Rou once again took out some wild scallions. With a single cut, she sliced off the green parts, then turned them sideways and cut them into thin, long strands.  

The finely sliced green scallions were then placed on top of the chicken, forming a thin, even layer.  

Since there was no small pot in the kitchen, Jiang Rou used an enamel cup as a substitute.  

She poured cooking oil into the enamel cup and placed it over the fire to heat.  

Once the oil began to smoke, it was ready.  

The steaming hot oil was then poured directly over the scallions and chicken.  

Sizzle! Sizzle!  

Sizzle! Sizzle!  

Like the sound of lively musical notes, a wonderful sizzling sound filled the air.  

The aroma of wild scallions and the tenderness of the chicken, under the stimulation of the high-temperature oil, fused together completely once more.  

Zhao Guifen watched from the side, unwilling to look away for even a second, her mouth constantly swallowing saliva.  

This was simply… too fragrant!  

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Jiang Rou had made a total of two Waterless Scallion Oil Braised Chicken.

The larger chicken was meant for the men who had come to help.  

The smaller one had grown from a chick that had been raised in the courtyard.  

Because the chick had been fed with food and water that Jiang Rou had brought from her spiritual spring water space, it had grown at an unusually fast rate.  

In less than a month, it had already taken on the appearance of a small meat chicken.  

Jiang Rou had asked Zhao Guifen to help slaughter one, which was why there were two chickens in total.  

The smaller chicken was prepared for the children and Zhao Guifen to eat together.  

Though it was smaller, its meat was actually more tender and even tastier.  

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At lunchtime—  

Jiang Rou carried out the scallion oil braised chickens in a large basin, without cutting them apart. She served them whole.  

After all, the group of men were all rugged workers—eating a whole chicken this way would only make it taste better to them.  

To make sure the men could eat more comfortably, Jiang Rou brought the food to Zhao Guifen’s courtyard next door, where they had their meal.  

Even with a courtyard wall separating them, the sounds of astonishment and excitement from the men in her own courtyard could still be heard clearly.  

“Wow! Chicken! We have chicken today! Regiment Commander Zhou, you’re too generous!”  

“So fragrant! My mouth is watering! I’ve never seen chicken cooked like this before—it smells incredible!”

“Step back, step back… You’re spraying saliva everywhere! If you dirty the chicken, how are we supposed to eat it?”  

Though the men were loud and rowdy, they were actually quite disciplined—none of them rushed to be the first to grab a piece.

Everyone was waiting for Zhou Chongshan to speak.  

Zhou Chongshan looked at the group and said, “Why are you all looking at me? Eat! My wife made this for you, so don’t be polite—just dig in. But in the afternoon, put in some extra effort and get the roof done as well.”  

“Thank you, Regiment Commander Zhou! Thank you, sister-in-law!”  

“Thank you, Regiment Commander Zhou! Thank you, sister-in-law!”  

“Don’t worry, Regiment Commander Zhou! We’ll definitely finish building your house today!”  

Their rough voices were full of enthusiasm and determination.  

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Meanwhile—  

Zhao Guifen, along with her two sons, Da Huzi and Er Huzi, were also holding chopsticks, looking somewhat embarrassed as they stared at Jiang Rou.  

Every time Da Huzi or Er Huzi tried to reach out for food, Zhao Guifen would slap their hands.  

She truly felt like she was taking advantage of Jiang Rou.

After all, she hadn’t contributed any labor to building the house, yet she was sitting here enjoying a meal for free.  

Jiang Rou noticed Zhao Guifen’s awkwardness.  

Smiling, she tore off a small drumstick and handed it to Da Huzi, while Er Huzi got a chicken wing.  

Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua received the same portions—one got a small drumstick, and the other got a chicken wing.  

“We’re eating too!”  

As soon as Jiang Rou picked up her chopsticks, the lively lunch under the warm sun finally began.  

And oh, how fragrant it was!  

Zhou Xiaochuan held his chicken leg but hesitated to take a bite.  

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to eat—it was just that he had never experienced something like this before.

He had never imagined that one day, he could actually hold a chicken leg in his hand and take big bites out of it.  

In the past, he wouldn’t even have gotten a chicken feet.  

Now, he had a large piece of meat in his grasp, and the rich aroma filled his every breath…  

For the little wolf cub, all of this felt too unreal.  

Jiang Rou glanced at him, and a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes.  

She looked at the dazed Zhou Xiaochuan and gave his wrist a little push.  

Immediately, the juicy chicken leg in his hand smushed against his lips and cheek, leaving his entire mouth smeared with dark soy sauce glaze.  

Jiang Rou quickly turned her head away, pulling Zhou Xiaohua along with her as she chuckled.  

“Xiaohua, look! Your brother has turned into a little cat~”  

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Waterless Scallion Oil Braised Chicken