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Chapter 4: Mom’s Cooking Skills Are Really Impressive
Jiang Ningning was both amused and helpless. She didn’t correct his way of addressing her, but instead crouched down to meet their gaze and said gently, “I’ll make you some braised pork with potatoes.”
“Just you?” Manman wasn’t fooled by his mom’s sweet demeanor, and instead, he was very cautious.
If they gave the meat to the evil grandmother, they could still get the fake honor of being filial, but if it was ruined by Mom, there would be nothing to gain.
Manman, even at his young age, was very good at managing the household.
Jiang Ningning proudly raised her chin.
The original father had been a chef, and like the original owner, she had been raised without her parents early on, so she was forced to learn many life skills.
Now, in her current situation with no support, working for an employer who liked to exploit employees, earning a meager five thousand yuan with ten-hour workdays, she didn’t feel attached to her old life. Instead, she was determined to enjoy her new life in this body, where her military husband earned a good income, and her dragon-and-phoenix twins were destined to be top leaders in their respective fields.
Since she had transmigrated into this story, naturally, she would become the main character in a feel-good novel.
First, she would raise her kids well, then lie back and win.
Right now, her goal was to slowly change the twins’ bias and distrust toward her.
“You stay here and help me with the fire, and watch me cook,” Jiang Ningning seized the opportunity to pat the little guy’s head.
His hair was yellow and the texture was actually not very good.
Manman stepped back in shock, two steps, and Jiang Ningning easily took the basket from his hands.
Seeing her turn and stride toward the kitchen, the two little ones quickly followed.
The Jiang family had few people, and they had converted one room into a kitchen.
Inside, it was kept very clean. Small branches and wood were neatly stacked in a corner, and there were plenty of coal chunks, which the siblings had collected by following the coal truck.
Jiang Ningning turned on the faucet, washed the pork belly, then cleaned the yellow mud off the potatoes, and picked up the kitchen knife to start chopping the meat.
The two little ones felt their hearts rise to their throats, fearing that Jiang Ningning might make a mistake and they’d end up orphans.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Ningning’s knife skills were fast, fierce, and steady. In the blink of an eye, the cutting board was filled with evenly-sized square pieces of meat.
The potatoes were even more impressive in her hands. The peel was thin as paper, and the whole potato remained intact without breaking.
“Mom’s knife skills are this good?” Xiaxia turned to ask her brother.
Manman tried to keep his expression calm, and proudly said, “What’s so great about that? She never cooks for us.”
Xiaxia, who used to admire her mom, now felt her heart sinking in bitterness. Other children always said that their mothers loved them.
But they were just kids picked out of a trash heap, so of course, they loved rummaging through the garbage.
Tears quickly gathered in Xiaxia’s eyes as she covered her face and ran out.
Jiang Ningning only heard a flurry of footsteps. When she turned her head, she ran straight into Manman’s angry and disappointed gaze.
Jiang Ningning:?
What was going on with these two little troublemakers?
Jiang Ningning, with a strong tone, ordered, “Go start the fire.”
Actually, the real reason was that she didn’t know how to use the old-fashioned stove.
Manman silently went to work, skillfully lighting the leaves first, then adding smaller dry twigs to the stove. After the fire started, he added the larger pieces of wood.
Seeing that he was so proficient and didn’t burn his hands, Jiang Ningning cursed the original owner for being useless in her heart. She then searched through the cupboard for seasonings.
There was a small bag of star anise, bay leaves, and rock sugar, as well as soy sauce and salt.
The spices had been bought by the original owner when they moved here five years ago. They hadn’t gone bad or gotten infested, so Jiang Ningning placed them in a bowl and added some water to soak them, preventing them from burning when the oil got too hot.
The method for making braised pork with potatoes was simple. First, blanch the pork, then put it in a pan to fry out the fat. Add the spices to fry until fragrant, then pour soy sauce around the edge of the pan to bring out the soy flavor. Finally, add hot water, cover the pot, and simmer on low heat. Ten minutes before serving, add the potatoes.
An hour later, when she opened the lid, the rich aroma of the meat immediately filled the room.
Xiaxia, who had been lying on the bed, perked up her little nose, following the scent into the kitchen, looking like a little hamster with red eyes.
Jiang Ningning fought back a smile, picked a piece of meat, blew on it to cool it, and then placed it in Xiaxia’s mouth.
The braised pork had been simmered for just the right amount of time. It was tender and soft, and the flavor, with the mix of oil and sauce, spread throughout Xiaxia’s mouth, instantly winning over her taste buds.
Then she glanced at Manman, who was also staring with wide eyes.
The two siblings held their faces, unable to believe that the deliciousness in their mouths was real.
So Mom really can cook!
Not only can she cook, but she’s really good at it!
Xiaxia licked her lips and quickly went to grab the bowls and chopsticks. As soon as she set the three sets of tableware, Jiang Ningning was already struggling to bring out a large bowl of food.
She had eaten several pieces of food while tasting in the kitchen and realized that her current body was just too weak from hunger. Having only eaten once every two days, she was almost powerless. A little bit of oil and food went into her stomach, and immediately, her legs stopped trembling.
The original owner had starved herself like this; it was no wonder things had turned out the way they had. She didn’t deserve sympathy!
The large bowl of braised pork with potatoes was piled high.
Jiang Ningning first served a small bowl, handed it to her eldest son, and said, “Grandma Zhu helped us a lot just now, so take some meat to thank her. Comrade Huo Manman, can you guarantee the task will be completed?”
Manman instinctively straightened his back, took the bowl with both hands, and said solemnly, “I can!”
“I’ll go too.”
Xiaxia, who had just sworn not to speak to her mother anymore, now felt completely won over by the delicious braised pork. She wasn’t about to stay alone with Jiang Ningning, so she joined her brother, hand in hand, and they left together.
Grandma Zhu didn’t ask for any reward for her good deed, but when she received the stewed meat from the Jiang family, she couldn’t stop grinning, showing her toothy smile. “I was wondering whose cooking was this good, and it turns out it was your mom’s. I thought she must have learned from her father, whose skills are as good as a national restaurant chef!”
Manman’s ears turned red, but he still managed to keep his composure. Xiaxia, on the other hand, shyly pursed her lips into two little dimples and nodded eagerly.
“Mom’s cooking is better than the food in national restaurants!”
The little grown-up hadn’t actually ever been to a national restaurant, and she hadn’t eaten much good food either.
Grandma Zhu felt a pang in her heart, and from her pocket, she pulled out two pieces of candy and placed them in the children’s hands. “Wait here, I’ll get some clean bowls.”
Adults could hold their cravings in check, but the little grandson was practically sniffing the air, yearning for a taste, following her around and pestering her.
“Grandma, can I try a piece first? It smells so good!”
Soon, Grandma Zhu came out with the clean bowls. Along with the bowls, she also brought a bowl of white rice and two large steamed buns.
“Grandma Zhu, I don’t…”
Manman was just about to speak when Grandma Zhu interrupted him cheerfully, saying, “In our neighborhood, we exchange food to show closeness. Go ahead, your mom won’t be mad.”
Manman took the full bowl of food, and for some reason, his eyes felt a bit warm.
At such a young age, he didn’t quite understand the overwhelming emotions he was feeling. He just held his sister’s hand and, mimicking what his mother had done earlier, gave Grandma Zhu’s family a bow before leaving.
“Manman’s a good kid. He’ll have a bright future. I hope Ningning can really stand up for herself in the future,” Grandma Zhu wiped a tear with her apron.
Several other women, witnessing this, swallowed their discontent.
The grain was precious, and that bowl of rice with the steamed buns was enough for two adults. They would need to carefully save it from Grandma Zhu’s own meager rations.
Meat was more valuable than rice.
A large bowl of meat wasn’t too much of a loss!
Jiang Ningning understood this well. She divided the rice into two portions for the kids and ate the buns with the sauce herself.
One bite of meat, one bite of bun—it was so satisfying.
The two little ones were eating so quickly, they didn’t even raise their heads. Their little bellies were quickly filling up.
Xiaxia, with a confused expression, touched her little stomach.
So this is what it feels like to be full!
Jiang Ningning looked at them, feeling somewhat bittersweet. If she had money, she wouldn’t ask for lavish meals every day. At least the three of them could fill their stomachs.
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