Chapter 101.1

After finishing the work in the kitchen, Wen Nuan gathered several group leaders from the factory around noon, intending to discuss the method for making compressed biscuits.

Old Zhong had already prepared wheat flour, oil, yeast, eggs, sugar, and a can of milk powder in advance.

He brought everything to Wen Nuan and asked, “How should we proceed with this?”

Then, he looked at Wen Nuan and said, “You just tell me what to do, and I’ll get to work.”

Now that Wen Nuan’s belly was quite large, and she was carrying twins, Old Zhong knew he couldn’t expect her to do everything herself as she used to.

Moreover, Wen Nuan had mentioned a few days ago that the task now was to make biscuits, just ones with higher density than ordinary biscuits.

Old Zhong had watched Wen Nuan bake biscuits before. It wasn’t particularly difficult, but it did require a baking oven. The process was a bit more troublesome than making steamed buns or dumplings.

Juxiang, who stood beside Wen Nuan, looked at her belly and nodded in agreement, “Exactly, let us handle the heavy work. Xiao Nuan, you can just arrange things.”

Juxiang knew Wen Nuan was likely about to start her maternity leave and had even called people from Beijing to help take care of things. Given that she was pregnant with twins, it was important to be cautious.

Though Juxiang had given birth to three children herself, her belly had never been as large as Wen Nuan’s was at this stage.

Wen Nuan understood that everyone was concerned about her and signaled Old Zhong to bring the ingredients over. “Let’s start by kneading the dough, but don’t add too much water. It’s okay if it’s a little tough.”

Wen Nuan had Old Zhong divide the ingredients into several portions, so a few people could work on it together and see who made the best biscuits.

Everyone was quite familiar with the dough-kneading process, but the dough for these biscuits was drier than the dough for buns or dumplings, making it a bit more laborious to knead.

Juxiang and Old Zhong were the first to finish kneading the dough. Juxiang was diligently working the dough, kneading it several times with force.

Seeing that Juxiang was sweating from the effort, Wen Nuan smiled and said, “No rush, take your time. After we make the biscuits, they’ll still need to be compressed with a hydraulic press.”

Making the biscuits was just the first step. The key was to compress these biscuits into small pieces, making them easier to carry.

Wen Nuan had heard from Gu Qinghan that the army often organized field training, sometimes lasting a week or more.

This kind of compressed biscuit would certainly come in handy during such exercises.

Last month, a group of ground support soldiers went for field training and took some flour with them. However, on the way, a thorny bush punctured the bag, causing the flour to spill everywhere.

Compared to carrying a large bag of flour, which would only last for two or three days, Wen Nuan learned that in later times, some military compressed biscuits could sustain a person for a day or two with just one piece.

Although they couldn’t achieve such high-quality results right now, under the rudimentary conditions they had, if the compressed biscuits they made could sustain a meal, it would be considered a success.

After everyone finished kneading their dough, they covered it with a white cloth for the first fermentation to make the dough softer.

The temperature in the middle of the day was still a bit high, so the first fermentation didn’t take too long.

Wen Nuan walked over, pinched each piece of dough, and then said to everyone, “Now you can roll out the dough. Be sure to roll it evenly. The thickness should be about one centimeter, then cut it into small squares.”

“Alright, this isn’t hard. It’s even easier than making stuffed pancakes.”

“Yeah, I thought it would be more difficult, but it’s pretty similar to making buns.”

“Though these biscuits will last longer than buns, they’ll make for a good snack.”

Hearing their discussion, Wen Nuan didn’t try to sugar-coat the compressed biscuits. She spoke frankly, “The purpose of these compressed biscuits is really for our soldiers in the army to use in emergencies. You see, sometimes our comrades go for field training or hunting, or they go on a mission, and they’re starving for half a day or a whole day.”

“But if we manage to make these compressed biscuits, a piece the size of a palm can serve as a meal. It’s all about convenience, so don’t expect them to taste great or smell amazing.”

Every time Gu Qinghan went hunting in the mountains, he would spend the whole day out. In the middle of the day, everyone would bring their own steamed buns or buns, or they’d eat wild fruits found in the mountains.

However, those steamed buns and buns would spoil easily in the summer and turn rock-hard in the winter, causing many soldiers to complain about biting into them.

If they could have these compressed biscuits in the future, they could just carry a small pack, and it would easily solve a meal. It was meant for emergency use, not for gourmet tasting.

After hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding of Wen Nuan’s point.

Juxiang said, “I agree, these biscuits are just for convenience, so that even in harsh environments, our soldiers can have something to eat.”

Quartermaster Luo stroked his chin thoughtfully and said, “This is good. If we really make them, maybe we can apply for them to be used as a combat tool.”

“Supplies, food and other necessities are crucial to the army’s logistics.”

People in this era, most of whom had experienced war and the hardships of the three difficult years, understood the value and importance of food.

If they could really do something beneficial for the organization now, it would be a morale booster.

Quartermaster Luo looked at Wen Nuan with deep admiration.

Since the establishment of the factory, Wen Nuan had been thinking of ways to benefit the experts at the research institute, and later, she also thought of quick meals for the Border Defense soldiers.

He had assumed that with the factory’s dividends and her pregnancy, Wen Nuan would no longer be involved in the factory’s matters. After all, the dividend contract had already been signed, meaning that she would receive a steady income every year without needing to do anything.

That was something many people dreamed of.

But Wen Nuan didn’t slack off at all. She still returned to the Kitchen Unit every day. Even with a big belly, she was teaching everyone how to make compressed biscuits, all while thinking of ways to benefit the soldiers.

Quartermaster Luo thought to himself that if Wen Nuan ever wanted to take his position, he would gladly step aside and give it to her.

Unfortunately, Wen Nuan had no interest in such titles.

By four in the afternoon, after the second fermentation, the dough had been baked into biscuits in the high-temperature oven.

Wen Nuan looked at the trays of biscuits. Once they cooled down, she invited everyone to try them.

No one was shy about it. The biscuits were baked perfectly, not burned or overcooked, with a golden color that made them look delicious.

Old Zhong took a bite and nodded. “The texture is alright, but it’s not sweet enough. My kid eats peach crisps that are much sweeter.”

Quartermaster Luo also picked up a piece, tasting it as he said, “It’s pretty crispy, but it’s not fragrant enough.”

“I think the kids might like it, it’s crunchy,” one of the others commented.

Wen Nuan actually just wanted everyone to try something, so she took out a jar of sesame seeds and said, “Have you all tasted it? Now, crush the biscuits and mix in some sesame seeds.”

Juxiang, still holding half a biscuit, looked a little doubtful and asked, “Do we really need to crush them?”

Someone else asked, “If we crush them, is it still called a biscuit?”

Wen Nuan smiled and explained, “These biscuits aren’t very filling, so we need to compress them. Crushing the biscuits into smaller pieces will make the density of the biscuit smaller.”

Quartermaster Luo nodded thoughtfully. “So, we’re going to crush several biscuits and turn them into one small piece, right?”

Wen Nuan nodded and smiled. “Indeed, our leader is just like this. Also, these biscuits are too crispy. After making them into compressed biscuits, they become hard, and a small piece is easier to store.”

Quartermaster Luo looked at Wen Nuan and raised his eyebrows. “No wonder you asked me to find a hydraulic press. Now I understand.”

“Alright, everyone, let’s get moving. First, let’s crush the biscuits. We’ll compress them manually for now, and when I get the hydraulic press, we can do it with the machine.”

Wen Nuan brushed the flour off her hands and then looked at Old Zhong. “The remaining tasks can be left to Squad Leader Zhong. After all, our Squad Leader Zhong is stronger.”

Old Zhong grinned and said, “No problem. Leave it to me. Just come over to check it later.”

Wen Nuan smiled. “Thanks for your hard work, Squad Leader Zhong. I’ll come by tomorrow. Right now, I need to go pick up the kids from school.”

Just as Wen Nuan was about to leave, Quartermaster Luo handed her a paper package and said, “Give Lele some biscuits too.”

Wen Nuan looked at the paper package in her hands and smiled. “Thank you, Quartermaster Luo. I’ll come earlier tomorrow.”

“No need to rush. Go, your child is waiting for you.”

Wen Nuan didn’t stand on ceremony with Quartermaster Luo. She took the biscuits and left the Kitchen Unit, heading towards the kindergarten.