Chapter 51: Lamb Bone Meatballs, The Master of Skinning is Online!

After gaining permission to use the main ladle, Ming Dai asked what ingredients were available.

Aunt Huang, feeling a bit embarrassed, admitted that they only had enough radishes and cabbage for now—nothing else.

Ming Dai nodded. “These two will be enough. I also have some vermicelli; if we chop it up, everyone can have a share. But how should we arrange the rice?”

Aunt Huang hadn’t expected Ming Dai to bring vermicelli and felt a little guilty. She quickly explained, “Each household brings their own rice, so we don’t have to worry about that.”

“Then, Auntie, I’ll trouble you and Sister Dalian to prepare the cabbage and radishes. I’ll take Zhou Sinian to skin the lamb.”

Aunt Huang glanced at Zhou Sinian, who had frightened everyone the day before, and exchanged a look with her daughter-in-law. “Is he… okay? He scared me to death yesterday!”

Ming Dai felt a little apologetic. “Auntie, I’m really sorry about that. I didn’t expect it either. He didn’t mean any harm; he just wanted to tell you that the lamb tastes better if the blood is completely drained.”

Aunt Huang patted her chest, still feeling a lingering fear. “This isn’t your fault. If not for you, we wouldn’t even have lamb soup. I was just worried it might bring trouble to you.”

At that moment, Ming Dai played the part of a vulnerable young woman at just the right time. “He didn’t do anything, really. He was just upset that I gave the lamb away. That’s why I have to make the soup well today, or else…”

Aunt Huang looked at her with pity. “Poor girl, how did you end up being tangled with a lunatic?”

Ming Dai’s eyes turned red as she sniffled. “It’s okay, Auntie. Let’s get to work!”

Such a pure and delicate jasmine flower!

Aunt Huang nodded repeatedly and started preparing the ingredients with her daughter-in-law.

Meanwhile, Ming Dai went to the stable to find Zhou Sinian, who had frightened the horses so much the day before that they nearly knelt down. She discussed with him how to dismantle the lamb.

Zhou Sinian agreed to help but firmly refused to carry the lamb. He utterly despised the strong smell of mutton.

In the end, it was Huang Dalian who carried the lamb to the riverbank. Ming Dai helped her hoist the lamb up and hang it from a tree.

As they carried the lamb over, the villagers were washing radishes in the small river. The icy water turned their calves redder than the radishes themselves—truly unbearable. That was why everyone was looking forward to the lamb soup at noon even more.

When they saw Huang Dalian bringing the lamb over, their eyes couldn’t help but glance in that direction.

The children were instantly thrilled, dropping their radishes and running over excitedly.

The adults didn’t stop them. It wasn’t often they got to watch a lamb being slaughtered, so if the children wanted to see, they could.

However, because the lunatic was there, the kids only dared to watch from a distance, not daring to get too close.

They saw the lamb hanging upside down by one leg from the tree. The lunatic pulled out the infamous triangular military dagger that had long terrified the people of Liujiawan and walked toward the lamb.

The children covered their mouths as they watched him skin the lamb.

The educated youth were also present, their expressions filled with jealousy as they watched Ming Dai helping out.

Song Lanlan, whose hands were swollen like radishes, blew into them for warmth and rolled her eyes toward Ming Dai by the riverbank. “She doesn’t even know her own limits. I just hope she doesn’t ruin a perfectly good pot of lamb soup!”

Chen Erhong glanced worriedly at Ming Dai, who was smiling cheerfully, then at Fang Mingyang, who was frowning, but said nothing.

Liu Yan, also irritated, chimed in, “Ming Dai’s family is from the west side of the city. She’s probably never had much lamb soup before. Who knows if she can even cook it properly?”

After speaking, she deliberately glanced at Fang Rou and Qi Zhijun, who were working nearby, trying to emphasize their closeness.

Fang Rou paid her no attention. She only stared blankly at the lunatic lifting his arms, feeling that reality was straying further and further from her memories.

Qi Zhijun, on the other hand, was completely captivated by the military dagger in the lunatic’s hand. Coming from a military compound himself, he was naturally familiar with such weapons.

However, Zhou Sinian’s dagger was clearly different from an ordinary military knife.

Could it be that this lunatic had an extraordinary background?

Seeing that neither of them responded, Song Lanlan sneered at Liu Yan. “Ha! Overestimating yourself!”

Liu Yan’s face turned red instantly. She quickly tried to justify herself. “I just don’t know if the lunatic even knows how to skin a lamb. It’s a skilled trade. The owner of the lamb restaurant I visit often said that just learning how to skin a lamb properly takes three years.”

Song Lanlan nearly rolled her eyes to the sky. Was she just trying to show off that she had been to a lamb restaurant?

But then, Zhou Sinian’s actions completely shattered their doubts.

Without a moment of hesitation, he made his first cut. The tip of the knife smoothly slit the lamb’s skin, following the joints in a winding yet precise motion—sometimes curving, sometimes slicing—each movement fluid and efficient, almost artistic.

At least, that was what Ming Dai thought.

Everyone else, however, had a very different reaction.

Others: This lunatic is terrifying! How many people has he killed to be this skilled?! Wuwuwu!

Liu Yan & Song Lanlan: Wuwu, he’s so scary!

Fang Rou: Since when was the lunatic this impressive?

Qi Zhijun: What a waste… Such an incredible dagger in the hands of a lunatic.

In no time, a perfectly intact lambskin was peeled off. Zhou Sinian carelessly tossed it far away, clearly uninterested in it.

Aunt Huang, however, quickly picked it up with delight. She held it up and showed it to Ming Dai. “Xiao Ming, my girl, once I wash and cure this properly, you can make yourself a lambskin coat!”

Ming Dai didn’t refuse and smiled as she agreed.

Before long, Zhou Sinian began deboning the lamb. Wherever the military dagger passed, flesh and bone separated effortlessly. Everyone watched in silence, not daring to make a sound. Only Ming Dai remained unfazed, holding a basket to catch the pieces of meat and bones as he tossed them down.

In no time, the entire lamb was completely dismantled.

Zhou Sinian held his knife and made a few slicing motions in the air, looking at the baskets full of meat and bones with deep satisfaction.

Today was a good day.

Huang Dalian eagerly took the meat and bones to wash them. A layer of oil shimmered on the water’s surface, making everyone feel a sense of joy.

Meanwhile, Aunt Huang took the lamb intestines and stomach downstream to clean them.

Once everything was processed, they carried the baskets to the brigade headquarters, where an old iron pot from the communal kitchen days was still available—perfect for cooking lamb soup.

While Aunt Huang and the others scrubbed the pot, Ming Dai picked up the bones and called Zhou Sinian to help find a diwozi—a type of stone mortar commonly used in rural areas to crush food.

Ming Dai pulled out the larger bones and used a pestle to break them into smaller sections. The lamb’s spine was chopped into small segments and placed in the mortar for further pounding.

As Zhou Sinian pounded the bones with loud, forceful strikes, the sound quickly drew Aunt Huang’s attention.

She watched with fascination. “Oh my! I never knew you could actually eat bones!”

Ming Dai checked the lamb spine, now ground into a fine meat paste, and signaled Zhou Sinian to stop. She then scooped the paste into a basin.

Aunt Huang, still puzzled, asked, “Xiao Ming, what are you doing with this?”

Aunt Huang quietly scooted closer, watching as Ming Dai cracked two eggs into the basin, added two handfuls of flour, and sprinkled in some seasonings.

While stirring the mixture, Ming Dai explained, “Auntie, I’m making lamb bone meatballs. This way, nothing goes to waste. There are a lot of people here, and even if each person only gets one, it’s still something.”

Aunt Huang grew more and more satisfied with Ming Dai. This city girl wasn’t delicate or spoiled at all. Not only that, but she was also skilled in cooking. Tsk, tsk… You wouldn’t find another girl like her in ten villages.

She was still young now, but if she were two years older, Aunt Huang would have seriously considered asking if she’d marry her third son.

Then again, she was from the city. She probably wouldn’t be interested in a country boy.

However, Xiao Ming’s background was unique. The old man had given her a brief explanation, and there was indeed a possibility that they could keep this golden phoenix in the village.

Of course, right now, Xiao Ming was still young, and there was also that lunatic dragging things down. It was better to wait a few more years.

Who knows? Maybe my third son will have the good fortune after all.

Smiling warmly, Aunt Huang watched as Ming Dai deftly shaped one small meatball after another and dropped them into the pot. Meanwhile, in her heart, she decided—there was no rush in finding a wife for her third son. She’d wait a couple more years.

Completely absorbed in her cooking, Ming Dai remained blissfully unaware that Aunt Huang was already plotting to bring her into the family as a daughter-in-law.