Chapter 21: Tempting Pork Belly and a Man

It was Huo Nanchuan who was kissing her.

The man’s first initiative.

And it was a domineering, forceful intrusion, with a strong, intense scent.

Chi Wan’s lips, which were being claimed by him, instantly felt hot and numb.

So… so this is what a kiss is…

She had intentionally teased and kissed Huo Nanchuan a few times before.

Those were just light touches, not even real kisses, just skin against skin.

Her kisses, compared to Huo Nanchuan’s.

They were like the difference between kindergarten and university!

And…

This man was too good at it.

This move, that posture… how did he do it?!

Is this the difference in physiological instincts between men and women?

Even their physical reactions were completely different.

Chi Wan’s face flushed hot, burning with heat, her whole body tingling and weak.

But the man holding her was so strong and powerful.

He seemed to have endless energy, all of which he wanted to release on her through this kiss.

Wuwuwu…

If this continued, her waist would break.

It was too tight!

He was holding her too tightly!

But—she liked it!

In Chi Wan’s mind, the night sky was ablaze with fireworks, a brilliant display of colors.

It was even more comfortable than soaking in the hot spring at Lingquan Creek.

The light in the room grew dimmer, making it almost impossible to see the surroundings.

Only two figures, tightly pressed together, could be vaguely seen, almost merging into one.

There were some sounds coming from outside.

Zhang Yue’e bustled about, finally tidying up the messy room and restoring it to its original clean and tidy state.

She didn’t dare knock on Huo Nanchuan’s door, and seeing that it was getting late, she immediately started preparing dinner.

The aroma of food faintly wafted into the room with the closed door.

Reminding the two people inside who were completely oblivious to the world.

Huo Nanchuan’s eyes were dark, his brows furrowed with suppressed emotions. He clenched his fist tightly before finally loosening his arms, which were locked together.

Chi Wan was gasping for breath.

Because of the dim light, her flushed cheeks were hidden, but her rapid breathing was not.

Finally… she could breathe!

Otherwise, she thought she was going to suffocate!

How could she find something so terrifying so enjoyable!

She even wanted to do it again!

She had previously doubted whether this man was “incapable,” but now it seemed he was “too good” at it!

As the male lead, not only was his combat power max, but his kissing skills were also top-notch?

Truly worthy of being the author’s favorite!

Chi Wan continued to breathe, slowly regaining some clarity, and she smelled the aroma coming in.

“Ah!”

She suddenly cried out, then reached out and patted Huo Nanchuan’s chest hard.

“My pork belly!”

“Let me go!”

“My pork belly is still hidden outside!”

Chi Wan suddenly burst forth with strength, pushing the strong man away, then rushed out of the door in a panic.

Huo Nanchuan was caught off guard and didn’t have time to follow.

And Chi Wan didn’t want him to follow.

Her pork belly wasn’t hidden outside in the yard, but in her Lingbao space, it absolutely couldn’t be discovered by anyone.

Chi Wan rushed out and rushed back in.

As she entered the house.

She was carrying a rope in her hand, with a large piece of pork hanging from it.

In the yard.

Zhang Yue’e, Huo Dongzhi, and Huo Chuchun were all speechless.

They watched as Chi Wan walked out, rushed out in a hurry, and returned a short while later with a cheerful expression.

And there was that big piece of meat in her hand.

It instantly attracted everyone’s attention.

It’s pork!

Zhang Yue’e exclaimed, “Oh my!” Huo Chuchun widened her eyes and asked, “Sister-in-law, is there really pork?”

Even Huo Dongzhi couldn’t take his eyes off it.

Huo Nanchuan slowly walked out of the house.

Chi Wan handed the pork to Zhang Yue’e, explaining casually.

“The production team distributed pork today, and the organization thought that I was newly married, so they let me be the first to receive it. I exchanged all my saved meat tickets and work points for pork. There are five jin here, enough for our whole family to eat!”

“When I went home earlier, I heard some noises in the yard, so I hid the pork outside.”

“I was so distracted, I almost forgot about it.”

After these words, the people around were once again stunned.

Huo Chuchun exclaimed, “Sister-in-law, you’re so smart. It’s a good thing you hid it outside, or Second Aunt and the others would have snatched it away.”

Huo Dongzhi said, “They wouldn’t have been able to snatch it away.”

Zhang Yue’e smiled happily, “There are five jin here. I’ve never seen so much pork before, let alone enough for our family to eat, it’s enough for the whole New Year!”

The once noisy little courtyard was now filled with laughter and joy.

Chi Wan didn’t know how to cook, so she naturally left the task of handling the pork to Zhang Yue’e.

She stealthily walked over to Huo Nanchuan.

She smelled the faint scent of the man, and her face suddenly burned hot again, the intimate scene that had just happened flashing through her mind.

Chi Wan quickly calmed herself down.

She whispered in Huo Nanchuan’s ear, “That… I want to eat pork belly.”

Under the faint night sky.

The kerosene lamp under the eaves was dim, and the moonlight gently fell into the yard.

Chi Wan’s voice was also soft, her eyes, like the moonlight, were clear.

Huo Nanchuan couldn’t help but be captivated once again.

He watched Chi Wan purse her lips, lick her slightly swollen lips with her moist tongue, and said softly and sweetly.

“I want braised pork belly.”

“Can you use a little bit of sugar, just a little bit, to caramelize it.”

“The kind that’s shiny and oily, the best!”

Chi Wan didn’t dare to make excessive demands to Zhang Yue’e, so she could only secretly beg and plead with Huo Nanchuan.

And Huo Nanchuan’s cooking skills were excellent, he would definitely be able to make delicious braised pork belly.

Just thinking about it made Chi Wan swallow involuntarily.

Huo Nanchuan watched Chi Wan’s little movements, his gaze sweeping from her lips to her neck.

He spoke in a low, husky voice.

“Okay.”

After agreeing, he walked towards Zhang Yue’e.

Zhang Yue’e was muttering about how to handle the five jin of pork, saying that the weather wasn’t hot yet, so she could make cured meat, which would last for a month or two.

Huo Nanchuan took the pork belly from Zhang Yue’e’s hand and gently sliced it with a cleaver.

The knife went up and down, the movements were swift and sharp.

A strip of pork belly with an even ratio of fat to lean was on the chopping board.

He smiled and said, “Mother, we’ll have pork belly tonight, braised.”

And with caramelized sugar.

He wanted to fulfill all of Chi Wan’s wishes.

Zhang Yue’e said, “That’s too wasteful,” but her face was smiling.

Huo Chuchun grabbed Huo Dongzhi’s sleeve and excitedly said, “Second Brother, we’re having pork belly tonight.”

Chi Wan stood aside, watching the man cooking in the distance.

Her heart felt like a balloon being blown up, filled with happiness.

…

The pork of this era was all raised by farmers.

From the even ratio of fat to lean in the texture, to the texture of the pork itself, it was all better than the farm-raised pigs of later years.

The sliced pork was rinsed with cool spring water, and it was clean.

Huo Nanchuan also grabbed a handful of coarse salt, placed it on the pork skin, and rubbed it back and forth with his palm.

In this way.

The remaining pig hairs on the pork skin would be removed with the friction, and the pork would be even cleaner.

This step was something he did specifically for Chi Wan.

As a girl from the city, she wouldn’t be able to stand seeing those things.

Then came another round of knife work.

Huo Nanchuan’s arms were strong and powerful, his wrist turned gently, his movements were light and flexible, it looked like he didn’t use much effort.

But the entire piece of pork was transformed into pieces of uniform size under his movements.

Each piece was about the size of a mahjong tile.

In this way, the prepared pork was set aside.

Then it was time to boil water.

The family used a rural earthen stove, the stove hole was very large, and the iron pot that went with it was also very large.

If it were the previous Chi Wan, she would probably have to use all her strength to lift it.

But Huo Nanchuan only needed one hand to turn the iron pot, rotating it over the flames, heating it evenly.

Half of the cold water was poured into the iron pot, and the sliced pork was added.

At the same time, the chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic, as well as the white wine, were added to the pot.

Because there was no cooking wine at home, they could only use white wine as a substitute.

This white wine was made by Zhang Yue’e herself using the most traditional method when the wheat was harvested.

The wine had a rich flavor and a fragrant aroma.

It was even better than cooking wine.

The pot lid was covered, waiting for the water to boil.

This step was to remove the fishy smell of the pork, so that the braised pork would be softer, more fragrant, and without any strange smell.

It didn’t take a few minutes.

The water in the pot boiled, making a gurgling sound.

The pork also changed from its original raw color to a pale pink, each piece rolling in the boiling water.

Huo Nanchuan held a ladle in his right hand, gently moved his wrist, and scooped the cooked pork out of the iron pot, placing it aside to drain.

Then.

He rinsed the iron pot, washing it clean, leaving no residue.

When the iron pot was hot again, he could put the pork back in for the second time.

No oil, no water, the pork that had already been blanched in water was tossed and fried in the hot iron pot.

In just a short while.

The edges of the tender white pork turned a golden brown, and the transparent lard was fried out.

The bottom of the pot naturally had some grease.

The pork was fried in the hot grease, making a sizzling sound.

At this time.

The aroma of the pork had already spread through the air.

The entire courtyard was filled with a mouthwatering aroma.

So fragrant…

It was so fragrant…

Chi Wan sat on a small stool, watching the man in the kitchen, smelling the enticing aroma in the air.

She couldn’t help but swallow.

Her heart kept sighing, it was too fragrant!

It wasn’t just the pork that smelled delicious, but also Huo Nanchuan himself.

He was holding the iron pot in one hand and a ladle in the other, standing in a dilapidated environment, but he was glowing.

The last time he was squatting by the river washing clothes, he was the same…

Chi Wan couldn’t help but fantasize in her mind.

If Huo Nanchuan were to put on a well-fitting suit, standing in a bright and spacious kitchen, his tall and slender figure blending with the bright and clean environment.

The collar of his white shirt would be casually unbuttoned.

The cuffs of his sleeves would be rolled up slightly, revealing a section of his bronze arms.

It was a feast for the eyes and stomach!

Rip—

Chi Wan swallowed hard!

Her chest was beating violently, her hunger was no longer in her stomach, but a desire in her heart.

And beside Chi Wan, two people appeared at some point.

She was beside Huo Chuchun, and Huo Chuchun was beside Huo Dongzhi.

The two of them learned from Chi Wan and also sat down on small stools.

The three of them sat in a row, like kindergarten children.

They all looked up at Huo Nanchuan in the kitchen.

Huo Chuchun could even hear Chi Wan swallowing her saliva.

She comforted her, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry, dinner will be ready soon.”

Chi Wan licked her lips, her face slightly flushed.

Her clear eyes were glued to Huo Nanchuan, she couldn’t bear to look away for a second.

“Xiao Chun, your brother is really handsome!”

Chi Wan answered the question without answering.

Her soft voice was filled with involuntary admiration, and there was a hint of obvious delight.

Then.

She couldn’t help but laugh softly.

“Hee hee, such a handsome man, he’s mine, Chi Wan’s~”