Chen Yuping pickled four large jars of red fermented tofu .

All the tofu made by Father Chen and his son yesterday afternoon is in these four big jars.

Chen Yuanqiu has been thinking about the taste of the fermented tofu. Now it’s already the end of September, and there are only a couple of days until October when the jars can be opened. He’s getting a bit impatient.

“Third Brother, can’t we open the jars a bit early?”

“No,” Chen Yuping coldly shook his head, refusing. “There isn’t enough time, it will lose some of its flavor.”

“I dreamed yesterday that you opened the jar, and I was just about to taste it with my chopsticks when the tofu fell to the ground!” Chen Yuanqiu clutched his chest with a pained expression. “You don’t know how much I hated that! I woke up in shock, only to realize it was just a dream. I couldn’t sleep well the rest of the night. Third Brother, look at my eyes, I have eye bags!”

Chen Yuping was both amused and helpless. “You’ve got to have some self-control. You eat well every day, how can you still be so greedy?”

“It’s different! The taste you actually eat is completely different from the taste you only imagine.”

Hearing this, Chen Yuping felt it was a bit dangerous and reminded him, “Youngest, before you get married, you treat your partner like a treasure. After getting married, you can’t treat her like grass. That kind of thinking won’t do.”

“What are you talking about?” Chen Yuanqiu widened his eyes. “Third Brother, how can you sound like Father? This is so unfair! As a man of the Chen family, I must align myself with Father and Second Brother, I can’t disgrace our family!” He straightened his chest.

“As long as you understand.”

Dad Chen entered the room carrying a child. “What are you two talking about?”

“Youngest just had a realization. He said he would follow Father and Second Brother’s lead and treat his partner with care after he gets married,” Chen Yuping replied seriously.

Chen Yuanqiu looked at his third brother. “You’re so mean! I never expected you to be this kind of third brother.” Before their dad could speak, he quickly made a run for it, turning back to shout, “I’ll remember this, Third Brother!”

Just then, he bumped into someone. Cui Yuanjiu stood behind him, quickly helping the boy so they wouldn’t fall in a heap.

“Sorry, sorry! Are you okay?” Chen Yuanqiu stood up straight, his face flushed, feeling awkward and embarrassed.

The boy rubbed his nose and said in a soft voice, “I’m fine, just my nose hurts a little.”

“You didn’t bleed, did you? Let me see.” Dad Chen handed the child to his third son and hurried to the eaves, speaking gently, his gaze particularly soft and kind. “My youngest is just a bit reckless, I’m sorry, kid. Does it still hurt? Should I get a cold cloth for you?”

“No need, it doesn’t hurt anymore.” The boy smiled at Dad Chen, his eyes sparkling. Brother Jiu said the Chen family was really nice, and this uncle was so gentle, it warmed his heart. No wonder Brother Jiu liked staying with the Chens.

Dad Chen led the boy inside and made two bowls of tea. “You’re a friend of Yuanjiu’s, right? Stay for lunch today.”

“Sure!” The boy had no idea how to be polite.

“We both work at the escort agency. His last name is Shen, and his given name is Le.”

Dad Chen nodded. “Le ger.”

“Yes, Uncle Chen!” Shen Le responded happily, calling him “Second Uncle” sweetly.

Chen Yuanqiu thought the scene was a bit odd. He scratched his head. “Father, I’m going to check outside.”

“Go ahead.”

Having not been to the Chen family for a while, Chen Yuchun tidied up the house. With nothing much to do, he brought Dazhuang and An ger back to the Chen house.

There were two unfamiliar faces in the house, one of whom seemed to come often to buy food. He had a bit of an impression from seeing him a few times.

Dad Chen and Ping ger were quite familiar with them.

He wondered if the man and the boy were related to Ping ger and the youngest.

“Chuan ger is here!” Dad Chen was very happy to see his two grandsons.

Dazhuang loved being at the Chen house and was very close to the Chen family, appearing much bolder as he sweetly greeted everyone.

Dad Chen visited his second son’s house and told his daughter-in-law not to prepare lunch since they were all eating at the old house together.

Hearing that Chuan ger had brought the two children, Liu Guixiang took Qiaoniu and headed to the old house. The three little ones, all born within two months of each other, played happily on the bamboo couch. Dazhuang sat next to them, watching his brothers and sister with a wide smile.

The egg sauce over mashed potatoes was specially made for Dazhuang. He loved it the last time, so Chen Yuping remembered to make it again.

There was winter melon stewed with pork bones, twice-cooked pork, steamed taro with ribs, cold radish shreds, pickled cucumbers, boiled fish, stir-fried three kinds of vegetables, and shrimp paste tofu.

Originally planning to stew a chicken but ran out of time, nine dishes were more than enough, filling the entire table and looking both abundant and delicious.

Shen Le didn’t dare to look directly at the table, fearing he might drool. He only dared to sneak glances, but the rich aroma of the dishes wafted up to his nose—so fragrant!

He had seen a lot and tasted many foods, but Third Brother Chen’s cooking was truly exceptional! Ordinary ingredients turned into such delicious meals under his skill. This talent was rare. If he opened a restaurant in the county, he would surely make a fortune.

For little Cao ger to be taken in by Third Brother Chen, it was a stroke of luck for him.

After the meal, Cui Yuanjiu helped clean the pig intestines as usual, tidying up the chores inside and outside the house before leaving with Shen Le.

As they left, Shen Le carried home a bag of braised pig trotters, five-spice tea eggs, shrimp paste buns, and braised pig intestines—worth twenty wen! This would be his dinner, and just thinking about it made him feel happy.

“This is my dinner, there’s none for you.”

Cui Yuanjiu replied expressionlessly, “I won’t steal your dinner.”

“Hmph.”

The next morning, Dad Chen and Father Chen woke up as dawn broke.

It had rained all night, and now it had stopped. The sky was overcast, with a cool breeze blowing that carried a hint of chill.

Cui Yuanjiu arrived at the Chen house carrying several bags.

“I’m leaving for the county tomorrow. I don’t know how long this trip will take, so I bought some things for Cao ger.” He also had plenty of food and drink for the Chen family.

“That’s too considerate,” Father Chen said, looking at the bags on the table with satisfaction. “Did Le ger not come with you?” He quite liked this lively and cheerful boy.

“He had something to do in town, so he didn’t come.”

“Why not stay for lunch before you leave? It won’t delay anything, will it?”

“It won’t.”

Entering October, Chen Yuanqiu seemed unusually excited early in the morning.

“Why hasn’t Third Brother gotten up yet?” He repeated this over and over, almost unable to control himself from wanting to uncover the jar or knock on the door to wake his Third Brother.

It was torture!

Father Chen was annoyed by him pacing under the eaves. “If you’re so idle, take the ox out to graze and come back with some grass.”

“I won’t! Third Brother will wake up soon.” It was rare for him to refuse.

Father Chen raised an eyebrow.

Chen Yuanqiu dashed to the kitchen. “I’m not going out, I won’t leave until Third Brother gets up.”

“You’ve been thinking about it for a month, you’re about to go crazy.” Dad Chen shook his head and approached his third son’s room. “Ping ger, it’s time to prepare the fruit powder for Cao ger.”

Chen Yuping replied with a smile, “Dad, I’ve been awake for a while.” He was playfully teasing Cao ger in the blanket, and the two of them were quietly having fun, which was quite enjoyable.

“You’re a little rascal,” Dad Chen said, taking Cao ger and preparing the fruit powder for him.

Hearing movement outside, Chen Yuanqiu burst out: “Third Brother, you’re finally awake!”

“Let’s go.” Chen Yuping had no way to deal with him as he grabbed a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. He carefully lifted the lid of the jar, skillfully and cautiously picking up a few pieces of fermented tofu, which were red and looked particularly appetizing, making him drool.

Chen Yuanqiu sniffed a couple of times. “What is this smell?” It wasn’t overwhelmingly fragrant, but it looked really good. “Third Brother, it smells a bit stinky.”

“It’s delicious,” Chen Yuping laughed, unable to help swallowing. “I love eating it. Take this bowl to Second Brother’s house, and we can eat breakfast when you get back.”

With the fermented tofu, breakfast was very simple: rice porridge with fermented tofu, cold radish shreds, and pickled cucumbers. The radish shreds were mixed with his special red chili oil, which wasn’t too spicy but very flavorful and fragrant. The radish shreds were juicy and sweet, just perfect with the chili oil.

The pickled cucumbers were from a small jar he had made earlier and were almost gone.

“Third Brother, Second Sister-in-law made scallion pancakes.” Chen Yuanqiu came in holding a plate.

Dad Chen glanced at him. “Why did you take so many? She’s got a child to care for, how many pancakes can she make?” He then walked outside. “Yuandong’s wife, we cooked a lot of rice porridge at home, don’t make the scallion pancakes. Come over and eat a bit.”

“Dad’s calling us for a meal,” Liu Guixiang said to her husband.

Chen Yuandong held a pancake, spreading fermented tofu on it. “Let’s go eat. We can take the leftover pancakes with us.”

“Sure.” Liu Guixiang was worried her husband wouldn’t have enough to eat, so she decided to make some dough balls, making things easier.

“It smells weird, a bit stinky, but it tastes amazing!” Chen Yuanqiu exclaimed in surprise. “It’s delicious with the rice porridge, great on the pancake, and even by itself, it’s incredibly tasty. This is great, Third Brother, you’re really amazing!” He couldn’t stop raving about the food.

Father Chen frowned. “It’s a bit strange.” He chewed and tasted a piece, and it still felt a bit off, but he couldn’t help reaching for more with his chopsticks, gradually enjoying it more and more.

“Drink some porridge or chew a couple of bites of the pancake,” Dad Chen nudged his husband.

“Mm-hmm.” Father Chen responded perfunctorily. After finishing a piece of fermented tofu, he relaxed and chewed on a piece of scallion pancake, then took a sip of rice porridge. “Delicious!”

Chen Yuanqiu chuckled. “Father eats so vigorously, he finished a piece in one go.” Everyone had only received two pieces, and he needed to eat slowly to savor it.

Liu Guixiang finished eating and put down her chopsticks, laughing with her eyes curved. “At first, I wasn’t used to it, but after a few more bites, it’s really tasty. I feel like my stomach is about to burst. I need to get up and move around a bit, I’ll take Qiaoniu to chat with someone later.”

“Do you want the half piece left in your bowl?” Chen Yuandong asked his wife.

“You eat it, I’m full.”

Chen Yuandong happily took the half piece of fermented tofu and bit into it without needing to chew much. The wonderful flavor burst in his mouth, and he pressed it down with the pancake, savoring it even more.

Soon, the villagers who came to buy food at the Chen stall noticed there was something new on the table. This dish was quite special, it had a slightly stinky aroma, with some saying it was fragrant. It was presented on a clean plate, glistening red and shiny, attracting attention. Two pieces for one coin, and there were also two small jars for twenty-five coins each.