Chapter 35

The three of them unconsciously quickened their pace and soon arrived at the gate of the courtyard.  

Through the gate, they could already hear the chatter and laughter of children coming from inside. It was obvious that besides Da Bao and Erniu, Qi Feng’s two sons were also there.  

Engineer Ning turned his head to look at Shen Qingyun and said: “Oh, are we having a feast tonight?”  

The meaning behind his words was clear: You’ve invited the instructor’s family for dinner, so why can’t you include us two old folks?  

Not inviting us is one thing, but after we shamelessly followed you home, you’re still trying to push us away? Don’t you have any respect for your elders? Truly, you’re just unpleasant sometimes!  

Since Shen Qingyun had gone to Province C, he had spent the most time with Engineer Ning and the others, and their relationship had grown increasingly close.  

When they first met, Shen Qingyun thought these were highly respected elders, so he had to be careful with his words and actions.  

But over time, he realized that these scholars were, in fact, quite straightforward in personality. Once they became familiar with you, they would absolutely not treat you as an outsider.  

In fact, they would act rather casual and not at all like elders.  

For example, Engineer Ning had barely known him for long before shamelessly taking away an entire jar of shredded pickled mustard greens that Shen Qingyun’s wife had initially prepared for him!  

It left Shen Qingyun utterly speechless.  

Now, seeing Engineer Ning’s face full of reproach, Shen Qingyun’s lips twitched. Pretending not to understand the unspoken accusation, he turned his head away and casually pushed open the gate.  

As soon as the door opened, the rich aroma intensified, almost as if it was purposefully wafting into their noses.  

The three of them instinctively took a deep breath.  

Erniu was the first to spot Shen Qingyun. She immediately jumped off her small stool and shouted: “Dad!” She ran toward him in a rush.  

Seeing her chubby little figure running straight at him, Shen Qingyun quickly bent down to catch her. However, she swiftly stuffed something into his mouth.  

“Dad, eat a potato slice!”  

Caught off guard, Shen Qingyun found his mouth filled with food.  

He instinctively chewed and discovered that the item in his mouth was soft yet chewy, savory and delicious. After a few bites, he could tell it was indeed potato, but it tasted entirely different from any potato dish he had eaten before.  

He knew that his wife had once again come up with something tasty for them to enjoy.  

A wave of comfort warmed his heart. When he raised his head again, his little daughter had already noticed Engineer Ning and Elder Hua, who had followed him inside.  

Erniu let go of her father’s leg, walked over to the two elders, and gave them a proper bow. “Hello, Grandpa.” she greeted.  

Only after that did she straighten up and beam at them with a bright smile.  

The little girl was now being pampered by Yin Xiaoman, growing exceedingly delicate.  

She wore a clean, floral dress, and her hair was tied into two small bunches. Her fair little face was not like most children of this era, who were often yellow-skinned and thin, but instead was chubby and rosy.  

Standing there so obediently and cutely, the two elders couldn’t help but feel their hearts warm.  

At that moment, Da Bao also saw them and hurriedly ran over from his previous spot.  

Unlike Erniu, who had rushed straight to Shen Qingyun, he first bowed to the two elders in greeting and only then turned around to call out: “Dad.”  

Such proper manners made the two elders secretly marvel.  

Seeing this, Qiangzi and Huzhi also followed, copying Da Bao’s actions by greeting the elders before joining them at the spot they had been gathering around earlier.  

Now, the three of them finally understood where the aroma they had smelled earlier was coming from.  

Near the kitchen, there was a charcoal brazier.  

It was the kind typically used for heating homes in winter.  

Though Hai City was geographically located in the southern part of the country and the winters were relatively mild, being near the sea made the cold season damp and chilly.  

Without a charcoal brazier, one couldn’t survive the cold.  

However, by now, the weather had already warmed up, and most families had packed away their brazier. No one expected that Yin Xiaoman would have put theirs to use again.  

At that moment, the brazier had a metal net resting on top, which clearly had been made by unravelling wire from an old bullet box.  

The wire mesh was tightly woven, making it a perfect fit for the brazier.  

On the metal mesh, neatly arranged were several thin slices of potato and strips of pumpkin.  

Both the potato slices and pumpkin were brushed with a thin layer of oil, and as they were being roasted over the charcoal fire, they made a sizzling sound.  

Next to the metal net was a small bowl filled with oil, and inside the bowl was a brush, with a pair of chopsticks resting on top.  

Da Bao, familiar with the routine, immediately sat on the small stool beside the brazier. He picked up a slice of potato with the chopsticks and carefully flipped each one.  

The potatoes that had been flipped over were now golden brown, with a perfectly even grid pattern on them. They looked not only beautiful but also incredibly tempting, so much so that one could almost taste their deliciousness without even eating them.  

The adults watched Da Bao work with great interest, but he was in no way shy or hesitant.  

His movements were skilled, and his technique was swift.  

Just by watching him, one could tell—

It was clear that they had done this many times before.  

“Where is your mother?” Shen Qingyun looked around but did not see Yin Xiaoman, so he couldn’t help but ask.  

Before he could even finish speaking, the gate to the courtyard was pushed open from the outside. Yin Xiaoman and Cui Yan walked in, each carrying a bamboo basket.  

Seeing them, Yin Xiaoman paused for a moment, then quickly came over to greet the two elders, before calling the children to move the stools and pour tea.  

It was obvious that there weren’t enough stools, so Cui Yan hurried back to her own home and brought over some more.  

After a while of busying around, everyone finally settled down, and Shen Qingyun began to understand what had happened.  

It turned out that his wife had gone to the county town to buy a bag of pumpkins and potatoes. After returning, she had roasted them for the two children to eat. The aroma was so enticing that it had drawn Qiangzi and Huzhi over.  

The children were so engrossed in eating that Cui Yan had come over several times to call them, but the two little ones adamantly refused to go home.  

In the end, Cui Yan grew impatient and threatened to scold them, but Yin Xiaoman stopped her with a hand.  

She suggested that since they had bought a lot of food this time, they should just have dinner together with both families in the evening.  

Cui Yan, seeing no other way, reluctantly agreed.  

She then mentioned that there were many ripe vegetables in her own backyard and suggested that Yin Xiaoman come with her to see what could be used for roasting. Otherwise, with so many people, there wouldn’t be enough food if they only had potatoes and pumpkins.  

When the three of them had returned earlier, the two women were in the backyard picking vegetables, so they hadn’t bumped into each other.  

Seeing so many people, one brazier would obviously not be enough.  

Cui Yan gave Yin Xiaoman a look and, while calling Qiangzi to go home and fetch their family’s brazier, pulled her into the kitchen.  

“You stay here and keep busy. I’ll go to Uncle Li’s place and see if there’s anything to buy. Tell me, what else can we roast?”  

Hearing this, Yin Xiaoman didn’t stop her.  

Although they had agreed to eat together, they hadn’t intended to make a big deal out of it.  

It was just supposed to be a casual gathering for the two families to chat and eat a little.  

Barbecuing wasn’t a filling meal, and in the end, they would still need to eat something like steamed buns to fill up.  

But now that Engineer Ning and Elder Hua had come, things couldn’t be so haphazard anymore.  

First of all, they were real guests, and guests from afar at that.  

Moreover, in Yin Xiaoman’s heart, no matter what, it was because of these two that Shen Qingyun was able to leave the munitions factory before the explosion.  

Even though it had been an unintended act, they were still the lifesavers of her family.

Now that their benefactors had come to visit, they had to make sure to treat them well.  

“Sister-in-law, then please make a trip for me. Don’t worry about whether we can roast it or not—just buy whatever you can. We can always figure out how to cook it once it’s here.”  

Hearing this, Cui Yan nodded. She thought Yin Xiaoman was right—after all, no matter what she got her hands on, she could turn it into something delicious.  

As she turned to leave, Yin Xiaoman grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, then took out some money and tried to shove it into Cui Yan’s pocket.  

Cui Yan immediately became anxious.  

“Are you the only one with money? Are you going to fight me over this little bit of money? Is it that you can’t spend it all?”  

Seeing the serious expression on Yin Xiaoman’s face, Cui Yan was getting more worked up.  

“Guests brought by Qingyun are just your family’s guests? They didn’t come to our camp? Qi Feng isn’t the instructor?”  

Saying this, Cui Yan, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness, stretched out her hand and poked Yin Xiaoman hard on the forehead.  

“You little girl, you need to wake up! If you keep your hands this loose, what are you going to do in the future?! Don’t think I don’t know, the oil, the sauces you’ve used outside—they’re all from what you bought today. Are you planning on emptying your entire household all at once? How are you going to make it through tomorrow? How are you going to survive in the future?”  

The more Cui Yan spoke, the angrier she became, but she also knew this wasn’t the right time to argue with her.  

She could only give Yin Xiaoman a sharp look and say: “If you keep acting like this with me, we’re done talking from now on. I won’t come to your house again!”  

With that, she turned and stormed out.  

Watching Cui Yan’s retreating figure, Yin Xiaoman could only shake her head with a bitter smile.  

She certainly knew that Sister-in-law meant well, so even though her forehead stung from the poke, she didn’t dare to say anything more.  

Instead, she quietly went back to tidying up the various vegetables they had just picked.  

Speaking of which, Cui Yan was from Capital City and had grown up in the city. But when it came to gardening, she was far more skilled than Yin Xiaoman.  

It was only a few months into the season, and the vegetables in her yard were already thriving.  

Just the ones they had picked earlier included garlic, ginger, carrots, eggplants, bok choy, and tomatoes.  

Each one looked plump and fresh, appealing to the eye. They were far superior in appearance compared to the pumpkins and potatoes she had bought from the county town.

Yin Xiaoman washed the carrots, cutting them into long strips about the size of her fingers, and then cut all the eggplants into thick, round slices the width of half a fingertip. She also sliced the potatoes and cubed the pumpkin, chopping enough to fill a bamboo tray usually used for drying vegetables before she stopped.

Since she had initially only planned for the children to play with the food, not as a dish, she kept it light, only adding a little fine salt to the potato slices, without any other seasonings.

Looking out the window, she noticed that Qi Feng had also arrived and was now lighting another charcoal grill with Shen Qingyun.

The yard was packed with several masters and a group of children.

After a moment of thought, she decided to prepare a flavorful dipping sauce.

She briefly toasted the Sichuan peppercorns in a pan, then ground them into a powder. She added salt and chili powder, and also included some dried mountain mushrooms powder she had brought back from the palace.

The aroma was so strong that she could already tell it would be fragrant, spicy, and numbing without even tasting it.

Seeing that everything outside was almost ready, the charcoal grill was lit, and she carried the prepared items outside.

After teaching the two men how to roast the food and how to sprinkle the seasoning, she returned to the kitchen.

This time, she took out all the scallops she had bought in the morning from Little Tao, cleaning them one by one, removing the internal organs, and arranging the meat neatly back inside the shells.

Just as she was about to make the sauce, Cui Yan came running in with a small bamboo basket.

From the sweat on her forehead and her heavy breathing, it was clear she had been running all the way here.

Yin Xiaoman quickly stopped her work and poured a bowl of water for her. Cui Yan didn’t say anything, drinking the whole bowl in one go.

After finishing, she said: “I emptied Uncle Li’s place, and everything is here. Take a look and see if it’s enough.”

Yin Xiaoman poured the contents of the basket into a large basin and saw five or six small fish, the size of a palm, a few small crabs, three large octopuses, and seven or eight oysters.

“This is enough, this is really enough.” Yin Xiaoman hadn’t expected Cui Yan to get so much this time, and she was overjoyed, finally feeling relieved.

Earlier, she had spent a long time debating whether to take out the grouper she had bought today. To be honest, she really didn’t want to.

Such good ingredients would be too wasted if they were just grilled.

As a chef, not only must the food be delicious, but it must also be used efficiently, with its value properly realized. This was something they took very seriously.

Now that she had these, her grouper was safe.

After teaching Cui Yan how to clean and prepare everything, Yin Xiaoman went back to making her sauce.

She first pounded a lot of garlic into a paste using a stone mortar, then added finely chopped ginger, soy sauce, mountain mushroom powder, and finally poured a spoonful of hot oil on top…

Instantly, a rich, aromatic fragrance filled the air.

“My God, Xiaoman, what are you doing?!”

The aroma was so enticing that Cui Yan couldn’t even continue her work. She abandoned the fish she had only half cleaned and rushed over.

Yin Xiaoman squinted and smiled, not responding to her. She quickly placed the cleaned scallops and oysters on a large plate and used a small spoon to drizzle the sauce over them, bit by bit.

Once everything was done, she handed the plate to Cui Yan. “Sister-in-law, take this outside and let them grill it. Be careful not to break the shells, or the juice will spill out and dirty the grill. It’ll make it easier for the other food to burn.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll tell them. If anyone dares spill this delicious broth, they can forget about eating anything else!” Cui Yan said as she looked at the plate in her hands, unable to resist swallowing.

After Cui Yan left, Yin Xiaoman walked over to the basin.

She rolled up her sleeves, about to start cleaning the small fish and octopuses when a familiar scent wafted through the air behind her.

It was Shen Qingyun’s scent.

Even with the blend of various smells in the kitchen, Yin Xiaoman recognized it immediately.

Just as she was about to turn around, he had already come closer.

“What are you still doing? Let me do it, you should go out and eat.” he said as he walked up behind Yin Xiaoman. He leaned his head over her shoulder to look into the basin.

When he saw the octopus wriggling and squirming, he couldn’t help but grimace, almost as if his teeth were aching. He turned to Yin Xiaoman, eyes wide with disbelief, and asked: “Can we eat this?”

Because they were so close, when he turned his head, his face was almost touching hers.

They were only a few centimeters apart.

His breath was almost on her cheek.

Yin Xiaoman’s face instantly turned bright red. She instinctively tried to move back, but forgot that the man was actually standing right behind her.

In that moment, she accidentally stepped back right into his arms.

Shen Qingyun placed his hands on her to steady her, but instead of stepping back, he pulled her into a full embrace, giving her a tight hug. 

Only when it was clear that she was about to panic did he quickly release her and, sensing the danger of making her angry, stepped to the side.

But he couldn’t hold it in and let out a suppressed laugh.

Yin Xiaoman’s face turned bright red from embarrassment.

Seeing her like this, Shen Qingyun finally stopped teasing her.

He quickly spoke in a soothing tone: “Alright, alright, don’t be angry. Just tell me how to clean them, and I’ll do it. You go eat, or everything will get cold.”

After speaking, he took off his military uniform and placed it on a nearby chair, rolling up his sleeves.

Yin Xiaoman knew the man had been teasing her on purpose, but she couldn’t do anything about it.

She was both angry and flustered, so she decided not to be polite with him. “The fish need to be scaled, gutted, fins trimmed, and gills removed. As for the octopus…”

Although she was tempted to make things difficult for him, she still didn’t trust him enough to handle the octopus.

Sighing, Yin Xiaoman resigned herself and carefully took the three octopuses from the basin, transferring them to another bowl.

She poured in salt, added water, and began to knead them, cleaning off all the slime.

After rinsing with clean water, she peeled off the membrane, removed the beak, and squeezed out the innards and ink sacs. The once slippery, fishy, and dark octopuses were now transformed into tender, pale little creatures.

Only then was one considered properly cleaned.

While she worked, Shen Qingyun stood silently beside her, watching. As she finished cleaning one, he suddenly placed his hand over hers.

“I’ve got it now. Let me do it, you go eat.” he insisted.

Though Yin Xiaoman couldn’t deny she was touched by his repeated offers to help her get food, with so much still to clean, how could she possibly let go of the task?

“Move faster, help me finish up, and then I can go out to eat.” she said to the man with an irritated tone.

However, she didn’t even notice that her words carried a subtle hint of affection.

Shen Qingyun pressed his lips together, his expression brighter than when he had first entered.

He swiftly cleaned the fish.

When faced with the remaining two slippery octopuses, his scalp visibly tingled in discomfort.

But after hesitating for a few seconds, he reached out and grabbed them, following Yin Xiaoman’s earlier motions and cleaning them in the same way.

By this time, Yin Xiaoman had prepared the seasonings and had already massaged the fish with a mixture of scallions, ginger, garlic, and various dried spices.

Once Shen Qingyun finished, she expertly mixed the seasonings into the octopuses as well, then placed them on a plate for the man to take. She herself picked up a stack of the steamed cornbread and the two of them walked outside together.

As soon as she appeared, everyone waved at her in unison. “Xiaoman, come here, you’ve worked hard today! Hurry up, stop being busy and come eat something!”

Engineer Ning even moved his chair to the side, clearing space next to Shen Qingyun.

Shen Qingyun didn’t hesitate at all. He handed the things in his hands to Qi Feng and then pulled Yin Xiaoman to sit down beside him.

As soon as they sat, he handed her a small bowl.

Yin Xiaoman looked down and almost burst out laughing in frustration.

The bowl was filled to the brim, nearly overflowing.

It had everything from the potato slices, pumpkin strips, to the oysters and scallops she had just prepared, all packed in there, as if he feared she might miss out on any of it.

“Hurry up and eat, I’ve saved the best for you.” Shen Qingyun said.

Seeing that she just stared at the bowl without moving, he leaned in and whispered into her ear.

Turning away from the others’ view, Yin Xiaoman quickly kicked his large foot and shot him an annoyed look.

He was hosting at home, yet he was acting like this, not even caring that the guests might find it ridiculous!

But Shen Qingyun acted as if he didn’t feel a thing, lightly tapping her arm with his hand and then nudging the bowl with his chin.

When he noticed his wife giving him a look of exasperation, he chuckled and quickly snatched the chopsticks from Qi Feng’s hands. He started placing the fish on the grill.

However, when he reached for the octopus, his hand paused in mid-air. He turned to Yin Xiaoman with a questioning look.

His eyes clearly showed some resistance, as if to say: “Can we really eat this soft, gross thing?”

Yin Xiaoman had seen that kind of expression many times before, especially when she was in the Kitchen Unit.

When she first told the soldiers that octopus was edible, they all reacted the same way—totally repulsed. Some even tried to warn her, saying it was poisonous, that its ink was black and gross, and it had a terrible fishy smell that couldn’t be cleaned off.

But after she taught the soldiers how to handle and cook it, they were all so happy to eat it that they couldn’t get enough.

Shen Qingyun, having spent too much time in C Province, missed that phase, so he had never tasted this delicacy.

Qi Feng, however, was different. He had already eaten octopus dumplings, thanks to Yin Xiaoman teaching his wife how to make them.

Seeing Shen Qingyun’s hesitation, Qi Feng immediately understood the situation. Without waiting for Yin Xiaoman to speak, he shot Shen Qingyun a disdainful look, as if to say, “Come on, let me show you how it’s done.”

“Go on, go on, I’ll do it! Let sister-in-law eat, don’t bother her.” Qi Feng said as he grabbed the plate, placing the food one by one on the grill and skillfully flipping them.

He was clearly showing off.

But Shen Qingyun didn’t even glance at him. He saw his partner working, so he took a step back and became a hands-off manager. He was busy picking up the grilled food from the net and placing it into Yin Xiaoman’s bowl.

Every time she ate something, he would look at her with a satisfied expression, as if he had eaten it himself.

Soon, the distinct salty and fresh taste of the seafood filled the air.

Aside from the freshness of the fish, there was also the richness of the sauce and the smokiness from grilling.

Then, silence fell over the group as everyone went back to their tasks, busy once again.

The meal was truly a delight for both the hosts and the guests. The ten of them, both big and small, had almost finished half a bag of potatoes and pumpkins, and they devoured the fish and other dishes with equal enthusiasm.

That wasn’t all—they also ate up all the cornmeal pancakes Yin Xiaoman had made.

Cui Yan was at a loss, so she brought her own batch of steamed buns and placed them on the grill. The men eagerly roasted them and dipped them into the leftover juices from the fish and shellfish, cleaning their plates entirely.

Watching everyone look as though they were still not satisfied, Yin Xiaoman couldn’t help but think—Their stomachs must be bottomless.

But despite this, she quickly returned to the kitchen. Using up the remaining scraps, she made a seafood dumpling soup.

Though she called it “scraps.” the soup was packed with great ingredients—crab meat, fish paste, flower clams, shrimp shells, tomatoes, and greens.

She stirred in dumplings made from pure white flour, and just before it was ready, she added a couple of drops of sesame oil.

The aroma was so tempting that even Erniu, who had been complaining about being full, hummed and grumbled, then ate half a bowl more.

By now, it was nearly nine in the evening, and the sky had turned completely dark.

Outside the Shen family’s courtyard, everything else in the camp was pitch black and silent.

But inside their yard, everyone looked content, their faces beaming with a happiness they hadn’t felt in a long time.

The elderly couple had truly eaten to their fill. Not caring about their image, they slouched in their chairs, rubbing their bellies, and couldn’t get up for a long while.

Qi Feng, worried that they might hurt themselves from overeating, coaxed them and personally escorted them back to the guesthouse.

Strongzi and Huozi had been sent home to sleep by their parents.

Shen Qingyun clumsily helped Cui Yan clean up the dishes.

Da Bao stood in the yard, supervising Erniu as he washed his hands and rinsed his mouth, preparing for bed…

The yard was still lively, but Yin Xiaoman had already been gently forced back to her room by Shen Qingyun.

He told her that she had worked hard today, and there was no need for her to do any more work.

Sitting in the bedroom, Yin Xiaoman looked out through the open door at the busy people outside. She suddenly felt that this kind of life—being together with her family, safe and sound—was what she had been longing for all along.

Not seeking wealth or glory, just wishing for her family to be together and live peacefully.