Chapter 5.2

Entering the youth dormitory, Jiang Yao first brought the pig intestines and pickled cabbage into the kitchen. Seeing that there was still time, she decided to cook the pig intestines first.

Cleaning the pig intestines properly was crucial to making them delicious. Jiang Yao scrubbed and washed them with salt, rinsed them repeatedly, and finally cleaned them thoroughly. Next, she blanched the pig intestines, washed them again, and then added spices like star anise and cinnamon to simmer them.

When the broth boiled, she reduced the heat on the stove and let it simmer to absorb the flavour.

With her ‘small stove’ ready, Jiang Yao started cooking lunch for the educated youth.

For several days in a row, they had either sweet potato rice or sweet potato porridge, and Jiang Yao couldn’t stand it anymore, let alone Zhu Xia and the others who had been eating like this for years. So, she took the initiative today to improve their meals.

The rice she cooked today was similar to usual, but she added less water because she planned to make rice instead of porridge.

Everyone hadn’t had real rice for a long time, so they would each get a small bowl later.

A small bowl of rice definitely wouldn’t be enough, so she picked some cabbage and cut a few sweet potatoes from the vegetable garden to make a refreshing sweet potato and cabbage soup.

Before everyone finished work, Jiang Yao had already prepared the meal, and her pig intestines were also stewed. She cut the pig intestines into small pieces, then stir-fried them with the chopped pickled cabbage and poured the simmering broth over them, creating a fragrant aroma.

“Yao Yao, what smells so good?” Zhu Xia and the others smelled the fragrance from afar. Originally, they thought it was from another family cooking meat to improve their meals, but the closer they got to the youth dormitory, the stronger the aroma became.

“I made pickled cabbage pig intestines,” Jiang Yao smiled and said, “I’ve also cooked the rice. Let’s eat together.”

Today’s pig intestines weighed over a jin, costing her twenty cents, because she didn’t need coupons for pig offal. Compared to pork, which cost fifty cents per jin and required coupons, the cost-effectiveness was very high.

“Let’s eat together. We work as hard as oxen every day, so we have to treat ourselves,” Zhu Xia said, and when she came out later, she had three cents more in her hand. She handed the money to Jiang Yao and said, “You’ve been busy all morning; I can’t let you lose money.”

Jiang Yao knew that Zhu Xia’s family was not well-off, but she had her pride and dignity.

“Okay, I’ll take the money,” Jiang Yao accepted the money.

Following Zhu Xia’s lead, anyone who wanted to eat pig intestines voluntarily gave three cents to Jiang Yao.

“Jiang Yao, it’s a good thing you made rice today. The pig intestine broth tastes best when mixed with rice,” someone remarked.

“Exactly, although it’s only a small bowl, I haven’t had rice in a long time.”

“Wow, these pig intestines are so delicious. Jiang Yao, didn’t you used to be clueless about cooking? How come you suddenly know how to cook?” someone teased.

“Do you still know how to talk? Your mouth is not shut even when you’re eating,” Jiang Yao laughed and scolded.

Suddenly, her head darkened, and she heard someone say, “Jiang Yao, can you give me some?” Du Yuejia placed three cents next to Jiang Yao’s hand.

The two sisters from the Du family had been sitting in the corner. Everyone thought they weren’t eating anymore, after all, because of Zhao Pengfei, Du Yuejia and Jiang Yao could be considered rivals.

Smelling the fragrant pig intestines, everyone, who had been eager to eat, slowed down and secretly observed Jiang Yao’s reaction.

Jiang Yao raised her eyelids to glance at Du Yuejia, faintly responded with a ‘sure’, and then spooned a small spoonful of pig intestines from the bowl for her.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

At this point, even if Jiang Yao didn’t mock or taunt, she should at least not give pig intestines to Du Yuejia.

“Thank you,” Du Yuejia smiled and thanked her, then returned to her original seat, immediately transferring all the pig intestines from her bowl to Du YueJiao’s bowl, leaving only pickled cabbage for herself.

Watching this, Jiang Yao suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable.

Originally, she thought that since she no longer liked Zhao Pengfei, there was no enmity between her and Du Yuejia, and she was not a bad person, so there was no need to antagonise her. Secondly, if she targeted Du Yuejia, others might think she still deeply loved Zhao Pengfei. So, she just treated Du Yuejia as an ordinary educated youth.

But now, after making pig intestines all morning, they ended up in the mouth of Du YueJiao, a little troublemaker. It was infuriating.

Du Yuejia was also a shortsighted person. She treated Du YueJiao as her good sister, but the latter hated her to the core. Whatever Du Yuejia had, Du YueJiao would find a way to snatch it, including men. She just couldn’t stand seeing her happy.

Of course, Du YueJiao also liked Zhao Pengfei. She played so many tricks just to make Du Yuejia fall out with Zhao Pengfei first, then smear Jiang Yao’s reputation, and finally take advantage of it to get Zhao Pengfei.

After lunch, everyone went back to their rooms for a nap, and they had to work at two in the afternoon! Jiang Yao didn’t have to work. After everyone woke up, she continued to sleep peacefully.

But just as she fell asleep, her body was suddenly shaken, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Du YueJiao standing beside her bed.