Changping Village.

The sun has set, and a large fish-scale sunset appears in the sky, which dyes half of the sky red.

The heat wave on the earth that had been scorched by the scorching sun all day gradually receded, and the evening breeze blew.

The men were still working in the fields, unwilling to call it a day until it was completely dark.

So the women were sent back early and gathered at the pond at the entrance of the village to wash themselves and prepare meals for the family at night.

The naughty boys took off their clothes and pushed me from the high dam into the pond. The water splashed and made the woman washing next to laugh and curse.

"You brat, go paddle over there and don't muddy the water I use to wash vegetables!"

"No, no, I still have to pee in this water..."

"Hey, you little bastard, why don't you try to pee? Let me see if I don't burst your little bump..."

The pond was very lively. Old ladies waved cattail fans and carried ponies out to enjoy the cool air. Children ran everywhere. Yang Ruoqing and Sun also squatted by the pond and washed the night's dishes, feeling happy listening to the frolicking around them.

Suddenly, someone shouted from behind: "Mom! Sister!"

The mother and daughter turned around at the same time and saw a tall and straight young man striding towards this side.

The sunset illuminated his handsome features, his eyes were bright and his spirit was radiant. Compared to the depression and frustration he felt when he went home last time, he looked completely different before him.

"Xiao An?"

"Xiao An is back!"

Mrs. Sun dropped the vegetable melon in her hand and stood up and ran towards Xiao An. The edge of the pond was slippery and she almost stepped into the pond with her foot. Fortunately, Yang Ruoqing caught her in time.

"I have a biological mother, please take it easy!" Yang Ruoqing said with a smile.

Xiao An was also frightened by this turn of events. He was stunned for a moment and hurriedly ran to Sun, took Sun from Yang Ruoqing's hand and helped her to the side to stand.

"Mom, are you okay?"

Mrs. Sun shook her head, looked Xiao An up and down several times, and kept asking: "Why are you back? How long can you stay at home this time?"

Xiao An smiled and said, "I can stay here for three to five days."

"Ah? It's only been three or five days?" Sun's joy was instantly dampened.

Xiao An looked a little apologetic in his eyes, "Because of what happened a while ago, I wasted time, so this three- to five-day vacation was specially approved for me by Mr. Ning."

The Master Ning in Xiao An's mouth is naturally Xiao Yu's husband Ning Su.

"Why don't you ask Ning Su to grant you a few more days of leave?" Mrs. Sun took Xiao An's hand and asked.

Xiao An was startled for a moment, then grinned in embarrassment.

Beside, Yang Ruoqing smiled and held Sun's shoulders: "Mom, don't be greedy. Three or five days is already pretty good. You and Xiao An go back first, and I'll finish washing the remaining vegetables."

After saying that, Yang Ruoqing told Xiao An: "Take your mother home first to talk."

Xiao An nodded, and when he stood by the pond, he immediately became the center of attention, causing many people squatting on the shore and swimming in the water to look at him.

There were also several ladies and aunts with familiar faces who came over to say hello.

So, Xiao An politely greeted the aunties and helped Sun back home.

Mrs. Sun was so happy that she turned to greet the women while being supported by Xiao An: "My Xiao An is back. I will go back to cook dinner first, and then come to my house for tea when you are free..."

"Okay, okay, little An Niang, hurry up and get busy..."

Some other women squatted down where Sun was before to wash themselves, and took advantage of the situation to engage in household chores with Yang Ruoqing.

Although Yang Ruoqing wears several layers of identity, each one more prominent and noble than the next, she still maintains her original intention in the village and treats others the same way she used to treat them now.

Especially since the other party came over to compliment Xiao An earlier, Yang Ruoqing calmly started a family affair with the other party.

After washing the dishes and returning home, there was no one in the hall. There was only a drained tea bowl on the table, and two plates of melon seeds and peanuts that had not been put away yet, but Xiao An and Sun were not there.

Yang Ruoqing called out and came to the backyard carrying a vegetable basket.

As soon as I arrived in the backyard, I heard the clucking sound coming from the chicken coop, accompanied by the sound of footsteps.

Is this... killing a chicken?

Sure enough, Mrs. Sun came from around the corner of the kitchen, holding a chicken in her arms, with two chicken feathers in her hair, her face flushed and excited.

Seeing Yang Ruoqing, Mrs. Sun greeted her loudly: "Qing'er, bring the baby over for dinner at night, and I'll kill the chicken."

Yang Ruoqing naturally responded and asked about Xiao An's whereabouts.

Sun said: "I saw that he was sweating all over from running. I originally wanted to ask him to take a bath and change clothes, but he didn't listen and had to go to the drying yard at the south end of the village to find your father."

"Oh, that's it, then let him go, mother, you go get the vegetables and leave the chicken to me to kill."

"No, no, no, don't get your hands dirty. I kill chickens very quickly. You go to the front yard to have a sip of tea and have a rest."

Yang Ruoqing didn't take a break either, so she rushed into the kitchen to prepare vegetables.

Because she was rushing to serve the dishes at night and was pressed for time, the old hen was not suitable, so Mrs. Sun picked a baby chicken and killed it.

The chicken was not very big, so Sun peeled a few potatoes and put them together to make two large bowls of roasted chicken with potatoes.

He opened the jar again and took out two palm-sized pieces of bacon.

The bacon is still pickled during the Chinese New Year. It is 30% lean and 70% fat. It is smeared with salt, minced garlic and ginger and placed in a sealed jar, where it is eaten until the hot weather.

Sun took out the two palm-sized pieces of bacon, washed them, scalded them in boiling water and then let them cool.

Then cut the meat into large, light, thin and transparent slices and place them neatly in a black pottery bowl.

I heated up the oil pan again and fried some seasonings such as minced garlic, ginger, millet, and spicy food. I added a little sugar to enhance the flavor. I poured it all over the bacon and sprinkled it with a handful of green scallions before serving.

This bowl of plain-cut bacon is the best side dish during the summer.

Regardless of whether it is eaten plain-cut or steamed directly on top of rice, it is the first choice to accompany rice and wine, and it is also Yang Huazhong's favorite.

"There isn't much bacon left in the jar. I can only eat it twice and it will be gone," Mrs. Sun said to Yang Ruoqing while cooking other dishes.

"Both your father and Xiao An like to eat it. I'm thinking about making more bacon when we pick up salty goods during the twelfth lunar month this year."

Yang Ruoqing was squatting at the door of the kitchen with a basin of rice in her hand, picking out the sand in the rice with the remaining light outside. When she heard Sun's plan, she laughed twice without looking back, "Mom, it's still summer here.

, I’m probably the only one in the village who can eat cured meat. If your words spread, I don’t know how many people will be starved to death!”

Mrs. Sun was stunned for a moment and then laughed.

"Save the Chinese New Year bacon for the summer. The taste is just different. Your fourth uncle must have been thinking about our plain-cut bacon for a long time. Will you call him over for a cup later at night?"
Chapter completed!