Chapter Eighteen: Covering the Kitchen

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  It was almost noon, and Grandma had gone to the kitchen with Fang Mengnan to "busy" herself with lunch. My mother wanted to help but was chased away by my aunt and grandma, one pushing and the other pulling.

  Mr. Lin and Dad are idle in his house, two people playing Chinese chess.

  Auntie told mom to say goodbye and left, now the kitchen is just for our mom and Nannan, no one else can enter.

  "Oh, let's get the fabric out and make a dress for Nannan, I think one piece is not enough." The old mother was pulled into the house by her younger sister with a puzzled look. In winter, she also had to make two more outer garments, down jacket, down pants, children's clothes were very simple, and the old mother could do it easily.

  "Okay, it's still a while before lunch, just in time for a trim." Xiaoyi hastily nodded in agreement.

  Actually, cooking is very simple for Fang Mernan now. With a spacious kitchen, as soon as she thinks about it, a table of dishes can be prepared quickly. The rest of the time is spent chatting with her grandmother in the kitchen.

  "Grandma thought about where to build the kitchen without skipping a beat. Fang Mengnan was silent in the space, not affecting her conversation with Grandma."

  "Hmm, I've thought about it, let's just build it in the passageway between our northern house and the backyard, that place is just right. The furnace can also benefit our northern room and Old Man Lin's main room, so we won't be cold in winter either. It's just that we need to discuss the specifics with your dad, he's on the construction team, he should know about this." This was Grandma's plan after thinking it over. "Our house has a kang, we're not afraid of the cold. Winter is coming soon, if those two rooms are warm too, you kids can study more comfortably."

  "Uh, let's count it at noon when we eat. Fang Mo Nan also thought this idea was not good. 'Right, grandma asked my dad to tidy up the backyard, autumn harvest is over, and the weather is getting colder, let's plant some greenhouse vegetables.'"

  "What's with the greenhouse vegetables?" Grandma asked in puzzlement.

  "Oh, I mean planting some greenhouse vegetables like cucumbers, leeks, tomatoes, spinach, and rape. I haven't done this specifically before, but it's quite simple, just bamboo sticks and plastic film. It's cheap, and even with the empty space in our backyard, it won't cost much."

  "It's like this, build walls with earth and stones on all four sides, about two or three feet high, then use sturdy bamboo strips to set up a framework." Fang Mernan walked out of the space, holding a branch and drawing a circular shape on the ground.

  Then cover with plastic film. Although the temperature is low in winter, it does not often rain, and there is plenty of sunshine. The greenhouse can absorb the sun's temperature, and the temperature inside the greenhouse is higher than outside. Cucumbers, tomatoes, leeks, and spinach can all grow like this until around the Winter Solstice when they are ready to eat.

  Nowadays, in winter, except for Chinese cabbage, radish, and potatoes, it is rare to see green leafy vegetables.

  "Hmm, sounds feasible. After lunch, they'll be fine after discussing it." Just as Grandma was about to continue, shouting voices were heard from outside.

  "Is Auntie at home? I'm Sun Youcheng!"

  The people in the house heard someone calling, and Xiao Yi went out to take a look. "Dage Cheng, you've arrived." "Mom, Dage Cheng is here."

  Grandma opened the kitchen door and said to her, "You go entertain them first, my meal will be ready soon."

  "The door closed with a bang. Grandma looked into the kitchen and saw that there was no one there, so she spoke to the empty air, 'Someone's coming home, I'd better cook some more dishes.'"

  "Hmm, I heard it," Fang Mo Nan replied.

  Mr. Lin and Dad also walked out of the house.

  "Ah, you're all here, just in time, let's go out and have some fun." Sun Youcheng greeted them.

  A few people came out of the yard and stood on the street, and they saw Sun Youcheng's brother, who was driving a mule cart. On top of it were stones, and in his arms he held a very large basket covered with a towel. Next to him was placed half a bag of flour. There were also two live old hens tied up.

  Sun Youcheng invited them to bring the camels' loads into the house.

  Fang Mo Nan had also finished cooking the meal on her side. Originally, she was making chicken noodle soup, but since someone came over, she made some rice and stir-fried a few dishes. Whoever wanted to eat could just dig in.

  The men carried them into the house together. Grandma asked Old Mom and Little Aunt to carry lunch, and those good bowls and chopsticks also followed into the house.

  Sun Youcheng put down what was in his hand, "These are all produced by our own family, very fresh."

  Grandma saw a big basket of eggs, at least twenty catties. "Dà Chéngzi, what are you doing with so many eggs? You shouldn't waste them, they could be used to pay for the kids' tuition fees!"

  Sun Youcheng smiled and said, "No need, Auntie. The kids at home are already tired of eating them, we sell a lot in the town, these are all fresh ones just laid. You don't know, Auntie, since you left..."

  Grandma interrupted his lengthy speech, "Let's eat first and talk while we eat." Everyone sat down together, eating and listening to Sun Youcheng.

  After Fang Mernan finished listening, it turned out that Shi Tuo was quite reliable and had been catching earthworms to feed the chickens every day. As a result, not only did the chickens grow fast, but their egg production also increased rapidly. The family members were puzzled one day when they caught Shi Tuo feeding the chickens and heard his words. Sun Youcheng was a kind-hearted person who not only sold some slightly larger hens but also mobilized the whole family to dig earthworms everywhere. The results were naturally remarkable, and when it got cold, the egg production decreased. Today was the day they went to sell the last batch of eggs at the market and then came to visit their aunt to thank her, which is why they arrived late.

  Fang Mo Nan patted Shi Tou's head comfortingly, "Good boy, well done."

  "Eldest aunt, I heard from Shi Tou that it was you who taught her the method." Sun Youcheng stood up and said.

  "Hmm, it's what I taught him, and also what others told him. Didn't expect it to actually come true." Grandma glanced at Fang Mo Nan, seemingly thinking that it happened in the countryside, she'll ask later.

  "Hmm, this kid didn't betray her. Probably didn't dare to. If asked for the reason, explaining the cause and effect would reveal the trap. So they pushed it onto Grandma's back, you're a clever kid." Fang Mo Nan patted Shi Tou's shoulder, laughing very adorably.

  The stone's feeling is chilly, shrinking its body, continuing to lower its head and eat bitterly.

  After a meal, Sun Youcheng also gained an understanding of their lives over the past few months, which was reflected in the dinner table at his aunt's house. When he heard that they were going to build a kitchen, he volunteered to stay and help. In the village, whenever someone builds a house, they would invite him, as he knew some masonry skills. Then he let his brother return home, leaving the mule cart behind, just in case something happened, it could be used to send word.

  At first, Shi Tou was forced to study by Fang Mo Nan, but gradually he also enjoyed the benefits of improving his grades. At least his parents were happier and he got beaten less often. When chatting with the village women, his face would light up with a smile. Seeing how happy it made him, he felt motivated to study hard, so that there would be more smiles at home. Moreover, once he really delved into it, he found that he actually loved learning.

  He also wanted to thank Fang Mo Nan during the autumn holiday, so he stayed behind.

  After dinner, the men discussed building a kitchen. Grandma gave instructions and also handed over things in the backyard before leaving to see how the noodles were doing. It got dark early, so it's better to steam them earlier.

  Fang Mo Nan held a rolling pin in her hand, surrounding Grandma and Old Mom. "Use this, two people press the dough." She pointed to the dough on the chopping board, and the two of them worked together, pressing and folding the dough, with an effect just as good as kneading by hand. "Then roll it into a long strip, cut it into squares with a knife, save effort."

  "Mother thought for a moment, holding the rolling pin and looking at Grandma said 'How about we give it a try?'"

  With the help of tools, it's indeed time-saving and labor-saving. Soon, more than 100 steaming hot mantou (steamed buns) were cooked, soft and fluffy.

  Put the steamed buns in a large bamboo basket, cover them with a layer of quilt made from new cotton wadding for warmth. Two people moved it to a small pushcart, then Grandma took out clothes.

  "Mom, I've got it today, you can rest." The old mom snatched the pale pink clothes and put them on. "Mom, this dress." She pointed to the pattern on her chest, which was very festive, but a child would look better in it, not suitable for an adult like her.

  "Ah, it's good, this painting was done by your daughter, others can't even get it." Grandma smiled at the old mom who put on a big apron. "You're useful once you put it on." She patted her head, "Right, remind the people who bring mantou that our stall will be set up in front of Old Mo's house tomorrow, this is the most important thing, don't forget."

  Old mother heard that it was painted by Fang Mo Nan, which is unbelievable. She had not seen the child for three months and the change was so great. No time to think twice, put it on, pushed the stroller and left, of course, with more pride and pride.

  Half an hour later, my mother happily pushed the cart away. It turned out that the person painted on this apron was really special. "Mom, I went to sell buns, they only recognized the painting on me and didn't see that the person wearing the clothes had changed. However, there were also those who recognized me as your daughter."

  "Hehe, it's already like this now, so fast, there must be a lot of people, right?" Grandma guessed.

  "Yes, many people didn't buy it, and when they left, they still looked back three times." The old mother nodded, she had just heard about it yesterday and wasn't very concerned, but today was greatly changed. She didn't expect that this small stall would have such a big profit, so she handed the money over to her grandmother.

  While grandma was busy steaming and selling buns, dad, mom, and aunt were at grandma's place, holding a measuring rod and iron tongs, starting to measure, draw lines, and dig the foundation. Old Lin and Da Cheng hurriedly drove a mule cart to buy cement, stones, and sand. The red bricks behind had ready-made ones, not enough for two main rooms, just right for the kitchen, and the house beams were also ready-made.

  Old mother pulled little aunt's arm and asked in a low voice, "We are going to build the kitchen, obviously there are not enough people, do we need to invite big brother?"

  "I'm telling you, sister, don't mention this again. You've already been through it twice, and he won't let mom do it because he's afraid of losing face." Xiaoyan looked disgusted. "Losing face? It's not like he respects his elders. Mom is so old and still has to come out and sell things to make money. He's afraid that others will gossip about him behind his back."

  "Mom's curious about how you managed to convince her this time." She looked at Xiaoyi in confusion, as usually whenever Lao Da said something, their mother would definitely agree.

  She made a gesture of counting money, "This charm is great." Then she said that I'm going to school, if I take the university exam, the pressure will be even greater. So mom just kept going. She didn't expect her mom would keep going either, it seems like this time her mom finally stood on her side, still loving her in her heart, thinking of this little aunt made her feel happy and contented.

  "Right, I see you're quite enthusiastic about it, not opposing at all." Little Aunt asked doubtfully.

  "Our family situation is not good, I'm not saying it's not. Your mom can find a job that's better, and she won't be idle every day with nothing to do, looking at your dad's photo and crying, thinking wildly." Mom said, "This way we can also reduce our burden, what reason do I have to refuse?" What mom said was very realistic, but it's also the truth. "For your mom, you must study hard."

  "Don't worry, I'll also go all out for the sake of winning." Little Aunt said with a wave of her fist.

  "You two stop whispering over there and get back to work!" Dad yelled.

  "Alright, here we come." Mom and Little Aunt replied.

  Fang Mo Nan was dragged to the backyard by Shi Tou, and Fang Mo Bei had to follow, not allowing her to disturb the adults at work. Fang Mo Nan looked at the twisted Shi Tou, "If you have something to say, then say it."

  He hung his head and then quickly looked up at her, "Sorry, thank you."

  "Oh, sorry about that, thanks" Fang Mo Nan said with ill intentions, thinking that if he was going to apologize, he should just get it over with quickly, like a big girl, without any enthusiasm.

  "Sorry, I bullied you at my house before, thanks to the fact that the earthworm fed the little chicken." Stone looked at her with a smile and said bluntly.

  "I'm leaving, have you finished your homework?" Fang Mo Nan smiled so adorably.

  "My grades are soaring, and my teacher even praised me, saying I've made rapid progress." Shi Tou said proudly with his chest puffed out.

  "Oh, okay then. Why don't you stay at our place for a few days and study with us?" Fang Mo said warmly.

  In the eyes of the stone, Little Red Riding Hood had fallen into the wolf's grandmother's house, her back chilled to the bone, shivering with cold, "Good."

  The men were busy building the kitchen, and later the neighbors joined in to help. At noon, they had a big meal, and Grandma bought a lot of pork for the occasion, so everyone was full of energy. Grandma and Mom were busy steaming buns, while Little Aunt was getting ready for school. Old Man Lin was at home with Fang Mennai, Mengbei, and Shitou, studying and reading books. During the whole time they were building the kitchen, Big Uncle didn't come to Grandma's house even once.

  The kitchen was finally usable after two days of overtime work at night. The kitchen is a rectangular shape, with a height of over one person, and has two large fire stoves in rural style side by side. The outside of the stove is covered with white glazed tiles, which are shiny and clean. Because the area is not large, it doesn't cost much money, and with the glazed tiles, cleaning is easy.

  There is a coal-fired stove inside, which produces a lot of heat and boils quickly. Next to the fire, two large water tanks were also installed inside, serving as bathtubs, making it more convenient to use hot water. If it's winter, Fang Mernan thinks that taking a bath here wouldn't be cold at all.

  Dad came up with a solution, the heat emitted by the chimney couldn't be wasted, so he also installed "central heating" in Old Man Lin's room. The vegetables in the backyard were also set up with a frame and covered with plastic film.

  After Sun Youcheng saw the vegetable greenhouse behind them, he was itchy in his heart and asked after calculating the account in his hand. Fang Mernan let Grandma come out to tell them a way that doesn't cost money. It just so happened that they had just finished harvesting autumn, and they took some whole corn stalks from the ground, set up a frame, brought them down during the warm daytime, and covered them at night when it was cold. This way, they could keep warm and eat fresh vegetables even in winter. After listening, he nodded repeatedly and tried to arrange it himself.

  Three days passed quickly, and for Shi Tou, it was a devastating three days. He thought he could show off in front of Fang Mo Nan this time, but unexpectedly, the result was that only Lin Lao Ye Zi and Xiao Yi could shed sympathetic tears for Shi Tou. Compared to these non-human beings from their family, it's simply courting death.

  Shitou said goodbye as he was about to leave, and his opponent, Mo Nan, challenged him, saying that next time she would definitely win against him.

  Fang Mo Nan encouraged him, saying "Little Stone, study hard and I'll be waiting for you to defeat me." After finishing speaking, he snorted in disdain, looking down his nose with an arrogant expression, truly making Shi Tou hate him to the point of grinding his teeth.

  "Hmph, you just wait." Shi Tou said with a battle intent that was full of energy.

  "Very good. Very spirited." Old Master Lin patted his head happily, and he liked this silly, somewhat stubborn simple guy very much.

  They came with a cart full of farm produce, and Grandma was generous, packing a bag of rice, a basket of apples, dried fruits. Fang Mengnan made some of the fruit into dried fruit leather, too fresh to eat raw. And these dried fruit leathers were told to outsiders that they were bought by his mother from the city. In addition, the courtyard was filled with jujubes, pomegranates and cloth. Watching them disappear at the street corner, everyone felt relieved.

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