Chapter 722 Northeast Journey 8
As the tempting aroma in the kitchen spreads more and more in the air like a spirit, it seems as if an invisible hand is gently stimulating everyone's olfactory nerves. This aroma, with the unique mellowness of wild boar meat and the rich fragrance of spices, penetrates into the children's nasal cavity and instantly arouses the "little gluttons" in their stomachs.
The children were sitting or squatting, occasionally glancing curiously toward the kitchen. But now, their stomachs started to growl as if under a spell, playing a "symphony of hunger".
The sound, one after another, was particularly clear in the relatively quiet room. The children looked at each other, with a bit of embarrassment on their faces, but the desire in their eyes could not be hidden.
They all looked eagerly towards the kitchen, their heads slightly raised, their eyes wide open, as if they wanted to see through the kitchen door and directly see the delicious wild boar meat boiling in the pot. Their little mouths unconsciously smacked, again and again, as if they had already put the tender and juicy wild boar meat into their mouths and were savoring the wonderful taste.
The adults were still sitting together, chatting leisurely. Their faces were relaxed and comfortable, as if the aroma from the kitchen had nothing to do with them, or perhaps it was just a wonderful background sound when they were chatting. The topic started out by focusing on the purchase of agricultural products, such as the large size and high yield of potatoes this year, and the sweet and sticky corn grown in the next village. Everyone was discussing, and occasionally expressing their own opinions.
I don't know who started the conversation, but the topic gradually turned, like the winding stream, to various interesting things in the village.
"Do you remember that the cow of the old Li family in the east of the village caused quite a stir a few years ago?" A villager with gray hair spoke first. He had a teasing smile on his face, and the wrinkles on his face were squeezed together, as if those wrinkles contained every bit of the village's past. As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, as if he wanted to re-present the scene of the year in front of everyone.
"How could I not remember? I don't know what happened to that cow. It went crazy in the middle of the night and broke free from the reins. When Lao Li woke up the next day, he almost fainted." Another villager immediately took over the conversation. His voice was full of laughter. While he was talking, he imitated the movements of pulling the cow, pulling forward with both hands and leaning back slightly. The look was so vivid that everyone laughed again. Everyone seemed to see Lao Li's angry and anxious expression when he looked at the vegetable garden that was ruined beyond recognition.
"And the big rooster at the home of Widow Wang at the west end of the village, it's really the bully of the village!" A woman covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes narrowed into a slit, and the laughter lines at the corners of her eyes were piled together. She said vividly: "The big rooster crows at the top of its lungs every morning before dawn, and the sound is so loud that it feels like it can blow the roof off the house. It wakes up the whole village, and no one can sleep in. Later, Widow Wang had no choice but to sell it." As soon as she finished speaking, everyone laughed again, and the laughter echoed in the house, full of a strong rural atmosphere and the joy of life.
Everyone sat together, like a group of old friends reunited after a long separation, reminiscing about the little things in the village. Those interesting things in the past were like bright stars, twinkling in the vast sky of everyone's memory, each carrying a happy time and an unforgettable memory.
Someone talked about playing hide-and-seek under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village when they were young. At that time, the old locust tree at the entrance of the village was like a kind elder, silently guarding the village. Children always liked to play and laugh under its shade. Whenever they played hide-and-seek, everyone was like a group of clever little monkeys, looking for hiding places everywhere. Some hid in the haystack, only showing a small head, with eyes rolling around, nervously and excitedly observing the movements outside; some climbed up the old locust tree and hid among the dense branches and leaves, thinking that they would not be discovered, but they didn't know that the slightly shaking branches had already betrayed them. Everyone chased each other, and laughter echoed over the whole village.
Someone else mentioned the temple fair that was held in the village before. That was the busiest time of the year in the village. At the temple fair, there were all kinds of stalls, including those selling candy figures. The craftsmanship of the candy figure master was really amazing. The syrup in his hand flew between his flexible fingers. Soon, lifelike little animals appeared in front of everyone, attracting children to come forward with their eyes full of desire. There were also jugglers. Those artists had unique skills. The performances such as breaking stones with their chests and breathing fire made people stunned and applauded. At night, there would be fireworks shows. The colorful fireworks bloomed in the night sky, like blooming flowers, illuminating the whole village.
In this relaxed and happy atmosphere, time passed by like a happy stream. Everyone was immersed in memories, as if they had returned to those carefree times, with happy smiles on their faces.
"It's time to eat!" Suddenly, a loud shout came from the kitchen. The sound was like a command, instantly breaking the brief silence in the house. Then, several women came out of the kitchen carrying plates of steaming dishes. They had smiles on their faces and their steps were light and cheerful, as if what they were holding in their hands were not ordinary dishes, but full of happiness.
The first thing that caught my eye was the braised pork. It was as bright red as the sunset glow in the sky, with an alluring sheen. Each piece was fat and lean, with just the right proportions. The fat part was crystal clear, as if it would ooze out oil with a light bite; the lean part had clear textures, firm and chewy. Just looking at it, one can't help but drool, as if one has already tasted the wonderful taste that melts in the mouth.
Look at the wild boar stew again, the aroma is so fragrant, like an invisible hand, tightly grasping everyone's olfactory nerves. A layer of golden oil floats on the surface of the soup, shining charmingly under the light. The radish and corn are looming in the soup, like a group of naughty elves playing in the water. The radish absorbs the deliciousness of the soup and becomes soft, sticky and sweet; the corn exudes a sweet aroma, which makes people feel refreshed when they smell it.
The roasted wild boar meat, the sizzling sound of oil is like a beautiful movement. The chili powder and cumin powder sprinkled on it are particularly tempting under the light, the red chili powder is like a burning flame, and the cumin powder exudes a unique aroma. The roasted golden skin, if you take a bite, must be fragrant and crispy, and the meat inside is tender and juicy, which makes people have endless aftertaste.
The villagers gathered around the table, like a group of hungry birds that had found a rich meal. They stared at the food on the table, as if they were under a spell, not moving at all. Some of them couldn't help swallowing their saliva, looking as if they had been hungry for days.
The village chief stood up, tall and straight, with a kind smile on his face. He picked up a bowl of wine and said loudly: "Fellow villagers, today our agricultural product procurement cooperation went smoothly, and we got a wild boar. We all gathered together to have a lively meal. We have to thank Liu Ping'an and his team. It was they who brought us this good opportunity. If it weren't for them running around and contacting buyers, we don't know if we can sell our agricultural products at a good price. Come, let's toast them together!"
Everyone stood up, with grateful expressions on their faces, and raised their wine glasses to gesture to Liu Pingan and the others. The wine glasses sparkled with a glittering light under the lights, just like the sincerity in everyone's hearts.
Liu Pingan also stood up quickly. He was wearing a simple suit and had a simple smile on his face. He smiled and said, "Fellow villagers, you are too polite. This is the result of everyone's joint efforts. If we hadn't worked together to grow agricultural products so well, no matter how capable I am, I wouldn't be able to sell them at a good price. We must continue to cooperate well in the future so that our lives will become more and more prosperous! Just like the food on the table, it will become more and more abundant!" After that, everyone drank it all in one gulp. The mellow aroma of the wine spread in their mouths, just like everyone's vision of a better life in the future spreading in their hearts.
After three rounds of wine and five dishes, the dishes on the table have been tasted by everyone, but the lively atmosphere has not diminished at all. The rich aroma of wine is floating in the air, and the villagers are talking like a flood. Everyone is eating with their chopsticks dancing flexibly between the plates, picking up pieces of delicious food and putting them into their mouths, while continuing to chat enthusiastically.
A villager with a sturdy figure and shiny dark skin had his mouth full of the fat but not greasy braised pork that melts in the mouth. His cheeks were puffed up like a small ball, and he said vaguely: "Purchaser Liu, you must come often in the future. Our village has nothing but a lot of agricultural products. And they are all natural, without those chemical agents, and they taste very good!" While speaking, he couldn't help but stick out his tongue to lick the oil stains at the corners of his mouth, looking like a little mouse who had just stolen a delicious meal.
Liu Pingan nodded with a smile. He was wearing a shirt that was washed a little white but clean and tidy. With a kind smile on his face, he said, "Don't worry, fellow villagers, as long as we cooperate well, we will definitely come often in the future. And we will also help you sell agricultural products to farther places, so that more people can taste the good things in our village. By then, the reputation of our village's agricultural products will be getting bigger and bigger. Are you still worried about not being able to sell them at a good price?"
"That's great! If we can sell our agricultural products to the city, the price will definitely be higher and we can live a better life. Maybe we can save some money and repair our shabby house in the future." Another villager said excitedly, his eyes sparkling with longing, as if he had already seen the brand new house in the future.
During the conversation, the topic changed like a light bird, from the topic of agricultural product sales to the issue of house repair.
The village chief's eyes lit up after hearing this. He put down his glass, cleared his throat and said, "Repairing the houses is something we really need to think about. Many houses in our village are quite old. When it rains, they leak here and there, and it's not safe to live in. Besides, people's lives are getting better now. If we repair the houses, we'll live more comfortably."
An old lady wearing a blue coarse cloth and with messy hair frowned and said, "Village head, it's good to repair the house, but where will the money come from? We farmers rely on those few acres of land all year round, and we don't have much spare money. Repairing the house will cost a lot of money."
Liu Ping'an thought for a moment and said, "Auntie, your concern is reasonable. But we can think of a way. The government now has many support policies for rural construction. Maybe there will be subsidies for building houses. And everyone in our village can help each other, so we can save a lot of labor costs."
At this time, a young and strong man stood up, patted his chest and said: "I think we young people are strong and can help to repair the house. If we work together, we may be able to repair the house quickly and well. Besides, after the house is repaired, we will be happy to live in it, and we will be more confident to marry a wife in the future." His words caused everyone to laugh, but the laughter was full of approval.
An old man wearing reading glasses and looking somewhat learned adjusted his glasses and said slowly: "Renovating a house is not only a matter of money and effort, but also requires planning. We need to see what the house will look like, whether to build a small second floor or to reinforce and renovate the original house. And the materials must be selected carefully. We can't buy those of poor quality just to save money, otherwise we will have to repair it again in a few years."
After hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, and then began to discuss it.
"I think we can refer to the styles of the houses in the city and build them up more beautifully. Maybe we can attract some city people to rent them in the future." A villager said with shining eyes.
"That won't work. We live in the countryside, and the house has to have rural characteristics. We can retain some traditional elements, such as green tiles, white walls, carved doors and windows, etc. This will make it both beautiful and charming." Another villager retorted.
"Also, we have to consider drainage issues when repairing houses. In the past, many houses in our village would accumulate water when it rained, making travel inconvenient. This time when we repair the houses, we must make sure the drainage system is well maintained." A careful aunt reminded.
Everyone was talking and expressing their own opinions, as if they could already see the new and beautiful houses rising from the ground in the village. The lively discussion echoed in the sky above the village for a long time.
Everyone expressed their opinions and the atmosphere was very lively. In this process, everyone was full of longing and expectation for the future, as if they had already seen the village become prosperous.
Before I knew it, it was already late at night. The moon was hanging high in the sky, casting a silvery glow, casting a mysterious veil over the whole village. The villagers were full of food and wine, with satisfied smiles on their faces. They stood up one after another, some helped to clean the table, and some supported each other, preparing to go home.
"We had a really enjoyable meal today. We need to get together more often in the future," said a villager while burping.
"Yes, such days are really great. I hope our village will get better and better in the future." Another villager echoed.