lcionline Chapter 393 Eat quickly, there's a feast!
Chapter 393 Eat quickly, there's a feast!
"The steamed crab is here!"
Lin Xi steamed five baskets on each of the two stoves.
Each one contains ginger slices and ten cleaned paddy field crabs.
The steamer was placed on the stone table. As soon as the lid was lifted, a fresh and fragrant aroma, mixed with the steam, rushed out and alluringly entered people's noses.
When the white mist dissipated, Tang Guangjun was dumbfounded. "Why is it all black?"
Lin Xi chuckled, "Lord Tang, that's how paddy field crabs are; they're not uncleaned!"
"You should try it! Dipped in the vinegar from our soy sauce shop, it's incredibly delicious!"
Tang Guangjun nodded as if he understood, since he had never eaten rice paddy crabs before.
But when it comes to eating crabs, he knows!
He had seen Gao Mengli bring back a basket of crabs, so he knew the two of them were going to eat them right away. That's why he left Wen Chou behind and followed them over.
That's exactly what they want – to freeload off you!
Tang Guangjun pinched the crab leg and gently broke it open. With a crisp "crack," the snow-white crab meat slid out of the shell!
He couldn't wait to put it in his mouth, and the moment his teeth touched the flesh, the freshness exploded in his skull!
The meat is coated with a subtle sweetness, and it's chewy and tender without a trace of fiber. It's as if the essence of the entire rice paddy has been gathered into this one bite.
"My God, this crab meat is so plump!"
He then quickly lifted the crab shell, revealing the snow-white crab roe, so thick it could cling to a spoon. Mixed with vinegar, he put it in his mouth; it was as smooth and creamy as solidified fat, so delicious he almost swallowed his tongue.
"No, no, no!"
Tang Guangjun smacked his lips as he ate, constantly reaching into the steamer. "This crab is so fresh, one bite and it'll make you feel right up to the back of your head!"
Lin Xi quickly grabbed two plates and placed them in front of Da Niu, afraid he wouldn't get to eat. "Eat up, there's gluttony here!"
Just as Da Niu took the crab, he heard Tang Guangjun slurping again.
He was using a small spoon to scrape the last bit of crab roe from the crab shell, leaving no scraps of meat on the edge of the shell, and even licking the shell a couple of times.
Without proper crab-peeling tools, I managed to peel the crab myself, and it was surprisingly fresh and delicious!
Seeing how fast Tang Guangjun was eating, Da Niu didn't hesitate and quickly started eating as well.
The two even started fighting at the stone table!
Lin Xi quickly grabbed a steamer basket and squatted in the corner with Gao Mengli to watch the two fight back and forth. Gao Mengli couldn't help but nudge Lin Xi with her elbow, "Look at our adopted son, his martial arts have improved a lot!"
This kid has unknowingly become a master, and he can even hold his own against Tang Guangjun!
It truly made her and Lin Xi envious!
But ultimately, the master was too young and had not been learning martial arts for long, so he was quickly defeated.
Tang Guangjun grabbed the last paddy field crab from the steamer, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and flew onto the roof. He looked down at Da Niu with a smug expression and said, "Hehe, little nephew, I'll gladly accept this!"
Da Niu was furious, so he stepped on the wall and leaped onto the roof.
This left Gao Mengli and Lin Xi completely stunned!
The two of them gaped wide-eyed and jumped up from the corner with a "whoosh".
Da Niu landed steadily on the tiles next to Tang Guangjun, his movements as nimble as a teenager.
He reached out to grab the last crab, shouting, "Uncle Tang is cheating! This one should be mine!"
The two went back and forth on the roof.
The tiles creaked underfoot, but didn't fall down at all, leaving Gao Mengli and Lin Xi speechless.
Lin Xi grabbed Gao Mengli's arm, extremely excited.
"Wow, that's amazing! When did he learn to scale walls and rooftops?"
Gao Mengli was also bewildered, staring at Da Niu nimbly dodging on the roof, and couldn't help but sigh, "Before, when we got up every day, Da Niu's morning exercise was already over, I didn't know!"
"Da Niu, get down, we have more here!"
Just then, Yang Qing's voice came from the old house next door.
The noise from the rooftop stopped instantly.
Da Niu craned his neck to look down and saw his third aunt standing in the yard waving at him, holding a steamer basket in her hand. His eyes immediately lit up.
He didn't even bother to snatch Tang Guangjun's crabs anymore. He slid a few steps on the tiles to the edge of the eaves, and with a leap, landed steadily on the ground.
She ran over and took it, saying, "Thank you, Third Aunt!"
After saying that, he didn't forget to shake a steamer full of rice paddy crabs at Tang Guangjun on the roof!
Upon seeing this, Tang Guangjun, with a fawning expression, landed beside Da Niu, calling out, "Da Niu!"
Da Niu quickly protected the steamer and waved to Fu Lulin's three younger siblings, "Brothers, sister, come quickly, let's go inside to eat!"
Upon hearing this, Fu Lulin's three children immediately ran into the house with their short legs!
Tang Guangjun watched them dash into the house and touched his nose.
Yang Qing, who was standing next to him, covered her mouth and chuckled, "If you want to eat, you can go to the inn in the village!"
My older brother and sister-in-law sent some paddy field crabs over, but they're only selling them today, and I don't know if they're still available..."
Before Yang Qing could finish speaking, Tang Guangjun's eyes lit up and he disappeared in the blink of an eye.
After a while, he returned to the courtyard house with a sigh, "No, these cost 100 coins each, and I couldn't even get a leg..."
The pilgrims who come to offer incense in Pingyao are far too wealthy...
Upon hearing that the crabs were raised in rice paddies, the pilgrims, regardless of how expensive they were at 100 coins each, immediately rushed to buy them all without even hesitating!
That line was a complete waste of time!
Seeing him with his head drooping, Lin Xi chuckled.
They only took a few baskets to try selling them, and set the price according to the consumption level in Pingyao. Judging from Tang Guangjun's appearance, it seems to be selling well!
If you bring them to the capital, the price of paddy field crabs can double, and they have to be sold in limited quantities, with ten paddy field crabs per table, otherwise they might sell out in just a few days.
…………
These past few days, the village has been busy with farming. Open spaces are covered with drying rice and harvested peanuts, which are crisp and tender.
Every now and then, fluffy goose down feathers would drift down from the sky.
The clothing workshop is speeding up the production of winter clothes; otherwise, Dou Zhan might not be able to complete his winter clothing orders this winter.
Lin Xi and Gao Mengli made the shrimp chips, and the whole yard and the road were covered with dried shrimp chips.
The village is so busy that there isn't a single person who can be free, and therefore no one can help!
Fortunately, Da Niu was quite capable and called all his classmates to his home to help.
Even Dean Yu Mengmeng was called over by him to cut shrimp chips!
On the drying rack in the yard, layers of light pink shrimp chips are stacked up!
Da Niu and his classmates, each holding a small wooden spatula, carefully flipped the shrimp chips over, occasionally teasing each other about who was the slowest to flip them!
Yu Mengmeng sat at the stone table, holding a kitchen knife in her hand. Although she was sighing, she skillfully cut the marinated shrimp sticks into even pieces.
Zhen Xiaoxi and Pang Dahai were not spared either; they were conscripted and forced to work!
Gao Mengli looked up at the busy children and the three adults with long faces, and laughed!
"Da Niu has a strong ability to rally people; he can get so many helpers just by calling out to him!"
The kids at this academy aren't usually this enthusiastic about practicing calligraphy, but today they're all incredibly energetic while cutting shrimp chips.
Lin Xi wiped the sweat from her brow and nodded in agreement.
These are all connections of big shots; this brat's personality is completely different from before.
Not only is she cheerful, but she's also quite good at "persuading" people—oops, I mean, winning them over!
His father's cooking was enough to gather everyone together!
However, Lin Xi was more than happy to do so; it would be foolish not to make use of resources!
What's more, it's his own son, so he has to give him plenty of face!