Chapter 18 Braised fish with soybeans

It was completely dark, and candlesticks were lit in the main room.

　　Jiang Zhu moved a wooden block and sat at the door, collecting the basin of small fish that Zhao Le gave them.

　　There were too many fish to eat at one time, so he moved out the small tank that had been in the corner of the yard for a long time.

　　After cleaning, put the small fish and clams in and save them for later eating.

　　Ye Annian also moved a wooden pile out and placed it next to him. He picked up some freshly chopped corn and rolled it into kernels.

　　Jiang Zhu wouldn't let him touch the water, so Ding Qiu took over the tasks of washing vegetables and soaking soybeans, and the three of them lined up in a row in the courtyard.

　　Jiang Zhu: "I have already asked the kudzu carpenter in the village for the woodcarving tools you want. They are sold in the tool shop in the town. But those carving knives must be customized by the blacksmith shop."

　　"We have to go to town." Ye Annian said, "If it's too much trouble, you don't have to use the carving knife."

　　"What's the trouble? Haven't you already finished the drawings?"

　　As Jiang Zhu spoke, he suddenly came closer and lowered his voice: "When the tools are ready, I want a fat duck."

　　"Don't you like that rabbit ornament?"

　　Ye Annian remembered that when they went to the big market before, Jiang Zhu especially liked the rabbit making medicine ornament on the toy stall.

　　"I can do that too," he said.

　　Jiang Zhu neatly cut open the belly of a small fish and cleaned out the internal organs.

　　Then he said: "No, I don't like rabbits anymore, I want ducks."

　　"Duck..."

　　Ye Anyian suddenly remembered the fat duck he drew on the carving paper in order to coax Fu Zai.

　　"Have you seen my drawings?"

　　Jiang Zhu nodded: "Ducks are cute."

　　Ye Anyian:...

　　"Okay, then carve the duck."

　　The two talked for a while. Jiang Zhu had finished handling the small fish and Ye Anian had kneaded the corn kernels. Jiang Zhu sent him off to rest and went to cook.

　　Ding Qiu also finished washing the dishes and went into the house to see Fu Zai.

　　The soybeans on the stove have been soaked, and the yams and vegetables have been washed and placed on the cutting board. Although Ding Qiu cannot see, he does things quickly and cleanly.

　　Jiang Zhu nodded with satisfaction, soaked the small fish in ginger juice to remove the fishy smell, then heated up the oil in a pot and coated all the small fish with oil.

　　The fish larvae are fried until brown and crispy, and placed on a plate aside for later use.

At this time, there was a faint sound coming from the west room, it must have been Fu Zai waking up.

　　Ye Annian hurriedly ran into the room and saw Fu Zai sitting up on the bed in the west room, looking at his tightly wrapped right foot and talking to Ding Qiu.

　　"Brother Qiu, can I not walk anymore?"

　　"No," Ding Qiu reached out and touched his head, comforting him like a little adult. "After a few months, he will be able to run and jump when he is well."

　　"How long is a few months?" Fu Zai counted the days on his fingers. He counted for a long time and couldn't figure it out.

　　Ye Annian leaned against the door and replied, "It's when the persimmons are ripe."

　　"Ah," Fu Zai heard the sound and turned to look at him, "Brother!"

　　"Are you awake?" Ye Annian walked over and pinched his soft little face, "Does your foot hurt? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

　　"It doesn't hurt." Fu Zai shook his head, "I just can't move my foot."

　　"The bones need to be nourished, and they can be moved when they are grown." Jiang Zhu's voice came.

　　His sleeves were rolled up and he was holding a plate of golden fried fish.

　　"Eat some first, the soybeans and fish larvae are already suffocating in the pot."

　　As he spoke, he naturally picked up a small fried fish and stuffed it into Ye Anyian's mouth.

　　Then he stuffed one into each of Fu Zai's and Ding Qiu's mouths.

　　The fried fish is charred on the outside and tender on the inside, the skin is crispy, the fish meat is delicious, the fish bones are crispy, and it is sprinkled with salt and pepper.

　　Ye Annian ate two pieces, satisfied his greed, and gave the plate to Fu Zai and Ding Qiu.

It would be okay for him to eat less than a few mouthfuls. The two little ones don't get much food all year round, so they should eat more nutritious food to supplement their food.

　　Jiang Zhu was busy for a while, and the evening meal was ready.

　　Ye Annian set up the table in the main room, set out the bowls and chopsticks, and called the two little ones out to eat.

　　In the evening, Jiang Zhu made braised fish fillets with soybeans and stir-fried yams with corn. The staple food was white rice, and he also made rock sugar hawthorn water.

　　Ye Annian specially ordered the braised fish fillet with soybeans. As soon as it was served, Jiang Zhu gave him a big spoonful of it.

　　The golden-colored fish larvae soaked in the hot and sour soup stir-fried with green and red peppers are very appetizing. You can taste the texture and aroma of the fried skin when you take a bite.

　　The soybeans are also deep-fried in hot oil first, and then braised with the fish larvae. They are crispy and fragrant, and go well with rice when chewed.

　　Most of the large bowl of soybean braised fish larvae went down in a blink of an eye, and Fu Zai and Ding Qiu's bowls were filled to the brim.

　　Ye Anian picked up a small golden fish and didn't rush to put it into his mouth. He stared at the little fish in a daze.

　　He no longer remembered what the soybean braised fish fillet his mother made tasted like. He only knew that it was delicious. He thought about it for a long time.

　　However, when his mouth was filled with the salty aroma of Jiang Zhu's braised fish fillet, he suddenly felt that this was the taste.

　　"Have you eaten?" Jiang Zhu's voice sounded next to him.

　　"Not yet." Ye Anian came to his senses and saw that there was still a little rice left in his bowl, so he took a spoonful of corn and stir-fried yam.

　　The peeled yam pieces are snow-white, dotted with golden corn kernels, sweet and crisp, which suits his taste very well.

　　"How about the braised fish fillet with soybeans I made? Does it suit your appetite?" Jiang Zhu asked.

　　Ye Anyian nodded: "It fits very well."

　　Jiang Zhu smiled.

　　The four people who had eaten the same meal all had round bellies. Jiang Zhu served the dried rock sugar hawthorn water, and each of them filled a large bowl. It was sour and sweet, just right for digestion.

　　After the meal, the two of them cleared away the dishes and the two younger ones cleared away the tables, chairs and benches.

　　After finishing all this, just after Xu Shi, it was time to prepare medicine for Ye Anyian to treat his ears.

The medicine jars in the medicine house were boiling on the small clay stove again.

　　Ye Annian was lying on Jiang Zhu's lap, with a faint pink tint on his left ear.

　　Jiang Zhu inserted silver needles into the acupuncture points of his ears while talking to him at random to distract him.

　　"I'm going to town to get medicine in a few days. I'll also buy you tools for wood carving and some candies. Is there anything else you want?"

　　Ye Anyian thought for a while and replied, "Probably not."

　　"Buy some new cotton and make two winter coats for Fu Zai and you when it gets cold," Jiang Zhu said.

　　"It's still early." Ye Anyian felt that his eyelids were a little heavy and his eyelashes trembled.

　　"It's getting late. The day goes by very quickly. We will have a happy event at the end of the month."

　　Jiang Zhu held the tail of the needle with his slender fingers and twisted it gently.

　　A numbing pain came from his ears, and Ye Anyian subconsciously grasped the hem of Jiang Zhu's clothes.

　　"have a feeling?"

　　"...Um."

　　Ye Anian bit his lip and heard Jiang Zhu say: "It seems to have worked."

　　After the sore and numb feeling passed, my eyelids became heavy again.

　　His curled eyelashes trembled, and finally he couldn't resist and closed his eyes.

　　In a daze, he felt the small blanket on his body being pulled by Jiang Zhu, wrapping him more tightly.