Chapter 8 of 100

Chapter 8

16 min read3,935 words

On June 16th, which is the fifth day of the fifth month in the lunar calendar, it is the traditional Chinese festival, Dragon Boat Festival.

Of course, that country with a twisted sense of national pride, South Korea, has recently been claiming that the Dragon Boat Festival and Traditional Chinese Medicine are Korean. It's as if they want the whole world to be Korean. They should remember that historically, they always regarded China as their superior country.

In the morning, after getting up, Liu Yuxuan tied on the five-colored thread, which Fangfang had tied for him personally, even making a small bow.

Wrapping zongzi is also one of the traditional activities during the Dragon Boat Festival, whether in the south or the north, people will wrap zongzi during this festival.

After breakfast, Liu's mother brought out the glutinous rice and bamboo leaves that had been soaked for a long time. In the north, people rarely add seasonings or meat to the zongzi. When eating, the glutinous rice is peeled off the bamboo leaves, shining brightly in the sunlight, emitting a strong aroma of glutinous rice. It tastes even better with white or brown sugar.

Liu Yuxuan wrapped zongzi for a while, but his mother chased him away. The zongzi he wrapped would fall apart after a while, and his mother had to redo them. He could only watch helplessly with Fangfang as everyone was busy.

"Hey, I can't just sit around. I'll take Fangfang to the seafood market in the county to buy some seafood," Liu Yuxuan suggested, seeing that he couldn't help.

"Okay, Fangfang likes sea crabs. Buy some for her." In the past, the family wasn't very well-off, and his mother would always say he was wasting money when he bought expensive food. Now, with better conditions, she was willing to indulge her son's filial heart during the festival.

"Alright, by the way, Mom, put a few more eggs in the pot when you cook the zongzi." The eggs cooked in the zongzi pot were Liu Yuxuan's favorite. The eggs absorbed the strong aroma of the zongzi and tasted much better than tea eggs.

"I know you like them. Go buy the things you need. If you go too late, they might be sold out."

"Fangfang, let's go buy some big crabs," Liu Yuxuan called to Fangfang.

Seeing Liu Yuxuan get into the car, Da Huang and Ban Li also wanted to go. Liu Yuxuan thought about it and decided to take them, locking them in the car when they got to the market.

At the seafood market, after parking the car, he instructed Da Huang and Ban Li to stay in the car. There were quite a few people, and the seafood was very diverse.

"Boss, how much are these swimming crabs?" Liu Yuxuan asked, pointing to the crabs swimming in the glass tank at a seafood shop.

"It's a holiday, so the price is a bit higher. The larger ones, about four taels each, are 95 yuan per pound. The smaller ones are 65 yuan per pound," the boss replied.

With the improvement in people's living standards, the prices of seafood have skyrocketed.

"Alright, pick out eight large ones for me," Liu Yuxuan didn't buy too many, as crabs taste better when cooked alive.

"Sure, eight large ones. Three pounds and four taels, 323 yuan. You can give me 320 yuan," the boss was quick with his hands and calculations.

Liu Yuxuan paid and continued walking, holding the net bag. Fangfang was very interested in the crabs in the net bag, reaching out to play with them. Liu Yuxuan was startled, worried that Fangfang's delicate skin would be pinched and bleed.

He also saw a stall selling clams. Clams are very delicious, with a lot of meat and a fresh taste, and they are not expensive. Cooked with chili sauce and a bit of sugar, they turn a bright red color and taste very fresh. The clams at the market are already soaked, so they just need to be washed with clean water at home before eating.

Liu Yuxuan bought two pounds and then took Fangfang back home.

Da Huang usually likes to play around and was very curious about these clawed creatures. However, he accidentally got his toe pinched by a crab. Liu Yuxuan secretly poured some space water on the crab, and Da Huang was finally released, sitting obediently on the back seat.

When they got home, the zongzi were already cooking in the pot. In the countryside, large pots are used, whether for steaming rice or stir-frying, making everything taste especially fragrant. High-pressure cookers are rarely used. Cooking zongzi in a large pot takes about one and a half to two hours.

Liu Yuxuan put the crabs in a basin, and Fangfang played with them using chopsticks. Da Huang squatted beside her, occasionally pressing the crab's shell with his front paw and quickly moving away when the crab's claws came close, enjoying himself. Fangfang found it interesting and followed Da Huang's example.

Peng Li watched for a while, worried that Fangfang would get pinched, but seeing her daughter play skillfully, she didn't interfere.

"Wow, Da Da, look, the crabs are blowing bubbles!" Fangfang, seeing the crabs blow bubbles for the first time, found it very surprising and quickly called Da Da to share the moment.

The lunch was very abundant. There were zongzi, fresh eggplant and cucumber from their garden, steamed fatty pork with garlic sauce, spicy stir-fried clams, and boiled large bones, which were a treat for Da Huang and Ban Li after they were done.

Fangfang kept the crab claws as snacks. The crabs were very plump, full of roe and fat. Fangfang ate one and wanted more, but they didn't dare let her eat too many, as they are cold-natured and not good for children's stomachs. Liu Yuxuan promised to buy more for her whenever she wanted, and then he started eating the spicy stir-fried clams and fatty pork, his mouth dripping with oil.

"Wow, I'm so full," Fangfang said, patting her bulging little belly.

"Don't worry, kids can eat a lot. They are growing, and Fangfang likes to run around. She'll digest it in the afternoon," Liu Yuxuan reassured his mother, who was worried about Fangfang overeating. Fangfang had been practicing boxing recently and could already perform a set of moves. Her appetite had increased, and she was eating vegetables grown with space water, which was very beneficial for her health.

Long-term consumption of space water has significant health benefits. His parents' health had also improved. His father used to be sensitive to the cold and would easily get diarrhea, but now he was fine.

"Da Da, when can we eat the grapes?" Fangfang asked after playing with Da Huang and Ban Li in the yard after lunch.

In the countryside, families usually grow fruit trees. In the past, when people were poor, buying fruit was expensive, so they grew their own for their children to enjoy.

Liu Yuxuan's family had three grape vines in the front yard, which he had been watering with space water since spring.

Now, the vines were full of large bunches of grapes.

"Fangfang wants to eat grapes, but you have to wait. When the weather gets hotter, you can eat sweet grapes. Right now, they are still sour," Liu Yuxuan explained to Fangfang.

"This year's grapes are indeed very good, better than ever before," Liu's father also commented.

The family was chatting when Liu Yuxuan's phone rang. He looked at it and saw it was from Town Mayor Wang. He was puzzled; why would the mayor call him during the holiday?

"Hello, Mayor Wang, how are you? Why are you calling me?" Liu Yuxuan said after answering.

"Brother, I need your help to save my life," Mayor Wang said pitifully over the phone.

"Mayor Wang, don't joke with me. How can it be about saving a life during the holiday?" Liu Yuxuan, who had known Mayor Wang for a long time and was younger, occasionally made small jokes.

"Anyway, do you still have any watermelons? Big or small, it doesn't matter," Mayor Wang asked.

"Oh, we have a few left for the family to eat," Liu Yuxuan said, a bit unhappy. He had already delivered watermelons to the town, and he was tired of it. The watermelons were almost all distributed, and there weren't many left at home.

"Don't be upset. Here's the thing. My father's appetite has been poor since his surgery. After eating your watermelon, his appetite improved, and his complexion has also gotten better. So, I'm asking if you can sell me a few more," Mayor Wang quickly explained, hearing Liu Yuxuan's tone.

"If it's for that, you should have said so earlier. Are you in town or in the county? I'll bring them to you and visit your home," Liu Yuxuan said, understanding that it wasn't for personal indulgence.

"I'm in the provincial capital," Mayor Wang said, a bit embarrassed.

"Alright, I'll do it. I'll leave now and be there in about two hours. Meet me at the highway exit," Liu Yuxuan said and hung up the phone.

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