dognovel Chapter 55 Dad is the Best
Chapter 55 Dad is the Best
The next day, after breakfast, Zhaoyuan and Zhou Jiefang loaded their cart and went to town.
Zhou Jiefang went to buy a large vat, while Zhao Yuan went straight to the commune's agricultural machinery station to inquire about tractors and their prices.
The staff told Zhaoyuan that in order to support rural development, the state allocated a certain number of tractors to each commune. Each village in Daguang Commune had one quota, which could be registered and reserved at the village party secretary's office.
After hearing this, Zhao Yuan left the Daguang Commune Agricultural Machinery Station and headed towards the Daguang Commune Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
Zhou Jiefang is already installing the large cylinders.
Zhao Yuan bought all the pig offal, as well as pig heads and pork. As usual, Butcher Lu gave Zhao Yuan some pig blood. Zhao Yuan also bought two bottles of wine and some tofu.
The two loaded everything onto the cart and dragged it home.
Back home, the two skillfully buried the large vats in the ground and poured the various fodders they had prepared into the vats to ferment. Now they had four large vats fermenting pig feed, which should be enough for the short term.
Zhao Yuan had promised Zhao San yesterday that he would treat him to a meal today, and he would certainly keep his word.
Lin Fangfang went to the backyard early to turn the soil and planted a lot of vegetables, fruits, sweet potatoes, corn and the like.
Zhao Yuan and Zhou Jiefang took out the pig offal and pig head meat they had bought and processed them. Zhou Jiefang was already very skilled at processing these things. Zhao Yuan prepared the braising ingredients, gave Zhou Jiefang a few instructions, and then went to the back garden to turn over the soil with Lin Fangfang.
It's springtime for planting, and everyone is busy in the fields. Although Zhaoyuan's family didn't plant any crops this year, they still have a few acres of land, and Lin Fangfang insists on planting all of them.
By noon, Zhou Jiefang had thoroughly cleaned all the pig offal and pig head meat.
Zhao Yuan called Lin Fangfang back and began teaching her how to braise pig intestines, pig head meat, and pig ears.
I saved some pig intestines to make ham sausages.
Zhou Jiefang had already chopped the meat into small pieces as Zhao Yuan had instructed.
Zhao Yuan then taught Lin Fangfang and Zhou Jiefang how to prepare ham sausages, how to fill them, and finally how to steam them.
After lunch, all the braised dishes were basically finished, and the ham sausages were steamed.
Zhou Jiefang went to work at the pigsty again.
Zhao Yuan walked toward Zhao Jieyuan's house, but the door was tightly shut.
Zhao Yuan knew that the two must have gone to the fields. At this time, the rice seedlings in the fields were ready to be planted, and everyone was busy planting rice. Their family was not eating lunch today.
Zhao Yuan walked towards the field ridge.
Zhao Jieyuan and his wife indeed planted rice in the field by the bridge.
"You, the top scholar, are working so hard now, why haven't you had lunch yet?"
Zhao Yuan walked over and handed Zhao Jieyuan a cigarette.
"Eating lunch is a waste of time. Let's finish early and call it a day. There's still a lot of work to be done in the fields."
Zhao Jieyuan took the cigarette, and then lit a match to light it for him.
"Come to my house for dinner and drinks tonight. Hongmei, bring the kids along so they can help Fangfang."
Zhao Yuan said.
"That's great! I don't have to cook dinner. How about we invite my whole family? Is it for Zhao Nana's one-month celebration?"
Zhao Hongmei said with a smile.
"No, it's just that we haven't gotten together in a long time, so we're having a get-together. Fangfang means that Zhao Nana isn't having a full-moon celebration."
Zhao Yuan said.
Zhao Jieyuan also sat down on the edge of the field and started chatting with Zhao Yuan.
"Jieyuan, after you finish your farm work, you can ask Yu Hongmei to come to my house to help Fangfang. It'll cost 20 yuan a month, what do you think?"
Zhao Yuan said.
"Don't you have Zhou Jiefang? Why do you need so many people to help with your 20 or so pigs? Fangfang has already finished her postpartum period."
Zhao Jieyuan took a drag of his cigarette and said.
"Zhou Jiefang is about to return to the city. Tonight, in addition to you, Zhao San and Li Dawen will also be there. It will be inconvenient to talk about it when there are too many people."
Zhao Yuan said.
“That’s good. After Zhou Jiefang leaves, I’ll have Hongmei help you. Money doesn’t matter. Anyway, once this busy period is over, there won’t be much work in the fields. I can manage it all by myself.”
Zhao Jieyuan said.
"The first month's salary is 20 yuan. Before Zhou Jiefang leaves, you have to go and learn from him a month in advance. Although Zhou Jiefang doesn't know how to farm, he is very good at raising pigs. If you go to my pigsty, you can smell that there is no stench at all. He takes good care of the pigs, and they are lively and energetic."
Zhao Yuan took a drag of his cigarette and continued:
“Starting from the second month, it will be 30 yuan a month, and Hongmei will be in charge of the pigsty from then on.”
"Isn't Fangfang just lazing around at home? Why are you spending so much money hiring Hongmei? Is raising pigs that profitable?"
Zhao Jieyuan asked.
"Fangfang is taking care of the child, and I have some plans for the future, so Fangfang won't be idle."
Zhao Yuan smiled and said.
“Then the salary you’re asking for is a bit too high. Let’s make it 20 yuan a month. People who work in the city only get 30 yuan a month. I don’t know how much you earn, but we’ll just pay you according to the market rate.”
Zhao Jieyuan took another puff of his cigarette and said.
"I'll do as I said. I'll ask you two for help in the future."
Zhao Yuan said.
"Thank you so much, Zhaoyuan."
Yu Hongmei stood in the field, straightened up, holding a handful of rice seedlings in her hand, her face beaming with joy.
"I'll have to trouble Hongmei to take care of things then."
Zhao Yuan said.
Zhao Yuan chatted with Zhao Jieyuan for a while longer before returning home.
Zhao Yuan went to Li Dawen's house again, just as Li Dawen had returned home. After informing Li Dawen, Zhao Yuan went to inform Zhao San.
Back home, Zhaoyuan busied himself preparing dinner.
The pig offal, pig ears, and pig cheek meat were braised. All they needed to do was cut them up, season them, or stir-fry them briefly. Zhao Yuan seasoned each of them and plated them.
Then all the other dishes were prepared. Zhao Yuan counted eight dishes, which is very generous in this day and age. There were four meat dishes, which is a treat only given during the Lunar New Year.
Soon after, Zhao Zhaodi and Zhao Laidi returned from school.
As the two adorable sisters stepped into the house, a rich aroma of meat immediately filled the air.
"Wow! Dad, did you make something delicious again? Did you braise some fragrant pig ears and make some tempting sausages?"
Zhao Laidi happily put down her heavy schoolbag and ran towards the kitchen like a cheerful little bird.
"Laidi, those are specially saved for when we entertain guests tonight."
Lin Fangfang quickly called out to stop the impatient Zhao Laidi.
However, Zhao Yuan, who felt sorry for his daughters, smiled and said:
"Never mind that, Zhaodi and Laidi, you two little ones, come and eat your lunch. You didn't eat anything at noon, you must be starving by now."
After saying that, he turned and went into the kitchen to heat up food for his two beloved daughters.
"Thank you, dear Dad!"
Zhao Lai Di happily followed her father into the kitchen.
Zhao Yuan picked up a pair of chopsticks, took a piece of tender and juicy ham sausage, and put it into Zhao Lai Di's mouth, which was already drooling with desire.
"Mmm...it smells so good! It's absolutely delicious!"
As Zhao Laidi savored the unparalleled deliciousness, she couldn't help but reach out and grab more.
Zhao Yuan raised his chopsticks and gently tapped Zhao Laidi's outstretched hand, softly reminding her:
"Go wash your hands with your sister, then we'll get ready to eat."
With the mouthful of savory sausage still in her mouth, Zhao Laidi quickly ran out of the kitchen, rushed to the water tank, and obediently washed her hands.
Zhao Yuan quickly heated up the rice and then quickly stir-fried some vegetables for the two sisters.
"Eat your vegetables too, but eat slowly, be careful not to choke!"
Zhao Yuan looked at the two sisters who were wolfing down their food with a loving expression, his eyes filled with doting affection.
He reached out his warm and generous hands and gently patted the heads of the two little ones.
"Dad is the best. When Dad comes home, there's always something delicious to eat."
Zhao Lai Di had a big mouthful of meat in her mouth, but she didn't forget to flatter her father.
"Mom is even better. She takes care of you at home every day. You should understand how hard she works. When Dad isn't home, you should help Mom with some things."
Zhao Yuan stroked Zhao Lai Di's head and looked at Lin Fang Fang.
"Mom and Dad are both well."
Zhao Zhaodi hurriedly said.
Zhao Yuan and Lin Fangfang exchanged a smile.
After finishing their meal, Zhao Zhaodi and Zhao Laidi obediently and quickly cleared away the dishes and chopsticks on the table, and then sat down at their respective desks to concentrate on their homework.
Zhao Yuan took out the calligraphy tools he had prepared beforehand and called his two daughters to sit around him. He patiently and meticulously explained to the children the correct way to hold the brush and the key points of writing basic strokes. Then, he guided them step by step, carefully writing each stroke.
Having just finished his work in the pigsty, Zhou Jiefang was now quite relaxed. He strolled into the yard and happened to see Zhaoyuan carefully instructing the two sisters in calligraphy. So, Zhou Jiefang enthusiastically joined in the teaching activity.
Drawing on his years of experience, he taught the children a series of practical skills, such as how to hold a pen correctly and how to use the pen tip flexibly, in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
Under the joint guidance of their two elders, Zhao Zhaodi and Zhao Laidi's understanding of calligraphy improved significantly, and their handwriting became increasingly neat and beautiful.