dognovel Chapter 1209
Chapter 1209
The base still has hot pot ingredients stored in its inventory.
There weren't many, and the prices were much higher than for ordinary supplies.
But the Zhou family could afford to exchange it for that price.
Zhou Shuwan went to the supplies exchange point that day and exchanged four packs of hot pot ingredients: one each of spicy, clear broth, mushroom, and tomato, which was just enough to satisfy different people's tastes.
They also exchanged some flour, as Zhong Tiyun said she wanted to make handmade noodles that would be chewy when cooked in hot pot.
Zhou Shuwan always eats handmade noodles with hot pot.
So, she happily exchanged her money for several kilograms of flour.
After returning home, Zhong Tiyun put the flour to rest, ready to start preparing the next day.
The Zhou family got busy early the next morning.
Zhong Tiyun got up early to knead and roll out the dough. She sprinkled a thin layer of flour on the cutting board, rolled the dough out thin and even, cut it into thin noodles, arranged them on a plate, and covered them with a cloth to keep them from getting dusty.
Zhou Shuwan cleaned the remaining hot spring fish and sliced them into thin sashimi. The fish meat was snow-white and firm, exuding freshness.
Fish balls and chicken balls were also brought out, along with soaked kelp strips, sweet potato noodles, and washed green vegetables, filling the table with food.
Qi Mingyu had nothing else to do, so he helped tidy up the house.
The dormitory was already small, and with all the clutter and bunk beds, there was no room to put a table.
He and Mu Mu moved their bed to their parents' dormitory next door and tidied up the belongings in the room to a corner, finally freeing up a more spacious place.
When the appointed time arrived, the entrance became lively.
Zhipeng and Yuxuan arrived first, carrying boxes filled with sliced hot spring fish.
They didn't eat the fish Zhou Shuwan gave them last time, so they specially saved it to share today.
Zhong Tiyun complained a couple of times, telling them to eat as much as they wanted, and that they should all have some.
Zhipeng smiled and said, "It tastes better when everyone eats together!"
Actually, the hot spring fish from a few days ago was quite valuable, and Zhipeng was thinking about whether to exchange it for supplies.
However, shortly afterward, the Zhou family announced that they would be inviting everyone to have hot pot together.
Their family didn't have any special food, and they certainly couldn't come to the Zhou family's house to eat for free, so Zhipeng took out this hot spring fish.
Then Xue Tao arrived with Xue Dong, Cheng Nana, and Chun Chun. Xue Dong was carrying a small bag of fried fish pieces, which Cheng Nana had specially fried yesterday. They were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, perfect for hot pot.
Zhou Shuwan laughed and said, "Yesterday I was wondering whose cooking smelled so good, turns out it was your family frying fish!"
Xue Dong scratched his head and honestly said, "Nana said your family must have prepared everything. We don't have anything else, so we just fried the fish pieces to add some flavor!"
Zhong Tiyun stood to the side, smiling with satisfaction.
Frying fish is a small matter, but it also shows that Nana is a very polite and generous person!
People like that are easy to get along with!
The Xue brothers' families, Xue Dong and Xue Tao, will not become estranged just because there is an extra wife in the middle!
Chun Chun has grown to be as tall as Xue Tao now. She followed behind, clutching a bag of dried oyster mushrooms in her hand, keeping her head down and not saying much. She was still as shy as ever.
Finally, Zhang Jia, Tao Zheng, and Xiao Sheng arrived. Zhang Jia was carrying a basin filled with milky white rice wine, which emitted a faint aroma of alcohol.
"This was brewed from rice yesterday. It fermented quickly in the hot weather, and it was ready in half a day. It has a low alcohol content, so have a little to cut through the greasiness." Zhang Jia smiled and handed over the rice wine.
In the apocalypse, rice was already precious, and rice that could be used to brew wine was even rarer. Everyone thanked them without hesitation.
Once everyone had arrived, the small tables that each family had brought were set out and put together to form a large long table, just big enough for everyone to sit down.
The table was soon filled with ingredients, with various vegetables, meatballs, and fish slices crammed together, looking exceptionally plentiful and a rare lively scene in the apocalypse.
They used two pots and a tomato soup base.
Because the Zhou family had chicken.
They didn't use water, but rather boiled chicken broth.
So as soon as the soup pot boiled, the rich aroma immediately filled the room, making Mu Mu swallow her saliva.
Everyone poured themselves a cup of rice wine. The pale yellow liquid had a slightly sweet taste. Taking a sip, the faint aroma of wine mixed with the fragrance of rice slid down their throats, making them feel more comfortable.
"Hurry up and start eating, don't let it get cold." Zhong Tiyun greeted everyone with a smile, and took the lead in picking up a piece of hot spring fish and putting it into the clear soup pot. After blanching it for a few seconds, she took it out, dipped it in some sauce, and handed it to Mu Mu's bowl.
Mu Mu couldn't wait any longer. She stuffed a piece into her mouth, and the delicious fish meat mixed with the aroma of the seasoning made her eyes light up. She mumbled "delicious!"
Everyone picked up their chopsticks and ate what they liked, enjoying a lively and cheerful meal.
The soup in the pot was bubbling and steaming, and the temperature in the room seemed to rise a little, but no one paid any attention.
Zhang Jia was busy serving food to Xiao Sheng, putting cooked fish balls and vegetables into his bowl, afraid that he wouldn't get any.
Xiao Sheng was a little reserved at first, sitting upright in his chair with no expression on his face, just eating silently with his head down.
This was the first time he had ever eaten hot pot in his life. He had never seen many of the ingredients on the table before, let alone so many delicious things all together.
After eating for a while, I gradually felt full, and my nervousness slowly dissipated.
He stopped being polite, picked up his chopsticks and ate one bite after another, his appetite was surprisingly large, he ate more than Tao Zheng.
Finally, Zhong Tiyun cooked handmade noodles, served a large bowl to him, and he didn't refuse. He slurped it all down, licking the bowl clean.
Zhang Jia sat beside him, watching him wolf down his food with affection in her eyes. She whispered to the others, "This child has never eaten hot pot before. He's never had anything like this before."
The room fell silent for a moment after those words were spoken.
As everyone knows, Xiao Sheng was born after the apocalypse had fully erupted. Since he could remember, he had been struggling to survive in the sea with the adults. It was good enough if he could get enough to eat. He had no chance to taste the delicacies before the apocalypse.
Let alone hot pot, he has hardly ever eaten even ordinary snacks or fruits.
Chun Chun sat beside her and nodded gently.
Although he was better off than Xiao Sheng, his family's financial situation hadn't been bad over the years, and they could occasionally eat some good food.
I've only ever had a real hot pot a few times, so this time it felt fresh and delicious.
Xue Tao glanced at Chun Chun and gently patted his head.
Zhou Shuwan once suggested to Xue Tao that Chun Chun learn a skill so that she could better survive in the apocalypse.
Then she casually asked, "Have you thought about what I told you before?"
Xue Tao put down his chopsticks, took a sip of rice wine, and nodded slowly: "I've thought it over. I've pondered it for a long time, and I think farming and animal husbandry are the most practical options."
He paused, then continued, "Whether the apocalypse ends or not, life goes on, and people's livelihood is definitely the most important thing. Learn to farm and raise livestock. Whether you work at the breeding or planting area of the base, or raise livestock on your own land in the future, you can support yourself and live a stable life."