"This process of rendering lard has its intricacies; you two girls should pay close attention, as this skill will be essential for managing a household later on."
Liu Chunmei added a little water to the pot, then placed the sliced fat into the large iron wok, stirring it gently.
Shen Xue and Shen Mei stood beside her, looking as if they were diligently learning. Even the baby intently watched the large iron wok, as if she could learn too.
Initially, Chen Yang had no particular interest in rendering lard. However, as Liu Chunmei continued to stir, the aroma of the rendered fat made him feel an almost irresistible urge to salivate.
"Brother Yang, this rendered pork fat smells so delicious. I can't help it; I'll have to go into town later and buy a couple of pounds of meat to eat."
Zheng Weiguo, who had been at the entrance, settling accounts and distributing money, was lured by the scent, causing his appetite to stir.
He had been earning over ten yuan daily for the past few days, accumulating dozens of yuan. He wasn't so stingy as to begrudge himself a meat meal.
"Then you'd better be early. If you're late, there might not be any more of this prime fat."
Chen Yang teased as villagers who had brought fish to sell came to collect their money.
The aroma of the rendered lard from Chen Yang's house wafted to everyone, making them feel as if a cat was scratching their hearts. They all secretly planned to have some meat later.
"These lard cracklings are rendered golden and crispy. Ah, just like this. Scoop them out, place them on a plate, and sprinkle a little white sugar on top."
"Here, try some."
Liu Chunmei scooped out the rendered lard cracklings. The baby reached out to grab them, startling Shen Xue, who quickly held her back. The child's skin was delicate, and the cracklings were very hot, so it was important not to burn her little hands.
"Here, Mama will blow on it for you."
Smelling the fragrant lard cracklings, Shen Xue was almost drooling. However, she patiently blew on them to cool them down before feeding a piece to the baby.
"Mmmph."
With the first bite, the baby's eyes curved into little crescent moons, and she made contented chewing sounds, clearly enjoying it immensely.
"Mama, it's so delicious."
"Yanyan wants more."
The baby, overjoyed, gesticulated wildly, almost wanting to dance. Chen Yang and the others were amused by her adorable reaction.
"My dear grandchild, eat as much as you want. Grandma has plenty."
Liu Chunmei continued to scoop the rendered lard into a large, clean porcelain bowl, feeding the baby lard cracklings at the same time.
Chen Yang also picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. The rich aroma of pork fat immediately filled his senses. The lard cracklings, coated with white sugar, were surprisingly not greasy at all.
Having lived two lifetimes, Chen Yang had never imagined that the lard cracklings he used to dismiss so easily, rendered from fat he didn't care much for, could be so incredibly delicious.
"Save some for the dumplings later; don't eat them all."
Watching Chen Yang, Shen Xue, and the others eat, Liu Chunmei felt a surge of pride. Her skill in rendering lard was truly exceptional.
She then busied herself with kneading dough and rolling out wrappers. Under her hands, dumpling wrappers appeared one after another. As she rolled them, Shen Xue and Shen Mei used chopsticks to pick up chives and lard cracklings to wrap them.
Before long, a large pot's worth of dumplings was wrapped.
"The water is boiling. Let's put the dumplings in."
Chen Yang still had plenty of white flour left. He didn't tell Shen Xue to be frugal. They weren't lacking food, and since it was a festive occasion, they should eat their fill.
"Let's eat dumplings! Let's eat dumplings!"
The baby stood by the stove, hopping with excitement and shouting. Chen Yang felt an overwhelming sense of happiness.
Happiness these days was so simple: a few lard cracklings and some dumplings were enough to bring joy to the entire family.
The entire family ate heartily, letting out satisfied burps. When Shen Mei returned home, she was overjoyed. Not only had she earned four yuan and two mao, but she had also eaten meat at her brother-in-law's house.
She had been so delighted by the lard cracklings, her mouth still feeling greasy. She planned to boast to her parents about it when she got back.
After all, they hadn't tried hard enough to curry favor with her brother-in-law's family before. Now they wouldn't get to enjoy such a treat. Besides, Yanyan, the baby, was so adorable that even if she didn't get to eat, she would be happy just playing with her.
After eating their fill, Shen Xue and her mother continued to repair the fence. The small courtyard was in disrepair, and it was fortunate that Shen Xue patched it up from time to time, or it would have fallen apart long ago.
Looking at their own humble courtyard, Chen Yang for the first time had the idea of building a new house.
This place held the sweetest memories for their family of three. Chen Yang wanted to preserve it, but the mud-brick house leaked everywhere when it rained. The thatched roof leaked, and in winter, it was drafty.
The baby was frail and couldn't withstand such conditions. He had to build a good house, one that at least wouldn't let her be exposed to wind and rain.
With this thought, Chen Yang decided to pull his father-in-law over.
"Dad, I want to renovate this house. On this plot of land, I want to build a spacious, three-section tiled house."
Chen Yang looked at Shen Futang, his heart filled with emotion.
Building a house was a significant undertaking for a rural man, a matter of establishing one's family. In his previous life, he had only been able to live in the mud-brick courtyard his father-in-law had built for them. In this life, he had to build a proper house for his own family.
"Your and Xue'er's house does need repairing. I built this mud-brick courtyard for you back then, and it's been repaired so many times over the years."
"The plaster on the outer walls is peeling, and I'm afraid a few heavy rains will cause the walls to collapse. The thatch has also rotted quite a bit."
Upon hearing Chen Yang's words, Shen Futang also pondered seriously. He was happy that his son-in-law was capable and wanted to live a good life.
Moreover, having a house meant having a home.
He wasn't like Shen Xue. He hoped his son-in-law would stay. The city was good, but if Chen Yang really moved to the city with his daughter, he and his wife would rarely see them, which would be distressing.
If Chen Yang went to the city and didn't take his daughter, then his daughter would become a widow without a man. That would make him even more upset.
Therefore, having a house was good. At least, they would have a home here, a place to return to.
"I was thinking the same thing. And now I have some money, so building the house will also mean we have some property."
Chen Yang rubbed his face. Based on his memories of his previous life, his college entrance examination results this year were unlikely to be good.
The next year's college entrance examination was still a long way off. This meant he would likely spend another year with Shen Xue in Shenjiaba Village. If the house were built, living in a tiled house would be much more comfortable than a mud-brick courtyard.
Furthermore, Shenjiaba Village didn't currently have any exclusively three-section tiled houses. Many had brick and tile main rooms, with side rooms made of mud and thatch.
If this house were truly built, his family would gain considerable prestige in the village. Then who would dare to say that Shen Xue had poor judgment!
"I agree."
"Give me five hundred yuan, and I'll handle this. I'll hire carpenters and masons and buy bricks. I'll go find the village secretary later to get an official permit. This plot of land is mine, and this time I'll transfer it to you and Xue'er."
Shen Futang didn't refuse. He only had two daughters. Shen Rong was still young, and only Shen Xue was married. He truly considered Chen Yang, his son-in-law, as his own son.
If not for Chen Yang's past irresponsibility as a man, with his help, their family would have been doing well much earlier.
But it wasn't too late. Since Chen Yang had turned over a new leaf, he would work tirelessly, even if it meant his life, to ensure his elder daughter and son-in-law lived a prosperous life.