flstandardbreds Chapter 139 I will accompany you no matter what you do
Chapter 139 I will accompany you no matter what you do
Upon hearing this, Yun Che's lips curled into a gentle smile, his eyes filled with doting. "Of course, Xiaoxiao, I'll accompany you to whatever you want to do," he said softly, his tone revealing his infinite doting on Li Xiaoxiao.
Li Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and a brilliant smile spread across her face. "Great! Then let's get ready quickly and leave this afternoon. By the way, Yun Che, are there any special ingredients you'd like to try?" She asked excitedly, already planning her afternoon shopping list.
Yun Che thought for a moment and said, "Actually, I'm not picky about food. I like anything you choose. However, if possible, we can buy some fresh mushrooms or something. This hot pot should be delicious."
"Good idea!" Li Xiaoxiao nodded in agreement. She turned back to the house and started preparing lunch.
In the courtyard, Bai Shi, Bai Dong, Wang Xiuqin, and Li Jia were all busy picking up bamboo shoots. "Mom, uncle, aunt, aunt, you guys go ahead and do your thing. I'm going to cook. This afternoon I'm going to town to buy some ingredients for hot pot. Come to our house for hot pot tonight."
"Oh, then we are in for a treat again..." Wang Xiuqin was a straightforward person. When she heard that we were going to have hotpot in the evening, she immediately thought of the scene of eating hotpot before. The spicy and fragrant taste was really unforgettable. She responded with a smile.
"Aunt, you can eat as much as you want at that time. I guarantee there will be enough food..." Li Xiaoxiao also responded with a smile.
Everyone laughed as they listened to their conversation, and their hands worked more efficiently.
Li Xiaoxiao and Yun Che walked into the kitchen and began preparing lunch. Li Xiaoxiao skillfully washed the rice while Yun Che helped light the fire. Once the rice was cooking, Li Xiaoxiao picked up a larger basket, called Yun Che, and headed to the vegetable garden in the backyard, ready to pick more vegetables for the evening.
The midday sun shines through the sparse clouds and onto the backyard, giving the lush green vegetable garden a warm golden glow.
Li Xiaoxiao and Yun Che walked side by side on the path in the vegetable garden. Their shadows were stretched out long and overlapped, like a harmonious painting.
"Yun Che, look at how well these vegetables are growing. They're so green and tender. They're perfect for hot pot tonight." Li Xiaoxiao pointed to a field of vibrant cabbages, a satisfied smile on her face.
Yun Che smiled and nodded, his eyes falling on her gently, as if the whole world was brightened because of her.
As they chatted, they began to pick the vegetables. Although Yun Che was a man, he was not at all vague about the farm work. His hands were skilled, and he soon filled the basket with vegetables. Li Xiaoxiao would remind him from time to time which vegetables were fresher and which ones should be left until tomorrow. The two of them worked together in perfect harmony, and the atmosphere was warm and pleasant.
After picking the vegetables, they returned to the kitchen. The rice in the pot was already emitting an enticing aroma. Li Xiaoxiao lifted the lid and gently stirred it with a spatula to prevent it from sticking. Yun Che helped wash the vegetables, meticulously cleaning every leaf, fearing to spoil this gift from nature.
Lunch was simple yet heartwarming. The family sat together, eating the home-cooked meals Li Xiaoxiao had prepared herself, with happy smiles on everyone's faces. After the meal, Li Xiaoxiao and Yun Che rested for a while before preparing to leave for town.
In order to create some time for the two of them to be alone together, Bai insisted that Li Linlin, who wanted to go with them, stay at home.
It was afternoon, the sun was shining brightly, and the breeze was not dry. Yun Che drove the carriage, carrying Li Xiaoxiao, and drove towards the town, chatting and laughing all the way.
Although it was already afternoon, the town market was bustling with activity, and the dazzling array of stalls was overwhelming.
Yun Che dragged Li Xiaoxiao through the crowd, searching for hot pot ingredients one by one. Whenever they found a new or unique ingredient, Li Xiaoxiao would excitedly point it out to Yun Che, and Yun Che would always patiently listen to her suggestions and then buy them one by one.
The two of them strolled along the town's paths, carrying baskets, selecting ingredients and chatting, enjoying this rare leisure time.
The afterglow of the setting sun shines on them, stretching their shadows and seeming to add a touch of warmth to their success and happiness.
After a busy shopping spree, they finally returned with a full load of beef, large bones, mushrooms, etc. Back home, Li Xiaoxiao and Yun Che busily began preparing hot pot for the evening.
Li Xiaoxiao cut the large hunk of beef she had bought into evenly thin slices, marinated it with onions, ginger, garlic, and other seasonings. She then went to the cellar and retrieved a few potatoes from last year's harvest, sliced them, and soaked them in water to prevent oxidation. Thinking of the soup base, Li Xiaoxiao blanched the large bones she had bought and placed them in a clay pot to simmer. When the simmering was almost done, she added her own white radish to the mix.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door. Li Xiaoxiao opened the door and found Aunt Zhang from next door. "Your house smells really good. What delicious food are you making?" Aunt Zhang asked with a smile.
"I've made some bone soup and am going to make some hot pot tonight." Li Xiaoxiao invited enthusiastically, "Aunt Zhang, why don't you come over and eat with us tonight?"
"Oh, Xiaoxiao, you're too polite. I wouldn't have come over. Our headmaster went to the mountains to pick bamboo shoots this morning and picked up some mushrooms. I brought some over for you to try." Aunt Lin walked into the yard and saw Yun Che cutting vegetables. She praised him, "Yun Che is such a good kid..."
Yun Che smiled and continued to work with his head down.
"Aunt Zhang, you are too polite. You can just keep these mushrooms for yourselves. Why did you send them to us?" Li Xiaoxiao declined embarrassedly.
"Hey, we are neighbors, why are you being so polite? What delicious food do you have at home? Have you ever thought of us? These mushrooms are fresh. If you don't eat them quickly, they will lose their flavor. Take them quickly!" Aunt Zhang said, and stuffed the small basket in her hand into Li Xiaoxiao's hand, and turned and left without saying anything.
Li Xiaoxiao looked at Aunt Zhang's departing back, feeling warm inside. She smiled at Yun Che and said, "Look, our neighbor is so nice, always so warm-hearted."
Yun Che nodded and smiled, putting down the kitchen knife in his hand. He walked over and took the mushroom basket from Li Xiaoxiao's hand. He carefully examined the mushrooms inside and said, "These mushrooms are indeed fresh. Adding them to the hot pot tonight will definitely taste better."
"Well, let's get ready quickly. It's getting late." Li Xiaoxiao said, and started to work again. She washed the mushrooms that Aunt Zhang sent, cut them into slices, and placed them on the table with other prepared ingredients. They were colorful and looked very beautiful.
By this time, the bone soup in the casserole had become rich and fragrant, and the whole courtyard was filled with an enticing aroma. Li Xiaoxiao poured the stewed soup base into the hot pot and lit the charcoal fire. Immediately, the hot pot began to bubble up, and the hot steam rose, warming the whole room.