ABPUBALC - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Braised Chicken with Taro

Lin Xing placed the washed taro into a winnowing basket, arranging them neatly, planning to cut and sun-dry them in a couple of days. They would be great for cooking and making soup. He also intended to take a portion to town, where they could fetch a good price.

He casually picked two larger ones to prepare for cooking. Seeing that Gu Qiming's face didn't look too good, he said to him, "I'll go cook. You've been busy in the mountains all day and must be tired. Go rest for a while first."

The day had truly drained Gu Qiming of all his energy. Before crossing over, he had performed an ultimately unsuccesful chase scene through the mountains, and today he went up the mountain to hunt for an entire afternoon. His training in the military had been rigorous, but being in an entirely new environment, he was on edge all day. Currently, he was indeed feeling quite worn out. However, he never thought of letting Lin Xing handle things by himself.

He unconsciously licked his slightly chapped lips and said, "Let me help you. It will be faster if two people work together, and we can have dinner earlier."

Lin Xing saw that he was determined and didn't say anything more.

Gu Qiming followed him into the kitchen to help out. He couldn't cook, at most he could only chop some vegetables and tend the fire, but that didn't stifle his budding kitchen-helper spirit.

"First, boil water. Then, we'll handle the chicken."

Gu Qiming felt a sense of enjoyment from the first time he heard Lin Xing speak. The young man spoke at a moderate pace, with a clear and crisp voice that was as refreshing as the mountain spring water, yet with a warmth that made one feel nurtured by the mountains.

The heavy taro was casually chopped into chunks, not too small, waiting to be cooked slowly later. The chili, scallions, and garlic were neatly chopped and placed in a plate, and then the hot water in the pot was poured into a kettle. Lin Xing then carried the basin out to deal with the wild chicken.

Gu Qiming took advantage of this free time to water the vegetable garden with the water used to wash the taro in the courtyard, saving Lin Xing that small bit of work.

Once everything was ready, Lin Xing started by heating oil in a pan, then added chopped green onions, ginger, and chili peppers to stir-fry until fragrant. He poured in his own marinated bean paste, followed by adding the chopped chicken into the pan. With a sizzling sound, the aroma of the meat mixed with the spices was tantalizing, whetting one's appetite immensely.

The moonlight spilled into the room, the candles were not needed to be lit as the small kitchen was clearly visible. Lin Xing was carefully stir-frying the chicken in the pot.

Gu Qiming sighed and deliberately said to Lin Xing, "It smells so good. I wasn't hungry at first, but now I feel that if I can't eat, I won't even have the energy to light a fire."

Lin Xing smiled with his eyes curved into crescents, his hand holding the spoon was trembling. "Just simmer the taro for a while, and then I'll stick on a couple more pancakes. They'll smell even better than if they were steamed."

Gu Qiming watched Lin Xing meticulously sticking the dough and found himself unwittingly becoming somewhat entranced.

The nineteen-year-old youth had already shed his youthful immaturity. His skin, darkened to a healthy wheat color from working outdoors all year, wasn't pale. Tall and slim with long legs, his angular face would have been exceptionally handsome if not for his round, cat-like eyes, which added an undeniably cute charm to his appearance. Transplanted into the modern world, he would likely be quite popular among girls.

"Alright, Brother Gu."

"Ah - Oh, okay."

Gu Qiming nervously touched his nose, cursing inwardly. How could he stare at others like that? It may be ancient times, but rudeness was still rudeness.

Lin Xing opened the pot lid, and a fresh and fragrant smell wafted out. Just by smelling it, you could tell it was top-notch craftsmanship.

Gu Qiming set up the table in the yard, and Lin Xing came out with the meal, the big pot steaming tantalizingly.

"Ssss... Delicious!"

Gu Qiming first tasted a bite of taro, which had a unique fragrance. Since it absorbed the broth and its inherent sweetness was not prominent, the taste was more salty, fragrant, and soft.

The chicken was stewed until it was tender and fall-apart soft. The meat was delicate and not a bit dry, becoming more flavorful with each bite, even better than what's sold in restaurants.

Lin Xing saw that he had been scalded after being unable to resist the temptation, and quickly poured him a cup of cold tea, pushing it towards him: "Be careful, it's hot."

Seeing Gu Qiming eat happily, Lin Xing felt delighted as well. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed a meal with someone so contentedly.

Over the years, he has been living alone, burdened with debts, only daring to indulge in a bit of meat during the holidays. But he wasn't alone, even the slightly better-off families in the village didn't dare to consume meat so freely on ordinary days.

After finishing the chicken and taro, Gu Qiming picked up a piece of sticky pancake to eat. The sticky pancake was directly attached to the side of the pot, with a crispy layer at the bottom, which tasted pretty good dipped in the broth.

Gu Qiming has a big appetite, usually needing three bowls of rice before he feels full, not to mention that Lin Xing's cooking is exceptionally delicious. After both of them had their fill, only the soup base was left from the pot of braised chicken with taro.

After having a meal, Lin Xing picked two cucumbers from the yard and washed them with well water before eating. The cucumbers were crisp, tender, and refreshing, making them a perfect post-meal snack.

Gu Qiming got up and tidied up the table: "I'll go wash the dishes first, and then I'll boil some water for a bath later."

"No need for a whole bath," Lin Xing replied. "We can dilute some of the hot water that was just boiled with a bit of cold water and wipe ourselves down. That'll do."

People from farming families don't fuss over much. In the summer, they simply fill a basin with water and leave it in the courtyard to warm under the sun. By evening, it's ready for a bath. Why would they waste firewood to heat water?

"Alright, let's just wash in the yard then; it's easier to fetch water." Gu Qiming wasn't too particular about such things, so naturally, he'd follow this suggestion.

Lin Xing's face turned a shade of red. "I'll go to the side room; it's quicker if we wash up separately." With that, he hurriedly went to the kitchen to fetch water.

Seeing his embarrassment, Gu Qiming didn't insist. He thought that since it was hot in the summer anyway, he might as well just take a cold shower. He was in good health and at home during the summer, he would directly use cold water for bathing. So, he simply filled a bucket with water and poured it over himself.

"Damn, why is it so cold..."

Gu Qiming was shocked, and he got goosebumps all over his body. Well water is not the same as tap water. Although touching it with his hand may not feel too intense, he couldn't bear it when it was poured directly on his body. Gu Qiming shivered and quickly finished washing, then hurriedly wrapped himself in his clothes and went back inside.

In the evening, Gu Qiming lay on his bed, recalling the events of the day. He surprisingly found himself not nostalgic for the modern world, nor was he in a hurry to find a way back.

It seems that he has been like this since he was young. When he was in the orphanage, everyone was eager to be adopted, but he felt that staying in the orphanage was fine. Later, he entered the military in college and did quite well for himself. After retiring from the military, he started a company with a few comrades, and always seemed to be the one with the most free time.

"Go with the flow and live in the moment."

He has always been like this.

The next day, Gu Qiming got up early to maintain his physique, as he has a daily fixed training routine.

He just hadn't expected that Lin Xing got up even earlier than him, and had already started working in the kitchen.

When Gu Qiming finished his morning run and returned, Lin Xing had already taken out the steamed buns. There was not much white flour left at home, so Lin Xing only scooped a bowl of flour and steamed four buns, with a few vegetable dumplings included. The buns had a thin white skin, plump and round, just like those made in a restaurant.

"Delicious!"

Gu Qiming took a bite, the steamed bun was filled with vegetables, but he couldn't tell what kind of vegetables they were. He only felt that they were fresh, tender, and juicy, which made his mouth water after each bite.

Lin Xing held a steamed bun in one hand, smiling as he handed the remaining two to Gu Qiming with the other.

The two of them set off to the town after having dinner, carrying a rabbit and some taro on their backs.

They left early, but by the time they reached the town, it was already past the hour the Dragon (hours between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m), which added up to more than one hour's walk. There were people coming and going on the street, even busier than what Gu Qiming had seen on TV.

The small stalls and vendors are all located in the southern part, where Shiqiao Town's vegetable market is considered to be. The market stalls don't charge a fee; it's first come, first served.

Lin Xing found an empty space and displayed taro and rabbits. Next to them was a middle-aged lady selling eggs, probably because her own family's hens produced more than they could eat regularly.

Gu Qiming stood close to Lin Xing, their spot not particularly conspicuous. However, with Gu Qiming's towering height, standing there he resembled a wall, and not to mention his strikingly handsome features, he instantly drew the attention of many onlookers.

"The young man is truly handsome! He's got a great build, too. Has he married yet?" The lady buying vegetables took a glance at Gu Qiming. She had never seen such a striking man before.

Gu Qiming felt a little awkward. He had never been complimented so directly before and unconsciously took a step back. "Auntie really has good taste, why not come and take a look at our taro? It was just picked from the field and is delicious and affordable!"

Lin Xing busily said, "Yes, sister, come and take a look. Fresh taro is only fifteen wen per catty."

The person immediately caught sight of it and exclaimed, "Oh! Fifteen wen! Almost as expensive as pork!"

"Sister, don't joke. You can buy pork every day, but there aren't many people growing taro. Once this batch is sold out, it will be hard to find it elsewhere. I don't have much of it here either."

It's troublesome to grow taro, farmers don't like to spend the effort. It's indeed not easy to buy, Lin Xing's asking price of fifteen is indeed not expensive.

"Alright, give me a jin then."

Lin Xing's taro are all scrubbed clean, so that not a speck of mud can be found. You can tell at a glance that he's a straightforward person.

"These are about one jin and two liang.That will be fifteen coins, here you go!" After confirming the quality of the taro, Lin Xing directly put them in the basket. The taro was so clean that even the skin came off while washing, making it ready to be taken away without needing to be wrapped.

The woman left happily after paying the money, forgetting to ask about Gu Qiming.

There are plenty of vendors selling vegetables in the morning market, but there is only one stall selling taro over here, run by Lin Xing. He didn't prepare a lot of taro, and they were sold out soon after a short while.

There were also people along the way inquiring about the price of the rabbit, but since the rabbit was big, it naturally was not cheap. The women who inquired couldn't make up their minds and eventually had to give up.

The last person to inquire about was an old man who had been craving this wild taste for days and hadn't seen any for sale. Upon hearing that such a large rabbit was only a little over a hundred wen, he immediately picked up the rabbit and left.

The old man headed home, thinking that the rabbit was perfect for letting the family cook up a feast that night. They could all taste the freshness together and even share a little drink as well.

After closing up their stall, the two went straight to the blacksmith's shop. As the saying goes, "To do a good job, one must first sharpen[e/n: 工欲善其事必先利其器" (gōng yù shàn qí shì bì xiān lì qí qì), which translates to "a worker must first sharpen his tools if he is to do his work well." This idiom emphasizes the importance of preparation and having the right tools for the job in order to achieve success.] one's tools,*" so he needed to get a few iron arrowheads. 

Lin Xing took Gu Qiming to a blacksmith shop that was once opened by his father's friend. Now, the business is being looked after by his son, Song Cunsong.

Gu Qiming only wanted some arrowheads, and the shop had them ready-made, nice and sharp. Seeing that Lin Xing had brought him, Song Cunsong did not charge extra; for three arrowheads, he only asked for one hundred wen.

Lin Xing himself is a carpenter; he can craft the remaining arrow shafts and fletchings on his own.

Song Cunsong once again engaged Lin Xing in a lengthy conversation before the two returned to the village. On his way back, Lin Xing also stopped to fetch a pot of vinegar.

For dinner, the menu featured a cold dish of purslane and steamed taro. The purslane was briefly blanched in boiling water before being dressed with Lin Xing's specially mixed sauce. Its tangy and smooth texture was so delightful that it left a lingering taste that made one's mouth water.

After dinner, Gu Qiming handed over the remaining sixty wen to Lin Xing for safekeeping.

Lin Xing, as if scalded, quickly waved his hands and said, "This is the money you've earned; I can't accept it."

Gu Qiming had anticipated that he would refuse, so without further ado, he grabbed Lin Xing's hand and stuffed the silver pieces into it. "Now that we rely on you for food and shelter, I can't just live off of you without contributing anything, especially since, even though I'm older, you're the one who thinks ahead and pays attention to the details. You're the one who manages our daily needs and expenses. I can't handle those things."

Lin Xing found his hand trapped in a firm grip, unable to pull away. His face flushed a deep shade of red, akin to a shrimp, leaving him no choice but to agree to let Gu Qiming contribute to the household. Otherwise, who knows what else he might say?

Gu Qiming finally let go of his hand with reluctance, realizing Lin Xing's hand was a whole size smaller than his, soft and squishy to the touch.

'Ah, this little guy is truly obedient.'

Gu Qiming couldn't help but think so.

——

Returning to the topic of the Lin family brothers, yesterday Lin Hao was given a severe beating by Gu Qiming; even now, his arm still hurts terribly.

In recent days, Lin Hao's son has been pestering him for meat, but the busy farming season has yet to come. His wife, who manages the household's finances tightly, said they didn't have spare money for such luxuries. That's when Lin Hao thought of Lin Xing. So, Lin Qing and he put their heads together, planning to coax some money out of Lin Xing to secretly buy some meat and treat families. Unexpectedly, not only did they not get any advantage, but ended up suffering physical and losing face.

He not only failed to get the money but also injured his hand, reducing the workforce at home by one. Over the past few days, his wife hasn't shown him a pleasant face at all.

Up until now, he still couldn't comprehend when a man so capable of fighting had appeared by Lin Xing's side, and moreover, so protective of this harbinger of misfortune.

Dammit, he can't just let this little jerk off the hook. He has to think of something.