Su Bing and Su Li, one calm and composed, the other lively and spirited—a pretty balanced combination.
After feeding Lele, Gu Zi asked Su Li to look after her, handed some money to Su Bing, and tasked him with pushing the small cart to the supply and sales cooperative to buy a box of beer and some peanuts and melon seeds.
She then headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
As she had already decided on the menu early in the morning, Aunt Zhang had prepped most of the meat and vegetables as per Gu Zi's instructions, so all she needed to do was cook. It turned out to be quite effortless.
Aunt Zhang saw Gu Zi enter the kitchen and asked, "Everything's prepared. Just let me know if there's anything else left to do."
Gu Zi replied, "No need. You can go to the living room and watch TV. Please help me take care of Lele while you're at it. I'm worried Su Li might get carried away with playing."
Aunt Zhang thought that it was indeed worrying for a child to take care of another child, so she went out.
Gu Zi began cooking. The first dish she simmered in a covered pot was braised pork trotters with soybeans, which required the longest cooking time. She filled a large pot with it—enough for just this dish alone to feed everyone.
She also planned to prepare a dish of cold -cooked pig's head meat and a simplified version of shredded pork with garlic sauce.
Gu Zi felt there was no need to cook rice; instead, she boiled water and decided to cook noodles directly later. It alleviated concerns about cooking too much or too little rice.
Moreover, Gu Zi believed that noodles, legumes, and meat were the best for combating fatigue and replenishing energy. After eating, they would all feel invigorated, and the men wouldn't have sore backs and aches the next day. After returning from the pig farm, Su Shen was told that Gu Zi was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner for everyone.
Stepping into the kitchen, he saw several pots simmering simultaneously.
Amidst it all was the composed and graceful figure of the woman by the stove. Beads of sweat dotted her fair forehead, which made him feel a pang of concern.
As Gu Zi turned around to fetch something, she caught sight of Su Shen. In a moment of distraction, she nearly bumped into him, hastily reaching out to steady herself by gripping his hand.
His hand was large, fingers long and evenly proportioned, the joints distinct. The back of his hand displayed pronounced veins due to the combined pressure of their hands, exuding a sense of strength.
He gently adjusted her waist, urging her to stand straight while drawing her a bit closer.
With a hand, he wiped the sweat from her forehead, his voice deep and tender, "You've worked hard. I'll take over from here. Go and rest."
Gu Zi, with her fluttering eyelashes, looked at the man. He carried a hint of dust due to his busy work at the pig farm.
This time, she didn't readily accept his care. In fact, she felt a tad displeased.
Why did he always say she was working hard, as if they weren't a married couple? Weren't they both busy preparing for the wedding? How could it be solely her effort?
Without stepping out, Gu Zi spoke gently but icily, "I've rested since I came back. On the contrary, someone has been busy all day long, running around everywhere. Do you think you're made of iron? How can you manage this way? Have you ever thought about how tired you might get? What if you fell sick? What would I do? What would the children do?"
Listening to her peculiar tone, Su Shen felt a warm sensation inside. Though not one for melodrama, it was the first time someone showed concern for him, especially a young woman, which softened his heart.
He lowered his gaze and chuckled softly, saying, "I won't get too tired. I'm very physically fit, after all, I'm a man."
Gu Zi pretended to glare at him angrily, yet she was incredibly endearing. She looked like a vexed little kitten, lacking any real intimidation, making one want to gather her into their arms and cradle her.
She pushed the man out of the kitchen area, saying, "Just because you're a man doesn't mean you're made of iron. Do whatever you want, just don't come in here, okay?"
Su Shen shook his head in resignation. This silly girl was genuinely worried about him. He couldn't contain a smile.
Upstairs, he changed his clothes and joined the men in moving things around, arranging furniture. The replaced old furniture, which was still in good condition, was taken away by the helping hands as per their needs.
Those pieces might not have been old, but Su Shen wanted to give Gu Zi entirely new things, providing them with a fresh start.
The men were grateful to their boss. They weren't greedy and took what was necessary. They even agreed to help each other, planning to take away whatever they needed.
By the time the men finished their work, Gu Zi's meal was also ready. She asked Jin Long to call everyone to come and have noodles.
Jin Long saw Gu Zi and Aunt Zhang arranging dishes of noodles. Bowls of noodles were neatly placed on the table, topped with shredded pork in garlic sauce, cold mixed pig's head meat, and braised pork trotters with yellow beans. It was an appetizing sight that made everyone's mouths water..
...