Chapter 128 - 128 Heartache

128 Heartache

Naturally, Luo Jin’an started a fire on the stove to burn the wood. Even though he did such a simple task, his demeanor carried elegance and grace. It was as if he was making art instead of starting a fire, pleasing the eye.

Su Binglan put the chopped pheasant pieces into the pot when she noticed Luo Jin’an squatting by the stove with nowhere to sit. She wiped her hands, looked around, and saw a stool in the kitchen corner.

She picked up the stool and went to Luo Jin’an. She put it down and said, “It’s tiring for you to squat like that. Here, sit on this.”

Luo Jin’an looked up at Su Binglan, making her heartbeat hasten. Old Master Su washed the pheasant feathers in the yard while Su Fengchen settled the duck eggs. Meanwhile, Old Madam Su lowered her head and thought about her third son absent-mindedly.

None of them noticed Su Binglan get flustered.

Old Madam Su collected her thoughts as she noticed the couple interacting. She smiled lovingly and said. “Binglan, do you feel sorry for your husband? Jin’an, your wife is such a kind person. You will know it after spending more time with her. She knows how to show love.”

Luo Jin’an said softly, “Yes.” He lowered his head so no one could see his expression or know what he was thinking.

Su Binglan was still thin-skinned in this regard. “Grandma!”

Old Madam Su said smilingly, “Okay, I’ll leave you two alone.” Old Madam Su was delighted to see her granddaughter and her husband getting along.

The water in the pot began to boil at that moment, and Su Binglan picked up a spoon to scoop out the foam on the top. Then she fished out the pheasant parts to keep the water under control and set the pheasant pieces aside.

After the water in the pot evaporated enough, Su Binglan added oil, onion, ginger, garlic, star anise, and chili to start stir-frying them. After the ingredients started producing a unique fragrance, she added the pheasant pieces back in and stir-fried them with the spices.

When the pheasant pieces turned a light brown, Su Binglan added some seasoning and salt before continuing to stir-fry them. Then she added more water and some mushrooms to the pot and scooped them out a few minutes later.

There was an appetizing fragrance wafting throughout the house when she finished cooking.

Old Madam Su sighed and smiled. “I can tell that this pheasant dish will taste unique.”

Old Master Su had finished washing the feathers and hung them to dry. He also smelled the appetizing fragrance when he entered the house. He heard his wife’s words and added, “That’s because our granddaughter’s cooking is excellent. Otherwise, the pheasant wouldn’t smell so good no matter how good the bird’s quality is.”

Old Madam Su responded smilingly, “I guess you’re right. We will eat well during dinner, thanks to our granddaughter and her husband.”

The elders’ second son, Su Fengmao, would typically send over some fresh and delicious food, like sour and spicy potato pancakes, tofu, soy milk, and spicy chicken, during dinner. Their granddaughter made them all, and the elders looked at Su Binglan proudly.

The Su elders and Su Fengchen usually ate mantou buns as their staple diet. However, Old Madam Su and Old Master Su could not bear to eat white flour mantou, so they ate coarse flour mantou instead.

But before that, Su Binglan wanted to make desserts and had bought plenty of white flour mantou when she went to town. When she brought them home, Shen Qiuhua steamed them and brought the white flour mantou to the elders’ house.

Old Madam Su was reluctant to eat them then and kept them instead. But she took them out during dinner to eat it with the pheasant and mushroom stew.

Usually, the elders only had the opportunity to eat white flour mantou during the new year. Old Madam Su carefully removed the mantou from the cupboard and said smilingly, “Let’s eat these mantou buns tonight.”

Su Binglan glanced at the eight mantou and remembered her mother had steamed them and sent them over. It had been a few days, yet her grandparents had not eaten a single one.

Su Binglan felt a trace of bitterness in her heart but did not say much. She only thought of earning more money so her grandparents could live better lives. That way, they would not be reluctant to eat even white flour mantou.