RCAC chapter 5

Following last night’s recipe, Qiao Shen made a big pot of braised pork, this time adding extra favorite ingredients like pig intestines and other innards, along with dried tofu.

Qiao Shen also wanted to make a little dessert for Xiao Changle, so he steamed pumpkin and sweet potatoes and boiled some red beans. He mashed the steamed pumpkin and sweet potatoes with a spoon, mixed them with starch, rolled them into taro balls, and boiled them in water. Once cooked, he scooped them into a bowl, added the boiled red beans and some sugar, and a bowl of red bean taro balls  was ready.

Let it cool down and feed it to xiao Changle. Starch is hard to digest, so he only gave him three taro balls. Xiao Changle ate the sweet red bean paste happily, and he couldn’t help smiling.

After xiao Changle finished eating, he made a bowl of red bean taro balls with less sugar for Qi Shuo. Qi Shuo sat on the side, watching Qiao Shen play with xiao Changle and take him for a walk to aid digestion. It wasn’t even noon yet, but the sun felt warm and cozy.

After the meal and digestion, the braised dishes was simmering on low heat. Qiao Shen closed the stove, and without air inside, the fire would go out soon.

Qiao Shen then carried xiao Changle into the room for a nap. Qiao Shen was a bit sleepy, xiao Changle, wearing the second type of bellyband cotton diaper that Qiao Shen had modified, crawled around on the bed, full of energy after being well-fed.

Letting xiao Changle crawl all over him, Qiao Shen gradually drifted off to sleep. He had surrounded himself with pillows, so he wasn’t worried about xiao Changle falling off the bed while crawling.

Qiao Shen woke up from the heat. This era without air conditioners or fans was really tough.

Qiao Shen simply got up to handle the braised dish. Most of it was braised pork ribs he had cut, with a small amount of pig intestines and lungs, filling up a big bowl of braised ingredients. He mainly cut less offal because he was worried people here wouldn’t be fond of it, but it was still enough to try something new.

Holding the big bowl, Qiao Shen called out to Qi Shuo, and then they walked out from the backyard. After passing three courtyards and turning a corner, they arrived at the Liu family’s courtyard. Qiao Shen gently knocked on the gate, and soon, the shopkeeper Liu’s husband came over to open the door.

“Ah, I was still wondering who it was, turns out it’s my brother-in-law, come on in.” The shopkeeper Liu’s husband was originally named Li Lixuan. Since their shops was next to Qi Shuo’s shop—one making wooden furniture, the other selling porcelain stoves and utensils—they often had dealings with each other.

“The past few days, my son Changle has been well looked after by the brothers, so today I made some extra braised snacks and thought I’d bring them over for Yongyuan to try, hence the visit.”

“Look at you being so polite! We’re neighbors after all. Besides, that child Changle, I really like him. How’s your health? And Changle?” Li Lixuan looked at Qiao Shen, his face fair with a healthy glow, feeling happy, and pulled Qiao Shen into the house.

“I’ve been fine for a while. A few days ago I still had a bit of a cough, so I didn’t dare to come over. But now I’m perfectly fine, and I’ve been craving some food, so I came up with a few recipes. You try them and tell me if they’re any good. If they are, I’ll start planning to sell some food to make a bit of money for Changle’s education.”

Qiao Shen took the tea Li Lixuan brought over, took a sip, and then said, “Changle is doing well too; these past few days his appetite has been great. He doesn’t need coaxing and loves to eat anything. He’s currently too full and taking a nap, so I didn’t bring him along. Even if I did, he’d be restless and wouldn’t let anyone have a moment of peace.”

“Sigh, at this age that’s normal, which shows he’s in good health. It’s annoying, but since he’s right under your watch, my Yongyuan can’t stay at home for a single moment. He’s always thinking about sneaking out to play with his friends.”

“Boys are all like that.” Qiao Shen replied with a smile. Since everyone was male, he didn’t feel any barrier, though he wasn’t very good at talking about family matters.

“From what you’re saying, you’re planning to send Changle to a private school?”

“Yes, it’s not really for fame or fortune. I just hope he can learn more characters, have friends at school, cherish the bonds of growing up with classmates, and in the future, have more friends to confide in.”

“That’s not bad. As a dad, you’ll also have less to worry about.”

“Yes. Quickly try it, I just made it up on my own. Changle really likes it, but I don’t know if you’ll get used to it.”

“Then I’ll give it a try.” Li Lixuan went to the kitchen to get some bowls and chopsticks. Just as he returned, he saw his son Yongyuan awake, peeking into the room over the door.

“Yongyuan, look what Uncle Qi made for you to eat, call someone quickly.” Li Lixuan went over, pulled his son out, and wiped the thin sweat on his forehead from sleeping.

“Uncle Qi…” Yongyuan liked the tall and big Uncle Qi very much, but he was a bit intimidated by Uncle Qiao Shen. Qiao Shen originally did not like children, and five-year-old Yongyuan was exactly at the age Qiao Shen disliked, often getting dirty while playing. Qiao Shen used to frequently push him away disdainfully.

“Hey, Yongyuan, did you sleep well? Uncle made some snacks, come and try them. Changle really likes them, I just don’t know if they suit your taste.” Qiao Shen smiled slightly, and this smile made his whole demeanor gentle, with none of the previously harsh and disdainful looks.

Yongyuan smelled the aroma and walked to the table, swallowing hard. It smelled so good.

Qiao Shen picked up a piece of braised pork rib and fed it to Yongyuan. Seeing that his dad was already eating, Yongyuan couldn’t help but open his mouth to catch the rib. The rib meat was already tender from stewing, salty and savory, and when he bit into it, the braising sauce burst in his mouth. It was so delicious that Yongyuan’s eyes lit up.

Li Lixuan had only tried a piece of pork intestine out of politeness, but to his surprise, the braised intestine was soft, flavorful without being greasy, and had no off taste. Li Lixuan asked in delight, “This is pork intestine? It can actually taste this good.”

Qiao Shen laughed and said that repeatedly washing with salt and vinegar got rid of the odor, then gave a rough description of the process of making braised dish, and only at the end asked for opinions, though it was unclear if it could sell at a good price.

“Delicious. With such meticulous preparation and complicated ingredients, it probably isn’t cheap. Hard to say for sure, but besides big restaurants, ordinary families likely couldn’t afford it.” Li Lixuan also spoke honestly, since both families were familiar with each other and there was no need to hide anything.

After chatting for a while, he politely declined Li Lixuan’s offer to stay for dinner. Qiao Shen got up to leave and said, “I really have to decline your kindness. Xiao Changle will wake up soon, and if he doesn’t see anyone, he might start crying. His father has a lot of work piled up, and I shouldn’t delay him just to soothe him. Next time, next time I’ll bring Xiao Changle along and bother you again.”

After leaving the Liu courtyard, Qiao Shen thought about what Xuan-ger said and felt a bit down. Of course, the common people in the alley didn’t have extra money to buy prepared meat to eat.

Setting up a stall wasn’t very practical either. Xiao Changle was only two years old, and on a crowded, hectic street, how could he ensure the child’s safety while keeping him by his side?

It was a waste of effort, blame him for not being familiar with the living habits of the people of the Great Zhou.

When he reached his courtyard gate, he saw a peddler at the entrance bending over, scooping something. Qi Shuo held Xiao Changle in one arm and was handing a bowl to the peddler with the other.

As he got closer, he realized that Xiao Changle had just been crying; his eyelashes were still wet, his little mouth was pouting, and the corners of his mouth twitched downward.

“What’s wrong?” Qiao Shen walked over and picked up Xiao Changle in his arms. Seeing Xiao Changle sniffle, he patted his back, feeling both amused and heartbroken.

“From far away, I heard the peddler calling, and he started crying, wanting to eat the cake.” Qi Shuo had thought that Qiao Shen had already made plenty of food at home and didn’t want to buy anything for Xiao Changle.

But seeing Xiao Changle crying so pitifully, he still gave in. Back when he was at the shop, Xiao Changle didn’t often act spoiled in front of him. A few days ago, when Qiao Shen was sick and the house was filled with a heavy atmosphere, Xiao Changle also didn’t dare to make a fuss.

Now Daddy cares for him, and his father also spoils him at home, so of course he grew arrogant from being doted on.

Xiao Changle calmed down in Qiao Shen’s arms, but now he kicked his legs, wanting to get down.

When Qiao Shen put him down, he grabbed Qiao Shen’s pants with one small hand and pawed at the basket of rice cakes carried by the peddler with the other, babbling for them.

The peddler put a piece of rice cake in a bowl, one piece for one copper coin. Qi Shuo paid, and Xiao Changle held the bowl himself and turned to go into the yard.

Rice cakes are made by steaming glutinous rice mixed with sugar and then pounding it into cakes with a wooden mallet. The cakes are chewy, soft, and sticky—a cheap little sweet treat that most kids love.

Watching the peddler lift up his basket, clapping the wooden board in his hands and occasionally shouting to sell his goods. Upon hearing the sound of the clapping board, the neighborhood children would run out, shouting for their parents to buy them cakes. Suddenly, a thought came to Qiao Shen’s mind.

He turned his head to see Xiao Changle holding a bowl, stumbling as he walked into the courtyard. Qiao Shen took the bowl, scooped up Little Changle in one motion, and sat down with him at the stone table in the yard.

He went to the kitchen to get some chopsticks, stuck them into the rice cake, and let Xiao Changle hold and nibble on it. Qiao Shen stared at Qi Shuo and asked for something: “Shuo ge, can you make me one of those tools for peddlers to carry goods?”

“The tool can be made, but pounding rice cakes takes a lot of effort. By the end of the day, you’d be exhausted.” And right now, the family really didn’t have to the point where Qiao Shen needed to work that hard.

“It’s not for pounding rice cakes. What I’m making is much easier than rice cakes. I’m making red bean taro balls, refreshing and delicious.”​

Kotha: If you like my translation or want extra chapters released please support me on Kofi ☕ See you on next Friday 🌸🌸( I don’t know how to paste a photo in footnotes, so I just added it in the chapter 🫠🫠)