Chapter 129: The Impolite Child

The soldier driving the truck stopped at the entrance of the family quarters and helped Xia Yan unload the burlap sacks.

"Xiao Zhe, take your younger brother and sister to unpack the clothes from the boxes, and please dust off the quilts and pillows on the beds."

"Sure, Mom, leave that to us."

Lin Hongzhe had changed significantly in many ways, especially his personality; he was far more cheerful than he used to be.

Xia Yan went to fetch a large basin for laundry and emptied the beef bones into it. Looking at the marrow bones, which were thicker than her own arms, she smacked her lips. Fortunately, the butcher had already chopped them for her; otherwise, she truly wouldn't have known how to handle them. Even so, cleaning the beef bones was a laborious task.

Just then, the neighbor's boy, Erdan, came running over to play with Nuannuan, leading his dog, Spark. He froze when he saw the massive basin full of bones.

"Auntie Xia, did you buy these for Spark?"

Spark seemed to understand, letting out a happy "wolf howl."

Xia Yan looked up, smiled, and said, "Erdan, these aren't for Spark. Besides, Spark is still a puppy; it couldn't possibly gnaw on these beef bones. Auntie is using them to make soup."

"Make soup? But there’s no meat on these bones at all." Erdan crouched down to examine the cleaned bones in the basin.

"That's right. The treasure in these beef bones isn't the meat on the outside, but the marrow inside!" Xia Yan picked up a piece and pointed to the reddish center of the tubular bone.

Erdan looked intently, puzzled. "Marrow? Is that stuff good to eat?"

Xia Yan immediately replied, "Of course it is! It’s richer and more fragrant than meat, with a milky, creamy flavor. Every cow has plenty of meat, but there’s only a tiny bit of marrow."

"More fragrant than meat?" Erdan actually gave it a sniff and immediately shook his head. "It doesn't smell like anything."

Xia Yan chuckled. "Of course it doesn't smell like anything yet. It only becomes fragrant after it’s been boiled. The meat doesn't smell like much when you first buy it, either."

"When Auntie finishes cooking it later tonight, bring your grandma over for some soup."

"Okay! Then I’m going to find Nuannuan to play."

"Go ahead."

A short while later, Lin Hongzhe brought over a small stool and sat beside Xia Yan. "Mom, let me help you wash them."

Looking at her sensible eldest son, Xia Yan felt a warmth in her heart.

Working together, mother and son spent nearly an hour scrubbing the blood off the beef bones until they were perfectly clean. Just as Xia Yan was about to take a break before starting dinner, a voice called out from outside the courtyard: "Sister Xia! Are you home?"

"Yes, I'm here."

"Mom, I'll go open the door."

Lin Hongzhe opened the door, and two women walked in, one carrying a head of cabbage and the other a bundle of vermicelli—they were the same women from the truck.

"Sister Xia, you’ve already finished cleaning the beef bones?"

The thinner woman looked at the large, pristine basin of bones in surprise. She hadn't even started her own chores yet, and here was someone who had already finished hers; she couldn't help but admire such diligence.

"Yes, my Xiao Zhe helped me; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to manage it alone." Xia Yan stroked her son's hair, offering him a word of praise.

"The bond between you two is even better than some biological mothers and sons."

"Indeed. As for my boy, let alone helping me, it would be a blessing if he didn't make me angry."

After chatting for a while, the two women left their items and headed home. Xia Yan was delighted to see the cabbage and vermicelli; these humble ingredients would add so much depth to the beef offal soup.

Just as she was about to step into the kitchen, she heard someone calling from outside again: "Sister Xia, are you home?"

Xia Yan turned to see Wu Qiuhua approaching with a basket of fresh greens.

"Sister-in-law Qiuhua, I am."

"Good. I checked my pantry and found some vegetables and eggs. Please, don't turn your nose up at them." Wu Qiuhua handed the basket to Xia Yan.

Xia Yan accepted it with a smile. "Sister-in-law Qiuhua, you're too kind. Why would I mind? I was just wondering what to cook for the children tonight; you’ve really helped me out."

Even if it was just polite conversation, Wu Qiuhua was pleased. She came and went quickly, as it was nearly dinnertime.

Xia Yan entered the kitchen, boiled water, and added scallions and ginger to blanch the blood from the bones. Next, she prepared the various beef offal, added everything to the pot, and finally sat down. Unlike beef brisket, beef bone soup required the beef fat to render out before the vegetables could be added. Finally, she added the "soul" of the dish—fried tofu puffs—which were perfect for soaking up the savory broth.

"Mom, I'm hungry." Lin Hongzhe’s younger brother, Hongzhuo, ran over, lured by the aroma.

"You have the sharpest nose in the house. Go call your brother and sister to wash their hands, and go next door to invite Grandma Wang and Uncle Ruan over."

Xia Yan looked down at the steaming pot of beef bone soup and couldn't help but swallow hard; even she hadn't expected it to smell this good. She picked up a ladle, filled a small bowl, and took a sip.

"Mmm..."

It was delicious, smooth, and fragrant. Simple seasoning had perfectly awakened the richness of the beef bones. Xia Yan wore a look of pure contentment. She picked up her chopsticks and tasted a piece of the beef offal. It wasn't quite tender enough yet; it needed a bit more simmering. Perhaps because she was hungry, she finished the bowl of soup and ladled out another, feeling much more comfortable once it reached her stomach.

At the dinner table, Ruan Xiaotian slurped up a mouthful of noodles and smacked his lips. "Sister Xia, this beef offal and vermicelli soup is authentic!"

"It really is. Ever since I became your neighbor, I’ve gained several pounds." Wang Guilan had made beef soup before, but compared to Xia Yan’s, it wasn't even in the same league.

"Brother Ruan, how much longer will Lin You and the others be on this construction mission?" Xia Yan asked, knowing that the end of the year was approaching.

Ruan Xiaotian calculated the time. "Don't you worry, Sister Xia. They’ll definitely be back before the New Year."

Hearing this, Xia Yan finally felt at ease.

...

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Xia Yan, who had been exhausted the night before, was still fast asleep. She was suddenly jolted awake by the sound of someone pounding on her courtyard gate, accompanied by the voices of children.

Waking up abruptly, Xia Yan felt a wave of irritation. She got dressed, stifled a yawn, and ran to open the door.

"It’s barely dawn! The morning bugle hasn't even sounded yet! Who is it?!"

"Open up!" A boy's voice came from outside. He sounded older than Lin Hongzhe, but his tone was completely devoid of manners.

Xia Yan felt even more annoyed. She swung the door open to find five children standing there. The boy in front was holding a large pot.

"Are you Lin You's wife?"

"I am. And who might you be?!"