Chapter 50

Shi Wen had seven pregnant cows at home, so he dared not take any risks.

He busied himself for half the morning and finally finished all the work on the ranch.

A little after eleven at noon, he carried a box of pastries and knocked on Fu Meng's door.

Fu Meng's wife, Chang Qingqing, came to answer it. Seeing the pastries in his hands, she reproached him, "You came to visit, so why are you always being so polite?"

Shi Wen said, "A friend gave me some local specialties. I brought them over for you to try."

"You should keep them for yourself, to tide you over when you're hungry." Chang Qingqing looked him over. "Why do I feel like you've gotten thinner again this month?"

Shi Wen raised his arm to show off his muscles and smiled. "Not at all. They're just more toned now."

Shi Wen entered the courtyard, where Fu Meng was stewing meat in one corner.

The pot was a huge iron cauldron set up temporarily, with thick logs blazing beneath it. Milky-white broth rolled ceaselessly inside.

As the broth bubbled, the rich aroma of meat filled the entire courtyard.

Shi Wen took a deep breath. "How long has this been stewing? It smells incredible."

Fu Meng said, "We slaughtered it after seven this morning and had it in the pot after eight. It's been stewing ever since. We can eat anytime now."

Fu Meng squatted beside the pot and smiled at Shi Wen. His son and daughter clung to either side of his shoulders, and when they saw Shi Wen, the two children seemed rather shy.

As they spoke, Chang Qingqing brought over a stainless-steel tray and ladled the steaming meat from the pot onto it.

Shi Wen hurried over to help.

The Fu family was stewing mutton, and the pot was packed with huge chunks of meat, without a single bit of vegetable accompaniment.

Shi Wen held the tray while Chang Qingqing ladled meat onto it.

The large chunks of meat had been stewed until soft and tender, trembling as they were lifted. Just looking at them made it clear how springy and melt-in-the-mouth they were.

There was simply too much mutton, so Fu Meng and Shi Wen had to carry the tray together into the dining room.

Chang Qingqing carried in a large bucket of milky-white soup, leading her children inside.

Once indoors, no one bothered with small talk. They washed their hands and started eating meat and drinking soup.

Shi Wen took a sip of the soup first.

The mutton soup was thick, white, and delicious, seasoned with exactly the right amount of salt and pepper. Its flavor was hearty and robust; one mouthful brought nothing but rich, savory meatiness.

After swallowing that mouthful, Shi Wen even broke out in a hot sweat at the tip of his nose.

He could not help taking another sip.

Fu Meng used a ladle to scoop a huge piece of meat into Shi Wen's bowl. "Don't just drink the soup. Eat some meat."

Shi Wen quickly held out his bowl with both hands to receive it.

Chang Qingqing placed a large bowl of green chive flower sauce before Shi Wen and gestured for him to help himself. "Try our homemade chive flower sauce. It's delicious with mutton. We slaughtered this sheep specifically for the sauce."

Shi Wen gave the chive flower sauce a surprised look. He did not quite understand how this green mush could possibly be so enticing.

Today's sheep had been a half-grown wether. Its meat had shrunk a little during stewing, exposing the bones inside just enough for Shi Wen to grip one and gnaw on it.

He took a bite of the mutton first.

This was mutton raised by Fu Meng's family. There was not the slightest trace of gaminess, only a rich milky fragrance.

With one bite, abundant juices burst forth. The mutton was rich and tender, as though it could melt in his mouth, its supreme freshness striking Shi Wen straight in the brain.

Nothing had been added to the clear-stewed mutton except a faint hint of salt.

Yet that touch of salt was already enough to bring out the mutton's deliciousness.

Shi Wen lowered his head and glanced at the meat.

If all the mutton sold outside were of this quality, probably no one would dislike mutton.

He took another huge bite, then copied Fu Meng and his family by scooping up a small spoonful of chive flower sauce and spreading it thinly over the meat.

He thought he might not be used to the taste, so he only took a small bite to test it first.

To his surprise, chive flower sauce paired with mutton was far more fragrant than he had imagined.

The chive flowers were slightly salty, and their savory saltiness fully drew out the flavor of the hand-held mutton. The taste of clear-stewed meat collided with the fresh spiciness of the plant, while the fermented fragrance added another layer. The aroma of mutton intertwined with the fragrance of chive flowers, every layer blooming fully in his mouth, then deepening through the juices, complementing one another. The flavor was intense yet lush, and meat and vegetable achieved an excellent balance.

Even though Shi Wen did not usually eat strongly flavored foods, he could not help letting out a satisfied sigh of praise.

Shi Wen said, "Sister-in-law, your chive flower sauce is so good!"

"If you like it, take some home later." Chang Qingqing smiled as she bit into her meat. "I saw on your social feed that your ranch is covered in chive flowers, isn't it? If you like it, you can make some yourself."

Shi Wen was tempted, then quickly came to his senses. "Is it difficult? I'm not very good at cooking."

Chang Qingqing said, "It's not exactly difficult, but there are a few key techniques. I can't explain them very clearly. If you really want to make it, I can come teach you. We can pick some chive flowers at your ranch while we're at it. How about that?"

The Fu family had settled here, but they only had a very small ranch.

When they needed to graze their livestock, they usually had to drive them out into the hills and wilderness.

The country had implemented Grazing-to-Grass Restoration for many years now. There were not many local families with large ranches, and most people only had small ones.

Shi Wen readily agreed. "Why not? Go ahead, Sister-in-law. There are so many chive flowers that if we don't use them up, they'll wither next week. That would be such a waste."

Chang Qingqing laughed brightly. "Then I'll hold you to that. Tomorrow, I'll bring sacks and come find you."

Fu Meng was eager to join in. "I'll go with your sister-in-law. We can never get enough chive flower sauce every year, so let's pickle more this year."

Since Shi Wen had arrived here, he had troubled the couple quite a bit.

For the sake of a few chive flowers, there was no way Shi Wen would refuse them.

The Fu couple acted as soon as they said they would. The next day, they really did arrive at Shi Wen's ranch carrying large sacks, with their children on summer break in tow and a tin scoop with comb-like teeth tucked under their arms, ready to pick chive flowers.