House Dad's Literary Life

Chapter 369: Couldn’t Bear To Watch

To make lunch?

The words Yang Huan had said suddenly echoed in Mo Fei’s ears.

“My parents are quite traditional. They like a sensible, filial, and virtuous daughter-in-law…”

“If you can take the initiative to help my mom with cooking, and make her happy, then my dad wouldn’t be a problem…”

Right, lunch!

Mo Fei quickly stood up and said, “Mom, let me help you!”

She was still quite sensible. After a few days of learning, she realized her “shortcomings”. What Mo Fei said was to help, not to take over all the work!

“Okay then!” Dong Yue’e looked at Mo Fei and nodded with a smile.

Mo Fei and Dong Yue’e left the lobby and walked towards the kitchen. Yang Huan saw them, rolled up her sleeves, and walked over as well. However, when Dong Yue’e saw her, she glanced around and said, “Huanhuan, you don’t need to help in the kitchen today. Stay in the yard and keep an eye on Little Yang Xi. Don’t let her run into the cowshed and get kicked by Big Yellow.”

“Oh…” Yang Huan had to stop. She looked at Mo Fei’s back and sighed secretly in her heart, “Sister-in-law, it’s not that I don’t want to help, but my mom is too cunning… Good luck…”

When they got to the kitchen, Mo Fei looked around first, but she was immediately dumbfounded. What were these two big black pits? The stove?

From childhood to adulthood, Mo Fei had seen many stoves, gas stoves, natural gas stoves, induction cookers, and even the iron plates in restaurants… Anyway, she had never seen the one in front of her!

No, she had seen it on TV. This was a primitive stove burning firewood. Next to it were pieces of firewood that Yang Qing had chopped, along with some dry branches and leaves for kindling.

Due to the use of firewood for burning, the entire newly built kitchen was filled with a smoky haze. Fortunately, there were electric lights, so it was still bright.

But Mo Fei was a bit confused. How to use this stove?

“Mo Fei, this is the pot for cooking rice. The rice is over there. You go wash the rice first.” Dong Yue’e directed.

Cook rice? The most successful thing Mo Fei had learned in the past few days was this. She breathed a sigh of relief and quickly responded.

She lifted the large pot for cooking rice with both hands and moved it to the bag of rice.

Dong Yue’e didn’t deliberately make things difficult for Mo Fei. She guided her, saying, “There are six adults and one child in the family. Men eat more, so pour three and a half scoops of rice.”

The scoop here was different from the measuring cup that comes with an electric rice cooker. It was an old-style enamel cup for drinking water, and one scoop holds quite a bit!

But Mo Fei didn’t question it. She filled the rice according to Dong Yue’e’s request and then carried it to the faucet. She twisted it, but no water came out.

“This faucet is useless. Use the well water in this tank. The water we drink at home is well water. When the house was built, the master¹said that the town was introducing some kind of tap water system, suggesting we install a faucet and water pipe for future convenience, but it’s not in use yet.” Dong Yue’e explained with a smile.

Mo Fei quickly nodded, carrying the rice over. Whether it was nervousness or tiredness, in the midst of winter, there was now some sweat on Mo Fei’s forehead!

After a while of bustling about, Mo Fei finally washed the rice. She tilted the pot and poured the rice washing water into the nearby ditch.

The rice washing water should be saved for washing vegetables and watering trees!

Dong Yue’e, who was making a fire on the side, opened her mouth and wanted to reprimand, but when the words reached her lips, she held back. It wasn’t a big problem, so she didn’t dampen her enthusiasm first.

Then Dong Yue’e saw Mo Fei adding water to the pot again, one scoop, two scoops, three scoops… and she hadn’t stopped yet!

“Mo Fei, what are you doing?” Dong Yue’e couldn’t help but ask.

“I’m adding water. Once I add enough water, I can cook the rice!” Mo Fei looked up and said with a smile.

“Cough cough, Mo Fei, you’re doing very well. This is almost done. You put it down and I’ll put it on the stove later. Um, go find Qingzi and ask him where he put the vegetables he picked. Hurry up and bring them over.” Dong Yue’e said with a smile.

“Okay!” Mo Fei washed her hands and quickly went out to find Yang Qing.

After Mo Fei left, Dong Yue’e walked over and picked up the pot. She looked at the overflowing water inside and couldn’t help shaking her head.

Dong Yue’e reached out and picked out some small stones or debris that were still left in the rice. Then, she poured out this new rice washing water into the wooden barrel next to it. Then, she scooped an appropriate amount of well water from the water tank and put it on the stove to cook.

Mo Fei probably experimented with the rice sold in supermarkets with Mo Xiaojuan and Xiao Ai. Those rice were finely screened, and most of the impurities were removed. All they needed to do was wash it with water.

After a while, Mo Fei came back, struggling with a basket full of vegetables.

“Mom, what should I do now?” Mo Fei asked. Having just “successfully” cooked rice, she gained a bit of confidence and became proactive.

“Um, first wash this white radish clean, then peel it, and then pick the vegetables…”

“Ah, okay.” Mo Fei immediately took action.

She recognized the white radishes. Mo Fei picked two white radishes from the basket. There were still drooping leaves on the top, and there was dirt stuck in the crevices of the skin. They looked very fresh.

“Mom, why are there so many fresh vegetables at home? Isn’t it winter now?” Mo Fei said while scooping water to wash the vegetables. It was also to alleviate the embarrassment that she made a rare act of initiating a conversation.

“The vegetables are grown in our own greenhouse. We didn’t have it before. It was the year before last that the Agricultural Science Station in the town sent experts to guide us to build this greenhouse and gave us subsidies. We only have fresh vegetables this winter. The year before last, we didn’t grow well. Last year, we had some experience. This year, there are more vegetables. You’ve come at a good time!” Dong Yue’e said as she stirred the stove fire.

She looked up and saw Mo Fei diligently washing the leaves of the radishes.

……

Outside, Yang Yi had just driven the car back, and those young guys were also heading back for lunch. However, they were still not satisfied and made plans with Yang Yi to go for a ride in the afternoon.

“Papa, look, I gave names to these little chicks. This one is called Huahua because it’s the most beautiful, and it goes cluck-cluck…” Xixi waited for her father to get off the car and couldn’t wait to pull him, pointing to the chickens in the yard and introducing them.

“Where’s your Mama?” Yang Yi chimed in with the little girl while looking at the lobby. He didn’t see Mo Fei and found it strange, so he asked.

“Mama… where’s Mama?” Xixi just noticed that her mother was missing.

Yang Huan was feeding the chickens with grain on the side for Xixi to see. She heard the conversation between Yang Yi and Xixi and said with a smile, “Sister-in-law went to the kitchen and is helping Mom prepare lunch!”

“Wait a minute, what did you say?” Yang Yi thought he had heard wrong.

Yang Huan said it again.

“Mo Fei, she’s cooking?” Yang Yi still couldn’t believe it.

Mo Fei used to have a nanny at her own place. She can cook? Yang Yi didn’t believe it.

“Yeah! Sister-in-law has probably been practicing for several days, right? Big brother, don’t you know?” Yang Huan asked strangely.

At this moment, Yang Yi suddenly remembered Mo Fei’s gray-faced look when she came back a few days ago, and suddenly understood…

“It’s okay, mom is there! Sister-in-law is at most a helper.” Yang Huan said with a smile.

But Yang Yi was not so optimistic.