Chapter 24: Each Daughter-in-Law Must Be Personally Chosen
Chapter 24: Each Daughter-in-Law Must Be Personally Chosen
After returning from the tile factory, Deng Shirong borrowed a bicycle and rode to Changtian Village. Tomorrow was the Songshan market day, and also the Shuangwang market day. He planned to arrange a meeting between Zhang Kumei and Deng Changmei to "get acquainted."
He waited until the production team finished harvesting the rice before mentioning the meeting. Since it had been agreed upon beforehand, the Zhang family readily agreed.
Deng Shirong explained the details of the meeting to Zhang Kumei. Afterward, he enjoyed two large taro roots at the Zhang family’s invitation before whistling a tune and riding back home.
While returning the bicycle, the production team leader, Deng Yunjun, smiled and said, "Uncle Nine, since you’re often playing matchmaker and need the bike frequently, how about we sell it to you at a discount?"
Deng Shirong thought for a moment and replied, "I do need it often these days. If that’s possible, I’ll take it at a discount."
Deng Yunjun confidently said, "It might be a bit harder for others, but for Uncle Nine, it shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll talk to the others and let you know."
Deng Shirong nodded. "Alright, let me know when you have news."
Despite having only a little over a hundred yuan, he knew he could earn more by arranging the meeting between Zhang Kumei and Deng Changmei. Once Deng Changfu and Guan Yongying got married, he would truly hit the jackpot.
Thus, Deng Shirong wasn’t worried about buying the production team’s discounted bicycle.
...
In the afternoon, Deng Shirong prepared a homemade braised carp dish.
First, he caught two carp, each weighing about two pounds, from the water tank. These carp, along with several other fish like crucian carp, loaches, and catfish, were caught by Deng Shirong and his son while the production team was harvesting rice. They also collected many snails, which would become popular in the future but were ignored in this era.
In this time, fields were free from pesticides and fertilizers, so the fish were plentiful, a sight that would leave modern people amazed and unable to imagine such abundance.
Deng Shirong cleaned and cut the carp into pieces, then marinated them with ginger, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and rice wine for ten minutes. He then heated the pan with oil, adding it in two stages to prevent sticking. After the oil was hot, he added the marinated fish, covered the pan, and simmered it on medium-low heat for three minutes. He then let it sit for another three minutes on low heat before removing it from the stove.
By this time, the carp was perfectly cooked, tender, and delicious.
As soon as the fish was out of the pan, a rich fish aroma filled the air. His children, who had been indifferent to eating fish, couldn’t help but sniff the air, savoring the enticing smell.
"Time to wash your hands and eat!"
As soon as Deng Shirong spoke, his hungry children, whose stomachs were growling, rushed out to wash their hands without a word.
It was already past six in the evening, and dinner was usually earlier. However, with Deng Yuntai working at the tile factory, the family waited for him to return before eating, making dinner later than usual.
When the children tasted the braised carp, they couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise:
"Amazing! I never knew fish could be this delicious!"
"I’ve had fish a few times before, but it always tasted very fishy and wasn’t enjoyable. But Dad’s fish is simply amazing."
"Dad, you’re incredible. You’ve made this fish, which is usually so unpalatable, taste better than pork."
"..."
Faced with his children’s praise, Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Actually, cooking fish is all about using enough oil. Even if you’re not very skilled, it won’t turn out too bad. But with everyone’s living conditions being so tough, few can afford to use as much oil as I do, so they can’t make the fish taste as good."
Deng Yunzhen couldn't help but remind her father, "Dad, the oil at home is almost gone!"
Deng Shirong, who cooked every day, was well aware of this. He nodded and said, "I know. Tomorrow, I'll ask Ah Mei from the Yunjin family to go to Shuangwang Market to find a match. She can buy some fatty meat and render it into oil while she's there."
Deng Yuntao was surprised, "Dad, are you really planning to become a matchmaker?"
The other siblings were equally surprised. They hadn't thought much of it when their father helped Changfu find a match, as it was a tradition to help someone find a partner once in their lifetime. However, after successfully matching one couple, their father had quickly moved on to the next, suggesting he was considering a career change.
"Helping people find their matches can be quite interesting, especially during my free time. It's a virtuous deed, and I do plan to continue doing it."
With a serious expression, Deng Shirong looked at his children and added, "Most importantly, I want to gain experience and travel to different places so that I can find suitable partners for you all."
In his previous life, he had regretted trusting matchmakers, which led to none of his children having happy marriages. This time, he was determined not to make the same mistake. He would personally select every daughter-in-law and son-in-law, and no one he disapproved of would enter his home.
The children exchanged glances, surprised by their father's long-term plans. The younger ones didn't feel too concerned, but Deng Yuntao and Deng Yunzhen, who were of marriageable age, took their father's words seriously.
Deng Yuntao, bracing himself, reminded his father, "Dad, the country now promotes free love. You can't force us to marry someone we don't like!"
Deng Yunzhen also looked at her father nervously, fearing the day he might force her to marry someone she didn't love.
Deng Shirong, who was especially lenient with his eldest son who had passed away in his previous life, smiled and reassured them, "You don't need to worry about that. I won't force you to marry someone you don't like. I'll do my best to find partners who will make you happy."
"Phew, that's a relief!" Deng Yuntao and Deng Yunzhen both breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they weren't forced into unhappy marriages, everything was fine.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Hurry up and eat. The fish is best when it's hot, but be careful of the bones. Getting one stuck in your throat would be no fun!"
Deng Yunsong, eyeing the fish broth at the bottom of the bowl, asked eagerly, "Dad, the broth is so fragrant. Can I scoop some to mix with my rice?"
The youngest, Deng Yunheng, immediately chimed in, "Dad, I want to mix the broth with my rice too!"
Deng Yunhua also joined in, "Me too! Me too!"
Deng Shirong laughed, "Sure, but don't scoop too much at once. The fish won't taste as good without the broth. Once you've eaten most of the fish, you can scoop as much as you want."
With their father's permission, the three youngest children eagerly began scooping the broth into their rice. Once mixed, the rice became a delightful blend of colors, flavors, and aromas, and the three of them praised it endlessly.
(End of Chapter)
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