While soaking, Xu Ying fetched the mushrooms that had previously been dried at home and soaked and cleaned them.
After soaking the rabbit meat, she washed it again and then drained the water.
"Shitou, come help me make a fire," Xu Ying called out to Shitou.
Upon hearing her, the young boy immediately ran in.
Once the fire was lit, Xu Ying rinsed the cooking pot and placed it on the stove, waiting for the inside moisture to evaporate. She then took the oil bottle and added a suitable amount of oil to it.
After the oil was heated, she added the prepared ginger, dried chili, minced garlic, and Sichuan peppercorns into the pot and stir-fried until aromatic before adding all the rabbit meat.
She sequentially added soy sauce, less than usual salt, and sugar.
It had only been stir-fried for a moment when the fragrance wafted from the pot.
Shitou, being the closest, couldn't help but swallow his saliva, his eyes shining: "Little aunt, this smells too good!"
Xu Ying smiled and stirred a few more times, evenly frying the meat before adding boiling water and beginning to let it simmer.
"It's not ready yet. Cook it a bit more to let the flavors penetrate, then it will be really fragrant. I guarantee you'll want more after you've had some."
Xu Ying was very confident in her culinary skills, as her master in the future was the famous "Chinese Master Chef."
She had followed her master for several years in the future and had learned all of his cooking skills.
Thank heavens the system left her some good recipes, otherwise she would have been truly upset.
The more Shitou listened, the hungrier he got, endlessly swallowing his saliva, and even Hu Zi was lured in by the fragrance.
Mrs. Xu finished preparing the fish and entered the kitchen, the mouth-watering aroma hitting her nose as she came in.
Mrs. Xu, surprised, looked at her daughter: "How can this smell so good!"
Xu Ying playfully smiled: "Just shows how awesome I am."
Mrs. Xu, amused by her words, tapped Xu Ying's forehead with her finger and laughed: "Oh my, isn't my daughter amazing! Just look at who gave birth to her."
"If grandma birthed little aunt, and little aunt is amazing, then grandma is even more amazing," Shitou flattered even more impressively.
This directly made both Xu Ying and Mrs. Xu burst into laughter, with Mrs. Xu generously saying, "Shitou, I like the way you talk. I'll give you a few more pieces of rabbit meat later."
Hahaha, he knew it for sure now—by praising the little aunt well, delicious food was guaranteed.
Shitou smiled with his eyes nearly squinted shut: "Thank you, Grandma."
Xu Ying kept an eye on the rabbit meat, and when it was almost time to thicken the sauce, she added all the soaked mushrooms into the pot and stewed for a little while longer, until the juice thickened. She then added chopped green chili and stir-fried it again.
She dished up the rabbit meat and topped it with the remaining minced garlic and dried chili, then stir-fried some spicy oil in another pot.
Mrs. Xu, seeing so much oil, felt heartbroken and hadn't even recovered when she saw Xu Ying pour the oil directly over the minced garlic and dried chili, followed by a sizzling sound and an instant intensification of the aroma.
"Oh dear, girl, why did you use so much oil? That's enough for us to cook with for a week," Mrs. Xu, deeply pained yet unwilling to scold her own daughter, remarked.
Xu Ying, without a care, picked up a piece of rabbit meat, blew on it a few times, and silenced Mrs. Xu with it: "Mom, hurry up and try if what I made tastes good."
Mrs. Xu accepted the rabbit meat offered by her daughter, bit into it directly, and chewed on the spicy, fragrant meat—delicious.
"It's delicious, this rabbit meat is too good! I've never eaten meat this tasty before."
"Daughter, your cooking skills are too good, this stir-fried rabbit meat is just too delicious." Mrs. Xu continued to praise while eating, teary-eyed from the spice, but still finding it very tasty.
"Congratulations, host. Goodwill value +1."
Shitou and Hu Zi were salivating beside them, "Little Aunt."
Xu Ying watched the two drooling and picked up the chopsticks to also get a piece for Shitou. Hu Zi was still small and couldn't eat such spicy food, so she rinsed a piece of rabbit meat in clear water before giving it to Hu Zi.
"Congratulations, host. Goodwill value +2, current goodwill value is 5."
Hearing the mechanical voice of the system, Xu Ying felt nothing but excitement. It was just goodwill value, nothing she couldn't handle.
"Mom, please serve a bowl of this rabbit meat for Grandpa and Grandma." The rabbit meat was large, weighing over four kilograms, and with many mushrooms added, it became a big pot of dish.
Mrs. Xu knew her son's filial piety toward his parents and agreed immediately. She found a large bowl and filled it with rabbit meat for Shitou, "Take this to your Great Grandma, and on your way back, stop by the Lu Family and call your big sister back."
Xu Ying instantly understood her mother's intention. They had just sent fish soup the day before, chicken last night, and now rabbit meat. If the Lu Family saw this, it would definitely cause a commotion.
Once the news spread, everyone would think they couldn't get enough food while they ate meat every day, and surely, they'd be pulled aside for a lecture.
Shitou took the bowl and placed it in a basket, ready to leave.
Mrs. Xu stopped him, "Shitou, also take these five duck eggs. They are the most nutritious. Great Grandma and Great Grandpa are old, and these are the best for their health."
Shitou put the duck eggs into the basket and covered them with a cloth before setting off.
Mrs. Xu couldn't find a single fault with her in-laws; she never missed a chance to show her filial piety.
She believed it wasn't easy for the in-laws to raise her husband, and in their old age, they should enjoy the fruits of their children's labor. Besides, parents were to set an example. By showing filial piety to the in-laws, their children would likely do the same to her and Mr. Xu.
So, she was very clear about this.
Moreover, Mrs. Xu and Mr. Xu were reasonable people and treated their family well. Everyone understood reciprocated kindness very clearly.
As Shitou just left with the basket, he ran into his father and big brother Xu, who were returning from work.
Eldest Sister-in-law Xu saw her son and immediately stopped him, "What are you up to?"
Shitou ran over and sneakily lifted the cloth on the basket, "Little Aunt made rabbit meat. Grandma asked me to bring it to Great Grandma, along with some duck eggs, saying it's good for the elderly to nourish their bodies."
Hearing how his wife was so filial to his parents, Mr. Xu was deeply moved.
Eldest Sister-in-law Xu saw the bowl of meat, her eyes twinkling, and nodded for her son to go and come back quickly.
Shitou immediately agreed, definitely wanting to return quickly, as the rabbit meat Little Aunt made was incredibly delicious. If he was late and it was all gone, who would he cry to?
Shitou carried the basket and ran quickly towards the Old Mansion.
On the way, he encountered Zhang Dacao. Seeing Shitou carrying a basket covered with a cloth and a faint but tempting fragrance, she grew very curious, "Shitou, what are you taking to your Great Grandma?"
As she was about to lift the cloth, Shitou dodged swiftly, glanced at Zhang Dacao, and said, "Granny Zhang, I heard Uncle Xiang Dong went to the Youth Corps again as free labor.
Grandma said people at the Youth Corps are fooling Uncle Xiang Dong. You better go and check it out."
Shitou watched as Zhang Dacao stood there stunned, then he spat stealthily towards her and took off running.
Left behind, Zhang Dacao was fuming, thinking of her own son being bewitched by that vixen Chen Yanran made her more enraged.
Now, she had become the laughingstock of the village. Anyone who saw her would use this as an excuse to mock her.
Zhang Dacao stamped her foot in frustration, her hatred for Chen Yanran deepening by the bone.
Shitou finally shook off Zhang Dacao and rushed quickly to the Old Mansion.
At the Old Xu Mansion, the family had just prepared the meal and was about to eat when someone knocked on the door.