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Chapter 490: Chapter 493 Ambiguous Sound_1
The two rested for a while before continuing to dig up bamboo shoots.
"How long can bamboo shoots last?" Qiao Duo’er asked seriously.
She could almost see the dark days ahead, which would be filled with winter shoots every day.
Though bamboo shoots could be fried, sautéed, braised, stir-fried, or stewed in countless ways, no matter how they were prepared, they were still bamboo shoots. Could she not become sick of them?
Shoots are lean, and they definitely need to be stir-fried in fatty oil, which would also mean soaking up a lot of grease. Consuming such a large amount of fats could be a significant burden on the body.
Tan Zhenghong thought for a moment before replying, "Shoots can last for more than a month if they’re wrapped in their husks and baked by a fire. If turned into dried shoots, they can last even longer."
Qiao Duo’er immediately dug up a month’s worth of shoots so that they wouldn’t have to climb the mountain to dig every day.
To also make some dried shoots on the side—braised pork with dried bamboo shoots had always been her favorite.
With a goal in mind, Qiao Duo’er dug with even more gusto, her hoe swinging even quicker.
During this time, Tan Zhenghong reminded her twice to take a rest, but Qiao Duo’er felt strong all over and didn’t stop for a moment.
Thanks to their swift movements, they had dug up a whole hundred pounds of winter shoots in just one day. 𝓃𝓸𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
Not wanting the winter shoots to become tough, they started working on them after dinner.
They sorted out the shoots with intact husks and peeled the others, slicing them thin.
The thin slices needed to be boiled for a few minutes in slightly salted water, while the shoots with intact husks were placed in the stove—an efficient use of time.
No, it was actually killing three birds with one stone since they could also take the chance to heat up the "Ground Dragon" in the washing room.
The process of making dried shoots was somewhat complicated. After boiling the slices for a few minutes in slightly salted water, they were rinsed in cold water and then squeezed to remove excess moisture before being spread out on a sieve to dry in the daylight.
There were too many slices, and they couldn’t cram too many in each pot or the bitterness of the shoots would not be removed, affecting the taste of the dried shoots.
So it took three large pots to finish the task.
After fishing out all the slices, the shoots in the stove also became tender and ready to come out. The baked shoots were stacked in the corner with tongs.
By the time they were done, it was already well into the night. Qiao Duo’er hurriedly took a bath, and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she plunged into a deep sleep.
After a whole day of digging bamboo shoots, she was already exhausted.
And to her chagrin, she even dreamt that she was carrying a hoe and continuing to dig for winter shoots—she felt like she was going mad.
Qiao Duo’er didn’t wake up until "Three Poles Day," rubbing her bleary eyes before reaching out to the spot next to her, which had become a habit.
But before she touched it, she couldn’t help but gasp.
Every muscle in her body was sore and ached fiercely.
The feeling... it was as if she had gone through her wedding night all over again, her bones almost falling apart.
Just then, Tan Zhenghong entered the room and saw that Qiao Duo’er was awake. He said softly, "Wife, how about eating breakfast and then going back to sleep?"
"Give me a massage, my body feels terrible," Qiao Duo’er pouted and said.
"Who asked you not to listen yesterday? I told you to rest, but you wouldn’t."
Tan Zhenghong scolded her for a moment but his hands weren’t hesitant, and he started massaging Qiao Duo’er right away.
Qiao Duo’er closed her eyes to enjoy it, occasionally humming a few times. She was a married woman, after all; she had to be a little spoilt.
Outside, Sun Erhu scratched his head, "The courtyard gate is clearly open, so why’s there no one around?"
There was no one in either the front or back yard, nor inside the hall.
He was getting desperate to find someone, yet his sister-in-law had said they shouldn’t make a fuss in her house.
Sun Erhu’s ears twitched, his face reddening enough to drip blood—that sound... oh God, he had to leave fast, or he might be silenced for good.
