Chapter 8: Mother's Hand-Pulled Noodles

It is still the same as before, but the original mountain path has fallen into disrepair. Today, I went to the dam and noticed that in many places the concrete has already crumbled. Alas. Li Feng remains troubled by the neglect of the dam, and after speaking, he looks at his father with a sigh, feeling helpless and shaking his head.

Do not say, enjoying a meal in the evening is truly a great pleasure. Hand-pulled noodles, unlike those currently marketed as hand-pulled noodles, which all claim to be authentic but are actually misleading. Li Feng looked at the noodles that glimmered with a faint green light, his mouth watering.

The side dish consists of shredded cucumber dressed with vinegar, garlic paste, and sprinkled with cilantro, drizzled with homemade sesame oil, exuding a fragrant aroma that makes one salivate. Another bowl features cold tossed amaranth, blanched in boiling water, seasoned with oil, salt, vinegar, and sesame oil, its crisp color is visually appetizing. Not to mention the sliced cooked beef, pig's head meat, and braised large intestine, all of which are Li Feng's favorites. At this moment, Li Feng, not waiting for Zhang Lan to speak, picks up his chopsticks and takes several bites of the amaranth, which is indeed delicious, fragrant, and tender, without a hint of sinew, a rare delicacy. Li Feng feels that this bowl of cold wild vegetables surpasses the abalone and shark fin served in five-star hotels.

The broth is ultimately old chicken soup, a rich soup with a bit of clear water, boiling vigorously. At this moment, what is laid out on the table is the authentic hand-pulled noodles from Li Jiagang. Fortunately, Zhang Lan had the time to prepare it, and there are also quite a few side dishes, along with the noodles, adorned with several strands of greens, no, amaranth as a garnish

Take out the small iron arm, which was still used by Li Feng when he was a child, and it is truly a miracle that it has been preserved to this day. He poured some noodle soup, crushed the noodles, and fed it to the little one. However, after the chubby child ate until his belly was round, he soon crawled into his little nest and became immobile, even ignoring Li Feng's teasing.

Watching Zhang Lan walk away, the two men rubbed their hands together and put in some effort. In less than thirty minutes, a peach tree along with its roots was uprooted. They lifted it and placed it at the corner of the mountain, in a spot that would not obstruct the path. After brushing off the dirt from their clothes, Li Shan took a look and felt that if they dug up three or four more trees tomorrow, there would be enough space for building. As for the access road, there was no need for concern, as the peach orchard had originally left a path for agricultural machinery.

In the afternoon, Li Shan and Zhang Lan had already planted four or five small peach trees. Now, with Li Feng joining them, they moved out two larger peach trees in less than an hour

"Child's mother, you should take the little one back. I will dig one more with Xiao Bao and then return." As he watched the sunset gradually withdraw its last rays of light, Li Shan wiped his sweat, set the shovel aside, and spoke to Zhang Lan, who was busy nearby. It was getting late, and Zhang Lan finally realized it was time to go back and prepare dinner.

A family of three, along with a mischievous little dog, casts long shadows under the setting sun, their laughter mingling with the sweat that drips onto the ground where peach blossoms fall

Li Feng walked over, and the little squirrel chirped, showing a fierce demeanor. Unfortunately, it was quite alert and tried to hop away. It wasn't until it saw the almonds in Li Feng's hand and determined there was no danger that it jumped over, grabbed the almond, and then hopped away, looking at Li Feng while nibbling on it without any hesitation.

Ah, where have these two things gone? They haven't started fighting again on their own, have they?" Li Feng looked around outside and did not see the squirrel or the little snake, feeling somewhat puzzled about where these two little creatures had run off to

"Well, don't tire yourselves too much. I'm going back to cook, Fatty is leaving." Picking up Fatty, who was covered in mud, Zhang Lan slung a basket over her shoulder, filled with amaranth and wild garlic sprouts. Her son had mentioned that he liked fresh wild vegetables, and Zhang Lan had remembered this. Under a peach tree ahead, the amaranth looked plump and fresh, glistening with moisture. Zhang Lan was tempted and dug up a full basket.

In the future, you shall be called... Li Feng thought for a long time and decided to let it go, saying he would discuss it tomorrow, reflecting on his own talent for naming

You, come on, how old are you now?" Looking at her old man’s expression, Zhang Lan rolled her eyes and helped to place Li Shan's shovel in a corner of the yard. Observing the actions and demeanor of the two, Li Feng stifled a laugh, his face turning red, and ultimately could not help but burst into hearty laughter.

The little squirrel occasionally nibbled on Li Feng's fingers with its teeth. At first, he felt a bit scared, considering that just moments ago, the little creature was vigorously gnawing on almonds, making a crisp sound as it created holes in them. To his surprise, the little one was quite considerate; aside from a tickling sensation on his fingers, it caused no other trouble.

Father, tomorrow I will go out to withdraw some money and conveniently repair the old house to avoid future troubles. Li Feng noticed how hard his mother worked every day washing clothes and cooking, especially in winter when there was no hot water. He planned to install a water heater, air conditioner, and refrigerator, which would cost around 10,000 to 18,000 yuan. His own building was arranged in a similar manner, and Li Feng had already mapped out the path ahead.

When kneading the dough, it is important to ensure that the dough is well-mixed, as this will result in noodles that are both chewy and flavorful, providing a smooth eating experience. Additionally, there are specific requirements for the rolling pin; it must be made from jujube wood or hickory. The traditional rolling pin from Li Feng's family is a treasured heirloom, reportedly over 100 years old, made of jujube wood, featuring intricate grain patterns that are not entirely flat, but rather adorned with subtle, almost imperceptible textures reminiscent of those seen in illustrated books.

The space appears to be a bit brighter than yesterday, no longer shrouded in gray. The color of the surrounding gelatinous walls has improved significantly, and even the white dust beneath my feet has changed color, shifting from a whitish-gray to a gray, gradually resembling the soil near the spring pool. Notably, the spring has expanded by a considerable margin, at least half a meter in radius.

Unfortunately, Li Feng did not see it; otherwise, he would have certainly discovered that the peach tree was the one he had marked after watering it with a bucket of spring water. Unfortunately, it has now been dug up

"Chirp, chirp." Li Feng turned around and happened to see a small squirrel with reddish fur standing on the pear tree, nibbling on a tiny pear. Li Feng was taken aback; this little creature seemed no bigger than a month old, yet it was already able to eat. As for the small snake, Li Feng also spotted it coiled around the pear tree, flicking its delicate pink tongue, looking quite adorable in its vibrant green color.

"Hehe, this little fellow." The chubby one looked around, seeing no one paying attention to it, and crawled to Zhang Lan's feet, sticking out its tender little tongue to lick incessantly (that word cannot be replaced, everyone understands), which made Zhang Lan chuckle lightly, bending down to pick up this little one. At this moment, the chubby one had already been washed once, and there was a lot of fluff on its body.

Regarding the feeding habits of snakes, Li Feng was not very clear. However, this little creature was taking its time to eat, which piqued Li Feng's curiosity. In the end, he decided to leave it alone. Unexpectedly, after turning around to play with a little squirrel, he found that the piece of meat on the branch had disappeared in less than ten minutes. It seems that snakes do not like to be disturbed while feeding.

"Go ahead, I'll have a word with your mother." Li Shan did not decline, as it was only natural for a son to show filial piety. "Let's go back and have dinner. By the way, how about going into the mountains today?"

On the way home, the sky had already become dim and unclear. Li Shan casually asked, as he had not ventured into the mountains for several years. Over these years, the flood control measures for the reservoir had been canceled, and people no longer entered the mountains as frequently as before. Only a few elderly individuals would go into the mountains to gather medicinal herbs. Last year, it was mentioned in the village that a medical office might be built next year, and it was estimated that in the future, there would be no elderly people going into the mountains to collect herbs. The depths of the entire mountain range had not been visited for two years.

The hand-pulled noodles made in Lijiagang are distinct from those in other places. It is not just the flour; eggs and mung beans are also added. While the addition of eggs is common in most hand-pulled noodles, mung beans are not. The mung beans must be soaked in advance, then crushed in a mortar and mixed into the flour, along with the eggs, and stirred thoroughly.

Eating, haha. Watching the two of them devour their food, Zhang Lan felt a sense of pride, her smile growing wider. She served each of them a large bowl of noodles mixed with shredded cucumber and cilantro, it was simply delightful. Li Feng ate two large bowls in a row, his belly swelling up. These vegetables were all nourished by spring water, and given the fertile, unpolluted soil, with no pesticides used, they were absolutely organic products. How could they not be delicious? Zhang Lan's cooking was also exceptional. In no time, a whole basin of noodles was consumed, causing the plump boy to circle the Eight Immortals table, crying out in hunger.

You have returned, quickly change your clothes, wash your hands, and come to eat. Zhang Lan, wearing a coarse cloth apron, was patting the white flour on her hands. Upon seeing the two of them walk in carrying shovels, she hurriedly helped take down the shovels. However, watching his wife bypass him to help their son take down the shovel, he shook his head and smiled wryly, realizing that with their son back, his status had rapidly declined. Just look at that.

As for the little snake, although it appears quite cute, no one knows whether it poses any danger. Li Feng used a small twig to poke at the meat, slowly extending it forward. Perhaps sensing that Li Feng was not a threat, the little snake flicked its tongue and stretched its body, gradually approaching the piece of meat. Its small eyes sparkled brightly, becoming increasingly adorable with each glance.

He had no idea that this was also grown thanks to the spring water; the taste was absolutely delicious. Even Zhang Lan, seeing Li Feng's face full of enjoyment, couldn't help but try a few pieces himself. To his surprise, it was indeed very tasty, and Li Shan was not polite, eating several large bites.

Li Feng had long planned to wait until the house was completed to pave the agricultural machinery path with bluestone slabs, which would be both aesthetically pleasing and practical, making it much more convenient for him to buy a vehicle

The dough should be rolled out at least three times to ensure it is thoroughly cooked. When cutting the noodles, be sure to sprinkle an appropriate amount of flour to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

Li Feng has heard that squirrels are more loyal to their owners than ordinary animals. Looking at the little creature in his hands, it seems that at least this animal knows not to harm those who treat it well. It appears that he can keep one in the future, as a single squirrel should not consume too much.

"Go on, you little white-eyed wolf, you were clinging on this afternoon, and now you’re acting all high and mighty." Li Feng tapped this guy on the head, provoking an annoyed glare from Li Shan. "Fine, I’ll head back and see how that little snake and the squirrel are doing. I took a few almonds, but after thinking for a moment, I turned around and grabbed a few slices of pig's head meat.

"Go, change your clothes and have a meal." Rarely, Li Shan's old face flushed red, his eyes widened, and he waved his hand to usher Li Feng into the house, all while laughing together. After washing his hands, Li Feng looked at the dishes on the table, revealing a hint of surprise on his face

The fingers felt itchy, and in a short while, the little squirrel had already become familiar with Li Feng. This was not necessarily because Li Feng had a special affinity for animals; rather, it was due to the spatial aura he carried. After spending a few hours together, the little squirrel had grown accustomed to him. Even the little snake, upon seeing Li Feng, did not exhibit excessive wariness, merely choosing to eat out of his sight.