Chapter 004: Dreams Come True

Agricultural trade market

Anliang's culinary skills are excellent

The egg flowers produced by this method are fresh and tender without losing their texture, and the egg flowers spread together, allowing them to be picked up with chopsticks and eaten separately.

Because the rich aroma of rice continuously penetrated Anliang's nose

Putting down the chopsticks, Anliang picked up a small spoon, preparing to try the tomato egg drop soup. Compared to the indirect cooking of rice and hot pot meat, the tomato egg drop soup is a dish that is directly cooked with spring water, which better showcases the role of the spring water.

An Liang took out 10 yuan and handed it to the middle-aged man with the surname Huang. After receiving 1 yuan in change, he casually picked up the plastic bag and turned to leave. Originally, An Liang planned to return home immediately to experiment with the growth conditions of three types of crops in a small space versus the outside environment, using spring water from the small space for irrigation.

Zhao Hongfen clearly noticed An Liang's expression. Although she was somewhat mercenary and sharp-tongued, she had a strong ability to read people's emotions. "Xiao An, this matter is indeed Zhao Aunty's fault. However, Zhao Aunty had no choice but to act this way. To express Zhao Aunty's apologies, Xiao An, Zhao Aunty is giving you three months to raise the funds. Furthermore, Zhao Aunty will not require any interest from you, only the principal amount of one hundred thousand yuan."

An Liang watched Zhao Hongfen's departing figure, a hint of disdain gradually appearing at the corners of his mouth. He had already understood Zhao Hongfen's intentions; she was likely envious of his family's house

After twenty minutes, Anliang promptly lifted two pieces of boiled three-layer pork, one large and one small, and placed them in a colander to cool and drain, to prevent excessive splattering when frying later. Anliang had already noted the corresponding information for the two pieces of three-layer pork; the smaller piece was treated with spring water from the space, ensuring that there would be no confusion.

Anliang owes a total of 150,000 to the neighbors. Apart from the 100,000 from Zhao Hongfen, which is formally documented with an IOU, the remaining 50,000 has no written record whatsoever, relying solely on trust for the loan.

The middle-aged man with the surname Huang also did not persist, "The tomato seeds are in 5g packets, about 5 yuan! The bok choy and spinach are not expensive, 2 yuan each."

Anliang is preparing to make twice-cooked pork and tomato egg drop soup. However, in order to verify the information from his dreams, he plans to make two portions of each dish: one using spring water from a small space and the other using regular tap water, and then compare the flavors.

At the same time, the lean meat portion is tender and not dry, offering an exceptional texture

An Liang relaxed his brow and greeted from a distance: "Aunt Zhao!"

The twice-cooked pork boiled in regular tap water showed no changes. Anliang then picked up the twice-cooked pork boiled in spring water. As Anliang chewed, the three-line twice-cooked pork exhibited a unique sticky texture that only organic farm-raised pork possesses

Anliang scooped a bowl of rice with a serving spoon. Looking at the glistening and plump grains, he couldn't help but take a small handful with his hand and taste it.

The small pot was filled with 3 liters of spring water, and Anliang turned on the gas stove to begin heating. Subsequently, he added tap water to the frying pan and also turned on the heat.

What exactly is the aroma of the rice at home? Can Anliang still be unaware? This fragrance undoubtedly surpasses the aroma of rice from the past

At this moment, Anliang only knows that everything in the dream is real

It has long been rumored that the urban village where Anliang resides is intended for demolition by the government. If the government proceeds with the demolition, the residents of the urban village will receive substantial compensation for the relocation.

After Anliang let out a cold laugh, he opened the courtyard door and walked into his own yard. First, Anliang placed his grandfather's urn in his grandfather's bedroom on the second floor, and then he went downstairs to prepare a meal

The elderly woman named Zhao Hongfen can be considered an old neighbor who watched Anliang grow up, but she is certainly not a friendly neighbor. This time, when Anliang's family encountered an unexpected situation, he borrowed 100,000 yuan from Zhao Hongfen to pay for his grandfather's medical treatment

Just past 2:00, Anliang's peculiar lunch was finally ready, with two servings of twice-cooked pork and two bowls of tomato and egg drop soup set on the dining table. In the kitchen, when Anliang opened the rice cooker, his expression momentarily froze.

After Anliang finished cutting the large pieces of pork belly and scooped the douban from the jar for later use, the tomatoes in both pots were nearly cooked to a mushy consistency

However, it seems that Anliang's pressure cooker at home is somewhat outdated and in disrepair. Generally, Anliang does not use it. If it were to malfunction, it would indeed be a troublesome matter

An Liang's brows furrowed once again

Hmm! Aunt Zhao, is there something you need?" Anliang asked directly, as he did not believe that Zhao Hongfen had any good intentions, knowing that she only came to him when there was something to discuss.

What a good idea, truly worthy of being an old neighbor

With the two-story small building owned by Anliang, along with a yard of about seventy to eighty square meters, once demolition compensation is considered, it is likely that a substantial amount will be compensated

It is now a little past 1 PM, and Anliang is feeling somewhat hungry. He does not intend to prepare a complicated lunch, but rather opts for a simple dish and a soup to get by.

Anliang's culinary skills have reached a bottleneck, making it difficult to achieve any breakthroughs in the short term

Not only does Anliang excel at preparing home-cooked dishes that are visually appealing and flavorful, but he is also capable of creating impressive dishes suitable for formal occasions

During the process of thawing in hot water, Anliang peeled the tomatoes and sliced them thinly, placing them in a bowl for later use. At the same time, Anliang also took advantage of the thawing and heating time to prepare two servings of eggs, as well as to cook rice using a rice cooker and spring water.

Cooking is a parallel engineering process involving multiple tasks. It is absolutely impossible to complete one task before moving on to the next.

When Anliang had finished preparing the tomatoes and eggs, the water in the stainless steel pot, the books, and the frying pan was almost boiling. At the same time, the three-layer pork in the sink had also mostly thawed.

After cutting a small piece of pork belly, the slices were arranged on a plate. The water in both pots was just boiling. Anliang poured the two portions of tomatoes into the two pots respectively, continued to cook on high heat, and then cut another piece of pork belly.

After handling my grandfather's funeral, if we exclude the debt of 150,000, Anliang's total assets amount to just a little over 1,800.

Both parties agree on a principal amount of 100,000 yuan, generating an interest of 3,000 yuan each month, which corresponds to a monthly interest rate of 3%. Over the course of one year, this amounts to a total interest of 36,000 yuan

Although Anliang is confident that earning 100,000 yuan after graduation is definitely not a challenge, at present, 100,000 yuan is akin to a fortune for Anliang

When Anliang arrived at his two-story house, his brow involuntarily furrowed. This was because, outside the house, a woman who appeared to be in her forties was wandering around.

Zhao Hongfen is likely trying to use the excuse of repayment to pressure An Liang into selling the house at a low price, so that she can take it over and then wait for the government's demolition.

Anliang's silent contemplation, what does Zhao Hongfen truly mean

Anliang enjoys egg drop soup, rather than frying the eggs first and then adding them to the tomato soup. There is a special aspect to Anliang's preparation of tomato egg drop soup: after the tomato soup is cooked, Anliang turns off the heat and then pours in the beaten eggs, subsequently covering the pot and letting it sit for a while

As expected

The spring in the small space can only produce 20 liters each day. Even more frustrating is that once the water pool inside the small space accumulates 20 liters of spring water, the spring will cease to overflow.

Zhao Hongfen looked over to An Liang and responded, "Xiao An, you are back!"

Anliang could never truly accept the three-pack seeds without payment, even if Anliang's current assets do not exceed 2,000 yuan in total. However, for such small favors, why incur a debt of gratitude?

Zhao Hongfen wore a troubled expression, "Well, Xiao An, the situation is like this: there has been a bit of an upheaval on my family's side, and we urgently need some money. I understand that you are also going through a tough time. However, Aunt Zhao really does need the money. So, regarding the one hundred thousand yuan I lent you before, could you see if there is a way to return it to me?"

Although the texture of naturally thawed frozen meat is better, there is not enough time now. Moreover, Anliang is keen to try the spring water in a small space, which may not significantly enhance the flavor. Therefore, using hot water for thawing aligns better with Anliang's experiment

Anliang first took out a small stainless steel pot. With a thought, the spring water from the small space appeared inside the pot. According to the precise measurement of his intention, 3 liters of spring water from the small space were consumed.

It takes approximately twenty minutes to return home from the farmers' market

"Uncle Huang, thank you, but you are also running a small business; the price should be what it is," Anliang responded to the middle-aged man with the surname Huang.

An Liang cut the three-layered pork into two pieces and placed them in two pots for braising. This process is relatively time-consuming, usually requiring more than 20 minutes. If using a pressure cooker, the time can be shortened somewhat

Anliang first tasted the ordinary tap water version, and the flavor was not much different from his memory. When Anliang took a small sip of the tomato and egg drop soup made with spring water, a rich blend of tomato and egg flavor burst in his mouth. The indescribable taste had a hint of tomato's acidity and the tenderness of the egg drop, making it simply exquisite

In order to validate his thoughts, Anliang sat by the table, picked up a piece of ordinary twice-cooked pork with chopsticks, and it was still the familiar taste, the familiar recipe... No, it was the familiar cooking skills, without any changes

Without a comparison, Anliang might still doubt his culinary skills, wondering if they have suddenly improved. However, with the comparison, Anliang clearly understands that the change in the twice-cooked pork is distinctly due to the effect of the spring water from the space.

During the process of draining the three-line pork, Anliang quickly washed two pots and then placed them on the stove to heat. This time, Anliang added 2 liters of spring water to the stainless steel small pot, and the same amount to the frying pan.

The original repayment period was three years. Anliang promised that after three years, a total of 208,000 yuan would be repaid, including both principal and interest. At that time, Zhao Hongfen jokingly remarked that if the amount were repaid in one lump sum, only 200,000 yuan would need to be returned

During the heating process, Anliang rummaged through the freezer of the refrigerator and took out a piece of pork belly suitable for making twice-cooked pork, then used hot water to defrost it in the sink

A contrasting texture of softness and chewiness emerged, accompanied by an indescribable flavor that left Anliang secretly astonished. Is this the power of the small spring water in this space

However, in the agricultural market, Anliang saw fresh, bright red tomatoes, and a new idea arose in his mind. Therefore, Anliang purchased several tomatoes and also bought two pounds of eggs before preparing to head home

This frustrating situation has already been validated by Anliang during his few days in the hospital. Anliang is keen to attempt to extract the spring water from the small space, ensuring that the 20 liters of water produced each day is not wasted, but previously, there were no conditions to conduct the experiment in the hospital

Zhao Hongfen, however, acted as if An Liang had acquiesced, saying, "Xiao An, Aunt Zhao has a few matters to attend to, so I truly apologize for this. Another day, Aunt Zhao will treat you to a meal, and you can have a few drinks with your uncle." After saying this, Zhao Hongfen hurriedly left.

After preparing two servings of tomato and egg drop soup, Anliang skillfully made two servings of twice-cooked pork, while the rice cooker had already switched to the keep warm mode.

An Liang does not simply wait idly for two pots of water to boil; instead, he carefully takes the three-layered pork out of the colander and slices it, being cautious to avoid burns