Chapter 6: The Aroma of Braised Pork Spreads Throughout the Village

Less than half an hour after Lu Zhanye left, the sun blazed fiercely, and footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate.

Su Yao was rummaging through jars used for storing meat when she heard the noise and peeked out. A young man in military uniform stood at the door, carrying an olive-green satchel, his eyes fixed intently on her.

“Excuse me, is Comrade Su Yao here?” The young man’s voice was bright, tinged with a hint of timid politeness.

“That’s me.” Su Yao wiped the dust from her hands and stepped outside, curious about which visitor this could be.

“I’m Captain Lu’s communications officer, surname Zhao.” Zhao extended the satchel toward her. “The Captain asked me to deliver something.”

The zipper slid open, revealing two packets of brown sugar neatly wrapped in oiled paper, gleaming under the sun. Su Yao hesitated for a moment, recalling the morning’s uniform stained with cow dung, and quickly waved her hand. “I really can’t accept this; you’ve already been troubled enough by the Captain this morning.”

“The Captain said the children are at the stage where they need nourishment,” Zhao insisted, pressing the brown sugar into her arms as if completing a great mission. “I’ll be off now; the Captain is waiting for the work report.” Before his words had faded, he had already dashed far away.

Su Yao stood in the courtyard, cradling the heavy packets of brown sugar, the sunlight burning the back of her neck. Lu Zhanye seemed cold and distant, yet oddly considerate.

Three children inside pressed against the doorframe, peeking out. Lu Shihan whispered, “Sister, is that sugar?”

“Brown sugar,” Su Yao replied, weighing the packets in her hand—enough to make several batches of sweet soup. Suddenly, she remembered the five pounds of pork in the system’s storage space, her eyes brightening. “Tonight, I’ll make you all braised pork with brown sugar.”

“Braised pork!” Lu Yuxuan almost drooled, still savoring the memory of yesterday’s meat broth.

Without delay, Su Yao fetched the frozen, rock-hard pork, soaking it in warm water. It was pork belly with skin, the fat and lean layers alternating—a pleasing sight. She boiled a pot of water, plunged the whole piece in to blanch it, skimmed off the scum, then rinsed it thoroughly with cold water.

The knife struck the cutting board with sharp thuds as she cut the meat into cubes. Lu Xingchen pulled up a small stool by the kitchen door, eyes fixed unblinking on the knife. The marbled chunks were neatly arranged in a coarse ceramic bowl, solid and inviting.

“Sister, should we add lots of sugar?” Lu Shihan leaned close to the stove, her little nose nearly touching the sugar wrapping.

“Two spoonfuls will do,” Su Yao smiled, scooping out two spoonfuls of brown sugar and chopping some scallions and ginger. She heated oil in the pan, tossed in the ginger and scallion slices. With a crisp sizzle, the scent drew sharp breaths. The meat went in, quickly rendering fat and turning a tempting golden brown.

The soy sauce, purchased a few days ago with ration coupons, bubbled as it was poured in, followed by the brown sugar which instantly coated the meat with a glossy red glaze. She added hot water to cover the meat, put on the lid, and let it simmer gently over low heat.

Before long, the aroma of the meat seeped through the door crack—not the light broth smell of yesterday, but a rich, thick fragrance of caramelized sugar and soy sauce, mellow and intoxicating like aged wine, permeating the air.

Lu Shihan sat on her stool by the door, chin resting on her hands, eyes fixed outside the courtyard. Lu Yuxuan paced back and forth like a restless puppy, while Lu Xingchen kept still, though his ears flushed deeply.

“So fragrant…” came the envious voice of Widow Wang from the other side of the wall. “What’s Su girl cooking?”

Su Yao said nothing but lifted the lid and stirred the meat. The sauce had thickened, clinging richly to each piece, shining a brilliant red. She served a full bowl and brought it to the main room just as rustling sounds came from outside.

Peeking through the door crack, they saw Little Shi from next door, only four or five years old, tiptoeing to peek inside, his nose twitching rapidly, drool streaming from the corner of his mouth.

“Come in.” Su Yao opened the door. The boy’s parents had died early, and he lived with his grandmother, rarely tasting meat.

Startled, Little Shi took two steps back, twisting his shirt nervously. “I… I won’t come in.” Yet his eyes stayed glued to the bowl of braised pork, unable to look away.

Lu Shihan picked the smallest piece of meat, held it high, and ran outside. “Little Shi, this is for you.”

Little Shi glanced at the meat, then toward his distant home, swallowing hard. “My granny doesn’t let me eat other people’s food on a whim.”

“It’s okay. My mom said it’s for you,” Lu Shihan coaxed, pressing the meat into his hand in a soft, childish voice. “It smells so good, try it.”

Hesitant, Little Shi took the piece and gobbled it down, chewing noisily, his eyes sparkling like stars. “So delicious! Even better than New Year’s meat!”

At that moment, Widow Wang passed by with her vegetable basket. Seeing the scene, her face flushed. Just days before, she had gossiped about Su Yao, the city girl raising three burdens, saying she wouldn’t last long.

“Su girl’s making braised pork?” she ventured, avoiding direct eye contact.

“Yes, would you like to try some, Auntie?” Su Yao smiled, inviting her inside.

“No, no, I still have to cook at home,” Widow Wang waved her hand, feet frozen, glancing repeatedly at the bowl.

Su Yao understood—meat was scarce for every family these days. She scooped a small bowl and pressed it into Widow Wang’s hands. “Take this, Auntie. There are many children here, so I made plenty. Try it fresh.”

Widow Wang hesitated, her hands trembling as she accepted the bowl. “I… I’m so embarrassed.”

“No need to be,” Su Yao said sincerely. “We’re neighbors now, should look out for each other.”

Widow Wang nodded repeatedly, thanked her several times, and hurried away, her steps a bit unsteady.

Lu Shihan watched her retreating figure, tilting her head. “Sister, we gave our meat away; won’t we have less to eat?”

“Silly girl,” Su Yao ruffled her little nose. “Good things are better shared.” She glanced at the remaining meat and had an idea. “Xingchen, Yuxuan, help me divide the rest.”

The boys nodded quickly and fetched some clean small bowls. Su Yao filled each with three or four chunks of meat and ladled some sauce on top.

“Let’s take some to Grandma Zhang, Grandpa Li, and the others,” Su Yao said, carrying the basket of meat. “Especially Uncle Wang’s family—we must give him a bowl.”

The three children followed like little tails. Grandma Zhang’s house was at the village’s east end; her legs were weak, and she seldom left home. When Su Yao brought her the braised pork, the old woman’s eyes filled with tears. “Girl, you’re so sincere.”

“Please try it, Grandma Zhang. It’s just out of the pot,” Su Yao said, setting down the bowl. “If you ever need help with anything, just tell me. The kids can lend a hand too.”

Grandma Zhang wiped her eyes. “Good, good, you really are a good girl.”

After visiting Grandpa Li and a few other families who had never spoken ill of them, they arrived at Uncle Wang’s. He was chopping wood in the yard and quickly set down his axe. “Little Su’s here?”

“Uncle, we brought you some braised pork,” Su Yao handed over the bowl. “You said yesterday’s broth was good; you’ll love this one too.”

Uncle Wang took the bowl, gazing at the glossy red meat, his smile broad and uncontainable. “Girl, really… thank you so much.” He lowered his voice. “Don’t mind the village gossip. If anyone dares to bully you, come to me.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” Su Yao felt warmth fill her heart.

On the way home, the basket was more than half empty. Lu Shihan looked a little sad but said nothing, only clutched Su Yao’s sleeve tighter.

At the doorstep, a few older women who had gossiped about her before stood there. When they saw the group return, they smiled sheepishly.

One plump aunt rubbed her hands nervously and stammered, “Su… Su girl, I think I just smelled your cooking. Really smells wonderful.”

Su Yao smiled, taking out the last bowl of meat from the basket. “Auntie, here, take this. It’s just an extra bowl.”

The plump aunt’s eyes lit up, and she accepted it with repeated thanks, her face creased in a smile. “Su girl, you’re truly kind. I was wrong before—don’t take it to heart.”

“Auntie, it’s all a misunderstanding,” Su Yao said calmly. “Actually, I don’t have much skill—just a family secret recipe that makes food taste better. I’ve heard it can help crops grow well too.” She paused deliberately, watching their reactions. “If anyone’s crops don’t do well, maybe I can help.”

The atmosphere, once awkward, suddenly brightened.

“Really? That would be wonderful!”

“My corn patch is thin and sparse; could you take a look?”

“My vegetable garden too—the seedlings keep turning yellow.”

Su Yao smiled and nodded. “Of course, but the recipe isn’t a miracle; we’ll have to see how it goes.” She knew the spring water’s magic could improve both flavor and growth. This was a perfect chance to turn around her standing in the village.

The aunts said a few kind words before going home, their steps noticeably lighter.

Lu Xingchen watched them leave and whispered, “Mom, I think they don’t dislike us anymore.”

“Mm,” Su Yao stroked his head. “Hearts are made of flesh. If you treat others well, they’ll treat you well in return.”

Back inside, half a bowl of braised pork remained. Su Yao served rice, poured the meat and sauce over it, and the three children eagerly devoured it, their satisfied hums filling the room.

Lu Shihan’s face was smeared with grease, looking like a little tabby cat. Su Yao wiped her mouth, scooped a spoonful of rice mixed with meat juice, and tasted it herself. The braised pork was perfectly sweet and savory, rich but not greasy—far better than usual. It must be the magic of the spring water.

“Sister, can we have braised pork again tomorrow?” Lu Yuxuan asked, mouth full, eyes full of hope.

“When we save enough ration coupons, we’ll get more meat,” Su Yao smiled. “But we can’t eat meat all the time—we need vegetables too, or we’ll get sick.”

The children nodded, partially understanding, then resumed their meal.

The setting sun streamed through the window, casting long shadows on the floor. Steam rose from the pot, mingling with the savory aroma, filling the small room.

Su Yao watched the children eat heartily, feeling both steady and warm inside.

She thought of the brown sugar Lu Zhanye had brought and the villagers’ changed attitudes. Things were moving in the right direction. Perhaps, in this strange new era, she truly could raise these three children well.

Just then, the system’s voice rang out: [Neighborly relations improved, gained goodwill. Reward: one packet of cabbage seeds, five pounds of potatoes.]

Su Yao paused, surprised. Such a reward? Checking the system panel, she found the seeds and potatoes had indeed appeared in her space.

She smiled quietly. It seemed doing good deeds really did pay off.

“Are you full?” she asked the three children.

“Yes!” they chorused, their little bellies round and satisfied.

“After you’ve played outside for a bit, I’ll tidy up,” Su Yao said as she began clearing the dishes.

Lu Xingchen volunteered to wipe the table, while Lu Yuxuan and Lu Shihan ran outside chasing an old hen. Watching their lively figures, Su Yao’s lips curved upward.

Night gradually fell, and smoke curled from village chimneys. The scent of braised pork lingered in the air—sweet, warm, wrapping around this little village and enfolding Su Yao’s slowly settling heart.

The road ahead would be long and fraught with hardship, but as long as her family was together, with food to eat and peace to hold, there was nothing to fear.