Lin Zhen ruffled the little boy’s head carelessly.
“What are you so proud of? Without Song Zhiqing, you’d be done for.”
Heidan gave his older brother a look full of meaning, as if to say, You just don’t get it.
He was proud because Sister Song was amazing, and he, Heidan, was lucky enough to live with her. In the whole Ping’an Brigade, he was the only one under Sister Song’s care. To him, she was no different from a real sister.
Lin Zhen helped Song Wei take the wild goat out of the large woven bag. His eyes lit up at the sight.
This goat is huge. That’s a lot of meat!
Although he could eat his fill while in the military, meat was always a rarity. It was served in the mess hall during festivals, but on regular days, it might appear only once every couple of months. For the rest of the time, coarse grains filled their bellies.
“How do we eat this?”
Song Wei shrugged, “I only know how to catch a wild goat, not how to cook it.”
Lin Zhen grinned, revealing a row of white teeth.
“Well, I can cook it. When I first joined the army, I spent some time with the mess hall cooks. I know how to handle this.”
Song Wei’s eyes sparkled. Without hesitation, she made a decision.
“Then I’ll leave it to you!”
Seeing her bright, shining eyes, Lin Zhen felt his heart skip a beat. She was so beautiful.
Not wanting to stare at her for too long, Lin Zhen asked Heidan to bring a stool outside. In the courtyard, he began processing the wild goat.
With Song Wei helping him, they made quick progress. She was careful not to let him strain his injured foot. Before long, the wild goat was clean and ready.
Lin Zhen said, “We’ve eaten quite a bit today, so let’s just make some Mutton offal soup for now.”
By then, night had fallen, and the cold air made it hard to see without a flashlight. People preferred staying indoors, especially with children, so the likelihood of anyone stumbling upon Lin Zhen’s place was slim.
This meant they could enjoy the fragrant Mutton offal soup without worrying about drawing attention.
Lin Zhen’s cooking skills were truly impressive. Before long, the courtyard was filled with the rich, mouthwatering aroma of the soup.
Song Wei and Heidan stood by the stove, their eyes glued to the pot, shining as brightly as stars.
Lin Zhen smiled, “Hold tight. It’s almost ready.”
A few minutes later, the soup was done. When Lin Zhen lifted the lid, a cloud of steam carried the savory aroma into the air.
He had prepared the Mutton offal meticulously, cleaning it with wood ash and deodorizers. Although the soup retained a hint of the goat’s distinctive smell, the flavors were overwhelmingly fresh and delicious.
On a cold night, a steaming bowl of Mutton offal soup was pure bliss. The three of them ate to their hearts’ content, even dipping their bread and buns into the rich broth for extra flavor.
They also paired it with the mushroom sauce Heidan had brought over earlier.
By the end of the meal, all three were stuffed. Lin Zhen scooped some leftover soup into a large bowl and handed it to Song Wei.
Lin Zhen: “Take this with you, and here’s a flashlight. Walk carefully on your way back. Come by tomorrow—I’ll make Mutton stew.”
Song Wei nodded repeatedly, “Got it, got it!”
She and Heidan carried the soup back to the educated youth dormitory, using the flashlight to light their way.
By the time they arrived, it was already quite late. Some of her housemates, including Li Juan and Gao Le, had gone out to look for her. If not for villagers saying they’d seen her return from the mountains, they might have asked the brigade leader to organize a search.
To Song Wei’s surprise, everyone except Luo Yecheng, Xu Laidi, and that simpering admirer of Bai Yunjiao was present.
She gave Liu Linlin and Bai Yunjiao a puzzled glance.
“Sorry for making you worry. I should’ve come back earlier.”
She didn’t explain where she had been, but seeing how concerned they were touched her deeply.
Song Wei gestured to her room, “Come on in.”
She brought everyone into her room and revealed the large bowl of Mutton offal soup.
“What’s that?”
“Meat, It smells like Mutton!”
For a group of people who hadn’t had meat in ages, the sight and aroma of the soup made their eyes gleam with excitement.
Song Wei had already thought up an excuse.
Song Wei: “Heidan’s brother gave this to me. Don’t tell anyone else, okay? Keep your voices down so the others don’t hear.”
Everyone immediately understood who she meant by “others.”
Hearing that the soup came from Heidan’s brother, they were envious but not surprised. After all, Heidan had been eating well since staying with Song Zhiqing—his plump little face was proof enough. If his brother had meat to spare, it wasn’t unusual for him to share some with Song Zhiqing.
“I’ve already eaten. You guys can have this. Just pair it with some bread or buns, or it won’t be enough to go around.”
Someone hesitated, “Are you sure?”
“It’s yours. We can’t take it.”
Though they said this, their eyes were practically glued to the bowl of soup.
Song Wei: “Same as always—just give me two eggs in return.”
Hearing this, everyone stopped pretending and quickly agreed.
Li Juan offered: “I have a few flatbreads and coarse-grain buns I prepared for tomorrow morning’s trip to the mountains. Who needs them?”
Gao Le: “Me! I’ll take one flatbread and two buns.”
Others chimed in, and soon they were all sharing the meal like it was a festival.
The first bite brought smiles of pure bliss.
“This is amazing. I haven’t had Mutton since coming to the countryside.”
Gao Le: “The taste reminds me of home. We used to have mutton once a month. Now, it’s been months since I’ve had any.”
The others shot him unimpressed looks.
Was that a humblebrag? Most of them couldn’t even afford meat once a month, let alone mutton.
Despite the lively atmosphere, everyone kept their voices low to avoid attracting attention. They polished off the soup, leaving the bowl spotless.
As they left, Liu Linlin lingered behind, looking hesitant.
Song Wei: “Just say what’s on your mind.”
Blushing, Liu Linlin stammered: “I just wanted to say sorry for before. And… thank you!”
With that, she fled as if worried Song Wei might probe further.
Song Wei chuckled and shrugged.
Heidan: “Sister, what was she thanking you for?”
Song Wei: “Probably for helping her see through a scumbag’s true colors.”
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