Chapter 112: The Hotpot Base
There was no meat at home, so Xia Lu Nong took some rice to the canteen to exchange for meat.
The canteen staff said, “You can still use rice to trade for now, but soon it’ll be replaced with credits.”
Xia Lu Nong smiled, “I know.”
“Well, since your families are part of the management, you’d know for sure,” they added. “There’s just two pieces of rabbit meat and one wild bird left today. Which do you want?”
“I’ll take the bird. I noticed the canteen has a lot of bird meat lately.”
“Yeah, that’s true. A large flock flew back from the Changhe Swamp area, and those who are skilled have been catching them. It’s not too dangerous, and the yield is good, so many people are trying it.”
Xia Lu Nong only then learned that migratory birds, heading south for winter, passed through the area, providing a rare source of meat for the base.
He traded for two birds and two onions, then went back to marinate them. After rubbing the seasoning into the meat, he stuffed the birds with onions, tomatoes, beans, and other ingredients, then placed them in the bread oven to bake.
Kong Zhi helped him prepare the other dishes while the birds roasted in the oven, leaving them with time to focus on other meals.
By the time Xia Huo Qu and the others returned, Xia Lu Nong and Kong Zhi had nearly finished cooking.
Xia Lu Nong peeked outside and asked, “Did you deliver the grass to Aunt Zheng?”
“Yeah,” Xia Huo Qu replied, slipping on a T-shirt as he entered. “They’ve got so many calves now that Aunt Zheng’s son is taking care of them, but he’s getting overwhelmed. Kong Zhi, weren’t there a few kids at your old base? Ask them if they’d be willing to help with the calves. We’ll provide supplies in exchange.”
“Do they need to graze the cattle?” Kong Zhi asked.
“Not really. They just need to feed the calves and water them, clean up manure, and maybe cut some grass in their free time,” Xia Huo Qu explained. “We don’t have a safe grazing area yet. Once the calves grow bigger, we’ll reassess.”
Kong Zhi nodded, “I’ll ask them. How much will we provide monthly? What kind of supplies?”
“For now, we’ll give them rice,” Xia Huo Qu replied. “This year’s just a trial run since the calves are still small. We’ll start with 30 pounds of rice a month. After the trial period, if they stay on, we’ll offer 50 pounds a month, the same as Aunt Zheng.”
Yan Xi Nian chimed in, “Check if anyone’s interested. If not, we’ll post the job at the base.”
Kong Zhi nodded, “Got it.”
Xia Lu Nong brought the food to the table. “Dinner’s ready.”
“Great.”
They set the table and started eating.
After taking a bite of the bird meat, Xia Huo Qu could tell it wasn’t chicken, duck, or goose. He held up a piece and asked, “What kind of meat is this?”
“Bird meat,” Xia Lu Nong replied, eyes bright as he chewed. “I’m not sure exactly what bird, but I traded for it at the canteen.”
Xia Huo Qu nodded, “There’s been a lot of bird meat at the base lately.”
Yan Xi Nian explained, “It’s because a lot of migratory birds are stopping at Changhe Swamp on their way south. People at the base have been trapping and catching them. Liao Quan Nan and his group, in particular, have been successful. His beast form is a crocodile, so he’s pretty good at catching birds in the marsh.”
“No wonder,” Xia Huo Qu said. “Do you think this will affect the local ecosystem?”
Yan Xi Nian smiled, “Not likely. We’re only catching a few birds, and our base isn’t that large. Human activity has decreased overall, and the plant and animal populations have recovered well. Us catching birds is just a small part of natural selection.”
As he spoke, Yan Xi Nian took a bite of the bird leg, savoring the rich flavor. “This tastes really good.”
“It’s alright,” Xia Lu Nong said. “I marinated it with strong seasoning and roasted it to suppress any gamey taste.”
“It’s excellent,” Yan Xi Nian added, “Fatty but not greasy, lean but not tough. Great texture.”
“Yeah, it’s delicious,” Xia Lu Nong agreed. “With the environment in good shape, these birds are well-fed, so they naturally taste better.”
The four of them polished off the two birds along with the other dishes on the table.
While Yan Xi Nian and Xia Huo Qu boiled water, Xia Lu Nong and Kong Zhi peeled garlic in the living room.
Once the water was ready, Xia Huo Qu called out, “Xia Nong, you can take the first bath. We’ll heat another pot afterward.”
“You guys go ahead,” Xia Lu Nong replied. “I still need to make the hotpot base. I’ll bathe after that.”
Xia Huo Qu had nearly forgotten about the hotpot base.
After killing those two cattle at N University, they’d eaten most of the meat, but two large chunks of beef tallow were left.
Xia Lu Nong had guarded those pieces of tallow carefully, simmering them every day and finding a way to bring them back.
Xia Huo Qu asked, “What do you need to prepare the hotpot base?”
“Just the usual—dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, onions, garlic… Whatever we have on hand will do. We’re not picky since it’s just for us.”
After peeling the garlic, Xia Lu Nong picked up a small dustpan. “I’m heading out to pick some Sichuan peppercorns.”
Kong Zhi said, “I’ll go with you.”
Xia Huo Qu sat down at the table. “I’ll prepare the dried chilies for you. Xi Nian, you go take a bath first.”
“Alright, I’ll help out after I’m done,” Yan Xi Nian replied.
From the yard, Xia Lu Nong called out, “After you finish bathing, don’t start working again, or you’ll end up smelling like hotpot!”
Xia Huo Qu responded, “We’ll scoop out the water first, then bathe later.”
Seeing that they wouldn’t listen, Xia Lu Nong didn’t push further.
In their yard, they had over a dozen Sichuan pepper trees, some still green while others had already ripened and split open, revealing the bright red peppercorns.
Xia Lu Nong instructed Kong Zhi, “Let’s pick only the ripe, red ones today.”
Kong Zhi, being tall and agile, didn’t even need a ladder. He picked the red peppercorns with precision, handing them to Xia Lu Nong one by one.
The Sichuan pepper grown in their yard, perhaps due to Xia Lu Nong’s special abilities, had an especially strong aroma, with a perfect balance of fragrance and numbing spice.
Xia Lu Nong took a deep breath, holding the peppercorns close to his face, smiling contentedly.
That evening, the rich aroma from their home filled the air, spreading so far that almost the entire base knew they were making hotpot base that night.
The weather had cooled down, so after preparing the hotpot base and setting it out on the table, they opened the windows and let it sit overnight, allowing it to solidify.
The next morning, Xia Lu Nong woke up, cut the solidified hotpot base into blocks, stored them in small jars, and placed them in a cool spot. Now, whenever they craved hotpot, they could just take some out. If they ever traveled far, they could bring the base along, making it easier to enjoy a delicious meal with fresh ingredients they might find on the way.
After breakfast, Yan Xi Nian and Xia Huo Qu went to the fields to pull weeds and fertilize the crops.
Xia Lu Nong and Kong Zhi, on the other hand, headed to the plains outside the base to clear the area where they had planted the honeysuckle the previous day.
When it was just the two of them, they didn’t bother walking and instead had Kong Zhi transform into his beast form, flying them over.
Xia Lu Nong sat on Kong Zhi’s back with a basket of food and water, ready to stay there for the day without returning for lunch.
Upon arriving, they found that the grass they had cut the day before had already grown back, covering the honeysuckle vines. If there hadn’t been some traces left, they might not have found where they planted the honeysuckle at all.
“This grass is growing way too fast,” Xia Lu Nong said, feeling frustrated.
Kong Zhi turned back into his human form and dressed. “It’s not a bad thing, at least we don’t have to worry about feeding the calves for now.”
“True,” Xia Lu Nong agreed. “We’ll just need to plant some beans to give them extra nutrition.”
After observing for a moment, Kong Zhi said, “Today’s grass looks fresh and tender. Let’s cut some to feed the cattle.”
“We have to cut it,” Xia Lu Nong said as he checked on the honeysuckle, “otherwise it’ll get completely covered.”
Kong Zhi pulled a sickle from the basket. “Shall we get started?”
“Sure. You take that side, and I’ll go over here.”
Xia Lu Nong bent down to grab his sickle and started walking toward the other side.
But Kong Zhi grabbed his wrist. “There are only two of us; no need to split up.”
Xia Lu Nong smiled. “Alright, that works.”
Cutting grass was tough work, similar to harvesting rice or wheat, bending down and cutting forward non-stop. The sun beat down on their backs as sweat dripped from their faces, chin, and onto the ground.
Neither of them suggested taking a break.
When it comes to labor like this, you have to keep up the momentum, or once you lose the drive, you won’t want to continue.
They worked for over two hours without stopping.
“My back’s killing me. Let’s stop. This grass should last the calves for three or four days. We’ll cut more when they finish this batch,” Xia Lu Nong finally said, feeling exhausted.
Kong Zhi nodded in agreement, saying, “He Shu Hui mentioned last night that he would lend a hand with the cattle.” Let’s have him cut the grass when he has time. We can also trade the surplus with the base. There are plenty of kids there. If we spread the word that we need grass for the cattle, I’m sure some will bring it to us.”
“Good point,” Xia Lu Nong said, stretching and rubbing his sore back. “If we can solve the problem with supplies, there’s no need to tire ourselves out.”
They found a spot by the edge of the field to sit down and pulled out the rice balls they made that morning.
The rice balls were stuffed with cucumber, dried meat, and a thin layer of salted egg yolk. Paired with some honey water, they were incredibly satisfying.
The autumn breeze wasn’t hot, and even with the sun shining overhead, the wind kept things cool.
Xia Lu Nong wiped his face with his sleeve and leaned lazily against Kong Zhi. “Cutting grass is such a hassle. Let’s take a break and I’ll use my abilities this afternoon.”
“Sounds good,” Kong Zhi replied. “Just make sure to avoid the honeysuckle.”
“Of course,” Xia Lu Nong said. “Come on, let’s find a shady tree to take a nap.”
From the plain, they had a clear view of the surrounding landscape.
They found a large tree, big enough that three people would need to join hands to hug it, and after checking the area, they sat down beneath it, using stones as seats, and took turns napping.
Xia Lu Nong naturally woke up after about half an hour and nudged Kong Zhi, letting him take his turn to nap.
While Kong Zhi slept, Xia Lu Nong sat by his side, bored, and started observing the scenery around them.
The grass nearby was knee-high, and sitting down, they couldn’t see much beyond the scattered large trees and clumps of bamboo near the river.
When Kong Zhi woke up, Xia Lu Nong said, “It’s still early. We haven’t had bamboo shoots in a while. How about we check the bamboo grove and see if we can find any?”
Kong Zhi agreed, “Let’s bring the machete just in case.”
“Got it. Let me find it,” Xia Lu Nong said, rummaging through the basket until he found the machete. “Alright, let’s go.”
Kong Zhi led the way, holding Xia Lu Nong’s hand as they walked toward the bamboo grove.
They reached the grove quickly.
The bamboo near the river grew tall and lush, swaying gently in the wind, making a soft rustling sound.
The two of them ventured into the bamboo grove and quickly managed to dig up a whole basket of bamboo shoots.
As they came out, Xia Lu Nong wiped his sweat. “It doesn’t rain much these days. If it rained more, there’d be even more bamboo shoots.”
“If there were more, we wouldn’t be able to carry them all. We can always come back if we want more; after all, bamboo shoots grow in every season—spring, summer, autumn, or winter.”
“True,” Xia Lu Nong said, following Kong Zhi with uneven steps. “Let’s head back first. After I use my powers to kill the weeds around the honeysuckle, we can come back in a couple of days to plant some soybeans.”
After resting for a few days, Xia Lu Nong’s powers had fully recharged.
He switched his plant-nurturing powers to plant-killing mode and spread it around the honeysuckle. The effect was like spraying herbicide but much stronger. As soon as his power touched the weeds, their leaves began to wither and turn yellow.
Standing up straight and placing his hands on his hips, Xia Lu Nong said, “We won’t know the full effect until tomorrow. Let’s head back for now.”
“Alright,” Kong Zhi agreed, “I’ll carry you back.”
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes lit up. “In your beast form?”
“Whatever you like.”
“Beast form, definitely. My human form is too heavy.”
