Chapter 76: Braised Rabbit Meat

Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Braised Rabbit Meat

If he wasn’t getting his share of the benefits, then they could forget about him lifting a finger to do any chores.

Bai Erzhu returned to his room with a dark expression and slammed the door shut. He wouldn’t open it, no matter how much Old Mrs. Bai shouted herself hoarse outside.

The Hu Residence

The sun was climbing toward its noon peak, and the heat was growing stifling. Cooking smoke began to rise from the village houses. Zhao Lan pulled Bai Zhi to her feet and bid farewell to Hu Changlin. "Brother Hu, we’ve rested here all morning. It’s time for us to head back."

Hu Changlin quickly said, "If you go back now, you’ll probably just get another scolding. Why don’t you just stay and have lunch here? That way, the Bai family can’t use the excuse that you didn’t find any wild vegetables to keep you from eating."

’That was a real possibility. Given the Bai family’s character, they would love nothing more than for her and Zhao Lan to work without eating.’

Bai Zhi’s face immediately lit up, and she nodded with a grin. "In that case, we’ll be shameless and impose on you for one more meal."

Hu Changlin let out a hearty laugh. "You silly girl, who goes around calling themselves shameless? By the way, yesterday you said you’d make us some braised rabbit. The meat’s all cleaned and ready, just waiting for the chef to put it in the pot."

Bai Zhi chuckled. "Oh, I see! So it was you, Uncle Hu, who was craving braised rabbit. That’s the real reason you’re making me stay for lunch."

"That’s right, that’s right! You clever girl, you really know how to take a hint. Always getting your way and still playing coy."

The hall was filled with their constant laughter. Bai Zhi’s voice, in particular, was like pearls dropping onto a silver platter—crisp and melodious. Her laugh was as beautiful as the song of an oriole, sweet as honey, and utterly intoxicating to hear.

Listening to their laughter, Hu Feng felt his own mood lighten. For a moment, he forgot the troubles that plagued him day and night. A faint smile touched his lips, and the icy indifference in his eyes unknowingly began to melt away.

Bai Zhi went to the kitchen. Hu Changlin, worried she would overexert herself—especially since she was still injured—went to get Hu Feng from his room to help her.

Bai Zhi was fretting over the heavy kitchen cleaver. ’This thing is probably a couple of pounds heavier than a pig-butchering knife. With my skinny arms and small frame, there’s no way I can use it.’

Hu Feng walked in, and seeing her predicament, he chuckled inwardly, though his face remained impassive. He stepped forward, picked up the cleaver, and with a rapid CHOP-CHOP-CHOP, he deftly butchered the plump rabbit in a few swift moves.

"Wow, impressive knife skills. Looks like you’ve chopped your fair share of vegetables," she said with a smile, laying the praise on thick.

But Hu Feng just set the cleaver aside and said calmly, "First time."

"To be this good on your first try? You must be very talented."

Hu Feng sat down by the stove, looked up at Bai Zhi, and said in a deadpan voice, "I’m talented at everything I do."

Bai Zhi froze. ’Is this guy joking with me? He doesn’t look like he is...’

Bai Zhi let out a dry laugh. ’Well, I’ll just assume he’s joking.’

Just then, Hu Feng lit the fire, and steam began to rise from the clean pot. She found half a bowl of oil and some seasonings in the cupboard. There wasn’t much of a selection, but it was enough to make braised rabbit.

First, she brought a pot of water to a boil, blanched the rabbit meat, and then removed it for a rinse under clean water. Next, she heated oil in the pot and stir-fried the rabbit until the moisture cooked off. Then she added the star anise and cassia bark she had set aside, simmering everything on low heat until the meat was tender before turning up the flame to reduce the sauce. Before taking it off the heat, she picked out the star anise and cassia bark, then stirred in some pepper powder.

’It would have been even better with aromatics like scallions, ginger, and garlic,’ she thought. Unfortunately, after searching the cupboard for ages, all she could find was a small amount of star anise, cassia bark, and a pinch of pepper. There was nothing else.