Chapter 13: Calcium Supplementation_1

Given that, it would not be easy for me to enter Yingxiang House. They would not want to see me. My clothes are in a normal state, not fancy, not old, however, Xiaoquan's clothes are obviously worn out. Moreover, the guests of Yingxiang House are either rich or noble and they may not be willing to try the pig offal, food that is often consumed by the poor. It seems like I'd have a better chance entering the Banquet Hall.

Xiaoquan carried the fabric bag containing the pork and pig bones given by Brother Liuliu, while Liuliu was holding the pig liver and kidneys. Liuliu didn't tell Xiaoquan his plans beforehand, so when Xiaoquan saw his sister-in-law looking for restaurants, he thought she was planning on having a big meal after winning a large sum of money. Xiaoquan felt that since they had won a lot today, it was reasonable to have a grand meal. He didn't think much of it and followed Liuliu to look for a restaurant.

"Xiaoquan, when we get in there and talk to the shopkeeper of the Banquet Hall, you need to watch me and keep quiet, understood?" Liuliu told Xiaoquan to make sure he was prepared and won't ruin her plans later.

"Sister-in-law? We're here for a meal, so why do we need to see the shopkeeper?" Xiaoquan was confused.

"Just watch me. I might even earn some money! Remember, no interruptions!" Liuliu reiterated.

Xiaoquan didn't fully understand, but there was one thing he did get - Sister-in-law said she could earn money! That was great! More capital meant more earnings! Fine! If he was told to keep quiet, then he would! So, he nodded at her.

"Waiter, I have something to discuss with your shopkeeper. Could you please pass on a message for me?" When they got inside, Liuliu stopped a friendly-looking waiter, a sturdy young man in his twenties.

"Customers, please wait here. I'll take you to a table while I go find our shopkeeper," said the waiter as he led them to a table before running off to the back of the house to find the shopkeeper.

Liuliu took the chance to observe the Banquet Hall. The downstairs was a large hall while upstairs were private rooms. The downstairs hall could accommodate about twenty tables, which was quite spacious. She supposed there would be a considerable amount of private rooms upstairs as well. It was almost dinner time, so more and more customers were coming in.

Having walked through several streets of this ancient town today, Liuliu had finally grasped the general environment of the town named Lijiang Town. This was the largest ancient town in Lijiang County. Moreover, it was situated at the junction of two provinces, so there were many travelers passing through from the north and the south. Hence, this town was more affluent than other ancient towns in Lijiang County.

Sure enough, the amiable waiter brought their shopkeeper over shortly after. He appeared to be a man in his thirties with a square face that had an air of righteousness. He was approximately 1.8 meters tall, had a decently handsome face, and seemed like a genuinely amiable person.

"Shopkeeper, these are the customers who want to speak with you," the waiter introduced them.

"Big brother, we have a business proposition for you. Can we talk somewhere more private?" Liuliu acted coy. She was young and pretty, only around ten years old. Given the shopkeeper's age, he should have been called 'uncle'. He probably even had a son old enough to get married. However, due to the modern tendency to use youthful terms, calling him 'big brother' would be flattering to his ears.

"Hehe... little sister, come with me." Sure enough, the shopkeeper was thrilled to be called 'big brother' by Liuliu. His son was about to get married, and he was still being called 'big brother' by this young girl. How could he not be delighted? Happily, he led Liuliu and her group into the back of the house, a place usually off-limits to customers.

Liuliu and Xiaoquan followed the shopkeeper to the back room.

"Big brother, I have these items here. I want to prepare them for you to taste, free of charge. This technique we use is an exclusive family secret we generally wouldn't disclose. But, given our current circumstances, we barely have enough to eat three meals a day. We have no choice but to offer it up. If you like it, you can give us whatever you feel it's worth. This is my little brother. Our father is ill, and we have no money for his treatment. He doesn't know that we're here to vend our secret recipe. We can't bear to see father's condition worsen, hence we're stealthily doing this behind his back. We figured what's the use of these skills if a person is gone? My brother and I just wish for father's recovery. If you don't like what I cook, then there's no need to give us any money. I say this because I'm confident that you will love the dishes I prepare. This pig liver is not only delicious but also good for nourishing the blood. The soup made from these pig bones is not only savory but is also a cure for leg cramps."

"Really? Little sister, you're saying this bone soup can cure leg cramps?"The shopkeeper excitedly interrupted Liuliu before she could finish.

"Big brother, this is a family secret recipe that has been proven effective in every use!" What Liuliu said was not a bluff. This is a remedy all modern people know – it's a source of calcium!

Contemporary calcium ads are seen everywhere! They all claim that taking calcium will stop leg cramps, make climbing stairs less exhausting, and even have the elderly hopping around!

The shopkeeper was overjoyed: "Little sister, if this is true, then let me thank you on behalf of my mother! My mother often wakes up in the middle of the night due to leg cramps and can't get back to sleep. Despite seeing many doctors and taking lots of medicine, nothing has helped. If this recipe proves to be effective, then my mother could get better!"

Xiaoquan watched as his sister-in-law carelessly rattled on, which surprisingly made the shopkeeper extremely happy. However, he remembered what his sister-in-law had previously told him: to not interrupt, and that she was capable of earning money. Looking at the shopkeeper's reaction made him believe she could indeed earn money! He quietly observed, keeping his mouth shut.

"Big brother, I came today with the intention of cooking dishes for you to taste, free of charge. If you like it, you can give us as much as you like. As for the recipe for curing leg cramps, don't worry about it for now. I'll come back to check on your mother after she has had it for a while. If it helps, you can thank me then." Liuliu's words moved the shopkeeper deeply, and he began to trust the young girl in front of him. There was hope for his mother!

"Ok! Ok! My surname is Wang. If you don't mind, just call me Brother Wang!" the shopkeeper introduced himself.

"Brother Wang, you can call me Younger Sister Yang! Although what I brought is pig offal, my family knows how to cook this, and the flavors we can produce are not inferior to fish or meat. Because we are poor and can't afford fish or meat back home, we had to make do with this. Eventually, we mastered the current skills. However, my parents once said that this should not be passed on to others. Otherwise, once others learn about it, we couldn't even afford pig offal. But now, seeing my father's condition and that my brother and I lack money for his treatment, we had to consider selling our family's unique skills. This pig liver is cut into thin slices, rinsed in water, and blanched in boiling water. Whether it's sautéed or used in a soup, it's very aromatic. Brother Wang, why don't I cook and explain at the same time?" Liuliu thought it was better to explain through action.

"Yes, yes, the kitchen is over there. I'll have someone assist you. Wang Fu, come and help." The shopkeeper called over a cook from the kitchen to help Liuliu.

Liuliu first washed the pig bones thoroughly, blanched them in boiling water, and then boiled them in a casserole.

Then she moved on to the pig liver, slicing, rinsing, and blanching it in boiling water to use later.

Most people would find the smell of pig kidneys repugnant if not prepared correctly. Liuliu split the pig kidneys in half, removed the whitish part inside: "Brother Wang, this white part must be removed, or else it will smell. The pig kidneys can be sliced thin, or cut into flowers for stir-frying. They will both be nutritious. I've heard that you become healthier by eating what you lack. And look at this pig stomach, make sure to clean it thoroughly. Use salt to scrub and wash it. After washing, cut it like this into strips. Whether it's stir-fried or used in a soup, it's delicious. I still remember during New Year two years ago, my father killed one of our old hens and added some strips of pig stomach to it. It tasted so good! I can still remember its taste!" Liuliu originally wanted to mention the modern dish "stuffed chicken with pig stomach", but promptly held her tongue in the nick of time.