Chapter 4: What Are the Conditions at Home? How Dare You Use So Much Oil?

Chapter 4: What Are the Conditions at Home? How Dare You Use So Much Oil?

The sun set, and every household in Thatchfield Village began lighting fires and cooking.

In Deng Shirong's home, all six of his children, except for his second son Deng Yunheng who had already left for school, gathered in the kitchen, craning their necks to watch him cook.

At that moment, Deng Shirong was cracking eggs one after another into a large bowl. Soon, all the more than ten eggs in the basket were beaten.

Seeing this, the six children had mixed reactions.

Deng Yunzhen, who had been cooking for the family for years, felt a pang of distress. If she were cooking, those eggs could have lasted for several meals!

The younger ones, Deng Yunhua and Deng Yunheng, were thrilled. With more than ten eggs, they could each have at least two. It was a rare treat!

Deng Shirong used chopsticks to beat the eggs, cut the washed green peppers into shreds, and crushed some garlic for seasoning. After preparing everything, he began to mix the soy sauce paste.

"Shigao (soy sauce paste)" is a Hakka term, referring to a brown-black, oily condiment made from black beans. It has a rich, savory flavor and a strong aroma, beloved by many. The Yulin area, where Deng Shirong lived, was known for producing it.

Deng Shirong took out a bowl, scooped a thumb-sized portion of the paste, added a little water to dissolve it, and set it aside.

By then, his eldest daughter Deng Yunzhen had already cleaned the pot. Deng Shirong said, "Ah Zhen, light the fire now!"

"Okay," Deng Yunzhen replied, sitting in front of the stove and starting the fire.

Soon, the pot was hot. Deng Shirong picked up the spatula and scooped a generous amount of lard from the oil tank into the pot. The solidified lard quickly melted in the heat.

This scene shocked his six children!

What kind of family conditions did they have to use oil so lavishly?

Deng Yunzhen jumped up from the stove as if her seat were on fire, reaching out to grab the spatula from her father's hand. "Dad, let me do it!" she said, distressed.

Deng Shirong gently pushed her hand away. "Let me handle it. I cook better than you."

If it weren't her beloved father, Deng Yunzhen might have retorted: If I were willing to use so much oil, even stir-frying a belt would taste good!

Seeing her father's determination, Deng Yunzhen couldn't help but remind him, "Dad, you're using too much oil!"

Deng Shirong understood her concern. The can of lard in their house was meant to last a whole year. They rarely cooked stir-fried dishes, and when they did, they used only a tiny amount to grease the pan.

Only during festivals like Chinese New Year would they use a bit more oil than usual.

But now, Deng Shirong was using a large scoop of lard as if it were nothing. Such extravagance was unheard of, even in cities, let alone in their poor rural area.

The key concern was that once the lard ran out, how would they survive the days without oil?

"It's fine. The remaining oil will last for a while. I'll figure something out when the time comes," Deng Shirong said. Seeing the oil was hot enough, he poured the beaten eggs into the pot.

The eggs expanded rapidly in the hot oil. Deng Shirong flipped them with the spatula to ensure both sides cooked evenly. When they turned slightly golden, he transferred them to a plate.

He left some oil in the pot to stir-fry the green peppers. Once the peppers were cooked, he added the eggs back in, breaking them up with the spatula. He seasoned with salt, tossed in the crushed garlic, and drizzled the prepared soy sauce paste along the edge of the pan.

A rich aroma rose as the paste met the hot oil. Deng Shirong quickly stir-fried everything a few times, ensuring the eggs and peppers were evenly coated. Then, he plated the dish.

The entire process was smooth and controlled, leaving Deng Yunzhen and her siblings amazed.

Though they hadn't tasted the scrambled eggs with green peppers yet, the dish looked incredibly appetizing. They had no idea their father was such a skilled cook.

Next, Deng Shirong washed the pot and stir-fried two plates of beans and two plates of water spinach. Though they were simple vegetarian dishes, the generous use of oil made them look delicious.

After finishing the cooking, Deng Shirong set down the spatula and looked at his hungry children. "Alright, let's eat!"

As soon as he spoke, the children sprang into action. In less than a minute, the table was set, and they were seated, waiting for Deng Shirong. They had even poured him a glass of wine. Their efficiency was a stark contrast to the dawdling children of later generations.

Deng Shirong washed his hands, sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and said, "Dig in!"

He led by example, and the children eagerly followed, reaching for the scrambled eggs with green peppers.

"Wow, it smells amazing!"

"So delicious!"

"Dad, you're such a great cook! This is way better than what eldest sister makes!"

"…."

Deng Shirong felt a swell of pride at his children's praises.

In his previous life, he hadn't been much of a cook at this time. Before marriage, his mother had handled the cooking. After marriage, it was his wife. After her passing, his eldest daughter took over, followed by his youngest daughter.

It wasn't until he lived alone in his later years that he began to learn cooking.

To his surprise, he discovered he had a natural talent for it. He could master any dish in no time, and within months, his skills rivaled those of professional chefs.

With such talent, Deng Shirong thought, if he had trained under a master in his youth, he might have made a name for himself in the culinary world.

The meal left the six children thoroughly satisfied. The older ones—Deng Yuntai, Deng Yunzhen, Deng Yunzhu, and Deng Yunsong—each had three bowls of rice.

The younger ones, Deng Yunhua and Deng Yunheng, also ate two full bowls each.

After eating his fill, Deng Yunsong patted his belly and sighed, "If we could eat like this every day, life would be heavenly!"

Deng Shirong couldn't help but feel emotional. No one in this era could have imagined the rapid development China would undergo in the next four decades, transforming the nation beyond recognition.

In the future, not only would scrambled eggs with green peppers be an everyday meal, but even pork would be a regular part of most families' diets.

In such a prosperous era, even the great visionary who set this transformation in motion might not have foreseen its full extent.

(End of this chapter)