Chapter 57: The Mouth Has Grown Too Picky

Chapter 57: The Mouth Has Grown Too Picky

When working collectively in the production team, only a few people were truly active, while most simply slacked off. As a result, there was endless work throughout the year, but the actual gains were minimal. However, after the land was divided and everyone worked their own fields, things changed completely.

For instance, now that the village fields were planted with rice seedlings, most villagers had free time, unlike before when they were constantly occupied with tasks and couldn't rest for even a full day. Of course, this leisure wasn't the kind of idleness seen in later generations. There were still miscellaneous tasks, but the entire family didn't need to work together.

With more people having free time, naturally more came to help Deng Shirong build his house. As a result, Deng Shirong's new house progressed rapidly, far exceeding expectations. Similarly, the meat in Deng Shirong's system space and the rice at home were being consumed at an alarming rate.

By the eighth month of the lunar calendar, the rice at home was the first to run out. After all, with dozens of people eating every day, the small amount of food distributed by the production team couldn't last long. The current price of rice wasn't high—the national price was 0.19 yuan per kilogram, averaging less than 1 cent per kilogram. However, rice required food coupons, so no matter how cheap it was, Deng Shirong couldn't buy it without coupons. If he wanted rice, he had to go to the market, where the price was nearly double the national price, at 1.8 cents per pound. Ten kilograms cost 1.18 yuan, and one hundred kilograms cost 18 yuan. With dozens of people to feed daily, a hundred kilograms of rice didn't last long.

The meat in the system space was also dwindling. Although Deng Shirong had been supplementing with fish, shrimp, eels, frogs, and snails to make up for the lack of meat, daily consumption was still high. By the time the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, the hundreds of kilograms of meat he had accumulated were gone. Even the eleven pieces of five-spice meat he had obtained when arranging for the woman to look after Deng Changwang's house a few days earlier were used up.

Fortunately, by this time, not only were the blue brick walls of the new house completed, but the beams were also ready. All that remained was to lay the roof tiles, and the main structure would be finished. The next step would be the interior decoration.

On July 14th, Deng Yuntai had been busy transporting goods to Beihai with Deng Yungui to sell, so he couldn't stay home to celebrate the festival. Now, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the tile factory was busy firing kilns, so Deng Yuntai couldn't stay home to celebrate with his father and siblings.

Mooncakes had existed for a long time, but the custom of eating them during the Mid-Autumn Festival didn't emerge until the Ming Dynasty. This is recorded in historical texts such as The Chronicle, Wanshu Miscellaneous Notes, and A Brief Introduction to the Scenery of the Imperial Capital. So why did this custom suddenly appear during the Ming Dynasty? There are many folk legends, but the most popular one ties it to the people's resistance against Mongolian rule at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Although the details vary, the general idea is the same: at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols ruled brutally, and the people, suffering under their oppression, rose in rebellion. The instigators made round cakes as tokens of trust, hiding a note inside that read, "Kill the Tartars on the 15th of August," and distributed them to every household, agreeing to revolt on that day. Eventually, the uprising succeeded, and the Ming Dynasty was established. Mooncakes became a Mid-Autumn Festival tradition as a symbol of victory.

However, this story doesn't appear in official history and remains a folk legend, its authenticity difficult to verify.

Nowadays, people's lives are difficult, so naturally, they don't have the means to buy or make mooncakes. As a result, eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival isn't a tradition in Thatchfield Village. Of course, the Mid-Autumn Festival is still a traditional holiday in China, and no matter how hard life is, it must be celebrated. If there are no mooncakes, other things can serve as substitutes.

Thus, in Thatchfield Village and several nearby villages, a custom emerged of making long tofu (grinding tofu) on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. This custom persisted until the 1990s, when living conditions improved and people could afford mooncakes, gradually phasing out the tradition.

There is only one stone mill in Thatchfield Village, placed at the entrance of Grand Ancestor Hall. Knowing that many would be making long tofu today, villagers soaked soybeans in advance and lined up at the stone mill before dawn.

Tofu isn't expensive nowadays, at least not for Deng Shirong. He could buy enough for a few cents to feed the whole family, so there was no need to grind soy milk himself. But since every household made it themselves, buying it outright or exchanging it for soybeans would lack the festive atmosphere. So Deng Shirong's eldest and youngest daughters were busy running around, and he didn't stop them.

By the afternoon, the aroma of tofu wafted through Thatchfield Village. Those who could afford it added a bit of vermicelli when rolling the tofu. For people of this era, the taste was no less than a delicacy.

Deng Shirong's family enjoyed vermicelli-rolled tofu. While eating, Deng Yunzhu felt something was off and couldn't help but say, "Dad, this vermicelli-rolled tofu doesn't taste as good as the one we made on August 15th last year. Was the tofu not made well today?"

Deng Yunsong swallowed his food and said, "I was just about to say the same thing. Today's vermicelli-rolled tofu doesn't seem as delicious as last year's."

Deng Yunhua and Deng Yunheng nodded in agreement.

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "It's not that today's vermicelli-rolled tofu isn't as good as last year's. In fact, it tastes even better. You think it's worse because the food you've been eating recently has been too good. Think about it—back then, even a piece of meat would make you drool. But now, if I put a large bowl of pork in front of you, could you even finish half of it?"

The children suddenly understood.

Deng Yunsong sighed, "It's true. In the past, I could easily finish a large bowl of pork by myself. But now, if you gave me another large bowl, I probably couldn't even eat half."

Deng Yunzhu nodded, "If Dad hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have realized. It seems our tastes have been spoiled!"

Deng Yunzhen felt the same. Ever since her father and brother Yungui contracted the brigade's tile kiln, the family's food standards had improved dramatically. They used to eat pork only once or twice a month, and even then, only a small amount. Now, they could eat meat every day without limits. The difference was staggering!

She felt a little worried. If her future in-laws' family conditions weren't good and their food standards dropped to what her family's used to be, how would she cope?

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "We're building a house now, which is quite costly, so we've been eating these dishes. Once the house is finished and the financial pressure eases, I'll prepare other delicious dishes for you. I guarantee you'll love them."

The children's eyes lit up at this. They had no doubt about their father's cooking skills, and the delicacies he described must be rare treats. They couldn't help but feel excited.

(End of Chapter)