Jiang Chan made up her mind and, holding the “Shuowen Jiezi” given by Jiang Sen, read it for less than an hour, and many previously confusing parts suddenly became clear to her.
Perhaps due to the lack of entertainment activities in the orphanage, Jiang Chan found the book, which could be described as a hypnotic tool, quite enjoyable. She cherished every moment here, as there might not be another opportunity like this in the future.
As the sun gradually set in the west and the room grew darker, Jiang Chan put down the book; it was challenging to read in the dark in ancient times.
Thinking that the braised pork in the kitchen should be soon ready, Jiang Chan stretched and walked towards the kitchen. It was probably dinner time, and she wondered what Li Ma had prepared today.
Just as she reached the kitchen, she saw Jiang Sen circling around the doorway, seemingly wanting to enter but hesitating due to his status. Lin Shi stood on the side, smiling, watching Jiang Sen go in circles.
Seeing Jiang Chan approaching, Jiang Sen tried to maintain his dignity with a stern face.
“How was the book I gave you?” Jiang Sen asked.
Jiang Chan found it amusing. She nodded without exposing Jiang Sen, “I’ve only read some. I thought the braised pork should be ready, so I came to check.”
Upon hearing the words “braised pork,” Jiang Sen couldn’t hold back any longer, “What are we waiting for? Let’s go and see!”
Knowing Jiang Sen’s desire to save face, Jiang Chan followed his words and entered the kitchen. Li Ma was busy preparing dinner, and when she saw Jiang Chan enter, she instinctively made room for her.
Unsurprisingly, while busy with dinner preparations, the aroma of the braised pork wafted into Li Ma’s nose. The aroma was so enticing, and the preparation wasn’t troublesome either. It’s just that the recipe for the braising sauce was kept secret.
Jiang Chan lifted the lid, revealing a pig’s head immersed in dark braising liquid, looking vibrant and tempting. She skillfully lifted the pig’s head, something Jiang Sen and Lin Shi had never seen done with a pig’s head before.
Jiang Chan took a knife and swiftly carved out the bones from the pig’s head. Looking at the bones, Jiang Chan felt a bit regretful, “It would be great if I had a dog; the bones wouldn’t go to waste.”
Lin Shi laughed, “Let Uncle Zhong buy a puppy tomorrow. It’ll be livelier at home with a dog.”
“I’ll go with Uncle Zhong; I want to pick one myself.” Back in the orphanage, Jiang Chan didn’t have the ability to keep a dog. Now that she had the means, she was eager to have some pets.
Putting the dog topic aside, Jiang Chan quickly dismantled the braised pork bones and sliced it into thin pieces. She then prepared a dipping sauce, completing the braised pork.
Fortunately, Li Ma’s dinner was ready as well. Since the lunch was a bit greasy, dinner was kept light, consisting of stir-fried bean sprouts, bone soup, and the freshly sliced braised pork.
The appearance of the braised pork earned Jiang Sen’s enthusiastic praise. Even Lin Shi, who usually avoided greasy food, enjoyed several pieces.
“It’s not greasy at all, very delicious,” Lin Shi objectively commented. Jiang Chan nodded, “You can use different ingredients for the braising liquid, like tofu, eggs, chicken feet, duck neck, chicken wings, pig trotters, ribs, and so on. The taste is always excellent.”
As Jiang Chan spoke, Jiang Sen waved his hand, “Let’s keep these ingredients in stock. Tomorrow, braise some eggs. Your mother likes eggs and tofu.”
Jiang Chan nodded: “Tomorrow, I’ll make some tea eggs, similar to braised eggs.”
After a satisfying meal, Jiang Sen pulled Lin Shi to the main hall to walk off the food. Having eaten too much braised pork at night, he now felt a bit full.
Sitting by the table, Jiang Chan watched Jiang Sen circle around and suddenly thought about her plans for the future. She had successfully freed herself from the control of the Jiang family. The next steps included letting the old widower suffer retribution and, more importantly, living a good life.
The plan to let the old widower face retribution could wait, but what did it mean to live a life true to herself? Jiang Chan scratched her head, perplexed.
In modern society, living a good life usually involved attending a good school, being a model student in the eyes of teachers and classmates, finding a good job after graduation, and eventually finding a suitable husband. The last part hadn’t crossed Jiang Chan’s mind yet; she hadn’t expected so much in this ancient society. With no women’s private schools, achieving academic success seemed impossible.
Whether she follows Jiang Sen to study or uses her own clever ideas, Jiang Chan hasn’t made up her mind yet. Inevitably, Jiang Chan shifted her focus to her career. If she could also make some achievements in her career, she wouldn’t have to be subject to others’ control. It’s estimated that she could live a more independent life, similar to what the original owner desired.
The customs of this era are quite open, and women can already go out and run businesses. Jiang Chan thought about this. Perhaps she could open a shop too? But what should she sell in this shop?
A restaurant? Jiang Chan thought about it and dismissed the idea. There were already plenty of restaurants in town, and she didn’t have the time to manage one.
Moreover, in Jiang Chan’s mind, opening a shop was a side business. The main goal was to learn more skills in this era. She needed a shop that wouldn’t require too much effort.
Jiang Chan tapped her fingers on the table, and her eyes suddenly landed on the plate of snacks that Li Ma had brought in the evening. Although there were no pastries left, Jiang Chan’s eyes lit up.
How could she forget this? She had learned the art of making snacks from Aunt Mo. What if she opened a dim sum shop? Snacks weren’t something people ate every day, so she could easily manage it.
The more she thought about it, the more feasible the idea seemed. Jiang Chan hastily informed Lin Shi, then rushed back to her room to continue her research. Left in the main hall, Lin Shi and Jiang Sen exchanged glances before returning to their room to rest.
The braised pork that Jiang Chan prepared suited Jiang Sen’s taste very well. When it cooled down, it became even more refreshing and delicious. The next day, when Jiang Sen went to the academy, he specifically instructed Lin Shi that when she brought him lunch in the afternoon, there must be braised pork.
Lin Shi naturally agreed. Wasn’t it also an opportunity to show off to her friends?
In the morning, Jiang Chan explained the method of making tea eggs to Li Ma, who promptly made them. Jiang Sen added tea eggs to his lunch menu for the day.
They had agreed to buy a puppy today. Seeing the good weather, Jiang Chan decided to take Lin Shi along. Being cooped up in the room all day could lead to illness; it was better to get some fresh air.
Supporting Lin Shi as they walked, with Uncle Zhong and Wang Ma following behind with a basket, they left Li Ma in charge of the house. Following Uncle Zhong’s directions, Jiang Chan arrived at the East Market.
The market was divided into sections, and the East Market mainly sold live poultry like chickens and ducks. Sometimes, people from the village would come here to buy piglets.
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