Chapter 615: Chapter 615: I Will Come Here for Meals From Now On

Tong Xingda has arrived.

Tong Sanlang put down his bowl and stood up to open the door.

Outside, Tong Xingda had a towel around his neck and a fan in his hand, fanning himself and wiping sweat as he walked.

Seeing the courtyard door open, he stepped in and asked, “Have you cooked yet?”

“Yes, we have.”

“What food?”

“Pork fat mixed with rice.”

“What?” Tong Xingda was confused as he had never heard of this way of eating before.

“It’s the leftover fat from cooking oil mixed with white rice,” Tong Sanlang explained.

“You two are eating this after a long day?” Tong Xingda asked as he stepped into the kitchen.

A pleasant aroma filled the air. Tong Xingda took a deep breath, his dissatisfaction fading slightly. He glanced at Qiao Xiaomai by the stove, “Give me a bowl. And did you make that Sour Plum Soup today, Xiaomai?”

Qiao Xiaomai called out to him, and started to spoon out some white rice, “I didn’t make it today.”

The reason she used to make Sour Plum Soup was for Tong Sanlang to drink. Now, with just the two of them, drinking from the pond would suffice.

“Make a pot for tomorrow. I need to water the fields, and you can bring it to the fields,” Tong Xingda ordered.

“Alright,” she replied.

Tong Sanlang was also going the next day, so she could just take it along.

Anyway, they were family, a pot of Sour Plum Soup wouldn’t make much of a difference.

“How’s mother doing?” she asked as she handed him a bowl.

“She’s awake, just lying in bed.” Tong Xingda took the bowl, grabbed a pair of chopsticks, and headed out of the kitchen to the tree, where he began to eat heartily.

The pork fat was flavored with condiments, tasting absolutely delicious. The aroma of the white rice was tantalizing. The combination was no lesser than any delicacy.

Tong Xingda gulped down half a bowl to satiate his hunger, and then commented, “Xiaomai, your cooking is quite good.”

With Zhang’s wife in bed and Zhu Hongyun not around, Qian and Li Rou were in charge of the meals at the new house.

Having never tasted Qiao Xiaomai’s cooking before, he didn’t think there was anything wrong with their food. But after tasting the dishes prepared by her, he found their meals almost inedible.

He had planned to come over at noon, but got delayed by Tong Tiehu who had asked him to collect firewood on the mountain.

So, he planned his visit to coincide with dinner after doing all the chores in the evening.

“Xiaomai, I think I’ll be having my meals here from now on. Remember to cook a little extra,” Tong Xingda suggested, although he seemed to have already made up his mind.

Qiao Xiaomai nodded and smiled in agreement.

As Tong Sanlang’s father, she couldn’t refuse him a meal, could she?

The remark Tong Sanlang had made about not reaching out unless absolutely necessary was intended for Zhang’s wife. Tong Xingda insisted that it didn’t apply to him. What choice did she and Tong Sanlang have but to accept?

“However, sometimes, Sanlang and I might not be at home,” Qiao Xiaomai mentioned.

“Not at home?” Tong Xingda looked at her in confusion.

“We’re going to County Town the day after tomorrow. We should have some news about the Tingfeng Pavilion we had asked Sanlang to inquire about,” she said.

“Oh, have you heard news about your mother?”

“We should have.”

“Alright then, I’ll just return home when you’re not around.” Tong Xingda replied casually. The distance between the new and old courtyards was not too far, unlike the Qiao Family house, which was a quarter of an hour away.

Considering the food at the new house was awful, he decided to come here for meals every day.