The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 177 A Beautiful Spring Day, Respect to Director Qian
Spring has arrived—not just in terms of the solar terms, but also in society as a whole.

The government isn't as strict about buying and selling as it used to be; people still occasionally come to sell things on the main streets of the commune.

Of course, they are still sold under the collective name of the production team. Some sell vegetables and fruits, while others sell pigs and sheep that the production team has slaughtered.

Qian Jin went out and strolled around with his hands behind his back.

Unfortunately, they're not selling pork or mutton today.

Just as he was wandering around, someone shouted at him, "Boss!"

The voice was loud and clear, coming from the roadside.

Qian Jin turned his head and saw a familiar face among the vendors. It was Zhong Jianhu, the captain of the Zhongzhuang production team.

Zhong Jianhu squatted under the willow tree.

At this time, the willows are sprouting green leaves, and when the wind blows, the willow branches sway and the willow leaves rustle.

Several wet bamboo baskets were placed under the tree, and Zhong Jianhu had a simple and honest smile on his dark face.

Qian Jin parked his motorcycle and walked over: "Old Zhong, what are you selling that makes you so happy?"

"Freshly caught river delicacies." Zhong Jianhu lifted the banana leaves covering the bamboo basket. "The toon leaves were picked this morning; look how tender they are."

Qian Jin got excited when he heard this and quickly went over to take a look: "Great! I need some of this kind of good stuff."

Urea bags were laid out on the ground, with neat bunches of purplish-red toon sprouts on them, water droplets still clinging to the tips of the leaves.

In the bamboo basket beside them, snails were blowing bubbles in the shallow water, and river clams were slightly opening their shells, revealing the tender white flesh inside.

In the bottom basket, the small river fish glittered silver, and the loaches wriggled their slippery bodies.

Qian Jin squatted down, picked up a snail, and looked at it in the sunlight: "Has it expelled the sand?"

“They’ve been kept in clear water for a day, and there’s hardly any sand to begin with. These are snails from the Clear Water River. Why is our river called the Clear Water River? Because it doesn’t have much silt, and the water is clear.” Zhong Jianhu rubbed his rough hands together.

"By the way, boss, I heard that guy surnamed Ma got into trouble for having an affair?"

Qian Jin said, "Yes, he neglected his duties and went to the county guesthouse to have an affair, but his wife and our unit leader caught him red-handed."

"His wife beat him up on the spot. You weren't there, but his head was bleeding from being hit so hard. He didn't have much hair to begin with, and after being beaten, he had even less, haha..."

Zhong Jianhu hated Ma Defu because it was Ma Defu who backed them up, allowing their upstream neighbor, Zhao Jiazhuang, to bully Zhongzhuang.

Upon learning that Ma Defu had been humiliated, he laughed heartily, "So your unit didn't punish him?"

"How could he not get punished?" Qian Jin chuckled. "He was dismissed, but not expelled, which is a bit of a pity."

Zhong Jianhu sighed deeply, "Why didn't we send him to jail?"

Qian Jin chatted with him while checking the quality of the items.

It's definitely a good product.

The small river fish and loaches were all fresh and lively, the snails had expelled the sand, and the river clams, though small, were plump.

This was exactly what Qian Jin needed, so he said, "It just so happens that some leaders from the county are here. I'll get them some river delicacies. Here, give me all of them. What's the price? How do we settle the bill?"

Zhong Jianhu readily agreed, "What's the point of settling accounts? You treated me to drinks last time, so this time I'll treat you to some snacks. Take them!"

"Take this and let the comrades have a taste."

Qian Jin shook his head and pulled out crumpled banknotes from his pocket: "Public matters are public matters, and private matters are private matters. I only treated you to two drinks, which were drinks for friends. This time, I have to do something for my unit, and I have to buy these river delicacies at the market price."

He carefully examined the quality of the river fish, picked up a loach and looked at its gills. "It's really fresh. Hurry up and settle the bill for me. I'm in a hurry to go back and cook."

"This won't do!" Zhong Jianhu waved his hands anxiously. "Aren't you just embarrassing me?"

“If you don’t take the money, I’ll buy it somewhere else.” Qian Jin deliberately put on a stern face. “Let me tell you the truth, that slut Ma Defu got fired, and the county leaders made me the acting director.”

"Do you understand now? You want me to make a mistake as soon as I take office?"

“Let me tell you, Zhong Jianhu, I, Qian Jin, am not Ma Defu. I would never use public funds for meals or drinks, much less go to the countryside to freeload off others.”

"If you think I'm a decent person and want to be friends with me, then you'd better settle the accounts honestly..."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Jianhu jumped up excitedly: "Good heavens, you've become the director of the supply and marketing cooperative? Oh my god, the sky is finally clear for our Zidian Commune!"

Qian Jin said, "Don't exaggerate, come on, hurry up and settle the accounts for me."

Zhong Jianhu was a straightforward man, and he waved his hand, saying, "I don't want money. You're taking office, Director Qian, so as a friend, isn't it only right that I give you some fresh produce? Or are you saying I consider you a friend, but you don't consider me one?"

"If you insist on giving me money, then go buy it from someone else. You just look down on people like me who are poor!"

Qian Jin was speechless.

This guy is pretty stubborn.

So he felt around and found he had nothing but money and tickets on him, so he simply took out all sorts of tickets and handed them to him:
"Your team needs this, right? Don't be so polite with me, do I have to give you my watch?"

Zhong Jianhu laughed and said, "That's great! My family has been peasants for three generations, and we've never worn a cadre's watch before."

Money is more readily available.

For him, a watch was nothing special.

He actually took off his watch and stuffed it into Zhong Jianhu's pocket: "Come on, deliver my stuff to my door."

Zhong Jianhu was stunned.

Seriously, Ah Jin, are you serious?
He quickly explained that he was joking.

Qian Jincai wasn't joking with him; he genuinely gave him the watch, saying, "Our barter system doesn't violate national economic policies."

Back in the supply and marketing cooperative’s backyard, Jin Hai was squatting by the well, scrubbing an enamel basin.

Several bamboo baskets were brought in, and he said with a smile, "Oh, Erhu, what brings you here? Bringing us some good stuff?"

Zhong Jianhu chuckled, "Compared to what Director Qian gave me, what I'm giving you is all junk."

Qian Jin said, "Don't give me that nonsense. You're not acting like a man. Pour out the fresh goods and then get the hell out of here."

Zhong Jianhu chuckled.

As fresh country delicacies such as loach and snails were placed into the enamel basin, Jin Hai exclaimed, "These are truly fine things!"

Qian Jin asked, "Do you know what time Section Chief Liu and the others will be back?"

Jin Hai said, "Old Zhao knows what he's doing. He'll definitely come in at 11:30. He'll wash his hands and eat then."

As he spoke, he took the enamel basin containing the snails and said, "I'll change the water and let them purge the sand."

Qian Jin rolled up his sleeves and began sharpening a kitchen knife on the stone slab in the courtyard.

Sunlight filters through the branches and leaves of the old locust tree, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone slabs.

Amidst the "ch-ch" sound of the whetstone, the blade gradually gleamed with a cold light.

As they were making preparations, Zhong Jianhu returned, covered in sweat: "We also need this, leaders. How can we eat all that fresh food?"

Qian Jin looked over and saw that the guy had brought over a basket of eggs and a large plate of tofu.

He said, "Toona sinensis can be stir-fried with eggs, and loach can be burrowed into tofu. You should eat them, they're absolutely delicious!"

These eggs were genuine free-range eggs back then.

Several eggs were cracked into a rough porcelain bowl; the yolks, like molten gold, shone so brightly they reflected the sunlight.

Qian Jin didn't stand on ceremony with him, after all, he had given him a mechanical watch.

After Zhong Jianhu left, Jin Hai helped, asking, "Is this enough eggs?"

Qian Jin shook the water off his knife and shook his head: "Make four more. Stir-fried eggs with toon leaves is about enjoying the freshness of the toon leaves and the aroma of the eggs."

Jin Hai clicked his tongue in amazement: "You city folks are really ruthless, frying ten eggs with toon leaves?"

Qian Jin smiled without saying a word and began to get busy.

He grabbed a handful of toon leaves, piling the tender shoots into a small mountain on the cutting board.

As the cleaver moved, the purplish-red leaf stems turned into fine, even powder, releasing a refreshing aroma.

If you want to cook properly, the stove isn't big enough.

However, there is a kitchen in this three-courtyard complex.

Jin Hai went to start a fire, and the pine firewood in the stove crackled and popped, while the iron pot burned and emitted blue smoke.

On the next table, snails that have expelled all the sand are draining water in a strainer.

Qian Jin picked one up, and the cap snapped back into place.

Very fresh.

Heat the pan, then add cold oil; the heat is just right.

It will be some time before Liu Xinhui returns, but spicy stir-fried snails are suitable as a cold dish, so we can prepare them in advance.

He threw a handful of dried chili peppers into the pot, sautéed them until fragrant, and then added the snails.

Soy sauce was poured along the edge of the pot, sizzling and releasing a fragrant aroma. The store sells special sauce for stir-fried snails, so no other seasonings are needed. I brought in a bag of sauce, and then stuffed the bag under the stove to burn it.

Finally, sprinkle on some minced wild garlic, and the bright red and oily spicy stir-fried snails are ready to serve.

Jin Hai, who was cleaning river clams, came in drawn by the aroma, his large Adam's apple bobbing incessantly: "This smell is amazing!"

Qian Jin gestured for him to try it: "It's a bit spicy. Section Chief Liu is from western Hunan, so I made sure to add extra spice."

Jin Hai asked, "How did you know his hometown?"

Qian Jin said, "The Xiangxi accent is quite unique. I have a friend who has this accent."

Jin Hai tried one, and it was so spicy that he kept inhaling, but he couldn't bear to spit it out.

The large bucket quieted down, and the river mussels inside began to bubble and bubble.

Qian Jin scooped one out, and tried to cut it open with the tip of his knife along the seam of the clam shell!

These days, wild river mussels are incredibly strong.

Jin Hai rolled up his sleeves: "I'll do it!"

Qian Jin cautioned him, "Be careful not to cut your hand."

Jin Hai said nonchalantly, "I've been doing this for fifty years, it's nothing."

Qian Jin asked, "How old are you this year?"

Jin Hai subconsciously said, "Forty-eight."

Then he fell silent.

But he is indeed very good at picking up river clams.

With a flick of the wrist, the blade slid in, and with another push, the thick clam meat trembled and was revealed.

He deftly removed the gills and intestinal tract and threw them into the water. Qian Jin then sliced ​​the clam meat into thin slices, which shone like jade in the sunlight.

"So beautiful!" Qian Jin exclaimed. "It's really a fine piece!"

River clams are difficult to cook; if they're too young, they'll taste fishy, ​​and if they're too old, they'll become tough.

Qian Jin used it to stir-fry pickled vegetables.

The fishy smell of the river clams was masked by the flavors of pickled vegetables, chili peppers, and garlic. "Sizzle—"

The clam meat slices curled up in the hot oil, and pickled vegetable shreds and red chili peppers were tossed in. As the spatula flew, the jade-colored clam meat wrapped in dark brown pickled vegetables, and the fresh and spicy aroma quickly filled the entire yard.

After the dish was cooked, Qian Jin took a break.

The rest of the dishes, whether it's fried fish, stir-fried vegetables, or loach stewed with tofu, are all eaten hot, so he has to cook them precisely at the right time.

He went to the lobby to help Liu Xiulan greet customers, as enthusiastic as ever.

The commune members joked with him, and he joked back.

When the villagers asked what smelled so good, he taught them his cooking skills: "Stir-frying is very simple, just add more oil and more meat, there's no trick to it!"

This remark caused a burst of laughter.

Seeing that it was almost time, Qian Jin went into the backyard to get busy again.

The small river fish were scooped out and placed in a bamboo sieve to drain; their silvery-white scales shimmered with tiny sparkles.

Qian Jin grabbed a handful of sweet potato noodles, and the little fish rolled around in the noodles before being thrown into the oil, making a sizzling sound.

These small river fish and shrimp don't need any processing and there's no way to process them, so they're very easy to cook.

When the fried river fish were taken out of the water, their tails were still sticking up, and they were golden and crispy, like works of art.

The most time-consuming part is the loach.

Following Zhong Jianhu's instructions, Qian Jin poured the live loach into a pot of cold water and slowly heated it over a low flame.

As soon as white foam appears on the surface of the water, scoop it out and rinse off the slime.

Cut the soft tofu into cubes and put them in a clay pot with loach, ginger slices, and Shaoxing wine. Simmer slowly until the soup turns milky white.

Qian Jin lit the stove and placed the clay pot on it to simmer slowly over a low flame.

This dish isn't urgent.

As the saying goes, "Tofu can be boiled a thousand times and fish ten thousand times; it's not afraid of being stewed."

Qian Jin shredded some pickled vegetables to use later, and said, shaking his head, "Eat pickled vegetables and tofu, even the emperor is no match for me..."

"Section Chief Liu is at the door!" Zhao Dazhu jogged in to report.

In fact, there was no need for him to report it; Qian Jin had already heard the roar of the jeep.

We need to prepare the vegetables quickly.

Chinese toon sprouts in March and April are a delicacy.

Actually, it's a bit late to eat them now, but Zhongzhuang probably has good soil and water, so the toon sprouts are still tender.

Qian Jin pulled a bundle out of the bamboo basket. It was so tender and juicy that a pinch of the tender stem would release a fragrant juice.

He placed the Chinese toon on the cutting board.

With each stroke of the cleaver, the tender shoots are reduced to fine, even powder, and the blade strikes the cutting board with a crisp rhythm.

Inside the stove, the pine firewood crackled and popped, and the iron pot had already turned bluish-green from the heat.

Golden rapeseed oil slid into the bottom of the pot, sending up a wisp of smoke.

Qian Jin poured the beaten egg mixture into the pot, and the egg mixture instantly expanded into a cloud shape.

With a flick of his wrist, the toon leaves scattered like petals from a fairy's shower, the tender green colliding with the golden yellow, the aroma bursting forth with a "boom," making Jin Hai, who was assisting him, swallow hard.

Qian Jin asked smugly, "Brother Jin, how's my skill level?"

Jin Hai gave a thumbs up: "No doubt about it, he's just domineering."

Qian Jin said, "How about I become the head chef at your house? I can entertain your guests then."

Upon hearing this, Jin Hai stammered, "No, no, no, this won't do. You're the leader, I don't need a leader. It's not that I mean it, how could I trouble you, my leader..."

Qian Jin was puzzled by his attitude: "Brother, what do you mean? You don't think much of my cooking?"

Jin Hai hurriedly replied, "Of course not, I would love to."

"To be honest, my family's circumstances are limited, and we don't have that many seasonings and cooking oil to make for you!"

Qian Jin understood.

Does this guy mean that his delicious cooking is all because he uses plenty of ingredients and oil?
But Jin Hai was right.

That's how it is.

Taking into account Liu Xinhui's hometown, Qian Jin made a dipping sauce.

Crush green and red peppers into a fine powder in a mortar and pestle, and smash and mince garlic cloves.

Heat the wok again, add a spoonful of lard, sauté the chili and minced garlic until fragrant, then add a little soy sauce and MSG—that's enough.

Jin Hai also bought some alfalfa tips, which are called "grass heads" locally and are also a good thing in spring.

But Qian Jin wasn't good at making this, so Jin Hai took it upon himself to do it: "Spring grass soup is the most refreshing."

The alfalfa tips are the most tender. After simmering them in clear soup for a couple of seconds, the emerald green leaves against the translucent broth look as beautiful as if spring itself has been poured into a bowl.

In order to make a good impression on his superiors, Zhao Dazhu had been running around in the countryside and was now starving.

He hurriedly moved an eight-immortal table over and served the dishes one by one.

On the octagonal table, golden and emerald green scrambled eggs with toon sprouts, tempting bright red stir-fried snails, fragrant salted vegetables and river clams, a small mountain of fried fish, and steaming hot clover soup.

Not far away, a large earthenware pot was bubbling on a stove.

Spring sunlight filters through the locust leaves, casting dappled patterns of light on the vegetables. As the leaves sway, the light shimmers.

Qian Jin stretched.

This scene is beautiful!
"Dinner's ready!" Qian Jin called out.

As Liu Xinhui and the driver washed their hands and stepped into the backyard, they saw him pouring wine into a teacup.

The rich aroma mingled with cooking smoke is the most touching aspect of rural life.

Liu Xinhui was in a great mood and had a big appetite: "Xiao Yang, it's a good thing we stayed, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to eat such good food."

One by one, the wine glasses were filled.

The aroma of wine mingled with the steam from the food, wafting through the air under the locust tree.

Liu Xiulan closed the door, hung up the 'Closed' sign, and then hurriedly came in and sat down.

She was exhausted from all that morning.

The little girl had never smelled so many fragrances in her life!

After everyone was seated, Qian Jin asked Liu Xinhui to speak.

Liu Xinhui didn't hold back and gave them a real lesson in ideology.

Finally, he smiled and said, "Come on, Director Qian, say a few words too."

Qian Jin said, "I won't add anything superfluous. Section Chief Liu's words are excellent. Let's remember them. And then—don't be shy, eat!"

Liu Xinhui was also hungry.

He unbuttoned the top button of his Zhongshan suit and reached for the spicy stir-fried snails with his chopsticks.

Driver Xiao Yang said, "You guys are so considerate; the boss loves this kind of thing."

Liu Xiulan didn't say anything, and quickly went to pick up the stir-fried eggs with toon leaves.

Golden egg pieces are coated with emerald-green toon sprouts, and oil glistens in the slightly charred wrinkles at the edges.

She picked up a piece, and the egg piece trembled and a few tender sprouts fell off. When she put it in her mouth, the fluffy egg flakes were wrapped with the unique coolness of the toon. When she bit into the tender stem, juice burst out, making her sigh softly.

I feel so satisfied!

Having just tasted the delicious flavor of spicy stir-fried snails, Jin Hai was finally ready to eat, grabbing a snail with his hand.

Qian Jin didn't have time to break off the snail tips one by one, so he thoughtfully prepared toothpicks.

The bright red snail shell was coated with minced garlic and chili. He leaned in and sucked it up. No snail meat came out, but the sauce slid into his mouth. It was so spicy that he gasped for breath but couldn't stop eating.

Liu Xiulan tried to suck the snail like him, but she couldn't suck out any snail meat. The spiciness made the girl sweat and her braids tremble.

Liu Xinhui laughed heartily: "You comrades can't handle spicy food."

"Then stop sucking the sauce and use this to pick out the snail meat. These snails are very good, and the meat is very crisp."

Jin Hai chuckled and said, "Boss, this sauce is so delicious, it's perfect with drinks."

Liu Xinhui nodded: "That's right, the key to spicy stir-fried snails is the sauce..."

"The loach is ready!" Qian went in and lifted the lid of the casserole, revealing the milky white broth bubbling away.

Tofu cubes floated in the soup, and the loach pieces were stewed until the bones were soft and the meat was tender. Sprinkled with pickled vegetables and chopped green onions, a vibrant green color immediately floated on the surface of the thick white soup.

Qian Jin served each person a bowl.

Liu Xinhui held the bowl and took a sip of the soup. The umami flavor slid down his throat, and a warm feeling spread from his stomach to his limbs.

The loach fell apart with a gentle nudge of the chopsticks, revealing white flesh beneath its brown skin. As the skin peeled away, the white flesh mixed into the tofu, creating a completely white mess.

He picked up a piece of tofu, dipped it in chili sauce, and ate it, praising it highly: "Director Qian, your cooking skills are good enough to prepare state banquets at the Great Hall of the People."

"You flatter me, sir. I'd rather serve the common people. Here, sir, have a taste of this." Qian Jin said with a smile, using a spoon to scoop a spoonful of stir-fried river clams with pickled vegetables for Liu Xinhui.

The clam meat slices were rolled into small rolls, wrapped with dark brown pickled vegetable shreds, and the fresh aroma emanating from the hot oil wafted straight into one's nose.

Liu Xinhui chewed slowly, the clam meat crisp and tender, the fermented aroma of the pickled vegetables bursting between his teeth, the spiciness belatedly creeping up from the back of his tongue, prompting him to quickly gulp down a mouthful of wine:

"Enjoyed!"

Zhao Dazhu was poking at a fried small river fish with the tip of his chopsticks.

The little fish is golden all over, and its tail is playfully sticking up.

He carefully bit off the fish head, the crispy fish scales cracking between his teeth, the snow-white fish meat rolling in the sweet aroma of sweet potato starch.

The fish's belly also contains a section of bitter intestines, and that just-right bit of bitterness makes the fish meat even sweeter.

Qian Jin could only shake his head as he watched Jin Hai and Liu Xiulan eating so intently.

Can't you see that the leader needs a bowl of soup because it's too spicy?
He then brought Liu Xinhui a bowl of herb soup.

The tender green alfalfa shoots unfurled in the clear broth, with a few specks of oil floating on the surface.

Just then, Liu Xinhui was eating a greasy and spicy meal when a sip of soup, with its fresh grassy aroma, washed away the greasiness in his stomach. It was just perfect.

He drank almost half a bowl, not even bothering to wipe the tender leaf stuck to his lips.

After a few rounds of drinks, only a pile of golden tails remained of the fried small fish, the bottom of the plate of spicy stir-fried snails was covered with red oil, and there wasn't even a crumb left of the scrambled eggs with toon leaves.

Liu Xinhui unbuttoned all his clothes, raised his glass to Qian Jin, and said, "There's nothing to say, comrades, let's all toast Director Qian?"

"At the same time, we wish him all the best in his new role and hope he will serve the people of Zidian Commune with enthusiasm!"

The others quickly raised their glasses: "To Director Qian..."

(End of this chapter)