Era: Rise from the Wilderness

He took out the sharp kitchen knife and scraped off the fine, shimmering fish scales with a gentle and even touch, avoiding damage to the fish skin.

Carefully cut off the fins and remove the bright red gills; then cut open the fish from the belly, remove the internal organs, and rinse it thoroughly inside and out with clean water.

Once all the seafood ingredients have been cleaned, the actual cooking process begins.

The stove was already lit, and blue flames burned the black bottom of the pot.

Li Yunjing volunteered to help. He placed the cleaned, slightly opened conch and prawns into the steamer, added a few slices of ginger and scallions, and adjusted the heat.

There's only one key point to cooking seafood: heat and cooking time.

Don't stir too vigorously, or the shrimp meat will become tough; don't stir too small either, or the conch won't cook through.

He stood quietly by the fire, listening intently.

Soon, the pot began to gurgle and bubble happily, and white steam rose from the edge of the lid, carrying the unique and indescribable sweet aroma of seafood. It quickly filled the entire kitchen and even drifted into the small living room, making everyone's mouths water.

The father, Li Hongfeng, took over the responsibility of cooking yellow croaker.

Heat the pan with cold oil. When the oil is hot and wisps of smoke appear, slide the yellow croaker into the pan along the edge.

"Sizzle..."

With a pleasant crackling sound, the fish skin instantly tightened, set, and released a rich, caramelized aroma.

He carefully shook the pan handle to prevent sticking, and once one side was golden brown, he flicked his wrist and easily flipped the whole fish over. His movements were clean and efficient, which drew silent praise from Li Yunjing, who was watching from the side.

Remove the fried fish from the pan, leaving some oil in the pan. Sauté ginger slices, garlic cloves, and dried chili peppers until fragrant. Add cooking wine, soy sauce, vinegar, and a little sugar. Add hot water and bring to a boil. Return the fried fish to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and let the fish simmer slowly in the rich sauce until it absorbs the flavors.

Mother He Ling was not idle either. She poured the clams that had been purged of mud and sand into another pot of boiling water. Watching the shells open their mouths one by one in the boiling water, revealing the plump and tender clam meat inside, she quickly scooped them out and drained the water.

Then, I made a simple sauce with minced garlic, minced ginger, minced cilantro, soy sauce, and sesame oil, and poured it over the blanched clams. A refreshing and appetizing "blanched clams" dish was then ready.

The small kitchen was filled with steam and delicious aromas.

The sweetness of the seafood in the steamer, the savory aroma of the braised fish in the pot, the refreshing garlic scent of the blanched clams, and the warmth brought by the gas all blend together.

As all the dishes were served one by one, the little home seemed to be illuminated.

In the center is a braised yellow croaker with a thick, bright red sauce and an enticing aroma; next to it are steamed prawns, perfectly cooked with bright red shells and springy meat, and original-flavored sea snails with firm flesh, eaten with ginger and vinegar sauce; and a plate of blanched clams garnished with bright green cilantro and emitting a fragrant garlic aroma.

My mother had also stir-fried a plate of cabbage with vinegar as a refreshing side dish.

The aroma of rice wafted out of the rice cooker.

Father Li Hongfeng took out a bottle of locally produced liquor that he usually couldn't bear to drink and poured a small cup for his son.

"Come on, son, have a drink with your dad!"

His voice was a little hoarse, and his eyes were full of love.

"Dad, Mom, I toast you!"

Li Yunjing raised his glass and solemnly said, "I wish Dad a safe journey and a successful business trip! And I wish our family's future days will be as prosperous and flavorful as this meal!"

The three wine glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.

"Mom, how's business at the store today?"

After downing a glass of wine, Li Yunjing asked his mother with concern, "Was everything alright?"

"What else can we do? Same as always!"

He Ling calmly picked up some food, responding without looking up, her tone extremely flat: "Same as usual."

He paused, swallowed the food in his mouth, and continued, "It's a bit quiet in the morning, but it gets busy in the afternoon when the students get out of school."

"After counting the money, the gross income was about three hundred and fifty yuan."

"After deducting the cost of goods, utilities, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, we only have a few dozen yuan left, which is just enough for our family's daily living expenses."

However, these seemingly ordinary words had a different flavor to Li Hongfeng.

The wife spoke in a flat tone about the daily gross income of three or four hundred dollars and the net profit of a few dozen dollars from the small shop.

Then, subconsciously, I thought of my "iron rice bowl"—a job I'd held for over a decade in a large state-owned factory, seemingly stable and respectable, but in reality, with my monthly salary fluctuating around 150 yuan for years and virtually no hope of growth…

A sense of indescribable disappointment welled up in my heart.

This home has changed without us even realizing it.

My wife is no longer a housewife; she now runs a small shop. Although it's hard work, it brings a substantial cash flow to the family, and I feel more confident in my words and actions.

Where is the son?

It's as if they grew up overnight, shedding their youthful naiveté and developing their own set of ideas. They even have "connections" and "skills" that they themselves can't understand. They are bold, meticulous, and daring to think and act.

Only I seem to be stuck in the same place, repeating similar work every day and earning that meager salary.

Previously, he was the breadwinner of his family and the support for his wife and children.

But now... his wife can earn money, his son has his own ideas, and he can even drive and do business. Is his position as the head of the family being shaken like this?

Looking at the sumptuous dishes on the table, and at his wife and son, he felt a pang of unease.

"This business trip is to that coal mine in the Northwest..."

As Li Hongfeng drank, he secretly made up his mind: "I can't be like before, following those rich and powerful coal bosses, just eating and drinking at the dinner table, calling each other brothers, and then coming back after finishing the business."

"Those few important matters that Brother Ma privately entrusted to us must be handled flawlessly, even exceeding expectations!"

"I'll try to make a contribution, let Ma Zhifu see me, and maybe get some tea money from him."

"I, Li Hongfeng, am not old yet, and I can still support this family!"

The meal went fairly well.

Amidst his son's compliments, Li Hongfeng gradually let go of his worries and began to eat and drink heartily, no longer wanting to think about those messy, trivial matters.

The mother seemed quite pleased, reminding Li Hongfeng to be careful and not to forget to bring this and that...

Things changed after we finished eating.

While He Ling deftly cleared away the dishes, stacking the greasy plates together with a slight clinking sound, she casually strolled over to Li Yunjing, who was preparing to get up and slip away to her room.

In the blink of an eye, she reached out and grabbed her son's right ear with lightning speed.