The little one's purse connects the two worlds, turning a desolate village into a paradise.

(Thanks to the owner of Linggan Xiaowang for the generous endorsement!)

"Stewed chicken feet???" Xiong Bo was taken aback. He was a coppersmith, and he was good at casting, repairing, disassembling and assembling. But when it came to cooking, his culinary skills were so bad that he could only cook the food without poisoning it.

Could it be... that Chun Tao has a keen eye and discovered his hidden talent in cooking? He's never even eaten chicken feet before!

Why do you think he can be of help?

Despite his hesitation, Xiong Bo went over and said, "Okay, tell me, and I'll do as you say."

Ji Chuntao cheerfully pulled out a pressure cooker: "Well, this is a pressure cooker, and Nannan brought it back..."

As Xiong Bo listened to Ji Chuntao's words, he looked into the pressure cooker. The bottom of the pot was covered with white chicken feet, topped with some ginger slices, crushed garlic cloves, a few round peppercorns, dried small flower-shaped objects (star anise), a few pieces of scallion, and a small amount of chili pepper pieces.

"Will it work?" Ji Chuntao asked, holding the pot and looking expectantly at Xiong Bo.

After understanding, Xiong Bo was both amused and exasperated. It turned out that this young woman was afraid the pot would explode, and since she thought she was thick-skinned and not afraid of explosions, she asked him for help.

"Okay." Xiong Bo took the pressure cooker.

With Xiong Bo's permission, Ji Chuntao happily poured some soy sauce into the pressure cooker, added a spoonful of salt, a pinch of sugar, and finally added water to cover the chicken feet.

She had never made similar food before, so she could only rely on her experience and put in whatever seasonings she thought were suitable.

"Once I wipe it clean, I can put the lid on. There's a groove at the bottom, so it has to be sealed tightly, otherwise the steam inside will escape and it'll be scary." Ji Chuntao said, wiping the remaining juice around the rim of the pot with a clean cloth. Then, she held the lid with both hands and sealed it tightly in the groove.

"The metal lump at the top is called a valve. Once the valve in the middle starts to spray air upwards, let it steam for about half an incense stick's time, and then you can turn off the fire."

After giving her instructions, Ji Chuntao hid far away.

Xiong Bo looked helplessly at the pressure cooker in his hand. Was this thing really that scary? It's just a pot, isn't it?

He placed the pot on the stove, set it securely, and then sat leisurely beside it.

A moment later, white steam slowly rose from the top of the pressure cooker, and the piercing sound of steam escaping filled the courtyard.

Xiong Bo stared at the small nozzle that spewed air; it was indeed a bit scary, but he wasn't afraid.

Then, precisely at the appointed time, Xiong Bo pulled out the firewood from underneath and extinguished it.

"Chuntao, is this finished? Do you want me to open the lid for you?" Xiong Bo stared at the pot that was still sizzling. He didn't know how much heat had accumulated inside. Opening the lid now might burn someone. If he wasn't careful, the lid could easily be pushed up.

"Wait a little longer, let the gas subside before opening it." Ji Chuntao moved over slowly, still feeling a bit apprehensive as she looked at the straight column of gas.

……

Zhao Haohao felt that something was wrong with his mother.

Normally, as soon as he walks in the door after school, his mother would rush up to greet him, calling him "Da Bao" repeatedly. But today, he kept shaking his head vigorously for no reason, his neck was stiff like he had a sore throat, and he kept tilting his head to one side. He also had a pair of earrings on his ears that he had bought somewhere, and they kept moving around.

He noticed that he no longer called his son, and he even saw his mother rolling her eyes at him.

Yes, he definitely rolled his eyes.

Zhao Haohao scratched the back of his head and thought about his behavior at school. There shouldn't be anything that would make the teacher complain. Besides, Qingming Festival is coming soon, and the school will be on holiday!

Oh, he knows. Distance makes things better, and that's how short videos portray it.

Parents are reluctant to let their children go to school and worry about them every day.

But once he came back, he just couldn't stand the sight of him.

So his mother finds him annoying now? Then, should he leave?

Zhao Haohao stared at Cao Xiulian for a couple more moments, then said, "Mom, I'm hungry."

"Finished your homework? Sweeped the floor? You'll be hungry if you don't do any chores, go cook for yourself." Cao Xiulian sat in front of the mirror, staring at the small gold flower earrings on her ears, without turning her head.

Little girls are the best; they're sweet, soft, sensible, and have a sweet tongue.

Zhao Haohao: ...

My mother must be possessed by an evil spirit.

The next morning, before dawn, after Cao Xiulian pulled Zhao Haohao out of his warm bed like a radish, he became even more certain of his idea.

"Mom, I'm on vacation! I did my homework yesterday, so I want to sleep in!" Zhao Haohao mumbled sleepily, his eyelids practically glued together.

"Why are you sleeping in? Get up and come help me at the shop! Look at how hard-working other kids are..." Cao Xiulian paused, swallowing back the words that were on the tip of her tongue, "Look how hard-working other kids are."

You shouldn't always compare your child to other people's children; it will hurt their feelings.

Besides, no matter how good other people's children are, they are not her own flesh and blood. Although Hao Hao is always causing trouble and making a mess of things, he is still her own eldest son.

She softened her tone: "Business has been good at the shop lately, and we need someone to help cook noodles. You can go and lend a hand, and I'll pay you."

Upon hearing about the pay, Zhao Haohao, who had been listless just moments before, instantly perked up, his head popping out from under the covers: "Really? You're not kidding me, are you?"

"How could it be fake?" Cao Xiulian nodded.

Zhao Haohao's eyes lit up: "Then I have one more request: after I finish my work each day, you have to let me play on my phone for an extra half hour!"

Half an hour is enough to play a game of King of Glory. If you're unlucky, you can play four games and surrender at six minutes.

Cao Xiulian glanced at him and said, "You're pushing your luck. Stop dawdling and hurry up and wash up. It won't be good if Ya Ya comes and doesn't see you when you're late."

"Ya Ya?" Zhao Haohao was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized that this was the little sister his mother always talked about and who partnered with her to open a shop.

Ever since his mother met Ya Ya, she has remembered to buy clothes for little Ya Ya when she buys clothes for herself, and she has also picked out books that she doesn't read and sent them to her.

They praise Ya Ya every day, saying she's sensible, loves learning, and is good at everything.

He stared at the small gold earrings dangling from Cao Xiulian's ears: "Mom, did little Ya Ya give you these earrings too?"

Cao Xiulian slightly raised her chin, her face full of pride: "Isn't that right? Look, Ya Ya remembers me and knows to pick out jewelry for me. And look at you, all these years, what decent things have you ever given your mother?"

Zhao Haohao scratched the back of his head sheepishly, and after thinking about it carefully, he realized that he really had never given it to anyone.

No wonder his mother always misses Ya Ya; it turns out they're going in both directions.

Zhao Haohao's eyes darted around and landed on his bookshelf.

Why don't he go both ways? Maybe little Ya Ya can give him something.