The younger sister mistakenly identified her brother when visiting relatives and was kissed by the c

Carrying the groceries she bought home, Qiao Xinxin had just put them down and stepped into the cramped kitchen when she realized for the first time that there are still too many unspeakable pains and inconveniences in this era!

For example, she can only cook using that smoky coal stove!

"Heavens above..." Qiao Xinxin cried out in despair as she used fire tongs to hold the honeycomb briquettes.

In the sweltering heat of summer! In the dog days of the capital! She had to start a fire in this cramped, stuffy little kitchen just to cook a meal! Who would understand!

Who understands the suffocating feeling of being directly in the face by the open flames and heat waves from a coal stove while cooking?!

"Sizzle—"

Add the pork belly to the pot and stir-fry in the hot oil.

"Oh my god! It's so hot!" Qiao Xinxin's body was instantly soaked with sweat, and her originally dry Dacron shirt clung tightly to her back.

She waved the spatula helplessly, stamping her feet from the heat, wishing she could cook the rice with her eyes right away!

In the sweltering kitchen, a plate of bright red, fatty but not greasy braised pork belly was simmering in an iron pot, its sauce reducing slowly. Next to it was a plate of refreshing and palate-cleansing cold green vegetables, while on another burner, a pot of cooling mung bean soup was simmering.

By the time the food was finally served, Qiao Xinxin had completely lost her appetite due to the heat.

Her face was flushed red from the fire, and the strands of hair on her forehead were completely soaked with sweat, sticking to her fair cheeks. She looked as if she had just been pulled out of the water.

"I can't take it anymore, I'm going to get heatstroke if I don't go cool down soon..."

She could only rush back into the bathroom, fill a basin with cold water, and use a towel to wipe the sticky sweat off her body again.

But she didn't realize that while she was cooking, the strong, domineering aroma of braised pork, mixed with caramel and soy sauce, had already wafted out through the half-open window and door!

The fragrance swept through the corridor, wafting straight into the noses of several neighboring households.

This is the time when every household is preparing and eating dinner.

The aroma of meat that hits the soul made everyone suddenly realize that their own bowls of mixed grain noodles and boiled vegetables didn't taste as good!

At the dining table in the neighbor's house next door.

A seven- or eight-year-old boy twitched his nose twice, sniffing like a puppy, then his eyes lit up with an astonishing light: "Mom! It smells like meat! There's braised pork! I want meat too!"

"Snapped!"

The mother slapped her son on the back of the head without hesitation.

"Meat? Nonsense! Do you want some or not? I just cut you two ounces of meat to make dumplings yesterday, and you're already craving it again? Who can afford to eat meat every day? Do you think we run a bank? That's enough, hurry up and eat!"

The little boy was scolded by his mother and immediately became as quiet as a chicken.

He pouted, looking aggrieved, and poked at the tasteless white porridge in his bowl with his chopsticks, while his mouth was honestly watering.

"Then why can the neighbors eat meat? It smells so good, it's almost unbearable..." the little boy muttered reluctantly.

Upon hearing this, the mother paused in her work.

She scooped a spoonful of thick porridge from the enamel basin of the Double Happiness brand and added it to her son's bowl.

Then, she couldn't help but sniff, following the alluring scent to the window.

"That's strange, this smell... it really is coming from next door!"

The woman was puzzled. The house next door had been empty all along. She had only heard that it had been applied for by a young battalion commander named Bai Zhengyuan. She had only seen him move furniture in over the past few days, but she had never seen anyone cook or live in it.

I didn't expect someone to move in so quickly? And the food is so sloppy, serving braised pork in this sweltering heat!

The woman returned to the table, sighed, and used her chopsticks to place a piece of cucumber salad on her son's plate. "Alright, stop craving it. That's just the new neighbors cooking. Once your dad gets his salary and meat ration coupons this month, Mom will go to the market and buy you some extra pork belly to satisfy your craving. Eat first..."

On the other side, Qiao Xinxin simply dried herself off, changed into some dry clothes, and then walked to the square table in the living room to slowly eat her meal.

By now, the mung bean soup served in the pot was no longer too hot to drink.

She quietly created a little space, took out a glass jar containing fine white sugar, scooped out a large spoonful, and put it into the soup, stirring it well.

One sip and the soup becomes sweet, the mung beans are cooked until soft and mushy, it's both refreshing and helps cut through the greasiness!

Summers in the capital are especially hot and humid. On such a hot day, a bowl of sweet mung bean soup would be incredibly refreshing!

"I wonder where my brother is right now, whether he's eating properly, and how dangerous his mission is..."

Qiao Xinxin took a bite of the tender and flavorful braised pork, and the image of Bai Zhengyuan's face, though blurry, conveyed concern in her mind.

Having absorbed the original owner's memories, she developed a strong liking for Bai Zhengyuan, who, despite having no blood relation to her, had always protected and loved her within the Bai family.

In this unfamiliar era, he was her only family.

After eating and drinking her fill, Qiao Xinxin rolled up her sleeves and washed all the pots and pans clean.

She filled a basin with hot water, secretly squeezed some dish soap from her pocket, and wiped the kitchen table and walls until they were sparkling clean.

After doing all this, she straightened up and wiped the fine sweat that had reappeared on her forehead.

"It's so hot today!"

Qiao Xinxin, fanning herself with a large palm-leaf fan she'd somehow found, plopped down on the sofa.

Think back to the Qiao family in Yuncheng. Thanks to Qiao Shouguo's status, the Qiao family was wealthy and was among the first families in Yuncheng to be able to afford an electric fan!

However, those rare items were something that the biased Qiao Shouguo and Qin Fangfang wouldn't allow to be used by an "outsider" like her.

She quickly stood up, swiftly pulled the curtains shut, bolted the door, and with a sudden realization, entered the space.

The space was kept at a constant temperature, so she didn't feel hot at all. As soon as she entered the space, she felt instantly refreshed.

As the bright sun outside was about to set, the cicadas' chirping gradually subsided, and the summer heat dissipated somewhat.

Qiao Xinxin got out of bed and picked out some apples and plums that were common in this era from her space.

She found several vintage red mesh bags, packed the fruit into them, each bag weighing about four or five pounds, and they felt heavy in her hands.

In the 1980s, when interpersonal relationships were highly valued, it was nothing like decades later when neighbors living across the hall would be complete strangers.

The neighbors here often interact, and it's common for them to borrow scallions or garlic or lend a hand to each other.

Moreover, this is a family compound that emphasizes collectivism, and the surrounding area is full of military spouses, so it's inevitable to interact with the people around you.

Qiao Xinxin straightened her clothes, picked up her net bag, opened the door, and prepared to deliver some gifts to each household.