Chapter 180: The Possibility of Freeing Her Hands
Ning Xiyue handed the meat in the basket to Liu Yao for safekeeping and walked over with a cheerful smile toward the captain.
“Captain, I’d like to buy twenty jin of meat. Can I also buy that batch of small intestines?”
The captain’s face wore a kind smile. “Sure. Whatever cut you want, just ask Uncle Li to slice it for you.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
Ning Xiyue took nineteen jin of lean meat and one jin of fat — all for making sausages — along with nearly a full batch of small intestines.
The others at the Youth Academy took the opportunity to buy and store some meat as well.
Comrade Wang Jiandong, usually quiet and unassuming but sharp-minded when it mattered, didn’t miss the chance. He bought the most: thirty jin for himself, plus some marrow bones.
“Jiandong, you bought so much?” Zhao Jianshe asked in surprise.
Wang Jiandong scratched his head and gave a simple, earnest smile. “I just want to contribute to the team’s revenue. It’s cold outside, and it would be troublesome for the captain to take it all to town.”
“Comrade Jiandong, how thoughtful of you.” Whether he was sincere or not, the captain was pleased and gave him a thumbs-up.
Ning Xiyue, knowing that Jiandong was usually modest and reserved, blinked in admiration. This guy sure knows how to speak — impressive!
Encouraged by this, other members bought some meat too, mostly to eat during the busy farm work ahead.
Piece by piece, this pig was completely sold within the team — no need for the captain to take it all the way to town.
The captain was pleased. Taking it to the collection station would fetch a low price and require time and effort. Selling it to the team was a win-win: the members benefited, and the team earned more than the market price.
Everyone in line for the meat had finished, happily carrying their portions home.
The captain lifted the megaphone: “That’s it for this year’s meat distribution. Cook what you need to cook, do what you need to do — dismissed!”
“Okay.”
Every household happily carried their meat home.
Ning Xiyue heard many children excitedly asking adults about the meat.
For example, the child called Little Black Monkey beside her asked his grandmother, “Granny, tonight can we have pork stewed with vermicelli?”
“Yes, yes, yes! All you think about is food. Hurry up, I’ll get the fire going to cook it for you.”
Seeing Ning Xiyue, he beamed and shared happily, “Sister Xiyue, my granny is making pork stewed with vermicelli — it’s going to be delicious!”
Ning Xiyue smiled knowingly. “Good, I’ll make some too. Go on, your granny’s already gone ahead.”
“Goodbye, Sister Xiyue!” Little Black Monkey waved and hopped toward his granny.
“Granny, wait for me! I’ll start the fire for you! Don’t start without me — I want the crispy pork bits!”
For each child, happiness was eating meat. Ning Xiyue recalled her own childhood — she had loved meat the most when she was young.
Chen Ye Chu, carrying a leg of meat, approached Ning Xiyue: “Xiyue, let’s go back. I’ll teach you how to make ham.”
“All right.”
Ning Xiyue lifted her basket of meat and followed the Youth Academy members back.
By the time they returned, it was already late. Ning Xiyue and Chen Ye Chu planned to make ham the next day.
Ning Xiyue began working on her long-desired braised pork.
With every household cooking meat today, the entire brigade was filled with the aroma of cooking pork.
The smell was especially strong at the Youth Academy.
Everyone had bought a lot of meat and wasn’t stingy with spices. The whole Youth Academy was enveloped in the rich aroma.
Ning Xiyue inhaled deeply as she worked on her braised pork.
Next door, Chen Ye Chu was making marinated meat. In the front courtyard, dishes were being prepared with sour and spicy flavors. Wu Guifang had received two pork kidneys, which became stir-fried kidney with pickled chili and sour vegetables.
She could also smell bone broth — Wang Jiandong was simmering radish and marrow bone soup.
Looking at the braised pork reducing in her pot and inhaling the aroma around her, Ning Xiyue’s mouth watered. “The Youth Academy members’ cooking skills are really improving — it smells amazing.”
Little Turtle hovered overhead, looking at Ning Xiyue’s self-praise like Wang Po selling melons: [Host, I seriously suspect you’re complimenting yourself.]
“Doesn’t it smell good?” Ning Xiyue looked innocently at Little Turtle, then suddenly realized: “Oh, I forgot you can’t smell or eat — what a pity.”
Little Turtle felt like it had suffered a billion blows, clutching its little heart. [You… host, you’re too cruel, bullying me. Hmph, I’m ignoring you.]
“All right, all right, no more teasing. The meat’s ready — let’s eat.”
Ning Xiyue stopped joking with Little Turtle. The braised pork was ready, and nothing was more important than eating.
The two jin of pork belly she had obtained today were all used at once to make braised pork with potatoes — enough for two large bowls.
The extra bowl was stored in her system backpack for future cravings, while the other remained for the meal.
The potatoes soaked in the braised pork sauce and became especially fragrant and delicious.
Little Turtle watched the host devour bowl after bowl, mixing the sauce with rice until she finally stopped.
Worried, it said: [Host, don’t overeat. I’m afraid you’ll eat yourself into bankruptcy.]
“Burp.” Ning Xiyue measured her height, pinched her belly, and waved. “I’m growing! Every bit of meat I eat isn’t wasted — I need to store energy for winter. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Besides, we’re practically wealthy now. How could I go bankrupt? Don’t worry, I’ve got it all under control.”
“Come, Little Turtle, let’s sign today’s log. For both sessions, sign off on pig feed.”
While speaking, Ning Xiyue opened the system panel’s sign-in icon and logged 100 jin of corn grits and 100 jin of wheat bran.
“Little Turtle, sign these for me today.”
[Ding! Sign-in successful. Congratulations, host, you have received a household smart robot.]
What? A household smart robot?
Ning Xiyue’s face lit up with a bright smile. Without hesitation, she entered the space to test the robot.
If Ning Xiyue had a current headache, it was the sheer number of piglets in her space. Right now, she could manage, but when they grew up, she would be overwhelmed and powerless.
The appearance of this robot opened a new possibility for her.
The possibility of freeing her hands.
Ning Xiyue circled the humanoid robot, still inactive, and asked, “Little Turtle, can I have it manage the space and take care of the piglets for me?”
