Chapter 193: Sugar‑Coated Peanuts

Don't say.

Qiao Sheng's words actually had some effect; An Liu hasn't been eating that much since tonight.

This year's New Year's Eve, Shi Jin and the others spent it together with Qiao Sheng and his group.

The reason Shi Jin and Shi Ren were with them is that they both didn't want to go back.

Shi Yun?

His grandmother wrote to him a few days ago, saying she would come here in the first month, so he didn't go back.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, Qiao Sheng arrived and immediately got busy, cleaning all the pork heads they had bought and taking them to the brine.

Qiao Hushui and the others were not idle either; those who harvested vegetables harvested, those who killed fish killed, those who tended the fire tended it, those who pasted the fu characters pasted them, those who pasted the couplets pasted them…

Qiao Sheng put the marinated dishes into the brine and then started peeling peanuts.

Xiao Shitou and a few others had been harvesting vegetables; after washing them and bringing them in, they saw Qiao Sheng peeling peanuts, and they all gathered around, and for a moment Qiao Sheng was surrounded by children.

"Mom, why are you peeling peanuts?"

Xiao Shitou asked.

Shi Jin and the others all looked at Qiao Sheng.

Qiao Sheng smiled and said, "I'm making something tasty for you; do you want to eat?"

"Want it!"

Everyone answered quite neatly.

Without Qiao Sheng saying a word, they started helping to peel.

Shi Yun prefers raw peanuts; while peeling, Shi Yun kept stuffing them into her own mouth.

Shi Jin couldn't help but say, "Shi Yun, are you a pig? You just had breakfast not long ago and you're already eating again; look at how you peel—most of it ends up in your mouth."

"Then I'll eat less."

Shi Yun kept her word and indeed ate considerably less than before.

Qiao Sheng, worried that she might eat too much and not be able to have lunch, said, "Shi Yun, just eat a little; don't overeat, otherwise you won't be able to finish the delicious food Aunt Qiao makes for lunch today."

"Oh."

Shi Yun thought about it and found Qiao Sheng's words reasonable, so she didn't eat any more.

It seemed there were already that many peanuts peeled.

Qiao Sheng told them to stop peeling: "Alright, that's enough; you can go play outside!"

Qiao Sheng sent them away.

Qiao Sheng washed the pot, boiled water, poured all the peeled peanuts into the pot to cook; after less than half a minute Qiao Sheng lifted them out with a slotted spoon and placed them in cold water.

She let them soak for a while.

Qiao Sheng cupped the peanuts in their hands, rubbed them to remove the outer skins, drained the water, washed the pot again, and after cleaning, placed the peanuts for frying.

She fried them over low heat until fully cooked.

She put them in a bamboo sieve to cool.

Only then did Qiao Sheng start making the syrup; after washing the pot, Qiao Sheng ladled in some water, added a certain amount of salt and plenty of sugar, and simmered over low heat.

Qiao Sheng stirred continuously while simmering; when the syrup thickened, Qiao Sheng poured the cooled fried peanuts into it and kept stirring with chopsticks.

Until the syrup fully coated the fried peanuts.

Forming a sugar coating.

Qiao Sheng fetched a clean wooden basin and transferred all the finished sugar‑coated peanuts into it.

The finished sugar‑coated peanuts, looking as white as snow and tasting fragrant and sweet, made Xiao Shitou and the others want a second after eating one; everyone liked them a lot.

Not only they liked them, Qiao Hushui and the others also liked them quite a bit.

With Qiao Hushui and the others helping out.

Qiao Sheng only needed to handle the cooking, and while Qiao Sheng was halfway through the dishes, Shi Lin arrived.

Shi Lin didn't come alone; he brought An Jiu and An Yi with him. Actually, he didn't want to bring them, but they insisted on coming along.

Each of them carried a lot of items in their hands.

"Shi Shushu, you're here!"

(End of chapter)