Chapter 88: Jar-Braised Pork and Cabbage Rolls (Part 1)

Liu Heming still had some reservations about Nina. After all, she was different from ordinary people. Who knew what this girl was really thinking? He certainly wouldn’t believe that Nina fell in love with him at first sight, like flies drawn to rotten meat.

He thought about it for a moment, then pushed the idea out of his head. He wasn’t rotten meat—though he might not be considered fresh meat, he could at least be called cured meat.

He stopped dwelling on why Nina always seemed to want to make him slip up. The key issue now was to make his daughter happy. This was the System’s responsibility, and also his own duty.

He had decided on the menu before going to sleep: Jar-Braised Pork and Cabbage Rolls. He had also rehearsed the steps in his mind during the meal. Now, it was time to get to work. After all, Jar-Braised Pork required more time. If he wanted everyone to eat it by noon, he couldn’t afford any delays.

It was a small regret that there were no small wine jars or jars that had held fermented bean curd around. Using one of those for braising the meat would have given it the best flavor.

“Dad, what are you using this for?” Alex asked curiously, watching Liu Heming wash the jar and cut the meat.

“Dad is making something delicious for you. It’s called Jar-Braised Pork. Later, you’ll help Dad by putting this meat into the jar,” Liu Heming said to the little girl.

Hearing this, the little girl perked up immediately. Lately, she loved doing things with him the most—whether it was chores or cooking, she was always overjoyed.

Jar-Braised Pork had its own particular methods. This time, Liu Heming’s approach was a little special. To cater to everyone’s tastes, he added some beef.

The bottom layer was lined with fatty meat. This was to prevent the meat from burning if the heat wasn’t controlled properly. If that happened, the entire jar of meat would be ruined.

Alex placed the meat very carefully. Liu Heming didn’t help her at all. After all the meat was placed, he took out the seasonings and had the little girl sprinkle them on top of the meat.

Originally, he had considered adding some of the System’s special broth to the meat, but he decided against it. Doing so would make it taste too similar to Braised Marinated Meat.

The Bear Kids also wanted to help, but Liu Heming didn’t dare let them. With their little bear paws, they might overturn the jar in one swipe.

Once everything was ready, Liu Heming placed the jar over the charcoal fire. Not too close—there was some distance between them. The key to Jar-Braised Pork was simmering it slowly, starting with high heat and then reducing to low heat. Otherwise, the flavors wouldn’t fully develop, and the meat could easily get burnt.

“Dexter, is there anything we can help with?” Nina, who had been watching for a while, came over and asked.

“Just keep an eye on this for me. When the charcoal fire weakens, call me. But don’t add more charcoal directly,” Liu Heming said after a moment’s thought.

He really couldn’t afford to provoke Nina now. She was the type to tease him at the slightest disagreement. He didn’t have the self-control of a saint—if she kept teasing him, he would eventually take the bait.

With that temporarily settled, Liu Heming started on the second dish. The minced meat was also prepared by hand. He always felt that machine-ground meat didn’t taste as good.

He felt he might have a bit of a procrastination problem. He had long planned to make a kitchen knife but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. If he had a good kitchen knife, preparing this small amount of minced meat would have been much easier.

After chopping the meat with a series of clinks and clanks, he seasoned it and set it aside to marinate. Then, he brought over several heads of Chinese cabbage. He only used the leaves, which would be used to wrap the minced meat. The tougher parts of the cabbage wouldn’t go to waste—with so many little animals at home, they could have them as a treat.

This time, the Bear Kids seized the opportunity. Each of them stole a cabbage leaf and happily scurried away to enjoy it.

“Alex, let’s go check on Charming Girl. This is the most critical period for her recovery, and we need to cheer her on,” Liu Heming said, picking up the little girl after setting the cabbage aside.

“Okay,” the little girl nodded obediently.

“Sasha, what are you really thinking?” Nina asked with a serious expression after watching the father and daughter, along with the Bear Kids, head toward the warehouse.

Sasha shook her head. “For Alex’s sake, this is the only way.”

“You’re not starting to like this Dexter, are you?” Nina pressed, not giving up.

“Of course not,” Sasha shook her head more vigorously this time.

Perhaps it was a woman’s intuition, but Nina felt there was something off about Sasha’s answer. However, it wasn’t the right time to say more. If Liu Heming had seen this, he would have been on guard, worried about being “set up” by Nina.

Charming Girl couldn’t speak, but Liu Heming could sense her pain. It wasn’t just the pain from her broken leg—it was also because she couldn’t move freely.

“Just hang in there a little longer. To be able to walk on the pasture with your foal in the future, you have to endure a bit of hardship now,” Liu Heming said as he gently brushed Charming Girl’s fur with a small brush.

“Dad, can’t we take Charming Girl to the hospital? Even though I’m scared of shots, I’d be brave for Charming Girl,” Alex said to Liu Heming very seriously.

“Good girl, Charming Girl is already receiving the best care,” Liu Heming said with a smile.

“You also need to be careful when you play. Pay attention to safety. Otherwise, you might end up like Charming Girl, having to stay put and not being able to go outside to play.”

“Yeah, I wish there was the best medicine that could make Charming Girl’s leg better right away,” Alex went over to Charming Girl and touched the cast on her leg.

“Don’t worry. As long as we take good care of her, she’ll definitely recover fully,” Liu Heming assured his daughter.

It was a well-intentioned lie, meant to keep his daughter happy.

Even if Charming Girl’s leg bone healed, she would never be able to run fast or carry heavy loads again. For her, being able to walk freely would already be a great fortune amid misfortune.

Charming Girl lowered her head and nuzzled against Alex’s body, making the little girl, who had been feeling down, brighten up instantly.

Liu Heming picked up the little girl and placed the small brush in her hand, letting her brush Charming Girl’s fur.

The little girl’s world was simple. He really didn’t want her to be sad about this. But there was nothing more he could do to help Charming Girl’s recovery. As he had said earlier, she was already receiving the best care.

Now, he just hoped Charming Girl’s leg would heal quickly, so his daughter could be even happier.