When Ding Sha came out, Mrs. Tong had just finished calling Da Zhuang, and Aunt Zhuang was watching TV.
The female anchor in a shirt on the news channel is reporting today's news with a serious face.
Aunt Zhuang saw Ding Sha coming out and hurriedly moved a stool for her, putting a cushion on it. "Are you up? How's Xiao Xiao? Is he feeling better?"
"I'm much better now. The fever is gone now." Ding Sha sat down.
"That's good. Would you like some buns? I made them this morning and they're still hot." Aunt Zhuang asked.
"Then eat something," Ding Sha nodded.
Aunt Zhuang went to get her some buns, and Sister Tong sighed, "It's really scary to make people panic."
"What's wrong?" Ding Sha asked.
"Look, the news just came out this morning, saying that there's some flu virus that has infected many people across the country. It's very contagious. Although no one has died from the disease yet, I heard that there have been many critical illness notices!"
"The country told us to be careful and pay attention to rest and daily hygiene."
She sighed as she spoke, "I just told Da Zhuang, but he's used to being rough around the edges. He got impatient when I asked him to take care of his health. It really makes me angry..."
Aunt Zhuang took out a bowl and said, "Don't get angry with him, otherwise you will be so angry that he doesn't know you are angry, and that will be annoying."
Mrs. Tong curled her lips and said, "I don't care about him. He can do whatever he wants."
Xiao Jun was sleeping inside and hadn't eaten much for several days. Ding Sha felt distressed when he saw how thin he had become, so he stood up and took a look around the kitchen.
"Auntie, did the grocery store deliver any vegetables this morning?"
"I've sent it, I've packed it all," Aunt Zhuang followed in, "Do you want to cook?"
Ding Sha nodded, "Ajun hasn't eaten much these past few days, I'm worried that he won't be able to keep up with the physical strength and nutrition."
Aunt Zhuang hummed, "Then you tell me, and I'll do it."
Ding Sha stood aside and gave up the main venue.
"Cut some white meat, pork belly and chicken, and cook them with scallions, ginger and yellow wine. Don't forget to skim off the foam."
"Chicken takes half an hour to cook, and pork takes 40 minutes to cook. Pork belly is not easy to cook, so just cook it for more than an hour."
"Take it out when it's done cooking and cut it into small pieces for later use."
"Take out some minced meat, about 30% fat and 70% lean, add some chopped green onion and ginger, as well as pepper, salt, rice wine, some starch and water, and stir in one direction continuously to make it stronger."
"Take a plate, grease it with some oil, squeeze the meat filling into balls and put them in, then steam them until cooked."
"And take out the egg-skin shrimp dumplings we made last time and steam them."
"Blanche the baby cabbage in boiling water to soften it, and place it at the bottom of the casserole. Also take out the Longkou vermicelli and blanch it until it's softened, and put it in the casserole."
"Grab a handful of large dried shrimps, steam them with rice wine, green onion and ginger, and pour them into the casserole."
"Break two eggs, spread the egg skin, cut it into shreds and put it in there."
"This is going to smell so good," Aunt Zhuang said as she cooked it skillfully, "It's light and refreshing, just the right amount to nourish Xiao Xiao."
Ding Sha came over and looked into the casserole. "Auntie, please stir everything in it and mix it evenly."
"no problem."
"Then prepare the vegetables. Cut the carrots, green bamboo shoots, and winter bamboo shoots into strips, and cut the mushrooms into strips. Then put them all in the casserole, along with the meat that you prepared at the beginning."
"Put in the steamed meatballs and egg-skin shrimp dumplings. Add some salt, sugar and pepper to the chicken soup that you prepared earlier, bring it to a boil and pour it into the casserole."
"Cover the casserole and continue simmering until it boils, then you can eat it while it simmers."
It was almost twelve o'clock when Aunt Zhuang finished her busy work. She said with emotion, "It's really not easy to make this meal. It's troublesome and complicated."
"But it's really fragrant, so delicious and fresh, it makes me hungry just by smelling it."
Ding Sha took a small bowl with a lid and said, "I'll serve some to Ah Jun. You guys eat first. You don't have to wait for me. I'm not hungry yet. I don't have much appetite."
When Xiao Jun opened the door, he was already sitting up. "Are you cooking? I can smell it."
"No, I told my aunt to make it," Ding Sha closed the door and put the bowl on the table, "Want to try it?"
Xiao Jun got out of bed with his clothes on, "It smells so good, mixed casserole?"
"You have a really sensitive nose." Ding Sha smiled.
After eating the steaming hot meal, Xiao Jun broke out in a sweat.
"Go back to sleep, you'll be fine when you wake up." Ding Sha urged him.
Xiao Jun was helpless, "Then I'm going to sleep. If you want to do anything, you must call me."
"I know, I know." Ding Sha saw him lying down and went out.
After another two or three days, fewer and fewer people went out on the streets, and most people stayed at home unless they had to go out.
Most of the people who came out wore masks and looked nervous.
Mrs. Tong still called Dazhuang every day. Dazhuang saw the seriousness of the problem and honestly reported every day that he drank Isatis root and wore a mask.
Aunt Zhuang watched the news on time, "Oh my God, it's almost the New Year, why is it still so serious..."
The busiest places right now are probably pharmacies and hospitals. I heard that doctors and nurses are so busy every day that they don't even have time to change shifts.
"I'm afraid the city will be closed in two days, sister-in-law, why don't you go home tomorrow." Ding Sha thought that they were still anxious to go home.
"Why are you going back? I don't feel comfortable leaving you and Xiao Xiao here," Aunt Zhuang glared at her. "If it were any other day, I would have left. But now is a critical moment. You two can't be alone."
"I won't go back either," said Tong's wife. "It's better to stay here and feel more at ease. I feel nervous wherever I go."
Ding Sha did not try to persuade him further. It was a fact that there were community patrols on the streets every day, and volunteers came to check people's temperatures every day.
Fortunately, Xiao Jun's fever subsided a few days ago, and he just still looks a little sick. He just needs to be quarantined at home and there is no need to go to the hospital.
Aunt Zhuang looked at it and said, "Oh, it's time to make dinner, but I'm not hungry at all."
"There's not much else to do every day except cooking on time. Fortunately, we have a yard here, otherwise I would be suffocated to death."
"What are we having for dinner?" Mrs. Tong asked her with a smile. She had been very idle lately, and Aunt Zhuang was even thinking about making roasted lamb legs in the yard.
"Just make something. I saw what hot and sour soup people are making online recently. How about we make some and try it?"
"Go ahead and do it. I'll leave it to you." Mrs. Tong was not very interested in eating. She just ate a lot every day and gained a lot of weight.
"I'll come if I want."
Before Aunt Zhuang stood up, she noticed that Ding Sha's expression was not right. "What's wrong, Sha Sha?"
Ding Sha has been feeling a little uncomfortable since he got up. He has been experiencing intermittent stomach pains since the afternoon. Just now, he suddenly felt something warm flowing down his legs.
She looked a little pale as she recalled the instructions given by the doctor and midwife every time she went for a prenatal checkup.
"I think my water broke..."
Author's side note: The second update is here!
Please continue to support Stupid Cat!