Li Mingjun's move to flaunt the better cuts of meat was clear. He wanted to impress, and more importantly, to show up Yu Dong's less-than-impressive delivery.

As he approached, some neighbors watched with curiosity, while others couldn't help but feel amused by Li Mingjun's attempts to impress Zhou Ning. The sight of him wearing a flashy watch was not lost on them either.

Zhou Ning, hearing the familiar voice and his loud proclamation, hesitated before opening the gate. When she saw the high-quality pork in his hands, she raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Li Mingjun, feeling quite pleased with himself, said, "See, this is what I wanted to bring over. Proper cuts, not like what Yu Dong brought."

Zhou Ning looked at him, then at the bag Li Mingjun had set down, and finally at the better cuts of meat he held. She then glanced back at the bag Yu Dong had brought earlier. A slight smile played on her lips as she realized what Li Mingjun was up to.

"Thank you for the meat," she said calmly. "But I appreciate all the gifts, not just the fancy ones." With that, she picked up the bag Yu Dong had brought and placed it next to the one Li Mingjun held.

Li Mingjun's face turned a shade redder, his plan backfiring spectacularly. Zhou Ning's graceful and calm demeanor, combined with her words, made it clear she was not to be won over with flashy gifts or empty gestures.

The crowd that had gathered exchanged glances, trying to suppress their smiles. Li Mingjun, feeling embarrassed but trying to save face, said, "Well, next time I'll bring better gifts."

Zhou Ning nodded, "Looking forward to it."

Closing the gate, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Despite the village's gossip and the attempts by some to belittle her, Zhou Ning knew her worth and wouldn't be swayed by superficial gestures.

"This is a symbol of urban living; villagers can't afford it," Li Mingjun thought, referring to his flashy watch.

Seeing him again, Sinian's eyes flashed with annoyance. But seeing what he was carrying, she wondered if it was indeed sent by Zhou Yueshen. Why would Zhou Yueshen value someone like this guy?

Feeling a bit impatient but curious about his intentions, Sinian approached him. "Just leave it there and go," she said, keeping her distance.

Hearing this, Li Mingjun's face darkened. "What kind of attitude is that? I've come all this way to deliver your stuff, and you won't even let me in? That's just rude."

Sinian shot back, "Hasn't my husband paid you?"

He paused, then replied, a bit defensively, "What do you mean by that?"

Sinian crossed her arms, "You're paid to deliver goods. Where I tell you to put it, that's where it goes. What's the problem?"

Li Mingjun was left speechless. He realized Sinian had always viewed him as nothing more than a delivery guy for the Zhou family.

"Are you misunderstanding something? While I do drive for the Zhou family, I'm not just some worker. I'm helping out because of my sister-in-law's position. By the way, I'm from Nan Cheng, the most prosperous city around here."

"So?" Sinian smirked, "Did you not get paid then?"

Li Mingjun choked on his words.

"I'll say it one last time, leave it at the door and go, or I'll set the dog on you," Sinian warned.

Fuming, Li Mingjun retorted, "You're doing this all because of Zhou Yueshen? Look at him, so stingy. With such a big farm, he can't even spare you some good stuff? All this leftover junk, and I even saved a piece of pork belly for you!"

Rolling her eyes internally, Sinian replied, "Oh, you saved some pork belly for us? Should I thank you for that? Just leave, or I'll let the dog out."

Li Mingjun's face fluctuated between shades of red and white in anger. He shot her a glare and left reluctantly.

Sinian was irritated; this guy was ruining her mood. How long was this going to continue? She decided she'd have to talk to Zhou Yueshen about this. This man was trying to woo her right at her doorstep while working at the farm.

Despite her annoyance, Sinian didn't forget her task. The items Zhou Yueshen sent were generous and well-cleaned. The pig's trotters were meticulously cleaned, with even the hairs burnt off, so she didn't need to do much. The pig intestines were also spotless. She added some cooking wine and vinegar to wash them again, but found them already quite clean. Clearly, the man knew better than she did how to clean them.

After rinsing them with vinegar and flour and washing them with clean water a few times, she blanched them in boiling water with ginger and green onions to remove any gamey taste. Then she seasoned them. It was a simple recipe, anyone could do it.

The ingredients used included ginger, green onions, dried red chilies, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves. These were all readily available.

After blanching the pig intestines, Sinian poured soy sauce, light soy sauce, salt, a little dark soy sauce, and some water into an iron pot. She heated the mixture and then added the cleaned intestines, stirring slightly to ensure they were submerged. She then simmered them until the flavors were fully absorbed.

In the meantime, Sinian cleaned the pork bones. The meat on the bones was quite tough and needed a long time to stew. Especially the marrow inside the bones, once cooked, you could easily suck out the rich and fragrant marrow soup. It was incredibly delicious and nutritious.

Soon enough, the pig intestines were almost done. Opening the pot released a strong aroma of soy, with no gamy smell left. Each piece turned a reddish hue.

Sinian cut off a small piece and tasted it; it was rich, savory, and moreish. Even the broth was enticing; it would be great for braising pig ears or trotters.

Seeing it was getting late, Sinian decided to stew the pork bone soup for dinner. She then started cooking again, stir-frying pork kidneys in pork fat. The kidneys had a strong smell, but when properly handled, they were tender and tasty.

In the hot weather, people in the countryside loved sour soup. While sour soup might not be very nutritious, it was loved for its refreshing taste and simplicity.

Sinian enjoyed it too, but she preferred to pair it with some side dishes. She sliced a bowl of braised pig stomach, sprinkled some green onions on top, and took out some pickled radish strips. She also quickly stir-fried a couple of side dishes, and dinner was ready.

With meat and soup, it was both satisfying and refreshing.

The kids returned from school and immediately started on their homework. They were particularly eager when it was mealtime.

Due to Zhou Yueshen's schedule, dinner at the Zhou household was often late. Just as they sat down, Zhou Yueshen returned home.

Upon entering the room, the rich aroma immediately hit Zhou Yueshen's nose—a dominant fragrance of soy intertwined with the mellow scent of rice. It was irresistibly enticing.

Once they were seated at the table, Sinian hesitated before speaking up. "Zhou Yueshen, how well do you know Li Mingjun?" She wondered if they had a good relationship; otherwise, why would he always send meat over through Li Mingjun?

Zhou Yueshen paused and furrowed his brows, "Li Mingjun? How do you know him?" Sinian hadn't been around for long, so Zhou Yueshen was puzzled.

Li Mingjun usually only visited the livestock farm and usually did so early in the morning. They shouldn't have crossed paths much.

Confused, Sinian asked, "Didn't you ask him to send meat to me?"

Zhou Yueshen's brows furrowed deeper, his voice turning cold, "He delivered meat to you today?"

Sinian nodded slowly, "Yes, and also the last time..."

Seeing Zhou Yueshen's reaction, did he not know?

Sinian was puzzled.

Would someone repeatedly send her meat just to make a move on her? In novels, Li Mingjun was portrayed as a stingy guy.

Zhou Yueshen's deep black eyes suddenly narrowed!

He might not think too much if it were anyone else, but considering it was Li Mingjun...