Thirty Days to Hoard: Reborn into the Frost

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: BBQ and Beer

As for Chen Xiaobao...

The bed was simply too comfortable. The little guy was exhausted; the moment he hit the mattress, he fell fast asleep. He had absolutely no idea that his mommy was preparing barbecue for him.

Chen Momo planned to make Korean barbecue tonight!

Korean barbecue primarily featured beef marinated in an authentic blend of seasonings and cooking wine. It carried the signature aroma of Korean grills while retaining the meat’s natural, rich flavors. The glistening surface gave off a mouthwatering sweet scent paired with a full-bodied garlic fragrance.

When using the authentic marinade, the first bite would deliver a distinct sweet flavor that blended perfectly with the savory meat, keeping it tender, juicy, and thoroughly satisfying.

Step 1: Trim the meat of any blood spots, fascia, and inedible parts, then cut it into strips about six millimeters thick, four to five centimeters wide, and ten centimeters long.

Step 2: Tenderize the strips with a meat mallet to make them softer and easier to roll.

Step 3: Roll the pounded meat into tight bundles.

Step 4: Mix the Korean barbecue marinade and water in proper proportions to create the sauce.

Step 5: Add the marinade to the meat rolls and mix evenly. A highly recommended method was to place them in a sturdy, sealed bag and massage or gently slam it on the table until the meat fully absorbed the juices.

Step 6: Roast the marinated meat in the oven. To ensure even cooking, unroll the meat and cut it into smaller bite-sized pieces.

Before long, the mouthwatering aroma of roasted meat wafted through the air!

Chen Momo took some fresh lettuce from her spatial dimension. After washing it thoroughly, she tore off the leaves one by one and placed them in a basket. They would wrap the pork belly in the lettuce leaves later.

Once everything was ready, Chen Momo called out for Xu Xiaoka and Chen Xiaobao to come eat.

Xu Xiaoka hurried over to lend a hand, helping Chen Momo carry the automatic barbecue grill and all the side dishes to the dining table on the first floor.

However, despite calling Xiao Bao for quite a while, there was no response.

Chen Momo hurriedly went upstairs to look for her son and quickly found him fast asleep in the small room next to the master bedroom. Shaking her head with a helpless smile, Chen Momo gave his little bottom a gentle pat. ”Xiao Bao, time to get up and eat. Look what Mommy made for you!”

No one knew a son better than his mother. Just as expected, the moment he heard the word ”eat,” Chen Xiaobao lifted his drowsy little head from the soft, large bed.

Before his eyes were even fully open, he couldn’t wait to ask in his sweet, milky voice, ”Mommy, what are we eating?”

”We’re having barbecue,” Chen Momo said, scooping her son up from the bed.

”We’re having baw-be-cue,” Chen Xiaobao repeated groggily, mispronouncing the words. He rubbed his eyes with his little hands, found his small shoes on the floor, and put them on all by himself.

Chen Momo led him to the bathroom and watched him step onto a small stool to wash his hands clean before allowing him to head downstairs for dinner.

Now, in the dining area of the living room, Chen Momo, Xu Xiaoka, and Chen Xiaobao sat around the steaming barbecue grill, ready to dig in.

Chen Momo tied a small bib around her son’s neck to keep him from dirtying his clothes. Pairing the barbecue with beer, the makeshift family of three ate to their hearts’ content!

After they had eaten and drank their fill, Chen Momo was about to clear the table when Xu Xiaoka beat her to it. ”Sister Momo, leave the table to me. Hurry up, go wash up and get some sleep! You’ve been driving and searching for a place to stay all day. You’re exhausted. Let me handle the cleanup!”

Chen Momo figured it would be fine to let Xu Xiaoka handle the cleanup. Through their experiences over the past few days, she had long since come to see Xu Xiaoka as a younger sister. There was no need to stand on ceremony.

And so, Chen Momo went to the master bedroom to wash up. Completely worn out, she went to bed early that night.

Seeing that his mommy was asleep, Chen Xiaobao quietly tiptoed over and used his chubby little hands to tuck in the four corners of her blanket. He also slipped two hot water bottles under the covers.

After finishing his busy work, Chen Xiaobao ran over to Xu Xiaoka’s room, peeked his head in, and called out, ”Good night, Sister!”

Xu Xiaoka’s heart was practically melting from how adorable he was. Smiling, she waved at him and said softly, ”Good night, Xiao Bao.”

Only then did Xiao Bao PITTER-PATTER back to his own room. He closed the door, climbed into bed, and prepared to sleep. The only reason Xiao Bao was so energetic today was because he had taken a nap the moment they arrived at the villa!

The beds in the villa were large and comfortable. Coupled with the fireplace and various heating amenities, everyone enjoyed a deep and peaceful night’s sleep.

The next day, as soon as Chen Momo woke up, she heard Xu Xiaoka shouting excitedly from downstairs, ”Sister Momo, come look! The snow seems to be letting up!”

Chen Momo hurriedly slipped into her slippers, went downstairs, and stood by the window with Xu Xiaoka to watch the snow. Yesterday, the snowflakes were falling like massive clumps of cotton, but today, they had shrunk to the size of goose feathers!

Xu Xiaoka said excitedly, ”Sister Momo, do you think the snow will stop in a few days?”

Chen Momo gave a noncommittal answer. ”Hard to say.”

In truth, based on Chen Momo’s experiences from her past life, the heavy snow would stop in about four days.

She went to the kitchen and brewed a cup of black coffee to perk herself up. Xu Xiaoka prepared breakfast today, serving up pan-fried steak paired with milk, using ingredients they had taken from the kitchen.

After breakfast, Chen Momo grabbed the radio, found a spot with good reception, and turned it on to listen in on the mysterious channel. At first, the channel was dead silent, but half an hour later, voices finally crackled through the speaker.

”The snow seems lighter today.”

”Let’s wait a bit longer. We’ll start work once the snow stops. Has everyone on the rescue team been notified?”

”They’ve all been notified. However, the blizzard has blocked the roads, so it’ll take them some time to get here.”

...

From the conversation, Chen Momo gathered that the plan to build the refuge base was about to be put into action.

Gu Rongjin’s voice was easy to distinguish among the others, and it was incredibly pleasant to the ear. Whenever it was Gu Rongjin’s turn to speak, Chen Momo couldn’t help but listen a little more intently.

Right now, Chen Momo’s only hope was for the construction of the refuge base to start as soon as possible so they could move in at the earliest opportunity!

Day fifty-eight of the apocalypse.

Chen Momo, Xu Xiaoka, and Chen Xiaobao had been living in the villa for several days now, growing increasingly accustomed to life there.

Early in the morning, Chen Momo sipped her black coffee while watching the snow outside the window. The snowflakes were now only the size of fingernails. It would only take a few more days for the snow to stop entirely.

They had gone through quite a bit of the supplies in the villa’s refrigerator over the past few days, and she expected they would finish the rest today.

After breakfast, Chen Momo opened her Amap, zoomed in, and spotted a large foreign-owned supermarket about a kilometer away from the villa district.

”Today, we’re going to the supermarket to gather supplies,” Chen Momo announced.