Under the persimmon tree, Li Xiang was making salted duck eggs with his grandma.
He knew the process of curing salted duck eggs, having watched as a child, but this was his first time actually doing it himself. He needed his grandma by his side to guide him through the finer details.
It was also a way for him to bond with his grandmother. This was the simple joy of family life.
And sure enough, his grandma was beaming, working with far more enthusiasm than when she usually cured the eggs by herself.
"This yellow clay is still a bit coarse. Grind it finer, then run it through a sieve," Grandma said after checking the ingredients.
His family's recipe for curing salted duck eggs was passed down through generations in Li Family Village. The main ingredient was, of course, green-shelled local duck eggs, while the secondary ingredients were yellow clay, plant ash, salt, and water.
