Zhao Guihua was making turtle soup for the first time. This was something she had never done before.
Fortunately, she had help. Li the Cook from the backyard couldn't stand by and watch, so he came over to assist. He knew that if they didn't do it right, they would ruin a good thing. Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua also invited him to join them for dinner, and Li the Cook, after thinking it over, agreed.
Although the cafeteria had also gotten a turtle, it was for the leaders' meals, and as a cook, he couldn't partake.
Li the Cook had managed to survive in the machinery factory cafeteria for so many years and even arranged a job for his son-in-law. He certainly had some real skills. Before long, the aroma of the soup filled the entire courtyard.
Several households came out to investigate the source of the smell, eventually finding it at the Zhuang's doorstep. With the warm weather, the windows were open while cooking, making the aroma even more intense.
"Oh, Li the Cook, why are you here?"
Li the Cook replied, "They caught a turtle, and they didn't know how to cook it. I came over to lend a hand."
"This smell is really overpowering."
"That's right. It's very nourishing."
"Spring is the best time for tonics."
"Aunt Zhao, you've had that fishing rod for nearly two months now, haven't you? Finally, you've got something. That's great."
Zhao Guihua's face instantly turned cold. Li the Cook couldn't help but chuckle, and the person who had spoken immediately understood that Zhao Guihua hadn't caught the turtle herself. Seeing Zhao Guihua's murderous gaze, he quickly said, "Oh, it's getting late. I should be going."
He quickly made his escape, knowing that the turtle soup wouldn't be shared with them anyway. No point in provoking the old lady.
Zhao Guihua snorted coldly, "I don't believe in bad luck."
Old Man Zhuang quickly chimed in, "You're so capable, of course you can do it."
"Exactly!"
Zhuang Zhixi added his support, and by this time, Zhuang Zhiyuan had also returned home, saying, "Mom, next time I have a day off, let's go fishing together. I want to give it a try."
He had originally planned to surprise everyone by being the first to catch a fish, but his father had beaten him to it. He sighed, looking at his son, HuTou, who had fallen ill and disrupted his plans.
The entire courtyard was filled with the aroma of the soup, and the whole family gathered near the kitchen, waiting for dinner.
Wang Xiangxiu led her three children home, and as soon as they reached the door, they were hit by the overpowering smell of stewed meat. Who could be so extravagant as to cook meat at this time? She was jealous but quickly thought of a plan.
No matter whose house it was, she could always ask for a share.
She quickly entered the house and found the source of the smell. She hated the Zhuang family. Ever since Zhuang Zhixi got married, the Zhuang children had all started their own families. Zhao Guihua had changed her ways, and now there was meat every week. Wang Xiangxiu could smell it, and it made her furious.
If it were any other family, she might have asked for a bowl or two, but the Zhuang family had refused her three times in a row.
They wouldn't give her anything.
Wang Xiangxiu felt that the Zhuang family were heartless and lacked compassion. Her family was in such a dire situation, and they wouldn't help. She bit her lip, thinking of how to ask. Meanwhile, her three sons couldn't resist the temptation. Jinlai, known as a little thief, wasn't stupid. He knew which houses he could steal from and which he couldn't.
He silently looked at the Zhou family's door, knowing he could steal from them, but not the Zhuang family. Their new daughter-in-law was a tigress.
He looked dejected and didn't speak. Tonglai, relying on his young age, threw himself on the ground and started rolling, crying, "I want meat, I want meat..."
He wailed, looking at his mother and then at the Zhuang family, hoping they would give him some meat.
He was so young, and a boy at that, why wouldn't they give him any?
Zhao Guihua watched the brat with amusement. The three children of this family were all troublemakers, and none of them ended well. If you looked at it that way, this family was full of troublemakers.
Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu's ways had deeply influenced the three boys.
If you looked closely now, Su Jinlai was the only one among the three who hadn't been to jail, and he had some money.
Jinlai had been in and out of jail since he was an adult, visiting the detention center like it was a city gate. Most of his life was spent inside, and when he came out, he was either very poor or very rich. His wife took care of the children, his mother, and his grandmother, enduring all the hardships, definitely the prototype of a rural drama heroine. She finally waited for Jinlai to turn over a new leaf, but by then, he was over fifty and too old to steal.
Yinlai hung out with a group of street ruffians. He evolved from stealing to being a gangster, watching over video arcades, billiard halls, and game centers. He got into fights and was eventually jailed for fifteen years for assault. When he got out, he couldn't keep up with the times and ended up working for his younger brother, Tonglai, who ate meat while he drank soup. He managed to stay out of trouble and make a living.
As for Tonglai, he was the youngest and the most cunning. Unlike his brothers, he relied on his good looks to become a gigolo, charming rich women.
It was thanks to him that Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu managed to live well.
After all, Jinlai and Yinlai were always in jail and couldn't be relied on. Even Jinlai's son was raised by Tonglai. He was the first to get rich in their courtyard, finding rich women in their fifties from Hong Kong and Taiwan when he was just eighteen.
But no matter how strong his stamina, it couldn't last forever.
By his mid-thirties, he was already struggling. He used the money from the rich women to set up a club filled with tall, slender young men. What they did was obvious.
Despite this, he still had many girlfriends outside, and some even queued up to spend money on him. It was quite absurd.
Eventually, his business was shut down. His woman was the legal representative and went to jail. He, however, was not implicated and tried a few more similar ventures, all unsuccessful. In the end, he led a group of girls into live streaming with suggestive content... playing on the edge.
At over fifty, he was still relying on women to survive.
Zhao Guihua looked at the brat rolling on the ground, demanding meat, and it was hard to connect him with the future gigolo. She clicked her tongue and turned to say, "Liang Meifen, go to the grocery store and buy a block of tofu to add to the soup."
One dish wouldn't be enough.
They needed to make more dishes.
Liang Meifen immediately responded, "I'll go right now."
She took the money and quickly left, forcing a smile past Wang Xiangxiu and her sons, thinking, "Don't think I don't know you want to take advantage of us. With my mother-in-law around, if you get even a bit, it'll be my loss."
Tonglai paused briefly, then started wailing again, "I want meat, I want meat..."
Liang Meifen snorted and quickly left. Zhao Guihua took a stool and sat at the door, crossing her legs.
Wang Xiangxiu felt a bit awkward, but she was thick-skinned and said, "Aunt Zhao, you're cooking meat, aren't you? Look at my child, crying... it's just because he's craving it. Could you, could you..."
She suddenly remembered her previous attempts to use her children as an excuse, and how they had refused.
What had they said? "If the child is greedy, a few spankings will fix it!"
She quickly changed her approach, "My mother-in-law is sick and hasn't gotten better. She keeps saying her mouth has no taste. I've been wanting to buy some meat, but we've used up all our meat coupons for the month. Could you spare some? I'll pay you back next time."
She spoke so sincerely, but if Zhao Guihua could hear her thoughts, she would probably be furious.
Wang Xiangxiu was thinking, "As long as you lend it to me, don't expect it back! Why would I return it? I borrowed it with my own skills, how could I possibly return it!"
Zhao Guihua saw through Wang Xiangxiu's little schemes, and they were completely transparent. Although she was an irritable and impulsive old lady, she had eaten more salt than Wang Xiangxiu had walked roads, so she knew exactly what she was up to.
She smiled and said, "Xiu'er, if you put it that way, I have to say a few words to you. Life isn't lived like this. No one's meat falls from the sky. Look at my family, even Xiao Mei's grandfather is too shy to come over for a meal without bringing noodles. You open your mouth and want to borrow some, but we don't have enough to eat either! Today, Li the Cook spent half the afternoon helping us, and we invited him to dinner. Can we not let him eat his fill? You coming to ask for this is just wrong. Besides, didn't you just get paid the other day? Do you really have nothing left today? Is that appropriate? If you really spent it all, I really have to talk to you about it. Life isn't lived like this, wasting everything. It's been less than three days since you got paid, and you've already spent it all. Is this how you live? And don't say your mother-in-law is in the hospital. We all know Old Man Bai is helping out. Could it be that you're secretly feasting at home while your mother-in-law is in the hospital?"
Zhao Guihua looked at Wang Xiangxiu suspiciously, her eyes full of doubt. She frowned, her expression clearly disapproving.
"I didn't..."
"What! You're feasting at home? So that's why you didn't properly send food to your mother-in-law. Wang Xiangxiu, you're so wicked. Your mother-in-law thought you were good, but look at what you've become. Aunt Su was wrong about you, so wrong!" Old Man Bai came back just in time to catch this, and he couldn't hold back.
Although he was always fawning over Aunt Su and his son Bai Fendou was infatuated with Wang Xiangxiu, Old Man Bai's impression of Wang Xiangxiu was only average. After all, she wasn't his wife, so why would he care?
Moreover, he secretly felt that Wang Xiangxiu and her three children were dragging Aunt Su down, hindering their own happiness. So he always had a bit of dislike for her. Hearing this, he was even more furious than Zhao Guihua. He immediately rushed over, grabbed Wang Xiangxiu, and yelled, "You wicked woman, you still owe me and my son's wages. I thought you were good, but you're just greedy for money. Poor Aunt Su, kind and naive, fell for your tricks. Pretending to be a decent person, but you don't do decent things!"
Wang Xiangxiu didn't expect Old Man Bai to suddenly explode. She was so angry she could barely breathe, "You, you're talking nonsense, I never..."
"You still dare to deny it? Your mother-in-law is in the hospital, and you don't prepare a single good meal, just some corn buns. If it weren't for me, she wouldn't even be able to stay in the hospital. You heartless wretch..."
Old Man Bai wouldn't let go, demanding, "Give me my money back!"
"You..." Wang Xiangxiu couldn't believe things had escalated this far. The old man was making such a fuss over a few bucks. She put on a wronged expression, saying, "Uncle, how can you say that? I didn't mean to take your money, Fendou was sick, I was just helping you collect it."
"I don't need your help, you wicked woman!"
Their quarrel quickly attracted onlookers. Everyone rushed out to watch the lively scene, some still holding corn buns in their hands.
Zhao Guihua watched with interest. Their courtyard was full of eccentric characters, but she had never seriously confronted them. Every time she tried to argue, someone else would take over the conversation. It was a chaotic mess!
Even when they were arguing, someone would interrupt. Just like now.
Old Man Bai and Wang Xiangxiu went back and forth, one cursing, the other complaining, feeling wronged.
Su Jinlai angrily glared at Old Man Bai and suddenly rushed up to punch him, "Let go of my mom, you old bastard!"
Old Man Bai almost choked on his breath. This child had grown up under his care, eating all the good things he bought, but now he was acting like this. Truly an ungrateful wretch.
But he didn't fight back. He wasn't worried about the child, not his own, and couldn't carry on the family line anyway. He was afraid of hurting Aunt Su's feelings.
He said, "You kids, stay out of this. Go to the side."
"You hit my mom!"
"Yeah, you hit my mom."
The three boys surrounded Old Man Bai and punched him fiercely.
Although they were kids, they were sturdy, and Old Man Bai was having a hard time defending himself. Wang Xiangxiu was secretly delighted, thinking he deserved it, but she still pretended to be kind, saying, "Stop it, this is your respected Grandpa Bai."
"He hit you, he deserves to die." Jinlai was fierce.
But the neighbors shook their heads, thinking Wang Xiangxiu didn't know how to raise her kids. Old Man Bai had spent so much money on their family, and now he got called "deserves to die." Even ungrateful people wouldn't go this far.
"Those three kids won't be good when they grow up."
"Exactly, Mom, you always say they're pitiful and give them food. Look, are they worth it? We shouldn't get involved."
"You can tell from a child's behavior. Those kids are no good."
"Right."
...Everyone was talking, and Wang Xiangxiu was furious inside, but she couldn't lose her temper. If she did, these people might not help her family anymore. They needed all the help they could get.
Finally, she started crying. If only Wang Xiangxiu's acting was as good as Aunt Su's. Aunt Su's eyes were like faucets, crying on demand. Wang Xiangxiu's performance wasn't as sincere and natural.
She said, "Let go, or Mom will be angry. Didn't I tell you? Everyone who helped us is good, we can't be rude. You learned in school, be good kids."
Wang Xiangxiu kept talking, while the tofu and fish stew in the Zhuang family was already done. Liang Meifen's legs were fast.
Zhao Guihua watched the commotion for a while, knowing this would end without resolution. Aunt Wang didn't even bother to intervene. It wouldn't turn into a big fight, just some shouting. But if Bai Fendou were here, Aunt Wang wouldn't be so calm. He could really start a fight. His dad, though, was just a talker. Aunt Wang knew that.
Zhao Guihua saw the turtle soup was ready, so she found a big bowl, filled it with turtle meat, radishes, and noodles, a hearty meal.
She brought it out, and the smell immediately spread. It was quite strong.
Zhao Guihua said, "Uncle Lan, I'll bring it to you."
Lan Sihai was also watching the lively scene, and when he saw his dinner, he said, "Give it to me."
He took it, and Jinlai saw the big bowl of "meat" and felt very unbalanced. This whole thing started over wanting meat. He suddenly burst out, rushing over, "Give me the meat! It's mine!"
Such shameless words coming from a ten-year-old child were truly despicable.
He lunged forward to snatch, startling everyone. Before anyone could react, Old Man Lan directly kicked out, sending the brat sprawling with a loud slap. He wasn't like Old Man Bai, who wouldn't dare offend his beloved's precious heart.
"How dare you kick my brother! You coffin-raising brat!" Yinlai also rushed up to strike, but Old Man Lan grabbed him and delivered two sharp slaps across his face.
He didn't adhere to the motto of never hitting children. This old man's life philosophy was: Live life, be carefree, enjoy pleasure, and that's enough!
Everything else can go to hell.
"What's wrong with you, hitting children? They're still kids!" Wang Xiangxiu shrieked as she rushed over, reaching out to scratch. Old Man Lan didn't hold back, grabbing her wrist, twisting, and pushing forward with force, causing Wang Xiangxiu to stagger forward and crash into Old Man Bai with a loud thud.
"Ah!"
She landed right on top of Old Man Bai!
This made Old Man Bai blush furiously.
He had been single for over twenty years...
Wang Xiangxiu struggled to her feet, also turning red with embarrassment.
Old Man Lan stood with his hands on his hips, unapologetic: "Wang Xiangxiu, huh? Don't think just because I'm new here you can push me around. The last one who dared to challenge me is now in the security office. Do you want to give it a try? If you can't discipline your kids, as a neighbor, I'll gladly help you out. Don't think everyone will indulge you! Begging isn't enough, now you want to rob? That bowl is so hot, your son's lunge, was he trying to rob or kill? What if someone got burned? You must be plotting to harm others since Zhao Guihua won't give in to you, huh? Oh, you're so kind, so very kind. There's no greater family of kindness in the world."
Upon closer inspection, it did seem true. Zhao Guihua's bowl was still steaming. If Jinlai had grabbed it roughly, it would have surely spilled, burning someone for sure.
Looking at Wang Xiangxiu now, everyone felt a bit more disdain.
Truthfully, Wang Xiangxiu wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. If she were, she wouldn't have let Aunt Su manipulate her so easily, staying unmarried and enduring hardships at the Su household.
Old Man Lan then turned to the children, saying, "Look at those eyes, so gentle. What great parenting, truly remarkable."
Jinlai and Yinlai huddled together, glaring at Old Man Lan, who didn't care. He said, "I'm the most amicable neighbor. If someone doesn't want to discipline their kids, send them to my place, and I'll gladly help. If they go to the police station, they'll end up in juvenile detention, ruining their lives. But a beating won't kill them, so it's not so bad."
Not bad, but not good either.
"Don't look at my age, I still love to stay active. If you don't want to discipline your kids, let them come to my place to cause trouble or steal. No problem, I won't bother the police, just get some exercise."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Absolutely, staying active is good for the elderly. But exercise with your fists is enough, no need for knives or axes. We don't want any fatalities."
Old Man Lan glared at him: "Do you think I don't know that?"
Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "You're amazing."
He thoughtfully added, "There's another way to discipline people. You know the public toilet at the end of the lane? It's quite spacious, perfect for swimming. Several people from our compound have enjoyed a dip. If anyone comes to your place, you can send them there for a swim, save on food too..."
"Ugh!"
"Zhuang Zhixi, shut up, do you want to eat later?" Zhao Guihua couldn't take it anymore!
"Aunt Zhao, you're right. Zhixi, aren't you a bit too mean? We're having millet porridge tonight..." The same color, could they still eat it?
"We're skipping dinner tonight."
"The idea's good, but it's too gross. Last time we rescued someone, I saw splatter everywhere..."
"True, only three fell in, but Wang Xiangxiu, Aunt Su, and the Bai and Zhou families, all were covered in... battle scars."
"Hahaha."
The conversation quickly veered off course, drifting towards the big event of the winter!
Honestly, this event was so fascinating, it could be talked about for another year, incomparable to any other story.
Disgusting, yet exciting.
After all, such a spectacle was rare, but they had witnessed and experienced it firsthand.
This firsthand experience was something others could only hear about, they were the first to share the gossip.
Li the Cook was still chatting with Zhuang Zhiyuan: "You missed such a big event due to your business trip, it's like your life lacked an important experience."
Zhuang Zhiyuan also felt regretful, everyone saw it, only he didn't, which made him anxious.
He said, "Who says otherwise?"
He sighed, "I think Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun are amazing. Such a big thing, yet they acted like nothing happened, truly admirable. If it were an ordinary person, they would be too embarrassed to leave the house. They're not ordinary people."
Li the Cook nodded, thinking they must have something special about them, if it were him, he'd be in a state of shock.
Ugh, no, no such assumptions.
No such assumptions!
If it were him, he'd lose his job. Bai Fendou, Zhou Qun, and Jinlai fell in, kids are fine, but adults are just plain embarrassing. But if it were him, his kitchen job would surely be lost.
After all, the workers who toil all day wouldn't want to eat food cooked by someone who swam in a cesspool, even if it tasted fine, the mental hurdle was too high!
Li the Cook: "They really benefit from their good jobs."
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I think it's their deep learning of not fearing hardship, not shying from scrutiny, and wholeheartedly serving the people that allows them to withstand immense pressure and continue burning at their posts, and..."
Li the Cook's mouth twitched, realizing he forgot this guy always spouts lofty ideals, as empty as clouds in the sky.
They chatted on, while the others discussed: "My relative recently insisted on staying at my place for a day, no reason, just wanted to come. After asking around, I found out he heard about someone falling into the public toilet here, wanting to see this amazing toilet and the three amazing families who could fight covered in... well, you know. He wanted to witness it."
"Well, my daughter's art troupe was transferred out of town and heard about it too."
"Oh, my relative from Tong County heard, that doesn't count."
"Indeed."
Wang Xiangxiu's face alternated between green and white, how did the topic suddenly shift to this again, it had been days, weren't they over it? How did it start again.
Zhuang Zhixi, it was Zhuang Zhixi who brought it up.
He wrote the ban on swimming sign, a despicable rascal.
Zhuang Zhixi then flattered: "Grandpa, let me take that for you."
He took the large bowl from Zhao Guihua: "Wow, it's hot, Mom, if Jinlai had knocked it over, you'd definitely get burned."
Zhao Guihua coldly stared at Wang Xiangxiu.
Wang Xiangxiu: "He, he wasn't intentional, and it didn't spill, and he got hit, he learned his lesson..."
Zhao Guihua: "Not succeeding means not doing it at all? Is that how your family educates children? My words were right after all, Wang Xiangxiu, you really are something."
"How could she not be? She's someone who isn't afraid of dirt or stench and can fight with disgust." Someone unknown chimed in.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Wang Xiangxiu's tears finally fell, biting her lip and shouting, "You're all bullying a widow like me, do you know how hard my life is?"
"Hard? You're not returning the wages of Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou, are you? With so much money, what's hard about it?" Zhuang Zhixi muttered softly, and everyone realized, yes, this issue hasn't been resolved yet.
Old Man Bai immediately started again: "Return the money, hurry up and return it!"
Seeing that the situation was slipping out of her control, Wang Xiangxiu wished more than ever that her mother-in-law was there. If she were, she would never let things get this bad. She cried and looked at everyone, but saw no sympathy in their eyes. She could only mumble, "I'm not refusing to return it, I'm just about to get the money. You've been misunderstanding me, I always need to explain myself. Otherwise, what will happen to my reputation?"
Everyone, except for a three-and-a-half-year-old child, could see that she just didn't want to return the money. Otherwise, she would have gone home to get it immediately instead of wasting so much time talking nonsense here.
Old Man Bai: "Alright, give the money."
He extended his hand, and Wang Xiangxiu stumbled back to her home. She felt miserable, not only because her mother-in-law wasn't there, but also because she hated Bai Fendou the most. If Bai Fendou were here, how could she be bullied like this? At least she could have kept some of the money.
But now, things were different, and she had to endure the humiliation and return the money. Both of their wages were over sixty, nearly reaching seventy, plus her own salary, adding up to nearly a hundred. Having to hand it all out was truly painful for her. This money should have been hers.
It was infuriating that Bai Fendou wasn't there, leaving her at the mercy of others. This useless man, no wonder she didn't like him. If she had married such a man, he would be useless in critical moments.
She was furious and sighed, taking the money out. She had planned to buy summer clothes for each of her children, but now, nothing.
She stepped out, red-eyed, and threw the money at Old Man Bai, saying, "Here, take it! Don't always say I'm greedy for your money. If it weren't for seeing Bai Fendou in the hospital, I wouldn't have taken it for you. He helped me so much, and I thought it would be inconvenient for him to collect the money, so I took it for him. The cashier asked if I wanted to take your money too, so I did. Now everyone blames me, throwing dirt on me. I'm truly wronged. No one does things like this. Forget it, I won't argue with you anymore. Here's the money. As for my family's affairs, you don't need to meddle!"
After speaking, she pulled the children and said, "Aren't you going home? If you don't, they'll say more about you. You know what to say, we can't afford meat, we'll eat steamed buns and drink cold water, we won't ask for anything from others, or they'll look down on us. Let's go!"
She stormed into the house with the children, and even Tonglai didn't ask for treats anymore.
Although he was young, he knew that if others didn't fall for their tricks, they wouldn't get anything. The three children, dejected, followed their mother into the house, and Wang Xiangxiu slammed the door shut.
Zhao Guihua watched and again lamented that Wang Xiangxiu's tactics were far inferior to Aunt Su's.
She called out, "Alright, that's enough, everyone, let's disperse. Uncle Lan, wait a moment, I'll bring you a bowl of tofu, very suitable for the elderly."
Lan Sihai: "You can call yourself old if you want, but I'm still young."
Heh, this old man was quite annoying.
Zhao Guihua thought about her past life, when he had also made her furious. This time, she deeply felt that being made angry by him in her past life was not unexpected. This old man's words were indeed hard to endure.
But she didn't take it to heart.
Zhao Guihua served the old man a plate of tofu. The tofu stewed with fish, the fish's flavor was far inferior to the tofu's. The deliciousness was all in the tofu, which was very refreshing and couldn't be better.
This time, the old man didn't refuse, but he didn't go to Zhuang's house to eat either. He went home to slurp noodles on his own.
Zhao Guihua: "Alright, the elderly like their freedom, let's eat together. Everyone, take your seats."
Everyone was already impatient. Li the Cook went home and brought back half a bottle of Erguotou, saying, "I'll contribute too."
Old Man Zhuang joked, "Didn't you dilute it?"
Li the Cook: "Hey, what kind of person do you take me for?"
He shook the bottle, saying, "Look, top-notch."
He proudly said, "This Red Star Erguotou is what I saved from the New Year. I didn't even let my wife drink it."
If this was how he talked, Old Man Zhuang would laugh at him: "Don't talk about one bottle, even ten bottles, your wife could finish them. Can you afford that?" Everyone knew that Aunt Wang was quite a drinker, even a few Beijing men in their courtyard couldn't match her. If she drank to her heart's content, how many would be enough? This stuff was bought with money, after all. It just wouldn't do.
He teased, and Li the Cook didn't get angry, instead, he confidently laughed and said, "That's why I can't let her drink it. She can drink her fill at banquets, but don't waste our own stuff."
Thinking of how now banquets couldn't be grand due to the policy, he sighed, "There are fewer and fewer feasts now."
This had a big impact on him. Unlike others, he was a cook and could earn extra money this way. Now that everything was simplified, many families didn't do this anymore. It was really sad to think about.
In fact, Aunt Wang started introducing people to each other because Li the Cook was a cook. They provided a one-stop service. If Aunt Wang introduced someone and it worked out, it would be hard for the couple not to use Li the Cook for the feast, right?
This meant earning double the money, but unfortunately, it wasn't easy to make now.
Li the Cook thought of this with a bit of melancholy, but others couldn't understand. Old Man Zhuang quickly led Li the Cook to the table, and the children couldn't help but swallow their saliva. Zhao Guihua: "Don't be polite, let's start."
Everyone immediately dug in. Mingmei wasn't familiar with Li the Cook, but with such delicious food, who cared about Li the Cook? Of course, she had to enjoy it to the fullest. Mingmei: "I don't want turtle, just radish and soup."
She was the typical type who wasn't hungry and didn't eat strange things. A rabbit was already the strangest thing she had ever eaten. As for other things, she didn't eat them, and turtles were the same. Although this stuff was very nourishing, Mingmei just felt weird about it, but she could always drink the soup.
This she didn't mind. She took a bite of the radish and her eyes lit up. She felt that the essence and deliciousness of the soup had been absorbed by the radish, which was exceptionally delicious. The radish had never tasted like this before; it was completely the good taste absorbed from stewing with the turtle.
She nodded, "Delicious."
Xiaoyan muttered, "Auntie, you're drinking the turtle's bath water."
Mingmei: "..."
She put on a fierce look and said, "You little brat, looking for trouble, huh? Do you believe I'll spank your little bottom?"
The child quickly covered his little bottom and said, "Xiaoyan won't dare anymore, but Xiaoyan didn't lie, Auntie doesn't eat meat."
Mingmei snorted and said, "Mind your own business."
Xiaoyan scratched his sparse hair, a bit confused, but still said, "I want to eat meat."
"Of course you do, come, Mom will give you a piece."
Mingmei snorted at her sister-in-law again, then continued to gnaw on the radish. The radish was super delicious. In such soup dishes, the side dishes were definitely not inferior to the meat dishes. These people just didn't know how to eat. If they knew how to eat, they wouldn't think meat was the best.
Today's portion of food was substantial, but it couldn't keep up with the crowd. His family is always bustling with people, and no matter what they prepare, it always feels insufficient. Big or small, everyone's stomachs are lacking in oil and water, so of course, their appetites are large.
Zhao Guihua understood this well. In another decade or two, when life improves and people have more oil and water in their diets, even eating a single steamed bun will be a struggle. But now, even children can eat a lot; Huttou had one bun, but he was only 80% full. If you let him continue, he could still eat more.
Everyone sat together, lively and warm. Li the Cook genuinely remarked, "Your harvest today is truly impressive."
He raised his thumb and added, "If you catch any more big fish in the future, be sure to call me. The leaders love to have special meals with such rare delicacies."
Old Man Zhuang replied, "No problem, just wait for the good news."
Although he wasn't sure if there would be such opportunities in the future, a man from the capital city, no matter how reserved, could still boast a bit. He said, "My fishing skills are top-notch. You don't know, but as soon as I cast my line, I can feel something special..."
While the men bragged and ate, Mingmei, a young wife, finished her meal quickly. She went back to her room, lazily lying on the bed. Although she was busy at work all day, today felt even more exhausting. She thought for a moment, then got up to pack her small bag, preparing to go take a bath soon.
After a day like this, not taking a bath just wouldn't do.
Creak...
The door opened, and Mingmei turned to see Zhuang Zhixi. He had just had half a cup of erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), his face slightly flushed from the alcohol. He approached and embraced his wife, asking, "What are you doing?"
Mingmei replied, "I'm going to take a bath soon."
She then looked Zhuang Zhixi up and down and said, "Can you go like this?"
Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Why not?"
He leaned down and kissed his wife's cheek, saying, "I'm fine."
There was a strong smell of alcohol.
Mingmei turned to face him, their eyes meeting, and asked, "Are you really not drunk?"
Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Not at all. This little bit isn't enough to get me drunk."
He reached into his pocket, pulled out the money and tickets from today's sale, and handed them to Mingmei, saying, "Here, for you."
Mingmei was stunned to see the thick stack of ten-yuan notes and quickly exclaimed, "This... this..."
Zhuang Zhixi explained, "I sold it for three hundred, but I bought a kitchen knife for my mom."
Mingmei nodded, "That was agreed upon."
She immediately pushed Zhuang Zhixi away and sat down to count the money.
Zhuang Zhixi pouted, "Are money more important than me?"
Mingmei laughed and scolded, "Of course, you're more important, but you're not going anywhere."
She happily counted the money, saying, "When I first started working, I couldn't even earn three hundred yuan in a year. This is equivalent to a worker's annual salary. It's really valuable."
Although she had disliked it immensely when they were on the mountain, now Mingmei thought this snake was the cutest, most beneficial snake in the world. A snake that brings benefits to the people is truly a good thing.
She exclaimed joyfully, "We have money again!"
She beckoned Zhuang Zhixi over, and Mingmei grinned, saying, "If we save a bit more this year, we'll have a thousand yuan!"
