"You have to grind the fresh rice and glutinous rice into powder, if you think grinding by hand is too much trouble you can use a food processor, the effect is the same..."
"Then prepare an appropriate amount of water and sugar, pour together into a fluffy consistency, you don't have to worry, I will show the right ratio at the end of the video, those who are interested can follow along to make it together..."
"Although it's fluffy already, it still needs to be sifted once, to make the powder finer and the texture better..."
"Next sift out a layer of brown sugar powder, it should be quite fine powder, if your brown sugar is clumped up at home, you can grind it a bit with the food processor..."
"Next take out the square molds we bought earlier, put a layer of cake powder then a layer of brown sugar and then a layer of cake powder, smooth the surface, depending on the size of the mold you may need to cut it into small pieces, my mold isn't very big, cutting it further might not leave much after steaming so I won't cut it..."
"Then steam it, about 30 minutes, take it out after it's cooked, unmold it, then arrange the prepared candied fruit on top and it's done."
"You can buy ready-made candied fruit, if you don't like the taste I can teach you later how to make candied apricots."
Du Rourou pointed the camera at the cakes on the table, the square white cakes were neatly arranged on the wooden plate on the table, looking exquisite and beautiful.
"Alright!" After Du Rourou finished filming she turned off the camera, "I'll go edit the video! Come help me later!"
"Go ahead, don't worry," Ding Sha nodded and brought the cakes out to Xiao Jun.
Whenever she filmed videos and only made a few cakes, these would become Xiao Jun's snacks to nibble on.
Eating sweets every day, Ding Sha seriously suspected his recent complaints of toothache were due to cavities.
Everyone was gathered together watching TV in the living room, Ding Sha looked around, "Where's Sister-in-law Gong? How come she's not here?"
"Oh, she went out to buy reading glasses, Old Zhuang's clothes are wearing out fast, she said she could still mend them for him to wear, but with his old age he can't see clearly anymore, so she went to the old goods market over there to buy some reading glasses..." Auntie Zhuang said.
Just as she finished speaking, Sister-in-law Gong came in pushing Si Le.
"Xiao Le?!" Ding Sha looked at him in surprise, at the black mourning bandage wrapped around his arm.
"Sister Ding Sha..." Si Le was trying to stubbornly hold it in at first, but seeing all the familiar caring faces, he couldn't help but cry out.
"My mom... I... I don't have a mom anymore..."
Ding Sha gave a frightened jump, and quickly pulled him to sit down, "Don't cry, don't cry, what happened?"
"Sister Ding Sha..." Si Le sobbed, "My mom... she drank too much, alcohol poisoning... couldn't be saved..."
Ding Sha was stunned for a moment, "...Oh my god... then... what now? Have the arrangements been made? What will you do in the future? What about Little Shitou? Is he okay?"
Si Le said tearfully, "The neighborhood committee helped make the funeral arrangements, they said Little Shitou would be sent to an orphanage, I... I'd have to go too..."
Ding Sha felt somewhat at a loss.
"Can I not go, the welfare home they mentioned I've been there before, all the kids there are bad eggs, fighting and bullying people every day, I don't want Little Shitou to go..."
Ding Sha gathered herself and looked back at Xiao Jun pleadingly.
Xiao Jun walked over saying heavily, "Don't panic, tell me what you're thinking now, then I can help you."
"I... I want to keep working for you, I can support Little Shitou..." Si Le said.
"Have you thought about if the money you earn yourself isn't enough for the two of you to live on? And Little Shitou still has to go to school in the future, he needs to live too."
"There's also, if working affects your studies what will you do? Have you thought it through? And more realistically what will happen when you eventually go to university? Have you thought it through?"
Xiao Jun half squatted down to see eye-to-eye with Si Le, "You're all grown up now, a man, I know you want to shoulder the burden of providing for a family, but you have to make sure you've considered everything thoroughly before deciding, otherwise it's just not worthwhile."
"I know," Si Le kept his head lowered, "I can do it, I can take hardship, I can endure..."
For a moment Xiao Jun didn't know how to explain things more clearly to make him aware this was not something that could be accomplished in one sentence.
It wasn't that Xiao Jun was unwilling to spend money, but that he was worried Si Le would regret it later, worried he would be lying awake at night filled with regret over the days to come.
The decision he made today would be one he thinks back on over the next few decades, one he turns over in his mind again and again as to whether it was right or wrong.
The atmosphere grew somewhat awkward.
Auntie Zhuang looked at Si Le then looked at Xiao Jun, and suddenly opened her mouth, "I have an idea—"
Ding Sha looked at her in surprise, "Auntie?"
"I..." Auntie Zhuang struggled for a long time then just went ahead and said it straight out.
"Let me just say it straight. I was thinking to adopt you," Auntie Zhuang said, "I'm alone now, lost my old man and my kids, and at my age I don't want to look anymore either, don't want to be bothered with other people's business, might as well just adopt you and Little Shitou to live out my days together. I'll provide for your studies and meals, then when I can't get around anymore in the future, you can support me in my old age."
"What do you think, are you willing?"
Si Le wiped his tears, "I'm willing!"
When he first met these people and accepted their kindness he had secretly thought to himself, if only they could be family...
And now it seemed they could be.
Si Le touched the black mourning band on his arm, silently making a resolution in his heart.
Mom, you gave birth to me but never once held me close or hugged me, Little Shitou never enjoyed a shred of motherly love either.
From when I could understand anything I was out working, earning money all these years to buy you liquor and feed you, I have repaid my obligation as your son.
From now on, we will also go find our own happiness.
If fate allows, we will certainly be very intimate, very close, mother and son in our next lives...
Thinking this, Si Le stood up and bowed deeply to Auntie Zhuang, "I'm willing!"
Auntie Zhuang smiled happily, "Good good..."
"Auntie, you're willing to adopt us, our house is shabby but still shelter from wind and rain, I tidy it up very cleanly every day, you're welcome any time to come live there." Si Le took out his keys from his pocket.
"These are the house keys, I'll take you to get familiar with it if you're not busy."
"No rush, no rush," Auntie Zhuang waved her hand declining the keys, "still have to go through formalities to legally adopt, to be proper about it."
Saying that, Auntie Zhuang suddenly recalled something. "Where's Little Shitou? Where's the little guy?"
Si Le said, "I left him waiting at the neighborhood auntie's place, he's been a little sick lately, I was worried about him catching cold."
"I have my mom's cell phone, the auntie will contact me if anything comes up."
Just then the phone in his pocket rang, Si Le took it out to see it was the neighborhood auntie.
"Auntie?"
"Xiao Le! Not good! When I went out for a minute to pick up some documents, I came back to find Little Shitou was gone!"
"What?" Si Le became anxious.
"I came back to see the door open, went in and didn't see Little Shitou on the little sofa where he was lying down!"
"Auntie, look around the vicinity, I'll head straight home!" Si Le turned and ran outside.
"I'll drive you," Xiao Jun took off his apron and followed.
Ding Sha had Sister-in-law Gong and Du Rourou watch the shop, and brought along Auntie Zhuang and Wang Wenhao herself to follow, figuring more people would also be faster.
"Where could Little Shitou have gone..."
Si Le was so anxious he nearly cried, when he suddenly had an inspiration.
"Ah! I know! Little Shitou must be there!"
