Chapter 95: Chapter 91: Bless Me With Braised Pork

Wang Zemin glared at him and said gruffly, “Don’t even think about following in your aunts’ footsteps. If I catch you, I won’t go easy on you.”

“Yes,” Wang Zhixue replied. He bent down, tied the bundles of grass he had gathered with a grass rope, and stacked them against the courtyard wall.

Yang Liqun carried a bundle of grass into the kitchen. She ladled three scoops of water into the pot, measured out less than half a bowl of rice, gave it a quick rinse, and poured it in. After lighting the fire, she went to the backyard to pull up some napa cabbage. Once the congee was cooked, she would chop the cabbage finely and add it to the pot, making cabbage congee.

After stacking the bundles of grass, Wang Zhixue went to the backyard. He pulled two zongzi from his pocket and handed them to Yang Liqun. “Mom, Aunt made these to sell.”

Yang Liqun took them and looked at him lovingly. “Let’s wait for Zhilin to get back and give these to him.”

Wang Zhixue took one back, unwrapped it, and offered it to her. “Mom, you eat it. When I start making money, I’ll buy some for Zhilin.”

Yang Liqun looked at her son, gratified, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes softening. “Alright, I’ll eat it.”

’Her family was poor, but she had three sensible, devoted sons. As long as they all worked together, they would be able to live a good life sooner or later.’

Wang Zhixue watched happily as she finished the zongzi. Only then did he tell her everything he had seen and heard that day. “Mom, Younger Aunt told me about the business opportunity near the clothing factory. Aunt was originally planning to take it, but she let me have it when she saw how much I wanted to.”

“This afternoon, I saw that Younger Aunt’s business is doing well too, but not as well as Aunt’s. I don’t think the things Aunt sells are cheap, but people are still eager to buy them. After we checked out the black market behind the clothing factory, Aunt even paid the stall fee for me.”

Yang Liqun’s eyes reddened as she listened. “Good, good. As long as their businesses are doing well, I can rest easy. Zhixue, you must remember their kindness. Don’t be one of those jealous people who can’t stand to see their own family make money.”

“Your aunt has had a bitter life. She became a widow at such a young age, raising your cousin all by herself, and they were dirt poor. Many nights, I couldn’t sleep just thinking about her.”

“Thank goodness your aunt came to her senses, found a way to make money, and is even willing to bring us along. You need to learn the business from her properly. Don’t be one of those people who thinks the grass is always greener on the other side.”

“The old saying goes, ’Boats travel together, and the river helps them along.’ It means people in the same situation help each other. Only your Younger Aunt and Aunt, with their connections, would think to help us. You and Wang Sanwa are childhood friends, but he’s been running a stall since last year. Why didn’t he say a word to you? He was probably afraid you’d find out!”

Wang Zhixue had also done a lot of thinking today. He looked up at his mother and said solemnly, “Mom, don’t worry. I know who’s treated me well. I’ll never be an ungrateful wretch.”

Yang Liqun patted her son’s shoulder. “Hearing you say that sets my mind at ease. Tonight, I’ll mend the carrying basket, the urea sack, and your pants for you. I’ll leave them in the woodshed, so you can just grab them when you need them.”

Wang Zhixue nodded. “After dinner, I think I’ll go over to the hill by the Construction Team. I want to cut some more zongzi leaves and take them to Aunt’s place.”

“Go on, then.”

With that settled between mother and son, Wang Zhixue helped wash the vegetables. He also rinsed a handful of cilantro, chopped some scallions, smashed two cloves of garlic, and mixed them all with a spoonful of broad bean paste to make a cold dish.

Yang Liqun also took out a handful of pickled greens, chopped them finely, and stir-fried them with a splash of vegetable oil before putting them on a plate and carrying it to the table.

The second son, Wang Zhilin, shuffled into the kitchen. He glanced at the meal on the table—the congee was more cabbage than rice, the cilantro salad had no chili oil, and the pickled greens looked dry and shriveled.

He plopped onto a stool and grumbled, “Every single day it’s either congee with soy sauce or congee with cabbage. I’m so sick of it I could puke.”

SMACK! Wang Zemin cuffed him on the head. “If you won’t eat, then get out! Let me tell you, you’re lucky to have this. Back in my day, we ate grass roots and tree bark! We were one step away from eating Guanyin clay…”

Wang Zhilin hung his head and muttered, “Here he goes again… I’ve heard this story so many times my ears have grown calluses.”

With a dark expression, Wang Zemin snatched the bowl of congee from in front of him. “Go kneel in the main hall. Always finding something to complain about. If I starved you for three days, you’d be grateful for pig slop.”

Wang Zhilin didn’t dare to talk back. He trudged listlessly into the main hall and knelt with a THUD beneath the hanging portrait of the Great Leader. “Old Sir, you helped us stand up and become our own masters. Can you please bless me so I can eat red-braised pork just once a month? I’ll kowtow to you every single day!” With that, he knocked his head loudly against the floor three times. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

Standing outside the main hall, Yang Liqun watched him and sighed to herself. ’A growing boy can eat a family into poverty. With no rich food in his belly, he gets hungry so quickly. It’s no wonder he’s always slacking off at work and thinking about food. Wang Zemin is as stubborn as a mule, always picking fights with the team’s cadres. That’s why the team leader always gives our two boys the hardest jobs.’ Yang Liqun suppressed her sorrow and turned away. ’It all depends on whether our eldest can make some money this time.’

After Wang Zhixue ate and left, Yang Liqun took out the other zongzi. She ladled a bowl of cabbage congee and carried them into the main hall. “Zhilin, hurry and eat. Your brother got this zongzi from your aunt.”

Wang Zhilin took the zongzi and sniffed it, his face lighting up. “It smells amazing! Is there meat inside?”

Yang Liqun smiled and nodded. “Yes. It’s a red bean and salted pork zongzi.”

Wang Zhilin unwrapped the zongzi in a flash and took a huge bite. “This is so good!” he exclaimed, breaking off a piece and holding it to Yang Liqun’s lips. “Mom, you have some too.”

“You eat it,” Yang Liqun said, her heart aching as she looked at her son. “Once your brother starts earning money with your aunt, I’ll make red-braised pork for you once a month.”

Remembering his recent prayer, Wang Zhilin felt a little sheepish. He gently pushed the piece of zongzi into her mouth. “Mom! I want to run a stall and earn money, too.”

Yang Liqun nodded. She swallowed the bite of zongzi and ruffled his hair. “Wait until your brother earns some startup money. Then you can go.”

****

By the time Lin Lan got home, Lin Yuezhen had already finished cooking. Lin Lan quickly got busy, measuring out glutinous rice and beans to soak in warm water.

That night, the two of them made the pea cakes Zhou Xiaohong had ordered. After boiling the zongzi, they left them to continue steaming in the pot. It was past midnight by the time they finally went to bed.

They were up at five in the morning, and the flurry of activity began again.

Just as the sky began to lighten, Wang Zhixue arrived carrying a shoulder pole laden with zongzi leaves. “Aunt,” he said, “I saw there weren’t many leaves left on Niu Bei Mountain, so I went over to the other hill and cut some.”

Seeing that the leaves in his baskets were still wet with dew, Lin Lan smiled. “You must have left at the crack of dawn! Come on in and have breakfast.”

“I’ve already eaten!” Wang Zhixue said, lifting the bundles of leaves out and stacking them on the steps under the eaves. “Aunt, I’ll head back for now. I’ll be back this afternoon.”

Lin Lan quickly gathered a few zongzi for him. “Take these back for your parents and your brother.”

Wang Zhixue’s face reddened. “My dad doesn’t know I came over. He’ll scold me if I bring these back.”

Lin Lan placed the zongzi in one of his carrying baskets. “What’s there to be afraid of? I’m the one giving them to you. Let’s see him dare scold you.”

Wang Zhixue could only accept them. “Thank you, Aunt! I’m heading back now.”

Lin Lan saw him to the courtyard gate. When she returned, she looked at the pile of zongzi leaves on the steps, gathered them into a large basket, and carried them to the ditch to wash.

On the first day, Zhou Xiaohong had ordered one hundred zongzi. She returned that same afternoon in a rush, asking Lin Lan to double her order.

For Wang Zhixue’s first day running his stall, Lin Lan prepared sixty of each type of zongzi for him, plus extra ones for customers to sample.

Although there was a fee to sell near the clothing factory, there was both a morning and an evening market. It may have been Wang Zhixue’s first day, but with the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, a steady stream of people flowed through the black market.

His stall setup was clean and neat. The food in his carrying basket and wooden basin looked and smelled appetizing. By the time the market closed, he had sold out completely.

It was the first time in his life Wang Zhixue had ever carried so much money. He clutched the cash in his pocket with one hand. The thought that he had earned twelve kuai on his very first day made him so happy he felt like he could fly.

’On the way back, I’ll buy Mom a pack of tiger bone ointment. After a few more days, I can pay Aunt back her money. Then I’ll buy a pound of pork belly and make red-braised pork for Zhilin…’

Yang Zhigang came out with a dustpan and broom. He saw a silly-looking kid standing there, grinning like an idiot while clutching his pocket. The boy’s pants had two large, round patches on the seat and more patches on the shoulders. Yang Zhigang walked over and clapped him on the shoulder.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep