Chapter 5: Mom Doesn’t Like Vegetables

“Dad, Dad, don’t space out!”

“Can I ask Mom to boil the bird eggs for me?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Hearing his father’s agreement, Ji Lele happily ran to the kitchen.  Soon, Ji Yang heard sounds from the kitchen and his child’s cheerful laughter.  But the emotions in his eyes grew increasingly complex.

Su Ai was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen when she sensed someone at the door. Turning her head, she saw a little head peeking in.

The child was hiding at the kitchen door, peeking out and then hiding again, cautiously and amusingly.

“Lele, come in.”

“Mom.” Though small, the child was sensitive to adult emotions. Seeing Su Ai smiling gently, he happily ran over.

Holding up the three bird eggs like precious treasures, he offered them to Su Ai: “Mom, Mom, these are the bird eggs I found. Please boil them for me.

After they’re cooked, one for me, one for Dad, and one for you. We’ll eat them together.”

“Okay, did you find them yourself? That’s amazing, Lele.”

Ji Lele’s eyes widened. What did Mom say?

Mom said he was amazing!

This was the first time his mother had ever praised him.

Ji Lele jumped up with joy.

“Mom, are you cooking? I’ll help you with the fire. I’m good at it.”

“When Dad cooked, I often helped him with the fire. Dad said I was the best at it.”

“Okay.”

“Try some of the meat I just stir-fried?”

Su Ai put a piece of her freshly stir-fried carrots and pork belly on the child’s plate.  The child opened his mouth, chewing happily, his face beaming with joy.

“It’s delicious, Mom!”

After her husband and child died, Su Ai moved to a big city.  Before she became successful, she needed to eat and drink.  She naturally picked up these tasks she’d never done before, gradually developing excellent cooking skills.

In her past life, she thought they wouldn’t have the chance to eat her cooking again. Now they did.

Watching the flickering flames cast a warm yellow glow on her son’s face, Su Ai’s eyes welled up again.

She wasn’t a crybaby.  Once, someone almost slit her open, and she didn’t cry. But today, she had cried so many times; her emotions were overwhelming.

The two of them busied themselves in the kitchen. The little fellow was very talkative and cheerful, chattering to his mother about his day.

Su Ai was a good listener, talking to her child while cooking, making him giggle.

The small house was cozy.  In February, there weren’t many vegetables, so Su Ai just made a simple meal.

People in this area mostly ate noodles in the evening, so she made some noodles with spinach.

She stir-fried carrots and pork belly.

That was the only dish, but because Ji Yang was injured and needed to recover he’d lost a lot of blood, and his bones needed to heal Su Ai cooked a pot of chicken soup for him.

She found some red dates and goji berries and added them for extra nourishment.

She took out a chicken leg for the child and brought the other one to Ji Yang.

There was a small table that could be placed on the bed. Su Ai wiped it clean, helped Ji Yang sit up, and placed the table in front of him so he could eat easily.

She brought in two bowls of noodles, a bowl of chicken soup, and a plate of stir-fried carrots and pork, all placed on the small table.

Ji Yang sat on one side, Ji Lele on the other. Su Ai gave them each a pair of chopsticks and then left the room.

Ji Yang and Ji Lele looked at each other; Ji Lele blinked, a little confused.

“Mom isn’t eating with us?”

Looking at the plentiful food on the table the chicken soup clearly made for him, and two chicken legs, one for him and one for Lele, with none left for her Ji Yang’s feelings grew increasingly complex.

He couldn’t understand what Su Ai was trying to do.  So, faced with his son’s question, Ji Yang, feeling restless, nodded.

“Why isn’t Mom eating with us? But Mom brought all the dishes to us! Mom only has noodles, Mom doesn’t have any vegetables or meat.”

Children are like that; you slap them, and they quickly forget. But if you’re kind to them, they’ll quickly cling to you, their eyes only on you.

Ji Yang finally snapped out of it, looking at his son in astonishment: “Mom didn’t keep any vegetables?”

Ji Lele shook his head.

“The vegetables and meat are all here. Mom only has noodles and one bird egg that Lele gave her.”

Ji Yang immediately picked up the plate of stir-fried carrots and pork, about to speak, when he suddenly heard a loud knocking on the door of their yard.

Then he heard a familiar voice.

It was those good-for-nothing loafers from the village, loudly calling Su Ai’s name, inviting her out to play that night.

The voices were loud enough for Ji Yang to hear what they were saying.

He heard Su Ai walking to the door, the door opening, and her reply:

“I’m just about to eat. I’ll come find you after dinner.”

Ji Yang looked at the plate of food in his hand, feeling an overwhelming sense of irony.

She’d just done some chores and behaved well for a day, and he thought she’d changed.  But what now?

He always believed her so easily, but what did that repeated trust bring him?

Perhaps this day’s act was just to get more money from him to gamble and drink tonight.

Ji Yang put the plate back down.

“Dad?”

“Aren’t we letting Mom eat vegetables?”

Ji Yang served his son some food, his tone cold:

“Mom doesn’t like vegetables; she only likes noodles.”

“Huh?”

“Really?”

“Mm.” Ji Yang nodded calmly, then urged his son to eat quickly.

Su Ai ate a large bowl of noodles and the bird egg her son gave her in the kitchen.  In her past life, she’d eaten all kinds of delicacies, but she found this little bird egg more delicious. She was overjoyed.

Then she washed the dishes.  Figuring the father and son had almost finished eating, she went into the room to clear the small table and leftover food.

But upon entering, she felt the atmosphere in the room had become heavy.

Ji Yang’s expression had darkened again. Su Ai didn’t understand why, but she had other things to do tonight, so she said nothing.

After taking their bowls and chopsticks to the kitchen to clean them, Su Ai returned to the room.

“Lele, come here. Mommy will help you wash up and get ready for bed.”

Su Ai boiled water, bathed her child, changed him into clean clothes, and dried his hair.

Then, carrying a chamber pot, she returned to Ji Yang’s room.