Chapter 46 ☆ Egg Noodle Pancake (Part 1)

It was still dawn when there was a noise in the Xie family’s yard. Grandma Xie always got up early, and when she buttoned up and went out, she saw Xie San squatting in the yard brushing his teeth.

Grandma Xie asked, “Brother Zhao, you’re back? Didn’t you want to learn how to operate a tractor? Why are you back?”

“Yeah,” Xie San said vaguely, holding a toothbrush in his mouth, “I’ll leave in a while.”

Seeing that the water tank was full and the chicken coop had been repaired, Grandma Xie sighed and said, “You have worked hard these days. Don’t do these things when you come back.”

After a pause, she asked, “What time did you come back last night?”

Xie San spat out a mouthful of water, choking so much that his face turned red and his neck became thick, and he didn’t even dare to raise his head.

Grandma Xie took out three warm eggs from the chicken coop. They were small and exquisite, with red skins and spots. She said, “I picked up three eggs today. I boiled them and brought them to you to eat.”

Xie San coughed for a long time, wiped his mouth with a towel, and reluctantly said, “No, you can keep them for yourself.”

Grandma Xie used a rag to lovingly wipe the eggs, removing all the chicken feathers and droppings, and put them into her egg basket. She also grabbed a handful of rice bran and sprinkled it into the chicken feed bowl. “I saved a basket for you. You worked hard learning to drive, so you need to give me some more. Don’t say you’ll leave some for Xiao Fei. She doesn’t have to go out, and there’s enough food now.”

Xie San washed his face, water drops rolling down his straight nose, and said, “Steam egg cake for Meimei.”

“Meimei” is the local dialect in Tianshui Village, similar to “Nannan,” which is a nickname for girls.

Grandma Xie said unhappily, “She is naughty because she has nothing to do all day. If you don’t give her eggs, she will go crazy. Look at what time it is now. How can a girl stay in bed like her?”

Xie San said, “She just arrived and isn’t used to it. Let her sleep a little longer.”

Grandma Xie said angrily, “Protect her, just protect her!”

“Who are you protecting?” a delicate voice asked, still sounding tired. Cheng Yaoyao leaned against the door with her hair loose and sleepy eyes. She was wearing a pink blouse and a knee-length skirt with a wrinkled collar.

When Xie San saw the pink blouse, he turned his head as if he were electrocuted and quickened the pace of washing his face.

Cheng Yaoyao covered her lips with her hand and yawned, then walked to Grandma Xie and said coquettishly, “You agreed to leave the eggs for me to pick up.”

“Waiting for you to pick them up? The hens have already torn them!” Grandma Xie wiped her hands on her apron, straightened Cheng Yaoyao’s collar, and said unhappily, “How can you come out with your clothes untied? It’s not nice for people to see you!”

“It’s not anyone else’s,” Cheng Yaoyao said, obediently letting Grandma Xie tidy up her hair. She tied her long hair behind her head with a hair tie and turned around to wash her face.

Xie San had already prepared the water and squeezed the toothpaste, so she took it and stuffed it into her mouth, casually glancing at the washbasin that Xie San had placed beside her. The towel had worn out after who knows how long it had been used. The same was true for the toothbrush; the bristles were almost all gone.

Xie San handed her the tooth mug filled with water, took his broken washbasin, and went to the yard to chop firewood.

Nowadays, every household in the countryside burns firewood. With the village’s permission, they can go into the mountains to cut old wood. More often, they let the children carry baskets and go into the forest to pick up some dead branches that can be used to start a fire.

Xie San often went into the deep mountains and forests, and the firewood pile at home was very high. The firewood was chopped thinly and evenly, and neatly stacked in the corner.

Xie San placed a round log upright on the ground, raised the axe with both hands, and swung it down to chop it. With a snap, the sun-dried log split into two halves. He picked it up and arranged it, then chopped it into two halves again with another blow of the axe. This way, the firewood was evenly divided into four pieces, making it easier to burn.

Xie San was wearing a ragged jacket, his muscles bulging and forming nice lines. He looked serious while working, his beautiful lips tightly pursed, his eyebrows soaked with sweat, and he had the vigor and vitality that only young men have.

Cheng Yaoyao stared at him while brushing her teeth, from his broad chest to the beautiful muscle lines of his arms, and then to the two deep mermaid lines that couldn’t be hidden under his torn coat…

Grandma Xie shouted, “Brother Zhao, we have enough firewood, stop chopping it. You’ll be sweating all over so early in the morning, and your classmates will laugh at you!”

“Hmm!” Hearing the annoyance in Grandma Xie’s tone, Xie San had to stop and lift his torn coat to wipe his face.

Cheng Yaoyao handed him the wet towel in her hand. “Don’t always use clothes to wipe your face, use this.”

“……” The light pink towel was clean and soft, reflecting Cheng Yaoyao’s snow-white fingers. Xie San hesitated for a moment, and Cheng Yaoyao handed it to him and winked at the kitchen.

Grandma Xie was busy in the kitchen and didn’t notice them.

Xie San covered his face with the towel and wiped it. The towel was very soft and had the unique fragrance of Cheng Yaoyao, which made him reluctant to let go.

Whether it’s because Cheng Yaoyao’s towel is particularly soft or not, after washing his face, Xie San felt refreshed.

Xie San took out the piece of pork hanging in the well. After a night, the pork was still ice-cold and had not gone bad.

It was a piece of pork belly with fat and lean parts, about three fingers wide, tied with a hemp rope. Xie San explained, “I was afraid it would go bad, so I sent it back specially.”

Grandma Xie looked at the meat happily and said, “Where did you get this meat? It must have cost a lot of money, right?”

Xie San said, “I don’t have any money. I earn it by helping others carry goods.”

Grandma Xie scolded, “You came to the city to study, why do you always carry goods for others? Don’t get yourself hurt in such hot weather! Look at the wound on your shoulder; is it from carrying goods?”

There was a bright red scratch on Xie San’s arm; it looked like he was cut by something, but more likely scratched by something…

Xie San’s face suddenly turned hot, and he stepped back. “It’s okay. Let’s cook the meat today, or it will go bad if we keep it any longer.”

Grandma Xie held the meat and smiled. “Spread some salt on it and marinate it. It will be good to eat for a while.”

Cheng Yaoyao said, “It doesn’t taste good when pickled. This pork belly is of such good quality, let’s cook it all at once.”

Xie San agreed immediately. “Okay.”

Then he glanced at Grandma Xie and added, “I will bring back meat next time.”

Grandma Xie took off her apron and said unhappily, “Okay, okay, okay, all up to you!”

Cheng Yaoyao was very happy. She picked up her apron and tied it around her waist. “I’ll make breakfast! You’re not leaving so soon, are you? Have breakfast first?”

Cheng Yaoyao’s face showed undisguised reluctance. Xie San also had something on his mind. He nodded and said, “There is a bus going into the county town at 11 o’clock. I can take it.”

Grandma Xie said, “That’s great, we can even have brunch!”

Since Xie San was having breakfast at home, today’s breakfast would naturally be more sumptuous.

Cheng Yaoyao asked Xie San to go into the vegetable garden to pick some tomatoes, cucumbers, green vegetables, and chives, and she went to ask Grandma Xie for eggs.

“Grandma, give me five eggs.”

Grandma Xie was counting eggs. Hearing this, she held the basket cautiously and said, “If you want to make egg cakes, two are enough. Why do you need five at a time? Don’t count it?”

“I want to make something delicious for Brother Xie San.” Cheng Yaoyao spread her hands and said confidently, “Give them to me.”

It turned out she wasn’t being greedy. Grandma Xie was annoyed and deliberately said, “If you want eggs, pick them from the chicken coop.”

“You picked up everything today!” Cheng Yaoyao pouted and said, “At worst, I can return them to you in a few days.”

Grandma Xie was amused by her. “There are only three eggs a day, and I am the one feeding them. You want to give my eggs back to me? Aren’t you very calculating?”

Cheng Yaoyao raised her chin and said mysteriously, “Then, starting tomorrow, I will feed the chickens for you. I promise I can collect more than five eggs a day.”

Grandma Xie said flatly, “I don’t believe it.”

“Then let’s make a bet,” Cheng Yaoyao took the opportunity to say, “What will you do if I make the hens lay more eggs?”

Grandma Xie said without hesitation, “The extra eggs are all yours!”

“It’s a deal!” Cheng Yaoyao clapped her hands, still staring at Grandma Xie’s basket of eggs. “Then give me a few eggs first. I’ll count them as borrowing them from you.”

Xie San walked to the door and said to Cheng Yaoyao, “Yaoyao, don’t make trouble with Grandma.”

Cheng Yaoyao said aggrievedly, “I wanted to borrow a few eggs from Grandma, but she wouldn’t give them to me.”

Xie San gently pushed her towards the kitchen. “Go wash the vegetables first.”

Seeing Cheng Yaoyao walk away angrily, Xie San turned around and looked at Grandma Xie helplessly. “Grandma, don’t tease her.”

The wrinkles at the corners of Grandma Xie’s eyes spread out as softly as chrysanthemums, hiding a little smile. She shook her head and said, “I don’t know how her family raised her. She will be so spoiled and willful when she marries someone else in the future?”

“I won’t marry into anyone else’s family.” Xie San’s voice was filled with unquestionable stubbornness and confidence.

Grandma Xie paused while counting the eggs and suddenly stared at Xie San sternly. “Brother Zhao, I still say the same thing. I don’t care what’s going on between you and Yaoyao, you are not allowed to bully others!”

“……I can’t.” Xie San turned his eyes away involuntarily.

Grandma Xie stared at him sharply. “What did you do last night?”