Chapter 32: Big Flower Face

Yun Cuihe quickly looked at Lu Xinghe: “Xinghe, take your uncles to the place we decided last night to build the house.  After you’ve chosen the spot, bring your uncles back home for dinner.”

Lu Xinghe nodded: “Okay.”

Lu Shoucheng was the first to leave the courtyard: “Then I’ll go back and get a hoe, so I can mark the spot later.”

After the four men left the courtyard, Chu Yue looked at Yun Cuihe.

“Mother, are we building a brick house or a mud-brick house?”

Yun Cuihe looked at her: “What do you think, Yueyue?”

She increasingly felt that Chu Yue was the lucky star of the family, and subconsciously felt that her opinion was also very important.

Chu Yue thought for a moment and said seriously: “Actually, I think, we’re not short of money now. If we’re building, a brick house is best. Our village is in the mountains. Although it’s dry this year, in previous years, the humidity was quite high. Mud-brick houses don’t last, and we always have to repair them every year or two.  A brick and tile house is more convenient and comfortable.”

Yun Cuihe nodded.  Recalling how, for eight years, every rainy day, the family worried about the house collapsing, she felt Chu Yue was right.

But a brick and tile house would cost a lot of money.

Chu Yue seemed to see Yun Cuihe’s concerns and stepped forward, taking her hand.

“Mother, don’t worry about the money,” she whispered. “Don’t I still have some? We’re a family, the money will be well spent, and we can always earn more back.”

Hearing this, Yun Cuihe made up her mind and held Chu Yue’s hand back.

“Okay, then let’s build a brick and tile house! But I still have some money for the house, you keep yours for now. If we really don’t have enough later, I’ll ask you then.”

Lu Xinghe and Chu Yue’s two trips to town selling goods, plus the fifteen taels from the family split and the little over one tael they originally had saved, totaled sixty-seven or eight taels of silver.  It was barely enough to build a brick and tile house.

At worst, they could just save on food and expenses for a while.

As long as they had a solid house to live in, their minds would be at ease.

Chu Yue nodded: “I’ll listen to Mother.”

Yun Cuihe looked at the string of pig intestines hanging in the kitchen: “Your uncles are having lunch here today, take down those pig intestines and fry them. They’ve been hanging for several days now.”

Chu Yue quickly went to the kitchen: “I’ll get them and wash them now.”

After instructing Chu Yue, Yun Cuihe looked towards Lu Xingping and his brother’s room.

“Xing’an, go fetch two jugs of wine.  Take one to your grandfather later, and the other one is for your uncles at lunch.”

Lu Xing’an responded, took ten copper coins from Yun Cuihe, and ran off.

“Xingping, go to the kitchen and help your sister-in-law.  Lunch is up to you two today.”

After giving her instructions, Yun Cuihe went back to her room to continue making clothes for Chu Yue.

Lu Xingping came to the kitchen and saw Chu Yue taking down the string of pig intestines hanging from the kitchen beam. He quickly swallowed: “Sister-in-law, are we having pig intestines for lunch?  What do I need to do?”

Chu Yue glanced at the pot.

“Go start the fire. I’ll blanch the pig intestines first.”

“Okay.”

Lu Xingping quickly went around to the back of the stove.  Soon, the kitchen was filled with smoke, making it hard for Chu Yue to keep her eyes open.

She suddenly understood why Lu Xing’an usually did the cooking.  While Lu Xingping was reliable in other matters, when it came to delicate work, he was basically a hindrance.

Yun Cuihe seemed to have been choked by the smoke as well, and she stretched her neck and shouted: “Xingping, are you trying to burn down the kitchen?”

“Xingping, do you always start fires like this?”

Lu Xingping scratched his head, a little embarrassed: “I’m just a little rough around the edges, but I can start a fire.  Sister-in-law won’t dislike me, will you?”

Chu Yue chuckled: “Of course not.”

She actually found it quite amusing to have such a goofy person in the family.

Just then, Lu Xing’an returned home with the wine.  Seeing the thick smoke billowing out of the kitchen, he shook his head helplessly.

“Lu Xingping, what have you done to the kitchen again?”

Lu Xingping stuck out his tongue and ran out of the kitchen.

“It’s just that Mother asked me to help Sister-in-law.  Since you’re back, I’ll leave the kitchen to you and Sister-in-law.  I’m going to cut grass and feed the chickens.”

After speaking, he ran off with his basket.

Lu Xing’an quickly entered the kitchen, removed some of the densely packed fuel from the stove, dampened it, and then rearranged the firewood in the stove.  This reduced the smoke somewhat.

Chu Yue put the pig intestines in the pot, added a few slices of ginger to the water, and then stepped out of the kitchen to catch her breath before going back in.

She took out the pig intestines, which had been simmering for a while, rinsed them with clean water, and cut them into small pieces.

By this time, Lu Xing’an had already quickly washed the rice and put it in the pot to cook porridge.

When Lu Xinghe returned home with Lu Laifu, Lu Laicai, and Lu Shoucheng, the porridge was already cooked, and Chu Yue was already stir-frying the pig intestines.

In the village of Banpo, farmers rarely ate meat more than twice a year.  Now, smelling the aroma of the stir-fried pig intestines, Lu Laifu and his brothers’ eyes lit up.

“So fragrant!”

Lu Laicai stretched his neck and peeked into the kitchen.  Seeing it was Chu Yue, he immediately praised: “I didn’t expect my niece-in-law to be such a good cook.”

“Oh!” Lu Laifu also peered in. “I thought it was Third Sister-in-law cooking.  I didn’t expect it to be my niece-in-law.  Her skills are much better than your aunt’s.”

Lu Shoucheng smiled: “It seems we’re in for a treat today.”

Lu Xinghe pursed his lips, told his uncles to rest for a while, and then went to the kitchen.

“Do you need any help?”

Chu Yue looked in his direction and smiled: “No, it’s simple.  The pig intestines will be ready soon.  I just need to stir-fry some wild vegetables.”

Lu Xinghe looked at Chu Yue’s face and shook his head.

“Why did you make yourself a big flower face ^[1]In this context, “big flower face” likely refers to Chu Yue’s face being messy or smudged, possibly with flour, grease, or food splatters from cooking. The term is used playfully or … Continue reading while cooking?”

Chu Yue was slightly stunned.

“What’s wrong with my face?”

Lu Xinghe didn’t answer her. He turned around, took a cloth from outside, wetted it with water, wrung it out slightly, and then entered the kitchen.