Chapter 9: Delivering Soup to Song Jingzhi

Tang Xiaoxiao blanched the large bones and spare ribs before putting the large bones in the pot to simmer.

The other educated youths were still working, so she used another pot to melt lard.

“Is Comrade Tang home?” Auntie Cui’s voice came from outside.

“Auntie, what’s wrong?” Tang Xiaoxiao walked out of the kitchen.

“I thought you didn’t have any vegetables for cooking, so I brought you some.” Auntie Cui placed the vegetables on the table in the hall.

“Auntie, how much is it? I’ll pay you.”

“Why would you pay? It’s just a little bit. I have to go back to see my grandson. I’m going now.” Auntie Cui walked back with her bamboo basket, as if she was afraid that Tang Xiaoxiao would chase after her.

“This Auntie Cui is a good person.” Tang Xiaoxiao went to the hall and saw some green vegetables, a loofah, and a dozen chili peppers. Although it wasn’t much, it was her kind gesture.

After melting the lard, she made some braised spare ribs. People in this era didn’t like to eat spare ribs, they preferred fatty meat, the fatter the better.

Tang Xiaoxiao knew that spare ribs were much better than fatty meat. Later, the price of spare ribs was several times higher than that of fatty meat.

She took two lunch boxes from her space, a large one for the bone broth and a small one for the braised spare ribs.

She had some braised spare ribs left, so she steamed some rice and stir-fried some green vegetables. This was her own lunch.

When she finished all this, the other educated youths had already returned from work. Wang Erxi had already gone to the villager’s house where he was eating.

“Xiaoxiao, did you buy a bicycle?” Liu Fengjuan asked.

“Yeah, it’s convenient for going out to buy things, so I bought one.” She was eating in the hall.

“Who’s eating meat? It smells so good.” It was Cao Hui’s voice.

Tang Xiaoxiao didn’t say anything and continued to eat her rice.

“Comrade Tang, can I borrow your bicycle? I need to go to the city in a few days.” Cao Hui walked up to her, his eyes fixed on the food in her lunch box.

“It’s not convenient.”

Liu Dong and Liu Fengjuan, who were preparing to cook, exchanged glances and smiled.

Tang Xiaoxiao didn’t want to pay attention to him. She quickly finished her meal, washed her dishes, greeted Liu Fengjuan, and went to the Song family with her bamboo basket.

When she arrived at the Song family, Song’s father and mother were cooking.

“Little Tang educated youth, have you eaten? Come have some food at our house.” Song’s mother greeted her with a smile.

“Auntie, I’ve eaten. I made some bone broth and braised spare ribs. I want to nourish Comrade Song’s bones.”

“Oh, you go ahead.” Song’s mother replied and went back to the kitchen.

“Okay.” Tang Xiaoxiao carried the bamboo basket and entered the room.

The door wasn’t closed. Song Jingzhi was sitting on the bed reading a book. He had actually known she was coming, and he hadn’t been able to focus on a single word.

He held the book in his hand, paying attention to her every move. She was wearing a light blue dress today, and it looked very nice.

“Ahem.” As soon as he had this thought, Song Jingzhi began to despise himself. What was he thinking?

She was just a girl who came to repay a debt of gratitude. He should get better soon and send her back.

Because of what happened yesterday, Tang Xiaoxiao didn’t take the initiative to talk to him. There was a small table in the room, which Song Jingzhi used to eat on the bed.

She moved the small table in front of him, opened the lunch boxes in the bamboo basket, and silently handed him the chopsticks and spoon.

She went to the kitchen and brought him a bowl of rice, placing it in front of him. After doing everything, she just sat on the chair in the room, watching him.

“You, have you eaten?” He held the chopsticks and spoon, but he didn’t move.

He had actually heard her say she had eaten, but she hadn’t said anything else, and he felt a little uncomfortable.

“I have.”

“Yesterday, I’m sorry.” In the end, Song Jingzhi decided to apologize for his attitude. His father was right, the girl had come to repay a debt of gratitude, and his attitude had been too harsh, hurting her feelings.

Tang Xiaoxiao wasn’t someone who would hold a grudge. She hadn’t been angry in the first place, she just wanted an apology from him.

She didn’t want him to always be concerned about his reputation every time she came. When would she be able to gain his trust, give him the Jade Dew, and cure his leg?

“I forgive you. Try it. I simmered the soup for a long time. You have to eat the marrow from the bones, it’s nutritious.” She got up and sat on the edge of the bed, ready to feed him.

“I, I can do it myself.” Song Jingzhi looked at her, his ears turning red. He had never been so close to a girl before.

No, he had been closer to her when he saved her, but that was a special situation.

Tang Xiaoxiao gave him a look. “If you don’t eat it, it will get cold.”

“Oh, okay.” Song Jingzhi lowered his head and took a sip of the soup. His eyes lit up, and he looked up at her.

“It’s delicious.”

“Right? Try this braised spare rib.”

Song Jingzhi picked up a spare rib and put it in his mouth, nodding as he ate. “Is this spare rib? I’ve never eaten such delicious spare ribs before. And this soup is so delicious…”

Realizing that he might have said something wrong, his voice became quieter. He just lowered his head and ate.

Tang Xiaoxiao was naturally happy to have her cooking praised.

She looked at him and noticed that his ears were still red. She didn’t expect him to be such a pure and innocent young man.

“I got up early and took the ox cart to the city to buy the large bones and spare ribs, and then I rushed back on my bike to make this. You have to eat it all.”

“You bought a bicycle?” He stopped his chopsticks. “I’ll give you the money.”

“Can you focus? Did I say anything about money?”

“No, I can’t take your money. And these large bones and spare ribs also cost money.” He had planned to ask his mother to give her money tickets later.

“Song Jingzhi, you’re really a big straight man.”

“What?” Song Jingzhi looked at her, not understanding what she meant.

He fumbled under his pillow. There was an envelope there, containing his allowance and bonus from the army for his recovery and rest. It should have five hundred yuan in it.

He handed the envelope to her. “Take this. If you continue to take care of me and cook for me, use this money. And for your bicycle, I don’t have a bicycle ticket yet. When I get better, I’ll…”

“Okay, consider this your family’s dowry for me.” She took the envelope and waved it.

“This is not, not a dowry.” Song Jingzhi was flustered. This Tang educated youth, so young, how could she say such a thing?

“Song Jingzhi, I came to repay my debt of gratitude and take care of you. I’m also taking your money. What kind of person would I be?” With a snap, Tang Xiaoxiao threw the envelope on the small table.

She turned her face away and refused to look at him.

“What’s wrong?” Song’s mother heard the commotion and walked in, just in time to see tears on Tang Xiaoxiao’s face.

“Why are you crying?”

Song Jingzhi heard her crying, but he couldn’t see her expression. He frowned slightly.

“I said something wrong. Mother, please go out and eat.”

“Speak properly.” Song’s mother pointed at her son and whispered. Why did he always make the girl cry?