Chapter 8

“Xiao Shu, could you go to the room and get Aunt a cotton coat?” Xu Jiaojiao asked, her head bowed.

With not enough towels and the cold weather, Xu Jiaojiao had no choice but to ask Qin Jiashu to fetch a clean cotton coat to dry her hair.

Qin Jiashu nodded and scampered into the room, returning with the coat.

Xu Jiaojiao vigorously dried her hair with the thick cotton coat, sighing at the hardships of life without modern conveniences like a hairdryer. The lack of electricity left her feeling weary.

By the time she finished washing her hair, it was nearly four o’clock. Noticing embers still glowing in the stove, Xu Jiaojiao decided to start dinner early.

“Xiao Shu, what would you like for dinner?” Xu Jiaojiao asked, turning to Qin Jiashu.

Qin Jiashu racked his brain, meeting Xu Jiaojiao’s encouraging gaze. After a deep breath, he tentatively replied, “I want pork cracklings.”

Qin Jiashu had never tasted pork cracklings. When he lived with his grandfather, Qin Baogui would always eat the fragrant cracklings in front of him while rendering lard.

He had asked Jie Di and San Gouzi about them, but they hadn’t tried them either and couldn’t tell him if they were good.

Still, Qin Jiashu was convinced pork cracklings must be delicious. Otherwise, his Fierce Grandma wouldn’t have kept them from him.

“Xiao Shu wants pork cracklings?” Xu Jiaojiao hadn’t expected that answer.

She had noticed Qin Jiashu seemed more willing to talk after his errand and hoped to coax him into saying a few more words.

“Xiao Shu, we don’t have any pork at home, and you need pork to make pork cracklings. Aunt will go to town in a few days to buy some pork and then fry some cracklings for you, okay? Today, Aunt will make…”

Xu Jiaojiao squatted down in front of Qin Jiashu, explaining gently and patiently while considering what delicious dish she could make with their limited ingredients.

“How about pumpkin cakes? They’re so fragrant and delicious.”

She had originally planned to make sweet potato cakes, but the little one had already eaten roasted sweet potatoes that morning and might be tired of them.

“Pumpkin cakes? Are they good?” Qin Jiashu tilted his head curiously.

“Yes, they’re delicious,” Xu Jiaojiao smiled. “By the way, Xiao Shu, do you know where Aunt Ju Hua lives?”

Xu Jiaojiao stood up and walked to the kitchen cabinet. She took out an egg and turned to Qin Jiashu.

“Yes.”

“Then could you help Aunt by taking this egg to Aunt Ju Hua and trading it for a pumpkin?” Xu Jiaojiao hoped to encourage Qin Jiashu to interact more with others. The little boy was rather reserved.

“Okay.” Qin Jiashu carefully took the egg with both hands, cradled it gently, and slowly walked out.

Xu Jiaojiao escorted Qin Jiashu to the courtyard gate. She waited until he was a few meters away before turning back to the kitchen.

She rummaged through the built-in cabinet and found about half a pound of flour, which she planned to use for the pumpkin cakes.

Xu Jiaojiao sat down in front of the stove, started the fire, and checked her watch to keep track of the time.

Aunt Ju Hua’s house was only about a hundred meters away. At Qin Jiashu’s pace, it shouldn’t have taken more than five minutes to exchange the pumpkin and return.

But Qin Jiashu had been gone for over ten minutes. Xu Jiaojiao grew worried and couldn’t resist getting up to peek out the courtyard gate. To her surprise, she found Qin Jiashu squatting right outside their door.

“Xiao Shu?” Xu Jiaojiao called softly.

Qin Jiashu looked up, revealing a tear-streaked face. His red-rimmed eyes met hers, his mouth slightly agape as he gasped for air. His chest heaved rhythmically, betraying his desperate struggle to hold back his tears.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Jiaojiao asked tenderly, hurrying out to help him up.

Only then did she notice the dirt on the knees of Qin Jiashu’s pants, his rumpled jacket, and the fragment of a broken eggshell clutched in his small hand.

“Did you accidentally fall and break the egg?” Xu Jiaojiao gently wiped away his tears.

The boy shook his head, a sob catching in his throat. Faced with Xu Jiaojiao’s gentle inquiry, his composure crumbled completely.

“Bao, Baogui… saw the egg… snatched it… it broke,” Qin Jiashu stammered between sobs, then burst into tears.

The poor little thing was truly heartbroken!

Qin Baogui? Xu Jiaojiao knew exactly who that was—the son of Qin Zhenglei, Father Qin’s stepson from his remarriage to Zhao Guihua.

Qin Baogui was a year older than Qin Jiashu, a chubby little brat who had grown fat on the military allowance that Qin Zhengye sent home. 

Xu Jiaojiao remembered reading that Qin Jiashu had suffered quite a bit of bullying from Qin Baogui.

“Don’t cry, sweetie. It’s okay,” Xu Jiaojiao said, turning to take Qin Jiashu home. “The egg broke, so it broke. We’ll just get another one.”

As she spoke, Xu Jiaojiao helped Qin Jiashu wash his hands and face before retrieving another egg from the cupboard.

“Aunt, will you take Xiao Shu to exchange this for a pumpkin with Aunt Ju Hua?”

“Okay,” Qin Jiashu agreed.

Hand in hand, the pair walked toward Aunt Ju Hua’s house. As expected, they soon encountered Qin Baogui and another sturdy-looking boy. Each held a straight wooden stick, banging it against the frozen rice paddies beside the path.

“You little wild child! You still dare to walk this way?” Qin Baogui brandished his stick arrogantly, completely unafraid of Xu Jiaojiao.

Xu Jiaojiao narrowed her eyes at the chubby Qin Baogui. This boy had grown so fat by stealing food meant for Qin Jiashu. It was time he learned a lesson.

“Were you the one who tried to snatch Xiao Shu’s egg earlier?” Xu Jiaojiao demanded.

“Yeah, I did. So what? My grandma said everything that wild brat owns is mine! Nyeh nyeh!” Qin Baogui pulled a face at her.

Excellent, the little brat had finally managed to anger her. Xu Jiaojiao smirked.

“Xiao Shu, take the egg and stand over there,” she said, releasing Qin Jiashu’s small hand and giving him the egg. She gently pushed him back a few steps.

Qin Jiashu retreated dazedly, his eyes fixed on Xu Jiaojiao. Once she deemed the distance sufficient, she turned to Qin Baogui and snatched the stick from his hand.

“You—you dare steal my stick?” For a boy, a straight wooden stick was a prized treasure. Qin Baogui glared fiercely at Xu Jiaojiao.

“Not only do I dare steal it, I dare hit you with it,” Xu Jiaojiao retorted, gripping the stick comfortably. She swung it with practiced ease and smacked Qin Baogui’s buttocks with a series of sharp thwacks.

“Ah! Ouch! Stop!” Qin Baogui yelped and hopped around, trying to dodge the blows. After a few hits, he burst into tears.

“Waaah! You sick weakling hit me? I’m going home to tell Grandma!” Qin Baogui clutched his stinging rear and fled a short distance, turning back to glare at Xu Jiaojiao with tearful fury.

Unfazed by the chubby boy’s threat, Xu Jiaojiao casually tossed the stick into the rice paddy.

Seeing his precious stick disappear into the muddy field, Qin Baogui ran home in tears, gritting his teeth as he plotted his revenge.

Having taught the little brat a lesson, Xu Jiaojiao dusted off her hands and turned to lead Qin Jiashu toward Aunt Ju Hua’s house.

Qin Jiashu held Xu Jiaojiao’s left hand while cradling an egg in his right, gazing at her with pure adoration.

At that moment, Xu Jiaojiao seemed to radiate a dazzling light in Qin Jiashu’s eyes.

She’s so, so amazing! She even made Qin Baogui cry!

Knock, knock, knock.

Xu Jiaojiao raised her hand and knocked on Aunt Ju Hua’s gate.

“Zhengye’s wife…” Aunt Ju Hua called out from the courtyard, where she was grinding soybeans with a stone mill.

“Xiao Shu, why don’t you take the egg and ask Aunt Ju Hua to trade it for some pumpkin?” Xu Jiaojiao encouraged him, bending down to speak.

Qin Jiashu pursed his lips and nodded. He stepped over the high threshold and trotted to Aunt Ju Hua.

“Aunt Ju, egg for pumpkin,” Qin Jiashu said clearly, his voice still carrying a hint of babyishness.

“Did your aunt tell you to trade the egg for pumpkin?” Aunt Ju Hua chuckled, glancing at Xu Jiaojiao standing by the gate before turning back to Qin Jiashu.

“Yes,” Qin Jiashu replied carefully, placing the egg in Aunt Ju Hua’s rough palm.

Xu Jiaojiao watched from the gate, a smile playing on her lips.

“Good boy! Aunt will cut you some pumpkin right away,” Aunt Ju Hua said, patting Qin Jiashu’s head and smiling at Xu Jiaojiao.

She went to the kitchen for a cleaver, then hauled a massive pumpkin from the storage room beside the main hall. With a decisive chop, she split it open and cut off a large chunk, handing it to Qin Jiashu.

“Can Xiao Shu manage to carry that?” Aunt Ju Hua asked him with a smile.

“I can!” Qin Jiashu nodded, hugging the pumpkin with both arms. His short legs pattered toward Xu Jiaojiao.

Seeing Qin Jiashu struggling to hold the heavy pumpkin, Xu Jiaojiao quickly bent down and took it from him. “Thank you, Aunt Ju Hua,” she said.

Turning to Qin Jiashu, she added, “Xiao Shu, you haven’t thanked Aunt yet.”

“Thank you, Aunt Ju,” Qin Jiashu said obediently, his feet together as he bowed to Aunt Ju Hua.

“Don’t mention it! What’s there to thank me for? You’re too polite. Next time you want a pumpkin, just come and get it. No need to bring eggs,” Aunt Ju Hua insisted.

“Alright, then I’ll shamelessly come and take one next time,” Xu Jiaojiao replied with a playful smile.

“Come anytime!” Aunt Ju Hua nodded enthusiastically.

After a few more words, Xu Jiaojiao took Qin Jiashu’s hand and headed home.

“Xiao Shu,” Xu Jiaojiao asked softly, “Aunt wants to know, next time you come to Grandma Ju Hua’s to exchange things, what should you say after you’ve finished?”

Qin Jiashu, quick-witted, remembered Xu Jiaojiao’s earlier reminder. “Thank you,” he answered.

“That’s right,” Xu Jiaojiao nodded. “When you ask someone for help, you should always say thank you.”

“When you want to thank someone, you say ‘thank you.’ But what should Xiao Shu say if he accidentally bumps into someone or steps on their foot?”

Qin Jiashu shook his head, puzzled.

“When you feel sorry, you say ‘I’m sorry.’”

“I’m sorry,” Qin Jiashu repeated softly, carefully memorizing the polite phrase.

“Thank you and I’m sorry are important polite words we use every day. Xiao Shu should be a well-mannered and polite child, okay?” Xu Jiaojiao patiently taught Qin Jiashu as they walked home.

Their errand to exchange the pumpkin had taken longer than expected, and the fire in the stove had gone out.

Xu Jiaojiao bent down to relight the stove and instructed Qin Jiashu, “Xiao Shu, watch the fire.”

“Okay,” Qin Jiashu nodded solemnly, as if accepting a vital mission.

The exchanged pumpkin was quite large. Xu Jiaojiao cut half to make pumpkin cakes, leaving the other half for the next day.

Scrub, scrub, scrub. Xu Jiaojiao scrubbed the large pot clean with a bamboo brush, poured in a ladle of water, and placed a bamboo steamer inside to steam the pumpkin.

“You short-lived wretch, get out here! You black-hearted medicine guzzler, lazy bum who deserves a miserable death! How dare you hit my precious grandson? Looks like you’ve grown tired of living…” Zhao Guihua’s shrill curses echoed from the courtyard.