Chapter 136: Ice Cart

Wang Zhenhe’s departure left the elderly Wang Deshan feeling weary. No other family had as many complicated issues as theirs. What were they really aiming for?

“Wang Zhenguo, remember this: siblings are not meant to be harmed. You’ll need their support in the future. Both of you need to behave and speak honestly from now on,”  Wang Deshan warned.

The family soon forgot about the drama in the Wang household, but the emotional scars remained unhealed.

As the Lunar New Year approached, every household began preparing for the festival. People who were usually frugal now flocked to the cooperative stores. The queues were long, but fortunately, Zhang Lan had already made the necessary purchases, and life continued on its normal course.

Wang Qian, Mingcheng, and the others continued their scavenging activities without letting the upcoming festival affect their routine. They sold the collected items daily and returned home with the earnings.

Mingyuan and Zuo He even collected a lot of oil-stained rags from households, which were particularly flammable and useful for starting fires, as they were covered in oil.

At this time, Hao Lianchun ignited the stove with the oil-stained rag, and faint sounds of firecrackers could already be heard outside. These were the children in the village, unable to contain their excitement and starting to set off firecrackers ahead of the Lunar New Year.

The children who had not yet come of age were the most enthusiastic about the Lunar New Year. It meant delicious food, new clothes, firecrackers, and red envelopes—treats they rarely experienced on ordinary days.

Adults indulged their cravings, fulfilled their wishes, and overlooked their mistakes with a smile or a gentle reprimand. Therefore, the children in the village were especially eager for the Lunar New Year.

Today was Little New Year, and the aroma of cooking oil wafted from every household. Zhang Lan and Hao Lianchun were making fried meatballs, while the Wang sisters shredded the peeled potatoes and sweet potatoes. Zhang Lan kneaded the dough and fried the meatballs one after another. Mingyuan and Zuo He peeked from inside, as they were afraid of getting splashed by oil. Zhang Lan asked them to stay inside.

Once the pot was ready, Zhang Lan served the waiting Wang brothers, the elderly, and the others by the kang. Hao Lianchun and the others also tasted the food, and it was delicious.

“Zhang Lan, your cooking skills are unmatched. These are so delicious. Xuan, Qianqian, have some more. You should learn from your mother’s cooking skills. It will benefit you for a lifetime,” the elderly lady said meaningfully, glancing at the sisters. Zhang Lan chuckled quietly, and the Wang sisters smiled in response.

At this moment, Zuo He, with his oily little hands, walked out holding a potato ball. “Auntie, have some. They’ve cooled down and won’t burn your mouth.”

Seeing the well-behaved little boy, Zhang Lan opened her mouth, allowing Zuo He to feed her. “Good boy, Zuo He. This afternoon, Auntie will steam some steamed buns and bean buns for you.”

“Aunt, I fried some prawn slices. I brought them over for you to taste,” their neighbor Liu Hui said, entering with a basin of fried prawn slices.

“Hey, Zuo He, why is your little mouth so shiny? Tell your sister-in-law, are Aunt’s fried dishes delicious?” Liu Hui teased Zuo He.

Zuo He knew Liu Hui was teasing him, but he earnestly replied, “Yes, Aunt’s cooking is delicious. The fried meatballs are tasty, and Mingyuan and the others ate a lot.”

Liu Hui had a soft spot for cute children and couldn’t help but pat Zuo He’s cheek. Zhang Lan quickly found a basin to pack the prawn slices Liu Hui brought and had Zuo He take it to the kang to eat. She also picked some of the fried meatballs at home and gave them to Liu Hui. This was the custom in the countryside—sharing food and creating a lively atmosphere.

“Liu Hui, have you finished frying everything at home?” Zhang Lan asked.

Taking the basin, Liu Hui smiled and said, “Almost done. We have fewer people at home than you do, but your cooking is the best. It smells better than what I make.”

Zhang Lan playfully patted her. “You have a sweet tongue. Go back and cook. If you want to eat more, come over again.”

“Qianqian, you and your sister go eat the prawn slices. Your grandmother and I will manage here,” Zhang Lan said, allowing her daughters to take a break after helping in the kitchen all morning.

Wang Zhenhe, who had been absent all morning, returned with a sack on his back, looking excited.

Zhang Lan reproached him, “Where have you been all morning? I didn’t see you around.”

Wang Zhenhe put down the sack and took out the contents. “Wife, look, I’ve been busy with this all morning.”

Seeing what her husband was holding, Zhang Lan was pleasantly surprised and called out to the house, “Mingcheng, Mingyuan, Zuo He, come out and take a look.”

The three boys heard the call and stuck their heads out of the house. Upon seeing what Wang Zhenhe was holding, Mingyuan immediately exclaimed, “Dad, you’re amazing! When I grow up, I’ll definitely buy you a drink.”

Mingcheng and Zuo He looked at the ice cart handed to them by Wang Zhenhe in astonishment. They had envied the other kids in the village who had ice carts, never expecting to have one themselves.

“Uncle, I love you so much,” Zuo He said, abandoning his reserve and giving Wang Zhenhe a big kiss. He happily held onto his ice cart, reluctant to let it go.

“Dad, come warm up by the kang. Look at how cold your hands are,” Mingcheng said as he took the ice cart. “Dad, go warm up first. The ice picks are in the bag. Each of us gets one.”

Zuo Zhanshan and several elderly men gathered around to see the newly made ice cart. Zuo He and Mingyuan brought it to the kang, sharing their latest toy with everyone.

The wooden board for the ice cart was made from leftover pieces used to build the house, and the ice picks underneath were iron pieces that Wang Zhenhe had picked from a scrap heap and sharpened. He had also sought help from others to make this item.

Wang Qian examined the ice cart and found that it was essentially a well-polished wooden board assembled from several pieces. Two wooden blocks were fixed underneath, each with a groove where the ice picks were securely embedded, ensuring they wouldn’t fall off.

When skating, one could sit on the ice cart or kneel on the wooden board. Kneeling would allow for faster speeds than sitting.

Seeing the children enthusiastically discussing where to go ice carting, Wang Zhenhe felt that the morning’s efforts had been worthwhile. These children appreciated his efforts.

Zuo Zhanshan, seeing his grandson’s excitement, couldn’t help but smile and said, “Zuo He, this afternoon, your grandfathers and I will go ice carting with you.”

When it came to ice carting, Wu Changyong volunteered to be the leader. “Boys, when I was young, I was really good at this. Even though we didn’t have ice carts, I guarantee I can teach you some tricks.”

The group of bored “old kids” began discussing different ways to play with the ice carts. Wang Qian sat to the side, smiling as she listened. If they weren’t stuck here, they wouldn’t have time to discuss how to play with a bunch of kids.

In the kitchen, Zhang Lan had finished stir-frying the pickled vegetables. The aroma wafted in from the freshly used oil pan, even though no additional oil was added.

At lunchtime, not much was eaten because everyone felt bloated. They were not used to consuming oily food throughout the year, so suddenly having a greasy meal was hard to handle.

After lunch, the elderly men and Mingcheng went out to ice cart, led by Wu Changyong. Zhang Lan prepared some warm water to bloom the dough. At that time, yeast was not commonly used, so households would reserve a small piece of dough from a previous batch to use as a starter for the next one, known as “old dough” in modern terms.

After preparing the starter, Zhang Lan kneaded the dough and covered it with a cloth, allowing it to rise on the warm kang. Meanwhile, she began cooking the soaked small beans. Wang Qian, seeing her mother busy, felt that the activities during the Lunar New Year were tiring. She preferred the regular, less eventful days.

Zhang Lan urged Hao Lianchun to rest by the kang for a while. Once the beans were cooked, she would have time to sit and rest. Wang Xuan went out to play with her older cousin, leaving Wang Qian to keep her mother company at home.

Hao Lianchun held Wang Qian in her arms and asked, “Qianqian, why don’t you go out and play? Look, your sister has gone out to play.”

Wang Qian shook her head and said, “Grandma Zuo, playing is tiring. It’s better to stay at home, keep warm, and chat with you. It’s much more comfortable. What’s there to play with on such a cold day?”

She had another thought in her mind. She was already grown up and didn’t feel like running around with a bunch of girls. Just the thought of it made her feel tired.

“By the way, Mom, I need to go to the city tomorrow. It’s almost the Lunar New Year, and our family needs to earn some more money. It would be good to have some extra money at the beginning of next year. Grandma Zuo, if there’s anything you’re craving, let me know, and I’ll buy it for you tomorrow.”

Zhang Lan also had this plan. She heard her daughter was going the next day and couldn’t let her go alone.

“Auntie, I’ll accompany Qianqian tomorrow. Can you lend me the keys to the house. If we can’t make it back the same day, we’ll stay at your place for the night. I’ll tell Zhenhe that I’m going to visit my parents’ home for a while,” Zhang Lan said.

Hao Lianchun couldn’t help but sigh for the two women. Even for a small business, they had to be secretive, even hiding it from the men in the family. It was really tough for these two.

“Alright, you take the keys. If you can get some seafood, It will sell well and you’ll surely  make some money. After all, it doesn’t require much capital,” Hao Lianchun said.

“Grandma Zuo, that’s a good idea. We can visit my maternal grandparents’ home first before going to the city. In that case, we won’t be sure when we’ll be back. But with you at home, my mom can be more at ease,” Wang Qian said.

The elderly lady playfully tapped her on the head and said, “You little schemer. How did your honest mother give birth to such a clever and resourceful person like you?”

Hao Lianchun couldn’t help but feel grateful. If it weren’t for this young girl, they wouldn’t be able to enjoy the peaceful and harmonious life they had in this household.