Chapter 18: Catching a Chicken

The women weaving nets nearby shook their heads in disapproval. These guys seemed like they’d never grown up, always loafing around as if they had nothing better to do. And now, they were even planning to kill a chicken from home?

“Such good-for-nothing kids,” one muttered. “If they were mine, I’d have whipped them ages ago.” But this kind of nonsense was so common that it hardly surprised anyone anymore. At least they weren’t causing trouble for other households—that was their only redeeming quality.

Yao-Dong rubbed his nose, feeling a bit embarrassed by his wife’s clear annoyance. Somehow, he really did feel a bit guilty.

“Looks like Dongzi’s getting soft about his wife now, huh?” Xiao-Xiao grinned. “Don’t worry, just sweet-talk her tonight when you get back.”

“Exactly, cheer her up when you get home! But for now, let’s hurry up and catch that chicken. It’s already past two, and we need time to cook. We’ll starve if it gets too late!” They pulled Yao-Dong along as they laughed and ran. He figured it was too late to turn back now; he’d apologize tonight and make up for it by helping with clam digging tomorrow.

Once he’d settled on his plan, he let go of his worries and happily followed his friends.

In Baisha Village, A-Zheng’s house was closer to Dongqiao Village, with a back door leading straight to the fields. Despite his bold talk earlier, when it came time to catch the chicken, A-Zheng was a little nervous, worried his mother might see him from where she was weaving nets by the back door. So, he led them around, trying to sneak in from the fields.

But there she was, weaving right by the back door—and she looked up to see the three of them sneaking around by the side of the road.

“What are you boys up to now?”

A-Zheng gave a sheepish grin and shuffled forward, poking his fingers together. “Mom, I need to talk to you about something. Do you think…?”

“No!”

The three of them stared, speechless.

She’d shot him down before he’d even explained. Without looking up, she used her net needle to scratch her head before resuming her work. “When you three get together, nothing good ever comes of it. Don’t even ask—I’m not agreeing to anything!”

“But, Mom, hasn’t Dad been complaining about his weak joints lately…?”

“So, what, you want to buy a crab to help him recover?”

People around here usually had blue crab to help with strength and energy.

“Well, not exactly…”

Watching this unfold, Yao-Dong couldn’t help but chuckle. A-Zheng had been all talk back at his place, but now that he faced his mom, he’d completely lost his nerve. Yao-Dong couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen him so unsure.

Realizing he had no choice, A-Zheng took a deep breath and went for it. “This morning, A-Guang caught a cobra, and we’re planning to catch a chicken to make a soup with it. I thought we’d bring back a bowl to help you and Dad feel better. Didn’t Dad say he was feeling weak recently?”

His mom’s eyebrows shot up. She’d been about to scold him but stopped short, surprised at his thoughtfulness. It looked like he’d struck the right chord by mentioning his father’s health.

Seeing his chance, A-Zheng continued, “Besides, Mom, I paid for the eggs to hatch the chickens, and I’ve been the one taking care of them. Just let me have one, it’s really no loss to you, right?”

“Oh, don’t give me that! You still eat my food, wear my clothes, and live in my house, but you call the chicken yours?”

“Yes, yes, you’re right, you raised them. So, does that mean I can take one?”

She glared at him, but before she could scold him, A-Zheng was already calling Yao-Dong and Xiao-Xiao to start catching a chicken.

“Get going then! But only a rooster.” She grumbled but softened, clearly unable to refuse him. After all, he was her only son among four daughters, and he was her pride and joy.

“Which one should we catch?”

“That one! Look at that big, fat rooster in the corner! Xiao-Xiao, you go first!” Yao-Dong pointed to a vibrant rooster strutting leisurely around the corner, urging the others to go ahead. He wasn’t eager to step into the chicken droppings scattered around the yard.

A few seconds later, the rooster let out a loud clucking sound. “Darn it, missed it!”

“There! Over there… Dongzi…”

“Let me… let me!”

The three of them chased the chickens in a chaotic round, with chickens flapping wildly and feathers flying everywhere. Still, they came up empty-handed.

“Damn, why’s it so fast? You go that way, and I’ll go this way—we’ll surround it!”

Yao-Dong quickly stopped them. “Hold on, hold on. A-Zheng, grab a handful of rice bran. We’ll stand back in the corners and wait until they come to eat—it’ll be easier to catch them then.”

“Good idea!”

A-Zheng’s mother looked on, distressed by their antics. She was thankful she’d had the foresight to bring her fishing nets indoors; otherwise, they would have surely turned everything upside down.

They scattered some rice bran, but the chickens stayed cautious, circling around the bait, reluctant to approach. After a while, sensing no danger, they began pecking at the scattered bran.

“Go! Dongzi, it’s your turn.”

Alright, he’d do it. Yao-Dong crept forward carefully, eyes locked on his target, then lunged forward and grabbed the rooster.

“Got it!”

He beamed, gripping the rooster firmly by its wings. “Bring some rope; I’ll tie it up, or it’ll just fly off again.”

“Here, let’s tie it up on the way to A-Guang’s place.”

The big rooster, full of energy, struggled and let out indignant squawks even as it was tied. Once it was secure, Yao-Dong handed it over and noticed his shoes were smeared with droppings. He grabbed a handful of straw to wipe them clean, scraping his feet against the ground to get rid of the muck, and then happily joined the others heading to A-Guang’s house.

A-Guang’s mother had passed away, and his father worked on a large fishing vessel, often gone for months at a time. Since he lived with his two younger sisters and wasn’t married, his place was the usual gathering spot for their group.

The others were already at his place, playing cards and waiting for the three of them to start cooking.

“Hey, A-Guang! Are you not aware of your own name? Playing cards in the afternoon, really?”

“Ha! Pei Guang—’Pei Guang Guang’! ‘Lose it all!'” Yao-Dong couldn’t help laughing at the way A-Guang’s name seemed to bring him bad luck. It’d been years since he’d seen him.

A-Guang shot them a smug look. “For once, I didn’t lose a thing, alright?”

“So who lost? And who won? The biggest winner should go to the pier and buy a couple of seafood bowls. A-Zheng brought a chicken from home; tonight, we’re making dragon-and-phoenix soup! Let’s make it a feast!”

A-Guang flaunted his winnings with a grin. “I won against all three of them! First time for everything, huh? I’ll go see what’s fresh at the pier; you guys handle the chicken.”

They liked to play cards for small bets, just for fun. The winnings usually went towards buying food to share over drinks and stories. They might not be ambitious, but they shared a tight bond. Yao-Dong felt a surge of excitement, volunteering, “You guys play; I’ll handle the chicken and get it ready.”

“Alright, it’s all yours. Just give me a shout when you’re done, and I’ll cook it up!” Xiao-Xiao gladly handed over the chicken, then went back to the card table with the others.