Chapter 20

“Alright, hop on!” Old Man Che, the experienced donkey cart driver from the Seventh Brigade, looked to be in his sixties or seventies.

“I’ll take it,” the old man said. Though lean, he possessed surprising strength.

Xu Jiaojiao struggled to lift the several dozen pounds of rice and flour, but Old Man Che effortlessly hoisted it onto the donkey cart with one hand.

“Impressive! Thank you, Uncle,” Xu Jiaojiao said gratefully.

Qin Jiashu, standing nearby with his books, watched with admiration.

“Auntie, Xiao Shu will eat more so he can grow up quickly,” Qin Jiashu whispered to Xu Jiaojiao after his moment of awe.

“Good boy!” Xu Jiaojiao nodded, bending down to lift Qin Jiashu onto the donkey cart before climbing aboard herself.

The cart was piled with dry rice straw, making for a surprisingly comfortable, swaying ride.

Having traveled this muddy road countless times, Xu Jiaojiao finally took the time to admire the endless mountain ranges stretching into the distance.

“Xiao Shu, look! Doesn’t that big rock look like a frog?” Xu Jiaojiao pointed to a distant boulder.

“Wow, it really does!” Qin Jiashu exclaimed in wonder.

Hearing their conversation, Old Man Che chuckled from his seat at the front. “That’s exactly what it is! That small mountain hollow is called ‘Stone Frog.’ My elders used to say that Stone Frog is sacred—you can pray to it for children or wealth!”

“Is that true?” Xu Jiaojiao asked.

“I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I’ve heard that people from the Seventh Brigade go there to pray on the first and fifteenth of each month,” Old Man Che replied. As a seasoned donkey cart driver who frequently passed by, he had seen and heard a lot.

“By the way, you’re the new bride from Qinjia Village, aren’t you?” Old Man Che asked.

Xu Jiaojiao smiled. “That’s right.”

“Do you live in the village itself? If the donkey cart can get there, I’ll take you right to your doorstep,” Old Man Che offered kindly. Seeing Xu Jiaojiao, a frail woman with a child, he wanted to see his good deed through.

“Uncle, I live at the Zhiqing Compound.”

“The Zhiqing Compound?” Old Man Che paused, surprised. He knew it had been abandoned since the educated youth from the brigade had returned to the city. His home in  Qinshang Village was some distance away, so he hadn’t heard about it.

Without prying further, Old Man Che simply nodded. “Then I’ll take you right to the entrance.”

“Thank you so much.”

The donkey cart ride was leisurely. Though it moved at about the same pace as walking, the gentle swaying made it quite pleasant.

The cart stopped at the gate of the Zhiqing yard, and Old Man Che helped Xu Jiaojiao unload her rice and flour.

“Thank you, Uncle,” Xu Jiaojiao said as she stepped down. She quickly opened her burlap sack and offered two milk candies to Old Man Che.

“No need, no need, it was just a small favor,” Old Man Che waved dismissively.

Xu Jiaojiao insisted, “Uncle, it’s just two candies. Take them home for your children to enjoy.”

“Alright then,” Old Man Che relented, his eyes lighting up at the sight of White Rabbit milk candies. In those days, milk candies were a rare treat. After a perfunctory refusal, he accepted the candies.

Once Old Man Che had driven the donkey cart away, Xu Jiaojiao carried the sacks of rice and flour into the house.

She had rushed to town early that morning to shop. They say women never tire of shopping, but Xu Jiaojiao felt utterly exhausted.

“Xiao Shu, are you thirsty? Could you fetch a cup from the kitchen for Auntie?” Xu Jiaojiao asked Qin Jiashu.

“Okay!” Qin Jiashu nodded and scampered off to the kitchen, his boundless energy showing no signs of fatigue.

Though she had asked Qin Jiashu for help, Xu Jiaojiao followed him into the kitchen.

The thermos was also in the kitchen. Xu Jiaojiao poured herself a cup of water and drank it.

“Xiao Shu should have some water too,” she said, remembering the boy.

Qin Jiashu nodded obediently, cradling his half-full cup and blowing on the water to cool it before drinking.

After resting for a while, Xu Jiaojiao glanced at the clock. It was three in the afternoon. She decided to bring the two pounds of pork from the main room into the kitchen, scrub the pot, light the stove, wash the meat, and start rendering lard!

After Qin Jiashu finished his water, the child sat on a low stool by the kitchen stove, clutching his picture book. He alternated between reading and watching the fire.

Xu Jiaojiao had bought two pounds of pork, intending to render lard. However, the butcher had included about four ounces of lean meat as well.

Xu Jiaojiao cut off the lean meat and set it aside. She chopped the fatty pieces into small cubes and tossed them into the pot to render lard.

It had to be said, pork from this era was truly fragrant. As the cubes slowly rendered in the pot, the intoxicating aroma filled the kitchen.

Drawn by the savory scent, Qin Jiashu found himself unable to focus on his picture book. Without realizing it, he leaned against the stove, stretching on tiptoe to peer into the large pot.

“Stand back,” Xu Jiaojiao warned, raising her hand to stop him. “The hot oil might splatter.”

Reluctantly, Qin Jiashu retreated a few steps, his eyes fixed on the bubbling pot.

After nearly half an hour, Xu Jiaojiao finally finished rendering the lard.

Scrape, scrape, scrape. She used a bamboo skimmer to scoop out the cracklings, placing them on a large enamel basin to drain. Once mostly drained, she set the skimmer atop the pot.

With one hand holding the cracklings, Xu Jiaojiao used a cooking spoon to ladle the hot lard into a large enamel basin decorated with the Chinese character for ” happiness.”

Gulp. Qin Jiashu stared at the cracklings, swallowing hard.

Xu Jiaojiao chuckled softly. The freshly fried pork cracklings were indeed fragrant and crispy, even tempting someone like her who usually disliked fatty meat.

She poured the cracklings into a soup bowl, sprinkled them with salt, and then picked up a piece to feed Qin Jiashu.

“Try it.”

“Mmm…” Qin Jiashu opened his mouth and eagerly ate the first piece of crackling, his eyes sparkling with delight.

“Do you like it?” Xu Jiaojiao asked, playfully tapping his nose.

For some reason, seeing the little boy so happy over a single piece of crackling filled her with a sense of accomplishment.

“It’s delicious!” Qin Jiashu bounced up and down like a child.

Xu Jiaojiao took a piece for herself. The cracklings were perfectly crispy and lacked the greasy heaviness of fatty meat.

“Cracklings can be a bit heaty. Xiao Shu can have three more today,” Xu Jiaojiao said, filling a rice bowl with three cracklings and handing it to Qin Jiashu.

“Okay!” Qin Jiashu nodded vigorously, clutching the small bowl to his chest with one hand to keep from dropping it, while eagerly using his chopsticks to bring a crackling to his mouth.

Qin Jiashu ate the cracklings with gusto, his little face radiating pure bliss as if he were savoring a gourmet delicacy.

“So good!” he exclaimed after finishing one piece, crunching happily on the second, his voice still soft and childlike.

But Qin Jiashu’s joy vanished in an instant. He looked down at the single piece of pork crackling left in his bowl, his small eyebrows furrowing.

Xu Jiaojiao had just locked the pork crackling in the kitchen cabinet when she turned around to find the boy looking dejected.

How did his happiness turn to sadness in just a few seconds?

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like the pork crackling?”

Qin Jiashu shook his head, clutching his bowl. He glanced conflictedly between the crackling and Xu Jiaojiao.

“It’s delicious… and fragrant.”

“Then why aren’t you eating it?” Xu Jiaojiao asked, noticing the piece still in his bowl.

“Brother Gouzi and Jiedi haven’t tried it either…” Qin Jiashu lowered his gaze, his voice tinged with sadness.

He had eaten three pieces earlier, when he should have stopped at two. That way, he could have given one piece each to Brother Gouzi and Jiedi.

“Xiao Shu wants to share the pork crackling with his friends?” Xu Jiaojiao understood.

“Mhm.”

Xu Jiaojiao stood up, walked to the cabinet, and retrieved the pork crackling. She added five more pieces to Qin Jiashu’s bowl.

“Take these to share with your friends! Two pieces each,” she said, ruffling his hair.

Xu Jiaojiao had initially considered giving him only four pieces, worried that eating too many fresh, hot cracklings might upset his stomach.

Xu Jiaojiao didn’t want Qin Jiashu to share the pork cracklings with his friends while she watched them eat. After a moment’s hesitation, she gave him another piece.

“Thank you, Auntie!” Qin Jiashu’s face lit up with delight.

“Go on! Remember to be home for dinner before dark,” Xu Jiaojiao reminded him. “Oh, and do you know where the milk candies are? Grab three—one for each of you.”

Qin Jiashu could hardly believe his ears. He clutched the bowl, nearly jumping for joy, but restrained himself and carefully placed it on the nearby stool.

“Auntie,” Qin Jiashu called, beckoning her closer.

Xu Jiaojiao squatted down. “What is it?”

“Thank you, Auntie!” Qin Jiashu wrapped his small arms around her and planted a greasy kiss on her cheek.

Xu Jiaojiao froze for a moment, then returned the kiss.

Qin Jiashu took the milk candies and hurried out with his bowl. Xu Jiaojiao began organizing the rice and flour sacks in the main room.

The late afternoon sun warmed her comfortably. After finishing her chores, Xu Jiaojiao moved a stool into the main room and sat down for a short rest.

The weather had been pleasant for several days, and Xu Jiaojiao planned to air out the quilts soon.

The bamboo clothesline at the Zhiqing yard was badly decayed. Afraid it wouldn’t support the weight of the quilts, Xu Jiaojiao decided to cut down some fresh bamboo and build a new one.

There was no firewood knife at home, so Xu Jiaojiao figured she’d have to borrow one from Aunt Ju Hua. While she was there, she’d also buy some sheep’s milk from the Qin Jiu’er Family .

Qin Jiashu had never had enough to eat as a child, suffering from malnutrition that stunted his growth. Xu Jiaojiao wanted to buy sheep’s milk and boil it for him daily, determined to fatten him up into a healthy, chubby little boy.

Just after four o’clock, the sun was already beginning to set.

Xu Jiaojiao glanced at her watch, stood up, and went to the kitchen. She gently touched the dough rising in the pot.

She had bought plenty of supplies in town today, including meat and vegetables.

The small amount of lean pork wouldn’t make much of a stir-fry on its own. After rendering the lard, Xu Jiaojiao remembered Qin Jiashu’s contented expression when he ate dumplings at noon and decided to make steamed buns instead.

The little guy probably had never even tried steamed buns before, she thought, turning to chop the meat and marinate it for the filling.

“Where’s that child?” Xu Jiaojiao wondered, wiping her hands as she walked outside.

It was nearly dark. The dough had risen, the filling was ready—all that was left was for Qin Jiashu to return so they could wrap the buns together.

The boy would be thrilled to learn they were making steamed buns, she thought.

In a good mood, Xu Jiaojiao walked to the courtyard gate and looked around.

The child had been gone for over an hour, delivering lard cracklings to his friend. If he didn’t return soon, she’d have to go look for him herself.

Qin Jiashu still had his limits. Less than two minutes later, Xu Jiaojiao spotted a small figure approaching in the distance.

“Auntie,” Qin Jiashu called out as he drew closer. When he saw Xu Jiaojiao waiting at the gate, his eyes filled with guilt, and he hurried forward.

“Why are there still two pieces of pork cracklings left?” Xu Jiaojiao bent down to take the bowl from the child’s hands, only to find two pieces of pork cracklings still inside.

“I couldn’t find Jie Di…” Qin Jiashu’s voice was tinged with disappointment.

He had first gone to Brother Gouzi, and together they searched everywhere Jie Di might be, but they couldn’t find her.

Xu Jiaojiao frowned slightly. “Jie Di is the girl we met this morning when we left?” she asked patiently.

“Yes,” Qin Jiashu nodded, his voice cracking with emotion. “Auntie, do you think she’s been sold…?”