Chapter 56 ☆ Save eggs to eat dumplings (Part 2)

Lin Jiaqi had never been a person who could be submissive to women, but he didn’t feel angry at this moment. Maybe it was because Cheng Yaoyao was too beautiful, and the fierce man’s tone seemed particularly delicate.

Lin Jiaqi said in a good-natured manner, “You can’t move it by yourself; be careful not to dirty your clothes.”

“……” Cheng Yaoyao looked down at her clean pink dress, which was ironed flat with a teapot. She had put it on this morning. Her thick eyelashes flickered as she showed a hesitant look.

Lin Jiaqi added, “I’ll help you deliver your things to the door and then leave.”

“Well… okay then.” Cheng Yaoyao nodded reluctantly. If everyone hadn’t gone to work and she couldn’t find anyone to help, she wouldn’t have accepted help from Lin Jiaqi’s brother.

A calm smile flashed across Lin Jiaqi’s eyes, and he reached out to move the watermelon.

Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind: “What are you buying?”

Lin Jiaqi paused, and Cheng Yaoyao turned her head sharply, shouting in surprise, “Xie Zhao!”

Lin Jiaqi noticed that Cheng Yaoyao used Xie Zhao’s full name, not just “Xie San.”

Xie Zhao stood not far away, still wearing the ragged coat from when he left Tianshui Village, and holding two heavy bags. Lin Jiaqi and Xie Zhao locked eyes from a distance, recognizing the hostility in each other’s gazes.

Cheng Yaoyao waved at Xie Zhao and shouted, “I’m buying watermelons! Come over here quickly!”

Xie Zhao’s narrow eyes passed coldly over Lin Jiaqi’s face. When they fell on Cheng Yaoyao, his expression softened like spring water thawing: “Yeah.”

Xie Zhao put the things on the ground and walked over with long strides.

Lin Jiaqi withdrew his hand, held the bicycle handlebars, and smiled faintly at Cheng Yaoyao: “It seems that you don’t need my help.”

Cheng Yaoyao, probably in a good mood, smiled generously at Lin Jiaqi: “Thank you.”

This smile made Lin Jiaqi’s heart flutter. Before he could respond, Cheng Yaoyao turned to Xie Zhao and asked, “Why did you come back so early? Didn’t you come back with the tractor? I didn’t even hear it!”

“The tractor won’t arrive until next week,” Xie Zhao replied in a low voice, tapping the watermelon with his knuckles. “This one isn’t sweet; change it.”

Old Lin yelled, “Nonsense! The watermelon has a smooth, round rind. How can it not be sweet?”

Cheng Yaoyao wrinkled her nose: “This is what I chose. Isn’t it sweet?”

Xie Zhao patiently explained: “You should choose watermelons with concave stems and wide patterns. If they make a dull sound when you tap them, they have sandy flesh.”

Cheng Yaoyao examined the melon she had chosen. The melon stem was convex, and the patterns were tightly packed, making a particularly crisp sound when tapped. She wrinkled her pretty face and said to Old Lin, “You said these melons are sweet. I’ll cut them open now. If they’re not sweet, you have to pay me!”

Cheng Yaoyao looked fierce, but she was still cute. Old Lin laughed, “Okay, okay. With you and Xie Zhao, this melon can’t be sold. I’ll give you another one.”

Cheng Yaoyao chose the one she had liked before, which was two taels heavier, and Old Lin didn’t ask them to pay more.

Cheng Yaoyao wrapped a few peaches and plums in a handkerchief and held them in her arms. Xie Zhao carried two large bags in one hand and held a melon in the other. The two walked home, one after the other.

Although there was a two-meter distance between them, Cheng Yaoyao turned her head from time to time with a smile on her lips, saying something to Xie Zhao.

Xie Zhao maintained a blank expression, but his hard and cold demeanor seemed to have softened.

One was a stunningly beautiful city girl in a little dress, and the other was a poor boy in rags. When they looked at each other, it seemed as if their auras could not be penetrated by anything.

Lin Jiaqi watched them disappear into the alley from behind a clump of cannas, shook his head in self-mockery, and rode away on his bike.

The door to the Xie family’s courtyard was pushed open, and Cheng Yaoyao shouted as soon as she entered: “Grandma, Xie Fei, look, I bought a watermelon!”

Grandma Xie sat on a chair, stringing grass beads without looking up: “You bought it? Pour it into the well. We’ll eat it in the afternoon.”

Cheng Yaoyao said coquettishly, “Please take a look.”

“Oh, I’m stringing beads; don’t bother me.” Grandma Xie squinted her eyes and carefully strung a grass bead.

Xie Fei raised her head and shouted in surprise: “Brother! Grandma, my brother is back!”

Grandma Xie threw away the grass beads and stood up in surprise: “Brother Zhao! How come you’re home so early?”

Xie Zhao’s eyes softened: “Yeah, I came back early.”

Grandma Xie looked Xie Zhao up and down with joy: “You’ve gotten tanned and lost weight!”

Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Fei both said that Xie Zhao hadn’t lost weight; in fact, his face had gained some flesh. Grandma Xie scolded them for talking nonsense: “Brother Zhao went to the city to learn how to drive. It was very tiring, so he must have lost weight! By the way, the dumplings are all wrapped. Let’s cook them now!”

Grandma Xie quickly tied on her apron and went into the kitchen to cook dumplings. Xie Fei also ran to help boil water. When the man of the Xie family came back, the whole house seemed to have a pillar, and the atmosphere immediately became lively and warm.

Xie Zhao put the things on the ground, carried the watermelon to the yard, fetched water to wash it, and then took the basket out of the well.

Cheng Yaoyao took out soap and a towel and urged Xie Zhao, “Wash your face quickly. What are you doing!”

“Bring the watermelon up.” Xie Zhao put the watermelon in a basket and slowly lifted it back into the well. The muscles in his arms stretched into smooth lines. “I’ll give it to you later.”

“I’m not that greedy.” Cheng Yaoyao added some spiritual spring water to the washing water, soaked the towel in the cold water, wrung it out, and then threw it to Xie Zhao. “Wash your face.”

Xie Zhao took the towel and covered his face with it. He had rushed home early in the morning and was sweaty all over. When he pressed the cold towel on his face, all the pores in his body trembled.

Xie Zhao washed his face briskly and accidentally touched Cheng Yaoyao with his elbow. She reacted exaggeratedly, dodging backward and almost falling.

“Sister?” Xie Zhao reached out to help her. “Did you get hurt?”

Cheng Yaoyao wrinkled her nose and tilted her head slightly, as if avoiding the smell on his body: “No… it’s okay… hurry up and wash yourself, you’re all sweaty!”

Cheng Yaoyao twisted her waist and ran away.

Xie Zhao frowned, raised his hand, and smelled the odor on his body. He washed his face and body carefully, then went back to the room to change into clean clothes before coming out.

The hot dumplings had come out of the pot, each one plump and round, emitting steam, and the kitchen was filled with the unique aroma of dumplings. The water in the pot was boiling, and the second pot of dumplings was being cooked.

In addition to dumplings, there was also a plate of smashed cucumber, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, pounded eggplant with green peppers, and loofah soup. This table of food was even more sumptuous than during the Chinese New Year, making people’s stomachs swell with appetite.

Cheng Yaoyao sat opposite Xie Zhao, pointed at the dumplings proudly, and said, “Eat quickly; I made the dumpling filling!”

Xie Fei quickly added, “These dishes were also made by Sister Yaoyao!”

Grandma Xie added solemnly, “And this fried tomato and eggs were also made with Yaoyao’s eggs.”

The corners of Cheng Yaoyao’s rosy lips couldn’t help but curl up but were then pressed down. She straightened her chest without making a sound.

Xie Zhao’s eyes and lips were filled with smiles: “Mm, they both smell good.”

Grandma Xie asked casually, “Yaoyao, how many eggs are in the basket?”

Cheng Yaoyao: “…”

Xie Zhao showed a puzzled look, so Grandma Xie explained Cheng Yaoyao’s story of saving eggs. Xie Fei couldn’t help laughing, and Xie Zhao put his fist to his lips, tightening his face, and said, “I… I’ll catch some grasshoppers and cicadas for you to feed the chickens, and you’ll have enough soon.”

It had been a long time since there was such laughter at the Xie family’s dining table. The big plate of dumplings was quickly finished, and Grandma Xie went to put them in the second pot. She stood by the stove, watching the curling white mist and the dumplings rolling in the pot like ingots, and her thoughts suddenly became distant.

Her husband had been the first to go, dying on the parade route. The eldest and second sons had also died in the cowshed. The youngest son, whom she loved the most, died in an unclear manner, and his body was not even collected. The youngest daughter-in-law had hanged herself that night after hearing the news.

As an old woman, she had to take care of her little grandson and granddaughter day by day. Many times, she wanted to jump into the well with her two children, but to protect the last bit of the Xie family, she gritted her teeth and endured.

At this moment, smelling the aroma wafting from the pot and listening to the children’s laughter behind her, Grandma Xie suddenly felt a little confused: Death? Life was so good; how could she have such an idea?

Grandma Xie served the dumplings to the table and turned to pour vinegar. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Xie Zhao pour the dumplings from his bowl into Cheng Yaoyao’s bowl, then he filled his own bowl with hot dumplings and devoured them ravenously.

Cheng Yaoyao snorted, a smile on her face. She picked up a dumpling and took a bite. The temperature was just right. She bit through the soft and flexible skin, and the fresh, hot juice inside immediately came out. The meat filling was well-mixed, turning out to be a meatball—salty, fragrant, and tender. The addition of chicken greens made the filling especially refreshing.

Cheng Yaoyao’s taste was light, so no additional seasoning was needed. However, Xie Zhao added a lot of chili peppers, eating one dumpling at a time, sweating all over his head, and enjoying himself. He was restrained outside, and only at home could he enjoy such a hearty meal.

The three women watched him eat with smiles on their faces. Grandma Xie was so happy that she felt even happier than she did after eating. She kept saying, “There’s more in the pot; eat as much as you can!”

Xie Zhao ate two large bowls of dumplings and finally felt about 70% full. He breathed a sigh of relief and slowed down. But he saw Cheng Yaoyao sitting opposite him, scratching his cheek with a slender finger: “You can eat so much!”

Xie Zhao’s heart softened, and he lowered his voice to her and said, “I brought you something good.”