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“You bought this?”
Father and daughter—both loose with coin, truly spendthrifts. What folly had possessed her to let these two shop together?
“Mhmm.” Zhao Dashu’s mouth full of bun, the sound barely escaped his throat. ‘Was his wife fool? If not bought, did she think they’d stolen it?’
One chicken, two drumsticks. How he longed to devour one. Truthfully, in all his years, he’d never tasted a whole drumstick. At home, the legs always went to the elders, wings to his parents, while the rest was divided between Second Brother’s and Big Brother’s families. Their share? Chicken heads and tails—if Mother felt generous, maybe a neck scrap.
“You and Lihua take the drumsticks. Your Mother and I will have wings.”
“No no—I prefer the head. Give the wings to the children.”
Zhao Zhenyu rolled her eyes inelegantly. ‘Mother’s self-effacing nature grated—the very archetype of a doormat.’
“Father, trade with me. I prefer wings.”
“Truly?” ‘Nothing beat drumstick meat.’
“Truly.”
His daughter wasn’t one for false courtesy—she must genuinely favor wings.
“Here then.” He handed over the prized portion.
Heh heh heh, the daughter won’t eat it—then he will.
He, Zhao Dashu, was determined to eat a chicken drumstick in this lifetime! Damn it, why was he acting so sentimental? Zhao Dashu was a man—calm down, no need to whine like a woman!
Madam Song had just picked up a chicken wing to hand it to Zhao Zhenyu when Zhao Dashu shot her a glare. She begrudgingly withdrew her hand and took a reluctant bite herself. No wonder her mother-in-law and Father-in-law liked chicken wings so much—turns out they were actually delicious! So tender, so springy, truly mouthwatering.
Zhao Lihua felt like she was the happiest person in the world today. One hand held a steaming meat bun, the other gripped a chicken drumstick, her cheeks puffed out with food, and her mouth was dripping with grease from the feast.
“Father, Mother, we need to finish all this chicken. Don’t leave any of the buns uneaten either—keep four aside to give to Aunt Liu. Stash the dry rations at the bottom of the basket.”
Madam Song nodded. The buns were strongly flavored and wouldn’t keep well anyway. As for the chicken—who cared about a few buns when there was roast chicken? What she truly couldn’t bear to waste were the bones.
“These bones—we absolutely can’t throw them out. They’ll be perfect for chicken soup. After we boil the soup, we can chew on the bones too.”
Zhao Dashu nodded in wholehearted agreement, praising her idea. “It really would be a shame to waste them. Besides, we can’t bring them home—the smell’s too strong. Forget it.”
Zhao Zhenyu stared in shock, dumbfounded. Oh heavens, strike them down with lightning already. There really were people in this world who used roast chicken bones to make soup—and even chewed on the bones afterward? No way—he absolutely refused to drink that.
These two really were something else…
With their stomachs full, they certainly weren’t going to sit idle. They went right back to picking honeysuckle—this patch had to be harvested before the day was over.
“Father, later today take the buns to Uncle Liu’s place first. Keep it brief and come back early.”
“Got it.”
He was sure of it—they would definitely take the job.
Only a fool would let money slip by when it came right to the doorstep.
When they returned to the old house, it felt like the family had already gotten used to them coming home late—and used to their absence altogether. At this hour, the Courtyard was completely silent. Not a single soul in sight.
Was this supposed to be some kind of cold shoulder treatment?
Being ignored like this… honestly felt pretty good!
“Hey there!”
“Dashu? Come, come—did you miss dinner? Your Sister-in-law made some buns tonight. Take a few home with you.”
Aunt Liu turned to go inside. “I’ve got them right here—wait just a second.”
They’d already heard the gossip: over at that household, they left the house early every morning, didn’t do any work, and didn’t eat at the old house either. Zhao Dawen said they’d gone up the mountain to play. What nonsense! Who goes up the mountain every single day just to play? Play with what—grass?
Besides, who in their right mind goes out to “play” every day without even eating? And they had two children, too. That Zhao Family was really something else. Treating his own son this way—refusing to give them even a morsel to eat.
Everyone in the family had gone completely heartless.
He’d wanted to sneak them a few cornbread buns ages ago, but they were never around. And no one in the village had seen them either—ask anyone, and they’d all say the same thing.
Zhao Dashu quickly waved his hands. Did he look like someone who had to eat cornbread buns? He’d just eaten a big meat bun and a drumstick!
“No, no, I came here full.”
“Nonsense! Where would you have eaten? Off the wind? It’s fine if you’re willing to starve, but don’t drag those two kids down with you. Just take them!”
Zhao Dashu: …So no one believes the truth now? What can I even do?
Oh wait—there really are still buns in his pocket!
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a leaf-wrapped bundle. “Here—a meat bun. Just something to satisfy your cravings. I had this for dinner earlier.”
As soon as it was unwrapped, the rich aroma of meat burst forth. You didn’t even need to look to know it was the real deal—just the smell alone told you.
“Where’d this come from? Hauling sandbags in town? Or did you steal it?”
Damn—couldn’t they cut him some slack for once?
“I earned it myself. I’m not the type to keep things just for myself. My wife and kids are at home—I can’t just eat alone and feel good about it. Honestly, I’ve been digging herbs in the mountains lately and making money from it.”
“What? You know herbs?” Liu Shun couldn’t hold back a snort. He burst out laughing. “You? Digging herbs? I’d sooner believe you were selling poison!”
Zhao Dashu: Great. Totally screwed now!
“I do know herbs, alright? If I didn’t, what do you think I’ve been going up the mountain for every day, just wandering around? Anyway, enough talk—do you know the plant dandelion. Dig it out by the root, wash and dry it, and you can sell it to the medicine shop in the county. They pay three wen a jin for it. They actually buy it.”
Aunt Liu gave Zhao Dashu a long, serious look. “Your telling the truth?”
“Lying to my grandson, are you?!”
Aunt Liu: …Now that grandson—yeah, she definitely wouldn’t dare mess with him.
Liu Shun asked suspiciously, “Why aren’t you out digging then?”
“This small change? Not even worth an old man’s time. I’m giving you the opportunity.”
Zhao Dashu puffed out his chest proudly. He was a man who once made twelve taels in a single day—what were a few copper coins to him?
He carried himself with swagger, full of energy, looking like these past few days had treated him well. Not a trace of the frailty or hunger you’d expect.
“I’m heading home. Just remember to go digging tomorrow. If you don’t believe me, take a jin to town and sell it, see for yourself.” He wasn’t lying—especially not to his brothers.
As he spoke, he stuffed a few steamed cornbread buns into Liu Shun’s hands and turned to leave. “See ya!”
Liu Shun looked down at the still-warm buns in his arms, his heart feeling uncommonly touched. “Thanks, Dashu!”
Zhao Dashu waved him off coolly. What was there to thank? He didn’t get it—the one behind all this was actually his daughter.
“Husband?”
After decades of brotherhood, how could he not understand the man’s heart?
“Tomorrow morning, we’re going too. Let’s go dig those herbs.”
Uncle Liu and Madam Zheng both nodded.
“These buns?”
“They’re still warm—let’s eat them while they’re hot. Dashu gave them to us. We’ve got to savor them!”
Liu Shun puffed up like a proud rooster, while Madam Zheng scolded him playfully, “You’re so smug!”
“As for the herb-digging stuff—don’t breathe a word of it to anyone. We’ll dig quietly, just us, in secret.”
“I got it!”
..
Back home, Dashu’s daughter and wife were busy in the kitchen.
“What are you two up to?”
“Boiling bamboo shoots.”
He had almost forgotten about that. “Where’s Lihua?”
“In the room, asleep.”
No wonder—she’d been working hard these past few days, picking flowers from dawn to dusk.
“So how do we do this?”
“Bring the water to a boil and blanch them.”
“That’s it?”
Zhao Zhenyu nodded. That’s all there was to it. Whether it was cooking or handling other matters, things were usually quite simple—it was people who liked to make them complicated.