Chapter 28 - Gathering Money (1/2)
The early morning air was crisp and fresh. Yu Xiaocao deeply inhaled a breath of the moist air as her tail, Little Shitou, walked leisurely with her towards the West Mountains.
“Xiaolian, you’re up so early! Are you out to gather some fishwort for pig feed?” Ever since the little divine stone started helping her, Xiaocao’s body became more healthy with every passing day. In addition, she often ate on the sly outside of the Yu residence, so her face and body had both gradually fleshed out. Now that her figure had become more like her older twin sister’s body, the villagers often mixed the two up.
Little Shitou giddily ran towards the young girl who had mistaken his second sister and said, “Sister Linglong, this my second sister!”
“Second Sister? Xiaocao? Oh my! You’re definitely a twin, you look so similar to your sister.” Zhou Linglong curled her lips up into a smile and continued to inspect Xiaocao from head to toe.
Xiaocao merely smiled but kept silent. Little Shitou introduced his sister in her stead, “Sister Linglong’s family doesn’t live far from the West Mountains and is near our old family residence. Auntie Zhou and mother have a good relationship. When you were sick, the eggs you ate were all from Auntie Zhou.”
Oh, so she’s the daughter of mother’s best friend. Yu Xiaocao smiled sweetly at Zhou Linglong and a faint dimple formed on her left cheek. “It’s nice to meet you, Older Sister Linglong. On another day I will need to drop by to thank Auntie Zhou. Without her eggs, I would not be able to recover this quickly!”
Zhou Linglong stared at Xiaocao’s dimple for a bit and then grinned, “It’s just a couple of eggs, nothing worth mentioning——I figured out how to differentiate between you and your twin. You have a dimple and your older sister doesn’t…”
Yu Xiaocao beamed a smile at her and said, “Sister Linglong, we’re going with Brother Han up the mountain to pick some wild fruits. Do you want to come with us?”
Zhou Linglong revealed the sickle in her hand and shook her head. “I need to harvest some fishwort and then go back home. We have two pigs, and they’ve been squeaking for their food incessantly. You guys can go and play, just be careful!”
Yu Xiaocao waved her hand at the departing girl, linked hands with Little Shitou, and ran towards the hill where the Zhao Family lived.
The villagers at Dongshan Fishing Village had all worked for generations as fishermen. The Zhao Family had moved in more than twenty years ago as outsiders. Their family residence was located on top of a small hill that was at the foot of the West Mountains. The house was constructed out of rock and had three rooms. A tall fence made of stone enclosed the courtyard and building. Trees surrounded the residence on all four sides, and gardens full of vegetables and fruits bordered the front and back of the building. The entire complex gave off a feeling of a dwelling suitable for a hermit living in the deep woods.
“Brother Han, Brother Han,” Little Shitou called out as he moved quietly to push open the wooden door and inserted his head in to take a look. In the middle of the courtyard was the Zhao Family’s daughter-in-law, Zheng Fangyin. She twisted her head around and saw the little fellow looking around. The older woman smiled benevolently, “Oh, it’s little Yu Fan! Quickly come in!”
Madam Zheng wasn’t sure whether her body had gotten injured after birthing her son, but after Zhao Han was born, she was never able to get pregnant again. In the past few months, Little Shitou had gained some weight and had become a strong and good-natured little boy. Madam Zheng, who loved little children, adored his cute and witty character. She had a heart full of maternal love.
“Auntie, Brother Han told us that he was going to teach us how to set traps to catch hares. Second Sister really wants to learn, so we came early... hee hee!” The little fellow rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment while he threw his sister under the bus.
Yu Xiaocao had followed behind her younger brother to enter the courtyard. She surreptitiously jabbed him in the back as her pretty and pale little face beamed an incandescent smile at the older woman. “Good morning Auntie Zhao!”
“Oh, Xiaocao!” Madam Zheng put down the basin full of chicken feed on the ground and wiped her hands on her apron. She tenderly caressed Xiaocao’s thin and pointy face. She sighed, “One is bound to have good fortune after surviving a great disaster. Being healthy is more important than anything! You’re still a little thin, your grandmother...in the future, if you ever want to eat anything, come to Auntie’s house. Auntie’s cooking skills are not too bad.”
“Thank you Auntie! I’ll have to bother you in the future then!” Yu Xiaocao would not bluntly refuse a helping hand, especially when it was offered with a genuine and sincere heart. Instead, she received the older woman’s care with an even more brilliant smile.
“Shitou, Xiaocao! Why are you both here so early? Have you two eaten breakfast yet?” Zhao Han asked with obvious surprise. The youth had come in through the gate carrying a load of water on his shoulder and had seen the two siblings in the courtyard.
Little Shitou butted in before his older sister could reply, “Our family only eats breakfast at seven in the morning, we don’t have time to wait until then! Anyway, it’s better for us to leave some room in our tummies so we can eat roasted fish later!”
Madam Zheng linked her hands with the two siblings and lead them into the main room. Her voice was full of disapproval as she chided, “You have a long way to walk before you’ll get to the mountains. You’re both so young, if neither of you eat breakfast, how would either of you have the strength to get through the day? I’ve already simmered porridge and griddled pancakes this morning, let’s eat together before you go up the mountain.”
“Grandpa Zhao!” The two children greeted a white-haired old man who had a long beard and sat upright in a formal, proper posture. The elderly man, Zhao Zixiong, cut an imposing figure. From time to time, his eyes would reveal a majestic aura that could not be entirely hidden. The pair of siblings couldn’t help but be a little subdued in his presence.
The old man looked up and saw two children who, despite being dressed in shabby clothes, still radiated an aura of sweetness. He revealed a smile and said, “You two are both good children but it’s too bad you’re stuck with a father with no backbone. You’ve both endured hardships!”
“My father’s fine! He knows how to fish, hunt, and weave some simple bamboo tools. He really loves us too!” In front of others, Yu Xiaocao naturally had to defend her father’s reputation.
Old Zhao raised his bushy eyebrows and chuckled, “You are quite protective of your father! However, it’s too bad that your father can’t protect your siblings and your mother! If he can’t defend the people most dear to him, is he still considered a man?”
“Father-in-law! Don’t say such things in front of the children, let’s eat now!” Madam Zheng was afraid the brother and sister pair would start feeling awkward and hastily stepped in to change the subject. She immediately served up bowls of congee and plates of flatbread to the old man and the children.
The Zhao Family had kept to the custom of eating three meals a day. Breakfast consisted of a thick porridge made with white rice, while the pancakes were also made with white flour. In addition to that, Madam Zheng had also cooked two vegetables——bacon stir fried with mushrooms and napa cabbage seasoned with vinegar.
Being able to eat porridge made with white rice and white flour flatbread was already a treat, but there was also meat! Little Shitou stared avidly at the sumptuous breakfast in front of him but didn’t have the courage to start eating. It was only after Madan Zheng hand-delivered him a thin pancake rolled around some mushrooms and bacon did he raise his head sheepishly to look at his second sister.