Chapter 11: Wo Tou, Eat It or Not

Not a bad idea.

But reality is a bit harsher.

No stock.

Even with money, you can't buy anything.

Shazhu's plan to pass the long nights with a radio fell through; he guessed that for the next few years he'd have only his hands for company.

"Ah!" Shazhu sighed, lowered his gaze to his two hands, and muttered softly, "You've suffered."

He left the street.

He headed straight for the photo studio.

The radio was unobtainable.

He couldn't afford to lose his job.

The rice bowl is important.

After leaving the photo studio, he glanced at the sun, then walked toward the siheyuan against the cold wind.

He Yushui is nine this year, in third grade; lunch and dinner require returning to the siheyuan. When He Daqing was around, to train Shazhu's cooking, the meals were basically made by Shazhu—second nature to him. He planned to steam two white-flour buns for Yushui, and, following Yi Zhonghai's instructions, make two cornbread wo tou for the deaf old lady.

As for meat,

there really isn't any.

Even a clever wife can't cook without rice.

No money.

Still wanting meat.

What good thing to think about?

What one knows isn't hard; what one doesn't know isn't doable.

With Shazhu's inherited cooking skills, a passable lunch was freshly made.

The two white-flour buns were Yushui's; the little girl no longer wore the bitter look she got from eating cornbread wo tou at mealtime, her eyes narrowed like a tiny crescent, the corners of her mouth turned up in a happy smile—probably because she discovered her father had run off with a widow, her life had inexplicably improved a lot; breakfast noodles, lunch buns, even the landlord's wealthy family wouldn't dare live so poorly.

The remaining five wo tou were Shazhu's and the deaf old lady's lunch.

This is the staple.

As for the side dish,

Shazhu boiled a pot of cabbage soup; He Yushui had a bowl, Shazhu a bowl, and the deaf old lady a bowl.

Called soup,

it looked like plain boiled cabbage—no oil, just three pitiful little cabbage leaves.

"Yushui, eat up." Shazhu placed the wo tou and cabbage soup on an iron tray, saying, "Eldest Uncle told me to make two wo tou for the old lady at noon; I'm delivering them to her."

Having said that,

He pulled open the wooden door.

He pushed aside the door curtain.

Bracing the cold wind, he brought the wo tou and cabbage soup to the deaf old lady's room in the rear courtyard.

Eldest Aunt was also there.

Shazhu didn't know whether Eldest Aunt was unintentionally or deliberately acting as a witness to see if he would sincerely care for the deaf old lady as Yi Zhonghai had instructed.

Whether she was present or not,

it didn't matter.

He could also use Eldest Aunt's mouth to state his position.

As Shazhu's body moved from outside to inside, sharp-eyed Eldest Aunt already saw the two wo tou placed on his iron tray.

Her heart sank a little.

The deaf old lady felt the same, a mix of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty.

She had expected to get Shazhu's meat dishes and white-flour buns.

Instead, there were just two cornbread wo tou plus a bowl of clear, watery cabbage soup that looked like plain boiling water—you could even use it as a mirror.

"Eldest Aunt is here too."

Shazhu pretended not to see the disappointment in Eldest Aunt's and the deaf old lady's eyes, and simply set the iron tray on a table not far from them.

He dragged Yi Zhonghai out to take the blame.

Don't look for me.

If there's anything, go to Yi Zhonghai.

I'm doing things according to Yi Zhonghai's instructions—I couldn't possibly be wrong, could I?

"Eldest Uncle told me this morning that the old lady wanted wo tou; I thought it was just adding a handful of cornmeal, so I took on the task. I didn't expect Eldest Aunt to be here—just two wo tou. If you'd like, Eldest Aunt, wait a moment and I'll bring you my two wo tou."

Eldest Aunt stayed.

Not for Shazhu's wo tou.

She came per Yi Zhonghai's request to see whether Shazhu would give the deaf old lady meat to eat.

The result was just the result.

No meat.

Just two wo tou and a bowl of cabbage soup.

"Zhuzi, Eldest Aunt, I don't know what's wrong with you today—your stomach feels upset, you can't eat a bite. Isn't this just you consulting the old lady about what to do?"

"Eldest Aunt, I know you're giving me an out; I must preserve this face." Shazhu blurted a compliment, pointing at the wo tou on the table, urging the deaf old lady to eat quickly: "Old lady, the wo tou gets bad when cold—eat it while hot."

"Zhuzi, Yushui today is truly remarkable—at lunch I didn't hear a single cry from her; after she did that, my old lady still misses her quite a bit."

"Think" is a multi-meaning word.

What specific connotations does it have?

You figure it out yourself.

Just thinking about it is just an excuse.

Finding out what He Yushui eats is the main point.

"You say Yushui, she's eating up ahead, little girl, growing tall—I steamed two white-flour mantou for her. Now you know why Yushui isn't causing trouble, right? Her mind is all on those white-flour mantou; she hasn't even thought of causing trouble."

The deaf old lady is now the heartbroken girl whom the lost son met while looking for a partner.

It's just the concept that one plus one is greater than two.

She feels the steamed corn bun in front of her isn't fragrant anymore; you, Shazhu, steam white-flour mantou for Yushui, yet you give me, this old lady, a steamed corn bun to eat.

If Yi Zhonghai hadn't reminded, it would've been fine.

Yi Zhonghai reminded you, yet you still gave me a steamed corn bun.

The deaf old lady doesn't even think—Shazhu has no wages, he's just an apprentice; where would he get money to buy meat for her!

In this situation, meat and flour are scarce; we can't just line up every day to scrounge for nothing!

It's just wanting to use the opportunity to express an attitude.

If it manages to stimulate, then it's considered stimulated.

If it can't stimulate, then it's fine.

"Zhuzi."

Shazhu knows what words will follow after "Zhuzi" from the old lady.

At that moment, taking advantage of the old lady's heavy panting.

He slipped in and said all that.

"Old lady, I know what you mean. Our old man went to Baocheng, didn't he? Now only I and Yushui are left at home. I'll take good care of Yushui, raise her white and plump. No matter what, I won't let those outsiders laugh at me, He Yuzhu—saying my father ran off to Baicheng, and I, He Yuzhu, have kept my own biological sister skin and bone. I'm also someone who cares about face."

The general piece in chess.

When the map is exhausted, the dagger appears.

Do whatever you like.

"Old lady, just watch me, He Yuzhu—see whether I'll raise Yushui white and plump. Then we'll point at the noses of those who say I can't raise my biological sister and loudly tell them I can support my sister."

The deaf old lady wanted to say something.

The words were at her lips but she didn't know how to say them.

Shazhu's facial expression perfectly portrayed the image of a good brother who, for his younger sister, wouldn't hesitate to turn against everyone.

Others raise their own biological sisters.

You say they're wrong.

Others give their biological sisters white-flour mantou to eat, while they themselves gnaw on steamed corn buns.

You say they're wrong.