Chapter 196

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

Chai Mi finally slept soundly through a nap.

It was past six in the afternoon before she woke up.

When she woke, she felt scorching hot all over; though it was nearly evening, this year's ghost weather was truly bizarrely hot.

In past years, even during the hottest days of the dog days, the evening temperature was at most around twenty degrees, and mornings and evenings could even feel a bit cool.

But this year's weather was indeed exceptionally abnormal, hot to an exaggerated degree. The blazing sun, even in the evening, still made people feel scorching hot.

Shining on one's arm would make the arm turn red.

Chai Mi sighed, put on a moon-white thin gauze short-sleeve shirt with seven-tenths sleeves, the same old somewhat faded seven-tenths jeans as always, and for the first time wore a pair of light green canvas shoes, then went to the vegetable garden to pick some beans, eggplants, and cucumbers.

She simply smashed two cucumbers with a kitchen knife and made smashed cucumbers... anyway, that's how this dish is made; simple to say, even simpler to do...

Originally Chai Mi wanted to stew some beans, but feared the room would be too hot, so she instead cooked several eggplants and small potatoes, and made some corn cakes.

While cooking, Chai Youqing came out of the east room and said, as if finding something to talk about: "What are we eating tonight?"

Chai Mi ignored him.

After a while, Chai Mi asked Chai Youqing: "Did you buy the fertilizer?"

"Bought three bags; if not enough, we'll talk later."

"Mm-hmm." Chai Mi nodded: "Tomorrow I'm busy; if you have nothing to do, you spread the fertilizer yourself, then plow the field. I'm going to my maternal grandmother's home to bring my mother back."

Chai Mi then directly raised her hand to interrupt Chai Youqing, who wanted to interject: "Don't speak first; do whatever I tell you to do, and don't say useless things. Also don't mutter behind my back; you should do the work, those tasks should be done by you anyway; don't keep your mouth busy whenever you work. My mother likes to hear it, I don't. You can work or not; if you don't work, you go hungry."

Chai Youqing was stunned: "I didn't say I wouldn't work..."

"Stop it." Chai Mi was too lazy to listen to Chai Youqing's nonsense.

This wasn't because Chai Mi had a bad temper, but because Chai Youqing indeed liked to grumble while working.

This was also one reason Chai Youqing was never popular at the old house.

Though it wasn't a major flaw, Chai Mi especially disliked Chai Youqing's behavior of grumbling as soon as he started working.

And in itself, Chai Mi had a generation gap with her father.

"Go wash your face; it's scorching hot outside, you look like a little ghost." Chai Mi said: "Also, fix the plow handle..."

"The plow handle has no problem..."

"You... I told you to fix it, so just fix it." Chai Mi said impatiently: "No problem? Last time you plowed the field, you kept saying the plow handle blade was a bit crooked?"

Chai Youqing said he understood, no longer dared to speak, and obediently went to fix the plow handle blade.

Seeing Chai Youqing leave the room, Chai Mi finally calmed down a bit.

Maybe...

I was just a bit angry earlier.

"Xiu'er, get up and wash your face, comb your hair. In a while we'll go watch the shadow play; if you go with uncombed hair and unwashed face, people will ask: whose child is this, she looks quite pretty, but her neck is all wrinkled..."

Chai Xiu got up awkwardly from the kang head, then went to wash her face listlessly, muttering while washing: "I wash my face twice a day, and I wash my neck seriously too; where are the wrinkles... Eldest Sister was just angered by Chai Chunfang this afternoon, finding fault for no reason..."

"What are you muttering about?" Chai Mi frowned displeased from afar, then said: "Hurry up and finish washing; we'll eat in a while. After eating, change your clothes; remember to take your father to watch the shadow play."

"Oh..." Chai Xiu obediently said oh, and only after washing her face did she become puzzled, running to Chai Mi's front to ask.

"Sister, shouldn't we bring a small stool when going out to watch a play? Why bring Dad?"

"Bringing a small stool, your little head is enough to see scorching hot; otherwise, at that time Dad will have to crane his neck for you to see." After saying this, Chai Mi went busy.

Chai Xiu was indeed young and short; there would be many people watching the play, and Chai Mi estimated that even if Chai Xiu brought her own stool, she wouldn't see clearly.

Though the village would organize everyone to sit on small stools to watch, there would certainly be some people of not-so-ideal quality standing to watch; people like that, you couldn't kill them...

So you could only stand and watch too.

Then the meaning of bringing a small stool wasn't great; better to let Chai Youqing crane his neck for Chai Xiu to watch the shadow play.

And this way, there was no need to worry about Chai Xiu getting lost.

The public order of this era, due to limitations of equipment and conditions, was not as ideal as in later generations.

Of course, this era was friendlier to little girls; even if Chai Xiu was afraid of getting lost, someone would bring her back.

After all, the preference for sons over daughters meant little girls were given nicknames like "little girl" or "little head"... so little girls going out were relatively safer.

But Chai Mi still worried about Chai Xiu; after all, this younger sister was a good one...

Chai Mi lifted the pot lid, took out the cooked small eggplants and potatoes, and put them in a basin.

The potatoes were very hot, so she just left them there.

Chai Mi took the eggplants, used the pressurized well to press some fresh cool water, and cooled the eggplants a bit.

Then she made a mixed eggplant dish.

Making mixed eggplant sounds simple, but it's actually not difficult at all.

Chai Mi cut the eggplants directly into four pieces with two strokes, added some salt, some garlic, some soy sauce and vinegar, some sesame paste.

Then she cut two chili peppers, cut some green onion sections, and also smashed the potatoes, then added things like bok choy leaves and a few sprigs of cilantro.

The dish was done.

Commonly called mixed eggplant with potatoes.

If put in a restaurant, it would be di xian san. Di xian san sometimes uses potatoes, eggplants, and chili peppers...

Giving it a cultured name would be Northeast Big Salad...

Actually Northeast Big Salad is just cold-mixed tomato potato mash...

This dish is easy to make and goes well with rice.

Most importantly, it can serve as a meal itself.

Our own eggplants and potatoes, our own chili peppers — eating them carries no psychological burden.

The weather is too hot; there's simply no way around it — nothing appeals. Sometimes lighter dishes are eaten listlessly; better to just make some Northeast Big Salad and eat comfortably.

Chai Mi's demands for food aren't high, unlike those delicate little sisters who single-mindedly pursue rare delicacies, acting coy — one bite in front of people, a whole pot cooked behind their backs…

Chai Mi feels eating her fill is enough.

Chai Xiu had also finished washing up and came over to prepare for the meal.

"Just put the table outside." Chai Mi pointed toward the tree shade on the west side of the doorway.

On the west side of Chai Mi's courtyard, there is a jujube tree and a willow tree.

Especially that willow tree — it looks particularly out of place, but by now it's already as thick as a bowl and can cast a patch of cool shade.

Local custom says: plant willows before the gate, poplars behind the house.

As for the courtyard, there are some taboos about planting trees.

This willow tree wasn't this lush a while ago; it seems the recent higher temperatures improved photosynthesis, so it grew faster. Before, Chai Mi's mother always said this tree was in the way, saying a tree in the courtyard is like the character 'trapped' — square and proper — not good.

But Chai Mi felt it was somewhat superstitious; after all, in her previous life, after this tree was cut down, her mother's situation grew worse day by day.

Having this tree doesn't really affect the family much; any supposed effect is just superstitious talk.

But without this tree, summer would be even hotter.

Right now, in this scorching heat, sitting under the tree and catching a bit of cool breeze isn't bad at all.

As for how the willow tree came to be, Chai Mi has somewhat forgotten — it seems there were two saplings at the time; one was planted at the gate, but the poplar there grew too large, so that willow always struggled half-dead. The remaining one was just casually stuck in the ground on the west side of the courtyard near the house, yet it grew lush and verdant.

Perhaps the saying truly applies: "With intent to plant willows, they won't grow; without intent to plant willows, they grow into shade."

Chai Xiu obediently took the small stool over, then laboriously carried the table. Seeing this, Chai Youqing put down his work and helped carry the table out.

Mashed eggplant and potato, radish with soybean paste, a few green onions, a pot of corn cakes — that was dinner.

Chai Xiu didn't eat much; once full, she wanted to go inside and read comic books. Chai Mi glared at her, and Chai Xiu obediently ran back to sit on the stool, waiting for Chai Mi to finish eating.

"Dad, there's a shadow play rain prayer tonight — take me along."

Chai Youqing naturally wouldn't refuse and agreed.

Unlike Chai Youqing, who always talks while eating, Chai Mi eats fast; a few minutes later she was full and went off to feed the cattle and sheep.

In her heart, she mused: if the family kept a dog, that would be good.

Leftover dishes and rice would then have a place to go.

And raising a dog should be quite fun; when bored at home, there'd be something to do — like teasing the dog…

After strolling for a while, Chai Mi got up and headed for Song Qiushui's house.

Song Qiushui's house is on the east side of the village; watching the opera is closer from there.

When they arrived at Song Qiushui's house, Song Qingshan and his wife were installing glass in Song Qiushui's room.

Meanwhile, Song Qiushui was holding a bowl of watermelon juice, drinking leisurely.

The watermelon juice must have come from Song Qiushui smashing several watermelons herself; she drank at ease.

Chai Mi: Look at Song Qiushui's family status — she's the Song family's ancestor; normally they'd have to support her like an idol…

Chai Mi wondered whether to arrange a rank for Song Qiushui so Song Qingshan and his wife would have something to worship when idle…

This is spoiling her too much!

Chai Mi couldn't help feeling a bit envious and jealous.

"Chai Mi, you're here — I was just muttering about you." Song Qiushui had been sitting on the window sill; seeing Chai Mi enter, she shifted her bottom and got down.

She walked up to Chai Mi, looked her over, then frowned: "With this getup, I thought you were going on a blind date? What for — just watching a shadow play, and you're scheming to bump into a Prince Charming?"

"Prince Charming I don't care for; I simply had nothing else to wear. Short sleeves — the sun on my arms is unbearable." This three-quarter-sleeve blouse of Chai Mi's really cost a pretty penny.

It looks expensive at a glance.

"Let's go, secure a spot." Song Qiushui set the bowl of watermelon juice aside and prepared to head out.

"Oh my, daughter, you haven't eaten yet? Leaving just like that? Eat dinner first." Song Qiushui's mother, Meng Shi, seeing Song Qiushui about to leave, grew anxious at once: "How can you not eat? You've gotten so thin — in this pitch-dark night, who knows when you'll be back? What if you get hungry?"

Song Qiushui originally wanted to say: It's only a few steps away; if I'm hungry I'll just go home…

But seeing Meng Shi anxious, she said: "Then I'll eat a mouthful of leftover rice and make do."

The sweet potatoes roasted at noon — two weren't quite cooked, left uneaten…

Song Qiushui took the two, then grabbed a small stool and came out.

Once Song Qiushui left, Meng Shi's heart ached; she launched into a tirade at Song Qingshan, who was installing the glass: "You — day in, day out, you're good for nothing. What kind of father are you? Our daughter didn't even get dinner before going to watch the shadow play. You only know how to blindly busy yourself — installing a few pieces of broken glass. When couldn't you install them? You had to do it now, leaving me no time to cook."

Song Qingshan went completely numb: "Wasn't it you who forced me to buy glass, saying: 'Oh no, our daughter will be cold sleeping at night — hurry and buy glass, fix the window in Qiushui's room'… I said at the time, you go cook, I'll install it myself. But you said I couldn't do it and insisted on helping. How come you're blaming me now?"

"If not blaming you, then who? You're a useless good-for-nothing — this bit of broken work, you've fiddled with for several hours. You still have the nerve to speak… How did I end up with a husband who's good for nothing — you're not even as good as a decent woman. Our daughter's thin as a hemp stalk, barely a hundred catties… Sigh, that shadow play sings half the night; she'll definitely be hungry by then." Meng Shi was frantic and went straight inside to cook.

"No…" Song Qingshan stared blankly: "But our daughter's already gone — cooking is pointless…"

"None of your business. I'll send it to Qiushui later."

…

Song Qiushui knew nothing of her parents bickering at home; she and Chai Mi strolled leisurely to the small shop entrance.

"Second Uncle… get me two packs of instant noodles, I'm hungry."

Song Qingshu looked at Chai Mi, then at Song Qiushui, momentarily unsure whether to sell.

After all, Song Qiushui never pays…

Chai Mi saw Song Qingshu's embarrassment and, genuinely fearing Song Qiushui might one day run the shop into the ground on credit, fished out two yuan and handed them to Song Qingshu: "And get two bottles of drinks."

"Deal."

The instant noodles are those small packets of Mi Yun Instant Noodles. These noodles are sold in the future too — non-fried, taste good.

However, later generations changed its name, and it became Longtan Instant Noodles.

The drink was Peanut Milk, in a glass bottle, and it tasted quite good.

Song Qiushui took the drink and glanced at Song Qingshu: "Second Uncle, what are you being stingy for? Chai Mi buying things is giving you face. Shouldn't you show a little something, just a token gesture?!"

Song Qingshu let out an "Ah": "Didn't understand……"

"You should chip in something……"

"It's just right, two yuan……"

"You take a few bags of those melon seeds for me." Song Qiushui pointed at the large bag of melon seeds Song Qingshu seemed to have just put up and said.

The melon seeds stocked a few days ago had gotten damp, so the shop restocked some melon seeds these past two days, all in small bags, half a catty per bag.

Song Qingshu was made a bit embarrassed by Song Qiushui's words, and subsequently took a bag……

"Take a few more bags, and my grandmother said, I'm right at the age of growing, eating peanuts makes you grow taller. You get me two catties of those peanuts……" Song Qiushui couldn't be bothered to waste words with Second Uncle, and seeing Song Qingshu not moving, went in herself to get some, then said: "This counts as the chipped-in stuff, don't you mess up the accounting."