Chapter 52: Braised Pork

“Huaniang.” Fifth Auntie waved to Hua Qi from afar. Beside her, Fifth Uncle had a hoe over his shoulder. He had clearly just come back from the fields.

“Fifth Auntie.” Hua Qi hurried over with Yun Shan in his arms.

“You came down from the mountain too?” Fifth Auntie asked. “When you went up the mountain this morning, did you see Qin Niang and her mother-in-law?”

“No,” Hua Qi said with a smile.

“Let me tell you,” Fifth Auntie said, an odd light flashing in her eyes. “Yesterday, didn’t Qin Niang’s chickens get ruined by some beast? This morning, Qin Niang and her mother-in-law went to worship at Yunling Temple. We don’t know what the masters at the temple said, only that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law came back and had a fight. Lots of people saw it. The two of them were pulling and tugging at each other, and Qin Niang went straight back to her maiden home.”

“Oh.” Hua Qi lowered his eyes and responded coldly.

He was the “beast” Fifth Auntie was talking about. No matter how he listened to it, it made a demon angry. He really wanted to turn back into his original form and give Fifth Auntie a proper scare.

“That family argues at the drop of a hat. In the whole village, there isn’t another mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair more prickly than those two,” Fifth Auntie continued.

“All right, hurry up and go home. I’m hungry. Go back and make dinner.” Fifth Uncle pulled Fifth Auntie away. Couldn’t she see Hua Qi looked unhappy? Yesterday, Qin Niang had even fought with Hua Qi. Today, of course he didn’t want to hear about Qin Niang’s family. What was wrong with this old woman? The older she got, the more she talked.

Hua Qi lowered his head and met the eyes of the little human cub in his arms, who was hugging a pomegranate. For some reason, he felt happy. A human cub this tiny, who could not talk or walk, actually knew to give him a pomegranate to eat.

Human cubs were not any worse than demon cubs.

After the water buffalo finished eating grass by himself, he slowly ambled along the little path toward home. Hearing Dou Ming’s voice behind him, the water buffalo’s rear tightened, and he quickly walked into the courtyard, then obediently lay down in the cowshed.

Beaming, Hua Qi came back carrying Yun Shan and the big pomegranate. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he showed off to Xiu Niang. “Look, this is the big pomegranate Yun Shan gave me.”

Xiu Niang covered her mouth and laughed. Who knew whose idea it had been to tie a pomegranate to Yun Shan’s waist? And who had stuck that big red flower beside Yun Shan’s head?

“That pomegranate really is big. Give us some later too.”

“No.” Hua Qi turned away with Yun Shan in his arms, not letting Xiu Niang see the pomegranate. Stingily, he said, “This is the pomegranate Yun Shan gave me. I’m going to eat it myself.”

“Look at Huaniang. She’s actually being stingy now,” Wan Niang teased from the side. “Her son gave her a pomegranate, and she can’t bear to share it with us.”

“There.” Hua Qi jerked his chin toward Dou Ming. “They picked plenty of pomegranates from the mountain. Eat as much as you want.”

“We’re not eating them. We’re saving our stomachs for braised pork,” Wan Niang said with a smile.

Xiu Niang, holding Chun Hua, leaned over enviously. “Your son really is well raised. So fair and chubby.”

In the crook of Hua Qi’s arm, Yun Shan slept sweetly with his little lips puckered. His long lashes curled slightly upward. The big red flowers by both ears made Yun Shan’s skin look even fairer and more tender. Even in sleep, he had not forgotten the big pomegranate. Both little hands covered the red-skinned pomegranate, holding it firmly in his arms.

“It’s all because Xiu Niang helped feed him. A while ago, when we first came to Dongwang Village, Yun Shan was so thin you could see his ribs. Luckily, Xiu Niang helped, and that’s how we raised him into this.” Back then, Hua Qi had not felt that distressed for Yun Shan. Now, thinking back on it, he finally knew what heartache was. How could such a good little cub have been abandoned?

From the kitchen came the sizzling sound of water hitting hot oil. Before long, the aroma of braised pork spread through the courtyard.

“I could smell it from the back,” Qiu Sheng said, striding quickly into the courtyard. Behind him came Xi Jue, along with Xiu Niang’s restrained father and Xiu Niang’s elder brother, Wang Da Shan.

The two of them had been called over by Da Mao and Er Mao for a meal and were very embarrassed about it. As soon as they arrived at Qiu Sheng’s house, they went to the back to help with work.

Hua Qi handed Yun Shan to Dou Ming, rolled up his sleeves, and was about to enter the kitchen when Wan Niang pushed him back out.

“Go, go. You go watch Yun Shan. We don’t need you helping here.”

“I’m learning to cook from Xiu Niang.” This dish smelled fragrant. He wanted to learn it and make it for the little human cub in the future.

Inside, Xiu Niang laughed twice and said to Wan Niang, “Let her come in. Huaniang really does need to learn properly. Last time, when she fried vegetables by herself, she burned several blisters onto her hand. What woman doesn’t know how to cook? Those men are all counting on her.”

Holding Yun Shan, Dou Ming poked his head around the kitchen doorway. The braised pork really was fragrant. “Xiu Niang, Xiu Niang, when will the meat be ready?” He had run up the mountain twice that morning, and now he was already hungry.

Xiu Niang said, “Wait a little longer. There are still stewed ribs too. We’ll save the rib soup to make noodles for you tonight.”

Noodles tonight were still a long way off, but he was hungry right now. Holding Yun Shan, Dou Ming anxiously paced back and forth at the kitchen door.

Hua Qi took down the basket of flatbreads from the kitchen beam and, from the plate that had just come out of the wok, specially picked four big pieces of braised pork and stuffed them into a flatbread.

He handed the flatbread to Dou Ming and said disdainfully, “Stop carrying Yun Shan around in circles by the kitchen door. You’re making people dizzy.”

Dou Ming took the flatbread and left with Yun Shan in his arms, perfectly satisfied.

When Da Mao and Er Mao saw it, they circled around Dou Ming, drooling with envy. Braised pork was a delicacy they could only eat during the New Year. Seeing Dou Ming bite into the flatbread and reveal the fragrant pieces of meat, the two boys nearly drooled.

They looked eagerly at Dou Ming. With hope in his eyes, Da Mao called, “Brother Dou Ming.”

His meaning went without saying. They wanted to eat the meat in his hand!

No one could snatch food from a tiger’s mouth. Dou Ming sat on a stool and turned his back, taking a huge bite of the flatbread. The meaty aroma instantly spread over the tip of his tongue. Braised pork really was delicious.

Da Mao and Er Mao followed him around. The two little brothers said nothing, only stared pitifully at Dou Ming.

Dou Ming lowered his head to look at Yun Shan, pretending not to see the two boys in front of him.

Tuo Tuo came over to pull Da Mao and Er Mao outside to play. The two brothers stood in place without moving. No matter how Tuo Tuo pushed, the two boys would not leave.

“What are you two doing?” Tuo Tuo’s chubby face squeezed between the little brothers’ heads. He looked at Da Mao, then at Er Mao, and said, “Let’s go out and play.”

Er Mao’s mouth shifted. His eyes did not blink as he stared at Dou Ming and whispered, “Want meat.”

“Even if you want meat, you can’t ask Dou Ming for it.” Tuo Tuo leaned by Da Mao’s ear and said, “Dou Ming is super stingy. Last time I asked him for some soup to dip flatbread in, and he wouldn’t give me any. Don’t get your hopes up!”

Seeing that the two little brothers still would not move, Tuo Tuo ran to the kitchen and shouted, “Xiu Niang, Da Mao and Er Mao want meat.”

Da Mao and Er Mao finally tore themselves away from Dou Ming and rushed over anxiously to cover Tuo Tuo’s mouth.

Among children, it was fine to ask each other for food, but they could not tell adults they were craving something. If the adults found out, they would definitely get scolded.

Sure enough, Wan Niang said with a stern face, “Wait until the meal starts.”

“If they’re hungry, let them eat first.” Xiu Niang picked a small bowl of braised pork from the plate and handed it to Da Mao, who was standing at the kitchen door. “Go eat it with Er Mao, Tuo Tuo, and Xiao Cong.”

Da Mao did not take it. Tilting his body, he glanced at Wan Niang.

Xiu Niang laughed at him. “Your auntie is giving it to you. Why are you looking at your mother? Hurry and take it.”

The bowl was stuffed into Da Mao’s arms. Only then did he hold it, turn around, and run over to Xiao Cong with Er Mao and Tuo Tuo.

There were only four pieces of meat in the bowl altogether. The children each took one piece, and it was divided cleanly. The four children sat together, cheeks bulging, carefully chewing the braised pork.

“Time to eat.” At Xiu Niang’s call, Da Mao and Er Mao picked up stools and charged toward the main room. Tuo Tuo copied them exactly and also picked up a stool, then ran into the main room.

There were too many people at home, and the table in the main room could not seat them all. Qiu Sheng moved the little table from under the tree into the room and set up a separate table for the children.

Just as Xiu Niang brought the dishes to the table, Yun Shan suddenly burst into loud sobs in Dou Ming’s arms. Dou Ming touched his bottom. It was neither damp nor heavy.

“He hasn’t peed or pooped.”

“He must be hungry. He was only fed once this morning.” Xiu Niang took Yun Shan and turned back into the room. Xiao Cong followed to watch Yun Shan.

Seeing him drink milk while his little hand still did not forget to touch the pomegranate, Xiu Niang deliberately teased him and tried to take the pomegranate away.

Who would have thought Yun Shan would stop drinking milk too? He waved his arms to drive Xiu Niang away and cried anxiously, “Ah! Ah!”

“You already know how to guard food when you’re this small?” Xiu Niang stopped teasing him and properly fed him milk. “Is it only for your mother to eat?”

“Huaniang really didn’t love you for nothing.” Though Yun Shan was not her own flesh and blood, a child this small, if raised well, was no different from a child of one’s own family. Looking at Yun Shan now, he had fixed on Huaniang. This tiny, and he already knew to be filial to Huaniang.

What did Yun Shan know? He was still sleepy. Once Xiu Niang stopped taking his pomegranate, he quietly drank milk. As he drank, his eyes closed, and he fell asleep. Clearly, he had really woken up just now because he had been terribly hungry.

Wang Da Shan had originally wanted to chat slowly with Qiu Sheng and Xi Jue for a bit before eating, to get closer to them properly. But seeing that the two men only answered him one sentence here and there, with all their thoughts fixed on the dinner table, his face turned awkward. He picked up his chopsticks and prepared to lower his head and eat. The last time his family had eaten meat was the piece Xiu Niang had brought back.

When he looked closely, good heavens, this was no small matter. A basin of meat that had not been on the table long was already half gone.

“Big Brother, don’t just sit there. Eat,” Qiu Sheng urged.

From Qiu Sheng’s urging, Wang Da Shan actually heard that he was not being polite, but was genuinely urging him to eat. He immediately reacted, picked up several pieces of meat, and hurriedly shoveled rice into his mouth.

“I’ll put some aside for Xiu Niang.” Seeing that the basin was about to hit bottom, Qiu Sheng quickly stood and put several pieces of meat into Xiu Niang’s bowl.

Good grief. He had not eaten with Qiu Sheng for half a year, and he had never expected that meals at his house now depended on snatching.

Since Qiu Sheng said they had to leave meat for Xiu Niang, Dou Ming no longer picked meat from the basin. Xiu Niang had gone to feed Yun Shan, so they did need to leave some meat for her.

When Xiu Niang returned to the main room, the basin that had held the meat was already empty. Qiu Sheng tapped her bowl and said, “I saved meat for you. Hurry and eat.”

After the meal, Xiao Cong brought the pomegranates picked from the mountain to the table. Two people shared one.

“These pomegranates really aren’t small. They’re bigger than the ones we bought in town in past years,” Wan Niang said, touching a pomegranate.

“The seeds are small too. A good variety.” Wang Da Shan roughly chewed twice and swallowed the pomegranate along with the seeds. Then he saw Dou Ming bring the now-meatless basin in front of himself, use a spoon to scoop the meat sauce at the bottom into his bowl, casually mix it a few times, and eat another large bowl of rice.

This child really could eat. If he did not have the ability to hunt, even a large family could not afford to raise a boy like this.

Hearing Wang Da Shan and Wan Niang’s words, Xiao Cong’s heart stirred. The pomegranates on the mountain were even better than the ones they had bought in town in previous years? They could earn money again!

After loading the tables and chairs from the courtyard, Xiu Niang locked the door, and the group headed toward town.

Wan Niang said she was going to take advantage of Qiu Sheng’s family ox cart, but the cart was fully loaded with tables and chairs, without even the slightest space for a person to sit. Even Xiu Niang and Hua Qi had to carry the children and walk alongside the ox cart.

Da Mao, Er Mao, and Tuo Tuo, three children in all, ran back and forth, making a great racket. Hua Qi had never felt Tuo Tuo was noisy before, but now, hearing him shriek as he chased Da Mao and Er Mao around, he only felt his ears were about to explode. When had the demons on the mountain ever been this noisy?

Then he looked at Xiao Cong beside him, quiet and silent. Quiet demons were better after all.

When Da Mao and Er Mao got tired from running, they stopped to catch their breath. They wiped the sweat from their heads, then fixed their eyes on the red bellyband Tuo Tuo was wearing.

“Tuo Tuo, if you wear a bellyband, does that mean you aren’t hot?” Da Mao asked enviously.

Tuo Tuo wiped the sweat from his chubby face, swung his arms in place, and said, “It’s definitely cooler than wearing as much as you two.”

“And it looks good,” Er Mao said.

In an instant, Tuo Tuo felt as if he had found a kindred spirit. He moved closer to Er Mao and tugged at his own red bellyband for Er Mao to see carefully. “Right? I’ve always thought red bellybands look the best. No color looks better than red.”

Da Mao said, “Blue looks the best.”

“Blue isn’t as good-looking as red.” Tuo Tuo firmly defended his own taste.

The three little ones started arguing again over which color looked better.

Hua Qi could bear it no longer. With one hand, he grabbed the skyward tuft on top of Tuo Tuo’s head and said coldly, “Every color looks better than red. Hurry up and shut your mouth. Even sparrows aren’t as noisy as you.”

With one free hand, Xiu Niang went to pull Hua Qi’s arm and rescued Tuo Tuo. “What child isn’t noisy? Look at Da Mao and Er Mao. They’re like two little roosters. Their mouths haven’t stopped either.”

Tuo Tuo immediately rubbed his head and hid on the other side of the cart, muttering resentfully, “Stinking black snake. He only knows how to bully a ginseng spirit. Why doesn’t he bully Xi Jue?”

Wan Niang was amused by her way of putting it. Thinking about her own two sons, who really were noisy, she said, “Isn’t that right? From morning to night, if they aren’t crying, they’re yelling. They’re not as easy to care for as Yun Shan and Chun Hua.”

At the mention of Yun Shan, the little fellow moved, then slowly opened his eyes. Seeing that Hua Qi was holding him, he immediately split his mouth in a grin, revealing bright red, toothless gums.

“Oh, oh, look how happy he is,” Wan Niang said with a smile.

“Your mother really is fierce,” Da Mao ran to Tuo Tuo’s side and whispered.

Tuo Tuo instantly felt that the brothers Da Mao and Er Mao truly were his kindred spirits.

He pulled Da Mao and Er Mao far ahead of the cart. Only then did he confidently pour out his bitterness. “He’s fierce. Very fierce. Like a yaksha. He always bullies me, and never goes to bully Xi Jue. I think his heart must be black. Black on the outside, even blacker inside.”

“Huaniang isn’t black. She’s very fair.” Er Mao looked back in confusion.

“You don’t understand!” Tuo Tuo had ten thousand sentences pent up in his heart, but he could not say a single one to his kindred spirits.

That was a black snake. A pure black, pitch-black snake.

Next Chapter >