It looked very light, with more than a dozen dumplings lying in the large bowl, sans a drop of soy sauce but with a strong scent of chicken broth, topped with green onions!
“Xingxing, would you like some spicy sesame chicken?”
The reason for the smell of chicken broth was because they were also selling spicy sesame chicken, all at ten yuan a portion. In those days, ten yuan could buy you quite a lot.
Take noodles, for example, you could buy 5 jin,
How much is that?
It’s the kind that comes in a big bunch, enough for a family to eat for over ten days.
“No, Grandpa, I don’t want any more. Have you forgotten what I’ve been eating these past few days?”
In fact, she was craving the hot and sour rice noodles that others were eating nearby, which also contained kelp shreds and bean sprouts, and most importantly, they were spicy!
“Alright then, let’s eat this. Afterward, how about we go buy some cold dishes to take home?”
Bai Zhi’s eyes lit up at the suggestion; that sounded good, especially since they had looked delicious earlier!
The dumplings might look plain, but they tasted quite good with a rich chicken broth flavor, fragrant meat filling, and they were also affordable, allowing even those reluctant to spend much on meat to buy a bowl for their children.
One large bowl cost just two yuan, quite cheap,
And each dumpling had thin skin and a generous filling, making them very tasty indeed.
After eating the dumplings, Grandpa took Bai Zhi to sell bamboo baskets. There were so many preorders that they sold out quickly. The main reason was Bai Dan’s craftsmanship was exemplary; he made them sturdy and durable, attracting many buyers, including new customers who placed orders.
This led to selling everything else and raking in a couple of hundred yuan, which took Grandpa a week of hard work to make. It was quite the effort,
Bai Zhi felt that this wasn’t sustainable; it was too tiring.
Bamboo cutting involved splitting and then shaving it down to the thinnest, variable-width strips, and if color was needed, they had to be toasted over a fire!
Only then could they achieve varying colors. Bai Zhi wondered, what could she and Grandpa do?
“Xingxing, let’s go buy some cold dishes!”
The cold dishes were ordinary vegetarian fair, such as dried bean curd, tofu rings, tofu strips, Chinese cabbage, etc., mixed with chili oil, all very tasty.
Bai Dan picked out a few items and was about to ask his granddaughter what she wanted when he noticed she was engrossed in watching the neighboring seed shop.
“Xingxing, what would you like to eat? Grandpa will buy it for you!”
Bai Dan really wasn’t short on money, as he had always lived alone, and his earnings from the land, combined with the payments for returning farmland to forest, were enough for him.
He was also diligent, making bamboo crafts, earning from bamboo shoots, not to mention the filial piety from his son and daughter,
Yes, Bai Dan had a son and a daughter; his son Bai Da, his daughter Bai Xin.
Bai Xin was married to another county and came back once a year, always bringing a lot of things, which is why he felt free to buy whatever.
“Grandpa, can I buy some mung beans and some red dates?”
“Sure!”
While thinking it odd, Bai Dan still bought some for her and then took Bai Zhi to get meat.
They bought pork belly, specifically five jin of it, costing a full forty yuan.
With all the purchases done, the grandfather and granddaughter duo started walking home,
All the items were loaded into the bamboo basket, which Bai Dan carried on his back.
As they neared home, they ran into Bai Ye, Bai Yu, and the Little Group Pet, the threesome fishing by the river,
The kids always liked to make hooks from needles, attach them to fishing lines, and use bamboo poles for fishing,
The bait was earthworms, which could simply be found in the soil, and with good luck, they could fill a small bowl in a day!
Little Group Pet spotted Bai Zhi immediately, pulling on Bai Ye with a bit of fear, then smiling at Bai Zhi!
But Bai Zhi had no intention of talking to them; being the original owner and all, she was the darling of the heavens,
Whatever she wanted to do, there was nothing she couldn’t achieve, and so, it was better for her to keep her distance!
Bai Dan wasn’t worried. After all, every child knows how to swim, so he just glanced over and said, “Go back home early. I’ll have your sister bring some meat over for you later!”
Although Bai Dan wasn’t heartless, he thought about sending over two jin of meat later. As for the remaining three jin, his granddaughter could enjoy it slowly!
Bai Ye’s eyes lit up at the mention of meat. These days, unless it was a holiday or festival, how could one afford to buy meat? Then he remembered, it was all because of Bai Zhi.
If Bai Zhi hadn’t made a scene, why would his dad have needed to use Xixi’s tuition money?
So, he glared at Bai Zhi, only to find that she wasn’t even looking at him. How infuriating!
The Little Group Pet toddled over with her short little legs. Truthfully, Bai Da was really good to the Little Group Pet.
Just look at the princess dress the Little Group Pet was wearing, complete with tulle. Such a dress would cost at least seventy to eighty yuan. Compared to her own oversized clothes, the Little Group Pet’s dress was leagues better!
And they say there’s no favoritism?
Bai Zhi desperately reminded herself not to get angry, it was all in the past.
If no one loves you, then love yourself. Besides, she still had Grandpa!
“Big sister, come home with us. Dad and the brothers miss you a lot…”
Bai Zhi took a step back, keeping a distance of at least a meter from the Little Group Pet. She didn’t want to be cannon fodder again!
“No need, I’m living well with Grandpa! You all can go back!”
Was this Little Group Pet really as innocent and kind as they were described in books?
Bai Zhi didn’t know, but she was aware of one thing, keep away from the original owner!
All she needed was to live well with her grandpa!
Bai Ye closely followed the group pet, warily eyeing Bai Zhi as if she might hurt the group pet at any moment.
It made Bai Zhi want to laugh. Did the original owner really bully the group pet?
Not likely, every time there was an attempt, wasn’t it stopped?
It was just the actions of someone desperate for attention, trying every possible way without success, thinking,
“If I can’t make you love me, then I’ll make you hate me—at least then you’ll remember this foolish girl!”
And as for Bai Yu, although he didn’t approach, his gaze was fixed on the group pet, never wavering for a second, as if ready to rush over if Bai Zhi dared to take a step forward. Like a viper lurking in the shadows, ready to strike unexpectedly.
“Grandpa, let’s go home.”
Bai Zhi tugged at her grandpa’s hand. She didn’t want to see any of the three.
“Alright. Let’s go home!”
Bai Dan saw it all, and with a snort of disdain in his heart, he realized they even looked down on his darling grandchild. Those two brats could not distinguish between right and wrong.
Back home, the first thing Bai Dan did was tell his granddaughter to rest, she’d been tired all morning.
“Xingxing, you take a break, shall Grandpa make you fried rice with egg?”
As he spoke, Bai Dan was readying himself to light the fire.
The house had coal, but that was to be used in winter. For now, they only needed to gather some twigs to burn.
“Grandpa, may I cook?”
Bai Zhi’s eyes sparkled brightly as she blinked and looked expectantly at Bai Dan.
“But you…” are still a child.
“At home, I’m the one who cooks all the meals. I can do it!”
Bai Zhi’s words made Bai Dan’s heart ache. Indeed, his daughter-in-law worked in town, and it was Bai Zhi who cooked every day.
At the same age, while that girl could play every day, his Xingxing…
He just couldn’t fathom what that rotten boy was thinking. Could someone else’s child really be better than his own?