Bai Fumei in the ’70s Chapter 96
Translated by Serena Love
LF: editor~
Zhao Lanxiang dealt with He Songbai's chicken, and then boiled the whole chicken until the boiling water was full of oil before she fished it out. The soup was clear of the foam and oily stains. It was clear and transparent. She transferred half to a separate pot and let it cool, while stewing meatballs with the remaining soup. Then she covered it with cabbage leaves and simmered for one hour.
At the same time, she sliced the chicken, including the skin, into oily and tender pieces, and put them on the plate. She cut the cabbage, winter bamboo shoots, tofu, and tomato into thin strips with a sharp knife, and stewed some fresh clams in the soup.
The Zhao family had dinner one hour later.
Zhao Lanxiang did not know how the conversation in the living room developed. Now she did not have to worry about how He Songbai handled her elders.
Feng Lian helped her daughter to bring out the dishes. The air smelled of a thick delicacy, but when she looked down, she saw slices of white chicken meat.
Zhao Lanxiang walked out of the living room and saw He Songbai shaking the child's hand, his face slightly embarrassed.
Seeing her sister coming out, Xiao Huzi shrugged and called He Songbai, "Brother Bai."
He Songbai's heart fell to the ground.
The clever little ghost almost called him "brother-in-law."
Won't it be lifting a stone and hitting one's own foot? He Songbai's eyes quickly flashed with a trace of regret.
He glanced at the child and said, "Little Huzi is so smart. You remember it right."
Zhao Yongqing's eyes are full of inquiry.
He Songbai said, "I, my things have not been packed. I won't disturb..."
Feng Lian hurriedly stopped him, "Didn't you agree to have a meal before leaving? You haven't eaten."
Zhao Yongqing also said, "We can eat this chicken because of you, so let's eat together."
Zhao Yongqing was a little surprised when he saw that his son was also familiar with this guy.
However, they ate dinner soon after, and the hunger in his belly quickly diverted his attention.
Zhao Lanxiang made a lot of work on this meal, cutting the meat and cutting the tofu into filaments. Her hands became sore and even holding the chopsticks was a little uncomfortable. But these three dishes and one soup surprised the whole family.
The meatballs were served in a clear soup, and the floating cabbage leaves were emerald green, and the meatballs were like white jade.
A thousand threads of shredded tofu are like crisscrossing silk. Green, white and red were floating in the clear soup. It was looming, almost as thin as cicada wings, especially the tomatoes, like a veil of gauze covered in water. When they scoop it, the clear soup was like the waves, and the thousands threads were dancing with the waves.
This made Feng Lian, who worked in the Department of Liberal Arts, stunned, as if ancient recipes were reappearing.
She took the lead to scoop half a bowl to drink. The thin slices of julienne ingredients were melted in the mouth and were very refreshing. She ate a few spoonfuls before discovering that the soup was made with clams. No wonder it was so fresh.
Zhao Yongqing took a meatball. The jade-like meatball was soft and mellow, and the taste was pure and fragrant. It was not very greasy, even after eating a few. It was an extremely refined dish. After drinking half a bowl of soup, Feng Lian also began to eat the meatball, and little Huzi also ate it. A plate of meatball soon finished. If Feng Lian did not give some to He Songbai, it is estimated that he would not have a portion.
Zhao Lanxiang pursed her lips and smiled.
Honest people would never get to eat at the dinner table, especially if some of the dishes were their family's favorites.
This meal was a joy for both the guests and the host, especially little Huzi's belly. After eating, the tiny bulging buddha slowly walked downstairs and followed his mother for a walk.
He Songbai silently glanced at his girlfriend, who was picking up the tableware.
At this moment, when he was full, He Songbai had a strong uncontrollable thought in his heart. Her family is very beautiful, her parents are very kind, the family is happy, and even eating a meal is full of happiness.
He wanted to help her clean up the dishes, but he was not qualified.
Her father stared at him closely and asked him a lot of questions.
"What do you do?"
He Songbai replied, "Livestock."
Well, he did raise pigs. Not only did he raise pigs, but also the cattle in the brigade were also taken care of by him and his elder sister. This answer is not a lie.
It's just that it has not yet turned into a visible main business.
Zhao Yongqing asked again, "So you are from an intellectual family. No wonder you like reading so much."
"But it's a pity that your family dragged you down..." He shook his head.
He Songbai felt uneasy by Zhao Yongqing, probably because every "father-in-law" in this world had a very keen sense.
Zhao Yongqing previously thought that the young man was down-to-earth and sincere, but in a flash, He Songbai was familiar with his whole family up and down. Zhao Yongqing felt something wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.
After drinking a round of hot tea, He Songbai took off as soon as possible and hurriedly left the house.
"Thanks to Uncle Zhao's hospitality, the food is very delicious, and the tea is also delicious. I have to go back to the guest house to pick up my luggage after the meeting, so I won't stay longer."
Zhao Yongqing asked his daughter to take the person to the door.
"Niuniu, don't wash the dishes anymore, send your fellow home."
Zhao Lanxiang leaned out of the kitchen and responded. She quickly washed her hands and took something from the room and put it in her pocket.
She sent He Songbai downstairs. He Songbai didn't want to stay for a moment, and just said "Goodbye" and hurriedly left.
Zhao Lanxiang turned her head to see. Did Zhao Yongqing stand right in front of the window upstairs?
The moonlight was too dim, and she couldn't see her father's face. She just felt a floating guilty conscience in her heart. He Songbai really convinced her dear father completely.
'His eyes are really not too sharp!'
At night, Zhao Lanxiang packed up her luggage one by one and put all the things she needed at the bottom of the box.
In the New Year, she replaced the 1976 calendar and put on a brand-new calendar. Now when she looked at it again, the vague memories of the past flood into her mind. She found her old middle school textbooks one by one, wiped them clean, and put them neatly in her luggage.
When she came back from the country, half of her box was packed with food. Now when she left, half of the box were books.
The year 1977 is the first year of the college entrance examination. Zhao Lanxiang had gone to college in her previous life, and naturally, in this life, she must not miss the first train.
Early the next morning, Feng Lian asked for leave to send her daughter to the station. The train station in City G was packed with educated youths.
Before leaving, Zhao Lanxiang took Feng Lian's hand and said, "Don't send little Huzi to Grandpa this weekend. He is young and always running like horses. His body would be easily overwhelmed."
"In the fall, the little Huzi can go to school. Mother can use the weekend to teach him more homework."
Feng Lian nodded, and she said, "Your dad and I used to worry about you being coquettish, easy to get along with others. We thought you would live a difficult life."
She touched her daughter's face and said with emotion, "Now it seems that you have been tempered in the country, and your mind is mature."
"You take care of yourself!"
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Zhao Lanxiang got on the train, staring at the figure of her mother from the window. The train roared and the wheels started to move.
She waved at Feng Lian, "Wait for me to write! Wait for me to go home in the Mid-Autumn Festival!"
Feng Lian stood at the same place. Her eyes were chasing the train. Originally she thought it would not be sentimental, but in the end, she was also infected by the parting emotions in the crowd, and her vision blurred with tears.
'The train drove their children to all corners of the country, glowing with heat.'
'Building a new countryside for the motherland.'
...
He Songbai stood up silently and walked to his girlfriend.
"Let's go, change location."
Zhao Lanxiang nodded. He Songbai bought sleeper tickets for the three of them. Zhao Lanxiang, who had always been standing all the way to the end, rarely enjoyed the treat for a day and a night.
He Songbai took out the fruit package and unwrapped the oiled paper, filled with slices of crystal clear grapefruits.
He offered it to her with both hands and smiled. His rough thumb made the grapefruit more and more beautiful, like a lotus growing out of the mud.
Zhao Lanxiang enjoyed the courtesy of He Songbai with confidence. She stared at him while eating fruit, "You were quite sensitive last night!"
He Songbai whispered to her ear and said, "How can we do our job if we are not sensitive enough."
"How about it, am I okay?"
She touched the back of his head.
"Great."
Zhao Lanxiang couldn't admire his responsiveness even more. It has not been a long time since he started doing "bad things." Is it easier for men to have a sense of crisis?
Although her dad might have some sign in his heart, but He Songbai pretended like that, so her dad might think that he thought it too much.
Zhao Lanxiang said something to He Songbai. The two of them, one was sitting in the sleeping berth, and one was standing on the train. The two blackheads almost joined together.
Gu Huaijin, the old man, who sat on the opposite side, staring at He Songbai with his eyebrows frowned deeply, as if he didn't agree, and he coughed hard.
He Songbai silently took out a marriage certificate for Gu Huaijin to read.
Gu Huaijin was drinking water and almost spurted it out.
But in the following days, He Songbai was much more polite and never got too close again.
Soon, the three of them arrived at Hezi village.
Gu Huaijin got off the train, and Wu Yong came to pick him up.
He looked at Wu Yong with some surprise.
Wu Yong had a slight complication in his face. The stubble of his chin was not shaved, and his clothes were crumpled. He took Gu Huaijin's luggage and followed him silently.
Gu Huaijin said, "You don't have to treat me like this."
Wu Yong smiled and said nothing.
Gu Huaijin said, "You saved my life. I should have thanked you."
"But... I don't have money, and I have no power. Even to return home, I have to ask others for help... What do you need? Just tell me. I will weigh whether I can help you."
Wu Yong lifted Gu Huaijin's luggage, which was heavy. Most of the clothes and daily necessities prepared by his wife were in it.
"The teacher is still so humorous."
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Gu Huaijin speeded up his pace and followed Zhao Lanxiang.
Zhao Lanxiang handed him a box of pea crisp for eating. Teacher Gu's eyes lit up. After a day and night on the train, he ate a little bit of this refreshing and delicious crisp, which tasted indescribable.
Several of them leaned on the roadside, and hurriedly finished their lunch before continuing their journey.
Wu Yong and Gu Huaijin carried the luggage along the way and took it back to the bullpen.
The first sentence that Hu Xianzhi said when he met Gu Huaijin was, "Teacher, you are finally back. Have you heard of Brother Wu's happy event?"
Hu Xianzhi turned his head and said to Wu Yong, "Congratulations, you finally made it to the top. Excellent people will never be buried."
Wu Yong said modestly, "Everyone spreads things that don't exist. I still have something to do, so I will leave first..."
Gu Huaijin packed up his little nest and stared at Hu Xianzhi with his bright eyes.
Hu Xianzhi spoke out like a chatterbox, "A year ago, X University planned to hire a batch of new teacher. Junior Brother Wu just met the requirements and went to the interview and passed."
"This is amazing, and he will eat national food like teacher."
[T/N: meaning he will receive wages from the government.]
Gu Huaijin yelled, "Did you not listen to him? He hasn't been omitted yet."
Hu Xianfu grabbed Gu Huaijin's hand, "Teacher, don't you have friendship with their principal?"
Gu Huaijin thought quietly in his heart: 'It turned out that was why he was waiting for me here.'
He silently went back to his small den to find the paper and pen, and while writing, he said to the Hu Xianzhi, "Every single one is debt..."
[T/N: Teacher Gu was complaining that every single apprentice he had is a debt from his previous life, a.k.a. making his life difficult.]
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