Chapter Fifty-Two: New Clothes

In the twelfth lunar month, it gets light late, so Zhang Liuyi deliberately slept outside the bed this time and got up very quietly so as not to disturb Xiong Zixiang.

She wrapped her thick cotton-padded coat tightly around herself, walked through the quiet village, and arrived at the gate of her uncle Zhang Dahe's house, a place she knew well by heart.

The sky was still tinged with the first light of dawn, and I noticed they were up even earlier than the sun.

She gently pushed open the half-closed courtyard gate, tiptoed, and headed straight for the east wing.

In the east wing, loud snoring could be heard, clearly from her father. He was sleeping soundly, probably exhausted from slaughtering pigs yesterday.

Zhang Liuyi stood outside the door, listening to her father's snoring, and couldn't help but smile.

She didn't knock on the door immediately, thinking she should let her father sleep a little longer.

The pig we're slaughtering today was ordered from an old restaurant in the county town that my father has known for many years.

The road is easy to navigate, but the work is heavy. Every bit of rest we can give our father is precious.

She turned and walked to the center of the yard, stretching her hands and feet, which were a little stiff from the cold.

There was a rustling sound coming from the kitchen, and then Aunt Wang came out, presumably having heard her commotion.

Sure enough, the kitchen door creaked open, and Aunt Wang, wearing a thick coat, poked her head out. She was somewhat surprised to see Zhang Yi.

"Wait! So early? It's not even fully light yet. Come in quickly, the kitchen is warm with a fire!"

Good morning, Auntie.

Zhang Liuli smiled and walked over, entering the kitchen and warming his hands by the fire: "Auntie, I'm waiting for Dad. We're going to the county town to slaughter a pig for Fumanlou today, so we need to leave early."

"Oh, Fumanlou, is that a restaurant?" Aunt Wang asked, then started adding water to the pot to prepare breakfast: "Why don't you and your father have something hot at home before you leave? I'll make some dough and pancakes right now."

"No, Auntie." Zhang Yili quickly waved her hand. "Don't bother with my dad's share. I came early on purpose to save you some trouble. When we get to the county town, we can just buy some food at the town gate to tide us over, which will save time."

Aunt Wang lit a fire, and the flickering flames in the stove illuminated her kind but somewhat weary face.

She sighed, "Ah, you young people are so strong. My old bones are getting worse and worse. I sleep less and less, and I sleep lightly. I wake up before dawn and wait for the rooster to crow. I get up earlier than the rooster that crows. It's hard to get a full night's sleep, unlike your father and your uncle."

She gestured toward the east wing and then pointed to the main room: "They can all sleep like slept, their snoring is so loud it's like the roof beams are about to fall down. It's enviable."

Zhang Liuyi gently comforted her, "Auntie, you're used to worrying. With things on your mind, it's natural not to sleep well. Look how well you manage everything at home! Nan'er, Brother Liuji, and my uncle—aren't they all being taken care of by you? You deserve a lot of credit. After the New Year is over in a few days, you should take a good rest and not think about anything. I guarantee you'll be able to sleep well."

Aunt Wang smiled slightly at her words: "You little rascal, you have such a sweet tongue. Alright, I'll take your kind words. After the New Year is over, I'll follow your uncle's example and be a lazy wife for a while!"

She added another piece of firewood to the stove: "Then hurry up and wake your father up, don't delay the important matter. It's so cold, make sure he wears more clothes."

"Yes." Zhang Yili responded, walked to the door of the east wing, raised his hand and knocked: "Father? Father? Wake up, it's time to go."

The snoring inside paused for a moment, followed by turning over and mumbling: "...Hmm?...Is it dawn?"

"It's lit up, the pigs at Fu Man Lou are waiting." Zhang Yi raised his voice slightly.

"Oh... Fu Man Lou..." Zhang Dashan seemed to have sobered up a bit, and the sound of rustling clothes being put on could be heard from inside: "...Coming soon."

A moment later, the door opened.

Zhang Dashan had already put on his thick, oil-stained leather apron. His hair was still a bit messy. He yawned, and a gust of cold air entered his mouth, which invigorated him.

He greeted Aunt Wang, "Sister-in-law, thank you for getting up so early." Then he went to the water vat in the kitchen, scooped up a basin of cold water, carried it to the yard, and washed his face and rinsed his mouth. Afterward, he quickly wiped his face.

"Dad, shall we go back to the other courtyard and get Dazhuang?" Zhang asked.

"Hmm," Zhang Dashan responded, slinging the satchel over his shoulder. Inside were sharpened knives, hooks, and other tools.

The father and daughter bid farewell to Aunt Wang and, stepping through the morning frost, returned to the small courtyard where Zhang Dashan and Zhang Liuyi used to live, which is now mainly used to raise livestock.

The only sound in the yard was the flapping of chickens' wings. Dazhuang was still sleeping soundly in the cowshed, breathing evenly.

"Dazhuang, get up and get to work!"

Zhang Liuyi walked over and gently patted his old friend's side.

Dazhuang opened his sleepy cow eyes, snorted, and slowly stood up.

Zhang Yi added fresh water and plenty of hay to it, watching it eat and drink heartily.

"Let's feed it well later, so it'll have energy for the journey," Zhang Dashan said, checking the axles and ropes of the cart.

After Dazhuang had finished eating, Zhang Yijin put it on the cart.

The father and daughter boarded the cart, and Zhang carefully drove it.

Dazhuang strode steadily, pulling the cart, over the frozen, hard village roads and official roads, heading towards the county town.

By the time we reached the town gate, it was already broad daylight.

A special area was set aside at the town entrance for people from the countryside to store their livestock when they came to town by cart; there were people specifically assigned to guard it.

Zhang Yili tied Dazhuang up securely, handed over the copper coins for guarding him, patted Dazhuang's broad head, and whispered instructions.

"Dazhuang, just rest here and take a nap. We'll come pick you up when we're done."

Dazhuang seemed to understand and gently rubbed his hand against hers.

The father and daughter entered the city and headed straight for a breakfast stall near the city gate, where steam was billowing out.

The stall owners were an elderly couple who set up a large pot to fry dough sticks, twisted dough sticks, and steamed buns, while a large pot of snow-white soy milk was bubbling up next to them.

"Boss, two bowls of hot soy milk, and a handful of steamed buns!" Zhang Liuyi called out loudly.

"Okay! Coming right away!"

The proprietress quickly ladled out two large bowls of piping hot soy milk and brought them over, then grabbed a handful of golden-brown, crispy fried dough sticks and put them in a small bamboo basket.

Zhang Liuyi broke the glutinous rice into small pieces and soaked them in his father's bowl of soy milk.

Zhang Dashan picked up the bowl and gulped down a large mouthful of hot soy milk, panting as it burned his skin, but looking completely satisfied.

He followed his daughter's example and broke off some rice grains to soak in the broth.

The steamed buns, soaked in the scalding hot soy milk, became soft and chewy on the outside while retaining a slightly crispy core inside. Mixed with the aroma of soybeans, they were especially comforting to eat on a cold morning.

The father and daughter ate heartily in the morning chill, and soon their bodies warmed up.

Having eaten and drunk their fill and feeling warm, the two of them headed to Fumanlou Restaurant in the town center with high spirits.

The back door of the restaurant was already open, and a man dressed in a clean and neat short jacket, who looked like a manager, was looking around at the door. When he saw Zhang Dashan and his daughter, he immediately greeted them with a smile: "Butcher Zhang! Madam Zhang! You've finally arrived! We've been waiting for you!"

"Manager Li, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Zhang Dashan clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute.

"Oh, no, no! Please come in! The pigs are in the backyard pen, and the water's all boiled!"

Manager Li was a straightforward man, and his gaze towards Zhang Xiaoyi showed no disdain, only respect for a skilled craftsman: "Madam Zhang, I'll have to trouble you to lend a hand today! Same as always, the pay is the same for the effort! I'll have two workers at your beck and call, to boil water and hand over tools, and to handle the heavy lifting and carrying!"

Zhang Yiguan liked dealing with people like Manager Li; it was worry-free and straightforward!

"Don't worry, Manager Li! I'll make sure everything is tidied up perfectly!"

"Haha, I have complete confidence in Butcher Zhang and Madam Zhang's cooking skills!" Manager Li laughed and led them to the backyard.

The backyard was already prepared, with a large pot of boiling water, and a cutting board, hooks, and scrapers all ready.

A plump, black-haired pig was herded out of its pen by the workers.

Zhang Dashan and Zhang Yili exchanged a glance, and without saying a word, they took their positions and cooperated seamlessly.

Zhang Dashan was the lead surgeon, steady, accurate, and ruthless, while Zhang Yiyu assisted from the side, handing over the knife, collecting the blood, and directing the assistants to scald the fur with water and scrape it clean. Their movements were quick and methodical.

The father and daughter worked together seamlessly, only slightly slower than Zhang Dashan.

Looking at the cleanly shucked and neatly cut pork, Manager Li couldn't stop smiling and praised the two of them repeatedly, saying, "Good, excellent! This skill, this efficiency, truly a father-daughter duo!"

He readily paid the labor fee and even gave Zhang Yili two extra pieces of steamed millet cake, still warm, that the restaurant had just steamed that morning.

"Please take this to tide you over on your journey, thank you for your hard work!"

Clutching the still-warm copper coins and the hot millet cakes, the father and daughter walked out of Fu Man Lou in high spirits.

Zhang Liuli thought to himself that with this money plus what he had saved before, he would be able to have a good New Year.

She turned her head to look at her father, wanting to tell him about this happy news, but her gaze suddenly froze.

As Zhang Dashan raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, his clothes shrank a bit with the movement.

Zhang noticed that the sleeve of his father's old cotton-padded jacket had a rather large tear at some point, revealing the dusty cotton wadding underneath.

Zhang Liuyi's heart clenched. His father dealt with pigs all day long, and wearing this tattered cotton-padded coat was cold, inconvenient, and prone to getting caught in the cold.

The Lunar New Year is just around the corner...

“Dad,” Zhang Liuyi grabbed Zhang Dashan’s arm, her voice softening, “Shall we go to Qiaoshou Cloth Shop?”

Zhang Dashan was taken aback. Following her gaze, he also saw the hole in his sleeve and casually tugged at it to cover it up.

"Why go to the cloth shop? This little tear is nothing, just ask your aunt to sew it up when we get back, why waste the money?"

"It's old and worn out, and it's not warm anymore."

Zhang Liuyi insisted, "Dad, look at this cotton-padded coat you've been wearing for so many years! The cotton inside is all stiff and doesn't keep you warm at all. The New Year is coming soon, so I'll make you a new one! A thicker one, so it'll be easier for you to do chores!"

"No way!"

Zhang Dashan waved his hands repeatedly, his brows furrowing: "Don't waste that money. I'm an old man, why would I need to dress so nicely? Having something to wear is enough. Besides, a butcher wearing new clothes? That's outrageous! It's just rubbish!"

His tone was resolute, and he turned to leave.

Zhang Liuyi couldn't persuade him otherwise. Just as she was getting anxious, she looked up and guessed that the Qiaoshou Cloth Shop was not far ahead.

On a sudden inspiration, she half-pulled, half-dragged Zhang Dashan into the cloth shop.

Shopkeeper Sun was dusting the counter with a feather duster when he saw them come in, especially when he saw Zhang Yili dragging Zhang Dashan along. He immediately understood what was going on and put on a warm smile: "Oh, Mrs. Xiong, please come in. Are you here to buy some cloth?"

"Manager Sun!" Zhang Liuyi saw a savior and quickly said, "I want to make a new cotton-padded coat for my father, a thick, durable, and easy-to-work-in-place material. Could you please take a look?"

Zhang Dashan, who was not keen on acknowledging Manager Sun, said in a muffled voice, "I said I wouldn't do it, but this girl insisted on dragging me along!"

Manager Sun was incredibly shrewd. His gaze swept over Zhang Dashan's old cotton-padded jacket and the holes in the cuffs, and then he looked at Zhang's earnest eyes. He understood the situation perfectly.

He put down the feather duster, walked over to Zhang Dashan, and patted Zhang Dashan's arm with a smile that said, "We're of the same generation, and we're having a heart-to-heart talk."

"Brother! Listen to me!"

Shopkeeper Sun said earnestly, "We're about the same age, aren't we? I think you're only a few years younger than me. When we get to this age, what do we want? Isn't it just to have filial children and a comfortable life?"

"Look at how kind this young lady is, it's so precious. The child cares about you and wants you to dress warmly and work efficiently. This is a blessing, we should accept it and not let the child feel cold!"

He paused, noticing that Zhang Dashan's expression seemed to have softened a bit, and then pressed his advantage.

"Besides, it's almost New Year's. Wearing new clothes will make you look smart and festive. We're not going to dress up as masters in fine silks and satins. A thick, durable cotton-padded coat is just right for working. Listen to me, brother, let the children show their filial piety. It's a good thing."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dashan's tense face finally relaxed. He looked at his daughter's expectant eyes, thought about what the shopkeeper had said, and then looked down at the hole in his sleeve. After a moment of silence, he finally said "Okay" in a brisk manner, which was considered his tacit agreement.

Zhang Liuyi was overjoyed and gave Manager Sun a grateful look.

Shopkeeper Sun smiled and winked at her before turning to get the fabric sample.

When taking measurements, Zhang Dashan was still a little uncomfortable, standing there like a wooden stake.

While skillfully pulling the measuring tape, Manager Sun discussed with Zhang Yi: "Mrs. Zhang, what do you think of this gray-blue coarse cotton cloth? It's thick, dirt-resistant, and the color is also calming, just right for you, brother. We'll stuff it with new cotton and fluff it well, so it'll be warm and easy to work with."

"Alright, we'll do as Manager Sun says!"

Zhang Yili readily agreed, then carefully felt the thickness of the fabric: "Manager Sun, please make it softer and thicker, my father is afraid of the cold, and the place where he works is also windy."

"Don't worry! It's guaranteed to be thick and warm!" Manager Sun assured him, patting his chest.

After taking the measurements, choosing the fabric, and paying the deposit, I was able to proceed.

Zhang noticed that although her father still had a stern face, his eyes didn't seem angry.

As we left the cloth shop, the sun was already setting.

The winter sun slanted down, and the father and daughter walked side by side on the street back to the city, their shadows stretched long.

Zhang Dashan walked in silence for a while, then suddenly spoke up in a muffled voice: "...Is that cloth expensive?"

Zhang Liuyi was secretly pleased, knowing that his father was worried about the money, but he didn't tell the truth: "It's not expensive! Manager Sun gave you a discount because of your face. Besides, Father."

She took Zhang Dashan's arm and softened her voice: "If you dress warmly, you'll be more efficient at work and less likely to get sick. That's what saves a lot of money, don't you think?"

Zhang Dashan didn't say anything, but let his daughter hold his arm, his steps were lighter than when he came.

The father and daughter walked hand in hand toward the city gate to meet Dazhuang, who had been waiting for them there for a long time.