Chapter 622 Dilemma
The crisp sound of chopsticks hitting bowls and plates mixed with the bubbling sound of braised pork weaved a warm web under the incandescent light.
As soon as Zhang Jianshe took a bite of the fat meat, the oil dripped down the corners of his mouth. Aunt Zhang quickly handed him a coarse cloth handkerchief and said, "Eat slowly. No one will snatch it from you."
He chuckled, wiped his mouth, and put some lean meat into Zhang Yan's bowl, "Eat more. You've lost a lot of weight lately."
Zhang Yan's face turned red. She glanced at Zhou Yimin secretly, and only dared to put the meat into her mouth when she saw that he was concentrating on eating.
As soon as the teeth touched the skin, Zhang Lu cried out "Ouch" - she burned her hand with oil when she tried to grab the braised pork, but she couldn't bear to let go of her chopsticks and blew air towards her mouth: "This meat is so delicious that I can swallow my tongue!"
"No one is taking it from you." Zhou Yimin gave half of the braised pork in his bowl to her. The flour on the cuffs of his military coat rubbed against the edge of the bowl.
Zhang Lu's eyes lit up, and she immediately shoveled the meat to the bottom of her bowl, not forgetting to make faces at Zhang Yan. However, Aunt Zhang hit her head with chopsticks: "You have no respect for your elder sister, don't you know how to give in?"
"I'm loved by my brother-in-law!" Zhang Lu spoke unclearly with an egg in her mouth.
Zhang Yan's face turned even redder, and the chopsticks in her hand almost fell to the ground. She could only pick up some cabbage and put it into Zhou Yimin's bowl, but ended up poking the chopsticks on the back of his hand.
When their fingertips touched, they retracted their fingers as if they had been electrocuted. Zhou Yimin's ears turned red. He lowered his head and took a big bite of rice, not even noticing the rice grains stuck to the corners of his mouth.
Zhang Jianshe saw this, picked up the enamel pot and took a sip of white wine, smacked his lips and looked at Zhou Yimin: "Is Yimin busy at the factory?"
Given Zhou Yimin's abilities, the factory would definitely entrust him with important tasks. At that time when everyone was hungry, Zhou Yimin was able to get meat.
Just as Zhou Yimin was about to reply, Zhang Lu interrupted him: "Dad, you don't know, Brother Yimin is really amazing! He was named an advanced worker in the factory and got three pounds of meat coupons! That's more than the reward from their factory director!"
"Oh? Advanced?" Zhang Jianshe raised his eyebrows and looked at Zhou Yimin. He put down his wine glass and rubbed his hand on the tablecloth, with a look of fresh approval in his eyes.
As he said that, he put a piece of braised pork into Zhou Yimin's bowl.
Zhou Yimin quickly said: "Uncle, I'm still young, let Zhang Lu take care of it!"
Aunt Zhang said at this time: "Zhang Lu, why are you still supplementing? You will soon turn into a pig."
Zhang Lu didn't expect that the melon-eating could also affect her: "Mom, I'm not your biological child, how can you say that about your own daughter?"
Of course Zhang Yan couldn't miss this opportunity: "Mom, you're right!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present couldn't help laughing.
The world in which only Zhang Lu was injured was achieved.
She saw that everyone else was laughing, and she had no choice but to turn her "sadness and anger" into food and started to sweep away the food on the table.
Zhang Yan saw the last piece of braised pork about to fall into Zhang Lu's mouth. She quickly picked up the braised pork with chopsticks and put it in Zhou Yimin's bowl: "Zhang Lu, this piece is for Brother Yimin."
Zhang Lu had no choice but to watch the braised pork disappear from her body.
After seeing this, Zhou Yimin gave the braised pork in the bowl to Zhang Lu: "Eat more, you've lost weight."
Zhang Lu was very touched: "Brother-in-law is still the best!"
He didn't hesitate and ate the braised pork in one bite.
With the last piece of braised pork finished, the meal was considered over.
The oil lamp on the stove was shaken by the wind. Aunt Zhang was the first to get up to clean up the dishes. Her blue apron rubbed against the edge of the iron pot, making a tinkling sound.
The fingers that held the celadon bowl were rough but steady. The oil stains on the bottom of the bowl were wiped by her fingertips, and tiny pieces of light appeared in the dim light: "Yanzi, put the leftovers into the jar. Lulu, take the rag to wipe the table. Be careful not to touch the vinegar bottle."
When Zhang Yan heard the order, he rolled up his sleeves quickly.
When she picked up the empty bowl of braised pork, her fingertips touched the remaining sauce at the bottom of the bowl. She suddenly remembered how Zhou Yimin had just given all the fat to Zhang Lu, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up.
There was still a little sauerkraut left in the jar, so she carefully poured the uneaten stir-fried cabbage into it. The ice on the mouth of the glass jar stuck to her wrist, making her shiver.
"Sister, slow down!" Zhang Lu came out from the corner of the table holding a rag, and the tip of her braid brushed across the back of Zhang Yan's hand.
"Mom said this jar was a dowry, and she would beat people if it was broken." She was still chewing the last half of a candy and spoke unclearly. She drew circles on the table with a rag, rubbing the soy sauce stains into a light yellow mark.
Suddenly, I saw a piece of braised pork residue stuck in the crack of the table. I immediately stretched out my fingernails to pick it out. Aunt Zhang tapped the back of my hand with chopsticks: "Is it dirty? Pick up things that fall on the ground!"
Zhang Lu stuck out her tongue and obediently dipped the rag into the bucket, splashing water all over Zhang Yan's trouser legs. "You little girl!"
Zhang Yan smiled and tried to twist her arm, but she dodged it like a loach. The two of them chased each other around the stove for half a circle, and the chopstick basket that was knocked over rolled out and the ground was full of bamboo chopsticks, like a handful of thin silver bars scattered on the ground.
"Stop it!" Aunt Zhang put the stacked bowls into the wooden basin and poured hot water into it. White mist instantly covered her face. "Yimin and your father are talking in the yard. Be careful not to let them hear you and make fun of you."
The rustling sound of clearing away dishes gradually died down. Aunt Zhang brought a coarse porcelain bowl filled with roasted tea leaves, the heat condensing into white mist at the rim of the bowl.
Zhang Jianshe puffed on his pipe, knocking the stem of his pipe against the corner of the table. His eyes fell on Zhou Yimin's shiny military boots, and he suddenly spoke slowly, "Yimin, after this year, I think you will be twenty years old?"
Zhou Yimin was about to reach out to pick up the tea bowl when he paused and rubbed his fingertips on the hot edge of the bowl.
When he raised his eyes, he saw the deep meaning in Zhang Jianshe's eyes, and his Adam's apple rolled slightly as he replied, "That's right, Uncle Zhang."
Just as he finished speaking, he heard a slight noise behind him - Zhang Yan was writing something on a notebook with a pen, and somehow the ink bottle clanged and his ears turned red like sparks in the stove.
The college textbook she had placed on the corner of the table was still open, covered with densely written notes.
Zhang Lu was nibbling on the unfinished White Rabbit milk candy, the candy wrapper spinning rapidly between her fingers, while her eyes glanced back and forth between Zhou Yimin and her sister.
Aunt Zhang was sitting on the edge of the kang sewing shoe soles. The "swish" sound of the silver needle passing through the thick cloth suddenly stopped. The spool of thread in her hand swayed gently on her knees. Her eyes fell on her daughter's open textbook, with a mixture of relief and reluctance.
Zhang Jianshe blew out a smoke ring, which slowly dispersed under the light: "Two years have passed so quickly without you noticing. What happened between you and Zhang Yan?"
Zhou Yimin said: "I respect Yan Zi's opinion. If Yan Zi wants to, we can get married when we are old enough."
"But Yan Zi is still in college. If she wants to finish her studies before getting married, I can wait."
He looked at Zhang Yan with a sincere look, "After all, it's not easy to go to college. You can't let your marriage delay it. There's no rush at this moment."
As soon as these words came out, the room suddenly became quiet. Zhang Jianshe's hand holding the pipe stopped in mid-air. His greatest pride in life was that his daughter was admitted to university. Now, hearing what Zhou Yimin said, he felt that this boy understood the truth better than he thought.
Aunt Zhang stopped sewing and looked at Zhang Yan with a much softer look in her eyes. She had raised her daughter for so many years, so of course she was reluctant to let her go. Even if she was reluctant, there was nothing she could do.
"Oh - Brother Yimin really loves his sister!" Zhang Lu reacted the fastest and almost sprayed out the candy in her mouth.
"Sister, you have to seize the opportunity. Such a good partner is hard to find even with a lantern! Look at our classmate, her partner is urging her to drop out of school and get married every day!"
The pen in Zhang Yan's hand fell to the ground with a "click". When she bent down to pick it up, her eyes turned red.
She really wanted to finish college, find a good job after graduation and then consider marriage, but she never dared to tell her family. She didn't expect that Brother Yimin would support her so much.
Zhang Yan suddenly thought that Zhou Yimin was so outstanding, there must be many people who liked him. Although her own conditions were not bad, there would always be someone better.
Zhang Jianshe put his pipe on his waist, stood up and patted Zhou Yimin on the shoulder with such force that he staggered: "Good boy! You are responsible! Just because of what you said, I, as a father, can rest assured. It is a blessing for our Yan Zi to meet you."
He turned to Aunt Zhang, his tone filled with unconcealed joy, "Let's dry the newly made quilt tomorrow. No matter when we need it, it's always good to have it ready."
Aunt Zhang glared at him in disapproval, but her needlework became faster: "Why rush? Children have their own plans. It's better than anything else for Yanzi to go to school peacefully."
Having said that, the stitching on the sole was noticeably lighter, and I didn't even notice a small red dot on my fingertips.
Zhang Yan felt very happy to have someone who cared so much about her, but she also understood the pressure Zhou Yimin was under.
He took a deep breath, closed his notebook, and tucked his pen back into his pocket with a click.
When Zhang Yan raised her eyes, the moisture in her eyes had dissipated, leaving only a clear and firm expression: "Brother Yimin, thank you."
His voice was much steadier than before, with a certainty beyond his age, "But I can't be so selfish."
Just as Zhou Yimin was about to speak, she held the back of his hand.
Her fingertips were cool with ink, but they were more powerful than any words: "I think we will get married when we are old enough."
These words made the room quiet instantly. Zhang Jianshe's pipe stopped at his lips, and Zhang Lu even forgot to chew the candy in her mouth.
Zhang Lu was very confused. Didn't Brother Yimin clearly say that he could wait? If it were her, with a partner like this, it would definitely not be too late to get married after she finished her studies.
Zhang Yan paused, and gently squeezed Zhou Yimin's hand with her fingertips. "If I really let Brother Yimin wait for me for so long, I would feel that I am too selfish."
"I used to be able to use the excuse that I wasn't old enough, but after my birthday next year, I'll be old enough."
Zhang Yan's words "woken up" Zhang Jianshe and the others. If they had a son, they would not want the girl to drag it on for so long.
A few years is too long and there are too many variables in between.
These words were like fine needles, gently piercing Zhou Yimin's heart.
He suddenly remembered that every time he went home, his grandmother would always wipe her tears in front of the stove and say, "I'm afraid I won't be able to wait until I have a granddaughter-in-law."
He had never told Zhang Yan about these grievances, but now she saw them clearly.
"Swallow." Zhou Yimin's Adam's apple rolled and his shoulders under his military coat trembled slightly.
"It's settled." Zhang Yan took Zhou Yimin's hand and placed it in her own hand.
Zhang Jianshe slammed his pipe onto the table, the ash flying high: "Great! That sounds like something my daughter would say!"
He turned to look at Zhou Yimin, his eyes full of praise, "I told you, both kids are sensible!"
Aunt Zhang quietly wiped her eyes. She hadn't figured out when she finished sewing the sole of the shoe in her hand. The stitches were so dense that they looked like stars scattered on the cloth.
Zhang Lu suddenly clapped her hands and laughed: "Then can I become an aunt?"
"Brother Yimin will definitely give me more delicious food then."
Thinking of this, I can't help but drool.
After being patted on the back by Aunt Zhang, he laughed even more happily.
Zhou Yimin smiled and said, "That's right, I will definitely bring more delicious food when the time comes!"
Aunt Zhang quickly explained: "Yimin, you don't have to bring anything over. Lulu was just joking."
If she keeps bringing things here in the future and others find out, I don’t know how they will look upon the Zhang family.
Zhang Jianshe put his pipe behind his waist, suddenly patted Zhou Yimin's arm, and glanced towards the inner room.
Seeing his serious expression, Zhou Yimin followed him to the corner of the yard - there was a half pile of firewood and a thin layer of ice on the muddy ground after the snow melted.
With a click, Zhang Jianshe kicked away a piece of frozen coal slag and asked in a low voice, "Yimin, can you get some extra food?"
The white breath he exhaled spread between the two of them, and his fingers unconsciously stroked the torn patches on his cuffs.
Zhou Yimin's heart skipped a beat, and his military boots made a crackling sound as they rolled over the ice. "Uncle Zhang, don't we have enough food at home?"
He remembered that the ten kilograms of flour delivered last time had not been opened yet, and the meat coupons were enough to last until the beginning of spring.
"It's not a family matter." Zhang Jianshe shrank behind the firewood pile and glanced vigilantly over the courtyard wall.
"With you here, how can there be a shortage of food at home?"
He suddenly took a half step closer, his voice as low as a mosquito's hum, "It's over at the research lab. Several of our old buddies don't have enough food on their ration books. They can't even fill their stomachs with steamed bread every day."
Zhou Yimin finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't Zhang Yan's family, he couldn't care less about what happened to other people.
I don't have that much ability, so I can only manage my own little piece of land.
"The new project they are working on has them staying up until late at night every day." Zhang Jianshe's Adam's apple moved, as if he remembered something.
"Professor Wang fainted in the laboratory the day before yesterday. He was hungry. He saved his food coupons for his wife who was in the hospital."
The north wind blew snow foam onto their faces. Zhang Jianshe looked at Zhou Yimin with anticipation.
Because he knew that only Zhou Yimin could help him now.
Zhou Yimin didn't want to help at first. After all, the more he helped, the greater the possibility of being exposed. However, seeing Zhang Jianshe's expectant look, he couldn't bear to refuse.
Then I started thinking, should I help?
As for food, there was plenty in the store and it was not expensive at all, but I didn't want to reveal too much, so I was immediately caught in a dilemma.
(End of this chapter)
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