This was exactly what Zhang was thinking about. That brat asked about it every year; she was practically sick of it. She certainly wanted to agree, and since Yun Shenghua also had a holiday, a family trip would be perfect. However, things weren't the same as before; someone would definitely need to stay home and watch the house.
But who should stay? It's not good to leave anyone behind. How can everyone else go out and have fun without a care in the world, while that person is left bored to death staring at four walls? She can't do that, so it's best if no one goes. Anyway, there are dragon boat races every year. They can move to the city to watch them, and it won't be the same.
"No, we'll go when you're older."
Yunling wouldn't allow it, angrily rummaging through the wooden basin with her paws. "Mother, I'm already eleven years old, and I've been to places as far away as Fujian. There are only two towns here. You're worried I'll get lost? That's unreasonable."
Zhang was both amused and exasperated. "Where did you learn this strange temper? Let me ask you, if everyone goes to watch the dragon boat races, who will you leave to watch the house? Aren't you afraid your bees will be stolen? Last time when you were learning to swim, you left your father-in-law alone, and the eldest son's family barged in. If the whole family goes out, won't they have to move the house?"
Yunling was somewhat at a loss for words. What Zhang said made sense, but they couldn't keep taking care of this and that forever. What fun would life be like then?
Seeing that she couldn't get through to Zhang, Yunling went to pester Grandma Yun. She hugged Grandma Yun from behind and said, "Grandma, shall we go watch the dragon boat race?"
"You reckless brat, if you cause my finger to get cut by a bamboo leaf, I'll settle the score with you if I miss seeing the dragon boat."
Yunling's eyes lit up, and she quickly squatted down next to her grandmother, pretending to pick up a bamboo leaf to help wash it. "Grandma, are you going to watch the dragon boat race?"
Old Lady Yun straightened up, paused for a moment, then leaned back and turned to Zhang Shi, saying, "Chun Niang, in previous years Old Lady Fan always asked me to look after the house for her. This year, after they come back from their visit, I'll ask her to help look after the house."
“That’s right, that’s right.” Yunling quickly chimed in, “As long as Mother hides the money well and locks the mushroom house door, everything will be fine. If anyone dares to mess with our bee colony, won’t the village chief step in? Who would dare to offend the village chief?”
Since Old Lady Yun had said so, Madam Zhang naturally couldn't say anything more. She simply poked Yun Ling's forehead gently and said affectionately, "You~"
Yunling was overjoyed to receive permission; in fact, she was almost. She stopped touching the bamboo leaves and even stopped staying in the kitchen, running around happily in the yard. "Wuhu, I'll bring you two along then, our whole family will go watch the dragon boat race."
Xiao Bai understood Yun Ling's words and excitedly clung to Yun Ling's feet. She took one step, and it followed. As long as it had watched the dragon boat race, it was a dog that had watched the dragon boat race.
Big Black, who was dozing off with its eyes half-closed, was so startled by Little White's wagging tail that it questioned its existence and meowed!
With a squeak, it raised its paw and slapped Little White, and the scene of cat chasing and fighting with dog unfolded in the yard again.
**
On the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival, Zhang got up early and soaked glutinous rice and red beans in water. Then she lit the stove to boil water, added salt, ash water and bamboo leaves after the water boiled, and cooked for a while before turning off the stove and letting the bamboo leaves soak in the pot.
Zhang then prepared red dates, chestnuts, dried fruit, and other items. Once everything was ready, Granny Yun also took out the torn reeds. The two worked together seamlessly, shaping the reed leaves into a small pouch and first filling it with a layer of red beans and glutinous rice.
Then add red dates, chestnuts, dried fruit, and walnuts on top, and finally cover with red beans and glutinous rice. After that, close the bamboo leaves and tie it with reeds, and the corner rice dumpling is complete.
Grandma Yun put the zongzi into the pot to cook, but Yun Ling didn't wait any longer. She wasn't a big fan of these sweet zongzi and would only eat one bite every year before returning them to Zhang Shi. But she didn't expect that this year there would be a mugwort and salted egg yolk dumpling waiting for her.
Zhang chopped up the excess mugwort leaves to extract the juice, mixed it with the appropriate amount of glutinous rice flour, kneaded it into dough balls, added a whole salted egg yolk to each dough ball, and finally wrapped them in bamboo leaves before steaming them.
It was almost dark when Yunling tasted it, but she still couldn't forget the flavor. The cool aroma of mugwort and bamboo leaves blended together, leaving a lingering fragrance on her lips and teeth.
The salted egg yolk is sandy and playfully sneaks into the gaps between your teeth as soon as you put it in your mouth, domineeringly taking over your taste buds. If you bite into it while it's hot, you can even suck up a little bit of butter, which is extremely delicious.
Yunling secretly hid one and placed it by her bedside. She announced that this was her precious zongzi for the Dragon Boat Festival, because the Dragon Boat Festival should be celebrated with something savory.
The next day, when the sun was high in the sky and the smell of cigarette smoke wafted to Yunling's window, she knew it was another day for her mother-in-law to shine.
She didn't even need to peek through the window to know that Old Lady Yun first tied the mugwort and calamus together with red paper and hung them on the front door, then cupped her hands and murmured, "Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. May everyone be safe and healthy. May all evil spirits on your bodies stay away. If you don't know them, go back to where you came from. Don't be greedy or itchy-feet. Please, please."
After finishing her murmur, Granny Yun returned to the courtyard. On the table were zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), six glutinous rice balls, and some candies. There were also some silk clothes and silver coins on the corner of the table, and more importantly, a pair of water chestnut cups.
As soon as the wine cup was set down, a thousand murmurs echoed. After Yunling had waited for almost half an hour, she finally heard a sentence: "Eat zongzi, and receive divine grace."
Old Man Yun took the lead, followed by Yun Shenghua and Zhang Shi, then Yun Ruochun, Yun Ruoxia, and Yun Chu. Each of them unwrapped a corner of a rice dumpling and gathered around the table to enjoy themselves.
Yunling mingled among them, secretly taking out the mugwort and salted egg yolk dumpling she had hidden the night before, taking a big bite—mmm, so delicious!
The dragon boat races in the two towns will last for three days. Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, and there are many people. Fan's family rushed to join the fun early in the morning. After paying respects to her ancestors, Yun's mother went to her house to look after it.
Since Yunling had nothing better to do, she rushed over to Yun Chu and her group, but when she saw them fiddling with some colorful silk threads, she immediately lost interest.
"Sister Ling, come quickly. Only longevity threads made by yourself are truly effective."
Yunling didn't believe in these things, but as she was about to leave, a colorful silk thread was handed to her.
"Sit down quickly." Yun Ruochun pulled Yun Ling to sit down beside her and teased, "You can't even make these little things? If you meet your Mr. Right in the future, will you have someone else embroider your sachets?"
"Auntie is being unreasonable. Why should I embroider a sachet for him? There are plenty on the street. Why should I earn that money?"
Yun Ruochun said happily, "Only embroidering it yourself can truly express your feelings; that's something no one else can do."
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