Chapter Seventy-Seven: Palm Leaf Fan
Xiong Zijuan and Wang Tiezhu got married, and their lives were harmonious. Even the business in their shop seemed to benefit from the happy occasion, becoming even more prosperous.
The laborers working on the docks became regular customers of the shop, and could even be considered its main force.
Wang Tiezhu was known for his honesty at the dock. He never hid anything while working on the construction site. He was strong and always willing to help others.
If anyone can't carry a bag up the slope or can't put their arm around his shoulder, he'll lend a helping hand.
If someone's carrying pole breaks, and he no longer needs it, he will hand over his own.
If someone's lunch rations were so hard they hurt their teeth, he would invite them to go to the shop for a bowl of hot soup.
Over time, many people at the dock remembered his kindness.
These people learned that the small shop selling soup and porridge by the riverbank was run by Brother Zhu's wife, and they remembered this kindness in their hearts.
Whenever I pass by, I always stop in for a bowl of soup and a rest.
Those with a little more money might also order braised pig's ears and half a pound of pig's head meat jelly.
Sometimes, a few acquaintances would get together, each contributing two copper coins, and they could also cut a plate of meat jelly to go with their drinks. They would eat it with hot soup, sweating profusely, and exclaiming how satisfying it was.
With so many guests, Zhang noticed that they were extremely busy.
The firewood in the stove was almost constantly burning, and soup and porridge were always simmering in the pot.
In the past, after noon when there were fewer customers, there would still be some leftover broth from the braised dishes or leftover porridge in the pot.
Zhang noticed that the three of them could make do with a meal, saving them the trouble of cooking again.
A bowl of thick porridge, mixed with some scraps of meat from the braising broth, or a leftover cornbread can fill your stomach.
But that's not possible now; often, the pots and pans are empty before closing time.
One of the customers who came that night looked at the empty soup pot and sighed, "Oh, sold out again?"
They couldn't even get a scrap, let alone let the three of them eat what was left.
Sometimes I'm so busy that I miss mealtimes and my stomach is empty. I can't even knead the dough for steamed buns in the basin properly. There are still a lot of dough flakes stuck to the basin, and I can't knead it until it's smooth. It's sticky and annoying.
Man is made of iron, food is made of steel.
You can't work all day without food in your stomach.
Zhang had no choice but to add a small steamer next to the one that was originally used for steaming cornbread and corn cakes.
Every morning, once the soup is simmering and the porridge is cooking, she cracks two or three eggs, adds about the same amount of water to a plate, stirs it, steams it, sprinkles some chopped green onions, and sometimes adds a couple of drops of sesame oil.
The fire in the stove was blazing, and steam was rising. Soon, the aroma of eggs filled the small steamer.
After the busiest time, breakfast, was over, the eggs were steamed. The three sisters-in-law would seize a break when there were fewer customers, each scoop up a few spoonfuls of hot steamed eggs, blow on them to cool them down, and then eat them with some pickled vegetables in a few bites.
Eggs are much more filling than noodles. A hot steamed egg can keep you full until evening, preventing your stomach from growling and your hands from getting weak from kneading dough and chopping vegetables.
Xiong Zixiang saw it all and felt deeply pained.
His wife used to be able to eat a little bit of food, but now she doesn't even have that anymore.
Every few days, he would take a detour to buy a few freshly baked, still-hot pastries.
The sugar cake is soft and chewy, the jujube cake is sweet, and the sesame cake is crispy and crumbly.
He wrapped it in oil paper, tucked it under his clothes close to his body, and brought it back to Zhang Yili.
When Zhang Yili finished her work and was wiping her sweat and catching her breath behind the counter, he went over and handed it to her.
"Quick, have some to tide you over, it's still warm."
Zhang Liuyi took the pastry, still warm from his body, broke off a piece and put it in her mouth. The sweet taste melted in her mouth, and her heart felt warm too.
Of course, she would also share some of her share with Xiong Zijuan and Li Xiulan.
Wang Tiezhu saw it while eating in the shop, remembered it, and imitated it.
He handed over all the money he earned to Xiong Zijuan, keeping only a few coins for himself to spend, which wasn't enough to buy anything nice.
But after work, when passing by the market, if he saw freshly baked crispy sesame cakes or cheap sugar-coated sesame cakes for sale, he would buy one for a copper coin and bring it back to Xiong Zijuan.
Sometimes, when he saw wildflowers blooming in the fields along the way, he would pick a few and weave them into a small wreath or hair ornament for Xiong Zijuan.
Back at the shop, while Xiong Zijuan was wiping the table, he handed it to her, saying, "I saw this on the way. You can wear it to play with."
Xiong Zijuan said, "Why bother with all that trouble?"
They would take it and sometimes pin it to their clothes, sometimes wear it on their wrists, and sometimes tuck it into their temples.
The colors of the wildflowers, set against her busy figure, created a unique and charming scene.
Newlywed Xiong Zijuan couldn't hide her smile no matter what.
Watching the two young couples go back and forth, Li Xiulan felt a mix of emotions.
She couldn't help but think of her husband, Zhang Liuji.
Liu Ji is still working as a carpenter outside, and he only comes back once every ten days or half a month.
He does all the fine work, carving and mortise and tenon joints, making furniture for people, which is very hard on the eyes.
When I get home, my eyes are often red, and I squint when I look at things. My eyes are as red as a rabbit's.
Forget it, we're an old married couple, how can I expect him to act like a young man and do all this nonsense?
She shook her head, suppressing that little bit of envy.
When it comes to life, simplicity is key. Simple meals and a peaceful life are better than anything else.
However, the image of Zhang Liuji returning a few days ago flashed through her mind again. He was exhausted and lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), his head resting on her lap, muttering that he had gotten sawdust in his eyes while working today, making them hurt and asking her to blow on them for him.
She laughed at him for being clumsy, saying that such a grown master still got sawdust in his eyes, while putting down her needle and thread, she leaned closer, carefully pried open his eyelids, and gently blew on them.
His eyes were closed, his eyelashes trembling slightly…
Thinking about it this way, the emptiness in my heart dissipated.
Everyone has their own way of living life.
With more customers, the shop is busier and more tiring, but there's also a real benefit.
That is, now that Zhang Liuyi has finished selling his goods, he can lock up the doors and windows and go home with peace of mind, instead of having to sell his goods until dusk and then spend the night guarding the shop as before.
This is all thanks to my cousin, Liu Ji, who is not only skilled but also clever.
The wooden planks he made for the doors and windows of the shop were no ordinary wooden planks.
There's a hidden feature at the joints of each board: a specially made small wooden block, like a lock cylinder.
The wooden block was made with exquisite skill; its color and texture blended seamlessly with the wood, making it virtually undetectable unless you looked closely.
To remove the wooden board, you first need to locate the spot. Use your fingertip to feel for the slightly concave pit, and then gently pry it open with your fingernail or a small piece of wood to remove the small piece of wood.
Once the wooden blocks are removed, the boards can be easily removed.
Those who don't know this trick can only stare blankly at the doors and windows, no matter how hard they try, they can't open them unless they pry the boards off.
The mechanism is ingenious and discreet; outsiders would never be able to figure out how it works.
Every time Zhang opened the shop, he would touch the smooth little wooden block with his fingers, gently flick it, and the block would fall into his palm. He would then carefully place the block in one place before starting to disassemble the boards.
Thanks to this, she was able to end her days of being squeezed into a small bed in the attic and return to her comfortable home every day to sleep on a spacious earthen bed.
This made Xiong Zixiang extremely happy; he would no longer have to sleep alone on a cold kang (heated brick bed).
After returning home in the evening, he ate dinner and washed up, and then couldn't wait to crawl onto the kang (a heated brick bed).
It was hot that day, so they went into the tent. The two of them were already closer together because of the tent, but he still insisted on lying down next to Zhang Yixin, and he habitually put one arm around her waist.
The scent of my wife's hair filled me with immense satisfaction.
However, with the arrival of summer, the weather is getting hotter every day.
Zhang Liuyi had been busy all day, and even after wiping the sweat off her body with a towel, she still felt sticky.
Being pressed so warmly against Xiong Zixiang felt like being next to a furnace, making me feel even more restless.
She couldn't help but push him away: "Brother Zixiang, don't get so close, I'm all sweaty again."
Xiong Zixiang was pushed away, but he wasn't angry. He scrambled up and pulled out a large palm-leaf fan woven from cattail grass from under the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).
He lay on his side next to Zhang Liuli, using his forearm to fan her.
A cool breeze blew gently on Zhang Xiaoli's body, carrying away the heat from his skin and finally dispelling some of the stuffiness.
"Are you feeling cooler now?" Xiong Zixiang asked while fanning himself.
Zhang Liuyi closed his eyes, feeling the cool breeze brush against his neck, and hummed, "It's cooler now, Brother Zixiang."
Seeing that she didn't push him away anymore, Xiong Zixiang tentatively moved closer, his elbow touching her arm, and his hand prepared to wrap around hers again.
The palm-leaf fan continued to fan vigorously, sending gusts of wind over.
Zhang Liuli closed her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze, and didn't push him anymore.
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