The fat man turned around and looked at Chen Fang, who was on the verge of tears, and said to her, "Third Sister, I didn't have that idea. Now that I'm working and earning money, I'll definitely make sure our family lives in a big house someday, with each of us having a room, a desk, and air conditioning!" (It's normal for a modern person, used to air conditioning, to slip up, right?)
Chen Fang scoffed dismissively: "Little brat, always having unrealistic dreams."
"..."
In the other half of the room, separated by a wall, Chen Gangqiang and Zhou Haiqin heard everything the siblings said. Zhou Haiqin couldn't help but sigh, "They've grown up."
The neighbors two doors down, Chen Rong and Chen Yan, also heard it. There's nothing they can do; the house is only so big, everyone can hear a fart, let alone such a loud argument.
Chen Rong lay on the bed expressionless; Chen Yan suddenly remembered the half potato from before, and a shallow dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth.
The next morning, before Chen Fang woke up, the fat man sneaked into Stardew Valley.
The parsnip fruit has ripened, and the rewards are being distributed accordingly.
After absorbing the basic cooking skills, the fat man finally understood that the so-called basic skills meant being able to skillfully cook various home-style dishes; while the recipes included cooking methods for special agricultural products, including the saposhnikovia root he had just harvested.
Feeling an urge to cook, the fat man went into the kitchen. He sighed when he saw the family's meager supplies, picked out two cabbages, and made a stir-fried cabbage dish.
At breakfast, my family members all had expressions of disbelief on their faces.
The fat guy, who used to be so stingy he wouldn't even bother to pick up a fallen oil bottle, has suddenly learned to cook after only a few days at the factory?
Chen Yan reluctantly took a bite of his stir-fried dish. The cabbage was stir-fried very dry, with no excess moisture, and he used plenty of oil.
While enjoying the delicious food, I also felt sorry for the amount of oil used, and a little resentful that I had lost control of the kitchen.
The family devoured the cabbage, finishing it all off.
Chen Gangqiang even ate an extra cornbread: "You've only been working at the factory for a few days and your cooking is already so delicious. You've really made our Chen family proud!"
Zhou Haiqin also said, "As the old saying goes, even a three-year famine won't starve a cook. If you learn from your master and master the skills, our family will never have to fear hunger again. The feeling of hunger is awful..."
In another world, the fat man's parents also experienced hunger.
Now that we've traveled this far, I wonder if my parents are doing well?
Sooner or later, everyone will face separation and death, but the most painful thing is for the elderly to bury their children.
Thinking of this, tears were already welling up in his eyes; Chen Yan, who was standing next to him, mistakenly thought he was blaming himself.
His sisters all went hungry, but he wasn't. Back then, any food that was available was always given to him...
Chen Yan pulled the fat man into her arms and gently stroked his back.
The fat man's face instantly turned bright red, the redness spreading from his ears all the way to the base of his neck.
Chen Yan looked at him and laughed, saying to Zhou Haiqin, "Mom, look, my little brother is shy, his ears are all red, haha!"
"Haha?" The fat man felt deeply insulted...
After leaving home this morning, Fatty didn't rush to work. Instead, he went to the supply and marketing cooperative first.
Upon entering, a profound sense of history immediately washes over you.
In another world, the fat man is a post-80s generation. He has seen some of these things from the 60s and 70s before, and some he hasn't. Looking at the various goods on the shelves, it's as if he's stepped into an old photograph, feeling nostalgic yet carrying a sense of superiority from the future.
There were two female sales clerks in the supply and marketing cooperative. The older one glanced at the fat man and then lost interest, while the younger one was quite enthusiastic and came over to ask, "Sir, what would you like to buy?"
"I want to buy a bottle of wine and two packs of cigarettes."
Liquor is really expensive these days! Guess how much a 65-proof bottle of Erguotou costs? 1.7 yuan!
Don't complain about the price. It takes three catties of grain to produce one catty of wine. How much do you think it should cost per catty? Later, in movies and TV shows, wine often appeared for a little over 10 cents a bottle. This shows a lack of understanding of the actual situation. 10 cents is only enough to buy loose wine, which is only enough for an ounce or two.
The fat man reluctantly bought a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), and then bought two packs of Hongpaotai (another type of Chinese liquor) for 21 cents each, spending 2.1 yuan in one go.
Then, under the salesperson's disdainful gaze, he bought a pack of cheap cigarettes for 8 cents; needless to say, good wine and cigarettes are for gifts, cheap cigarettes are what he smokes. These cigarettes are made from scraps, and anyone who earns a wage wouldn't bother smoking them, as they're considered low-class.
Unsurprisingly, I was late for work. As soon as I changed my clothes and entered the kitchen, I saw Sha Zhu with a dark face, and his apprentices were even more fierce-looking, practically ready to fight.
The fat man ignored them and walked straight up to Sha Zhu, whispering to him, "Master, could you come out with me for a moment? I have something I want to tell you."
Sha Zhu glanced at him but didn't say anything.
Liu Lan spoke first: "Hey Fatty, you've been here for a while now, haven't you? Don't you remember what time you start work? You're late and don't even give me an explanation. If you have a headache, fever, diarrhea, or even if you get run over by a car wheel or bitten by a dog... you should at least give me an explanation!"
The fat man neither argued nor explained. He simply said to Sha Zhu, "Master, I really have something to do! Please come with me."
Sha Zhu finally stood up and strode outside. Fatty took off his hat and quickly chased after him.
Liu Lan wanted to say a few sarcastic and cutting things to vent her anger, but her boyfriend just happened to leave.
I was eager to catch up, but the round-armed, round-legged woman who looked like a puppet blocked my way: "What are you doing? Maybe they really have something to do, they're all at work!"
She was a long-time resident of the cafeteria, and everyone called her "Auntie Fatty." With one auntie and one fat man, how could she not have her eye on Chen Kang?
Fatty and Sha Zhu went outside. Sha Zhu still didn't say anything, but just gave them a disdainful look.
Sha Zhu was the first person Fatty planned to use. If they didn't hurry up and move out of the house, living with their family every day, what if they accidentally exposed themselves?
The fat man pulled out cigarettes and alcohol from the corner: "Master, I heard your sister is getting married?"
What does the rain have to do with it? Sha Zhu didn't bother to maintain his composure anymore and started cursing: "Speak your mind! I'm busy, I don't have time to waste my time with you!"
The fat man has lived forty years in another world. He has seen through many people and no longer exposes them easily; he also dislikes many people, but no longer turns against them easily.
Because rats never think that what they eat is stolen, and Sha Zhu never feels that he is dirty; age has given him a clear understanding.
The older I get, the more I understand that many things aren't truly resolved in the end, but rather simply let go. Just like him, Sha Zhu, Ma Hua, Liu Lan, and others, their thinking isn't on the same level, so there's no need for them to conquer each other.
Sha Zhu never understood one thing: even if you don't believe in Buddhism, there are always plenty of people burning incense in temples. That's why he ended up being kicked out by Bang Geng and freezing to death under a bridge.
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