Chapter Ten
With the Lunar New Year approaching, one of her husbands is taking advantage of her pregnancy to shirk his duties, while the other has caught a cold. Meanwhile, her good-for-nothing eldest son is being protected like the apple of her eye.
On the 29th of the year, early in the morning, the sound of Zhou Wushi chopping meat in the kitchen seemed to be chopping the cutting board underneath as well.
It sounds like firecrackers.
Mu Jin, who was resting in bed, coughed lightly twice. Her typhoid fever was a bit more severe than yesterday, and her face was somewhat pale.
“Our mother is quite strong; she doesn’t look like someone who’s almost fifty. She’s surprisingly healthy.”
Chopping meat like this, it's likely that for every pound of meat, half a pound of sawdust would be used.
Zhou Lin let the decocted medicine sit for a while until it wasn't so hot to the touch, then helped Mu Jin sit up.
"Take your medicine quickly and get better soon. It's almost Chinese New Year, don't go into the New Year sick."
Mu Jin obediently endured the bitterness and gritted her teeth to drink it all in one gulp. As soon as she finished, Zhou Lin quickly gave her a cup of warm water to rinse the bitterness from her mouth.
Once Mu Jin's bitter complexion improved somewhat, Zhou Lin put away the bowl.
"You rest, I'll go to the kitchen and see if there's anything I can help with. Our mother is in good health, but she's getting on in years, so it's better for her to avoid overexertion."
Mu Jin looked apologetic. "It should be me, the husband, who's supposed to be busy, but my body is just too weak."
Zhou Lin quickly comforted her, "Don't say that. It's not like you wanted to get sick. I'll take care of Mother. Don't worry about her. Go back to sleep and you'll feel better after you sweat it out."
Zhou Lin tucked the blanket around him tightly and carefully closed the door, afraid that even a wisp of cold air would blow in.
Hibiscus lay in bed, a slight smile playing on her lips. Nothing was more comfortable than being snuggled up in bed on a cold winter's day.
Perhaps the medicine was working, and she drifted off to sleep again in a daze.
"Mom, let me chop the meat, you take a rest."
Zhou Lin washed the medicine bowl and took the knife from Zhou Wu's hand.
Zhou Wu rubbed her sore arms. "My old bones are not what they used to be. Back then, let alone typhoid fever, I could still work even with a big belly."
Zhou Lin used a knife to turn the almost chopped meat into a piece and added some scallions and ginger.
“Mother, A-Jin is feeling weak. If there’s any strenuous work to do today, I’ll do it so he can rest and recover for the New Year.”
Zhou Wu glared at him. If it weren't for Zhou Laosan's words, she would have dragged that bastard Mu Jin out of bed.
"You certainly know how to pamper your husband," she couldn't help but retort to Zhou Lin.
Zhou Si took out the cabbage and radish she needed from the cellar outside, cut them into thin strips, and mixed them into the prepared batter.
Zhou Lin quickly chopped the cabbage and then chopped the sweet potato vermicelli that Zhou Wu had soaked into the minced meat.
It started snowing outside sometime during the day, and soon the yard was covered in white.
Zhou Si deftly squeezed out round radish balls by hand and dropped them into the oil. They were all about the same size.
Zhou Wushi sat on the stool, watching the two of them work. After a while, she felt a little cold and her feet got cold.
"Son, wait until the dough rises, then make the buns, and also some vegetarian buns with dried locust flowers. I'll go back to the room and see if your dad is up yet."
As she spoke, she stamped her feet, which were getting cold and stiff, and went back inside.
Zhou Si squeezed the last radish ball into the oil, fried it until golden brown, then scooped it out with a strainer and placed it on the lid of the steamer.
After putting the chopped minced meat into a bowl and seasoning it, Zhou Lin moved the cutting board to the yard, scooped water from the water tank to wash it, dried it with a rag, and carried it into the kitchen.
"Big brother, are you feeling any better?"
Zhou Si sprinkled a layer of cornmeal on the cutting board, poured the fermented dough that had turned into a honeycomb-like structure onto it, and began to knead the dough.
Farmers rarely eat pure white flour; even when making steamed buns or dumplings, they mix it with cornmeal.
Zhou Lin ladled the hot oil from the pot into a clean basin and rinsed the pot clean.
I put the washed brown rice into the pot, added some firewood, and started cooking the porridge for breakfast.
"It's a bit worse than yesterday. I just took the medicine. If I'm not better by noon, I'll have to call Dr. Mu over."
Zhou Si looked worried. "How did it get so serious?"
Zhou Lin's complexion wasn't good either. The illness was on her husband's body, but it pained her heart. She wished she could take Mu Jin's place and get sick instead.
As the two brothers were talking, a red sun slowly rose from the east. Zhou Si wrapped up a basket of buns and put them in the steamer to steam.
"Brother, breakfast is almost ready. Should we bring it inside for you to eat, or should you come to the kitchen to eat?"
"Go inside and avoid the cold wind."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Si ladled out the brown rice porridge and placed two steamed meat buns on top.
When Zhou Lin entered the room, Mu Jin was already awake, but she was feeling lazy and didn't want to move while lying in the warm bed.
"Awake? Feeling better? Hurry up and eat breakfast," Zhou Lin said softly.
Mulan snapped out of her daze. "Why did you bring the food inside? I'll just eat in the kitchen with you."
Zhou Lin touched his forehead. "It's a bit better than before. It's snowing outside, so let's not go out. Just eat inside. Your parents will understand."
As she spoke, she helped Mu Jin sit up, handed him the steamed bun, and said with a smile, "It's pork, cabbage, and vermicelli filling. Eat up."
Mu Jin took the still-steaming bun, drank a mouthful of the porridge Zhou Lin fed her, and took a bite of the juicy, fragrant bun, feeling completely satisfied.
"Mom's steamed buns are delicious, with thin skin and generous filling," Mu Jin praised at the opportune moment.
After feeding the last mouthful of porridge, Zhou Lin smiled and said, "It was Si'er who made it. He's been a master at making dumplings since he was a child."
As Mu Jin listened, she sighed inwardly. She hadn't wanted to serve Mu Qing and Zhou Wu Shi, but since she hadn't done it, her husband and fourth brother were the ones who were busy. She felt like she had been sick for nothing.
Zhou Lin handed the second steamed bun to Mu Jin, saying, "You can rest after you finish eating. I'll go to the kitchen for breakfast."
Mu Jin placed a rough flatbread in front of him and broke off half of a steamed bun for Zhou Lin.
"Eat half more, that's enough. You can eat the rest."
Zhou Lin was afraid that Mu Jin would eat too much, so he didn't insist. He took half of the bun, ate it in two bites, and then went out with the bowl.
When he returned to the kitchen, the family had already started eating. Fortunately, Zhou Si had saved a bowl of porridge for him.
Mu Qing couldn't chop meat properly because she found the smell too fishy and disgusting. Now, she eats at least two pieces at a time.
Zhou Si smiled and said, "Second Brother, you have a good appetite today, and you're not feeling nauseous anymore?"
"Perhaps it's because the medicine prescribed by Dr. Mu is good; it's much better than before."
Mu Qing seemed not to understand the sarcasm in Zhou Si's words. She ate three steamed buns and a bowl of brown rice porridge before finally stopping.
Zhou Wushi endured it for the sake of the child in his belly.
Zhou Lin ate two vegetarian buns, which were mixed with lard and tasted delicious.
"My youngest son should be back this afternoon. Si'er, stew some meat for lunch, so your fourth brother can have a hot meal when he gets back."
Zhou Qiang has been in town for several days now, saying he wanted to have a reunion with his classmates. Two or three days have passed, and he still hasn't returned. Zhou Wushi has been thinking about him a lot these past few days.
Zhou Si nodded. The chickens at home had all been slaughtered, and the meat had been bought two days ago. It was just that Zhou Qiang hadn't come back yet. Zhou Wu was afraid that he would miss out on meat, so the task of cooking meat at the beginning of the year was postponed until today.
After resting all morning and sweating, Mu Jin felt a bit more refreshed at noon, except for some soreness.
"Brother, why are you up? Go back inside and rest. The two of us are enough for you here."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "I've been lying down all the time, and my body is getting weak. It's better to come out for a walk."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Lin closed the kitchen door and said, "Ah Jin, go sit by the stove and help with the fire; it's warm there."
The aroma of pork filled the entire kitchen. Farmers could only afford to eat a more substantial meal during the New Year, which was incredibly tempting.
Zhou Si poked it with her chopsticks, and it went all the way to the bottom. The broth was bubbling, with a few pieces of scallion floating on top.
"It's cooked through, brother. No need to add more firewood."
Zhou Wu knew exactly how many pieces of pork and how many sections of ribs there were, so even though Zhou Si was craving them, he didn't dare to sneak a single piece to try.
They waited from noon until evening, but Zhou Qiang still hadn't returned.
"This child, the New Year is almost here, and he doesn't know to come home."
Zhou Wu complained, but she was worried, fearing that something might have happened to Zhou Qiang in town.
"Eldest brother, go to town first thing tomorrow morning and bring your fourth brother back. When he gets back, I'll teach him a lesson."
If Zhou Qiang doesn't come back, no one except Zhou Laosan will be able to eat the meat.
"It will taste better when our youngest son comes back and we eat together as a family." Zhou Wushi was also craving it, but she felt even worse if Zhou Qiang couldn't eat more, so she refrained from letting anyone else have any.
Even without eating meat, steamed buns soaked in meat broth are still delicious, much better than the usual cabbage and radish.
With Mu Jin there, seeing that Zhou Lin had finished one bowl, she quickly gave him another bowl. Although he couldn't eat as much as he wanted, he was still able to eat until he was about 60% full.
Early the next morning, Zhou Qiang still hadn't returned home. Zhou Lin prepared the medicine, watched Mu Jin drink it, and then went out to borrow an oxcart from Mu Sheng and went to town.
Zhou Lin didn't know where Zhou Qiang was either. The town was so big that it would take a whole day to find him.
Helpless, Zhou Lin had no choice but to go to the academy first, but it was New Year's Eve and there was no one there; the teachers were all on holiday.
Zhou Lin was completely bewildered, like a headless fly, not knowing where to go.
On New Year's Eve, every household was at home preparing the New Year's Eve dinner, and the streets of the town were deserted.
Zhou Lin drove the oxcart haphazardly through the streets, passing by house after house, but he didn't see Zhou Qiang anywhere.
A cold wind was blowing, and snow had started falling again. Zhou Lin's face was almost frozen.
"Where did that brat run off to?" Zhou Lin muttered.
Zhou Qiang disliked his older brother and never let him meet his classmates and friends, so Zhou Lin naturally didn't know where they lived.
If this continues, it will be his turn when his husband recovers from typhoid fever.
With a determined heart, Zhou Lin started hawking his wares like a street vendor.
"Zhou Qiang, Zhou Qiang..."
………
"Wake up, it sounds like someone is calling you outside."
A hoarse, hangover voice rang out, nudging Zhou Qiang, who was sleeping like a log beside him.
Zhou Qiang woke up groggily, his head still aching, and asked in a hoarse voice, "What's wrong?"
"Someone outside is calling you. Is it your family coming to see you?"
Zhou Qiang rubbed his forehead, recognized Zhou Lin's voice, and immediately came to his senses, "What day is it today?"
"Did you get drunk on New Year's Eve?"
Zhou Qiang immediately stood up. "Oh no, I forgot the time. I promised my mother I would go back on the 29th."
The man stood up, his hair slicked back and his face powdered; he looked like a playboy who frequented brothels.
"What are you afraid of? Your mother loves you the most." He then called the servant who was cleaning outside into the room, "Go and call the person who was calling at the door in."
Zhou Qiang got up too quickly and felt a little dizzy, so he sat on the edge of the bed to recover for a while.
“I said, if you really like that young man Liang Zhao, I will lend you money to redeem him. It’s only because I don’t like him that I will bring him back to serve the emperor.”
The image of that seductive young man flashed through Zhou Qiang's mind. He waved his hand and said, "Forget it. Not to mention my mother's disapproval, I don't have that much money to spare."
"As long as you don't regret it, I've heard that Lady Hua will be making him entertain guests after the New Year."
Zhou Qiang has been so infatuated with that young man Liang Zhao these past few days that he's completely lost his mind, which shows how much he likes him.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiang paused, but then turned and left.
Zhou Qiang's classmate's house wasn't big. As soon as you entered the courtyard, there was only one servant busy cleaning outside.
When he went out, Zhou Lin had parked the oxcart outside the door and was standing at the door waiting for him.
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