Firework-grilled barbecue (Part 3)
Grandma Tian plopped down on the creaky little stool and sighed, "Xiao Chun, you know, I've been doing business in Huaxing City for seven or eight years now."
Jiang Yichun nodded, looked into Granny Tian's eyes, and crossed her hands: "I know, Granny."
She has always been a loyal customer of Grandma Tian's barbecue stall, and often chats with Grandma Tian while she grills skewers, learning a lot about Grandma Tian's stories.
Grandma Tian was originally a housewife in a small county town in northern China. Her husband always said she was stupid and that she couldn't do anything except cook and do housework.
Sometimes, when her husband is drunk, he even hits her.
That hideous face was like a leech crawling in the field, clinging to her skin and sucking her blood.
As the leech sucked her blood, it looked up at her and said, "Without me, can you, a housewife, support yourself?"
The leech's words were a curse, trapping her and preventing her from stretching out.
She knew she couldn't shake off the leech, so for the first half of her life, she was trapped in that prison called "home".
Whenever she talks about those things, Grandma Tian's brow furrows deeper, but she always lets out a long sigh.
"Luckily, I have my daughter." She would always look up, her eyes sparkling, while she held a skewer of grilled meat in one hand.
Grandma Tian's daughter excelled in the college entrance examination and came from a small county in the north to Huaxing City, a metropolis in the south, to attend university. She then successfully stayed in the metropolis to work.
On the day her daughter was promoted at her company, she returned to her small county town, grabbed Grandma Tian's hand, and said, "Mom, come with me to Huaxing City."
“I know you’ve suffered a lot of injustices with Dad.”
"You don't have to suffer with him anymore, Mom."
“I’ve rented a barbecue restaurant for you near the university in the city. I’ll go there to help you out in the future.”
“I remember when I was little, my dad would hit me and you would hug me. After that, you would make me barbecue.”
"It's delicious, and I want...more people to taste this blissful flavor."
Grandma Tian only remembers that her eyes were brimming with tears at that time, and she was holding her daughter's hand tightly.
She left the small county town with her daughter and came to Huaxing City.
She was grilling skewers at her stall, observing the people coming and going in the shop.
Men and women, young and old, tall and short, fat and thin, including office workers who had just come out of the office building, students from nearby universities, and workers wearing orange-red uniforms.
Countless people who come to this city with the burdens of life, like her, toil in this bustling metropolis and gather in this tiny shop.
As the fireworks faded, they dispersed to find their own paths, drifting amidst the city's neon lights.
Grandma Tian poured out her experiences over the past few years, picked up the plastic cup on the table, and took a big gulp of water.
Jiang Yichun's hand continued to rub against her thigh. She pursed her lips and said nothing.
She thought of her hometown again, a small town in a small county south of Huaxing City.
Time seemed to stand still in the town, filled with low-rise buildings and black power lines that divided the main streets into a disjointed mess.
Jiang Yichun's village is surrounded by endless fields, and she often has to cross the field ridges and wade through the muddy soil to get to school in the village center.
Her feet were still covered in the soil of the small town, and with the release of the college entrance examination results in June, she carried that soil with her to this brightly lit metropolis.
Even though she has been accompanied by pessimistic voices since childhood.
“You’re a girl…”
"The girl has grown up..."
Jiang Yichun shook his head, banishing those outdated ideas from his mind, and forced a smile at Granny Tian: "Granny, then what happened at the barbecue restaurant?"
Grandma Tian sighed heavily and took another big gulp of water: "My daughter was in a car accident."
"During the Chinese New Year."
"She said she was going to buy me New Year's goods, but then a big truck..."
Jiang Yichun bit her lower lip, panting as she tried to stop him: "Okay, I understand, Mother-in-law."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked so many questions."
"Oh, Xiaochun, why are you apologizing? I'm the one who needed to tell you this." Grandma Tian waved her hand, forcing a smile.
"Don't worry, my daughter is out of danger. The insurance company has also paid out."
"She only had a broken leg and scars on her face, but it took her a long time to get treatment."
“I was busy taking care of her, so I stopped running the shop. After all, rent is so expensive now, and it's already hard enough to cover my daughter's medical expenses.”
Grandma Tian exhaled a puff of steam: "My daughter's health has improved recently, and she can work online. I wanted to earn some more money, so I came out to set up a stall to sell kebabs."
"It seems like not many people know that I came back to set up a stall. I've been here for a week, and not many people have come."
"Business is still not easy," she said with a self-deprecating laugh and a sigh.
He Yinxin, who had been silent all along, tentatively spoke up: "Grandma Tian, I think it might be that your barbecue stall isn't getting enough exposure."
"Your barbecue stall isn't located in a place with enough foot traffic. I only found this place because Jiang Xuemei told me that your barbecue stall has a unique aroma."
His voice was flat, but with a subtle nasal tremor.
Jiang Yichun was taken aback and turned to look at He Yinxin sitting to the side.
His eyes were dim and unclear under the streetlights, but she saw a glistening tear in the corner of his eye.
Was he...crying?
He Yinxin pushed up her glasses and covered his eyes with her fingertips: "Grandma Tian, I want to say that you could try changing the location of your stall."
"Then we'll find some regular customers to promote it for you."
He pinched his nose, pulled a tissue from his pocket, and wiped his glasses: "This is just my personal suggestion. Grandma Tian, I..."
"Your story...I..."
He swallowed the words he was about to say and coughed a few times: "I'm sorry, what I said might be a bit preachy, you don't have to take it to heart."
"I know you may not need it..."
"This is exactly what we need, young man! You're clearly well-educated!" Grandma Tian clapped her hands. "But... I really can't find a better place to set up my stall."
"You know how competitive this night market is; there's always friction between vendors. Plus, you have to pay stall fees."
“I’m not good at arguing with people, and I don’t have much money, so I came here.”
Jiang Yichun sighed and nodded: "I understand, that's how people are, they bully the weak and fear the strong, like dogs..."
She noticed the two men's gazes on her and quickly changed the subject: "In that case, Senior He's first point won't work."
He Yinxin nodded in tacit agreement: "Yes. The first point is more difficult to implement."
"Article Two..."
Jiang Yichun's eyes lit up: "The second one is great, Grandma! Your barbecue stall has a lot of regular customers!"
"You can tell them when they come to eat that your new stall has opened here, and then, then they'll come along."
Jiang Yichun stood up straight and leaned towards Granny Tian: "Granny, yes, you can tell your customers later."
"Tell me, tell me..." Grandma Tian took a sip of hot water, frowned, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes became more noticeable. "How should I put it? I just feel something is strange."
"Sigh, I... I still want to run a business based on my grilling skills, instead of having others help me with this kind of thing..."
She could never forget the scars left on her body by the leech, his whispered words, and the muffled chatter of the bystanders.
"The days just passed by in a daze."
"Just bear with it, after all, we have to make a living."
"It would be so embarrassing to say it out loud."
Jiang Yichun grasped Granny Tian's hand and shook his head at her: "Granny, this is nothing to be ashamed of."
“Your barbecue stall has a lot to do with whether you can make a living. Besides, as the old saying goes, ‘Even the best wine needs advertising,’ Grandma.”
"And everyone here is very enthusiastic; they'll definitely help you spread the word."
Grandma Tian's brow furrowed even more noticeably. She sighed and shook her head again.
Jiang Yichun had a sudden inspiration: "Mother-in-law, why don't you try talking to me first?"
"I can help you. I know a lot of classmates, and I can even help you promote it on our school forum!"
"Grandma, your cooking skills are so good, far surpassing the barbecue stalls near our school. I'm sure many students will come to eat here!"
Grandma Tian's lips trembled, and her wrist, which was being held by Jiang Yichun, also trembled: "C-can I?"
"Of course, Grandma, why are you being so polite with me?" Jiang Yichun smiled. "Whenever I feel stressed, I come to Grandma's shop to order some barbecue skewers."
"To put it dramatically, my mother-in-law's kebabs are practically my source of emotional support."
"If the barbecue stand were gone, my world would really collapse."
After speaking, Jiang Yichun covered his mouth and burst into laughter.
Grandma Tian's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and she gently patted Jiang Yichun's palm: "Okay, okay, then Xiaochun... I'm counting on you."
"This is troublesome."
"It's no trouble at all, Mother-in-law. It's just a small matter." Jiang Yichun waved his hand with a smile, stood up, and said, "Mother-in-law, it's getting late. I should go back now."
Grandma Tian nodded: "Take care, Xiaochun."
Just as Jiang Yichun was about to leave, He Yinxin's voice rang in his ears: "By the way, Granny Tian, what is your full name? I'd like to know."
Grandma Tian was taken aback, looking at the young man in front of her with reddened eyes and half his face buried in his scarf.
His gaze fell upon her through his glasses, seemingly carrying a sense of kinship and mutual appreciation.
She didn't ask for a reason, but took a deep breath and said, "My name is Tian Fang. Fang as in fragrant grass."
He Yinxin nodded slightly and replied in a low voice, "Yes, I understand, Grandma Tian Fang. I... will also help you, just like Jiang Xuemei."
"I like your barbecue stand just like her."
Tian Fang's fingertips rested on the patina of her apron, and a slight smile appeared on her lips: "Okay, thank you, Xiao Chun's senior and Xiao Chun."
She watched the two disappear into the darkness before continuing to grill skewers.
Jiang Yichun and He Yinxin walked in the cold wind of early spring, remaining silent as they walked, though their distance unintentionally drew closer.
Jiang Yichun's shoulder unconsciously brushed against He Yinxin's arm.
He Yinxin's mind was a jumbled mess, playing out her own unbearable memories of being "imprisoned" like a movie.
He took another deep breath, swallowing the bitterness that welled up in his heart.
Until that gentle touch came through the thick coat, until the faint scent of her shower gel mixed with barbecue spices invaded his sense of smell.
Her resolute gaze dispelled the bitterness that had been suppressed for so long, replacing it with the warmth of a burning stove.
He could clearly feel the heat of the fire, but dared not approach it.
He Yinxin felt a surge of excitement, her eyes fixed straight ahead, but her peripheral vision inappropriately fell on the glowing screen of the girl beside her.
Jiang Yichun is sending a message to Sister Xixi.
Everything's easy: [Hey Xixi, want to order some barbecue on top?]
If you're willing to share, let's eat together offline. This place is quite far from school, and the barbecue might get cold by the time we get back.
I also want to meet up with Sister Xixi in person.
He looked away, raised his hand, and gently tugged at the scarf around his neck.
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