Chapter 61 Steamed Cake
At the western end of the village, there is a clean little hill with no obstructions, offering a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery all around.
Although the mountains are green all year round, each season has its own unique way of showing green. The green in spring is tender and fresh, and when you look at it, you feel that the green is both emerald and sweet. And that small hill is just the right place to take all of this greenery into view.
Zhao Xuan built the graves of both of their parents here.
These graves aren't even cenotaphs, really. A serious illness left them all alone, and everything about their parents had long been lost in the chaos. So Zhao Xuan and Lu An chose the most peaceful spot to erect a few empty graves to commemorate their parents.
This grave was built last autumn during the off-season for farming, when they were already able to have enough to eat.
While Lao Dao was helping the two men sweep and clean, he also felt that the feng shui of this place was good, so he asked them if he could also build a tomb for his wife here. Zhao Xuan and Lu An agreed, saying that it would be fine to build it here so that the deceased would have a companion.
So Lao Dao carefully found a heavy door panel in the village, split it open and carved it into the shape of a tombstone, and then spent several days carving his wife's name on it. He wasn't a professional, so the characters on the tombstone were crooked and uneven.
Then Lao Dao dug a hole next to the graves of Zhao Xuan and Lu An's parents, put his wife's ID card in a box, and buried it there. He didn't ask Zhao Xuan or the others for help; he did the whole thing himself.
Zhao Xuan felt that he should make some snacks to commemorate everyone's relatives.
Before the apocalypse, Zhao Xuan's cooking skills were average, and she had no experience in making pastries. So she went to Xiwei Village to find Zhang Xiaohe and ask her how to make various pastries.
Zhang Xiaohe can make pancakes, steamed cakes, and even bake cakes. Making pancakes requires kneading dough, and steaming cakes requires steaming them layer by layer. Zhang Xiaohe says that baking cakes is simpler. Once you master the quantities and time, you don't need too many skills. Not having an oven is not a problem either; you can just steam them. Luckily, she has goat milk at home. If she didn't have milk, she might not have been able to make this cake.
She said that goat milk cake might not taste as good as cow milk cake, as goat milk has a stronger fishy smell than cow milk.
However, in this world, who would be picky about the taste of food? What surprised Zhao Xuan was that steaming cakes didn't require yeast?! Zhang Xiaohe replied that making cakes didn't require yeast, but making steamed buns and steamed cakes did.
Finally, Zhang Xiaohe also gave Zhao Xuan some yeast and a jar of orange jam. The yeast could be used to make steamed buns and spring rolls in the next few days, and the orange jam could be eaten with cake.
Zhao Xuan took careful notes and then went home.
There was also a bottle of corn oil at home that was unopened and three years past its expiration date. Zhao Xuan opened the bottle and carefully smelled it. It was great; it hadn't spoiled.
Using white vinegar instead of lemon juice and manual labor instead of an egg beater, Zhao Xuan strictly followed the procedure and finally obtained a round, plump, and white traditional steamed cake.
This was Zhao Xuan's first time making a cake, and she succeeded on her first try, which made her incredibly proud. The freshly steamed cake smelled amazing, making 460's mouth water all over the yard.
A few spoonfuls of orange marmalade were placed on top of the cake, and a simple cake was complete.
In addition to the cake, they also prepared a smoked rabbit, a salted pork belly, a jar of cooked chestnuts, a bag of oranges, and a bag of water chestnuts.
The oranges and water chestnuts were already dried up, neither looking good nor tasting good, but they couldn't find any fresh fruit at this time. While preparing the offerings, Zhao Xuan muttered that he should have saved some pumpkin seeds from last year. Roasting them with salt could also serve as offerings, and it would have been more presentable to arrange them on three plates along with peanuts and chestnuts.
They didn't have any paper money, so Lu An and Lao Dao tore off some toilet paper, wrote the names of their relatives and the value of the paper money on it with charcoal pencil, and used it as yellow paper for the memorial service.
Finally, they tore off two small pieces of candle—those were cut from long candles by Old Dao, and they weren't even half the height of a thumb. Candles were emergency supplies; once they were gone, they couldn't be easily made again, so they only used a few symbolically.
The three of them carried the offerings, which were piled high, up to the small hill. They were silent, but they began to arrange the offerings in perfect unison. Lu An lit the candles and placed them on either side of the hill, while Zhao Xuan took out a broken basin. The three of them then began to burn paper money in the basin.
The weather was somewhat gloomy.
The two men remained silent, while Zhao Xuan rambled on like an old woman. She said that she and Lu An had been doing well for the past year, and that the Yao family in the next village was very kind. She also mentioned that the new grave nearby belonged to Lao Dao's wife, and that Mom and Dad, they should take good care of Sister-in-law Dao, as Lao Dao had been very kind to them over there… She mumbled on and on, then asked her parents: "Are there a lot of people over there now? Make sure you keep the paper money we burned for you safe, lest other ghosts snatch it away…"
When Zhao Xuan was young, he always felt that the old women who kept talking to their deceased relatives when burning paper money during the Qingming Festival were a bit superstitious. Now that it was him, he felt that she was just as superstitious.
Faced with the pain of separation and death, even a materialist like her hoped for another world where her parents could still hear what she was saying on this side.
Zhao Xuan's throat tightened, and his eyes reddened as he spoke.
Lu An burned paper money with her without saying a word. Lao Dao was also silent. He sat alone by his wife's grave, wiping the dust off the tombstone with his hand. It had long been clean, but he still wiped it carefully.
The three waited until the candles burned out. Zhao Xuan put the offerings back into the basket and prepared to leave. Lu An knelt on his parents' graves and whispered, "If you miss me, just tell me in your dreams, and I'll come to see you." Then he looked up at Lao Dao and said, "Brother, let's go. It's going to rain soon!"
Unusually, the usually enthusiastic Lao Dao remained seated, motionless, and did not answer Lu An.
Zhao Xuan tugged at Lu An's sleeve and whispered to him, "Let's go, let him be alone for a while."
He must have something to say to his wife and daughter.
The two had just descended the small slope when a light rain began to fall. It wasn't heavy; it was so light that it would take a long time for one's hair to get wet. Zhao Xuan glanced back at Lao Dao, who was not far away. With such a light rain, he shouldn't catch a cold.
Lu An held a basket in one hand and stretched out the other to shield Zhao Xuan's head.
Zhao Xuan looked up and grinned at the tall Lu An.
The two walked quite a distance together before Lu An suddenly said, "Old Dao might be leaving."
Zhao Xuan was taken aback: "When did he tell you that?"
"I guessed."
“Then you won’t allow it!” Zhao Xuan didn’t believe it. She added, “A few days ago, Lao Dao told me that the two-story building across from our house is pretty good. It’s sturdy and doesn’t leak. It’s just that the wall is a bit low, making it easy for people to climb over. But he’s not afraid of people climbing over. He said that if he decides to stay, he will move there.”
Lu An said, "You said it yourself, Lao Dao said it was 'if' he wanted to stay."
Zhao Xuan rolled his eyes at him, then refused Lu An's hand to shield him from the rain, quickened his pace, and walked home somewhat angrily.
The offerings were to be eaten after the ceremony, so the lunch menu was quite extensive, including spicy stir-fried rabbit meat, stir-fried pork belly with garlic sprouts, chestnut rice, and that still tempting orange marmalade steamed cake.
Zhao Xuan and Lu An had prepared the meal. They placed the cake in the center of the table and were about to cut it with a knife when Lao Dao returned.
Old Dao was back to his usual cheerful and smiling self.
The three of them shared the small cake. Zhang Xiaohe was quite prescient; the goat milk cake had a slightly fishy smell, but the orange marmalade on top dissolved that smell perfectly. The cake wasn't as fluffy and soft as they had imagined, probably because the egg whites weren't whipped enough. But for the three of them, who hadn't eaten this kind of food in six years, this small cake was already a delicacy.
Lao Dao and Lu An kept praising the cake's deliciousness, making Zhao Xuan so happy that he thought he was some kind of late-blooming genius pastry chef.
However, just as Zhao Xuan and Lu An had finished eating and drinking, Lao Dao suddenly said out of the blue, "In a few days, I plan to leave here."
Zhao Xuan sighed; she was sure she was going to have indigestion today.
She and Lu An exchanged a glance. Lu An noticed the urgency in her eyes, so he asked on Zhao Xuan's behalf, "Why are you leaving so suddenly? Isn't it good to stay here?"
As Lao Dao picked up some food, he said in a seemingly normal tone, "...I've rested for too long, I have to go out and find Zhu Zhu."
He said that it is spring now, and after spring comes summer, and then winter. He has to find the pig before winter comes, otherwise how can a little girl survive the winter?
After he said that, Zhao Xuan and Lu An had no reason to ask him to stay.
Zhao Xuan and Lu An didn't try to persuade him further and began preparing the things Lao Dao needed to bring.
The bicycle without rims that Lao Dao brought was definitely unusable. He still had one in his warehouse. Zhao Xuan and Lu An usually used a tricycle for transportation, so this vehicle was just sitting idle. Lu An originally wanted to give it to Gou Gou, but Zhao Xuan couldn't bear to part with it, so he stopped him. Now it's perfect for Lao Dao to use.
The car is about 60% new. Lu'an added some lubricating oil and inflated the tires, and it will be ready to use.
Lu An originally planned to have Lao Dao take a tricycle, but Lao Dao refused. Tricycles are bulky and difficult to travel on muddy mountain roads. It would be more convenient for one person to have a bicycle.
So these past few days, Lu An has been busy repairing Lao Dao's bike, while Zhao Xuan has been rummaging through the warehouse and found several hiking backpacks. These backpacks were scavenged from the surrounding area when he first arrived in the village last year. Since these are all old villages, there weren't any trendy hiking backpacks; all that was usable were old and worn-out bags. Zhao Xuan disassembled these bags, arranging them into two large packs, sewing two pieces of waterproof fabric over them, and then securely sewing these two large packs to both sides of the bicycle's back seat. Lao Dao's belongings fit perfectly inside, and they wouldn't be afraid of wind or rain. Zhao Xuan also specially sewed a buckle at the bottom of each large pack. When the two large packs weren't needed, they could be rolled up from the bottom, the buckles fastened, and they would be fixed to the back seat without taking up much space.
Later, the dog that came to deliver goat milk learned that Lao Dao was leaving and relayed the news to the Yao family. The Yao family then said they wanted to bring Lao Dao some food, saying that he had helped them so much during this time. Lao Dao taught Lu An and Yao Yuan fighting techniques and how to hunt—all life-saving skills in the apocalypse. The Yao family had assumed that Lao Dao, like them, intended to stay there permanently.
The Yao family members were not gossipy people, so they didn't ask about Lao Dao's past. They only knew that he was the manager of Zhao Xuan and Lu An's former camp. It wasn't until Lao Dao was about to leave that the Yao family learned that Lao Dao was going to find his missing daughter.
How did his daughter disappear? Why did he suddenly decide to go looking for her? Or did he know where she was and was therefore going out to search for her? The Yao family didn't ask any of these questions. The dog, however, was very reluctant to part with Lao Dao. He idolized the capable and strong Lao Dao, and when he learned that Lao Dao was going to find his daughter, he asked his parents with some reluctance, "After Uncle Lao Dao finds Sister Zhuzhu, will he come back?"
The Yao couple didn't know the answer to the question about the dog either.
The day Lao Dao left was the day the weather had been predicted to be good a few days prior. He was wearing a clean windbreaker, clothes that Zhao Xuan and Lu An had scavenged in Taiping Town. Although Lao Dao wasn't as tall as Lu An, he was sturdy, so Lu An's size clothes fit him well. In his bulging backpack on the back seat were a series of clothes and food that Zhao Xuan had packed for him: thin summer clothes, a thick windbreaker, a tent, a sleeping bag, and a blanket. If Lao Dao didn't go north in winter, the windbreaker would be enough to keep him warm in the south. There were also new sneakers that Lao Dao and Lu An had traded for at the salt fields by the sea. These two men were surprisingly alike; they clearly loved the sneakers they used to reward themselves, often taking them out to caress them, but they just couldn't bear to wear them. Even as Lao Dao was leaving, he still couldn't bear to wear them, and he didn't even want to throw away the shoebox, which took up a large space on the back seat.
In addition, there was a single-person camping pot, a thermos, a raincoat, a flashlight, a first-aid kit, and other necessities. The flashlight was an expensive hand-cranked flashlight he had obtained from the salt fields by the sea, which Lu An gave to Lao Dao. Lu An also prepared some small and lightweight tools, such as a fire starter, an air pump, lubricant, and a homemade water purifier. Finally, he took something wrapped in layers of small square cloth from his pocket, handed it to Lao Dao, and said, "Brother, this is for you. I was originally planning to give it to you on a special day."
Old Dao took the cloth bag and opened it layer by layer, discovering a brand-new brass knuckle duster inside. It was a low-key, matte color with several small spikes protruding from it, making it both lightweight and sturdy.
Lu An said, "Last time at the salt field by the sea, I saw how much you loved this thing, so I found some time to buy it." He added a little shyly, "I originally wanted to ask you when your birthday is and give it to you on that day."
Before they visited the grave, Lu An, like Zhao Xuan, thought that Lao Dao would stay there. But when Lu An saw that Lao Dao had only erected a grave for his wife, he knew that Lao Dao had not let go. He firmly believed that Zhu Zhu was still alive, so sooner or later he would leave and embark on a journey to find Zhu Zhu again.
Weapons were always expensive at the salt fields by the sea. Although Lao Dao liked them, he ultimately didn't decide to buy them. Actually, brass knuckles were much cheaper than other similar weapons like guns. If you didn't know how to use them, you could just use them as a window breaker. But Lu An knew they were suitable for Lao Dao. Lao Dao was a master fighter, and the small brass knuckles could be carried in a pocket, unlike axes or daggers which were conspicuous. When the enemy thought he had only thrown a punch, the brass knuckles could unexpectedly shatter bones and kill the enemy. Besides, it was indeed... very effective as a window breaker.
Men really do understand men best, and Lao Dao accepted it with a smile.
In addition to these daily necessities, Zhao Xuan and Lu An also prepared some food, including sugar, very salty dried meat, fried rice, and some dried pickled vegetables. These were all strongly flavored foods that could be stored for a long time, so Lao Dao could simply soak them in hot water wherever he went to fill his stomach.
The Yao family arrived early in the morning, bringing a considerable amount of food, including dried fruits such as raisins and dried apricots that had been baked before the New Year, as well as a large jar of lotus root starch and a large jar of chili powder. All of these were packed in sealed bags and then placed in metal biscuit tins, which are more durable than glass jars, and the sealed bags would not get wet even if they fell into water.
Zhang Xiaohe said the chili powder is specially made, with roasted sesame seeds and peanuts, as well as salt, which can save lives when you are cold and hungry.
Besides these, there was also a large box of steaming hot brown sugar steamed cakes, with many tender green pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top of the plump, fluffy cakes.
Everyone frantically stuffed things into the old knife cart. The two bundles on the back of the cart were already bursting at the seams. He carried a bag on his back, containing some daily necessities that he could use as needed. An axe, a flashlight, a dagger, and a rope were hanging on the front of the cart.
Seeing that Lao Dao's back seat was full, Zhao Xuan and the others discussed where to hang the food, which was full of sincerity.
Old Dao glanced at Zhao Xuan and Zhang Xiaohe whispering to each other, then at the three men nearby, and then at 460, whose head was sticking out from under Lu An's legs. He was suddenly moved.
Last autumn, he ventured alone into this deserted village, riding a worn-out bicycle, without even a change of clothes, and the bundle on the back seat was so flat it was smaller than a lunchbox. Just one year later, he not only had a new bicycle, but his luggage was so abundant that his friends practically wanted to pile it into a mountain.
A few days ago, he suggested leaving the precious compound barbecue seasoning to Zhao Xuan, but Zhao Xuan refused. Zhao Xuan said that this stuff could be used as money outside, so it was better to keep it for Lao Dao to exchange for supplies than to give it to them.
Zhao Xuan added that they no longer lacked food, so why would they lack barbecue seasoning? Old Dao had helped them immensely in the past six months, hunting wild boars for them, helping with farm work, and even taking Lu An to the salt fields by the sea, where they not only traded for salt but also opened a trade route. His kindness to them was countless, and they couldn't accept anything more from Old Dao.
The fact that you can still make friends after the apocalypse may stem from the fact that both parties are kind.
Zhao Xuan and Lu An kept recounting Lao Dao's kindness, but Lao Dao knew that in this apocalyptic world where people lacked food and clothing, being able to let a friend stay at his home for half a year without asking for anything in return was a true favor to Lao Dao. Zhao Xuan, Lu An, and the Yao family were the real friends he could entrust his back to.
He had considered staying; he had even talked to Zhao Xuan about moving into the house across the street if he wanted to stay long-term. His decision to ask Zhao Xuan to cultivate those few acres of land in early spring wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment thing; he had seriously considered it and wanted to settle down there.
These past six months have passed too quickly. These are the most relaxed days he has had since the apocalypse. Every day when he opens his eyes, he sees a solid roof instead of a vast sky. Every day there are people talking, instead of the days when he couldn't even sleep soundly.
He had joined many camps and even served as a camp manager in many of them. He had also made many true friends, but when he thought about it over and over again, he felt that this kind of life of working at sunrise and resting at sunset was the most fulfilling. Sometimes he would squat by his field for a long time, looking at the rice growing well in the field, and he would be very happy. He would even look forward to his future days here.
But he was ultimately different from Zhao Xuan, Lu An, and the Yao family. Their two families had no more ties, but he still had them; he still had his daughter who had been living away from home.
He had reasons why he had to go out.
Old Dao's eyes were a little red. Zhao Xuan and Zhang Xiaohe were discussing how to hang the food securely outside and didn't notice anything. Lu An, however, saw it, went up and patted Old Dao on the back. He said, "Brother, come back anytime you want. Don't worry about not having food. Your share of rice will be saved for you by Xuanxuan and me after the harvest. Half a year is fine, three to five years is fine too, we'll save it all for you."
Old Dao nodded and whispered, "Go visit your sister-in-law when you have time, and pull some weeds from her grave."
Lu An agreed, "Don't worry, there's a portion for both our parents, and I'll prepare a portion for my sister-in-law too."
At this point, Zhao Xuan had probably finished tying the food to Lao Dao's head, and then called out, "Brother, I've hung the steamed cake that Sister Xiao He made for you on the hood of your car. It spoils quickly, so eat it soon." As he spoke, he turned around and saw three grown men, a child, and a dog saying their heartfelt goodbyes. Suddenly, he felt a bit uncomfortable and, spoiling the mood, loudly asked, "Are you all crying?!"
No matter how long the farewell lasts, there will eventually be a moment to leave. Lao Dao carefully put the knuckle duster in his shirt pocket, afraid that it would fall out when he rode the bike if he put it in his pants pocket. He put on his hat, zipped up his windproof jacket all the way, got on the bike and pedaled—but the bike didn't move.
Zhao Xuan had originally planned to run up and shout "Goodbye" a few times when Lao Dao left happily, but seeing that Lao Dao didn't move an inch, he swallowed his words back.
The scene was silent for a few seconds.
Old Dao mustered all his strength, gritted his teeth, and pushed off. Everyone watched as the "mountain" slowly began to move, then sped up faster and faster, and in the blink of an eye, it had traveled a long distance.
Only then did everyone raise their hands in unison, not caring that Old Knife could no longer see. They waved their hands vigorously and shouted "Goodbye!"
"Uncle Lao Dao!" The dog suddenly ran forward for quite a distance, and 460, panting, followed after it. The dog shouted, "Come back quickly when you find Sister Piggy!"
460 also barked.
The man and the dog stopped only after Lao Dao's figure had disappeared around the bend in the road. The dog stared into the distance for a long time without moving, while 460 wagged its tail and followed suit as if it knew something.
The child's voice echoed along the distant road, leaving behind a trail of loneliness.
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