Chapter 98 The Taste of Home: Aunt Chen is Here
When Shi Wan received Wang Zhizhi's urgent "help" call, she was just about to leave for the store.
Upon hearing that Aunt Chen had come alone, she immediately changed direction, comforting Wang Zhizhi, who was jumping up and down in a panic on the other end of the phone, while quickly walking towards the parking lot.
"Don't worry, Zhizhi, I'll go pick up Auntie right away and make sure she's settled in perfectly! You can go on your business trip with peace of mind, and be careful on the road!"
"Then I'll have to leave it to you," Wang Zhizhi said, sounding quite annoyed. "My mom said she'd come over when she had time, but she didn't say when exactly. I figured she should tell me in advance, so I didn't keep asking her..."
"That's great, she just packed her bags and came over as soon as she got a break, without even telling me. I was on a business trip in Yuan City, and my flight back wouldn't arrive until three or four o'clock..."
"I'm speechless..."
Her voice was filled with frustration and rage; she wished her business trip would end immediately so she could come back as soon as possible.
Shi Wan reassured her, "Don't worry, I'm here. I'll drive over right away. I'll call Aunt Chen in a bit and ask her to wait for me at the exit. I'll be right there."
"Then I'll leave it to you. I'll fly back as soon as I'm done here. Thank you." Wang Zhizhi took a deep breath to calm herself down.
"What kind of relationship do we have? Why are you thanking me? You're being too distant," Shi Wan chuckled. "Alright, get back to work. I'm about to drive off too. I'll call you when I pick up Auntie."
After hanging up the phone, she immediately dialed Aunt Chen's number again.
A slightly hesitant, accented middle-aged woman's voice came from the other end of the phone, which sounded very friendly.
Shi Wan softened her voice and told Aunt Chen that she was on her way and asked her to find a seat to rest near the exit and not to wander around.
She arrived at the high-speed rail station at the limit of speed and immediately spotted Aunt Chen at the designated exit.
Aunt Chen hasn't changed much over the years. She's slightly plump, has a kind face, and wears simple but clean clothes. There are two heavy-looking woven bags printed with festive peonies at her feet, and she's looking around somewhat uneasily.
When she saw Shi Wan walking quickly towards her, a relieved yet slightly embarrassed smile immediately appeared on her face.
"Wanwan's here? Oh dear, you've really gone to so much trouble. Zhizhi, that child, is always worrying unnecessarily. I told you I could manage on my own..." Aunt Chen quickly got up, wanting to pick up the two large bags.
"Auntie, don't move, I'll do it!" Shi Wan rushed forward and quickly picked up the two heavy bags, secretly wondering to herself, "Did Aunt Chen bring half of her house here?"
"It's no trouble at all, Auntie. Zhizhi and I are like family. I'm so happy you're here!"
Aunt Chen wasn't very good at using ride-hailing apps, and she only vaguely understood navigation maps. In a small town like this, you don't need these things. You can ride an electric scooter and drive around the whole town in thirty minutes.
In the past, when they came here, everything was arranged by Wang Zhizhi, and Aunt Chen only needed to follow her. Now that she's not here, not to mention Wang Zhizhi, even Shi Wan is a little worried.
We safely delivered Aunt Chen to Wang Zhizhi's apartment. Luckily, her apartment had a combination lock, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to get in.
Seeing that it was still early, Shi Wan was worried that Aunt Chen might not be familiar with the environment by herself, so she took the initiative to stay and talk to her.
Aunt Chen is a restless person. As soon as she entered the door, she kept muttering to herself, busily tidying up and taking things out of that huge woven bag.
"Wanwan, these are homemade sausages, they smell amazing! Take them home and try them!"
"These are dried persimmons from the trees in our hometown. They're very sweet. Auntie brought you some, but it's not good to bring too many, as they might get crushed. If you like them, Auntie will have your uncle send you some more."
"And this, I made my own apple jam. It's perfect for spreading on bread. Zhizhi loves it, so I made two jars for you. Take them home and enjoy them. If you like them, just tell Auntie, and Auntie will make more for you next time. Oh, and this braised beef, I made extra of it too. You and Zhizhi can share it..."
Before long, the coffee table in the living room was piled high with various local specialties full of local flavor and heartfelt sentiment.
Looking at these things, Shi Wan felt both warm and bittersweet.
She couldn't help but shed tears every time she felt this way, being remembered and cared for by her elders in the simplest way.
"Auntie, you're too kind... Carrying so much stuff must be tiring." Shi Wan's voice was a little choked up.
"Not tired at all. You young people work so hard away from home. Eating something from home will make your stomach feel better." Aunt Chen smiled, pulled Shi Wan's hand to sit down, and looked her over carefully. "Wanwan, you seem to have lost weight? Are you too tired? Zhizhi said you're starting a business, and you're taking care of such a big farm all by yourself. Can you manage? Are you eating on time?"
A series of concerned questions instantly brought tears to Shi Wan's eyes.
She blinked hard to force back the tears, and replied with a smile, "Auntie, I'm fine. I've even gained weight. You only noticed how thin I've become because you haven't seen me in so long. Besides, there are other employees at the farm, and there's a canteen. I eat regularly now. Look how energetic I am!"
Over the next few days, Shi Wan became Aunt Chen's "personal tour guide".
She took Aunt Chen to her farm.
When Aunt Chen saw the vibrant land, the modern production workshop, the cozy office building and main house, and especially the group of furry, unique "cat employees," she was so amazed she couldn't stop smiling.
"My goodness! This place is really grand! And these cats are so handsome!" Aunt Chen looked at Dou Dou sitting on the mini tractor, Mian Mian lying on the edge of the field, idly licking her fur, Ju Bao wearing a frame and trying hard to chase butterflies, and Tang Yuan squatting at the top of the cat tree wearing the latest manager's bow tie. Her face beamed with joy.
Tangyuan seemed to have a good liking for the auntie who smelled of food. For once, it didn't pretend not to see her. Instead, it jumped off the cat tree and rubbed its head against Auntie Chen's leg, making Auntie Chen very happy. She exclaimed, "This cat is so intelligent!"
Shi Wan even made a special arrangement to take Aunt Chen for a comprehensive physical examination.
She ran around doing everything, registering, getting prescriptions, and communicating with doctors. Her thoughtfulness was so great that even the nurses praised her, saying, "Your daughter is so filial."
Aunt Chen watched Shi Wan's busy figure, her eyes slightly reddening.
The physical examination went smoothly; now we're just waiting for the results.
As they left the hospital, Aunt Chen held Shi Wan's hand, feeling both grateful and apologetic. "Wanwan, you've worked so hard these past few days, because I've taken up so much of your time..."
Shi Wan stopped and turned around, looking at Aunt Chen's kind face filled with heartache. She paused for a moment, then gave a gentle yet slightly melancholy smile.
“Auntie, it’s no trouble at all. Really, I don’t find it troublesome at all.” She paused, her voice becoming even softer, “I… I don’t have the chance to take care of my own mother like this anymore. You’re so good to me, just like my mother, always thinking of me and bringing me delicious food, so I want to be good to you too, just like I am to my mother.”
These words, though spoken casually, made Aunt Chen feel even worse.
How could she not feel sorry for Shi Wan?
It all started when she overheard her daughter mentioning that her friend, who had helped her a lot, was all alone during the Chinese New Year. She felt sorry for her and that's when she asked Wang Zhizhi to bring her home.
After meeting the girl, Aunt Chen felt even more sorry for her because she thought she was a good person and pretty, but her parents had passed away too early.
Even just so she can have a lively and joyous New Year.
She held Shi Wan's hand tightly, her eyes, etched with the marks of time, filled with care and love.
"Good girl...good girl...don't be sad." She patted Shi Wan's hand hard. "From now on, whenever you have free time during holidays, come home with Zhizhi! Don't be shy! Auntie's house is your home! Auntie will cook delicious food for you and make your favorite three-delicacy shrimp dumplings!"
At this moment, Shi Wan felt as if a blank corner in her heart was being slowly filled by this simple yet heartfelt promise.
She nodded vigorously, her smile becoming incredibly bright and genuine. "Yes! Thank you, Auntie! Don't worry, I'll definitely go. Even if you get annoyed with me, I'll still go, okay?"
Aunt Chen was amused by her again.
A few days later, Wang Zhizhi, who had finally finished her business trip, flew back home, travel-worn and exhausted.
She dragged her suitcase, exhausted, home. As soon as she unlocked the door with her fingerprint, a rich and enticing aroma of stewed chicken mixed with the fresh scent of braised fish wafted towards her.
I almost made her fall over from the smell.
Wang Zhizhi stood at the door, took a deep breath, and felt herself come back to life.
"Mom! Wanwan! I'm back!" she called out, her voice now full of energy.
Two fat cats kept at home rushed over first, rubbing against her legs and meowing as they conducted their routine "inspection".
Wang Zhizhi bent down and rubbed the cat's head, then looked past the cat and toward the kitchen.
In the kitchen, her mother, wearing an apron, was happily tending to a bubbling clay pot. Beef was probably stewing in the pot, her mother's specialty, which she could eat two bowls of rice with.
Shi Wan skillfully set the table, her profile soft and serene under the warm light.
Upon hearing her voice, the two turned around simultaneously, both with smiles on their faces.
"Oh! You're back? The beef will be ready soon, go wash your hands and eat! Mom stewed chicken for you, and Wanwan even went to the market to buy your favorite shrimp. They're all live shrimp, they'll be so fresh after just a quick boil!" Aunt Chen's voice was loud as she poked her head out of the kitchen with a smile on her face.
"Zhizhi, hurry up, we're waiting for you to eat. Do you want more rice or less rice and eat the vegetables first?" Shi Wan smiled and winked at her.
Looking at this warm and cozy scene, filled with the comforting aroma of food, and feeling the affectionate touch of her cat at her feet, Wang Zhizhi stood at the door. She felt all the fatigue of the past few days vanish, and her heart was filled with a tremendous happiness called "home".
She put down her suitcase, took a deep breath of the familiar and beloved air, and a big, carefree smile bloomed on her face.
"Here it comes! I'm starving! It's so good to be home! Let me tell you, this business trip has been really..."
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