Chapter 83: Eater, Eater Soul
Wang Yuexia is very satisfied with her job, as she does what she is paid to do. She works very hard and will do other things after finishing her own work.
There were many tourists visiting today, so she asked her two children to follow Xia Wu to the foot of the mountain to pick raspberries. She didn't do it for money, but just wanted the children to have a place to go during the holidays.
When the children had picked enough raspberries to fill a basket, they took them to the courtyard with a well. The old ladies who were basking in the sun in the courtyard saw that there was work to do and started to get busy. They poured the raspberries into the cool well water, washed them first, and then dried them to make sauce.
There are some elderly people living alone in the village. They have children, but they are all living in other places. As they get older, their legs and feet are not so convenient, so they can only cook perfunctorily. A meal they cook can last for two or three days. Now that the weather is hot during the day, getting a stomachache is no small matter.
Yang Guofeng's job is to look after the elderly people living alone in the village. He has to visit their homes every few days to prevent them from getting into trouble.
A similar incident happened in a nearby village before. An elderly couple in their eighties had children and grandchildren working away from home. The old woman had amnesia. The old man fell and broke his bones. His children and grandchildren took him to the hospital, but before he could recover, they sent him back to their hometown, leaving the old mother with amnesia to take care of the old father with a broken bone.
As a result, the old woman forgot that she had a husband with a broken bone to take care of, and only cooked for herself. Later, the old man starved to death at home.
It was discovered by the villagers who smelled the smell.
Since then, the town government has issued requirements to the grassroots level, asking village cadres to pay more attention to the elderly living alone in the village.
For example, Mr. Yang Siye is an elderly person living alone. He is old and has no children or grandchildren around him, but fortunately he is able to take care of himself. There are some elderly people in the village who are in a better situation than him, but they are not so good at cooking and eating.
After Xia Wu's courtyard with a well was built, some miscellaneous and trivial tasks required manpower. It was not worthwhile to spend money to hire people, but it would be exhausting to do it by oneself without hiring anyone.
She has used child laborers, and she will not let go of the elderly when rehiring them.
So Xia Wu gave Yang Guofeng a suggestion, asking the elderly people living alone in the village if they would like to go to her house for meals, and do some small chores within their ability every day, so that they would never get tired. Wang Yuexia would cook a big pot of rice, and the elderly would just bring their own bowls and eat.
When Yang Guofeng asked in the village, he found that many people were willing to do so.
Since it was inconvenient for these elderly people to go up the mountain, Yang Guofeng took the initiative to drive them to their homes and then pick them up in the evening to take them home, just like taking a child to kindergarten.
It's no wonder that since this happened, the elderly people living alone in the village have smiled more. They no longer have to sit in front of their homes in the sun, like wooden stakes, watching people passing by without getting involved.
Some elderly people have grandchildren to accompany them at home. It is troublesome, but at least it brings life to the family. Unlike them, their homes are always deserted and they are afraid that no one will know if they die one day.
When I went to the courtyard with the well, I helped pick the vegetables if they needed any help. Washing the vegetables was not a big deal either. Picking out the bad raspberries was a tedious little job that was perfect for the elderly who had nothing to do to kill time.
There are many people working, and it is lively. They chat and listen to opera. If there are tourists on the mountain, they can see more people and children playing. Even if they are not their own children, it is still interesting to watch.
As the days go by, I feel that life is more hopeful than before.
Later on, Yang Guofeng didn't need to go to the village to ask people. Some elderly people went to the well and courtyard on their own and started working, and ate with others at mealtimes.
At first, Wang Yuexia reported the matter to Xia Wu, but Xia Wu didn't take it seriously and just thought it was a good deed.
However, Yang Guofeng is more thoughtful than Xia Wu. Whenever an elderly person comes to work for Xia Wu, he will call to ask his children and grandchildren for their opinions. Some of the elderly people's families are willing and think it is a good idea. They also want to let their elderly people not work and pay money for their food every month.
On the contrary, it is the elderly who are unwilling to do so. It is not that they are unwilling to pay, but that they are unwilling to stop working.
Rural people who have done farm work all their lives cannot sit idle when they are old. Not letting them work is like saying that they are useless. Only by giving them work to do will they feel that life is not too boring.
There are also some people who don't want their elderly husbands and wives to come, fearing that they might get tired or fall, and who will take care of them if something happens.
Before Yang Guofeng could say anything, the old man and the old woman were unhappy. They snatched the phone and shouted, "You don't care about me when I'm alive, and you don't care about me when I'm dead!"
This makes the children and grandchildren feel embarrassed.
Xia Wu is responsible for daring to think and act, and Yang Guofeng is responsible for protecting her. So far, there are about a dozen elderly people in the village who work in the courtyard with the well in exchange for food.
Wang Yuexia is very good at cooking for the elderly. Her mother-in-law is paralyzed in bed, and she takes care of her personally. The food she cooks for the elderly must be soft and melt in the mouth, and must not burden the stomach and teeth.
She thought the wheelchair Ji Yunzhou was sitting in was very good, so she bought two cheap ones online after receiving her salary. Every day, she and Yang Dalan pushed the two elderly people in her family to the courtyard by the well, and then took them back after get off work in the evening.
With such a lively and busy life every day, Wang Yuexia feels much younger than before.
While humming a song and adding firewood to the pot, Wang Yuexia caught a glimpse of an old man walking into the yard. The old man was quite fashionable, wearing a white sports suit, a baseball cap, and a watch on his wrist. If it weren't for the many wrinkles on his face, Wang Yuexia probably wouldn't have been able to tell that he was an old man.
She thought the old man was also here to eat for free, so she wiped her hands on her apron and walked over to him and said enthusiastically, "Uncle, it's not time for dinner yet. Why don't you pick some garlic first? Wait a minute, have you had breakfast?"
Ji Zhongyuan: "???"
"Uncle, come over here, I'll get you a stool."
Wang Yuexia was so enthusiastic that she took the old man in white clothes to the group of elderly people and left him to move a stool.
Ji Zhongyuan put his hands behind his back and exchanged glances with his peers sitting around him. Didn't he just want to ask about his grandson's whereabouts? How did he get mistaken for a free meal?
"Well..."
"Here, this is garlic. Just peel it into cloves! Peel as many as you can. Don't tire yourself out!"
"I'm not..."
"Just sit here and enjoy the sunshine!"
Ji Zhongyuan was pushed to sit down, and Wang Yuexia pointed, "There's some mung bean soup over there. If you're thirsty, there's a disposable cup next to it. It's best to bring your own cup next time."
Wang Yuexia was afraid that he might not understand, so she kindly poured him a cup of mung bean soup.
Afraid that the new old man would not be able to adapt, Wang Yuexia pushed her mother-in-law in a wheelchair next to him. Wang Yuexia's mother-in-law had suffered a stroke and could not speak. She pointed at her daughter-in-law with a crooked mouth and gave a thumbs up.
Ji Zhongyuan drank the mung bean soup as if he was forced to do something, and felt that the middle-aged woman in front of him was too enthusiastic.
The water in the pot boiled. As Wang Yuexia continued to boil, she asked, "Uncle, where are you from? I've only been married to the village for a short time and I've never seen you before. How can you be so fashionable?"
Looking at his clothes and the small watch, Wang Yuexia felt that this old man must have been very charming when he was young, and he was definitely good at attracting women.
Ji Zhongyuan didn’t know where he was from, he just came to ask for directions!
Just as I was about to explain, another old man came to the door.
This time it’s an old acquaintance.
Chef Zhang is here.
When Wang Yuexia saw him, she clapped her hands and called out, "Uncle Zhang, why are you here?!"
Chef Zhang smiled cheerfully, "It's vacation time now, isn't it? School is closed too, so we don't have to cook for those little kids. We have a lot of free time, so we can go out and about like those city people."
Chef Zhang started his own business and took charge of the cafeteria window of the town's No. 1 Middle School, which was equivalent to working separately from his son and daughter-in-law. Several families were holding funerals during the Qingming Festival, but he didn't go even if they invited him.
After a lifetime of working on weddings and funerals, Chef Zhang now just wants to retire and rest.
He finally had some free time, and with nothing else to do, he thought of going to Xia Wu's hilltop to see what vegetables were available so that he could cook different meals for the children who were studying.
Wang Yuexia warmly entertained Chef Zhang and asked him about the situation on the mountain, as she knew a lot.
"I estimate that the loofahs will be ready to eat in a few days. Look, the loofahs I planted in the corner of the yard are already growing vines. The ones planted on the mountain should be earlier. When I came down the mountain a few days ago, I saw quite a few loofahs growing."
"Luffa is great. It's nutritious and healthy, perfect for students. I can make scrambled eggs with loofah, stir-fried meat with loofah, or just plain stir-fried loofah!"
Wang Yuexia had seen Chef Zhang's cooking skills before, so she gave him a thumbs-up and praised him, "The kids will definitely love your cooking!"
"Hahaha, you're cooking, and I happen to be free, so I'd like to have a meal here at noon. Do you mind?"
"Of course I don't mind. You can stay and eat. I'll cook a few dishes and we can eat by ourselves."
"That's great. You mentioned loofah just now. I wonder if there are any good loofahs now? If there are, I can show off my cooking skills and stir-fry a plate for you."
Without saying anything, Wang Yuexia called Xia Wu and told him that Chef Zhang had come and asked if the loofahs on the mountain had grown well. She wanted Chef Zhang to show his skills and cook a few dishes today.
A free chef would be a good choice. All he needed to make a meal was fresh vegetables. Xia Wu immediately said, "I'll go check out the vegetable garden now. Just ask him to cook."
Wang Yuexia hung up the phone and said, "Uncle Zhang, just wait!"
Ji Zhongyuan heard their conversation. While peeling garlic, he asked the old man who could speak next to him: "Who is this old man? What's wrong? Is he very powerful?"
Although the old man next to him could speak, he had few good teeth left in his mouth and spoke vaguely. Ji Zhongyuan didn't understand a word he said.
Another old man came over and said to Ji Zhongyuan, "He cooks delicious food, this is it!" and gave a thumbs up.
It's really delicious, isn't it? Then he won't leave.
I heard that my grandson left with a girl. It doesn’t matter if I look for him later. The most important thing is to have a good meal first.
Xia Wu found a large bamboo basket and asked Ji Yunzhou to carry it while she pushed Ji Yunzhou to the vegetable garden.
The vegetable garden was five or six acres in size, and a variety of vegetables were planted in it. Xia Wu picked some peas, cut some leeks, and pulled out dozens of lettuces. The loofah vines were high, and Xia Wu bent down and walked under the loofah vines, as if he had entered the Wizard of Oz. What's more, there were really quite a few loofahs that were edible.
She picked a dozen or so stems with scissors, and only stopped when she saw that the bamboo basket was almost full.
A bamboo basket of vegetables was quite heavy. Xia Wu wanted to carry it herself. After getting used to farm work, this weight was nothing to her.
Ji Yunzhou patted his knees and said, "Put it here, I'll carry it."
Xia Wu looked at his frail frame and suspected that this basket of food would crush him. "Isn't this bad?"
Ji Yunzhou pursed his lips and said, "It's nothing wrong. I have no feeling in my knees, so it's okay."
Hey, that sounds like hell!
Unable to resist Ji Yunzhou's insistence, Xia Wu had to let him hold the bamboo basket while she pushed Ji Yunzhou.
When they arrived at the courtyard with the well, all the ingredients for lunch were already prepared. Chef Zhang put on his white chef's uniform. Seeing Xia Wu coming, he hurried over to take the bamboo basket. When he pinched the loofah with his hand, he knew that the taste of the loofah would definitely be good.
"Okay, this juicy dish is so good. Let's not stir-fry it randomly. Let's have stir-fried loofah for lunch. It's the best dish in hot weather!"
Xia Wu agreed immediately. She would eat whatever the chef cooked and she was not picky even though she couldn't cook.
Before the bamboo basket was carried away, Ji Zhongyuan, who was peeling garlic, never thought that he would see his grandson.
That was his grandson Ji Yunzhou, and he was actually holding a basket of vegetables!
And it was placed on his leg that couldn't move!
You know, because of these legs, Ji Yunzhou didn't even want to see his family, for fear of hurting him.
Now it’s so casual!
The old man did not come out to recognize his grandson. He silently shrank his body and hid behind Grandma Wang Yuexia's wheelchair.
If his grandson knew he saw it, he might get angry again.
And Ji Zhongyuan also wanted to take another look. His grandson's situation was quite interesting.
Ji Yunzhou never thought that there would be someone he knew among the gathering of old men and women nearby.
There was still some time before dinner, so Xia Wu took Ji Yunzhou to the vegetable garden to see what other vegetables could be picked.
Only after they left did Ji Zhongyuan dare to show up.
"Who is that girl?"
He asked the person next to him curiously.
"You don't even know Xiao Wu, how dare you come here for a free meal?"
It’s not like he really wants to come here for a free meal!
"Xia Wu, the daughter of the National Army, don't you know her? This hilltop is hers. It's thanks to her that we can come here to work and eat."
Ji Zhongyuan thought of something, nodded, and quickly took out his mobile phone to look through the chat history with Lao Putou.
After a while, Ji Zhongyuan murmured, "So it's her!"
Smoke curls up above the courtyard with a well, and the farmer's stove is bustling with activity. Chef Zhang's spatula is almost smoking. He pours the hot oil into the loofah and stir-fries it. It takes less than three minutes to add seasoning and the stir-fried loofah is ready.
There's no meat smell at all, but it smells really good.
After stir-frying the loofah, Old Zhang continued to show off his cooking skills, while Wang Yuexia prepared dishes for the tourists. Both stoves were very busy.
The aroma of food from halfway up the mountain was carried by the wind and spread to the noses of the tourists. The tourists, who were originally immersed in the fun of the trip, began to feel their stomachs growling.
"Is it time for dinner?"
"Is the meal ready? It smells so good. I wonder what they're cooking. Will there be pork belly with green plum sauce?"
"I want to eat ribs!"
"Mom, I want to eat small yellow croaker!"
"Your father didn't catch any yellow croaker, so where did the yellow croaker come from? Stop messing around!"
“…”
The tourists began to walk towards the courtyard with the well.
Employee meals are easy to prepare. Considering that there are children here today, the dishes made by Old Zhang are very light in taste and suitable for all ages.
The old men and women stopped working, took their own cutlery, and sat in a row waiting for their meals to be served. It was Ji Zhongyuan's first time here and he had no experience, so Wang Yuexia found him a set of disposable plates that had not been used up from the last banquet. After serving the food, Ji Zhongyuan took the plates and went to eat in the corner for fear of bumping into his grandson.
White rice, three dishes, and the soup is mung bean soup in the morning.
I don’t know who made that mung bean soup, it’s so delicious.
Ji Zhongyuan didn't do much work, but he drank a lot of mung bean soup.
I just wonder if the food is as delicious as it smells.
Ten minutes later.
Ji Zhongyuan burped at the empty plate.
His mouth told him he hadn't eaten enough, but his stomach was full.
Since he got older, Ji Zhongyuan's appetite has not been as great as before, otherwise he would definitely have another meal.
Which restaurant is this old Zhang the chef of? His cooking skills are really good!
Ji Zhongyuan has no other hobbies except enjoying himself. Eating, drinking and having fun are all among his enjoyments, and they are all his favorites.
Although the meal he had today was just a home-cooked meal, the taste was extremely suited to his taste and it made his stomach feel comfortable.
Thinking of this, Ji Zhongyuan couldn't help but make a phone call.
"Hello? Old Zhou, how are you? Are you still coughing? Oh, much better? But I'm telling you, you still need to recuperate. So, I'll find you a good place with good food and good accommodation. I guarantee you'll recover. I'll send you the address, so come quickly!"
After hanging up the phone, Ji Zhongyuan returned the plate and strolled slowly to the foot of the mountain before his grandson noticed him.
This place is really nice, why don’t he come and stay for a while?
Ji Yunzhou didn't know that a big trouble had come to his family. He followed Xia Wu for a stroll in the mountains for the whole morning. He was in a good mood, but he was a little tired. Xia Wu saw it, and drove him back shortly after lunch.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't stay with you longer."
"What's there to be sorry about? You're already great!"
Xia Wu patted Ji Yunzhou's shoulder to comfort him.
But the more I hear this, the stranger it sounds.
Ji Yunzhou was silent.
After sending Ji Yunzhou back to the White House, Xia Wu got in the car and waved, "I'm leaving now. If you want to come out and play again, send me a message!"
She said it so naturally and smiled so brightly that Ji Yunzhou couldn't help but respond: "Okay, I will."
Seeing Xia Wu's figure gradually walking away, Ji Yunzhou turned his wheelchair, picked up the phone and dialed a number.
"Hello? Contact the rehabilitator you mentioned last time."
Chef Zhang cooked for Xia Wu in vain. He waited for Xia Wu to come back from work in the courtyard by the well. He asked to order 1,000 kilograms of loofah at 3.5 yuan per kilogram, which means more than 3,000 yuan for 1,000 kilograms.
"How can there be so many fully grown loofahs? You bought up all the loofahs from several acres of my land in one go. That would be pointless."
Xia Wu doesn't want to monopolize the market. She also wants to provide fresh seasonal vegetables for her fans' vegetable packs.
Loofah is very good.
Chef Zhang smiled awkwardly, "I don't need so much in one day. You can pick a few dozen pounds a day and give them to me. You can deliver them to me in installments. I won't lose out. The loofahs are just coming on the market now, and the market price is three yuan a pound. I'll buy yours for three yuan and twenty cents. What do you think?"
This is not a matter of money. Xia Wu is now very curious. Why is Chef Zhang, the first chef who specializes in cooking for weddings and funerals, so concerned about his students?
It stands to reason that there is no money in making big pot meals. He has already run the canteen. If he wants to make money, he should not buy vegetables from Xia Wu. The vegetables here are not cheap and not cost-effective.
Chef Zhang said sternly, "Why, can't the students eat something good? To be honest, I'm already quite old, and I've completed all the tasks I should complete. I just want to realize some of the value of my life. There are too many video security issues now. I'm just a small cook and can't solve anything. I just want to make delicious meals for the children, so that they can be healthy, study hard, and serve the country in the future. That also counts for my contribution, don't you think?"
Although Chef Zhang is just an ordinary person, he has a burning patriotism and it is not impossible for him to save the country in a roundabout way.
Xia Wu was filled with awe. Since Chef Zhang himself said that a few dozen kilograms a day would be enough, she no longer refused. There were nearly an acre and a half of loofah planted on the mountain, and she could easily make about a hundred or eighty kilograms a day.
"The price is based on the market price, three yuan per pound, and we are all acquaintances."
Chef Zhang readily agreed.
Xia Wu didn't expect that Chef Zhang had just discussed with her about ordering a batch of loofahs to be sent to the school cafeteria, and the next second he sent the photos of the loofahs and the dishes he made today to Ma Xueqing.
Ma's Restaurant.
Ma Xueqing was sitting on a recliner at the entrance of the restaurant, wearing reading glasses and playing chess on his mobile phone. Suddenly, a message popped up. He clicked on it and his beard almost flew off in anger.
"This Zhang guy, what he has are just a few loofahs. What's there to brag about?"
Ma Xueqing muttered as he enlarged the picture, "Wow, look at this loofah, it's so tender!"
The flowers on the stems haven't all fallen off yet, and you can tell they were just picked. They are so juicy.
I just don't know how it tastes when fried.
The season for eating loofah is almost here, and greenhouse loofah has already been sold in the market.
Looking at the stir-fried loofah brought by Chef Zhang, Ma Xueqing's mouth began to water.
He stood up and went into the kitchen, asking his apprentices: "Have you bought some loofah?"
"I bought it, Master, do you want to show me your skills?"
"Show me the food."
The apprentices were used to it. Ma Xueqing taught them how to cook and had requirements for selecting ingredients. They took turns buying vegetables and were most afraid of the master checking the quality of the vegetables, as they might get hit by a stick.
So they all learned how to buy vegetables and specifically bought from farmers who actually grew the vegetables. Although the vegetables they bought had more insect holes, they tasted good.
"Master, here, loofah."
Ma Xueqing took the loofah, which was almost as long as his arm, and asked his disciples, "Have you ever seen a loofah growing naturally this big at this time of year?"
This sentence left everyone confused.
They came here to learn how to cook, not how to grow vegetables, so how can they know when the loofah will naturally mature?
"Master, is this important?"
Ma Xueqing threw the loofah into the basket, and the more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.
"Xiaoxi, buy me a ticket to Tong City. I have something to do outside."
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