Chapter 21

Chapter 21

As November approached, the village had already seen two snowfalls. After the snow finally melted on the sunny, clear days, laughter and chatter became more frequent in the village.

In the courtyard, Gu Lan was seated in a sheltered corner, diligently sewing shoe soles. Zhuoge was learning to cut out shoe uppers and patterns, basking in the warm sunlight that filtered through without any breeze.

Er'hei came over, laid down on the ground with his eyes closed for a nap. Upon hearing their conversation, he would wag his tail, then doze off again. He had grown significantly, his thick, lustrous fur glistening in the sun, exuding warmth. Even his tail had become thicker.

"Mom still isn't back," Zhuoge looked towards the entrance.

Yesterday, Xu Yongan's family slaughtered a fat pig. Miao Qiulian had taken them along to purchase ten pounds of meat, saying they would have a meat stew today.

Gu Lan chuckled, "She'll be here soon. Why are you in such a hurry? Mom definitely won't forget."

Their mother had gone visiting neighbors. It was only during the winter lull that she could spare some time for leisure and joy. By the looks of the time, she should be returning soon, or else she'd miss the meal.

No matter how good life got, meat and eggs were still rare treats. Eggs were manageable, as they could have them every few days, but for hearty dishes like meat stews, Miao Qiulian didn't trust the two of them to handle it.

As they spoke, Miao Qiulian, carrying her sewing basket, entered the house.

"Mother," Bamboo Boy put down the shoe pattern with a grin, his eyes crinkling as he headed for the kitchen. "Mother, I'll be your assistant."

Miao Qiulian could tell he was eager to taste the food and laughed. "Alright, come on then."

Gu Lan was about to lend a hand as well, being older than Bamboo Boy. But upon hearing this, he placed the shoe sole on his knee, stretched lazily, and yawned. "Then, Mother, I'll stay out here."

The sun was so bright that it made him feel drowsy.

Miao Qiulian shot him a glance and said, "Hurry up and learn from watching. If you can't even stew meat when you get married, people will laugh at me, your mother."

Only then did Gu Lan reluctantly stand up, squinting and yawning again.

Er'hei lay sprawled across his feet, his eyes barely open. Upon seeing Gu Lan preparing to leave, the furry dog lifted his head, only to collapse back down as if he couldn't hold himself up, too immersed in sleep to even move.

Gu Lan chuckled, calling Er'hei a lazy dog before heading off.

The smoke rose, and the pot of simmering meat broth bubbled vigorously, its aroma carried by the wind, making anyone who caught a whiff salivate.

Er'hei had been howling in the yard, pacing anxiously. He had previously been chased out of the kitchen by Miao Qiulian and obediently lingered by the door, drool dripping from his mouth, which Gu Lan had noticed.

The pot not only held large chunks of meat but also bones. Miao Qiulian pierced the meat with chopsticks, checking if it was tender before picking a rib for both Zhu Ge and Lan Shi.

Sprinkling a pinch of salt on the rib, neither of them would let go despite the heat, as they could easily separate the meat from the bone with a gentle bite. The salted meat was incredibly flavorful to chew on.

Miao Qiulian also picked a small piece of lean and fatty meat for herself, commenting, "The fat is delicious too, all juicy and succulent."

Most of the fat had been removed the previous day, intended for rendering lard, but she had deliberately reserved this bit of marbled meat specifically for stewing. Both she and Gu Tieshan adored the taste of fatty meat, which was a delight to indulge in.

With his mouth glistening with oil, Zhu Ge slurped on the rib, saying, "Mother, can you make some sour vinegar dip? Otherwise, eating too much greasy food will upset my stomach."

Not only was Miao Qiulian skilled at stewing meat, but she also excelled in preparing a dipping sauce. It was mostly vinegar with a hint of soy sauce flavor, sometimes infused with garlic. This sauce was perfect for reducing the richness of fatty meats while enhancing their aroma.

"Alright, after you two finish, bring a bowl to your grandma first. If you meet Doggie and Father, tell them to come home for dinner," Miao Qiulian instructed, mixing the sauce in a bowl as she spoke.

Lan Shi tossed the rib to Er'hei, who eagerly snapped it up and started gnawing away.

He scooped out seven or eight large pieces of meat into a big bowl; since the slices were substantial, this was quite a generous serving. He added some meat broth and placed two rib bones horizontally across the bowl. Then, he and Zhu Ge set off towards the old house.

Before they had walked far, they spotted Doggie rushing home. With no work today, he had spent the afternoon playing with a top with a few village boys. Now, as mealtime approached and he recalled his mother mentioning the stewed meat, his steps quickened in anticipation.

"Everything's simmered to perfection." His gaze was glued to the bowl of meat and bones.

Gu Lan Shi chuckled. "Hurry back and grab a rib to eat first. We'll deliver this to Grandma. Where's Father?"

With the rare chance to relax, Gu Tieshan was also visiting neighbors today.

The boy, eager to return home, chattered as they walked. "I saw him head towards the old residence earlier, so he must be there."

Upon arriving at the old residence, Gu Tieshan was indeed there, engaged in conversation with his eldest uncle in the courtyard.

Lan Shi called for assistance, promptly carrying the meat bowl into his grandmother's quarters. Knowing that the two of them were eager to return home for their meal, Fang Honghua didn't insist on them staying and instead bid them farewell with a smile as they departed.

Upon returning home, Gu Tieshan uncorked a jar of wine, pouring two bowls for himself and Miao Qiulian. The children fought over the meat, their mouths glistening with grease. As they ate and drank, they felt a warm comfort within them, as if the harsh winter had become more bearable.

*

As the afternoon waned and the sun began its descent in the west, the short winter days prompted rural folk, economizing on lamp oil, to retire early to their beds.

Having had meat today, the puppy didn't venture out in the afternoon. Instead, he stayed in the courtyard chopping firewood. It seemed as if he had grown another inch, almost catching up to Gu Lan's height. Though his limbs appeared slender, he possessed remarkable strength, wielding the axe with great vigor.

Miao Qiulian and Gu Tieshan were occupied in the backyard, she tending to the livestock and poultry while he shoveled manure and swept the area clean.

Zhou Ping, sitting in the sunny corner, was shelling peas and peanuts, preparing them for a bean rice meal later.

Gu Lan, bent over as he sewed shoe soles, felt a strain and rubbed the back of his neck. Seeing Er'hei had chopped quite a bit of firewood, he went over to gather it up, stacking it neatly in the woodshed. He then took a broom to sweep the sawdust into a pile; these scraps were useful for kindling fires or heating the bed.

Hearing someone at the door, Er'hei barked excitedly, greeting the visitor. Gu Lan stopped his work and recognized their neighbor, Zhou Ping, the father of Shitou. He called out to Er'hei.

"Uncle Ping, my father is in the backyard," Gu Lan informed him.

Zhou Ping held a piece of paper in his hand and smiled. "I'm not here to see him. I need Doggy's help to take a look at a land deed."

Upon hearing this, Dogger put down his axe and took the deed, carefully examining it. He then commented, "It's written correctly, just like an official deed."

At the age of eight, during the winter lull, he had started attending school in the neighboring village, taught by a literate scholar. After three years, he had learned to read and write quite well. However, with numerous household chores and the expense of education, he realized he didn't possess the talent for pursuing scholarly achievements. Thus, he stopped attending school.

Despite this, he was the only one among his siblings who had experienced formal education. As a result, he was capable of reading contracts and writing letters without difficulty. Both Gu Lansen and Gu Lanhe hadn't been able to attend school due to their family's financial constraints when they were young. Whenever they needed assistance with writing, they would turn to him.

Whenever villagers asked for his help in reading letters, Gu Tieshan might not say anything, but his eyes and expression radiated pride. Finally, a family of farmers had produced someone who could read and write.

Zhou Ping neatly folded the deed and, with a smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes, said, "I've been saying we should buy more land. Now that your Brother Stone is looking for a match, it's settled."

He came and went with joy, not lingering for long.

Gu Lan Shi inquired curiously, "Which family's land did Uncle Ping buy?"

Ku Gou lifted his ax again and replied, "Xu Yingzi's. Just the other day, I heard people talking about how he was looking for a buyer. Didn't expect it to happen so fast."

"It was him," Gu Lan Shi leaned his broom against the wall and said, "I remember Father saying that last year, Pei Yan bought two mu of land from him, and this year he's selling another two. How can he keep living like this?"

Gu Lan Yu chuckled and said, "Why are you worrying about it? When a gambling addict gets the itch, even a fortune won't stop them from losing it all. Now he still has a few mu of fields to squander. Who knows what he'll sell next? It's fortunate his husband passed away early, or else he would have suffered too."

Gu Lan Shi continued, "Poor Qi'er and his younger brother Rui'er. Not only are they left uncared for, but they also have to suffer because of their father's antics. As the whole village says, it shouldn't have been his husband who died; it should have been him."

Xu Yingzi was a gambling fiend, originally related to the village head, Xu Cheng'an. His addiction was incorrigible, and despite repeated attempts to reform, he never changed. Eventually, even Xu Cheng'an ignored him and stopped caring. Gradually, he had impoverished himself, and the hard-earned family estate was on the brink of collapse.

"I couldn't agree more," Ku Gou split some firewood and picked up another piece to place on the block, saying, "According to the deed, one mu is worth ten taels of silver. This time, he sold two mu, which means twenty taels. If it were someone else, it might take them over a year to spend that much. But him? Within a day or two, as soon as he steps into a gambling den, that money will be gone."

Gu Lan Shi clicked his tongue in disapproval, cursing, "That old gambling addict."

In recent years, whether it was paddy or dry land, a good plot typically fetched ten taels of silver per mu. With land being so precious, farmers cherished it dearly. Yet, Xu Yingzi neglected his fertile fields, choosing instead to gamble and drink.

As evening approached, before the sun had set, Gu Lan and Bamboo Boy each carried a bowl of meat soup towards the northern end of the village. His elder and second brothers had built their houses there.

Miao Qiulian had separated the remaining meat soup from the chunks of meat. The meat could be reheated in the pot when desired, while the soup could be used to cook noodle strips or soak bread for a meal. A spoonful could also be added to stir-fries to enhance the flavor. Despite the two sons having their own households with decent living conditions, a mother's thoughts would always linger on them. The meat soup, undiluted, was equally precious. She placed three or four pieces of meat in each bowl, more than enough to satisfy their cravings.

On their way, they encountered Pei Yan, whom they hadn't seen for several days, returning from outside the village. He carried an oil paper package and a small jar of wine, suggesting he had either gone to town or attended a large market fair. Today happened to be market day, with the sun shining brightly, and other villagers had also gone to join in the festivities.

Being an outsider, Gu Lan cast a quick glance but then averted his eyes, unable to avoid the encounter altogether. He lowered his gaze to the ground, walking with his eyes fixed on the path ahead. Unintentionally, a pair of deep blue shoes caught his attention, swiftly passing by his peripherals.

The shoes were clearly new winter footwear stuffed with cotton, their uppers and sides spotlessly clean. Perhaps it was just an illusion, but even the wearer's gait seemed to reflect a carefulness, as if unwilling to let the shoes touch any dirt.

Gu Lan was momentarily taken aback. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that the fabric used for the shoe upper was indeed from Lin Jinpeng's robe.

No wonder it had torn into pieces when he washed it by the river; it was meant to be repurposed for shoes.