Chapter 32: Studying

Chapter 32: Studying

"How much?" the master asked without lifting his head.

Su Zhaozhao and her son switched places, "Two catties."

The master glanced at her, "One catty, there's not much left. There are people waiting behind you; leave some for them too."

The people in line also chimed in, "Exactly, why buy two catties? It doesn't keep well in this weather. Can you finish two catties?"

"If everyone buys like you, what will we eat?"

"Leave some for us. I promised to make meat for the kids today; they've been looking forward to it for days."

Well, buying meat with money and still being talked out of it, one would think she bought ten catties.

"Alright, one catty then." For the sake of the mothers behind her who wanted to cook meat for their children, Gu Heng had said he would get meat dishes from the cafeteria anyway.

There was no choice of meat left on the counter; the good parts like pig's feet and fat were already sold out.

These days, fatty cuts were more popular than lean ones. Lean meat had no fat, making it the last choice for most people. So, those who queued up later, like them, were left with only shoulder meat and some poor-quality scraps.

Su Zhaozhao chose a catty of shoulder meat. The shoulder meat had a bit of fat only where it was attached to the skin, which might weigh about two taels after cutting. The remaining eight taels were all lean meat.

It was the first time the family had bought so much meat. Gu Xiang held the meat in his hands, and the siblings kept checking it as they walked, afraid it might drop accidentally.

Gu Heng was in a hurry to get back to the military base and walked very fast. Su Zhaozhao couldn't keep up.

"I'll take the things back first, you can walk slowly."

Su Zhaozhao nodded, holding the newly bought clay pot, watching him carry the jar in one hand and the basket in the other, walking briskly ahead.

By the time they got home, Gu Heng had been gone for a long time.

She filled a basin with water, soaked the pickled vegetable jar and the clay pot, and also salted the meat to prevent it from spoiling in the heat.

Gu Xiang and Xiao Nian were reading their new textbooks in the room.

The courtyard gate, which was slightly ajar, was pushed open from outside by Wang Chunhua.

Just as Su Zhaozhao was about to greet her, Zhou Xiaojun darted in first, holding a textbook in his arms, "Aunt Su, hello!"

He ran into the house while greeting Su Zhaozhao.

"What's the rush? If you're not busy during the day, you'll be anxious at night, and if you wake up at midnight to mend your pants, you deserve to have unfinished homework and be punished by the teacher!" Wang Chunhua, holding two large bowls, couldn't free her hands, and shouted through the window, "Xiao Xiang, Xiao Nian, don't help him."

Su Zhaozhao hurried to take the bowls.

"These are homemade sauces I made. They add great flavor to dishes and stews. This bowl is pickled vegetables; you can try them too."

"It's too much trouble, I've only been here a few days and have eaten so much from your house."

The sauce was dark red, and she didn't know what it was made of. The aroma of the sauce wafted into her nose, and the pickled vegetables looked very appetizing. Saliva quickly built up in Su Zhaozhao's mouth.

Wang Chunhua waved her hand, "A little sauce and pickled vegetables are nothing."

Seeing the jar by the sink, she asked, "Are you planning to pickle vegetables too?"

"Not really. I'm thinking of making kimchi."

"You know how to make kimchi?" Wang Chunhua was from the north and knew how to make pickled cabbage but not kimchi. She had seen others make it and thought it was simple, but when she tried, it didn't taste right.

Su Zhaozhao nodded and went into the kitchen to clear the bowls.

"You're so capable. I can't do this. When I tried, it smelled like stinky feet."

Su Zhaozhao washed the bowls under the tap and smiled, "It's nothing. I can't make such good sauce either. Your pickled vegetables are so delicious; I could never make them taste like that."

"That's great. We can learn from each other. You teach me how to make kimchi, and I'll teach you how to make sauce. By the way, I also have pickled cabbage, which is perfect for stewing with meat. Do you want some? I can bring some over later."

"Sure! Thank you. Just talking about it makes my mouth water."

Su Zhaozhao subconsciously thought of a dish. Perfect, since they bought tofu, they could make pickled cabbage stewed with tofu and some meat for dinner.

"Let me know when you start making kimchi, and I'll come to learn."

"Sure."

Wang Chunhua took the bowls and left, calling out to Zhou Xiaojun before she went. Zhou Xiaojun said he wanted to do homework with Gu Xiang and the others.

He wasn't really doing homework with them; he wanted Gu Xiang to help him.

"Are we not good friends anymore?"

Gu Xiang pushed the workbook back, "It's not that I won't help, but our handwriting is different, and the teacher will notice."

"Just write uglier, then!" Good handwriting can be recognized, but ugly handwriting definitely won't be.

Zhou Xiaojun pleaded pitifully, "Please, I still have six texts to copy and new characters to write. Teacher Zheng asked us to write a page for each character learned last semester, and I've only written six pages..."

Gu Nian asked, "What did you do during the long break?"

"..." Zhou Xiaojun was embarrassed to admit he had just played around.

Even if he didn't say it, the siblings knew. Aunt Wang called him a mischievous monkey who only knew how to play.

Seeing they weren't budging, Zhou Xiaojun reluctantly pulled out two candies from his bag, "Here, have these. Will you help me now?"

Gu Xiang and Gu Nian each got a candy every day, so they were no longer easily tempted by sweets.

Taking his eyes off the candy, Gu Xiang said, "Forget about the candy. Keep it for yourself and eat it. We can help you write, but you have to help us gather reed stalks."

Just this little thing?

If you don't help, I'll still help you gather them!

"Alright!" Zhou Xiaojun quickly put away the candy, "I'll go gather them after school. I promise to get you a big pile in two days!"

"Alright, but if the teacher finds out, you can't rat us out."

Zhou Xiaojun patted his chest, "Don't worry! I definitely won't do such an unbrotherly thing!"

With a little guest at home, Su Zhaozhao cut some apples and brought them in.

The three children were hunched over their desks, writing furiously, not even noticing her arrival.

"Mom." Gu Nian was the first to spot her.

This startled Zhou Xiaojun, who, like a thief caught in the act, slapped his hands down on the desk, covering the textbooks tightly, also startling Gu Xiang, who was copying from a book.

"Aunt Su, hehe!"

Who hasn't been through childhood? And with Wang Chunhua's shout before she came, how could Su Zhaozhao not know what the three of them were up to?

"Stop giggling, have some apple." After saying that, Su Zhaozhao placed the bowl in the middle of the desk and left, not wanting to disturb them.

Only then did Zhou Xiaojun catch the scent of the apples. Seeing the small slices in the bowl, his eyes lit up!

"Wow! Your mom is so nice, Gu Xiang and Gu Nian!" He picked up a piece and stuffed it into his mouth, mmm, the apple was delicious.

Aunt Su would be his favorite person from now on!

Gu Xiang and Gu Nian, with apples in their mouths, lifted their chins, "Of course!"