Chapter 18: Braised Delicacies
Cheng Qing walked home with the old Mrs. Cheng, pointing out the surroundings along the way. “Mom, look, this is the canteen. A little further down is a small park with a rockery! Then, across the road is Yangyang’s kindergarten.”
The old Mrs. Cheng asked, “It’s such a big area. Is it safe?”
Cheng Qing smiled. “It’s safe. There are soldiers on duty at the guard posts at the entrance. Besides, I pick up and drop off Yangyang every day, so don’t you worry. And Yangyang is very smart. He’s been in kindergarten for three years and has never wandered off with anyone. When I heard about it today, I thought I had misheard. Who knew he had seen you… It wasn’t in vain that I showed him the photo album at home; he can still recognize his grandma.”
The old Mrs. Cheng beamed like a flower, constantly stroking Mi Yang’s little cheek and holding his hand. “My good boy, Grandma brought you lots of delicious things. I’ll give them all to you when we get home.”
Cheng Qing deliberately said, “Mom, you’re only thinking of him. What about me?”
The old Mrs. Cheng chuckled. “You’re a mother yourself. Why are you still competing with a child?”
Cheng Qing smiled. “Well, that depends on who’s around. My own mom is here, can’t I compete a little?”
The old Mrs. Cheng said, “You can, you can. I’ll dote on both of you, hehe.”
When they got home, Cheng Qing found a change of clothes for the old lady and deftly washed and hung her clothes to dry. She did her chores while chatting with the old lady. The old Mrs. Cheng wanted to help, but Cheng Qing pushed her aside. “You play with Yangyang. Let him show you the new treasures we’ve added to the house.”
Mi Yang then took the old lady’s hand and had her sit on the only rattan sofa in the house. He patted the armrest and said, “Grandma, look, my dad saved up a year’s salary to buy this. Try it, the sofa is very soft. This part can also be lifted, and you can store things underneath… All of my dad’s review books are in here.”
After Mi Zehai was accepted into the military academy, he couldn’t bear to throw away those books, especially the red hardcover military theory book. He had wrapped it up like a treasure and put it away. There wasn’t much furniture in the house, and this was the only storage space, so it was kept neatly inside.
The old Mrs. Cheng sat on the sofa and watched as Mi Yang, acting like a little adult, poured her a glass of water. Her gaze couldn’t help but drift to the coffee table. It was a black lacquered coffee table, polished to a shine, but probably from long use, the four legs of the table had mottled patches where the paint had peeled off, revealing a few pieces of the original wood underneath, which looked a bit abrupt.
As the old lady drank her water, she couldn’t help but keep looking.
Cheng Qing came over after wiping her hands. Seeing her gaze on the coffee table, she said, “Mom, don’t laugh when I say this, but this is an old coffee table that Mi Yang’s dad found at a second-hand market. We’re just making do with it for a couple of years. Mi Yang is about to start elementary school, and there will be a lot of miscellaneous expenses. We’re trying to save some money.”
A pang of heartache shot through the old Mrs. Cheng, and she sighed. “I thought you were the best off, but now it seems your younger sisters at home have more things than you. When Cheng Chun got married, she even got a washing machine. You’re still washing clothes by hand here.”
Cheng Qing smiled. “It’s fine. I wash them clean by hand too.”
The old Mrs. Cheng stroked her eldest daughter’s head, her eyes full of affection. Cheng Qing, in turn, comforted her. “They’re all poor soldiers. When I married a soldier, I never planned on living the life of a rich lady. Right now, Mi Yang’s dad is working hard. He got promoted after getting into the military academy. In the future, after he gains some seniority, things will be better when he transfers to a civilian post.”
The old Mrs. Cheng nodded. “It’s good that you have a plan. If you need any help, just ask. Mom still has some money here. If you need it, just take it.”
Cheng Qing shook her head. “No need. We’ve saved a little. Don’t you worry.”
In those years, a soldier’s salary was not high. Cheng Qing, as a military dependent, had been assigned a job, but she was a nursing assistant in a hospital with only one or two years of service. Her salary of a hundred-odd yuan was barely enough to get by. They were truly saving every penny from between their teeth to provide for the family.
The old Mrs. Cheng asked, “Are you still at the hospital now?”
Cheng Qing said, “Yes, I’m preparing to take the nursing exam. The exam is in a few months, so I’m reviewing for it now.”
The old Mrs. Cheng quickly said, “Then don’t you worry about the housework. While I’m here these few days, you just focus on your studies. I’ll do the chores at home.”
Mi Yang was also starting to miss the old lady’s cooking. He snuggled up to her and leaned into her embrace. “Grandma, I want to eat your… the sweet and sour fish from TV, the kind with lots of sweet sauce.” He caught himself mid-sentence, almost letting it slip.
The old lady hugged him and gave him a kiss, chuckling. “Alright.”
When Mi Zehai came back in the evening, several dishes were already on the table, all in the style of their hometown. The old Mrs. Cheng had even specially brought braised wild rabbit and a whole chicken, a specialty of Shanhai Town. It had to be a whole wild rabbit and a whole chicken cooked together in an earthen pot and then simmered in a secret braising sauce for the flavor to be just right. Both Mi Yang and his father loved this dish and ate it with great relish. Mi Yang gnawed on a large chicken leg by himself, his little mouth glistening with oil.
The old Mrs. Cheng cut half a rabbit and half a chicken, placed them on a plate, and said, “Should we send some over to the Bai family?”
Cheng Qing was a little hesitant. Mi Yang had already finished eating and wiped his hands. He took the plate straightforwardly and said, “Grandma, I’m full. I’ll go deliver it!”
Mi Yang carried the plate all the way to Bai Luochuan’s house. After he knocked, their family’s nanny auntie opened the door. She was very familiar with him and brought him a pair of small slippers with a smile. “Yangyang is here? Are you eating here tonight?”
Mi Yang shook his head. “I’ve already eaten, Auntie. This is what my grandma brought from home…”
Before he could finish, he heard the pitter-patter of footsteps from the second floor, coming closer. Bai Luochuan’s figure soon appeared. His voice arrived even faster than he did, full of excitement. “Mi Yang, I knew you would come to play with me tonight!”
The old man’s voice behind him was deep, but one could still hear the affection for the child in his chuckles. “Slow down, Luochuan, slow down on the stairs.”
Bai Luochuan paid no heed. He even jumped down the last two or three steps in one leap and rushed over to hug Mi Yang, startling him into lifting the plate high. “Don’t, it’s oily!”
Only then did Bai Luochuan steady his steps and look up at the plate in his hand, curious. “What’s this?”
Mi Yang said, “Braised delicacies my grandma brought, rabbit and chicken.”
The old Mr. Bai, who had followed him, heard this. His nose twitched. “Oh, this smells a bit familiar. Yangyang, was this brought from Shanhai Town?”
Mi Yang didn’t have many opportunities to see this high-ranking chief, but he would run into him once or twice a month, so he was not a stranger to the old Mr. Bai. He nodded. “Yes, Grandpa. My family asked me to bring some over for you to try.”
The old Mr. Bai was very pleased and beckoned for him to bring it over. The nanny, seeing this, quickly went to get two pairs of chopsticks, first letting the old master and the young master eat. It was Bai Luochuan’s first time seeing a rabbit. He looked at the dark meat and didn’t dare to touch it much, only picking up a chicken wing to eat.
The old Mr. Bai was not as particular as he was. After washing his hands, he first tore off a rabbit leg to eat. After a couple of bites, he nodded in praise. “This is the taste. It’s been so many years, I haven’t tasted it in a long time. It’s just a bit salty… Little Wu, go get me a bowl of rice!”
Hearing this, the nanny hurried off. When she returned, she brought not only two bowls of rice but also thoughtfully a pot of water.
Bai Luochuan ate a few bites himself, but he wasn’t very enthusiastic. He imitated his grandfather and tore off a strip of meat to feed to Mi Yang. Mi Yang shook his head. “I already ate at home, a whole chicken leg. This was made extra salty so it wouldn’t spoil on the road. I’ll just have some water.”
Only then did Bai Luochuan start eating by himself. After a few bites, he whispered for Mi Yang to pour him some water too.
Mi Yang had a good temper. He poured him some water and got him a napkin. When he looked down, sure enough, the young master Bai had started to kick his little feet again, swinging them back and forth happily.
The old Mr. Bai was a tall man, a northern Han Chinese of over 1.8 meters. Even in his old age, he had a commanding presence. In the time it took to say a few words, he had already torn a rabbit leg clean and eaten it. After a few large mouthfuls of rice, he tore off a piece of the chicken rack and continued to eat. “This doesn’t taste like a farmed broiler chicken. The meat is really firm.”
Mi Yang said, “My grandma said it’s a free-range stupid chicken from the mountains. My family has an orchard and raises a lot of them. If Grandpa likes it, you can come to my house next time.”
The old Mr. Bai nodded. “That’s a good idea. When Grandpa goes, I’ll definitely go to our Yangyang’s house and eat more.”
Mi Yang chuckled. “Then I’ll definitely tell my grandma to put less salt.”
The old Mr. Bai also laughed.
Bai Luochuan sat to the side, his brow furrowed for a moment. He leaned closer to Mi Yang and asked in a low voice, “Mi Yang, your family’s chickens… are they divided into stupid and not-stupid ones?”
Mi Yang said, “Huh?”
Bai Luochuan was already lost in his own imagination, a strange expression on his little face. “Is it that the stupid ones are all caught and eaten, and the not-stupid ones stay on the mountain?”
Mi Yang was at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. “No, it’s just a saying. It’s like the free-range eggs that Auntie Wu buys. A stupid chicken just means a free-range chicken.”
Only then did Bai Luochuan understand. He buried his head and continued to eat his chicken wing, a little embarrassed.
