Wu Shufen nodded happily. "Cooking is no trouble at all. As long as you all like it, you just have to say the word."
"Alrighty!" After killing the eel and helping to butcher the soft-shelled turtle, Zhao Dehai took his leave and headed for the market in South City.
Wu Shufen blanched the turtle, then took it out of the water. Using a small knife, she scraped off the thin, dirty mbrane from its shell. She removed the tips of its claws and its tail, then cleaned out all the internal organs and fat. Those parts had a strong, gay sll and would spoil the flavor of the stead turtle.
After washing it thoroughly, she minced the chicken into a paste. She sliced the mushrooms and ham, and after washing the scallions and ginger, she cut them into sections and slices, respectively. Then, she took out the broth left over from lunch and began to steam the dish.
Lin Yuezhen was helping out on the side, hoping to learn so of her cooking skills.
****
Lin Lan closed up her stall early. She asked Yang Liying to watch her pushcart while she rode her bike to the supply and marketing co-op to buy a few bottles of liquor. Seeing they had rice wine for sale, she bought a dozen bottles of that and half a case of soda.
The salesperson helped Lin Lan load the rice wine and soda into her pannier. She picked up a bottle of soda to look at it—it was orange-flavored!
’Suddenly, she rembered her childhood. Itinerant peddlers would often ride through the countryside on their bicycles, two tal jugs hanging from the back, striking a wooden clapper and shouting, "Trade for rice wine, trade for soda!"’
’She and her little sister would scoop rice out of the urn and trade it for soda in their enal mugs!’
’When can I go see my old ho? Is this even the sa world as before?’
’Will I be able to see that little girl with her hair in two pigtails tied with red string, a floral-print bookbag on her back, just starting her first reader? And Mom, Dad, and my sister?’
By now, Mom and Dad would have already gone to town to set up their stall selling fa gao, right? Her mom’s deft movents, her dad’s gentle smile, and her little sister—also with her hair in two pigtails tied with red string, clamoring to eat a piece of fa gao—all surfaced in Lin Lan’s mind.
"Miss, all set!" the salesperson said, interrupting Lin Lan’s thoughts. She smiled. "Rember to bring the bottles back tomorrow, and I’ll refund your deposit!"
Lin Lan snapped out of her reverie and nodded with a smile. "I’ll bring them back to you around noon tomorrow."
The salesperson had her sign her na in a notebook, and then Lin Lan rode her bicycle back to the Eucalyptus Forest.
Li Xiangyang had closed his stall and ca over. "Little Lan, I’m going to head back first to pick up the old man and Xu Dong’s family. You and Yang Liying go on ho."
"Okay! You guys co over soon!"
Just as Lin Lan and Yang Liying reached her front door, they saw Yang Lirong walking onto the stone bridge.
Yang Liying looked at her. "Second Sister, you’ve closed up shop? What brings you here today?"
"Your brother-in-law took the stall equipnt ho. I ca to find Lin Lan, I need to ask her for a little help!" As she spoke, Yang Lirong offered Lin Lan a sh bag of oranges. "I bought these at Dongzikou this afternoon. They’re quite sweet!"
Hearing this, Yang Liying recalled the recent gossip among the production team mbers about them buying storefronts in the city. ’She must be here about that,’ she thought.
Lin Lan glanced at her. ’Today’s visit can’t be for anything good,’ she thought. She gave a faint smile and didn’t reach for the bag of oranges. "Second Sister, co on in and sit for a while!"
"Okay!" Yang Lirong pointed at the pushcart and said with a laugh, "Who made this? It’s really nice!"
Yang Liying said, "Xiangyang made it for Lin Lan!"
Yang Lirong secretly sneered. ’Yang Liying really knows how to suck up,’ she thought. ’No wonder she had the foresight to buy a storefront so early.’
Ever since their last argunt, Yang Liying wanted nothing more to do with her.
The three of them entered the courtyard, and Wangcai started barking nonstop at Yang Lirong.
"Wangcai~" Lin Lan scolded the dog, then pointed to a bamboo chair on the porch. "Second Sister, have a seat!"
"Okay!" Yang Lirong glanced at Wangcai, who was watching her like a hawk, and quickly stepped onto the porch to sit in the bamboo chair.
Seeing her frightened expression, Yang Liying had to stifle a laugh. ’Does the dog know she’s no good?’ she wondered. ’Otherwise, why is it that whenever she and Yang Liqun co over, Wangcai is so friendly, but both tis Yang Lirong has visited, Wangcai has tried to bite her?’
Hearing Wangcai’s barking, Lin Yuezhen ca out of the kitchen. She gave Yang Lirong a polite smile and then went to help tidy up.
Yang Lirong noticed that Lin Yuezhen looked younger than the last ti she’d seen her and sneered inwardly. ’Blood is thicker than water, I guess!’
Lin Lan went into the kitchen and saw Wu Shufen had already started cleaning a fish to make fish with soft tofu. She smiled. "Mom, you’re working so hard!" She then went to get a cup to pour so water.
Wu Shufen shot her a reproachful glance. "Who’s here?"
Lin Lan lowered her voice. "Yang Lirong! She’s the type who never shows up unless she wants sothing. I’m pretty sure she’s here today about Xiangyang helping Third Sister and Eldest Sister buy those storefronts!"
Wu Shufen thought for a mont, then advised, "Talk it out nicely. Don’t fight. Family quarrels just give outsiders sothing to laugh about!"
Lin Lan pouted. "And what if I don’t talk nicely? It’s not like I can pull a house out of thin air for her."
Yang Liying also ca into the kitchen, carrying the white cloth and basket used for wrapping tofu, and shared her own suspicions.
Lin Lan nodded, then carried a glass of honey water out to the porch. She smiled politely. "Second Sister, have so water!"
"I was just getting thirsty!" Yang Lirong picked it up with a smile and took a sip. Then, with an exaggerated laugh, she exclaid, "Ooh! You even put honey in it!"
Lin Lan gave a faint smile. "My mom brought it. It’s wild honey from the mountains."
Yang Lirong hesitated for a mont before looking at Lin Lan. "I know I might have done so things wrong in the past... I hope you won’t hold it against , okay?"
Lin Lan shook her head with a smile. "Second Sister, it’s all in the past, why bring it up? What did you co to see about today?"
"I... I..." Yang Lirong hesitated, then asked, "Lin Lan, I heard people saying that you, Liying, and Eldest Sister bought a few storefronts on South City’s Vegetable Market Street. Is that true?"
She had heard the news yesterday and had even secretly gone to South City to take a look. The properties were right at the crossroads—a really pri location.
’If I had known Lin Lan was this capable, I would have been much nicer to her in the past!’
"Mm," Lin Lan said, looking at her. "A friend helped set up the deal for us. Back then, there was no talk of reopening the grand market. The buildings were so dilapidated no one would buy them. We took a big risk."
Hearing that Lin Lan’s story matched what others were saying, Yang Lirong felt a pang of displeasure. She wanted to say, ’Liying and Eldest Sister both bought one, so how co you didn’t ask ?’ But she was afraid of offending her.
She took several gulps of the honey water before finally looking at Lin Lan. "I heard there were four storefronts there and you all bought them. Could you... part with one for ?"
When Yu Hui heard the news, he had co ho and complained at length, saying she didn’t know how to handle people. Lin Lan had helped Liqun and Liying buy properties but had completely left her out!
Lin Lan refused flatly. "I’m sorry, I can’t sell one to you!" ’Never mind that the news is confird now,’ she thought, ’even if it weren’t, I would never sell to a petty person who sees only profit and has no regard for family.’
Yang Lirong hadn’t expected such a blunt refusal. Recalling Yu Hui’s words, she pressed her lips together, took a deep breath to quell her dissatisfaction, and said, "If it’s not possible, then forget it. But if your friend hears of anything else in the future, could you please let know?"
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