Zhao San laughed. "Just go about your business, ma’am, don’t mind us. There’ll be plenty more people coming later. If you have to greet every one of them, you’ll never get any work done."
Grandma Huang smiled kindly at Juhua while saying to Yang Family, "That’s right. You’re so generous, sending tofu to every household. Even though these acorns were just foraged, it still took a lot of work—soaking, sunning, and then shelling them. If we still made you fuss over us, that just wouldn’t be right, would it? I figured a lot of people would be coming over the next few days, so I ca to grind with Third Brother. My two nephews’ families won’t be coming over now; I’ll just give them a share of the flour we grind today. You and your husband are generous, but we can’t be so shaless as to keep taking advantage. If we use up all your acorns, you’ll have nothing to feed your pigs next year."
Yang Family quickly replied, "Oh, listen to you, Grandma Huang! How could I be that busy? What important work does a farr have during the New Year? It’s not like the spring planting or autumn harvest, where we have to rush to get things in the ground or gathered up. The only thing we’re busy with over the New Year is eating and talking. It’s nice to have you all here for a chat. These acorns aren’t anything precious. It’s only because you all didn’t gather any this year. Next year, when everyone goes out to forage, every family will have them. Then you won’t even care if I try to give you any!" With that, she led them into the kitchen.
As they walked, she added to Grandma Huang, "Grandma Huang, please watch your step. It’s always wet by the well, and the ground is still frozen over. Be careful you don’t slip. Co this way."
Little Shitou stayed outside, chattering away to Juhua about how everyone had scrambled for the turtle at yesterday. His high, clear voice was full of energy as he gestured wildly, acting out the scene for her. Juhua couldn’t help but laugh, her eyes crinkling with amusent.
With Zheng Changhe and his son keeping busy, Juhua found herself with nothing to do. She went into the kitchen to watch them work the millstone and listen in on the gossip to pass the ti.
She pulled over a small stool and sat by the opening of the stove. Little Shitou leaned against her, and Black Dog trotted over to join the fun, squeezing between them to lie down at their feet.
Juhua was listening to Shitou’s mother talk about Granny Hua. "She asked what I was up to, and I couldn’t very well lie, so I told her I was coming here to make acorn tofu. She didn’t look too happy about it and seed a bit embarrassed. I didn’t invite her, but she found a way to save face. She said she was busy today and would co with Changxing’s mother tomorrow. That way, she said, we wouldn’t all be crowded in here at once."
As she spoke, she continued adding acorn kernels into the stone mill that Zhao San was pushing.
Grandma Huang pursed her lips. "That lazy hag does nothing. The other day, my grandson went up the mountain to gather acorns. When she saw him, she said, ’It’s already winter, you won’t find any. It’s better to wait until next autumn.’ If everyone was like her, we’d all be eating wind and shitting shadows!"
Zhao San laughed and chid in, "That’s just her talking nonsense. Didn’t her own son, Changming, go up the mountain to gather acorns too? You think she’d dare co here to grind tofu? Li Laoda would probably never let her."
Just then, Zheng Changhe finished his task, washed his hands at the well, and ca into the kitchen to help Zhao San with the millstone.
Zhao San asked, "When are you butchering the pig? Found soone to do it yet?"
Zheng Changhe replied, "Tomorrow. I’ve already found soone. Pork prices have dropped. If we didn’t need the pigpen empty, it would’ve been better to wait until spring to butcher and sell it. We could’ve gotten a much better price then. It’s a sha to sell now; we’ll lose two cents a catty."
Zhao San sighed. "Tell about it. My pig yielded one hundred fifty catties of at, and I lost out on several hundred cents."
Yang Family asked in surprise, "You an you didn’t keep any for yourself? And you still sent a few catties of at to us! Honestly, Shitou’s mother is pregnant. She’s the one who needs to be eating well."
Zhao San laughed. "Don’t worry, we kept ten catties of at. That’s plenty! Plus, we have the pig’s head, trotters, and all the offal. We never used to know how to prepare it, but now we do. Once it’s cooked up, doesn’t it taste just as good as regular at? Add to that the ten-so catties of fish we were given... how could we not have a good New Year? It’s worlds better than it used to be!"
Grandma Huang chuckled. "That’s for sure! In years past, we were lucky to buy a single catty of at for the New Year. We’d sell all the big fish we got and only keep the small ones for ourselves. This year is so much better. My son said the sa thing—we’re not selling the fish, just the at. The price of pork is bound to go back up. Lots of folks heard the price dropped, so families that were planning to butcher their pigs are holding off until next year. With that, and since most people need to buy at least so at for the New Year, won’t that just drive the price right back up?"
Zheng Changhe considered this and realized she had a point, which cheered him up.
Zhao San then said to him, "I was thinking, we should probably raise a sow. Otherwise, if we keep buying piglets, their price is bound to go up too."
Zheng Changhe nodded. "I was thinking the sa thing. I’ve just never raised a sow before, so I don’t really know what I’m doing."
User Comments
0 comments from readers