Chapter 113: Sugar-Roasted Chestnuts
With the uninvited guests gone, Grandma Shen felt the air was suddenly much fresher.
The crowd of onlookers, seeing there was no more excitement to be had, dispersed. It wouldn’t be long before the news spread throughout the entire village.
Suddenly, Grandma Shen remembered something. "Everyone, hurry up and bathe! Wash your hair and change your clothes. We can’t have anyone getting fleas. Those things are a nightmare."
The family instantly bustled with activity again.
While washing Yun Jiao’s hair, Shen Yunlian made a point to check. Thankfully, she didn’t find any fleas.
Grandma Shen wasn’t so lucky, though. Two were found in her hair and promptly squashed.
Her face soured. "I shouldn’t have grabbed her hair with my bare hands. How long has it been since that woman last washed her hair, I wonder!"
"Quick, check me too," Aunt Shen said.
She had grabbed their hair, too. It couldn’t be helped; women’s fights were mostly hair-pulling and face-scratching.
The interruption from those people had delayed their dinner.
Today, Grandma Shen had stir-fried the chicken giblets.
The fragrant, sour and spicy chicken giblets made one’s mouth water from the smell alone.
Yun Jiao stood guard by the stove, getting special treatment and being slipped plenty of snacks.
Her eyes crinkled in satisfaction, her happiness plain to see.
After another sumptuous meal, everyone sat around the courtyard with full bellies, chatting.
"Dear, you and your husband should take the meat back first thing in the morning tomorrow," Grandma Shen said. "We only have one last patch of corn to harvest. It won’t even take us a full day to finish."
Shen Yunlian replied, "There’s no hurry. We’ll go after you finish harvesting the last plot."
"No, it’s too hot. The meat will spoil if it sits out for too long. If it weren’t so late, I’d go with you to take it back right now. Listen to me. You two take the meat back first thing in the morning. We need to turn the rest of ours into cured meat so it doesn’t go bad."
Shen Yunlian thought it over. In the end, afraid of wasting the meat, she nodded in agreement.
Yun Jiao tugged on Uncle Shen’s clothes. "Uncle, sugar-roasted chestnuts."
Shen Nian slapped his forehead. "Oh, that’s right! I was so busy I completely forgot."
He swept Yun Jiao up and set her on his shoulders. "Let’s go! Uncle’s going to roast some chestnuts for you right now."
Yun Jiao’s view suddenly shot upward, and her eyes sparkled like stars with delight.
Seeing this, Yun Xiaowu also started clamoring for a shoulder ride.
Uncle Shen said, "Get lost. You’re a big lump. Are you trying to crush me? What, you got a problem with your uncle?"
Yun Xiaowu got a light tap from his foot and ran off.
Before roasting chestnuts, you have to cut a couple of slits into them, or they’ll explode from the heat.
With their limited supplies, the chestnuts Uncle Shen roasted came out with slightly blackened shells. Once peeled, however, they were still delicious, just not very sweet.
After all, sugar was a precious commodity.
But the chestnuts had a soft, starchy texture, and that hint of sweetness made them delicious.
"I didn’t roast many today. They’re hard to digest at night when you’re already full. You can take the rest home—they’re also delicious boiled."
Yun Jiao, her mouth happily stuffed with chestnuts, nodded. "Mhm."
’When I get home,’ she thought, ’I’ll not only pester Dad for roasted chestnuts, but I’ll have him make tanghulu, too.’
"Meow~"
As Yun Jiao lay on the lounge chair fanning herself with a cattail fan, the tabby cat hopped over the wall.
She patted her lap.
"Mimi, come here."
The tabby cat...
"Boss, come on over."
Only then did the tabby cat flick its tail and leap into her lap.
"You’re so big."
Cuddling the tabby cat, Yun Jiao scratched its chin. "Good thing I’m strong, or I wouldn’t even be able to hold you."
Perhaps because she was so comfortable, she yawned and slowly drifted off to sleep.
In the night, the picturesque little girl wore only a small white tank top and shorts. The skin of her chubby little arms and legs was snowy white and delicate, seemingly glowing with a soft light under the moon.
One glance was enough to see how clean and soft she was, like a chubby, fluffy little ball.
The tabby cat didn’t lie on top of her, but stretched languidly and lay down beside her on the lounge chair. It draped its tail over her little tummy and fell asleep as well.
Only a few minutes after closing its eyes, the tabby cat’s ears twitched. It opened its eyes, a pair of brilliant green orbs staring at the approaching figure.
Yun Chendong glanced at the tabby cat. "I’m taking her to bed."
He wasn’t sure why he was explaining himself to a cat, but he felt it was remarkably intelligent.
Then again, many of the animals around Jiaojiao were unusually perceptive.
The sleeping Yun Jiao looked so soft and obedient.
Yun Chendong was normally composed and reserved—the one in the family who smiled the least, his emotions kept tightly under wraps.
But now, looking at his sleeping sister, the corners of his mouth curved up slightly.
’His sister might be a bit too lively, a bit too strong, and occasionally a bit mischievous,’ he thought, ’but she’s truly a good girl. Being near her just makes your heart soften and fills you with the desire to protect her.’
Yun Chendong moved gently and carefully, lifting the tiny girl into his arms.
Yun Jiao’s little brow furrowed, and she showed signs of waking.
But she only managed to flutter her eyelids open a crack, her nostrils twitching as if she were sniffing something.
"Big Brother."
Even without seeing who was holding her, she recognized him by his scent. Still half-asleep, she mumbled groggily, "Big Brother."
The little girl’s voice was already sweet, but that "Big Brother" was especially soft and endearing.
Yun Chendong held her a little closer, gently patting her back.
"Go to sleep."
He skillfully lulled the soft little girl in his arms back to sleep.
"Is she asleep? Let me see."
Yun Chenxi sidled up, circling his older brother, wanting a turn to hold her.
After the autumn harvest, the two of them had to leave, and they wouldn’t be able to return for at least two or three years.
Yun Chendong dodged him. "Don’t wake her up."
He said, walking toward the house.
Yun Chenxi followed reluctantly behind him.
"I won’t wake her! Just let me hold her!"
The tabby cat stretched lazily, hopped onto the wall, and went back to sleep.
「The next morning」
Grandma Shen’s house was already bustling with activity.
They were packing pork, and of course, grain.
"Take this old rice with you. And don’t you dare try to pay me for it this time! We’re about to harvest the new rice anyway. Take it back for Jiaojiao. She and Little Nine are still so young, they need to eat more rice to grow big and strong."
"And these bamboo pith, they’re all dried. Take all of them with you."
In no time at all, two wicker baskets were stuffed to the brim.
"That’s enough, that’s enough..."
Shen Yunlian and Yun Linhai kept protesting from the side that it was enough.
Grandpa Shen wordlessly emerged from his room holding a delicate little monkey, exquisitely woven from thin bamboo strips.
"Jiaojiao, this is for Jiaojiao."
The skin of his tanned hands was coarse, yet with those same rough hands, he had woven an incredibly detailed little toy for his granddaughter.
Yun Jiao hugged the little bamboo monkey, her eyes filled with adoration.
"It’s pretty! Grandpa is the best! Jiaojiao loves it."
She spread her little arms and hugged Grandpa Shen.
Grandpa Shen was normally a man of few words, but that didn’t mean his love for Yun Jiao was any less.
Holding Yun Jiao, Grandpa Shen grinned like a contented child.
When it was time to leave, everyone was extremely reluctant to part.
Grandpa Shen, Grandma Shen, and the others walked them a very long way.
Yun Jiao was in her big brother’s arms. Every time she looked back, she could see her family still standing in the same spot, waving, reluctant to let them go.