Chapter 22 Hairpin
"People sure are out in force tonight."
"Well, it is the Dragon Boat Festival after all."
As night fell and the lights began to glow, Li Ang and Chai Cuiqiao strolled along the riverside street. In the middle of the road was a group of men in red clothes and red hats, carrying a dragon dance cart strung together with stools and wrapped in colorful paper lanterns. Those at the front lifted and lowered the dragon’s head, making various soaring and tumbling gestures. This was the dragon cart of the New Grain Society, a rice shop mutual aid society.
In Yu Country, there were all sorts of mutual aid societies in every city, like rice societies, Weaving Silk Shops, and Gold and Silver Societies. Following the New Grain Society was the dragon cart of the Wine Society. In addition to the stool design, each of the four dragon claws held a lantern in the shape of a wine jar, making it look very lifelike. Dozens of dragon dance carts, accompanied by the lively and boisterous sound of drums, led the citizens in a procession along both banks of the Yishui River, heading from north to south.
"Sir, please give me two fried sesame balls."
Li Ang stopped in front of a food stall, cheerfully pulling out money to buy two fried sesame balls – also known as sesame seed-coated mochi balls. The balls were made of glutinous rice flour and water, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and then deep-fried in a pan. They were crunchy, flaky, and delicious—just like the flavor of the campus breakfasts from his memories.
It was said that eating fried sesame balls was an ancient custom. When Nuwa was worn out from mending the sky, the newly born humans on earth, worried and caring for Nuwa, made fried sesame balls shaped like globes out of flour. They tied them with red string and placed them on the rooftops to repair the sky.
This must be the most authentic thousand-year-old delicacy; the production craft and flavor haven’t changed at all, and even the filling is the same.
Li Ang ate the sesame balls from a paper bag and glanced at Chai Cuiqiao, who was beside him with tears welling up in her eyes and a look of quiet resentment. His smile deepened slightly. The little maid had overestimated her own appetite, having eaten too many zongzi during dinner, and could hardly walk now. Even if she wanted to eat, there was no spare room in her stomach.
That’ll teach you to eat so much at dinner.
Li Ang smiled, turned his head, and bought four more sesame balls from the food stall, casually saying, "You can’t eat them now anyway, to avoid getting too full. We’ll re-fry them in oil when we get back tonight."
"Yay!"