Chapter 48 Ginger, date and brown sugar soup
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I'll make some changes to the future translation, a.k.a. using English terms instead of Shenzi, Daniang, e.t.c At the moment, I'm working on Chapter 99, so this change will be implemented from that point on. I prefer to dish out more chappies rather than going through the first 98 chappies and re-edit it. And OMG I'm nearly 1/7 through the novel and it's been over three months.
Chapter 48. Ginger, date and brown sugar soup
"Fine, not eating!" Da Wa ran out in exasperation.
Lin Qing He wouldn't call him back. She told Er Wa to quietly follow. Er Wa understood without being explicitly told. She took out a white rabbit candy and let him find his brother.
Lin Qing He was idle, so she led San Wa to the entrance to make a snowman. The snow fell really heavily last night. Zhou Qing Bai got up early in the morning to clear the snow. After he returned, she didn’t have to do any of this work. He done it.
Including cooking pig food and the likes. They were all handled by him.
She will certainly help in the future when he goes off to work. But for now, she really had no plans to. Let him busy away on his own.
The mother and son were having a good time when Chen Daniang from next door came by.
Seeing Chen Daniang, Lin Qing He greeted: "Where is Chen Daniang going?"
And got San Wa to greet her.
The reason why she didn't mind chatting was mainly that Chen Daniang was pretty nice. Her husband's family was also from the old Zhou family, although they are a little distantly related.
The ancestors of Zhoujia Village were more or less related. There weren't any other surnames. But after living in the village for so long, it made no difference.
"My second son's wife just gave birth last night. Only when I went over, did I know there's no more brown sugar at home. So I thought I would go over to the supply and demand cooperative and look around." Chen Daniang said.
"Better let Chen Daniang be on your way. One thing, at this time, most of the things in the supply and demand cooperatives are sold out. If you can't buy it, come over to me for some. I bought some back last time. You can use it to solve the emergency."
"Then Daniang thank you first." Chen Daniang didn't act bashful and readily responded.
Lin Qing He nodded.
This Chen Daniang had helped the original owner to take care of her boys because the original owner was rarely looked after them. Sometimes she could leave the boys at home alone and would spend the whole day as outside.
This Chen Daniang came over to help out twice. The original owner treated it as nothing. While Lin Qing He, who inherited the memory of the original owner, mentally kept count.
Chen Daniang had two sons. She currently lived with her eldest son’s family. The second son moved once he married.
It was the first family to split in the village, and it was also a peaceful split. Neither Father Zhou nor Mother Zhou had Chen Daniang couple's courage.
But now it was clear that life was very good. Since Chen Daniang's second son had their first child.
Speaking of this, Lin Qing He's emotion surged.
In fact, many people in the village gave birth one after another ever since the autumn rush.
Counting the time, almost all of them were conceived around winter isolation last year.
People in this era were like this. Because there was basically no other pastime. The only exercise was the couple's matter on the kang. Otherwise, how can there be so many children at this time?
Not mentioning others, just take Zhou Qing Bai who had received a national education. After returning, he saw that she was in line with his image of an ideal wife. Didn't he still want to squeeze into her quilt on her Kang every day?
Don’t assume she doesn’t know that when he first came back, he didn’t have any thoughts about her.
Later on, don't know what happened and he changed his mind. She didn't do anything special. She cooked three meals and boiled him a bowl of ginger and date soup before going to bed at night. Oh right, for the first few days, she insisted on boiling ginger water to soak his feet to drive off the chill every day.
Other than that, there was nothing. As long as he was idle these days, he would approach her to find a sense of existence, even if he didn't say anything.
Lin Qing He continued to push a snowman with San Wa. The mother and son became so delighted from playing. Da Wa and Er Wa returned after half an hour. The mother and son duo's big snowman was almost piled up.
"You two come over and check it out. What do you think of our snowman?" Lin Qing He greeted the two of them.
Da Wa saw that his mother didn't remember what happened in the morning, and cheerfully came over.
At the sight, Er Wa uttered, "Mother, why didn't you call me as well!"
"The snowman had no nose and eyes. Think about what you can do to give it a nose and eyes. It'll count as you taking part." Lin Qing He said.
"Elder Brother, quickly go in the house and get the walnuts. It can be eyes for the snowman!" Er Wa responded immediately.
Da Wa ran in to grab it. He also went to the kitchen to get two firewood out and plugged them on both sides of the snowman. Then he stuffed the walnuts. Like this snowman was mostly completed.
"Great work! Your imagination is very good." Lin Qing He encouraged.
Da Wa stared at her and said nothing.
"Study hard and learn many skills in the future. Mother will depend on you." Lin Qing He said.
"Our custom here is that parents live with their eldest son." Da Wa blurted out.
Lin Qing He glared: "So, you don't intend to be filial to me and your father in the future?"
"That's definitely not possible. When you and Father get old, I will let you eat buns and dumplings every day!" Da Wa declared.
Lin Qing He recalled then. The custom from this place was that the parents live with their youngest son. Meaning, Father Zhou and Mother Zhou will live with her family in the future.
For now, that was not necessary, as Father Zhou and Mother Zhou were still young.
As for the future, let's talk about it then. It was too early to discuss caring for the old.
Though she said that, Lin Qing He still hopes that the two will take care of their bodies. Otherwise, when they live with her in the future, and their health is bad, the burden will fall on her shoulder.
So she asked the brothers to play outside. She went in and cooked the ginger, date and brown sugar soup. She stored it in the insulated lunch box brought back by Zhou Qing Bai and got Da Wa to send it to their grandparents.
Of course, she let all three boys drink a bowl each. Lin Qing He had one too. It couldn't be more wonderful to drink this in such cold weather. It's really body warming.
Lin Qing He was going to make sticky bean paste buns. It was troublesome to make this sticky bean paste bun, but now Lin Qing He got so much free time.
Although the wool pant wasn't finished yet, it does not affect her making more food for the children.
While she busied away at home, the brothers came back from their grandparent’s house. They clustered over to help. Lin Qing He didn’t shoo them away. If they were capable to do it, then she would command them to help. Besides being busy, they also gain a sense of accomplishment.
At old Zhou's house, Father Zhou was drinking ginger, date and brown sugar soup. Have to say, this was really delicious.
In the mind of these people in this era, two things that mean good. One was having oil content and the other was sweet stuff.
Stored in the insulated lunch box, was about two bowls worth. Father Zhou poured it out and drank his own portion. And the remaining portion was poured out for his wife.
"Drink it while it's hot. What are you sitting there for?" Father Zhou said to her.
"I never expected this. The two of us can still enjoy the filial piety from Fourth's wife." Mother Zhou emotionally expressed.
"It's enough that Fourth's wife is willing to live peacefully. As for other things, don't mind it." Father Zhou stated.
If she can bring something to show filial piety, then eat it. If she doesn't, then don’t demand for it. That was what Father Zhou meant.
Da Niang: father's elder brother's wife; unrelated: aunt or granny