Endless Fall

125 Talking About the Past

Lin Jiao replied with a smile, “What else do you want to eat?”

“Carrot stewed pork ribs and stir-fried yams.” Chu Kui glanced at Pei Zhen. “Give him braised pork too.”

“Do you think this place is a restaurant?”

“Old Chu and I came all the way here. Don’t you think it’s only appropriate to treat us to a big meal?”

“Shameless!” Lin Kanglu cursed angrily, but he did not stop the juniors who were walking towards the kitchen.

Pei Zhen knocked him with his walking stick.

He raised his chin at the house beside him. “Aren’t you going to bring us in for a tour?”

“Can you even walk?”

“Why can’t I?”

“He’s pretending to be a cripple. Ignore him.” Chu Kui picked up his teacup and stood up at the same time as them.

Chu Yuzhou, who came out after inspecting the kitchen, realized that the old men were gone. He said excitedly, “Let’s go and see the chickens?”

“You want to catch it?”

“A little. I never tried it.” He was willing to try anything that he had never done.

Pei Zhi held Lin Jiao’s hand and walked in front.

He found the chicken coop in the backyard and pulled open the fence to let him in. “I’ll give you a chance to show off.”

“Which one?”

“Catch whichever one you like.”

Chu Yuzhou looked around and finally chose a ‘lucky chicken’.

He avoided the chicken poop and moved to the right. Just as he stretched out his claws, the red-haired chicken flapped its wings and flew away.

He went back and forth a few times but did not even manage to touch a feather on the chicken.

“You have to sneak up to it.” Looking at his clumsy movement, Lin Jiao was anxious.

She lowered her voice to avoid scaring the chickens. “Catch it when it’s not paying attention.”

Chu Yuzhou did as she said.

He bent down and slowly walked forward. After getting closer, he suddenly pounced on it.

Then—

He tripped over a stone.

Lin Jiao held her breath, afraid that he would fall on the chicken poop.

Fortunately, Chu Yuzhou reacted quickly and stabilized himself in time.

“Holy crap! That was close.” Chu Yuzhou panted.

Pei Zhi held back his laughter.

He thought of how miserable he was the first time he was catching a chicken and decided not to continue watching the show. “Let me help you.”

“I have to catch it this time!” Chu Yuzhou clenched his fists and swore.

“I’ll feed it, and you try to sneak up to its back.”

“Sure.”

Pei Zhi sprinked grains on the ground and led the chicken to a corner where it was not easy to escape before giving Chu Yuzhou a look.

They cooperated well and caught the struggling chicken quickly.

“Do you have a knife?” Chu Yuzhou lowered his head to look at his clothes that were covered in dust and wanted to retaliate.

“The knife is in the kitchen.”

“I’m going to kill this little bastard.”

By the time Pei Zhi and Lin Jiao returned to the kitchen, the chicken was already dead.

Lin Jiao quickly took a basin to keep the blood. “It’s still moving.”

“Then I’ll give it another slash.”

“Point the knife at its neck.”

Chu Yuzhou slashed down.

He looked at the chicken neck to make sure it was dead before putting down the knife. “What do we do next?”

“Plucking the feather.” Lin Jiao told him the steps.

After Pei Zhi finished boiling the water, she placed the chicken in the pot and boiled it for two minutes before teaching him how to pluck.

After Lin Jiao was done giving a demonstration, Chu Yuzhou gave it a try.

He sat alone on the wooden stool and plucked the feather one by one. “Brother Pei, have you ever killed a chicken before?”

“I have.”

“Here as well?”

“Yes.” Pei Zhi put on an apron.

He placed the fish on the chopping board and knocked it out with the back of the knife before scraping off the scales. “I caught it with Yanshen last time.”

“He must be very skilled, right?”

“Indeed.”

Lin Jiao walked behind Pei Zhi and helped him tie the apron.

She picked up the basin filled with veggies and walked to the sink to wash it.

Chu Yuzhou leaned over to wash his hands. “Who’s going to cook?”

“Do you know how to cook?”

“I know.”

“Your showtime then.” Lin Jiao thought for a moment and handed him a plate filled with yams and fungus.

Chu Yuzhou rolled up his sleeves.

In just a moment, a wisp of smoke spread out, and the entire house was filled with the fragrance of fresh food.

Seeing that he was stir-frying the yams skillfully, Lin Jiao was slightly relieved and poured the chicken into another pot.

In no time, one dish after another was placed on the table in the living room.

“Do you have wine?” Chu Kui wanted to drink.

Lin Kanglu turned around and walked to the wine jar. “Kids, do you want to drink too?”

“What’s the alcohol content?”

“Fifty or sixty.”

Chu Yuzhou went over with two glasses.

He sniffed the wine that was filled with herbal fragrance. As soon as he took a sip, he frowned at the spiciness. “Brother Pei, try it.”

“You have to savor this wine slowly.” Chu Kui picked up his glass and wanted to laugh when he saw his grimace face.

“It’s spicy even if I drink it slowly.”

“Then drink white wine.”

Lin Kanglu poured him a glass.

He told them to eat first and then picked up his glass. “Don’t drink too much. You still have to go back tonight.”

“Go back to where?” Pei Zhen picked up a peanut. “Old Chu and I are staying for the night.”

“There’s no room for the two of you.”

“Then we’ll stay in your room.”

“In your dreams!”

“Yuzhou, stay here tonight too.” Chu Kui made up his mind. “You have nothing to do anyway. Drive us back tomorrow.”

Chu Yuzhou did not dare to refuse even if he had something to do.

He put down his glass in a daze and tugged at Pei Zhi. “Let’s go out and take a walk to sober up.”

“Go and water the fields on the way.”

“Close the door.”

“Okay.” Lin Jiao guessed that they had something to talk about, so she closed the door.

After the footsteps were gradually disappearing, the room fell into a short silence.

The sound of bowls and chopsticks colliding lingered in the quiet room. Chu Kui, who could not stand this atmosphere, picked up his glass and clinked it with theirs.

He took two sips of wine. “I heard from Old Pei that Jiaojiao asked him about you and Hongyuan yesterday.”

Lin Kanglu chewed on a peanut with his left cheek and looked at Pei Zhen. “What did you tell her?”

“I told her the truth.” Pei Zhen paused for a moment. “But I didn’t mention who those two items belong to.”

“Why didn’t you mention it?”

“What’s the point? I’m not like you. I don’t wanna bring up something that happened 15 years ago.”

Fifteen years ago, in order to support Lin Kanglu’s work, he and Chu Kui each took out a family heirloom and gave it to Lin Kanglu to repair.

They did not expect Lin Hongyuan to be so stupid as to sell the items behind their backs.

Neither did they expect that a few harsh words from Chu Kui’s wife would make Lin Kanglu avoid them for 15 years out of guilt.

“Old Lin.” Chu Kui placed his hand on his shoulder. “You know what my wife is like. She didn’t say that on purpose.”

“I don’t blame her.” Lin Kanglu sighed. “I was stubborn in the past and was impulsive.”