Chapter 32: Wine and Meat

Chenwang Village had only one general store, run by a man named Crippled Cui. It stocked most of the daily necessities, tobacco, and alcohol. Whenever the villagers needed something, they would check Cui’s shop first; if he didn’t have it, only then would they make the trip into the county seat.

When Liuni returned with the cigarettes, Chen Ling was busy cleaning a fish, and the clay pot of stewing pheasant was already filling the air with a savory aroma. Wang Jusheng sat nearby, occasionally adding a few sticks of firewood to the fire and quietly swallowing his saliva.

"Uncle Jusheng, here are your cigarettes." Liuni walked over, a flashlight tucked under his arm, and handed the pack to Wang Jusheng.

As Wang Jusheng took the cigarettes, he spotted the two small sticks in Liuni’s hand and let out a scoff. "Why did you buy malt sugar? That’s just stuff Crippled Cui boils himself; it’s worthless. If you’re going to buy something, buy milk candies; those are actually good."

"I did buy milk candies. I got two for a dime, but I ran into Xizi on the way and gave them to her," Liuni said, sniffing and stirring his malt sugar.

"Oh ho! Liuni, your son is quite something! He’s only this small, and he already knows how to give gifts to little girls!" Wang Jusheng laughed and couldn't help but tease him.

Wang Lixian, who was helping Chen Ling with the fish, looked up and glared at Liuni upon hearing this. Liuni was terrified of his father and jumped in surprise.

"I didn't!" Liuni said, his face flushing red. "Xizi got scolded by her aunt again and was too scared to go home. She was hiding outside crying. I felt sorry for her, so I gave her all my milk candies."

"What? Xizi got scolded and is afraid to go home? It’s so dark outside; where is she?" Chen Ling stood up immediately. He remembered the little girl; she always wore a dirty red cotton-padded jacket and hair in pigtails, usually too timid to speak. Even when Wang Susu praised her, she would act shy—she was an incredibly introverted little girl.

"Fugui," Wang Jusheng called out, noticing his concern. "This isn't something you can get involved in. That family is more unreasonable than anyone. Don't go inviting trouble for yourself."

Chen Ling’s expression darkened at that. "We can't just ignore it, can we? It’s so late, and if a little girl is too afraid to go home, what if a wolf gets into the village?" Chenwang Village was surrounded by mountains on three sides, and when game was scarce in the spring and winter, wolves often entered the village; this was no laughing matter.

"It’s fine. Her grandfather is around; the old man is even more worried about his granddaughter than you are," Wang Lixian said, not looking up as he cleaned the fish. "Just listen to Jusheng and leave it be."

Even with Wang Lixian saying that, Chen Ling couldn't quite wrap his head around it, but he knew there must be something more to the situation.

Just as he was wondering, Wang Susu pulled him aside and whispered the truth to him. Only then did Chen Ling understand. Xizi was an abandoned child. Chen Sangui, an old man from the east end of the village, had found and adopted her. He had raised her from two years old to six with all his heart, treating her like his own granddaughter.

As it happened, Chen Sangui’s son and daughter-in-law had been married for nearly ten years without children and decided to adopt Xizi as their daughter. Chen Sangui was overjoyed and readily agreed. Unfortunately, since she wasn't their biological child and was a girl, the daughter-in-law would beat or scold her at the slightest dissatisfaction. Xizi lived in constant fear, not even daring to speak loudly, which was a far cry from the happy life she had with Chen Sangui.

Outsiders couldn't speak up or offer advice, or they would face the wrath of the daughter-in-law. Sister Xiuying from the north end of the village, a well-known kind-hearted woman, had once spoken a few fair words, only to have the daughter-in-law fly into a rage, blocking her door and cursing for half a day while her husband threw rocks at Xiuying’s well. Wang Lixian had also tried to intervene once, only to nearly get his face scratched by that woman. Since then, no one dared to say a word.

Chen Sangui was obviously aware of the situation, but the adoption had been legalized. Even if he took Xizi back, how long could she stay? Besides, he was old and didn't have many years left; he was counting on his son and daughter-in-law to support Xizi in the future. He could only visit his son’s house two or three times a day, terrified that his granddaughter was being mistreated.

"Sigh..." Chen Ling sighed, feeling helpless. At least Xizi still had her grandfather looking out for her; otherwise, it would be truly difficult for outsiders to help.

"Uncle Fugui, I told Xizi to come see the puppies tomorrow..." Liuni said with a grin.

"Sure, let her come," Chen Ling replied. "When she gets here, I'll make something delicious for you both."

Chen Ling smiled again and began to finish the remaining dishes. It had to be said that since discovering the Sun-Moon Cave Heaven, his culinary skills had improved drastically. Perhaps it was the influence of the items within the cave that made the food taste incredible, which in turn boosted his confidence. Not only had his technique improved, but his speed was also remarkable.

He quickly finished the braised rabbit meat and the sweet and sour carp, just as the pheasant and mushroom stew reached a perfect, tender state. As he lifted the lid of the clay pot, the fragrance surged into the air.

"Smells amazing, Fugui!" Wang Jusheng swallowed hard, his stomach growling audibly. Liuni was drooling, his nose twitching as he bit down on his malt sugar stick, leaving deep teeth marks as if it were a chicken leg.

Seeing this, Chen Ling called everyone to eat. "Liuni, come here, this chicken leg is yours!"

"It’s delicious, Fugui! Really delicious!"

"I never would have guessed you were such a good cook!"

As the group enjoyed their meal, the neighbors on the east side of the village, who lived close by, were mostly cursing under their breath. It was dinner time, and the aroma drifting into their homes made their coarse flour buns and millet porridge taste flavorless in comparison. *Damn it, who is the spendthrift stewing meat on a regular day? It smells so good it’s driving us crazy!*

Across the street, Qin Dongmei was eating dinner with her daughter and sister. They had scrambled eggs and vegetables, and were eating white flour buns—already much better than most families. But as soon as the scent hit her, she knew exactly where it was coming from. "Eat, eat, eat! That bastard only knows how to eat! He’s got meat every single day—why doesn't he just choke on it!"

Chen Ling turned on the courtyard light and placed the steaming clay pot on the stone table, protected by a damp cloth. Braised rabbit, sweet and sour carp, and pheasant stew—the meal was a feast for the senses.

"Brother Lixian, dig in!"

"You guys go ahead and drink, don't worry about me..."

"Liuni, come get a bun. If you only eat meat, you'll get a stomachache tonight."

Eating the dishes and sipping the fiery liquor, they felt a sense of pure contentment. It was wonderful.

"Fugui, give me another bun!" Wang Jusheng said, his face flushed red from the drink. He didn't stop using his chopsticks, having already devoured four large buns. Liuni watched in amazement; Uncle Jusheng was incredible—even the pigs in the pen didn't eat like that.