sinovels Chapter 22 Braised Pork
Chapter 22 Braised Pork
"Hello, Auntie, I'm looking for Lin Xiaoyun. I'm her classmate, from Lutang Village."
The woman looked him up and down, her gaze shifting from his face to his hands.
He shifted his gaze back to his face, a slow smile playing on his lips: "You're Chen Zheng?"
Chen Zheng was taken aback: "Auntie, how do you know my name?"
"Xiaoyun told me. She said you saved Teacher Zhao and even paid for her medical expenses. Come in quickly, come in quickly."
The woman pushed the door open and stepped aside to let Chen Zheng in. "Xiaoyun! Someone's looking for you!"
The house is small, with two bedrooms and a living room, cement floors, whitewashed walls, and simple but clean furniture.
There was a square table and a few chairs in the living room.
An old-fashioned cabinet with a 14-inch black and white television set on it, covered with a white cloth.
A framed picture hangs on the wall, containing several black and white photographs.
One of the photos is of Lin Xiaoyun when she was a child, with two little braids and a big smile showing her two front teeth.
Lin Xiaoyun came out from the inner room.
She wore a white dress with a floral print today, the waist was perfectly fitted, and a section of her fair calves was exposed.
Her hair wasn't tied in a ponytail; it was loose and draped over her shoulders, its jet-black color making her skin appear even whiter.
She saw Chen Zheng, paused for a moment, then smiled, her eyes crinkling.
"Chen Zheng? What brings you here?"
"I'm here to return your money."
Chen Zheng took out the thing wrapped in the handkerchief from his pocket and handed it over, "Fifty yuan, you count it."
Lin Xiaoyun took the handkerchief, opened it, and inside was a stack of money, neatly stacked.
She glanced at it, didn't count it, wrapped the handkerchief in it, and handed it back: "I don't want this money."
Why?
"You contributed your time, effort, and even paid for Teacher Zhao's medical expenses."
Here's fifty yuan, consider it a small token of my appreciation; you don't need to pay it back.
"No. This money is for your tuition; I can't take it."
Chen Zheng pushed the handkerchief back.
"Zhao's wife, Zhou Min, has already paid me back for his medical expenses. This money is yours; you can keep it."
Lin Xiaoyun was taken aback: "Aunt Zhou is here?"
"They're here. They came yesterday to pick up Teacher Zhao from the hospital. They even stewed chicken for me," Chen Zheng said.
Lin Xiaoyun was silent for a moment, then took the handkerchief, took out two yuan from her pocket, and handed it over.
"Take this money; consider it your transportation fee."
You traveled from Lutang Village to the county seat, a round trip of dozens of miles; we can't let you go for nothing.
"No need. I rode my bike here myself." Chen Zheng didn't take it.
"Where did you get this car?"
"Borrowed."
Lin Xiaoyun looked at him, the corners of her mouth turning up, her eyes crinkling: "Why are you so stubborn?"
"You're the stubborn one. You just gave up fifty yuan for tuition. You're more stubborn than me," Chen Zheng said.
They both laughed.
Lin Xiaoyun's mother watched from the side, her hands stopping picking vegetables, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a big smile.
She placed the scallions on the table, wiped her hands on her apron, and said:
"Xiaoyun, your classmate is here, won't you even offer her a seat? What kind of talk is that, standing up to talk?"
"Oh, right, please sit down."
Lin Xiaoyun pulled up a chair for Chen Zheng to sit down, then poured him a glass of water and placed it in front of him.
"Drink water. Plain water, no sugar added, just drink it."
Chen Zheng picked up the cup and took a sip. The water was warm, just right for his taste.
He placed what he was carrying on the table:
"This is brown sugar, white sugar, and two cans of food, I brought these for you."
Lin Xiaoyun looked at the things on the table: "Why did you buy all this? It must have cost a lot of money, right?"
"It's not much money."
The brown sugar is for your mom to make a drink with; you can keep the white sugar for yourself; and your parents each have one jar of canned food.
Lin Xiaoyun's mother, who was nearby, heard this and smiled, "This child is so sensible."
Xiaoyun, look at her, she brought things the first time she came back.
What about you?
What did you bring when you visited your teacher Zhao's house last time?
"I brought my report card! Third in the whole school!" Lin Xiaoyun said defiantly.
"Can a report card feed you?"
"Your teacher Zhao is sick, and instead of bringing some eggs and brown sugar, you just brought a piece of paper?"
"That's different! When Teacher Zhao saw my report card, she was happier than if she'd seen an egg!"
Chen Zheng listened from the side, a smile playing on his lips.
At this moment, Lin Xiaoyun's father came out from the inner room.
Lin Xiaoyun's father came out from the inner room.
He was in his forties, not very tall, thin, and wore black-rimmed glasses.
He was wearing a blue cotton shirt, the collar buttoned up tightly, and his hair was neatly combed, without a trace of impeccable care.
He held a newspaper in his hand, the day's daily edition, folded in half with his fingers tucked between them.
He stood at the doorway of the inner room, his gaze peering out from above his glasses.
"Xiaoyun, is this your classmate?"
"Dad, this is Chen Zheng from Lutang Village. He's Teacher Zhao's student."
Lin Xiaoyun stood up and tugged at Chen Zheng's sleeve. "Chen Zheng, this is my dad."
"Hello, Uncle." Chen Zheng stood up and gave a slight bow.
Lin Xiaoyun's father nodded, came out of the inner room, put the newspaper on the table, and sat down in a chair.
He sat upright, his back straight, with his hands resting on his knees.
When looking at people, their gaze is steady, neither looking away nor flinching.
"You must be Chen Zheng? Xiaoyun told me about Teacher Zhao's hospitalization; it was all thanks to you."
"Uncle, it's nothing. Teacher Zhao has taught me for so many years, this little favor is nothing."
Lin Xiaoyun's father nodded again, his gaze lingering on Chen Zheng for a moment.
Chen Zheng felt a little uncomfortable being stared at, but he didn't look away; he just stood there and let him look.
"Sit down, don't stand," Lin Xiaoyun's father said, gesturing to a chair.
Chen Zheng sat down.
Lin Xiaoyun's mother watched from the side, a wide smile playing on her lips.
He turned and went into the kitchen, bringing out a plate of sliced watermelon, red flesh and black seeds, juicy and fresh, and placed it on the table.
"Eat watermelon, it's from our own garden, it's sweet."
"Thank you, Auntie."
Chen Zheng took a piece, but didn't eat it right away. He handed it to Lin Xiaoyun's father first, saying, "Uncle, please eat first."
Lin Xiaoyun's father paused for a moment, took the watermelon, and his lips twitched as if he were smiling.
He took a bite and nodded: "Sweet."
Chen Zheng took another piece and handed it to Lin Xiaoyun. Lin Xiaoyun took it, took a small bite, and
Juice dripped down the corner of her mouth, and she wiped it with the back of her hand, her eyes crinkling into a smile.
Chen Zheng took a piece, took a bite, and found the watermelon to be sweet and juicy.
It melts in your mouth, a refreshing sweetness that travels from your throat all the way down to your stomach.
"Zhengwa, are you from Lutang Village?"
Lin Xiaoyun's mother asked, and Lin Xiaoyun wiped her hands on her apron, sat down opposite Chen Zheng, and placed her hands on her knees.
They seemed ready to have a serious talk.
"Yes. Lutang Village, by Baiyang Lake."
How many people are in your family?
"Five people. Father, Mother, two younger brothers, and me."
What does your dad do?
"Fishing. My father fished his whole life."
Lin Xiaoyun's mother nodded and then asked, "How old are you?"
"nineteen."
"You're nineteen, not young anymore. Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Mom!" Lin Xiaoyun's face flushed instantly, the same color as the watermelon flesh on the table. "Why are you asking these questions?"
"What's wrong with asking? It's not illegal."
Lin Xiaoyun's mother glared at her daughter, then turned to look at Chen Zheng with a smile.
"Zhengwa, don't be offended, Auntie was just asking casually."
Chen Zheng smiled and said, "Auntie, it's okay. I don't have a boyfriend."
Lin Xiaoyun's mother nodded in satisfaction, and was about to ask something else when Lin Xiaoyun's father interrupted her.
"Alright, are you checking my household registration?" Lin Xiaoyun's father picked up the newspaper, shook it, and folded it again.
"It's their first time here, and you're asking them all sorts of questions. How can they sit still?"
"I was just asking, I didn't mean anything by it."
Lin Xiaoyun's mother muttered something, stood up, picked up the scallions on the table, and continued picking them.
But they kept their ears perked up, afraid of missing a single word.
Lin Xiaoyun's father put the newspaper aside and looked at Chen Zheng:
"Zhengwa, I heard you went to the farmers' market to sell fish today?"
"Yes. Today is the last day of the aquatic product fair organized by the county."
"How are sales?"
"It's alright. The total for the three days is a little over a hundred yuan."
Lin Xiaoyun's father's eyes lit up, and he tapped his fingers on his knee:
"Over a hundred yuan? Not bad. You did it all by yourself?"
"No. I did it with the guys from the village. I was in charge of fishing, and he was in charge of pushing the cart and selling the fish."
Lin Xiaoyun's father nodded, then asked, "What are your plans for the future? Will you just keep fishing and selling fish?"
Chen Zheng knew that Lin Xiaoyun's father wasn't testing him; he genuinely wanted to hear his plans.
He took the book "Freshwater Fish Farming Techniques" out of his pocket and placed it on the table.
"Uncle, I'm planning to start a livestock farm. Doesn't the county have support policies for this?"
I want to take this opportunity to develop the fishpond.
Lin Xiaoyun's father picked up the book, flipped through it, looked at the back cover, and then flipped through the inside pages.
His finger paused on Zhao Deming's annotations: "Did Teacher Zhao give you this book?"
"Yes. Teacher Zhao said that if you want to do aquaculture, you have to master the theory first, and you can't just do it blindly."
Lin Xiaoyun's father closed the book, handed it back, and his gaze towards Chen Zheng changed:
"Have you met with Deputy County Head Xu?"
"I met him."
On the first day of the trade fair, Deputy County Head Xu came to inspect the market, stood at my stall for a while, and said a few words.
"What did he say?"
He said the county had launched an aquaculture support project, providing loans, technology, and fish fry.
Let me go ask at the seafood company.
Lin Xiaoyun's father nodded, tapping his fingers on his knee:
"Deputy County Head Xu is a man of his word. He is in charge of agriculture, and aquaculture is his main focus."
If you really want to develop your fishpond, go to him; he'll definitely help you.
"Uncle, do you know Deputy County Head Xu?"
"I know him. I work at the county agricultural bureau, and he's my supervisor."
Chen Zheng was taken aback. The Agriculture Bureau. The supervisor in charge.
He then remembered that Lin Xiaoyun had mentioned that her father worked in the county town, but she hadn't specified what he did.
It turns out it was from the Agriculture Bureau.
"Uncle, you must know something about aquaculture, right?"
"I know a little. I'm in charge of aquaculture at the Agriculture Bureau, and I've been doing that for over ten years."
Lin Xiaoyun's father stood up, walked to the cabinet, opened the drawer, and pulled out a stack of documents. He flipped through them...
He pulled out a few bills and handed them to Chen Zheng, saying, "Take a look at these."
Chen Zheng took it; it was a mimeographed copy of the "Qingshui County Aquaculture Development Plan (1984-1986)".
The paper was thicker than the one Zhao Deming had given me, and the cover was stamped with the red seal of the Agricultural Bureau.
He flipped through it; it was written in great detail.
The distribution of fishponds throughout the county, the species being farmed, the production targets, and the support policies are all clearly listed.
Several pages are tables filled with densely packed data, making it difficult to see clearly.
"Uncle, can I take this home to look at?"
"Take it back. If you don't understand anything after you've finished reading it, come and ask me."
My office is on the third floor of the Agriculture Bureau building, the second one from the left.
"Thank you, Uncle."
Lin Xiaoyun's father waved his hand, sat down again, picked up the newspaper, but didn't read it. He placed it on his lap and looked at Chen Zheng.
"Zhengwa, tell me the truth, do you have enough capital to start a livestock farm?"
Chen Zheng thought about it and decided to tell the truth:
"It's not enough. We've saved some money at home, plus the money we made selling fish these past few days, but it's less than two hundred yuan in total."
"Digging a pond, buying fish fry, buying feed—this amount of money isn't enough."
Lin Xiaoyun's father nodded, tapping his fingers on his knees one tap at a time.
Lin Xiaoyun's mother was picking vegetables nearby when she heard this and looked up at Chen Zheng.
Lin Xiaoyun sat beside him, listening intently to Chen Zheng and her father's conversation, her eyes fixed on him.
"You don't need to worry too much about the capital."
Lin Xiaoyun's father finally spoke.
"The county has a support program that provides loans to large-scale livestock farmers. The interest rates are low and the repayment period is long."
If you can get the project approved, capital won't be a problem.
"Uncle, what are the requirements for applying for this project?"
First, you need a venue.
The location, size, and water source conditions of the fishpond must all meet the requirements.
Secondly, you need to have the skills. You need to prove that you know how to raise fish, and that you can keep them alive and healthy.
Finally, you need to have a sales channel.
The fish have been raised, but they need to be sold.
Lin Xiaoyun's father explained each point clearly and logically.
"You have the site, that low-lying field by Baiyang Lake. I've heard of it; it's in a good location with plenty of water."
You have to learn the technology; just reading books isn't enough, you have to practice.
You don't need to worry about sales; the county's aquatic products company will buy them all, and the price will be based on market conditions.
Chen Zheng kept these words in mind. Venue, technology, and sales channels—all three are indispensable.
"Uncle, I'll secure the venue first, and then apply for a loan from the seafood company."
"Okay. Go back and measure the location of the fishpond, draw a rough sketch, write an application report, and bring it to me for review. I'll give it my opinion."
"Thank you, Uncle."
Lin Xiaoyun's father waved his hand again, picked up the newspaper, and this time actually read it, then said nothing more.
Lin Xiaoyun's mother stood up, took the chopped scallions into the kitchen, and brought out a plate of scrambled eggs, a plate of stir-fried greens, and a bowl of braised pork.
The braised pork belly was stewed until it was a glossy red color, with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, steaming hot, and its aroma filled the whole house.
"Zhengwa, don't leave, eat here." Lin Xiaoyun's mother placed the dishes on the table and then went to get bowls and chopsticks.
"Auntie, no, I have two brothers waiting outside."
They were pushing a cart at the entrance of the family compound. Chen Zheng stood up.
"Invite them in to eat with us. They're not strangers," Lin Xiaoyun's mother said, walking towards the door.
Chen Zheng quickly stopped her, saying, "Auntie, really, there's no need. We've already eaten at the market, we're not hungry."
Lin Xiaoyun's mother turned around and looked at Lin Xiaoyun's father.
Lin Xiaoyun's father looked up from his newspaper and said, "Alright, stop stopping him. He has other things to do, let him go."
Lin Xiaoyun's mother then stopped insisting, took a lunchbox from the kitchen, and filled it with some braised pork and scrambled eggs.
He put the lid on, tied it with a rope, and handed it to Chen Zheng: "Take this back and let your parents try it."
"Auntie, this..."
"Take it. It's nothing special, just homemade."
Chen Zheng took the lunchbox, which was still warm, and he could smell the aroma of braised pork through the lid.
He tucked the lunchbox into his coat, thanked them, and turned to leave.
Lin Xiaoyun followed her out.
The two people walked out of the residential building and into the courtyard.
The old man under the tree was still playing chess, and there were more onlookers than before, chattering away.
Someone shouted "Checkmate!" and slammed their hand on the chessboard, making a loud thud.
"Chen Zheng," Lin Xiaoyun called to him.
Chen Zheng stopped and turned around.
Lin Xiaoyun stood at the building entrance, sunlight filtering through the leaves and falling on her.
Gold fragments were scattered on the floor of the white floral dress.
Her hair was blown by the wind, and a few strands clung to her face. She reached up and tucked them behind her ears.
Are you coming to the county again tomorrow?
"I'm not coming. The trade fair is over, and I'll be staying home to clean the fishpond tomorrow."
"Oh," Lin Xiaoyun replied, then paused for a moment, "When will you come again?"
"Let's wait a few days."
"Once I've sorted things out regarding the fishpond, I'll come back to my uncle and ask him to take a look at my application report."
Lin Xiaoyun nodded, stood there with her hands behind her back, her fingers twisting the hem of her skirt.
Chen Zheng looked at her and said, "Then I'm leaving."
"Mmm," Lin Xiaoyun responded, without moving.
Chen Zheng turned and took a few steps, then heard her call out behind him, "Chen Zheng!"
He stopped and turned around.
Lin Xiaoyun stood there, her face a little red, whether from the sun or something else, it was hard to tell.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back. Finally, she said, "Drive carefully."
"it is good."
After Chen Zheng left the family compound, Zhang Jianguo and Chen Rong were still waiting by the cart.
Zhang Jianguo squatted on the ground, holding a tree branch in his hand, drawing something on the ground.
Chen Rong stood quietly beside the cart. When she saw Chen Zheng come out, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
"Ah Zheng, why did you take so long?"
Zhang Jianguo stood up, patted the dirt off his backside, and said, "We've been waiting for almost half an hour."
"I talked to Xiaoyun's dad for a while."
Chen Zheng took the lunchbox out of his pocket and handed it to Zhang Jianguo, "Here, braised pork, Xiaoyun's mother gave it to me."
Zhang Jianguo took the lunchbox, opened the lid, and his eyes widened in surprise: "Wow! Braised pork! And it's still hot!"
He took a deep breath, his face filled with delight, "Delicious! So delicious!"
"Stop smelling it, cover it up, and take it home to eat tonight."
Zhang Jianguo put the lid on, tied it with a rope, carefully placed it in the basket on the cart, covered it with burlap, patted it down, and felt at ease.
The three people pushed the cart toward the bus station.
Halfway there, Chen Zheng remembered something and asked Chen Rong:
"Rongzi, you've been looking around all day. What do you think of selling fish?"
Chen Rong thought for a moment and said, "Brother, I think selling fish is harder than fishing."
"How so?"
"To catch fish, all you have to do is get the fish out of the water."
Selling fish requires dealing with people. You'll encounter all sorts of people; some are easy to talk to, others are not.
You need to be good at judging people, good at talking, and good at accounting. If you can't do any of these, you won't sell the fish.
Chen Zheng glanced at him and nodded: "You're right."
Fishing requires skill, but selling fish requires brains.
A skill is easy to learn, but you need to develop your mind gradually. If you work at a stall a few more times, you'll slowly learn it.
Chen Rong nodded and kept those words in mind.