“Wahhh, I want KFC! I want to eat it! I want it now!”
Hu Li watched her son sprawled on the floor throwing a tantrum and felt her temper flare. “Get up right now! Zhang Haohao, you just had KFC a few days ago. You’re not allowed to have it again for a while.”
Even though the cost of one meal wasn’t a big deal for them now, a full spread still ran to several dozen yuan. An occasional treat was fine, but eating it every other day just wasn’t reasonable.
“I want it! I want it! I can smell it! I want KFC!” Haohao rolled on the floor, kicking and whining, determined to get his way.
Unfortunately for him, Zhang Yuejun—the one who usually caved first—wasn’t home. So his demands weren’t about to be met anytime soon.
“No. I said no, and that’s final.”
Hu Li had originally planned to keep Haohao at home for another year since he was still young. Now she regretted it. If she’d known, she would have just enrolled him in kindergarten already.
Kindergarten provided meals and looked after the kids—it would save her so much trouble.
As for the tuition, Hu Li was happy to pay it. As long as she didn’t have to deal with this little terror all day, she could easily earn back the fees with her free time.
She’d talk it over with her husband when he got home tonight.
“Wahhh, Mom, can I go eat at Niannian’s house?”
Haohao still remembered the eggs and ribs he’d taken home from Niannian’s place last time. Every day, delicious smells drifted over from their house, but his mom wouldn’t let him go.
Hu Li’s head throbbed. Her son’s crying instantly evaporated any maternal tenderness.
“No.” The memory of that embarrassingly mediocre braised pork still made her cringe. Showing up at their door again? She didn’t have the nerve.
“Wahhh! Bad mommy! Bad mommy!”
Haohao wailed, kicking and flailing on the floor like an overturned turtle.
“I want to eat! I want to eat! I want it now!”
He cried with utter abandon, convinced he was the most pitiful child in the whole world.
But he was just a little kid. After crying for a while, his eyes were red and swollen, and his throat started to hurt. His voice grew hoarse. When Hu Li saw him coughing from his own drool mid-sob, she finally gave in and went over to comfort him.
“Haohao!” She patted his back worriedly and quickly brought him some water.
The uncooperative Haohao took a sip when the cup reached his lips, felt a little better, and was about to start crying again.
Still shaken, Hu Li didn’t dare let him keep crying—he was her own son after all.
“Stop crying. Mommy will take you to get KFC, okay? We’ll go get KFC.” As for crashing dinner at Niannian’s house, Hu Li just couldn’t swallow her pride. So she’d take him to KFC instead.
Haohao was a master at reading his mother’s mood. The moment he heard her agree, he croaked, “I want to eat at Niannian’s house.”
Niannian’s aunt made the most amazing food. He loved it the most.
Hu Li’s eyes widened as she was about to refuse—but before she could get a word out, her son’s sobs started up again.
That tear-streaked face and hoarse crying finally softened her heart.
“Fine. I’ll take you to Niannian’s house.”
With no other choice, Hu Li had to temporarily toss aside her pride and go beg for a meal.
Haohao, who had been sitting on the floor, sprang to his feet and urged his mom, “Come on, Mom, let’s hurry!” The smells wafting over were getting stronger by the second—Niannian and his aunt must be eating something amazing.
“Wait, don’t rush.”
Kids could be clueless, but she was an adult. She couldn’t just show up empty-handed.
Before leaving, Hu Li grabbed a box of cookies they’d just bought and a big watermelon.
The cookies were supposed to be a late-night snack if she got hungry—they were her favorite flavor and not cheap either. The watermelon was something her husband had brought home last night.
Would these be acceptable gifts?
With a nervous heart, Hu Li led her son to stand outside Sheng Nian’s door.
Before she could even brace herself, Haohao knocked first.
“Niannian! Niannian, are you home?”
Last time, Niannian had given him delicious ribs and eggs, and Haohao had immediately declared him his best friend. He’d even brought along a new toy car his dad had bought him, hoping to play with Niannian—but Niannian never seemed to come out.
Hu Li glanced at her son, her anxiety mounting as she tried to figure out how to ask for a meal.
The aroma had been strong when they left home, but standing right at the doorstep, it was almost overwhelming. No wonder her son had been crying to come eat at Niannian’s house.
She was a little tempted herself.
Hu Li secretly swallowed.
Before she could figure out what to say, the door swung open.
A wave of rich, fried fragrance hit her full force. Hu Li couldn’t help but gulp audibly before she even opened her mouth.
Awkward.
“Good afternoon, Miss Sheng. These are some cookies and a watermelon from our place—just a little something for you to try. Oh, you’re eating—uh, sorry to interrupt.”
Sheng Qiu had been watching Sheng Nian eat his fried drumstick, mostly worried he’d burn himself in his eagerness. Now that the temperature had dropped and he was safe, she was about to grab a big drumstick for herself when she heard the voice at the door.
Hu Li’s enthusiastic greeting left Sheng Qiu a bit flustered, especially with that awkward smile on her face.
Sheng Qiu hadn’t expected neighbors in a 1990s apartment complex to be so warm and proactive about bringing gifts. She was pleasantly surprised. “Oh my, this is so kind of you! Would you like to come in and sit for a while?”
At that moment, Sheng Qiu regretted not buying two more chickens. Now that someone had shown up, she didn’t even know what to serve them.
Hu Li felt a bit embarrassed, but Haohao, standing beside her, was thrilled and immediately agreed.
“Thank you, Auntie.”
But before he could step inside, Sheng Nian, holding his drumstick, blocked the way. “She’s my aunt.” Meaning: you can’t call her that.
Haohao’s eyes were fixed on the drumstick in Niannian’s hand. It looked just like what he’d had at KFC—and it smelled so good! While drooling over the chicken, he still managed to answer Niannian.
“Mm-hmm, I know. She’s Niannian’s aunt.”
Satisfied with that answer, Niannian took Haohao’s hand and led him inside.
The awkward smile on Hu Li’s face stiffened a little. What an embarrassing son she had—his eyes were practically glued to the drumstick in that child’s hand.
“Sorry for the intrusion.”
Sheng Qiu led Hu Li inside.
As Hu Li stepped in, she couldn’t help but take in the living room. The layout was pretty much the same as hers, but for some reason, this room looked especially nice—and bigger, too.
That was all Sheng Qiu’s doing. Over the past few days, she’d slowly added little decorative touches, rearranged the living room, set aside a space for Niannian’s toys and picture books, and even brought home flowers every now and then. It had a cozy, warm feel.
“Niannian’s aunt, did you decorate this living room yourself? You did such a great job. The cloth on that cabinet really makes a difference—it looks completely different.”
Hu Li made her living selling women’s clothing, so she had a sharp eye for aesthetics.
“I just tidied it up to my own taste—makes life feel a bit better.” Sheng Qiu didn’t let the compliment go to her head. Instead, she noticed Hu Li—a fashionable, modern woman.
“Yummy mmm—so good! Niannian, your KFC is so delicious!”
Haohao’s praise immediately drew both women’s attention.
When she saw her son, who had somehow already sat down next to Niannian and was holding a big drumstick with greasy lips, Hu Li felt mortified.
Couldn’t he have waited a bit? Now he was already eating someone else’s food.
“Haohao, you should dip it in the ketchup my aunt made—it’s super good.” Niannian wasn’t selfish and happily shared Sheng Qiu’s homemade ketchup with Haohao.
Ketchup?
Hu Li’s heart sank. Her son was a picky eater. He loved KFC and meat in general, but could only handle a tiny bit of vegetables—and he especially didn’t like sour things. Tomatoes were one of his least favorites.
At home, it didn’t matter if he refused, but they were at someone else’s house! How embarrassing would it be if he spat it out?
Before Hu Li could stop him, Haohao had already dipped the drumstick in ketchup and taken a big bite.
The next second, he turned to Niannian happily and said, “So good! Niannian, your aunt’s ketchup is amazing! Haohao loves it!”
It was sweet and tangy—even better than candy.
Hu Li breathed a sigh of relief. She was about to say something when Sheng Qiu held out a big chicken wing to her.
“Haohao’s mom, try my fried chicken wing—it’s pretty good.”
There were only two wings on the plate. Hu Li felt a little awkward. Though her mouth watered, she said, “No, no, save them for the kids.”
Sheng Qiu simply picked up a wing and took a bite. The juices trapped inside the crispy coating burst in her mouth, carrying the rich flavor of tender chicken as she savored it with pure delight.
Hu Li had originally planned to leave the two wings for the children. How could she, an adult, take food from kids? But then Sheng Qiu just started eating right in front of her—and the way she enjoyed it made Hu Li swallow hard without meaning to.
Sheng Qiu caught the motion out of the corner of her eye.
“Haohao’s mom, go ahead and eat. If the kids want more, we can always make extra. No need to shortchange ourselves.”
Sheng Qiu was never one to sacrifice her own enjoyment for others. Good food was meant to be shared. Even if they finished it, they could buy more and make more. She didn’t want the kids to grow up selfish, thinking only they deserved the good stuff.
Hu Li was a straightforward person too. Hearing that, she didn’t hesitate any longer. After thanking Sheng Qiu, she picked up the fried chicken wing.
She’d thought her son had terrible table manners, but after tasting it herself, she realized his reaction wasn’t exaggerated at all.
“This—this wing is incredible! I think it’s even better than KFC’s.”
Crispy, flavorful, tender, and juicy—absolutely irresistible.
She only regretted being too slow. She couldn’t even imagine how good the drumstick her son was eating must be.
“Niannian’s aunt, could I trouble you to make a few more?” One wing was definitely not enough.
Sheng Qiu was a little surprised but still nodded. “How many do you want?”
“Four wings and four drumsticks.” She’d have two of each, and her son and husband could split the rest.
Only two chickens’ worth—that was fine.
“Okay.” After agreeing, Sheng Qiu handed her sweet chili sauce to Hu Li. “This is a sauce I made. Haohao’s mom, give it a try.”
The sweet and spicy flavor cut through the richness of the fried chicken, making Hu Li’s eyes light up again and again.
“Niannian’s aunt—I want eight wings and eight drumsticks.”
She’d just said not to shortchange herself, but this was a bit much, wasn’t it? Sheng Qiu couldn’t help but think.