Seeing Lu Jiaxin bring out so many snacks, Ma Lili was pleased at her generosity, but felt she still needed to say something. “Jiaxin, dear, Third Uncle’s money looks like a lot, but it goes fast, you should still be careful with your spending.”
Jiaxin knew she meant well and said with a smile, “I know, Fifth Sister-in-law. Of all this, only the red date cake is something I bought myself, everything else my dad brought over the other day.”
Lu Jiajie leaned in and asked, “Did you ask Third Uncle for it?”
“No, he bought it on his own.”
Ma Lili seized the moment to say, “Jiaxin, see, Third Uncle really does care about you.”
Jiaxin nodded with a smile. “I used to be foolish, always thinking it wasn’t easy for him to earn money, so I never asked him for anything. Now I understand, if I don’t take it, it just benefits that venomous mother and daughter instead. From now on, whenever I’m short on money or need something, I’ll go ask my dad for it.”
Lu Jiajie laughed heartily. “That’s the spirit, little sister.”
Just then, a booming voice rang out from outside. “Fifth Brother, I could hear your laughter from a mile away, what’s got you so happy?”
The moment the words landed, Lu Jiaguang walked in, followed by his wife Wang Xiaojie and the three siblings, Lu An and his brother and sister. The couple had four children in total, their eldest, Lu Ping, had gotten into the capital’s Second Medical College last year. Although it was only a vocational program, graduates were guaranteed job assignments, so his future was secure. Since he was busy studying, he hadn’t come today.
Lu Jiajie said cheerfully, “Big Brother, Jiaxin’s finally seen the light.”
Lu Jiaguang agreed with this. “Jiaxin, you’re still young, Third Uncle should be supporting you until you’re working.”
Wang Xiaojie took Jiaxin’s hand and said, “I should have come to see you the moment you got back, but I was at the main hospital for advanced training last week and couldn’t take time off.”
Jiaxin already knew this. “Big Sister-in-law, work matters most, you can come see me anytime. Big Sister-in-law, you and Big Brother sit down first, I’ll go cut some watermelon.”
Wang Xiaojie waved her hand. “It’s not that hot yet, no rush to eat it. Jiaxin, you’re still recovering, you should rest properly. Take Zhenzhen and Xiaofeng inside to sit down.”
The two cousins and their spouses knew that her qi and blood had been severely depleted after her injury, and felt deep sympathy for her. At the same time, they thought Lu Hongjun heartless for letting his daughter move out even in this condition.
Jiaxin had never much liked housework anyway, and seeing they wouldn’t let her lift a finger, she instead told stories to Zhenzhen and Qiangqiang and the others. Not Grimm’s fairy tales, but Journey to the West.
Among the Four Great Classics, that was her favorite, she’d read the book three times and rewatched the TV adaptation many times over, though only the original version counted for her. This time she deliberately chose the story of Sun Wukong’s Three Strikes Against the White Bone Demon.
She told it so vividly that not only Zhenzhen and the other younger kids were captivated, but even Lu An, already in high school and having read Journey to the West himself, listened with rapt attention.
Tired from working, Lu Jiajie went to catch a breeze under the hallway eaves, only to find himself drawn in the moment he caught a few sentences of the story.
Once the story of the Three Strikes ended, Lu Jiajie felt a pang of regret at having missed the beginning. He wanted to ask Jiaxin to tell another one, but couldn’t bring himself to ask in front of his own children.
Jiaxin had told this particular story with a purpose in mind. “Zhenzhen, after hearing this story, what do you think of it?”
Lu Zhenzhen answered without hesitation, “Little Aunt, that White Bone Demon was so evil, wanting to eat Tang Monk’s flesh.”
Thinking she was only ten and not quite mature enough yet, Jiaxin turned to Lu An instead. “What about you?”
Lu An thought it over and said, “Little Aunt, Tang Monk is useless and has a bad temper besides, he doesn’t even deserve to be Sun Wukong’s master. If you ask me, Sun Wukong would be better off going to fetch the scriptures with Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie on their own.”
Lu Zhang and Qiangqiang were still too young, so Jiaxin didn’t ask their opinions. “This story teaches us that there are many wicked people in this world who disguise themselves as kind. You all need to be careful in the future, so you don’t fall victim to people like that.”
Lu Jiajie naturally cast Ding Jing in the role of the villain. “Jiaxin, don’t worry, that venomous mother and daughter will get what’s coming to them eventually.”
Jiaxin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Ma Lili, washing vegetables in the courtyard, said with a smile, “Big Sister-in-law, I never expected Jiaxin to tell stories so well, even my little monkey’s stayed put listening instead of running wild.”
Five-year-old Lu Qiang had boundless energy, and often left her utterly exhausted.
Wang Xiaojie wasn’t surprised at all. “Jiaxin’s loved reading since she was little, always had a broad range of knowledge. It’s just that she used to be too shy, and busy with schoolwork besides, so she never had time to tell them stories. It’s different now, after a month or so running a stall out there, she’s grown bolder and much more quick-tongued.”
If you asked her, this whole ordeal had actually turned into a blessing in disguise for Jiaxin. Before, the girl had been all bark and no bite, constantly putting on a fierce front but always ending up the one who lost out in the end. Now things were different, not only had she exposed Ding Jing and Zhao Siyi’s true, ugly nature, she’d even gotten Third Uncle wrapped around her finger.
Ma Lili thought this change was a wonderful thing too.
Lu Jiajie checked his watch and went back to the kitchen to keep busy. Back when he’d fallen for Ma Lili, he’d studied cooking under Lu’s mother just to win her over. He turned out to have quite a talent for it, and within half a year had surpassed his teacher.
Because of his culinary skill, he was always the one to cook whenever the Lu family gathered or celebrated New Year’s Eve, though nowadays that only applied at Lu Jiaguang’s house, since he’d never once cooked at Lu Hongjun’s home again after Ding Jing and her daughter moved in.
At half past ten, Lu Hongjun arrived, bringing a bottle of Moutai and two bottles of Gujing Gongjiu liquor, along with a large chunk of braised beef and a roast chicken.
Seeing this, Jiaxin immediately grabbed a plate to arrange it on.
While slicing the braised beef, catching the aroma, Jiaxin couldn’t resist grabbing a piece to eat. “Dad, this braised beef is so delicious, where’d you buy it?”
Lu Hongjun said with a smile, “The Xu family’s braised meat shop. This braised beef isn’t available every day, it depends on your luck. Since you like it, I’ll buy more the next time they make some.”
Jiaxin knew that domestically right now, there were only draft oxen and no dedicated beef cattle being raised. Draft oxen were an essential labor tool, and unless one had an accident or died of old age, it wouldn’t be slaughtered.
Once Lu Hongjun sat down, he called Lu An and Lu Zhenzhen over and asked about their studies.
The smiles on the two siblings’ faces froze instantly. As for Lu Zhang, who consistently failed his exams, he was so frightened he slipped away into the kitchen to tend the fire.
Jiaxin had no wish to see the kids crying at her own housewarming feast, and fished the watermelon out of the water bucket to slice it up. “Dad, this watermelon’s especially sweet, want to try some?”
With that, she called Lu Qiang and Xiaofeng over, and seeing Lu An and Zhenzhen watching longingly, couldn’t help the corner of her mouth curling up. “Come on, everyone dig in.”
The two siblings didn’t dare move until Lu Hongjun nodded, and only then did they pick up their pieces and start eating.
After finishing a piece of watermelon, Lu Hongjun told her about the English tutor. “The person I found is a second-year student at the foreign language university. His grandfather studied abroad in America over thirty years ago. This student grew up by his grandfather’s side and speaks fluent English.”
Jiaxin thought he’d moved quite fast on this. “When can he start lessons?”
Lu Hongjun shook his head. “Something’s come up in his family, probably two more weeks before he’s free. I’ll let you know when the time comes.”
“All right.”