Chapter 21: Bringing Meat Home

Ah Zhe’s father stood to the side, accepted the Daqianmen cigarette Li Xiangdong handed him, lit it, and took a drag. He watched the group of young people together, feeling that this lively atmosphere was truly wonderful.

He hadn’t felt so relaxed and comfortable in a long time, and a smile slowly appeared on his face. “Dongzi, are you planning to use the pig’s tail to cure your daughter’s drooling? Then it can’t be cut. The child should hold the whole thing in her mouth.”

Li Xiangdong nodded in reply, “Isn’t that right? My daughter’s mouth just drools and drools.”

Xiang Lin said cheekily, “Dongzi’s mouth is so unfiltered. Do you think you’re watering the fields in the countryside, with drool flowing like that?”

Ah Zhe’s father chuckled, “Dongzi’s daughter is a blessed one.”

Li Xiangdong deeply agreed, “Uncle is right. With a father like me, my daughter will have endless blessings to enjoy in the future.”

“Hey, Binzi, how are your knife skills? Can you debone the pig’s tail cleanly?”

The meat was cut. The pig’s head meat and offal were mixed together, and each of them got a large bowl full, including the broth.

Li Xiangdong didn’t use a bowl. He got two empty wine bottles from Ah Zhe, poured the wine from the enamel mugs into the bottles, then washed the mugs thoroughly with water. He filled one with meat and put the pig’s tail in the other one separately for his daughter.

He had originally wanted to ask his brothers to help him carry the square stools back, but seeing how anxious they were to get home, he didn’t say anything in the end. He’d deal with it when he went home after drinking tonight.

It was just in time for the evening rush hour, and the alley was bustling with people coming and going. Li Xiangdong kept his head down as he walked, avoiding people and hurrying home.

Life wasn’t easy for any family right now. If the aunties and grannies in the alley found out his enamel mug was full of meat, the news would spread throughout the entire alley by the next day!

Li Xiangdong passed through all obstacles and finally arrived at his own gate. Seeing it was closed, he stuck his butt out and pushed the gate open.

He didn’t dare kick it; if his mother found out, she would scold him for a whole year!

“Wifey! Wifey!”

“What is it?”

Zhou Yuqin handed their daughter to Mother Li and quickly came out of the room.

“What did I shout? I was calling you. What’s wrong?”

“I came back to bring you guys something good.”

Li Xiangdong held the enamel mug up to her nose for her to smell. “Smell good?”

Zhou Yuqin’s eyes lit up. “It smells so good. Is this meat?”

Li Xiangdong nodded. “It just came out of the pot. You have a piece first.”

“Let the children eat it. I won’t have any.”

Zhou Yuqin hadn’t eaten meat in a long time either, and she was craving it. But with so many children in the family, how could she, an adult, have the nerve to fight with them for food?

“Then we’ll eat later. I brought back a lot of meat. I also brought something good for our daughter.”

Seeing his mysterious act and refusal to say what it was, Zhou Yuqin curiously followed him into the main house.

After entering the room, Li Xiangdong saw his mother holding their daughter, feeding her corn paste with a spoon.

“Xiaoqi, look what Daddy brought you.”

As he spoke, he placed the enamel mug in his hand on the table and lifted the lid.

When Mother Li saw a whole pig’s tail soaking in a full enamel mug of meat broth, she exclaimed in surprise, “Third son, where did you get such a big pig’s tail?”

By the small dining table, several children were sitting on small stools, holding bowls and drinking corn paste. Hearing their grandmother mention a pig’s tail, they put down their bowls and ran over.

“Where is it? Where’s the pig’s tail?”

“It smells so good!”

“Third Uncle, the pig’s tail you brought back is so fat!”

The nephews and nieces stared at the pig’s tail in the enamel mug, each of them looking like they wanted to pounce on it and take a bite!

“What are you all shouting about? Go back and sit down to eat!”

Mother Li’s shout instantly quieted the room. The nephews and nieces dejectedly sat back down.

“Dad, meat, I want to eat meat.”

Li Xiaohai was too short to see the pig’s tail in the enamel mug, but he heard his older brothers and sisters say how fat and fragrant the pig’s tail was. It must be delicious!

He hugged Li Xiangdong’s leg, shouting for meat.

“Wait a minute, you’ll get some. Don’t be anxious.”

Li Xiangdong first dealt with his son, then said to Mother Li, “This is the side dish for our drinks tonight. I brought it back especially for Xiaoqi to eat, to cure her drooling problem. Don’t worry, the bones in the pig’s tail have already been removed.”

As he spoke, he took the pig’s tail out of the enamel mug, felt that it wasn’t hot, and then put it in his daughter’s hands.

It was the first time Li Xiaozhu had seen a pig’s tail. She stared at her father with wide eyes, holding it with both hands, not knowing what to do.

Mother Li put the tip of the tail in her mouth. She sucked on it a couple of times, giggled, and then grabbed it and wouldn’t let go.

Li Xiaohai tilted his head up and finally saw the big pig’s tail his sister was holding. His mouth started to water. “Sister can’t finish it. Dad, sister can’t finish it!”

“Let your sister eat first. We’ll see if she can’t finish it later, okay?”

Li Xiangdong gently shook his leg but couldn’t shake his son off. “Aren’t you hot? Stop hugging me!”

Zhou Yuqin walked over, squatted down, and carried her son back to the small dining table, placing him on the stool. “Whatever your sister can’t finish, you can have. But for now, you eat your meal properly, do you hear me?”

Li Xiaohai said happily, “I know, Mom.”

Beside them, Li Xiaotao watched his little sister Xiaoqi eating meat in their grandmother’s arms, so envious that he couldn’t even drink his corn paste. His eyes were fixed on the enamel mug that held the pig’s tail. He said, “Third Uncle, since sister is eating the pig’s tail, can you let me have a couple of sips of the meat broth?”

“Yeah, Third Uncle, let us have a sip of the meat broth, please?”

“Third Uncle, there’s so much meat broth, let each of us have a sip!”

The nephews and nieces knew the pig’s tail wasn’t for them, so they turned their attention to asking for the meat broth.

Li Xiangdong smiled, “You can have the meat broth, but if you drink the broth, you can’t ask for anything else.”

Everyone in the room knew he was just teasing the children. He had brought back two enamel mugs; it was impossible that there was only a pig’s tail.

They just felt strange. Li Xiangdong had never brought food home before. What was going on today?

Looking at the two enamel mugs he brought back, everyone looked puzzled.

Could it be that because he had a job now, their third son had become mature and sensible?