Would She?

Jiang Xia shot Tian Caihua a sidelong glance. "If Eldest Sister-in-Law thinks this house is better, I can switch with you."

Tian Caihua: "."

Mother Zhou came in carrying a red-white-and-blue bag and casually asked, "Switch what with your Eldest Sister-in-Law?"

Tian Caihua immediately said, "Nothing. Jiang Xia was joking. Mom, is there anything else that needs moving? I'll move it!" With that, she ran out.

Mother Zhou was utterly baffled but did not bother with her. She handed the large red-white-and-blue bag to Jiang Xia. "These are A'Lei's clothes. Put them back in your room."

"Okay." Jiang Xia paused, then agreed.

When Zhou Chenglei had been cleaning the house that day, he had told her that, afraid his parents would not agree to separate the household, he had not mentioned their divorce. He had only said they were separating the household and asked her not to say anything for the time being.

Jiang Xia had no choice but to take the bag and carry it into her room.

After thinking it over, she did not help him organize it.

The bed and wardrobe in Jiang Xia's room were both new. Mother Zhou had even cut up some leftover red paper from their wedding into Double Happiness Characters of various sizes and pasted them on the walls, windows, and door. The room looked just like a newlywed couple's chamber.

Jiang Xia's dowry had all Thirty-Six Legs fully matched. There were also two Phoenix Brand bicycles, one for a man and one for a woman; a Hua Nan Brand sewing machine; a Shanghai Brand watch; and a Red Star Brand radio.

It was only the early 1980s, and this dowry was already extremely respectable. This was especially true in the countryside, though in the cities some people already had televisions instead of radios in their dowries.

A few years later, washing machines, refrigerators, and televisions would become the high-end standard for weddings.

Jiang Xia took her clothes out of the red suitcase and placed them in the wardrobe.

Mother Zhou came in carrying a black plastic bucket, along with a long-handled wooden lid. She said to Jiang Xia, "Xiao Xia, take A'Lei's clothes out and give me the bag. I'll use it to hold the quilts."

Jiang Xia had no choice but to open the red-white-and-blue bag and take Zhou Chenglei's clothes out as well.

Most of them were white shirts and military uniforms, along with boxer shorts and undershirts. Jiang Xia quickly stuffed the undergarments into the wardrobe as though they were hot to the touch.

Only after taking everything out did Jiang Xia carry the bag outside and hand it to Mother Zhou. Her face was slightly flushed, but when she saw Mother Zhou place a black bucket behind the door, she asked curiously, "Why put the bucket behind the door?"

Mother Zhou said, "It's a Chamber Pot, for use at night. The urine can be collected and used to water the vegetables."

Jiang Xia: "..."

Putting a Chamber Pot in the room—wouldn't it stink? Seeing Jiang Xia's astonished expression, Mother Zhou remembered that she was from the city and asked, "Do you want one in your room too?"

Jiang Xia hurriedly shook her head. "No, thank you."

Zhou Chenglei walked in at that moment.

Jiang Xia quickly changed the subject. "Great-Grandmother and Eldest Brother and the others have helped us work all day. Go buy some seafood. I'll make two tables of dishes to thank them, and we can celebrate moving into our new home."

Even without Jiang Xia saying so, Zhou Chenglei had intended to do the same. He had come in to tell his mother that he was going to buy seafood and ask her to pick some vegetables from the Vegetable Garden.

Jiang Xia's suggestion surprised him a little.

Mother Zhou was also somewhat surprised that Jiang Xia had thought of this. As for her saying she would make two tables of dishes, Mother Zhou had not taken it seriously.

She smiled and said, "I'll go pick vegetables from the Vegetable Garden. A'Lei, you go buy seafood."

Zhou Chenglei nodded. "I was just about to go buy some."

Then he said to Jiang Xia, "Let my mom cook. Just keep your hands away from the water."

Jiang Xia nodded. "I know."

After hearing her son, Mother Zhou glanced at Jiang Xia, then carried the Chamber Pot out.

Her son certainly treated her well. It was just impossible to know whether his sincerity would be misplaced.

As for having Jiang Xia cook—could she? Mother Zhou did not dare hope for that!

Jiang Xia had helped with a little work today without making a fuss. To Mother Zhou, that alone was enough to make her chant Amitabha in gratitude.

Mother Zhou did not know that Jiang Xia had also helped clear the ground in the courtyard. Otherwise, she would not have thought this way.

After that, Zhou Chenglei went to buy seafood, Mother Zhou went to pick vegetables, and Jiang Xia scrubbed the wok, wiped the stove clean, then washed the rice and started cooking it. Tian Caihua washed the bowls and dishes in preparation. They had not been used for a long time and were all covered in dust.

Great-Grandmother brought over a piece of Pork Belly weighing more than three jin, along with several fresh cucumbers. Jiang Xia felt rather embarrassed.

Great-Grandmother cheerfully said, "Take it. Make Braised Pork Belly for everyone tonight. It's the first meal in your new home—may your household grow rich and prosperous, and may everything blaze with good fortune."

Since Great-Grandmother had put it that way, it would have been awkward to refuse. Jiang Xia accepted the kindness with a smile. "I'll accept Great-Grandmother's auspicious words. I'll make Braised Pork Belly for you."

Great-Grandmother smiled. "My teeth aren't very good. I love Braised Pork Belly that melts in your mouth."

"I guarantee it'll melt in your mouth!" Jiang Xia said with a smile.

Great-Grandmother went off cheerfully to tend the fire.

Making melt-in-your-mouth Braised Pork Belly was not difficult, but it took time.

Zhou Chengxin went home and carried over a large iron wok. Cooking with two iron woks at once would be much faster.

When the household had separated, each family had received one large iron wok.

Worried that Jiang Xia did not know how to cook, Tian Caihua said, "I'll do the cooking. You can wash the dishes and vegetables!"

Jiang Xia smiled. "It's fine. Eldest Sister-in-Law, you've worked hard today. I'll stir-fry, and you can help me with the preparations."

Tian Caihua did not insist. It was not her family hosting the meal, after all. If the food turned out badly, she would not be the one embarrassed.

Besides, cooking for so many people meant inhaling so much cooking smoke that she would lose her appetite.

Mother Zhou happened to return with two large baskets of vegetables: green beans, eggplant, cucumbers, angled luffa, and Baby Bok Choy.

Tian Caihua went outside to wash the vegetables.

Seeing Jiang Xia take charge of the cooking, Mother Zhou looked at Tian Caihua. "Why did you let her cook? Can it even be eaten?"

Tian Caihua said, "She wouldn't let me help. She insisted on doing it herself."

Tian Caihua felt that her mother-in-law was playing favorites. She went to wash the vegetables with a dark expression. Great-Grandmother's daughter-in-law also came over to help wash them. Tian Caihua could not put on a sour face in front of an outsider, so she did not simply fling down the work and quit.

Mother Zhou hurried inside to help.

Jiang Xia was making smashed cucumbers. She had only glanced at the vegetables Mother Zhou brought back and already knew what to make.

She had cut the Braised Pork Belly into evenly sized pieces and soaked them briefly in lightly salted water. Meat soaked in lightly salted water became firmer and softer, cooked more easily, tasted better, and had its blood drawn out to remove the gaminess.

While the meat soaked, she made a serving of cold dressed cucumbers.

Seeing Jiang Xia working in an orderly fashion—and using the right amounts of salt and sugar, as well as the right wine and vinegar—Mother Zhou was somewhat surprised. She then went outside in peace of mind to wash the vegetables.

Once the Pork Belly had finished soaking and had been drained dry, Jiang Xia poured it into the heated iron wok. She added no oil, simply stir-frying it over low heat to render out its own fat until the surface of the meat turned golden.

Jiang Xia scooped out the excess oil. Later, she could use it to fry the eggplant or stir-fry the greens; it would make everything wonderfully fragrant.

Then she added ginger, scallions, dried chilies, sugar, salt, soy sauce, and other seasonings to the Braised Pork Belly. She continued stir-frying until the rock sugar had completely melted and the Pork Belly had taken on color. Then she added water and cooking wine. Once it boiled, she transferred it directly into an earthenware pot and simmered it slowly over low heat beside the large stove.

Jiang Xia washed the large iron wok clean, then fried the eggplant in oil until cooked. She combined it with green beans and perilla to make a dish of perilla-braised eggplant with green beans.

Tian Caihua brought in the washed vegetables. Seeing how much oil Jiang Xia used to fry the eggplant, she clicked her tongue. Good heavens, were they eating eggplant or oil? Fortunately, they had separated their household. If they had not, she would never have dared let Jiang Xia cook.

But it smelled so good! It was unbelievably fragrant!

Looking at the purple eggplant gleaming with oil and the green beans, she suddenly wanted to eat.

Zhou Chenglei also returned with the seafood. There were Bamboo Shrimp, Green Crabs, Tiger Grouper, Mudskipper Fish, Small Red Squid, and White Clams.

Seeing Jiang Xia at the stove, surprise flashed through his eyes. Then his gaze fell on her lustrous white hands. Remembering the blisters on them, he walked over and reached for the handle of the spatula in her hand. "I'll do it."

His tall figure suddenly drew close. Jiang Xia instinctively turned to look back, accidentally bumping her elbow against his waist. And because of that turn, Zhou Chenglei's large hand closed around her small one.