Little Knife Society
That afternoon, Chen Dachuan was in such high spirits that he was uncharacteristically generous.
He took the initiative to have Chen Mo cut up two jin of pork and get a fish.
Then, when Aunt Liu returned from making deliveries, he did the unthinkable and had her kill a chicken.
The sky had only just begun to darken when Aunt Liu became so busy before the stove that her feet scarcely touched the ground, her cleaver thudding against the chopping board.
The fragrance of scallions, ginger, and garlic drifted through the back courtyard, making mouths water.
Yuanyuan dragged over a little stool and sat right in front of the stove, clutching a stalk of scallion in her hand. Every so often, she poked her head out and took a blissful deep breath.
Aunt Liu chased her away three times, and she came running back four.
A-Qing squatted by the well gutting the fish. A medicated patch was stuck by the corner of his eye, and there was a scabbed scar across the bridge of his nose.
Xiao Wu looked even worse. His left cheekbone was swollen high, and the corner of his mouth was split open too.
They had gotten those injuries when the Green Gang came to cause trouble earlier, taking a beating alongside Chen Dachuan.
But they were teenage boys, sturdy and thick-skinned. Though battered black and blue, they still ate and drank without missing a thing.
"Senior Brother, try this garlic. It was just harvested this year—spicy with a real kick."
Xiao Wu peeled a plump white clove and handed it over.
Chen Mo took it and bit down once. He frowned slightly, then calmly tossed the rest of the clove into the trash.
What kind of taste was that?
Chen Dachuan had one