Chapter 47: All Good Things, Part 2

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“Just yesterday, a few troublemakers, dissatisfied with the worsening quality of food at the communal canteen, stirred up a commotion right there. They even beat up the canteen’s chef and the helpers, which left the canteen without anyone to cook. Your Uncle Dahai made the decision: each household would receive a portion of cornmeal according to the number of people, enough for two days, and everyone’s to cook at home for now. Once the cooks recover, then everyone can return to the canteen for meals.

“These past two days, the porridge from the canteen has been thinner than the water in Xiaoqu River. Everyone is harboring resentment—after so few days, who knows where all that grain has gone,” Grandpa explained.

So that’s how it is. Xia Weiguo didn’t hold out any hope for the canteen reopening in two days. Even if it did, it probably wouldn’t last long before shutting down again.

The real problem was the lack of grain in the village. After all, the support team had taken a lot of food with them, and at the coal mine, all that hard labor required proper meals—otherwise, lives could be at stake.

“It’s fine, this is a good chance for us to cook at home today and have some meat. I promised I’d cook lunch today and make braised pork for everyone!” Xia Weiguo said after hearing Grandpa’s words.

“What braised pork? The pork should be smoked for preservation—how could we finish it all in one meal? We still have days ahead,” Grandma scolded, glaring at Xia Weiguo.

Suddenly, Xia Weiguo thought of a good idea and said, “Grandma, in two days the canteen will reopen. If we don’t finish this food now, what if you’re made to hand it in again? So, we should hurry up and eat it all.”

Grandpa thought it over carefully, then brightened and said, “We should finish it all quickly. Weiguo’s right. There’s too much for just the few of us. I’ll take some to your Second and Third Uncle’s families, and we’ll try to finish it among us in the next two days.”

With the matter of food settled, everyone’s eyes turned to Xia Weijun, curious to see what other treasures might be in the bag.

Xia Weijun hurriedly checked the bag again.

At the bottom, only a single separately packaged bundle remained. He thought, this must be my gift. Excited, he pulled the bundle out.

But when he opened it, he found only fabric. Disappointed, he checked the now-empty bag over and over, unwilling to give up.

Xia Weiguo took the bundle of fabric and handed it to Grandma, saying, “Grandma, here’s a hundred feet of cloth. It’s considered defective, so it didn’t require ration coupons and was very cheap. I was only able to buy it because of my connection with the supervisor.

“See if you can make some clothes for the family. I’ll leave it all up to you.”

Grandma was so thrilled at the mention of cloth that she stood up from her chair and took the bag from Xia Weiguo. She pulled out three bolts of cloth; the third was only half the size of the others.

Each bolt was forty feet, so altogether there were two and a half bolts.

Two of the full bolts were bright and colorful, clearly meant for women, while the half-bolt was in a men’s pattern—exactly the ratio of seventy to thirty, just as Xia Weiguo had hoped.

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“Wonderful, truly wonderful! Defective cloth means nothing to us. For folks in the countryside, having cloth at all is a blessing. Last year, with everyone in our family—including yours and your second uncle’s—our annual ration was only five feet. We had to patch and repatch with the utmost care.

“I’ll make a set of new clothes for each of you. Weiguo, you’ll look so grand wearing them when you go to work in the city!” Grandma’s eyes shone with longing at the thought.

“Grandma, just make clothes for everyone else. In the city, I’ve got plenty of uniforms from the factory—several sets a year. Look, the one I’m wearing now is quite impressive, isn’t it?” Xia Weiguo hurriedly stopped her, pointing to his own clothes.

He had to stop her; otherwise, Grandma would use even the last scrap of cloth for him alone.

Grandma patted the material of his uniform and said, “Alright, then I’ll make more clothes for Weijun and the others. Just look at his trousers—they’re about to turn into split pants.”

Xia Weijun immediately pressed his knees together in embarrassment.

Xia Zhaodi and her sisters gazed at the two bolts of cloth with eyes sparkling like stars.

Which young girl doesn’t love to look pretty? It was just that rural girls had no means, not that they were born to love patched clothes.

“In a few days, all you girls come to Grandma’s; I’ll teach you sewing and embroidery. That way, you’ll be able to marry well in the future,” Grandma said warmly to Xia Zhaodi and her sisters.

“Brother, aren’t you forgetting something?” At that moment, Xia Weijun finally realized there really was no personal gift for him in the bag. Everyone else had something, but not him.

“What do you mean? With so many good things, what could possibly be missing?” Xia Weiguo asked, feigning ignorance.

“My gift! My very own gift. The others all have theirs—so do Grandpa and Grandma. Only I don’t,” Xia Weijun replied, still full of hope.

“Of course, there’s something just for you. I plan to give you a big steaming bowl of rice with braised pork. How about that, do you like this gift?”

“Braised pork—how many pieces can I have?” Xia Weijun’s eyes lit up as he asked.

“As many as you want, so long as you can finish it! It’s your gift, after all. The rest of us will just enjoy a little thanks to you. What do you think?” Xia Weiguo teased.

“Alright, everyone can eat!” At the mention of braised pork, Xia Weijun’s intelligence vanished, replaced by sheer joy.

Carrying the pork and the rice, Xia Weiguo headed out of the house.

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“I’ll help too! Everyone else just wait to eat,” Xia Weijun said enthusiastically, following to help with preparations.

Looking at the ceramic jar on the stove, Xia Weiguo fell into thought. Where was that big iron pot?

Ah, yes—the iron pot had been handed in…

No matter, the ceramic jar would do.

First, Xia Weiguo started the rice on another fire, making extra to ensure all the children would have enough. After all, growing kids can eat as much as adults, sometimes more.

Then he began preparing the braised pork. Worried there wouldn’t be enough, he processed all ten pounds of pork belly, cutting it into evenly sized cubes.

Luckily, Grandma wasn’t there to see this.

Next, he put the meat into cold water and boiled it, skimming off the foam as it cooked. After three minutes at a rolling boil, he took the meat out.

While it boiled, he prepared the other ingredients: rock sugar, scallions, ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaf—everything ready to go.

He heated oil in the pan and melted the rock sugar to caramelize it.

Then he added the drained cubes of meat, followed by all the prepared spices.

Stirring quickly over high heat, he made sure the meat was thoroughly coated with caramel and fragrance filled the air.

He poured in enough boiling water all at once—never cold, and never to be topped up later.

Then came the simmering. He added salt, soy sauce, and a few more pieces of rock sugar for flavor.

Once it came to a boil, he reduced it to a medium heat and let it stew for almost an hour.

“Big Brother, when will it be ready? I’m starving!” Xia Weijun sat by the stove, eyes fixed on the pot as the aroma wafted out, unable to look away.