Chapter 109: A Joyful Gathering Comes to an End

After delivering the pork, Zhang’s mother had just returned to the main room to discuss with her husband how to divvy up the wild boar meat, aside from the dried goods they’d already packed for tomorrow. When she saw her son come in, she pulled him down to sit beside her.

“Xiao Wu, what’s your plan for all this meat? Who are you giving it to? Tell me. If there’s too much left, I’ll make some cured pork.”

Zhang Guoqing glanced at his father, who didn’t object. “Mom, I specifically cut off two big pork legs, half a side of pork, and some ribs. I’ve already hung them under the eaves to drain overnight. Tomorrow morning, I’ll pack them up—the wrapping cloths are ready. You can keep half a side for us to eat fresh at home, and share some with eldest sister, second sister, and both sisters-in-law’s families. There won’t be much left after that. The rest, we won’t sell—let’s keep it for ourselves to build up our strength. If there are extra ribs, we’ll stew them for the family. With so many people, we should eat well. As for the cooked pork head meat, keep it for Dad to have with his wine. Dad, how about inviting Uncle and Little Uncle over for a drink tonight?”

“Let’s skip tonight. We’ll eat and drink by ourselves first, and invite your uncle and little uncle over tomorrow night. Tomorrow, have your eldest brother take some meat to your sister in town, so your nephews can have a taste, too. Simmer the pork head meat slowly—the wild boar is tough, but it gets delicious if you cook it long enough. A little wine and meat before bed—life couldn’t be better, even for a god.” With that, Zhang’s father smacked his lips, not even wanting his pipe anymore.

“Great, I just buried a wild pheasant in the stove earlier—it’ll be ready soon,” Zhang Guoqing replied, glancing at his mother, who, as expected, rolled her eyes at him.

Father Zhang watched the two of them bicker and chuckled. “You went hunting before the New Year. The team leader asked yesterday when you’d be back—figured it’d be around now. This year, let’s hunt a bit more and make some cured meat and dried wild game for your mom. We’ve got to fill up her little treasure trove, so she can wake up smiling even in her dreams.”

“I was planning to go up the mountain a few more times before the heavy snow seals it off. I saw a lot of deer tracks this time, especially halfway up the mountain near the dense woods by the county border. There’s a little stream there, and tracks all around. Not many people hunt here anymore, so there are plenty of hares and pheasants. I heard there’s not much big game left in the neighboring county. Old Wang’s sons even invited me to go deep into the mountains, but I turned them down—too many wolves, and it’d take several days.”

His parents nodded in agreement—he didn’t need the money, so there was no need to risk it. Father Zhang sniffed the air, catching a whiff of something delicious, and sent Mother Zhang to the kitchen to see if the food was ready.

Mother Zhang walked from the main room to the kitchen and saw Xizi tending the fire. She praised him generously, though everyone knew he was just waiting for his little uncle’s beggar’s chicken.

She sorted out the fattiest cuts, filled a bamboo basket to the brim, and had someone carry it outside to drain. Then she packed two pork legs and some ribs into another basket for tomorrow’s parcels.

In the capital, aside from her in-laws, there were three other families to send meat to. Even if each got twenty jin, it wasn’t that much. She liked her in-law—straightforward and warm-hearted—and since this was Xiao Wu’s way of showing filial piety, she didn’t mind at all.

Back in the kitchen, only the eldest daughter-in-law was there; the second must have snuck off again. Pointing to two baskets of meat and ribs, she told Huang Cuilan, “This is for us to eat. Xiao Wu said not to sell it. Tomorrow, have your husband take some meat to your mother’s family, and bring some ribs too. Also send some to your two sisters-in-law. When Chrysanthemum comes, let her take some home as well.”

Huang Cuilan suppressed her excitement and shook her head. “No need to send any to my family—it’s all Xiao Wu’s. Going into the woods is dangerous. Let’s do as you say for the sisters.”

“It’s fine. Xiao Wu said to send some to both sisters-in-law’s families. Besides, Xizi and the others have eaten so much from their maternal grandpa—what’s a couple of cuts of meat?” After speaking, Mother Zhang went to the storeroom for more bamboo baskets. Her husband had made plenty of them in his spare time, in all sizes. Bamboo baskets were sturdier than wrapping cloths.

She brought back four small baskets, sorted the meat and ribs, and put them outside. The kitchen was too hot for storing meat, but outside, in the cold, it would stay fresh till morning. The rest, she and Huang Cuilan moved to the cellar. Seeing how much was left, she decided to turn it all into cured meat except for the ribs and offal. With the year-end approaching, gifts and returns wouldn’t go to waste. Just the two pork heads and two hocks would last ages, and the ribs with potatoes would last till year’s end.

Looking at the four hocks left, she gritted her teeth and put three in a big basket outside—just enough for Jiao Jiao’s maternal grandpa, eldest uncle, and aunt. As for the second uncle—well, he was far away in the northwest.

Mother Zhang couldn’t bear to look anymore. There was a lot, but if she followed Xiao Wu’s plan, there’d be no meat left for curing. With spring plowing coming and meat in short supply, it was best to prepare now. Once the cured meat was ready, it could go in the little storeroom.

Xizi called for Zhang Guoqing, who saw it was about time and hurried to the kitchen. Using tongs, he pulled out a lump of clay from the stove—it had cracked open.

He grinned at Xizi. “The little ones are ready! Here’s your mission: right now, go serve wine to your grandpa, your dad, and your second uncle! Then come right back.”

Xizi saluted with a grin. “Yes, sir! I’ll be right back.” He grabbed three bowls and ran to the main room to set them out.

Father Zhang saw him dash in. “What’s the rush? Don’t trip.”

“Grandpa, little uncle gave me a mission—to serve the wine. I’ll go call Dad and Second Uncle.”

Xizi made a round and returned to the kitchen. Zhang Guoqing had already cracked open the clay, revealing the chicken wrapped in lotus leaves. The aroma was mouthwatering—the wild pheasant was stuffed with mushrooms and cured pork. Four whole birds sat there, uncut. He quickly sliced one, handed it to his eldest sister-in-law, and had her take it, along with the pig tails, to the main room.

“Xizi, this plate is for you and the other kids. Take it to the main room, call them over, and I’ll slice up the rest. I’ll make some malted milk for you to drink with the chicken—how’s that for a treat?”

Xizi gave a big thumbs-up. “Awesome, really awesome!”

Zhang Guoqing watched him dash off and called after him, “Tell Grandma and your mom to come over, too.”

Mother Zhang heard him from afar and came back to the kitchen with Huang Cuilan.

Seeing his mother and sisters-in-law return, Zhang Guoqing picked up two plates of chicken. “Mom, Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, all of you go to the little parlor in my west wing and have a drink with my mother-in-law. Go on, and don’t forget to bring bowls and chopsticks.”

Mother Zhang and the sisters-in-law burst out laughing. “Alright, you go ahead—we’ll bring some more meat over.”

Zhang Guoqing hurried to the room with the chicken, set it on the table, uncorked a bottle of red wine Jiao Jiao had fetched earlier, and placed a bottle of white liquor beside it. Turning to his curious wife and mother-in-law, he said, “We’re celebrating today. The men are drinking in the main room, and you ladies can drink here. Jiao Jiao, I’ll make you a cup of malted milk to go with the chicken. This is beggar’s chicken—I’ll cut it up for you.”

He took out an opened tin of malted milk from the cupboard, noticed there were several more, and laughed, “Life’s good—since Mom came, our supplies have only grown richer.”

He made a steaming cup of malted milk and said, “I’ll go make some for the kids, too, so they can have it with the chicken. Mom and the sisters-in-law are here.” Seeing them come in, all smiles, carrying plates and bowls, he said, “Come on in, the table’s set in the inner room. Have fun—I’ll leave you to it.”

He glanced at Jiao Jiao, who was eyeing the meat hungrily. “Jiao Jiao, have your malted milk with the chicken.”

With that, he hurried out—he didn’t want to give in, not because he didn’t want her to eat, but because the meat was too salty. Carrying the malted milk and grabbing bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen, he headed to the main room. The kids cheered when they saw their uncle really brought malted milk. Their excitement made him happy, too. “Alright, kids, wait a bit—almost ready. How about some malted milk with your chicken?”

Father Zhang and the others watched him play with the kids, all grinning.

“All done—one cup each, no more! Otherwise, you’ll wet the bed and be laughed at. Xizi, you’re in charge of this tin—anyone who wants more can ask you. One cup a day. And remember, always ask an adult to help with the hot water. That’s your mission!” Zhang Guoqing reminded Xizi, just to be sure.

Xizi stood up and saluted. “Yes, sir! Mission accepted!”

Zhang Guoqing solemnly handed him the tin, and the two of them played their parts to perfection, making Father Zhang and the others laugh heartily.

When the fun died down and Zhang Guoqing sat down, Father Zhang took a sip of wine and grinned, “Are the women drinking too? You didn’t give them white liquor, did you? If they get drunk, that’ll be a sight.”

Zhang Guoqing clinked bowls with his brothers. “I left both red and white wine in the room—let them choose. Honestly, if they mix the two, they’ll definitely get drunk.”

“You rascal! What’s this red wine? I thought you meant fruit wine,” Eldest Brother Zhang Guofu asked curiously. He didn’t ask where the wine came from—he figured it was from his sister-in-law’s family.

Zhang Guoqing replied, “Red wine’s just a fancy name—it’s what foreign women drink. They sell it at the Friendship Store in the provincial capital. It’s not as good as fruit wine. If they don’t like it, they’ll come for the fruit wine.”

Zhang Guofu nodded. “Last time, Xizi brought back some candy—what was it called, ‘keli’? Tasted fine, but foreigners make it bitter and weird. Their stuff is just all over the place.”

Second Brother Zhang Guoqiang shook his head, laughing. “You forgot, it’s called chocolate. And that bread—long and skinny. I tried it, but it’s not as good as our steamed buns. Xizi said it’s called a baguette—foreigners eat it. Why make bread so long, anyway?”

After the meal and drinks, it was past eight. Everyone parted happily and went to their rooms to rest."