Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 128 Master Zhai's Home

Master Zhai's home is in Lalatun, which is about four or five kilometers away from the bone restaurant.

Bozi led the two people for a while, and they stood on the side of the road on the main street to wait for a car. At this time, waving a car to stop was already popular in major cities in Northeast China. There were no bus stops, so you could just wave a car to stop. It cost one yuan to get on, which was more convenient than taking a bus.

After waiting for a while, the car arrived; it was just a small van with no special markings.

Bozi waved his hand, and the car passed the three people by about ten meters before stopping. There was no other way; there was snow on the road, and he couldn't stop in time.

The three of them got on the bus, which was packed like sardines in a can. Xiao Wei and Bo Zi, who were smaller, weren't too bad off, but Xia Maosheng, who was bigger, suffered the most. He was hunched over like he was being tortured, which made everyone on the bus laugh. An old woman who was sitting up got up and said, "Come on, kid, sit down. We're almost there. If you keep bending over like that, your back will break."

Xia Maosheng quickly thanked the old lady, sat down with a grimace, and said to the person collecting fares on the bus, "I'll pay for you, ma'am." The old lady repeatedly said it wasn't necessary, but Xiao Wei still took out change and paid. The old lady kept thanking him, making Xiao Wei and Xia Maosheng feel embarrassed.

Lala Village is already outside the city. At this point, Longcheng City is still quite small. By the time you get to the airport area, it's mostly farmland. The car comes from the side of the airport, turns west at the Open University, and there aren't as many people on the car anymore.

The car goes around Lalatun once and then turns back. Further west is Xidayingzi. There are cars that go there specifically. You can't cross the border.

The three of them got out of the car and were greeted by a vast expanse of white. A few sparse trees stood by the roadside, and a few factory buildings were far to the east. The rest of the land was covered in snow and stretched as far as the eye could see. The wind was much stronger than in the city, so strong that it was hard to stand. They had to squint and their eyes would water if they opened them.

Bozi pointed in a direction and led the way into the village. After entering the village and turning into a small alley, the three of them felt a little better; at least the wind wasn't so strong anymore.

Walking along the alley, there were self-built red brick houses on both sides, arranged rather haphazardly. After several twists and turns, we arrived at a courtyard. Bozi said, "We're here, this is the place." Standing at the door, he called out, "Yingzi, Uncle Zhai, are you home? Yingzi!" The dog in the yard started barking wildly.

After calling out a few times, a voice came from inside the courtyard: "Go." The dog stopped barking, and then the courtyard gate opened. It was Yingzi, the waitress from the bone restaurant, who opened the gate. "What are you doing running around all day?" The girl opened the door, glared at Bozi, and made way for Bozi to enter the courtyard.

Bozi turned to look at Xiaowei and Xia Maosheng, then said to Yingzi, "Well, my uncle sent me. They need to see your dad. They have something to say."

Yingzi then noticed Xiaowei and Xia Maosheng. She hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let's go inside. My dad is cooking inside."

Two meters behind Yingzi, a large yellow dog bared its teeth and glared menacingly at the three people standing outside the door.

Bozi pointed to the big dog and said, "Hold the dog."

Yingzi glanced back at the big yellow dog, and the dog immediately put on a gentle look and wagged its tail. But as soon as the little girl turned her head back, it immediately went back to its fierce expression.

"Why are you so timid? You've come so many times and you still can't handle a dog. What are you good for?" Yingzi glared at Bozi, then put on a smile and said to Xiaowei and Xia Maosheng, "Come in, it's okay, it doesn't bite, it's very well-behaved."

The door opened, and a middle-aged man emerged. He was about 1.7 meters tall, with a square face and thinning, soft hair that lay flat on his head. He had thick eyebrows, a full beard, and fleshy features that made him look fierce when he wasn't smiling. The man greeted him with a smile, "Bozi's here. Anyone else? Come in."

As soon as he came out, the big dog wagged its tail like a windmill and came over, only to be kicked away by the man and obediently lie down at his feet.

Bozi called out "Uncle," and led Xiaowei and Xia Maosheng into the yard. They squeezed along the wall into the house, and it was clear that he was genuinely afraid of the big dog.

The courtyard is rectangular. There are three and a half rooms on one side with two doors open. There is another room and a half opposite. The toilet is blocked off on the side. The remaining space looks like a vegetable garden, which is covered with snow right now.

The kitchen is right inside the house, which is the basic layout of a single-story house in Northeast China at this time. The door is next to the gable wall. To the right of the entrance, there is a coal stove, a coal pit, and a water tank. There is a cabinet in the corner inside the house with basins, bowls, and plates. To get into the inner room, you have to walk through a right angle.

At this moment, a dish was stewing on the stove, and there were some spice jars on the stove. Ordinary families would only have oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, but he had seven or eight different kinds of spices on his stove. However, the containers he used to store things were a mixed bag: metal cigarette boxes, canning jars, and porcelain jars. It seemed that he used whatever he could find.

The kitchen was filled with smoke and heat. In the winter in Northeast China, every household seals their windows and doors to minimize airflow and keep warm, trapping the steam and aromas of cooking inside. The kitchen windows and doors were covered with a thick layer of ice.

Master Zhai said to the three people, "Come inside and sit on the kang (heated brick bed), I'll cook something." Yingzi led the three people around the water vat and into the inner room. Master Zhai lifted the lid of the pot on the stove, and another thick steam carrying the aroma of food rushed up the stove wall to the roof, then was dispersed by the roof and spread throughout the entire room.

Xia Maosheng, who was walking at the back, sniffed and said to Xiao Wei, "It smells so good, this dish tastes just right."

It's just regular stewed sauerkraut. Northeasterners practically eat sauerkraut all winter. Potatoes and green onions are just side dishes. Radishes are available at the beginning of winter, but by the end of November, they're almost gone. If left out for too long, they become mushy and can't be eaten.

But Master Zhai's stewed sauerkraut is just so fragrant; it smells different from everyone else's.

Xia Maosheng entered the house, closed the door, and asked Yingzi, "What does your dad put in when he stews sauerkraut? It smells so good."

Yingzi smoothed her hair and sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), saying, "I don't know. My dad won't let me learn to cook, he says it's too tiring."

Bozi chimed in, "Yeah, you don't need to cook. I'm learning how, so I'll cook. I'll make you delicious food every day."

Yingzi glared at Bozi and said, "Shameless! You're so useful! Is your cooking any better than my dad's?" But she still looked quite happy.

Xiao Wei asked Bozi, "Bozi, how old are you?"

Bozi said, "Seventeen? So what?"

As soon as the door opened, Master Zhai walked in and asked Bozi, "Is the shop not busy?"

Bozi pointed at Xiaowei and Xia Maosheng and said, "They were the only ones who ate at lunch today. Business hasn't been good these past two days. My aunt and uncle are angry with each other, so they haven't come."

Master Zhai nodded, reached under the cabinet, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and said, "Your mother is almost better. Go to work tomorrow. The shop can't function without someone. When you're at work, act like you're still young." He handed the cigarettes to Xiao Wei and Xia Maosheng.