Chapter 573: Chapter 438: The Zhao Father and Son’s Open Strife and Secret Struggle
“Then we’ll wait for next year!” Zhao Jun said, getting up from the stool. He said to the three of them, “Next summer, we’ll catch a couple of suspended sheep ourselves.”
…
Back home, he went to sleep. The night passed.
The next day, since they were going to hunt Fragrant Musk Deer, Zhao Jun and Jie Chen got up a little after four in the morning.
As they were getting up, they heard the SIZZLE of something frying in the outer room.
When Zhao Jun came out, he was taken aback.
He saw Zhao Youcai standing before the stove, dropping chunks of eggplant into the wok. Beside him were slices of potato that had just been fried.
While Jie Chen was outside fetching water to wash his face, Zhao Jun sidled up to Zhao Youcai and asked, “Dad, what are you doing?”
Zhao Youcai grinned at Zhao Jun. “Making you guys some Di San Xian. Never had it before, have you? Hmm?”
As Zhao Youcai spoke, he saw Zhao Jun take a step back. He froze for a moment, then said in annoyance, “What’s with you, kid? You’re going up the mountain to hunt, so what’s wrong with your dad making you a meal?”
As he spoke, Zhao Youcai used a skimmer to scoop the eggplant chunks out of the hot oil, then casually tossed the pepper slices from the side into the wok for a quick fry.
Just then, they heard the sound of water being poured out from outside. Back then, after washing your face outside, you’d just dump the water on the ground. This meant Jie Chen had finished and was about to come back inside.
So, Zhao Jun stopped beating around the bush with Zhao Youcai and asked him directly, “Dad, if you want something, just say it.”
“Heh heh…” Zhao Youcai chuckled, reaching out to pat Zhao Jun on the shoulder, but Zhao Jun flinched away.
The smile on Zhao Youcai’s face froze instantly. He then said to Zhao Jun, “You’re getting paid in a couple of days. Can you give your dad an extra ten yuan?”
Zhao Jun frowned at Zhao Youcai and asked, “Dad, what do you need the money for?”
Zhao Youcai glanced at the door to the east room. Seeing no movement inside, he whispered to Zhao Jun, “Hong the Second from the security team, his dog had puppies. I’m planning to take the whole litter off his hands.”
“Huh?” Zhao Jun blinked, asking Zhao Youcai in disbelief, “Dad, our big ewe isn’t lactating anymore. If you bring back puppies, what are you going to feed them?”
“See?” Zhao Youcai’s face hardened. “Weren’t you listening to what I said?”
With that, Zhao Jun understood. “Dad, you mean you’re going to buy his bitch, too.”
“Yep!” Zhao Youcai nodded. “That bitch of his can chase roe deer and badgers. A few hunts and she’ll be trained.”
When Zhao Youcai finished and saw Zhao Jun hadn’t said anything, he pressed, “So, is it a deal or not? Why is it so hard to discuss anything with you?”
Zhao Jun took a deep breath and pointed outside. “Dad, look at our place now. Where is there any room? If you bring back a whole litter of dogs, where are we going to keep them?”
“Your new house has room, doesn’t it?” Zhao Youcai said. “There are two rows of kennels in the front and back yards.”
Zhao Jun gave Zhao Youcai a strange look, then said with a laugh, “Dad, that’s my house for when I get married. I haven’t even lived in it yet. If you let dogs move in, and Mom finds out, won’t she throw you out to live with them?”
“What the f—” Zhao Youcai flew into a rage and was about to raise his hand, but when he saw Jie Chen come in, he quickly brought his hand to his head, pretending to scratch it. He said to Jie Chen, “Ah, Jie Chen, how did you sleep last night?”
“Great, Uncle.” Jie Chen glanced at the dish Zhao Youcai was making and smiled. “Uncle, what are you making? It looks pretty complicated.”
“Di San Xian,” Zhao Youcai said to Jie Chen while scooping out bear fat with a large ladle. “You guys work hard hunting in the mountains every day. I’m adding a little extra oil for you.”
Hearing this, Jie Chen immediately praised Zhao Youcai. “Uncle, you’re so thoughtful.”
It was only in those times that people were short on oil. A few years later, nobody would have been able to stomach such a greasy dish first thing in the morning.
After praising Zhao Youcai, Jie Chen said to Zhao Jun, “Brother Jun, your dad is so good to you, worrying you’re not getting enough rich food.”
“Heh heh…” In front of Jie Chen, Zhao Jun just gave a dry laugh, but inwardly he thought, ‘He’s not worried about me lacking oil, he wants to skim some oil off of me.’
Jie Chen had no idea what was going on between the father and son. During the meal, he even said to Zhao Jun,
“Brother Jun, I really made the right choice coming here. These past two days, I’ve eaten nothing but delicious food, all things I’ve never had before.”
“Then eat up,” Zhao Youcai said to Jie Chen with a benevolent smile. “Here, just make yourself at home. I’m not home much, so if you’re craving anything, just tell your aunt.”
“That’s right!” Wang Meilan added from the side. “We’re all family now.”
“Mhm!” Jie Chen nodded while chewing his rice. After swallowing, he said, “Uncle, Aunt, if there’s any work to be done around the house in the future, just call me. I’ll do it for you.”
Wang Meilan smiled at his words and said to Zhao Youcai, “See what a good kid he is?”
“Isn’t he just,” Zhao Youcai agreed, then asked Zhao Jun and Jie Chen, “What are you two hunting today?”
“Fragrant Musk Deer!” Zhao Jun answered. “My Brother Zhang found a den of them. We’re going to get them today.”
“Ah!” When Zhao Youcai heard the words “Fragrant Musk Deer,” his chopsticks paused mid-air. His eyes darted, and he said to Wang Meilan, “Meilan, go get some more soybean paste.”
“Huh?” Wang Meilan was taken aback. She pointed at the sauce bowl and said to Zhao Youcai, “Isn’t there still plenty left?”
“This is from last night.” Zhao Youcai picked up the sauce bowl to show Wang Meilan. “Look, it’s all dried out.”
In those days, they had neither refrigerators nor plastic wrap.
When you took soybean paste out of the crock and put it in a bowl, the moisture on the surface would evaporate.
Paste like this was still perfectly edible; you could even mix in a little warm water to soften it up.
But no matter what had been said earlier, that was all just pleasantries. Jie Chen was still a guest, after all. So, when Zhao Youcai said this, Wang Meilan took the small bowl and got up to go outside.
Making soybean paste took time and required a fermentation process, which needed high temperatures.
That’s why Northeasterners always placed their paste crocks outside in a sunny spot when making it.
Watching Wang Meilan head outside with the sauce bowl, Zhao Jun frowned and turned to look at Zhao Youcai.
‘The old man is only acting so bold because there’s a guest,’ Zhao Jun thought. ‘He knows Mom will save his face and not call him out. Give him an inch, and he’ll take a mile.’
Zhao Youcai happened to look over at Zhao Jun just then and grinned. “Son, that musk stuff, do you know how to process it?”
Zhao Jun looked at Zhao Youcai and answered flatly, “No.”
Hearing this, Zhao Youcai smiled. “Musk isn’t like a bear’s gallbladder. A bear’s gallbladder has to be air-dried in the shade before a pharmacy or store will weigh it. But with musk, you can take it right over, and they’ll buy it as is.”
“Mm,” Zhao Jun nodded. “And?”
“And…” Zhao Youcai said, “Dad knows someone in Lingnan. When you get the musk, give it to me, and Dad will take it and sell it for you.”
“Dad,” Zhao Jun said to Zhao Youcai with a smile, “Let’s not trouble you. You’re busy enough as it is.”
At this point, Zhao Jun glanced at Jie Chen, then said to Zhao Youcai, who was just about to speak, “Jie Chen’s brother-in-law is the manager of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. We can just go directly to him, right?”
“Huh?” Zhao Youcai froze and turned to look at Jie Chen.
Jie Chen, having no idea what the father and son were up to now, just smiled at Zhao Youcai. “That’s right, Uncle, don’t you worry. We’ve got connections in Lingnan.”
“Well, that’s good then!” Zhao Youcai forced a smile and said to Jie Chen, “Nephew, hurry up and eat. Have some more of that dish.”
Just then, Wang Meilan came back in. As she entered, she only heard Zhao Youcai urging Jie Chen to eat and thought her husband was being quite reliable today. Sitting down on the kang, she asked with a smile, “What are you men talking about?”
Zhao Youcai said quickly, “Nothing much…”
Zhao Jun cut in from the side. “Mom, Dad was just saying that if we get some musk, we should sell it quickly…”
The moment Zhao Jun started talking, Zhao Youcai knew this was going to be bad. But then he heard Zhao Jun continue, “Mom, if we get the musk today, Jie Chen and I will go to Lingnan tomorrow. And Mom, you should come with us too.”
“Huh?” Wang Meilan was taken aback. “It’s fine if you two go. What would I go for?”
Zhao Jun smiled at Wang Meilan. “I’m getting married, and you said you wanted to make it a big celebration. This is the perfect chance, and we’ll have transportation. We can go buy some good cigarettes, good liquor, and some nice candy. It’s not so hot anymore, so the candy will keep. After that, we can buy a couple of nice outfits for Ma Ling.”
“Well…” Wang Meilan hesitated.
But just then, Zhao Jun shot a sidelong glance at Zhao Youcai. Feeling the trace of a threat in his son’s eyes, Zhao Youcai’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly urged Wang Meilan, “Meilan, just go with the kids. It’s not like our family is short on money right now.”
“Alright!” With Zhao Youcai’s encouragement, Wang Meilan finally made up her mind to go on a big shopping trip in Lingnan.
‘But what I’m really thinking,’ Zhao Jun thought, ‘is that as soon as we get to Lingnan, I’m taking Mom straight to the hospital. Then, without a second thought, I’ll have her get a full check-up, from head to toe.’