Chapter Twenty-Five Snacks

  "I don't even know how much money it takes to open a small shop? I'll go to the town tomorrow to ask. The family's money was just enough for your brother and sister to sign up, there's not much left." Dad is a bit worried. "Aren't big brother and sister working in the county? Ask them to send some money back!" I reminded Dad.

  "Your elder brother has just arrived at the county factory as an apprentice, and he doesn't get paid either. Luckily your sister is there to help him out with living expenses, otherwise I'd have to send him money too. Where would they get the money to send back?" Dad sighed. "Huh? What can we do then? Can't we open the clothing store?" I hung my head in despair.

  "Xiao Yun, do you believe Auntie Er?" Auntie Er asked, holding my hand. I nodded blankly: "Auntie Er, of course I believe you! You're my own aunt!" "Alright then, if you want to open a shop, I'll support you. If there's not enough money, I'll lend it to you." Auntie Er said warmly.

  "Really? Auntie, you're going to lend me money to open a store?" I was overjoyed. "Then what's the condition?" "Condition?" Auntie looked puzzled. "Of course, you can't just lend it to me for nothing, right?" "This child, aren't we family? Who doesn't have a tough time sometimes? What are you talking about conditions?" Auntie scolded with a shake of her head.

  I smiled and said, "Second Aunt, you're too good. Why don't you also make clothes?" "This child is getting more and more outrageous," Second Aunt chuckled. "If I went to make clothes, people would laugh their teeth off." My mom also laughed and hit me on the head: "This girl is getting crazier and crazier. Your Second Aunt can't even sew, how could she go make clothes? Isn't it always me who makes clothes for them?" I thought about it and realized that the clothes Chou Hui wore were indeed made by my mom, and so were Second Aunt's.

  I couldn't help but smile, suddenly thinking of Erniang's delicious buns, Mom can't make them taste the same. I had an epiphany, thinking of a street food from later generations called "fried sauce noodles", just thinking about it makes me drool, taking a bite and the aroma of oil hits my nose, oh dear, it's been so long since I've had it, I really want to eat it now. I smacked my lips, imagining that delicious taste in my mind.

  "Yun'er, what's wrong with you? Didn't you eat enough?" Qiao Hui shook my arm and I suddenly came back to my senses, hehe smiled: "Ah, I just thought of a super delicious dish, I really want to eat it!" Er Shu heard that it was delicious and immediately came over to ask: "What's the delicious food? Quickly tell me, maybe Er Shu can make it."

  I knew Auntie liked to cook, and it seemed that the fried noodles were a hit. I was secretly delighted and immediately said seriously: "This thing, we probably don't have it here?" "Don't have? Impossible? You quickly say what it is!" My words absolutely piqued Auntie's interest, "As long as we have it here, I can make anything."

  "This really doesn't exist, at least not here. Maybe it does in big cities." I slowly said, "Because I saw it on TV. This is a breakfast dish, also known as something to eat in the morning, of course you can also eat it at other times. Its name is 'zhajiangmian'. Auntie Er, have you heard of it?" "Zhajiangmian? Is it noodles? I really haven't heard of it." Auntie Er furrowed her brow and thought for a moment, "Unless you tell me what it looks like? How do you make it? Is it good?" Auntie Er was truly impatient.

  I looked at Auntie's expression, rushed to the room to fetch paper and pen, then returned to the living room, leaned on the table and quickly drew a picture of zhajiangmian, then wrote out the steps to make it. Auntie and mom both gathered around, watching me draw and write with rapt attention.

  "Alright, that's all I remember. Why don't you try it first? If there's no rolling pin, just use your hands to roll out the dough. And for the sauce, we can use the sweet sauce you made yourself. Just prepare some more ingredients and we're good to go! Auntie Er, it's up to you now! When you succeed, let's open a noodle shop in town too!" I'm really looking forward to it.

  Second Aunt happily took the painting paper, saying repeatedly: "Xiao Yun, don't worry, Second Aunt will definitely succeed, haha, fried sauce noodles, I'm going to make fried sauce noodles!" She walked away quickly. Qiaohui also followed closely behind her back home.

  I looked at my dad and mom, and after a moment's thought: "Dad, why don't I go with you to town tomorrow and take a look around? It'll be better with more people to discuss things. Besides, I can wear the clothes I've altered and see how the girls in town react, right?" Mom smiled and said: "Let this kid go and do some reconnaissance, her taste isn't bad."

  "Dad just nodded in agreement: 'You can go, but you can't run around, you have to follow me.' 'Dad, are you still afraid I'll get lost? I'm already fourteen years old!' I couldn't help but laugh and cry."

  "Alright, let's do it this way. I'll go clean the kitchen and you all go to the courtyard to enjoy the cool breeze." Mother instructed. Second brother moved the bamboo bed to the courtyard, I took over the radio and also brought a few chairs to the courtyard. The sky had not completely darkened yet, everything around was hazy, looking up at the sky, the stars had already rushed out one by one, twinkling so beautifully! Tonight there is no moon, so the stars seem especially numerous.

  I pulled up my second brother who was lying on the bamboo bed: "You just ate and can't sleep, are you Pigsy? Get up and exercise!" I stood beside him and started practicing Tai Chi, slowly exhaling and inhaling, each move smooth and uninterrupted. My brother stared in amazement: "You little girl, how many more secrets do you have that I don't know about? Is this Tai Chi? How did you learn it?" I smiled slyly: "Hey, your little sister is naturally smart, self-taught!"

  Second brother shook his head: "I don't believe it, just a few days of effort and you've learned it? Self-study also requires books."

  "There are books, Second Brother, you forgot. Our eldest brother was also quite into martial arts and bought many books on the subject. I'm just practicing based on those!" A flash of inspiration struck me, and I remembered my eldest brother. "Besides, who says I learned this in the past few days? I started learning when you were in high school, but I didn't tell you." I continued to bluff, not caring, as long as Second Brother didn't become suspicious.

  I continued to play slowly, and my second brother saw me eager to try, I shouted: "Second brother, let's play together. This is called Tai Chi 24 moves, first is the starting posture......" My second brother watched me do it while explaining, and immediately stood behind me to learn.

  Dad sat beside us, smiling slightly as he listened to the radio. After a while, Mom also came out and saw us gesturing at each other, curiously asking: "What are you doing? You're not fighting, are you? It doesn't look like it." I replied crisply: "We're practicing China's Tai Chi 24 Forms, exercising our bodies! Come join in, Mom, to strengthen your body!"

  "My old bones are still quite strong, isn't working during the day enough exercise for me?" My mom's somewhat tired expression. Alas, really, my mom has been exhausted all day, where does she have the energy to exercise? No way, I must open up a clothing store, and once I earn some money, I'll let my mom be the boss and enjoy life."