Chapter 7 The Human Touch, Dahua is a Chatterbox
On a summer night, the sounds of insects chirping rose and fell. The canal had quieted down, but when they walked to the houses by the river, that lively human atmosphere had just begun to spread!
Hua Street Courtyard!
“The world’s eyes are on the 27th Summer Olympics…”
Grandpa Zhou’s house was broadcasting Olympic news. Meanwhile, the aroma of stewed fish wafted from Bai Zimo’s house.
“Come eat! Zimo, go call Grandma Ma and Siyi for dinner.”
Bai Zimo put down what he was holding and ran towards Grandma Ma’s house.
The Hua Street Courtyard could be seen as the perfect blend of Beijing’s siheyuan and Huizhou courtyard styles. Every mealtime, the whole courtyard buzzed with the scent of cooking and cheerful clatter.
The traces of time and the breath of everyday life—in that moment, came vividly alive.
“Mom, mom, what’s for dinner tonight?”
“Eat you! I’m telling you, next time you sneak off to steal watermelons again, it won’t just be a feather duster—I’ll break your hand!”
Dahua puffed up angrily.
“Well you already hit me, why keep saying it. Bai Zimo’s business crashed halfway through its grand start!”
From the kitchen next door, Li Yan laughed. “Zimo is pretty capable, huh.”
“None of you kids give me a break! Go borrow some green onions from Aunt Hong!”
In this courtyard, Dahua was always the most lively one. A little girl more like a rough-and-tumble boy, leaving even her mother confused.
“Aunt Hong, do you have any green onions?”
“Sure! Big ones or small ones?”
“Mom, big ones or small ones?”
“I’m cooking fish, what do you think?”
“You didn’t say you were making fish.”
Li Yan picked up the fish with her bare hands. “What do you think this is? Can’t you see?”
“Small green onions! Take them!”
Liang Haihong quickly shoved a handful of green onions into Dahua’s hand to avoid her getting scolded.
Dahua’s eyes spun mischievously as she stuffed the onions into her mother’s hands.
“Mom, I’m going to eat at Bai Zimo’s house!”
“Aren’t I cooking fish here too? What, Bai Zimo’s fish smells better?”
“It’s delicious… no, it’s because Grandma Ma and Siyi are going, and there’s wontons too!”
By the time Li Yan finished washing the onions and turned around, Dahua had already slipped away.
At Bai Zimo’s house, Dahua acted like it was her own home. She pulled out a chair and sat down sloppily.
“Bai Zimo, I’m here!”
“Zimo, get another pair of chopsticks for Dahua!”
In this courtyard, crashing someone’s meal was normal. No one minded.
Only Ma Siyi seemed a little reserved.
Dahua kept talking, not letting a single word fall to the ground.
“Grandma Ma’s wontons are so delicious. When you weren’t home, she made them for me all the time!”
“Grandma Lin’s stewed fish is so good too, though Bai Zimo used to buy the fish instead of catching them.”
Ma Siyi finally squeezed out three words after a long pause.
“That’s such a coincidence, I’m ten too! You seem older though, maybe because you don’t talk much. I wonder if I’d look more mature if I didn’t talk so much?”
“Not sure if you’d look more mature, but if you keep talking, you’re definitely losing your share of the fish tail tonight.”
“Bai Zimo! Don’t you like fish heads anyway?”
“Yeah, but now that Siyi’s here, things are different.”
“Well, I think that’s not fair!”
“Enough, only wontons can shut you up, little chatterbox!”
Grandma Ma served a big bowl of wontons and placed it in front of Dahua.
“Thank you, Grandma Ma! Thank you, Grandma Lin! You should teach my mom to cook sometime—everything she makes just tastes like soy sauce!”
Bai Zimo pointed outside with his chin.
“You’re roasting your mom right to her face. Be careful she doesn’t come at you with a knife!”
Dahua shrank her neck. Her mom really was fierce!
“Dahua, your mom used to work on cargo ships, her taste is naturally heavy.”
“What about you, Grandma?”
“Grandma Lin is originally from Fujian, and I’m from Shandong! But Siyi’s great-great-grandfather was Italian.”
“I knew it, she looks like a foreigner!”
“I am not! I’m Chinese!”
Dahua’s nonstop talking even made Ma Siyi anxious.
Bai Zimo explained, “Siyi’s great-great-grandfather lived in the Qing Dynasty. It’s so far back it doesn’t even count for her anymore.”
“Where’s Italy anyway?”
“Grandma doesn’t know exactly. Just knows it’s super far away.”
“When I grow up, I’ll sail a ship and take Siyi to Italy!”
Bai Zimo almost spat out his wonton laughing.
“A white egret flying high—this little egret plans to sail the seas!”
“Bai Zimo, are you done eating? Let’s go take Siyi around the courtyard to get familiar!”
Right across from Bai Zimo’s house was Zhou Haikuo’s place.
“Zimo, you done eating?”
“Just finished! We’re here to introduce someone.”
“How thoughtful, this kid’s so pretty.”
Dahua immediately introduced.
“She’s Ma Siyi! Grandma Ma’s granddaughter… And this is Zhou Haikuo, Zhou Haikuo!”
Zhou Haikuo was still struggling with homework.
“He’s Zhou Haikuo. We saw him on the bridge earlier. He’s a good student! I pay him to help me with homework—fast and good!”
Even if Bai Zimo wanted to stop her, he couldn’t.
Zhou Haikuo was completely dumbfounded. Without saying a word, Dahua had already sold him out.