Jiang Xinyu was at home tending the fire when she heard a knock on the door. Why is Wei Kaiyun here again?
"Jiang Xinyu, I’ve brought you a frying pan." Wei Kaiyun held up the griddle to show Jiang Xinyu.
"Director Wei, what’s this?"
"It’s a gift for you. Didn’t you say you didn’t have a griddle? I brought you one. You have a coal stove, so it’s perfect to use."
"Director Wei, I really can’t accept this."
"Are you rejecting this? I haven’t used it, and I don’t cook myself. A friend gave it to me, and it’s just been sitting at home."
"That’s not what I mean."
"Oh? Then just take it."
"I don’t want it because I don’t want to cook in the room I sleep in. It feels too weird."
"What’s so strange about that? Alright, just take it for now. I’ll get you a coal stove. I don’t stay at home, so it’s useless to me. I’ve got a lot of briquettes too, and they’re all for you."
"Director Wei, I can’t accept something for nothing."
"It’s a gift between friends."
Are we friends? Wishful thinking. "Director Wei, this really puts me in a difficult position."
"What’s so difficult about it? I know you went back to the textile factory today. When can we have some meat pancakes?"
Jiang Xinyu squinted her eyes, "Director Wei, you’re giving me these just to eat meat pancakes, right?"
"Yes, I’m really craving them. The last time I had them was two years ago when I was on a business trip to the capital. I can’t forget the taste."
"Alright, then I’ll thank Director Wei for the gift." Jiang Xinyu made sure to emphasize the word ’gift’ very clearly.
"Haha, I’ll go fetch the coal stove and the briquettes. You just wait. If you feel bad about it, invite me to dinner."
I want to hit someone, what should I do? Jiang Xinyu gritted her teeth, "Fine, I’ll invite Director Wei to have cornbread. I steamed some today."
"I’m satisfied just having something to eat." Wei Kaiyun said before riding away on his bicycle.
Jiang Xinyu thought to herself, since you’re willing to give, I’ll just consider it as payment for having dinner at my place.
But only eating cornbread tonight, Jiang Xinyu wasn’t quite willing, so maybe cabbage stewed with vermicelli would do.
Within an hour, Wei Kaiyun knocked on the door again.
"No need for you, I can do it myself. I’ll put the coal stove in your main room, and I’ll come by tomorrow to install the chimney for you."
Wei Kaiyun moved quickly. A cartload of briquettes was neatly piled up in the woodshed in no time.
Jiang Xinyu brought him water so he could wash up, and the two of them sat down at the table to eat.
"Jiang Xinyu, these cornbreads you steamed are quite fluffy and delicious.
The cabbage stewed with vermicelli is cooked in meat broth, which makes it taste fragrant."
"Director Wei, I’m glad you like it. By the way, I’ll have someone come over to install the coal stove tomorrow; they have a glass cutter, and you see, the bedroom glass isn’t damaged, so it’s not drafty."
"Sure, you could actually set up a kitchen in the spring."
"No, heating is a problem in winter." Jiang Xinyu did not want to say more.
"Jiang Xinyu, when are we having meat pancakes? I’ve already told Old Yang; the guy said he’d come over to warm the new home."
"On the twelfth day of the first lunar month, my sister has a big class. Just that day at noon."
"Jiang Xinyu, let’s do it in the evening. Noon is too conspicuous."
"Evening leaves a bad impression."
"More people will pay attention during the day."
In the end, Jiang Xinyu gave in, settling on the evening of the twelfth.
Wei Kaiyun left satisfied after dinner. Thinking to himself, the less you want it, the more I’ll come to eat.
On the morning of the twelfth, Jiang Xinyu met Wang Ailing on the street.
"You don’t need to wait for me; I can find it."
"Hmm, it’s alright, I’m not in a hurry. What’s that you’re holding?"
"Eggs they helped me buy. These are good stuff, twenty of them."
"Where can you buy eggs now? That must have cost a pretty penny, right?"
"Ten cents each. If bought from the supply and marketing co-op, they’d only be five or six cents."
The two talked as they entered the courtyard.
"Xinyu, this house is really nice."
"It’s alright. Hurry inside and lie down for a while. We’ll have noodle soup with poached eggs for lunch."
"Weren’t we having dumplings?"
"Director Wei said he’d come over in the evening. We’re having meat pancakes then."
Jiang Xinyu had already packed up her own bedding; this was Mrs. Jiang’s bedding.
"I’m not sleepy right now, just a bit hungry."
"Have a cup of malted milk first. We’ll eat together at noon." Though Jiang Xinyu said this, she still placed a cornbread on top of the stove cover.
Wang Ailing was indeed tired; after finishing the cornbread and drinking a cup of malted milk, she crawled into bed to sleep.
Before sleeping, "Xinyu, don’t wake me up for lunch."
Watching Wang Ailing fall asleep in seconds, Jiang Xinyu sighed. Everything is not easy.
It wasn’t until four in the afternoon that Wang Ailing woke up, went to the bathroom, and then folded up the bedding on the bed.
"Xinyu, the bathroom is really clean."
"It’s alright, it’s just me. No need to draw the curtains, they hang as they are."
"What time is it? It’s much more comfortable sleeping at home."
"It’s almost four o’clock. There’s hot water on the stove, so freshen up. We’ll need to start cooking soon."
"Hehe, I’m really embarrassed. I haven’t done any work while freeloading here."
"I’ve saved the work for you. The meat filling hasn’t been chopped yet, it’s up to you. I’ve got everything else ready." Jiang Xinyu had indeed prepared; she had kneaded the dough at noon, peeled the spring onions, but had left the meat filling for Wang Ailing, not wanting to disturb her sleep.
"Alright, I’ll chop the meat filling. Xinyu, you’re so thoughtful, you must have not wanted to disturb my nap."
"Come on, get to work. I’m going to grab the cabbage. Use the stems for soup, and mix the hearts for a cold dish."
The vegetables are really too sparse, but there’s nothing I can do. Jiang Xinyu took out a radish too, shredded it into vinegar-sugared radish, to cut the grease. Add a sausage dish, that makes it three dishes and a soup, quite a high standard.
In the kitchen, Wang Ailing was furiously chopping meat filling. "Xinyu, putting all this in, there’s too much meat." It pains me.
"Without enough meat, the pancakes won’t taste good. Put all of it in."
Jiang Xinyu prepared the filling, adding a big scoop of soybean oil, and secretly adding some chicken essence, with an egg mixed in. After blending it well, she felt the filling was too dry, so she added water.
"Xinyu, this filling smells amazing."
"It’ll smell even better when cooked."
Jiang Xinyu checked the time; it was nearly six o’clock, so she started making the pancake bodies. Given the frying pan, it wouldn’t make too many at once.
She heard a knock at the door, and Wang Ailing went to open it. "Director Wei, come in."
"Your name is Wang Ailing, right? How’s work going? Are you adjusting well?"
Wang Ailing complained internally, I’ve been working for almost two months, and you’re just asking now? Isn’t it a bit late? But she still replied politely, "It’s going well, thank you, Director Wei, for the opportunity."
Old Yang said nothing, following behind the two. In his left hand was a plastic bucket, the two-pound kind, and in his right, a strip of meat.
"Young lady, congratulations."
"Master Yang, please come in. Why are you being so polite?"