Chapter 57 - New House 2
Chapter 57: New House 2
Su Sanlang wanted to thank him. Moreover, he wanted to repay his kindness. Old Wu understood Su Sanlang’s intentions at a glance. He wanted to use his entire life to repay him. He was just short of saying that he would take care of Old Wu himself in the future.
This wasn’t a bad man. He had a grateful heart, Old Wu sensed, but he didn’t need so much in return. So, he wanted everyone to just live their own lives.
“Go home.”
Old Wu’s expression softened. He looked at the children and waved his hand gently.
Su Sanlang nodded and led his family out of Old Wu’s house and into the home that belonged to them next door.
Although they watched this new home being built bit by bit every day, the family could not hide their joy now that they were officially living here.
The courtyard was paved with bluestone paths, and the land on both sides had been sown with vegetable seeds, forming a small vegetable garden in the yard.
The well was at the foot of the wall on the left-hand side of the entry. There was a stone slab covering it, and the sides were also covered with bluestones. The clothes poles with triangular forks were used to dry clothes or vegetables.
The kitchen was on the right-hand side of the entrance. It was spacious and bright inside. The new stove had three pots, new square tables, new cupboards, and new vats. The grain barrels were all full. They were grain bought from the villagers, and there was some cured meat.
By the kitchen, a door led into the main room.
Beyond the main door was a large central room. There were two rooms past the central room that belonged to Su Chong and Su Hua. From the path to the backyard, there were two new rooms next to each other. Opposite the central room was the backyard. The empty space behind the main room was a chicken coop and a pigpen.
The family walked the house inside out, then returned to the kitchen to start preparing dinner.
“Sanlang, let’s make Supo meat tonight. We’ll stew the bones and make vegetable soup. I’ll knead some dough to make noodles and steam some meat buns. What do you think?”
……
Madam Zhao could not help but tear up again. She wiped her tears and said to Su Sanlang, crying tears of happiness.
Su Sanlang smiled and nodded. “That’s great. Tomorrow, our whole family will go to town to buy New Year goods.”
The villagers did not know exactly how much the tiger had been sold for. When someone asked, Su Sanlang said three hundred taels. The money he spent by now let the villagers know that he had already spent all the money from the tiger.
He would save the remaining 250 taels and treat his two children. If they could not be cured, the money would be a guarantee that the two sons would live peacefully in the future.
“Okay, whatever you say.”
Madam Zhao smiled and agreed. The couple began to wash the pots and cook.
As for the four children, they let them play in the courtyard.
When it was cold, they returned to the stove at home to warm themselves up.
When it was almost dark, the meal was ready.
The fragrant Supo meat was appetizing. Even Su Xiaolu wanted to eat it.
The bone soup was thick and white, and the vegetables were cooked until they were soft. The white rice emitted a fragrance. After playing all afternoon, Su Chong and Su Hua were already hungry, but they were neither anxious nor noisy. They waited obediently for dinner.
Madam Zhao said, “Sanlang, go and invite Doctor Wu over to eat with us.”
Su Sanlang nodded and went out the door.
But soon, he came back dejectedly and said, “Doctor Wu doesn’t seem to be home. Let’s eat by ourselves.”
Madam Zhao nodded and scooped rice for the children. Everyone got a bowl of rice. After Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao sat down, Su Sanlang picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks for Madam Zhao and said “Eat. This is our first meal in our new home. From now on, our family will be safe.”
Madam Zhao’s eyes turned red as she smiled and agreed. “Alright, everyone is safe.”
Su Sanmei picked up another piece of meat for Su Chong, Su Hua, and Su Sanmei and said, “Chong, Hua, and Sanmei, you have to grow up healthily.”
“Yes.”
Su Chong, Su Hua, and Su Sanmei answered in unison.
“Good.”
Su Sanlang looked at the three children gently. His gaze finally landed on Su Xiaolu, who was in Madam Zhao’s arms. Seeing Su Xiaolu gulp as she stared at the meat, Su Sanlang’s heart warmed. He smiled and said, “Darling, look, our Simei wants to eat meat too.”
Su Xiaolu did want to eat it. In fact, she was almost four months old and could eat some meat.
It was mainly because Madam Zhao’s dishes looked very delicious. That Supo meat looked so soft and mushy. It must be very delicious.
Madam Zhao smiled and said, “Simei is almost four months old. Speaking of which, she can also eat some meat now. Sanmei, why don’t you let Simei try some meat today?”
Su Xiaolu’s eyes lit up. She wriggled happily and smiled sweetly at Su Sanlang.
The family was amused.
Su Sanlang smiled and nodded. “Okay, let’s give Simei some good meat. She can have some rice too.”
Madam Zhao nodded and began to push aside a lump of meat. She picked up the soft fat inside with her chopsticks and cut it into the size of a rice grain. Then, she blew on it and fed it to Su Xiaolu.
Su Xiaolu was overjoyed. To be honest, she was really afraid that Madam Zhao would chew it up for her.
Fortunately, she didn’t.
“Simei, is it good?”
Su Sanmei tilted her head and asked Su Xiaolu with a smile.
Su Xiaolu smacked her lips and smiled at Su Sanmei. Of course, it was delicious.
However, she couldn’t eat too much. She wouldn’t be able to digest it. She could only have a small amount of it every day.
Madam Zhao fed Su Xiaolu some more, but Su Xiaolu refused to eat it after a while. She turned her head to the side to show that she did not want anymore.
At night, the family washed up and went to bed.
Su Chong and Su Hua slept in the same room.
Su Sanmei still stayed in the same room as her parents.
Su Xiaolu only drank milk once before bed at night and could sleep through the entire night.
Only when she needed to pee would she groan and wake Madam Zhao or Su Sanlang up.
Every time Madam Zhao brought Su Xiaolu to the toilet, she would kiss her cheek and say gently, “Simei is so obedient.”
Su Xiaolu would smile, then yawn and go back to sleep.
The next morning, Madam Zhao and Su Sanlang got up and heated up some leftover buns and vegetable soup from last night. After the family ate, Madam Zhao carried Su Xiaolu on her back and covered her with a cotton cloth to block the wind. The family closed the door and went to town.
As it was their first time going to town, Su Chong and Su Hua were even more obedient than usual. They held Madam Zhao’s hand tightly and were a little uneasy about the unfamiliar road.
They had never been out of the village before. It was the first time they had left a familiar place and they were afraid.
Therefore, they held Madam Zhao’s hand tightly and looked at Su Sanlang.
Even Su Sanmei was a little scared, but she was also curious about what the outside world would be like.
Madam Wang seemed to have something on her mind. The road out of the village seemed to remind her of the memories of being sold ten years ago. Before she was bought by Madam Wang, she had been brought to many places. They were all unfamiliar and unbearable, like buying and selling livestock. Those gazes made her feel afraid every time she thought of them.
Su Sanlang said gently, “Darling, don’t be afraid. Just follow me. When we enter the city later, we’ll go to the Miscellaneous Medical Hall to see a doctor for Chong and Hua first before taking a look at your condition. After we get the medicine, we’ll go shopping.”