The Adopted Cannon Fodder Made a Comeback

After speaking with Lin Shan, Gu’er went to the kitchen to help Chen Fengjiao cook. She told her mother about the plan, and since Chen Fengjiao heard Lin Shan had already agreed, she didn’t object.

Although Chen Fengjiao didn’t object, she still had her reservations about Gu’er selling mountain goods by herself. ’Being a factory worker is such a desirable job, and being a salesclerk in a department store would be great too. Those are respectable jobs. But no, she has to go and start her own little business.’ Still, her daughter had only just returned home, so she didn’t feel it was her place to say anything.

Gu’er watched Chen Fengjiao cook. Her mother was actually quite good, which made sense since she’d been cooking every day for years. Still, she only made simple, home-style dishes.

"Mom, let me make a dish."

Gu’er saw the potatoes and was reminded of the candied sweet potatoes she hadn’t gotten to eat at lunch.

"Of course. If there’s something you want to eat, you can make it yourself, or you can just tell me."

Since her daughter had just arrived, Chen Fengjiao didn’t know her tastes and figured she might not be used to her cooking. So, she didn’t stand on ceremony and let Gu’er make it herself.

The reason Gu’er wanted to cook was that the kitchen was well-stocked with all the common ingredients. The candying process required deep-frying, and she figured that parents who could afford to take their children to a restaurant wouldn’t be stingy with a little oil. ’This would have been impossible back at the Zhou family’s place,’ she thought. ’If I used even a couple of drops of oil, Zhou Mazi would have cursed me out.’

Chen Fengjiao watched as Gu’er skillfully peeled the potatoes and cut them into chunks. A complicated feeling welled up inside her as she saw how swift and practiced her daughter’s movements were.

’A child who doesn’t grow up by her mother’s side truly has a hard life. Sui’er still doesn’t even know how to wash vegetables, let alone chop them or cook. She’s always been waited on hand and foot. Not like Gu’er.’

Once Chen Fengjiao was nearly finished with her dishes, Gu’er heated a wok of oil and fried the battered potatoes.

When the rock sugar had melted into a syrup, Chen Fengjiao’s eyes widened as she watched Gu’er swiftly coat the fried potatoes.

’How does Gu’er know how to make a dish like this? Even I don’t know how.’

Gu’er transferred the candied potatoes to a plate and immediately scrubbed the wok, knowing it would be a pain to clean if the sugar hardened.

Once all the dishes were on the table, Gu’er placed a bowl of cool water next to the candied potatoes.

"Sweetheart, you can’t drink that cool water. You’ll get a stomachache."

Thinking Gu’er was about to drink it, Chen Fengjiao quickly tried to stop her.

"No, Mom," Gu’er explained softly. "When you pick up a piece, it pulls sugary threads. It’s better if you dip it in the water first."

Chen Fengjiao’s face flushed slightly. ’I thought she was used to drinking unboiled water back in the village. Turns out I just made a fool of myself.’

Gu’er finished setting out the chopsticks just as Lin Sui’er returned with Lin Zheng.

After washing their hands, the family sat down at the dinner table.

The two younger children were familiar with Chen Fengjiao’s cooking. Their mother had made a lot of delicious food today, but they had never seen the candied dish before.

"Mom, did you learn to make a new dish?"

Lin Sui’er’s eyes twinkled as she reached with her chopsticks for a piece of the candied potato.

"Your big sister made that," Chen Fengjiao said with a cheerful smile.

Lin Sui’er’s chopsticks froze mid-air. Then, with a dark expression, she moved to grab a different dish instead. ’I’m not eating anything Lin Gu’er made!’

Gu’er picked up a piece of candied potato with her chopsticks, dipped it in the water, and placed it in Lin Zheng’s bowl.

"See if you like it. Be careful, it’s hot."

Gu’er watched Lin Zheng with a tender expression, feeling as if she had gone back in time to when she used to cook for Little Yueyue.

"Thanks, Big Sis."

Lin Zheng said his thanks and took a bite.

He let out a little hiss. It was a bit hot.

"It’s so hot! Why would you give it to Xiao Zheng? Can you even take responsibility if he gets burned?" Lin Sui’er immediately slammed her chopsticks on the table and yelled.

Lin Shan’s face darkened. ’What is wrong with my second daughter?’

"Are you alright?" Chen Fengjiao asked nervously from her side of the table.

"I’m fine, it was just a tiny bit hot. It’s not Big Sis’s fault. She told me it was hot, but I was in too much of a hurry. Mom, don’t blame Big Sis."

Lin Zheng hadn’t expected his second sister to have such a strong reaction. It wasn’t as if he’d never burned his mouth before, and she’d never been like this. ’Why is she acting this way today? And she’s blaming Big Sis... I wonder if I hurt Big Sis’s feelings? Will she still give me food in the future?’

Lin Zheng grew a little anxious and glanced cautiously at Gu’er. She just smiled back at him, showing she didn’t mind.

"As long as you’re alright. Okay, okay, let’s just eat," Chen Fengjiao said, trying to smooth things over.

"Mom, it’s sweet! And delicious!"

After eating the candied potato, Lin Zheng’s eyes shone brightly. He loved it.

"Then have some more. Your big sister made them especially for you."

Chen Fengjiao was delighted to see her son enjoying the food.

Lin Zheng had trouble picking them up himself, so both Gu’er and Chen Fengjiao placed several more pieces in his bowl.

Lin Shan tried a couple of pieces as well. Chen Fengjiao also put one in Lin Sui’er’s bowl, but Sui’er was still sulking and refused to touch it. Gu’er, however, ate some of everything. She sampled every dish and found her mother’s cooking to be quite good.

By the time they started clearing the table, the entire plate of candied potatoes was gone.

Gu’er helped Chen Fengjiao wash the dishes, and then they sat on the sofa. The television was on in the living room.

It was strange watching a black-and-white television; Gu’er wasn’t used to it at all. Then again, it had been a very long time since she’d last watched any TV.

It wasn’t primetime yet, so it wasn’t a drama series playing. As Gu’er stared at the black-and-white screen, she recalled how color TVs would eventually come out. ’I remember people who couldn’t afford them would put colored plastic sheets over the screen, pretending it was in color.’

The corners of Gu’er’s mouth lifted in a slight smile. ’It’s actually pretty interesting, witnessing this progress step by step.’

"Big Sis, here."

While Gu’er was lost in thought, Lin Zheng quietly nudged her and pressed something into her hand.

Gu’er was taken aback. She looked down at the object that had been pressed into her palm. ’Is this... a White Rabbit creamy candy?’

She knew that White Rabbit candies were a rare delicacy in this day and age. Most families couldn’t afford them at all.

Gu’er looked at Lin Zheng’s big, blinking eyes. ’Is he giving me this because of the candied potatoes I made? Or just because I was nice to him?’

"Lin Zheng! Am I your sister or not? All that affection I showed you was for nothing! You have candy and you don’t give it to me? What’s that supposed to mean?"

Across the room, Lin Sui’er flew off the handle. Her relationship with Lin Zheng was usually just so-so. Even though there were only two children in the family, their mother doted on her more. Besides, she couldn’t be bothered to spend time with a little kid, so she rarely took him anywhere. ’But Lin Zheng is still my little brother! We’ve lived together for five or six years, and now he’s giving his best treat to the newcomer, Lin Gu’er? What’s that supposed to mean?!’

"Dad brought these for us when he came back from his last trip," Lin Zheng’s voice was clear and articulate. "He gave you more than he gave me. I saved mine and I haven’t finished them yet. Big Sis has never had one before, but you have. What’s wrong with letting her try one?"

He spoke with perfect logic. It was his candy, which he had been saving. He usually couldn’t bear to eat them, only having one on rare occasions. He felt that his new big sister had suffered a lot. She had just arrived and had even made him a delicious treat. He wanted to share one of his candies with her. ’What Second Sister said was wrong.’

"That’s enough," Chen Fengjiao chided Lin Sui’er. "Your brother saved that candy himself because he treasures it. He can give it to whomever he wants. And you’re a big girl now, why are you making such a fuss over everything? Who’s to blame if you already finished all of yours?"

Chen Fengjiao scolded Lin Sui’er. ’Why does this girl have to fight over every little thing?’ she thought. ’I’ve never short-changed her. When my husband brought back those candies, I gave more to Sui’er than to Zheng’er. Why is she still trying to start a fight?’

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Thanks to Dandan Ruliu and Pacific Stone Monkey for the monthly tickets, thanks to Ning Zhihai for the praise, and thank you all for your support.