Chapter 197
They had been busy all morning + slaughtering pigs, cutting meat, and catching chickens and ducks for customers. Some wanted rabbit meat without fur, so Shen Yaoqing had to go to the backyard to kill them. Early in the morning, they had only slaughtered four and hung them on wooden racks. Since furless rabbit meat was cheaper these days, selling for just twenty coppers per rabbit, and live rabbits were also cheaper than usual, rounded to thirty coppers each, it was more cost-effective for ordinary folks in Jixing Town who wanted some wild game for a treat to just buy the rabbit meat.
Fortunately, with so many hands today, they managed the workload. The front of the shop was crowded and noisy, so Shen Yan couldn’t stay there and took Ni’er to the backyard to boil water. Hot water was needed for slaughtering rabbits and chickens.
The front was chaotic, with people coming and going. Lu Gu, being perceptive, worried about getting in the way of others’ work. Holding Little Lingjun in one arm, he bent down and scooped up chubby Zhao’er, who was slapping the stool and giggling, then quickly carried them back to the room.
If an adult tripped, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but if Zhao’er fell and got hurt, it would be troublesome. It was better to stay inside.
Once inside, Lu Gu set Zhao’er down and couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re really heavy.”
“Heavy.” Zhao’er had recently taken to mimicking the last word of whatever adults said.
Lu Gu smiled even wider, adjusting Lingjun in his arms. “Who’s heavy?”
Zhao’er - small person, big ghost, seemed to understand he was being called heavy and fell silent. Hearing the commotion outside, he tried to toddle toward the door. He had just learned to walk, though his steps were still unsteady, so an adult always had to watch him to prevent falls.
[人小鬼大 (rén xiǎo guǐ dà): lit. small person, big ghost; fig. child wise beyond their years]
Lu Gu quickly grabbed him. “No, no. Stay inside with little brother and me. Let’s play. See what’s on the table?”
Zhao’er’s attention was diverted. Spotting the eggs, he turned and no longer headed for the door. He reached for the table but couldn’t quite manage, so he lifted his hands and then looked at Lu Gu, calling out in a baby voice, “Egg, egg.”
As soon as he spoke, Little Lingjun in Lu Gu’s arms also babbled, waving his little arms and legs - since he wasn’t swaddled this morning, he could move freely. His tiny fingers even pointed at the eggs.
These were boiled eggs brought by Yan Shi earlier for breakfast. Zhao’er had already eaten half of one in the morning.
Their Lingjun was growing up. Lu Gu’s eyes crinkled with joy as he held the baby’s little hand and said, “You want some too? This is an egg, egg.”
“Ah.” Little Lingjun waved his arm, trying to mimic the word, though he wasn’t quite capable yet.
Lu Gu chuckled and called outside, “Yan Yan, warm the eggs in hot water. I’ll peel one for Zhao’er.”
“Coming!” Shen Yan set down the fire poker and hurried over.
The water in the large pot was boiling. She fished out an egg, warmed it up, and brought it into the room.
Lu Gu was soothing Zhao’er, who was impatient for his egg. He set both children on the bed, taking off their shoes so they could play there. The shop wasn’t as spacious as home, and letting such small children run around outside was too nerve-wracking.
“Here, here, it’s right here.” He carried Zhao’er, who was trying to crawl off the bed, back to the center. Taking the bowl from Shen Yan, he blew on the hot egg and quickly peeled it.
Seeing Zhao’er eating the egg, Little Lingjun, who had been leaning against a pillow, tossed aside his small rattle and stretched out his hands, babbling as if demanding a bite.
Lu Gu broke off half the egg white for Zhao’er to hold. He didn’t dare give him much yolk, as it could be a choking hazard. Seeing Lingjun’s eagerness, he laughed. “You’re still too small. You can’t eat this yet.”
Little Lingjun was just over six months old and still nursing. But the baby kept opening his mouth insistently, so Lu Gu reluctantly gave him a tiny piece of egg white.
He set the egg bowl aside and settled Lingjun on the bed. The two babies sat side by side - Lingjun bundled up thickly, Zhao’er plump and round, looking solid and sturdy. Once they started eating, they became much more well-behaved, easier to manage than before.
Zhao’er took a big bite, Lingjun a tiny one. Lu Gu sat smiling at the bedside, dividing the egg between them while eating the yolk himself.
“All gone.” He clapped his hands after finishing and showed the empty bowl to Zhao’er and Lingjun.
Zhao’er pressed Lu Gu’s hand down to peer into the bowl, nearly burying his face in it. Little Lingjun also reached out to touch the bowl, so Lu Gu held it up for him to see properly.
Lingjun also tried to stick his face into the bowl. Lu Gu laughed, his eyes full of amusement. “Alright, alright, it’s all gone.”
After eating, Zhao’er crawled around the bed while Lu Gu held Little Lingjun and shook the rattle for him, occasionally teasing Zhao’er. A messy bed didn’t matter, as long as they stayed inside, it was fine.
It wasn’t until mid-morning that the front of the shop finally quieted down.
Yang Xian and his wife Zhang Shi had their tavern to run, so they left first. Now that things had slowed down, Shen Yan poured tea for everyone. Yan Shi and Wei Lanxiang sat at the table, drinking tea and resting while chatting about the day’s sales.
Inside the room, neither Zhao’er nor Lingjun wanted to nap. Hearing that the front was no longer busy, Lu Gu carried them out.
“We sold eleven rabbits. The old chickens and ducks went at market price, no discounts, and only three were sold in total.” Shen Yaoqing came in from the backyard after counting the livestock and reported to the others with a smile.
Shen Xuanqing refilled the elders’ teacups and said cheerfully, “Those chickens and ducks were bought from others at market price. We can’t sell at a loss.”
“That’s right.” Yan Shi nodded in agreement.
The shop was meant to be a long-term venture. The chickens and ducks in the backyard would sell eventually, and it wasn’t as if they were desperate for money.
No comments:
Post a Comment