125 Talking About the Past
Lin Jiao replied with a smile, âWhat else do you want to eat?â
âCarrot stewed pork ribs and stir-fried yams.â Chu Kui glanced at Pei Zhen. âGive him braised pork too.â
âDo you think this place is a restaurant?â
âOld Chu and I came all the way here. Donât you think itâs only appropriate to treat us to a big meal?â
âShameless!â Lin Kanglu cursed angrily, but he did not stop the juniors who were walking towards the kitchen.
!!
Pei Zhen knocked him with his walking stick.
He raised his chin at the house beside him. âArenât you going to bring us in for a tour?â
âCan you even walk?â
âWhy canât I?â
âHeâs pretending to be a cripple. Ignore him.â Chu Kui picked up his teacup and stood up at the same time as them.
Chu Yuzhou, who came out after inspecting the kitchen, realized that the old men were gone. He said excitedly, âLetâs go and see the chickens?â
âYou want to catch it?â
âA little. I never tried it.â He was willing to try anything that he had never done.
Pei Zhi held Lin Jiaoâs hand and walked in front.
He found the chicken coop in the backyard and pulled open the fence to let him in. âIâll give you a chance to show off.â
âWhich one?â
âCatch whichever one you like.â
Chu Yuzhou looked around and finally chose a âlucky chickenâ.
He avoided the chicken poop and moved to the right. Just as he stretched out his claws, the red-haired chicken flapped its wings and flew away.
He went back and forth a few times but did not even manage to touch a feather on the chicken.
âYou have to sneak up to it.â Looking at his clumsy movement, Lin Jiao was anxious.
She lowered her voice to avoid scaring the chickens. âCatch it when itâs not paying attention.â
Chu Yuzhou did as she said.
He bent down and slowly walked forward. After getting closer, he suddenly pounced on it.
Thenâ
He tripped over a stone.
Lin Jiao held her breath, afraid that he would fall on the chicken poop.
Fortunately, Chu Yuzhou reacted quickly and stabilized himself in time.
âHoly crap! That was close.â Chu Yuzhou panted.
Pei Zhi held back his laughter.
He thought of how miserable he was the first time he was catching a chicken and decided not to continue watching the show. âLet me help you.â
âI have to catch it this time!â Chu Yuzhou clenched his fists and swore.
âIâll feed it, and you try to sneak up to its back.â
âSure.â
Pei Zhi sprinked grains on the ground and led the chicken to a corner where it was not easy to escape before giving Chu Yuzhou a look.
They cooperated well and caught the struggling chicken quickly.
âDo you have a knife?â Chu Yuzhou lowered his head to look at his clothes that were covered in dust and wanted to retaliate.
âThe knife is in the kitchen.â
âIâm going to kill this little bastard.â
By the time Pei Zhi and Lin Jiao returned to the kitchen, the chicken was already dead.
Lin Jiao quickly took a basin to keep the blood. âItâs still moving.â
âThen Iâll give it another slash.â
âPoint the knife at its neck.â
Chu Yuzhou slashed down.
He looked at the chicken neck to make sure it was dead before putting down the knife. âWhat do we do next?â
âPlucking the feather.â Lin Jiao told him the steps.
After Pei Zhi finished boiling the water, she placed the chicken in the pot and boiled it for two minutes before teaching him how to pluck.
After Lin Jiao was done giving a demonstration, Chu Yuzhou gave it a try.
He sat alone on the wooden stool and plucked the feather one by one. âBrother Pei, have you ever killed a chicken before?â
âI have.â
âHere as well?â
âYes.â Pei Zhi put on an apron.
He placed the fish on the chopping board and knocked it out with the back of the knife before scraping off the scales. âI caught it with Yanshen last time.â
âHe must be very skilled, right?â
âIndeed.â
Lin Jiao walked behind Pei Zhi and helped him tie the apron.
She picked up the basin filled with veggies and walked to the sink to wash it.
Chu Yuzhou leaned over to wash his hands. âWhoâs going to cook?â
âDo you know how to cook?â
âI know.â
âYour showtime then.â Lin Jiao thought for a moment and handed him a plate filled with yams and fungus.
Chu Yuzhou rolled up his sleeves.
In just a moment, a wisp of smoke spread out, and the entire house was filled with the fragrance of fresh food.
Seeing that he was stir-frying the yams skillfully, Lin Jiao was slightly relieved and poured the chicken into another pot.
In no time, one dish after another was placed on the table in the living room.
âDo you have wine?â Chu Kui wanted to drink.
Lin Kanglu turned around and walked to the wine jar. âKids, do you want to drink too?â
âWhatâs the alcohol content?â
âFifty or sixty.â
Chu Yuzhou went over with two glasses.
He sniffed the wine that was filled with herbal fragrance. As soon as he took a sip, he frowned at the spiciness. âBrother Pei, try it.â
âYou have to savor this wine slowly.â Chu Kui picked up his glass and wanted to laugh when he saw his grimace face.
âItâs spicy even if I drink it slowly.â
âThen drink white wine.â
Lin Kanglu poured him a glass.
He told them to eat first and then picked up his glass. âDonât drink too much. You still have to go back tonight.â
âGo back to where?â Pei Zhen picked up a peanut. âOld Chu and I are staying for the night.â
âThereâs no room for the two of you.â
âThen weâll stay in your room.â
âIn your dreams!â
âYuzhou, stay here tonight too.â Chu Kui made up his mind. âYou have nothing to do anyway. Drive us back tomorrow.â
Chu Yuzhou did not dare to refuse even if he had something to do.
He put down his glass in a daze and tugged at Pei Zhi. âLetâs go out and take a walk to sober up.â
âGo and water the fields on the way.â
âClose the door.â
âOkay.â Lin Jiao guessed that they had something to talk about, so she closed the door.
After the footsteps were gradually disappearing, the room fell into a short silence.
The sound of bowls and chopsticks colliding lingered in the quiet room. Chu Kui, who could not stand this atmosphere, picked up his glass and clinked it with theirs.
He took two sips of wine. âI heard from Old Pei that Jiaojiao asked him about you and Hongyuan yesterday.â
Lin Kanglu chewed on a peanut with his left cheek and looked at Pei Zhen. âWhat did you tell her?â
âI told her the truth.â Pei Zhen paused for a moment. âBut I didnât mention who those two items belong to.â
âWhy didnât you mention it?â
âWhatâs the point? Iâm not like you. I donât wanna bring up something that happened 15 years ago.â
Fifteen years ago, in order to support Lin Kangluâs work, he and Chu Kui each took out a family heirloom and gave it to Lin Kanglu to repair.
They did not expect Lin Hongyuan to be so stupid as to sell the items behind their backs.
Neither did they expect that a few harsh words from Chu Kuiâs wife would make Lin Kanglu avoid them for 15 years out of guilt.
âOld Lin.â Chu Kui placed his hand on his shoulder. âYou know what my wife is like. She didnât say that on purpose.â
âI donât blame her.â Lin Kanglu sighed. âI was stubborn in the past and was impulsive.â