PCJ – Chapter 177 Getting Close

Luo Changjun stayed for a meal at Zhang Jiaohua’s home. He watched as an eight-year-old kid cooked, only helping by tending the fire. Other households used mixed wood that could burn for half a day with just one bundle, so having someone tend the fire or not didn’t make a difference.

Luo Changjun repeatedly turned the well-burning firewood into a smoke bomb and then grinned at Zhang Jiaohua.

Zhang Jiaohua, helpless, rearranged the firewood and blew it back to life. “Uncle Luo, you don’t need to keep adding wood. If you stuff it all in, the air can’t circulate, and the fire will naturally go out.”

“So that’s how it works.” Luo Changjun feigned sudden understanding, then moved on to the main topic. “My dad wants to invite you for a meal. I’ll come to pick you up next Sunday.”

“No need. There’s a lot of farm work at home now. During the holidays, I need to focus on farm work. Otherwise, the fields will be left barren.” Zhang Jiaohua was focused on cooking.

“Really? Your parents left you alone at home, and you still have to do all this?” Luo Changjun immediately frowned.

Hearing Luo Changjun’s tone when he mentioned his parents, Zhang Jiaohua quickly defended them. “It’s not like that. I chose to plant. Don’t underestimate me. I can do what adults can do.”

“You’ve got ambition.” Luo Changjun gave Zhang Jiaohua a thumbs-up. “When I was your age, if my parents left me at home, I’d probably starve. I couldn’t even cook.”

Luo Changjun’s words puzzled Zhang Jiaohua. Children in rural areas couldn’t understand not being able to cook. For them, starting from a young age, they had to help with various chores: cutting pig grass, cooking, harvesting rice, threshing… Children in Meizi’ao Village started trying these tasks at five or six. Some who matured early even went to the fields with a knife to cut cabbage at two or three.

“Which child in our village doesn’t help with chores? I can handle farm work just fine.” Zhang Jiaohua thought it was perfectly normal.

“But you’re only in first grade. Shouldn’t you focus on your studies now?” Luo Changjun thought Zhang Jiaohua was a bit mixed up in his priorities.

“I don’t bring my work to school.” Zhang Jiaohua retorted irritably.

Fine, communicating with a kid wasn’t easy. Luo Changjun suddenly felt that treating Zhang Jiaohua as an adult was wrong. 

Fortunately, he wasn’t Zhang Jiaohua’s father; otherwise, the generational gap would drown him.

“How about next time I bring my dad here? He might like the rural environment more. The countryside is great, with fresh air and big yards surrounded by fruit trees.” Luo Changjun thought he had a great idea.

“That’s good. It’s just a pity we don’t have any good food in the countryside.” Zhang Jiaohua was initially happy but then a bit troubled. Without good things to entertain guests, mountain people always felt guilty.

“No problem. We’ll eat what you normally eat. Isn’t there wild boar meat here? That’s good stuff.” Luo Changjun looked at the smoked wild boar meat hanging from the rack.

“If you like it so much, take a few pieces with you.” Zhang Jiaohua laughed.

“No need. We can’t eat that much. We haven’t finished what you gave us last time. When we do, I’ll ask you for more. We don’t have a rack like yours or burn wood. The meat loses its flavor if kept too long.” Luo Changjun politely declined.

When Luo Changjun left, Zhang Jiaohua walked him to his car. This time, Luo Changjun refused to take anything Zhang Jiaohua offered. Zhang Jiaohua had planned to give him some smoked meat and catch a chicken and a duck, but since Luo Changjun was here to thank him, he wouldn’t accept these gifts.

“Go back. If you have any trouble at home, come to the town and find me.” Luo Changjun stepped on the gas, and the jeep sped away.

Zhang Jiaohua watched the jeep until it disappeared over the hills.

To Zhang Jiaohua, the direction out of Meizi’ao Village was where his parents had gone. He didn’t know where Guangdong was, but in his heart, his parents were in that direction. Watching it meant he was hoping they would return from there. Even though he knew this wouldn’t happen until New Year’s, he still looked that way many times every day.

Zhang Jiaohua turned back to the house as Zhang Dechun came out.

“Jiaohua, where is that person from? I’ve seen him come to our village in a jeep two or three times. Yesterday, it seemed like he was the one who brought you and your grandpa back.” Zhang Dechun held an enamel cup filled with cotton tea. Cotton tea, unique to Meizi’ao Village, was different from regular tea. It brewed a sweet, thirst-quenching tea. Usually, a large pot was brewed, cooled, and stored in a thermos.

Zhang Dechun had seen commune officials drinking tea and, though he didn’t understand the city folks’ sophistication, it didn’t stop him from imitating them by sipping tea from his cup, blowing on the floating leaves, and cautiously sipping the hot liquid.

“Grandpa Dechun, don’t you know to wait until the water cools? If you burn your mouth, you’ll look like Zhu Bajie.” Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t help but comment.

The people playing cards at Zhang Dechun’s house laughed heartily.

Zhang Dechun accidentally drank a mouthful of hot water and quickly spit it out. “Jiaohua, you little rascal. You don’t understand anything, yet you talk nonsense. I’m tasting tea; you wouldn’t get it. Lack of culture is scary!”

Zhang Dechun looked at the group disdainfully. However, his red face and embarrassed expression were evident.

Zhang Jiaohua laughed at Zhang Dechun’s discomfiture. “In town, people drink tea from special cups. Purple clay cups look nice. Who uses an enamel cup for tea?”

“You know nothing. Have you seen officials drink tea? In the commune, they use enamel cups just like this. This cup isn’t ordinary. Look, outstanding family planning worker.” Zhang Dechun proudly showed his cup to Zhang Jiaohua.

“Also an advanced individual. Being a lackey, tearing down villagers’ houses for family planning. Aren’t you ashamed?” Zhang Jiaohua wasn’t afraid of Zhang Dechun and retorted directly.

The people playing cards laughed so hard their stomachs hurt. They had thoughts they wouldn’t voice, but Zhang Jiaohua spoke freely. Zhang Dechun couldn’t do anything but watch Zhang Jiaohua walk away triumphantly.

“You’re fifty, yet you can’t win against a kid. Happy now, getting mocked by a child.” Zhang Dechun’s wife, Xiao Manguai, came out and scolded him.

“You know nothing!” Zhang Dechun cursed.

Xiao Manguai rolled her eyes but didn’t say more. Zhang Party Secretary’s authority in his own yard was high.

Zhang Dechun’s son, Zhang Shunlin, couldn’t help but say, “Why are you so harsh to mom for saying one thing?”

“What does she know? How many officials in town have cars? Those with cars have status. I’m trying to build a relationship through Jiaohua. Then, getting your position secured will be easier. Do you think I can’t outtalk Jiaohua?” Zhang Dechun glared at Zhang Shunlin.

“That’s true. But this jeep owner isn’t from the government but the police station. Town has only two jeeps: one for the town secretary, the other for the police chief. The town mayor even takes the bus to the county.” Zhang Shunlin, though just a primary school teacher, was well-informed. He got his information from Gong Ziyuan, who had some connections in town but had to come to Meizi’ao Village Elementary for a position.

“Do you think I don’t know this jeep is from the police? Police Chief Luo visited Meizi’ao Village before, and I assisted him. Watch, I’ll build a good relationship with him through Jiaohua. Then, getting your position secured and even moving to town will be easy.” Zhang Dechun spoke confidently.

Who knows when it started, but poker had become the main leisure activity in Meizi’ao Village. From drawing on faces, playing for a few points, to now gambling for tens of dollars, customs were slowly changing.

As Zhang Jiaohua approached home, he saw someone squatting by the field.

“Hey! Crazy Chen, what are you doing here?” Zhang Jiaohua recognized him from his tattered clothes.

“Jiaohua, why does your rice look like beans?” Crazy Chen spoke without any apparent issues.

“Different methods for different things. Don’t worry about how I plant my rice. It’s fine as long as I’m happy.” Zhang Jiaohua didn’t bother explaining to a madman. Actually, he couldn’t explain it well; he just wanted to avoid the hard work of transplanting seedlings.