He Zifeng carried his son home, where Qiu Yu was cooking at home. The small courtyard was filled with the aroma wafting out from everywhere.
Fang Shi had gone to help at He Zifeng’s shop during the day, and after returning to the village, she continued going to the grain-drying yard to weave baskets with the elderly. Most of the time she wasn’t home.
He Zifeng said: “Qiu Yu, look who’s here!”
When Qiu Yu came out and saw his son, his eyes immediately burst with surprised delight. The little one was also happy to see Qiu Yu, like an untethered little beast, struggling to break free: “Little Daddy!”
His son’s voice was sweet.
He Zifeng put his son on the ground, and he ran over with quick little steps, immediately hugging Qiu Yu’s leg.
Qiu Yu said to He Zifeng: “Why did he come back?”
He Zifeng said: “I missed my son!” He said this with such righteousness that it left Qiu Yu speechless.
But he couldn’t help scolding: “The child is studying outside. Don’t keep pulling him back home – isn’t this causing trouble?”
He Zifeng saw that although he said this, when his son suddenly came back, the joy on Qiu Yu’s face couldn’t be hidden at all.
He Zifeng didn’t argue with him and said: “What smells so good today?”
Qiu Yu said: “Someone brought a five-pound fish to the shop. I brought it home to stew and also made some flatbread.”
Little He Ran couldn’t eat this well at the private school. Hearing there was fish, he became greedy and said: “Little Daddy is so good.”
Qiu Yu kissed his son and said: “I steamed a pot of red beans yesterday. Later I’ll mash them and mix in sugar powder, roll them into balls, coat them with flour and fry them into red bean squares.”
Sweet little pastries, perfect for his son to eat.
He Zifeng said: “This work, Ran Ran can do. Go wash your hands and mash the beans.”
Qiu Yu heard that He Zifeng said his son would only be back for one day and would be sent back early tomorrow morning. He was reluctant to make him work.
But He Zifeng said: “What’s the problem with that? Even Chang’e’s rabbit in the moon palace can do this work. My son definitely has no problem.” Then he turned to little He Ran and said: “Right?”
The little one immediately agreed and even puffed out his small chest.
Seeing that his father had arranged everything clearly for the child, Qiu Yu said nothing more.
Then, under He Zifeng’s arrangement, they washed little He Ran’s hands. They brought out the large basin from home, found a stone pestle, and moved a small stool for his son. Beside it was a pot of steamed red beans, having him mash the beans and put them in a clean basin. When there weren’t enough beans, he’d add another spoonful. They couldn’t do too much at once.
The little fellow held the stone pestle with both hands and began working. The two fathers watched with faces full of contentment.
Thinking back to before, he was a soft little baby. Now he had grown up.
When no one was paying attention, He Zifeng turned his face and secretly kissed Qiu Yu. Qiu Yu was afraid his son would see and felt a bit embarrassed. He gave He Zifeng a reproachful look and then went to the kitchen.
His kitchen had fish stewing, and he really couldn’t leave.
He Zifeng also followed him in. He had just washed his hands, and since Qiu Yu said he wanted to make little pastries for his son, he might as well knead the dough. The two of them had done the savory pancake business before, and He Zifeng was very good at kneading dough.
Qiu Yu said: “Don’t bring the child back next time. Studies are important.”
If the child missed home and didn’t study seriously, he would get his palm struck by the teacher.
He Zifeng said: “I know.” This was just this once.
He Zifeng saw that Qiu Yu was clearly very happy but still put on a stern face to lecture him about principles. Such duplicity made his heart itch.
He quickly kneaded the dough well. It would need to rest for a while. He washed his hands and held Qiu Yu in his arms.
Usually Qiu Yu was so obedient, letting him kiss and hold him. But with his son back, he put on airs again, struggling a bit and saying: “Don’t fool around.”
He Zifeng was also a scoundrel. How could he not fool around when told not to? He said: “Then give me a kiss and I’ll spare you.”
Qiu Yu’s face turned red immediately: “You’re such a rogue.”
He Zifeng said: “Hurry up, don’t let our son see.”
Qiu Yu had no way to deal with him, so he immediately stood on his tiptoes and gave him a light kiss.
Being kissed by his wife made He Zifeng’s blood boil. He had originally wanted to tease his little wife, but unexpectedly ended up being the one tortured. He had to exert tremendous self-control to let him go.
Soon they heard Fang Shi’s happy voice. She had returned to find her grandson working on a small stool. Seeing the child being so good, how could the elderly bear it? She would help with this work.
He Zifeng came out and said: “Mother, don’t worry about it. This child needs more exercise. I heard that in our village, there are children who stand on small stools to cook at just a few years old.”
Fang Shi said: “He’s only four years old.”
Little He Ran obediently said to his grandmother: “I’m a big four-year-old boy now.”
The more they didn’t let him work, the more he showed off.
He Zifeng then moved the dough and cutting board outside. Qiu Yu worked on the bean paste filling with his son, and also guided his son’s hand to add sugar.
The red bean paste wasn’t too smooth – there were some whole bean pieces inside. He Zifeng loved it this way.
Then they rolled them into pill-sized filling balls. He Zifeng kneaded dough pieces nearby and rolled them into thick wrappers.
Fang Shi washed her hands to help wrap them, making three full steamer trays.
Qiu Yu still had to watch the fish and flatbread on the stove. He Zifeng used the small stove at home. He put oil in the pan and placed the round dumpling-like pastries in one by one. All four sides needed to be flipped. After cooking for a while, they became square-shaped pastries.
Soon all four sides were golden brown, and they were taken out. While hot, he broke one open and gave his son and Fang Shi half each. He took another one to share with Qiu Yu.
Qiu Yu was about to remove the pot when he took a bite and said it was delicious. He Zifeng ate the half that Qiu Yu had bitten in two bites.
The outer skin was chewy, the inside filling wasn’t too sweet but very fragrant. After eating one, you’d want another, but it was a bit oily – three at most.
Soon everyone sat around the table eating stewed fish with flatbread. The five-pound fish was stewed very flavorfully and tasted fresh and delicious. Qiu Yu picked out bones for his son on the side. Little He Ran ate happily, taking big bites of fish and big bites of flatbread.
He Zifeng loved watching his son enjoy his food. But Qiu Yu thought his son ate too fast and wasn’t refined. He said: “Eat slowly, no one’s competing with you.”
He Zifeng saw that Qiu Yu hadn’t eaten much and was constantly feeding him. The five-pound fish was finally eaten completely clean, with even the remaining fish soup soaked up with flatbread.
That evening, Qiu Yu packed up all the pastries. He selected two hundred to take to Teacher Lin. If he couldn’t finish them, he could also give them to the children as extra meals. These oil-fried things wouldn’t spoil for four or five days.
That night, He Zifeng used to always send the child to his own small room, but today was different – he let his son sleep with them. He even kissed his son.
Qiu Yu said: “I’ve never seen you be so clingy before.”
Children are the most sensitive and could feel He Zifeng’s affection. That night he was too excited to sleep, hugging his daddy and acting spoiled, still thinking he was three years old!
Qiu Yu finally managed to coax the child to sleep and looked at He Zifeng.
He Zifeng said: “He’s my child – how could I not treasure him?”
He Zifeng said: “I treasure you too.”
In the candlelight, Qiu Yu’s cheeks were tinged with a light rouge color. He deliberately changed the subject: “Let’s sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow to send the child to school.”
He Zifeng extinguished the oil lamp and then wrapped his big arms around Qiu Yu.
