Zhou Zehan had originally come to feed the rabbits. Hearing a sound, he looked over and saw it was his detested aunt.
He didn't move.
Zhou Tingting, seeing his lack of reaction, gritted her teeth in anger. She pulled some money from her pocket and said, "Be a good boy, Xiao Han. Help your auntie with something, and I'll give you money to buy candy."
Zhou Zehan glanced sideways at the bill—just one yuan! His own piggy bank had almost thirty yuan in it! Auntie was so stingy!
Zhou Zehan wasn't the least bit interested, but thinking of his savings goal, he hesitated. Hesitantly, he walked over. "What is it, Auntie? I won't help with anything wicked that harms others, and I won't let you in either."
In his view, letting his aunt in was no different from doing something wicked that harms others.
Hearing this, Zhou Tingting almost fainted from anger. This little orphan, did he even know how to talk?
A child raised in the countryside truly had no manners!
Before, this kid wouldn't have dared treat her like this. He used to cower when he saw her and do whatever she told him!
How had he become like this in such a short time?
Zhou Tingting thought to herself, it must be that woman Si Nian whispering behind her back, teaching these kids to act this way. Otherwise, how would these two timid children dare?
Although she really wanted to lose her temper, thinking of her own situation, Zhou Tingting held back. She said through gritted teeth, "Fine, I won't go in. Just help your auntie with one thing. I heard your mom makes braised meat with the Lin family in the evenings, right? Go listen, see how it's done, write it down for me, and I'll give you one yuan."
"One yuan?" Zhou Zehan's face showed an expression of utter disdain. "No."
Zhou Tingting: "?"
Was she seeing things? Was this brat actually looking down on it?
Did he even know how much one yuan was?
Even her own son only got two yuan a week from her.
Zhou Tingting really wanted to slap him.
"Then how much do you want?"
Zhou Zehan held up five fingers.
Zhou Tingting's face darkened. "One yuan fifty?"
"Auntie, this is five yuan. Can't you count?" Zhou Zehan said scornfully.
Zhou Tingting shrieked, "What? Have you lost your mind? You dare ask for five yuan?"
"If you won't give it, forget it. I'm going to tell Mom right now!" Zhou Zehan said loudly.
Before Zhou Tingting could even curse, his movement startled her, and she shrieked, "Stop! Don't you dare tell your stepmother!"
Zhou Zehan looked at the money, his eyes shifting. "So?"
Seeing his greedy look, Zhou Tingting ground her back teeth. She pulled money from her pocket and handed it over. "Take it, take it! Give it to me tomorrow morning, understand? Or I'll beat you!"
Zhou Tingting raised her hand as if to hit him.
The little second-born instinctively shrunk his neck, but then, remembering something, he straightened his back, stuck his tongue out at Zhou Tingting, turned, and ran back into the house.
"Big brother! Big brother, look!"
The little second-born ran into the room, shouting loudly.
Zhou Zedong was folding the clothes he had just taken in. Hearing the noise, he turned around.
Zhou Zehan was holding up the money, looking delighted.
Zhou Zedong looked puzzled. "Where did you get so much money?"
Zhou Zehan answered almost without hesitation, "Auntie gave it to me."
He was thinking to himself, this auntie was really silly. She said not to tell Mom, but he could tell his big brother, couldn't he?
"Auntie?"
Zhou Zehan leaned in and told him the story, then pulled out his piggy bank. "Big brother, look, I've saved up to twenty yuan! I can buy clothes for Mom now! I want to buy her a big padded coat."
Zhou Zedong's face turned gloomy.
The little second-born didn't understand why Zhou Tingting wanted him to learn the recipe, but Zhou Zedong understood immediately upon hearing it.
Auntie wanted to steal the recipe!
He was just about to warn his brother when the Lin family arrived carrying their things.
The little second-born immediately grabbed his notebook and pen and ran downstairs.
Zhou Zedong's face darkened. If Mom found out the little second-born was doing such a foolish thing again, she would be very angry.
He hurriedly put away the clothes and turned to follow downstairs.
He saw the little second-born already standing in front of Grandma, taking notes.
"This is star anise, this is loquat leaf, cinnamon bark, Chinese yam..."
The innocent Lin's mother, completely unsuspecting, told him the recipe.
Zhou Zedong's face darkened, and he felt a long-unfamiliar itch in his hand.
He walked over and snatched the paper from his brother's hand. "Don't you..."
Before he could finish, Zhou Zedong stopped.
On the crumpled paper, scrawled in crooked handwriting, was written: "stAr anisE, ArsEnic, tOrtle shEll, mOuntain dEmOn..."
Zhou Zedong: "?"
Zhou Zehan was completely bewildered, scratching his head in confusion. "Big brother, don't what?"
Zhou Zedong: "...Never mind."
He had been worried his brother didn't understand their aunt's scheme.
Now he realized his brother was even less clever than he had imagined...
For a moment, Zhou Zedong didn't know whether to be worried or distressed.
...
The next day.
Zhou Tingting, excitedly holding the recipe the little second-born had given her, happily returned to the city.
When Zhou Tingting arrived home, she walked with her back straight, holding the notebook proudly as she approached her mother-in-law. "Mom, I got the braised meat recipe."
Li's Mother excitedly stood up and snatched it from her hand.
Sure enough, she saw densely written spices on it.
She didn't really understand these things; it made her dizzy to look at. But she thought it shouldn't be too hard—she just needed to take it to the spice shop owner to prepare.
Something just seemed a bit off. The handwriting didn't look like something Zhou Tingting could write—so crooked and ugly.
Thinking she came from the countryside and wasn't very educated, Li's Mother didn't dwell on it.
That evening, Li's Mother spent a large sum of money to buy dozens of pounds of pork and various spices, and started making braised meat.
The neighbors were stunned, wondering what the Li family was up to now.
They all gathered around. "Sister-in-law Li, what are you doing? Buying so much meat? That's too extravagant!"
Li's Mother said proudly, "Haven't you seen how well the braised meat is selling lately? I spent some money to learn the technique, planning to open my own shop. Later, when it's done, I'll give you all a free taste. If it's good, please support my business in the future."
Li's Mother thought to herself, if the Zhou family could sell so well, with all the people she knew in the city, she would surely sell even better!
And they sold those cheap offal at such high prices and still had buyers. With her good quality meat, wouldn't she have even more customers?
Just thinking about it made the corners of Li's Mother's mouth curl up involuntarily.
She seemed to already imagine herself making big money and becoming a shop owner.
Everyone was astonished. Recently, there was a new braised meat stall in the market with great business. They had been curious before, bought some to try, and it was indeed very fragrant.
It was just too expensive, only for an occasional treat.
Hearing Li's Mother say this, they immediately got excited.
"Sure! Give us a good discount later, and we'll all buy from you."
Some even inquired, "Where did you learn it? Did it cost money? Can you introduce us?"
Li's Mother immediately became wary. With not many people selling it yet, she naturally wanted to guard it carefully. Otherwise, what if these people stole her business?
Li's Mother was no fool, and she immediately retorted, "I spent nearly three hundred to learn that skill..."
