"Don't worry, I understand," Song Fang said with a gentle smile. "Didn't we bring some cured meat over? When we go visit the regiment commander's house, we'll take a piece out."
"Mhm." Zhou Jianjun gave her an approving look and picked up a piece of fish for her.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Song Fang took a bite, a strong fishy smell rushed to her head. In a panic, she pushed the bowl away, covered her mouth, and walked to the wall to throw up.
"What's wrong? Morning sickness again?"
Song Fang's throat burned from the acidic bile. She pointed at the fish on the table. "This fish is too fishy, hurry up and take it away!"
Zhou Jianjun took a bite. "It's fine, isn't this just what fish tastes like?"
"Hurry up and throw it away! I can't stand the smell!"
Left with no choice, Zhou Jianjun had to take the fish outside to throw it away.
But as soon as he walked out, he bumped into Auntie Ding.
Auntie Ding looked at the dish in his hands, her expression turning somewhat ugly. She couldn't even force a smile.
She had thought that since they were neighbors and would be seeing a lot of each other, she would specially make two bowls of good food to bring over.
She hadn't expected them to not appreciate the gesture at all.
Zhou Jianjun reacted quickly and immediately said, "Auntie, my wife has severe morning sickness and can't stand the smell of fish, so I brought it out to eat."
"I didn't think of that," Auntie Ding forced a smile. "I'm sorry. Give the bowl to me, otherwise she'll feel uncomfortable when she smells it on you later."
Zhou Jianjun looked embarrassed. "Alright then, thank you, Auntie. It's really because of her condition, I'm truly sorry."
"It's fine, it's fine."
...
While Song Fang's side was in chaos over a bowl of fish, Lin Zhilan's side was surrounded by children.
The New Year was approaching.
The traditional Chinese medicine department was unusually idle because there were no patients.
Lin Zhilan got off work early every day and went home to make New Year's snacks for the children.
What could be more popular with children than spicy strips?
She brushed the store-bought dried tofu skin with water and steamed it until soft. Then, she fried garlic sprouts, cilantro, cinnamon, bay leaves, and star anise in oil until golden brown before scooping them out.
She poured the infused hot oil into a bowl of prepared seasonings, filling the kitchen with the pungent, appetizing aroma of chili oil.
Jiang Chengzhou was ordered to stand outside the door. He stretched his neck but couldn't see into the pot, so he could only cling to the doorframe and sniff vigorously.
Next to him were the three Ma family children, drooling with greed.
Ma Xiaodong slurped his drool and dropped a massive hint, "Auntie Lin, what delicious food are you making again? Why does it smell so good?"
Ma Xiaonan said, "It smells amazing! If only I could have a bite."
Ma Xiaoxi didn't yet understand his older brothers' schemes; he just kept swallowing his saliva.
Jiang Chengzhou was much more sensible. "Aunt, I'm not greedy, I just want to taste-test it for you."
Lin Zhilan was about to die laughing at this group of greedy little cats.
She poured the steamed tofu skin into the chili oil and mixed it. The bright yellow tofu skin took on a mouth-watering red hue, dotted with toasted white sesame seeds that added a nutty aroma.
She first filled a large bowl and handed it to Ma Xiaodong. "Xiaodong, take this bowl back. Be careful, don't drop it."
Ma Xiaodong nodded, his eyes fixed on the bowl. He didn't even dare to open his mouth to speak, afraid that if he did, his drool would spill out.
After sending off the three Ma boys, there was still one big greedy boy left at home.
Lin Zhilan picked up a piece with her chopsticks to let him have a taste.
"How is it? Is it good?"
Jiang Chengzhou gave two thumbs up. "Aunt, you must be an immortal, the God of Cooking!"
It was just a spicy strip, and he was already deifying her.
Lin Zhilan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She filled another bowl of spicy strips and asked him to deliver it to Wang Rou's house, and to pick up Linlin, who was learning to draw there, along the way.
"Okay."
In order to continue eating delicious food, Jiang Chengzhou moved incredibly fast. In no time, he returned holding his sister's hand.
Outside, the crying of the three Ma boys could be heard again.
Lin Zhilan looked outside. "What happened to Ma Xiaodong and the others now?"
Jiang Chengzhou hissed through his spicy mouth, "Auntie Liu hit them."
"Why?"
"They ate all the spicy strips on the way home."
Lin Zhilan: "..."
The Ma family was only a few steps away. These three kids really were...
Little Linlin was afraid of spicy food and couldn't eat the spicy strips. She could only dab a little on her lips for a taste.
Jiang Chengzhou looked pitying. "My sister is so pitiful."
"Mhm~" Linlin rubbed her eyes and leaned into her mother's embrace.
Jiang Chengzhou stopped his chopsticks and leaned over to look at Linlin's face. "What's wrong with my sister? Is she angry?"
Lin Zhilan smiled. "Your sister isn't angry. She's just sleepy and getting fussy."
Jiang Chengzhou was stubborn. Afraid that his sister was upset, he resolutely pushed the bowl forward. "I won't eat anymore either."
Lin Zhilan looked at him with new respect. "You're really not going to eat?"
Jiang Chengzhou leaned close to his aunt's ear and whispered, "I'll trick her for now. I'll eat them after she falls asleep."
What a good brother.
Lin Zhilan hugged her daughter and asked, "Baby, do you still want to eat spicy strips?"
Thinking of the stinging sensation on her lips just now, Linlin shook her head.
"Then can your brother eat them?"
Linlin turned her head, glanced at her brother, and said, "Brother's mouth hurts."
Jiang Chengzhou: "I'm not afraid of the pain."
Linlin wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and cast an admiring gaze at him.
"If you don't believe me, I'll eat it to show you." Jiang Chengzhou pulled the bowl back over to prove it to his sister.
Hearing her daughter swallowing her saliva again, Lin Zhilan quickly carried her into the bedroom to coax her to sleep.
Linlin was afraid of spicy food, but she never learned her lesson.
She would cry every time she ate it, forget about it after crying, and want to eat it again the next time.
The best solution was to keep it out of her sight.
Just as she coaxed her daughter to sleep, a young soldier came outside to deliver a parcel collection notice, reminding her to take the slip and her household register to the island's post office to pick up the parcels.
"Sister-in-law, two slips, two parcels. Make sure you remember to pick them up."
"Alright, thank you." Lin Zhilan grabbed a handful of fruit candies for him. "It's almost the New Year, have some candy to sweeten your mouth."
The young soldier smiled, revealing a mouthful of bright white teeth. "Thank you, Sister-in-law."
"You're welcome."
"Aunt," Jiang Chengzhou stood on his tiptoes to peek. "Who sent the parcels?"
Lin Zhilan looked at the slips. "Hmm, one is from your maternal grandparents, and the other is from your sister's paternal grandparents."
"Oh." Jiang Chengzhou seemed a bit uninterested.
In the past, he would have looked forward to it. Every time his grandmother sent something new, it would make his friends envious for days.
But now, he was happy every day. He was just as happy without his friends' envy.
"You stay home and play, and I'll go get the parcels, okay?"
"Aunt, let me go with you. I'm afraid you won't be able to carry them."
Lin Zhilan shook her head. "What if your sister wakes up?"
"I'll go." Wang Rou walked out from next door. "Sister Lin, I'll go with you."
Lin Zhilan's lips parted slightly in surprise.
Ever since Wang Rou picked up her paintbrushes again, she had something she loved doing, and her overall condition had improved greatly.
However, she was still reluctant to go out.
Lin Zhilan never forced her, because for her, any pushing from others was a burden.
