Chapter 45 - 16: So Lucky

Chapter 45: Chapter 16: So Lucky

Mrs. Lin couldn’t help but laugh. "You wish your daughter hadn’t gotten married, don’t you?"

"What father wants to see his own daughter get married?" Lin Heling shot back, then added, "When a daughter gets married, it leaves a hole in her father’s heart."

Mrs. Lin thought, ’It’s a good thing Zhaozhao married someone close by, making it easy to visit. Otherwise, her father would worry even more.’

-

「The Gu Household.」

Lin Zhao was up bright and early. After making some egg custard to fill the little twins’ bellies, she took the two of them to the main family house. When she returned home, she started cooking some fine noodles.

Before long, the delicious aroma woke Da Zai and Er Zai.

The two brothers, dressed in new clothes, clung to the kitchen door and peered inside.

Er Zai grinned. "Mom, what are you making? It smells so good! I was in the middle of a dream, but the wonderful smell woke me right up."

"We’re having fine noodles and soda for breakfast," Lin Zhao said with a warm smile.

"Soda?!!!" Da Zai’s eyes lit up, his voice rising in pitch. "The kind they sell at the supply co-op?!" he asked excitedly.

"Soda!!!" Er Zai yelped, his voice as booming as his paternal grandmother’s.

"That’s right," Lin Zhao said softly.

As the two boys scanned the kitchen, searching for the soda, she reminded them, "Go wash your faces and brush your teeth. Use the face soap, and don’t forget to put on your baby cream."

"Okay!" Da Zai said, pulling Er Zai along to wash up.

Neither of the boys had ever had fine noodles or soda before, so they were filled with anticipation.

Lin Zhao served three bowls of fine noodles in a clear broth, garnished with tender greens and finely chopped scallions. A glistening, oily fried egg rested on top of each.

She had just set the bowls on the stone table in the courtyard when her two boys, smelling fragrant from their baby cream, came running out.

"Wow, we get eggs again!" Er Zai exclaimed happily, pulling his brother down to sit.

Just then, Lin Zhao came out with three bottles of soda.

"Hurry up and eat, or the noodles will get soggy."

Da Zai and Er Zai’s eyes instantly lit up, dancing with delight.

The brothers sat down but didn’t rush to pick up their chopsticks. Only after their mother was seated and had picked up her own did they begin to eat.

Er Zai took a blissful bite of his fried egg, his expression instantly lighting up. "Mom, this eggy is so yummy."

Da Zai nodded in agreement, his mouth shiny with grease.

Lin Zhao took a bite of her noodles. The flavor was just right. "These are fried eggs," she explained. "They’re fried in oil, so of course they’re delicious."

"Mom, I love fried eggs! Can we have them again tomorrow?" Er Zai asked without hesitation.

"Of course. Just ask whenever you want some." Their family didn’t lack for cooking oil, so making them was easy.

In those days, both adults and children lacked fats and oils in their diet. The two boys had hearty appetites; they finished their noodles and drank every last drop of the broth.

"Are you full?" Lin Zhao asked. ’The saying that a growing boy will eat his father out of house and home is really true,’ she thought.

"Full," Da Zai said with a smile, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Eating hot noodle soup in the middle of summer was a sweltering affair.

The two boys glanced at the soda on the table but didn’t rush to drink it. Instead, they took it upon themselves to wash the bowls.

After they finished washing the bowls, they came back out and looked at Lin Zhao with expectant eyes.

Er Zai asked, "Mom, can we drink the soda now?"

"You can," Lin Zhao said, "as long as you aren’t too stuffed."

Da Zai, always the planner, thought for a moment before proposing a deal to his brother. "Er Zai, how about we open one bottle now and share it? We can save the other one for this afternoon, after we get back from Grandma’s. Okay?"

Er Zai thought his brother’s idea was brilliant and agreed without a second thought. "Okay!"

Lin Zhao respected their decision. She opened one bottle and handed it to them.

"You go first, Er Zai," Da Zai said, offering the bottle to his younger brother.

Er Zai took a tiny sip, his eyes curving into small crescents. "You have some too, Brother. This soda is so good! It’s sweet and makes my tongue all tingly."

After getting a taste, he quickly passed the bottle to Da Zai, urging him to drink.

Da Zai also took a sip, and his dark eyes sparkled. "It’s so good!" he exclaimed, completely agreeing with his brother.

Lin Zhao’s lips curled into a smile as she watched the two brothers deferring to one another. ’What absolute angels,’ she thought. ’They must have come to repay a debt of gratitude. I don’t have to manage them at all; the two of them are already so thoughtful and have their own little plans.’

Seeing the smile on his mother’s face, Da Zai felt suddenly shy and asked in a quiet voice, "What are you smiling about, Mom?"

"I’m smiling because I’m so lucky."

Er Zai let out a little chuckle. He was familiar with that sentiment; everyone in the village said his mother was a lucky woman.

He broke into a wide grin. "My brother and I are lucky, too!"

As he said this, he took the soda bottle from Da Zai, took a long, satisfying gulp, and then, mimicking an adult, let out a dramatic, world-weary sigh.

Lin Zhao burst out laughing. ’He definitely picked that up from his grandfather.’

"You two take your time drinking that. I’m going to get our things ready, and then we’ll head out!"

Er Zai thought of something and called out to her, "Mom!"

Lin Zhao stopped and looked back at him. "What is it?"

"Can I bring my candy?" Er Zai asked, his expression serious. "My brother and I want to give some to Brother Da Dan and the others."

Da Dan was Brother Lin’s son. He had a twin brother, Er Dan—both were ten years old. They also had an eight-year-old little sister named Lin Xibao.