Chapter 21: A Meal and a New Beginning

Song Wenbin purchased two corn cakes, a bowl of vegetable soup, and a plate of stir-fried eggplant from the cafeteria.

Opening the aluminum lunchbox borrowed from the cafeteria, Xiang Chen gasped in surprise. “There’s actual stir-fry!”

It was the first time he had seen a cooked dish since transmigrating.

Back at Chen Guoliang’s house, there had been no kitchen inside their living quarters.

In this family compound, each floor had a communal kitchen, yet people typically cooked porridge and similar dishes on their own coal stoves using earthen pots.

For families like Chen Guoliang’s, who ate sorghum and wild vegetable porridge three times a day, and steamed a large batch of momo in advance, stir-fried dishes were largely unnecessary.

The only accompanying dish was the pickled vegetables on the table, which Cai Zhen, unfortunately, made quite unpalatably; they tasted of nothing but salt.

Even so, Xiang Chen had only eaten them once, during Old Lady Chen’s visit.

Therefore, seeing a stir-fry after such a long time, Xiang Chen couldn’t help but feel a surge of delight.

“Hurry and eat!” Song Wenbin said with a smile, then turned to Xu Hengzhou. “Do you want more?”

Song Wenbin believed both boys were still growing, so he had deliberately bought extra, wanting them to eat as much as they could.

Before Xu Hengzhou could answer, Xiang Chen, wanting to curry favor, offered him one of his corn cakes. “Brother, you eat too.”

Xu Hengzhou accepted the cake with a smile. “Don’t think flattering me will let you off the hook.”

Earlier, before Song Wenbin returned, he had been settling old scores with Xiang Chen. Xiang Chen had grumbled and tried to wriggle out of it, insisting that older brothers were for doting on, while younger brothers were for running errands. Why be a younger brother when he could be *the* younger brother?

Xu Hengzhou was amused by his cheeky antics. What kind of younger brother could such a tiny sprout be? Yet, Xiang Chen’s expressions were utterly comical, prompting Xu Hengzhou to persist, though he merely wished to tease him.

Xiang Chen’s dark, glistening eyes darted about, fixing on the cake in Xu Hengzhou’s hand. He whispered, “I already gave it to you…”

Xu Hengzhou’s hand paused. Was this considered a delicacy? Just as he was about to mock Xiang Chen, he saw the boy already clutching his own cake, gnawing on it with his tiny, pearly teeth, cheeks puffed out, eating with evident relish.

It was then that Xu Hengzhou recalled what Xiang Chen had told him about his meals at the Chen family’s house. A pang of tenderness struck him, and his desire to tease Xiang Chen vanished.

He tore his corn cake into small pieces and soaked them in the soup for Xiang Chen to eat. In his mind, he also pondered what he could procure for Xiang Chen without arousing suspicion from Song Wenbin.

Song Wenbin watched the two brothers interacting, their harmonious relationship filling his heart with joy.

He had never intended to marry in this lifetime. These two children, though called his nephews, were not biologically related to him.

However, in Song Wenbin’s eyes, they were his own children. He would raise them, educate them, and ensure they grew into capable adults. Otherwise, he would have no face to meet Xu Dashan, even in death.

After observing them for a while, Song Wenbin said, “You two eat first. I’m going to get some things and return. Hengzhou, take good care of your brother.”

Both Xu Hengzhou and Xiang Chen nodded. Xiang Chen, swallowing his food with effort, responded in a sweet, childish voice, “Uncle, come back soon.”

The pragmatic child had clearly been bought over by a single meal.

Xu Hengzhou stood up and asked, “Do you need my help?”

“No, you don’t.” Song Wenbin declined. As he was about to leave, he remembered something and told Xu Hengzhou, “I’ll have someone deliver things later; you can receive them. Also, change your brother’s clothes. The Chen family wants these back. He can wear yours for now, and I’ll find someone to make him new ones once I buy fabric.”

Xiang Chen froze. *They want them back? The shameless scoundrels!*

“These are my clothes,” Xiang Chen said indignantly to Song Wenbin. He had bought these clothes specifically for his confession; they were very expensive, not given by the Chen family at all.

Song Wenbin was momentarily stunned. He naturally trusted Xiang Chen and instantly realized Cai Zhen had lied to him. He frowned, saying, “Then forget it. The shoes are theirs, though, right? Change the shoes. I’ll go ask if there are any you can wear for now.”

With that, Song Wenbin left. He needed to acquire provisions and settle matters with the Chen family quickly to avoid future trouble.

Furthermore, while the house wasn’t lacking in large furniture, it had no other miscellaneous items. He and Xu Hengzhou had only brought their personal clothes and some simple luggage; Xu Hengzhou’s clothes had been hastily made in the provincial capital.

This would likely require a substantial amount of money and ration coupons. Fortunately, Song Wenbin’s rank was high, as was his salary, and the coupons issued by the army were universally accepted.

Having lived alone for so many years, he had amassed a considerable sum, more than enough to raise two children.

Song Wenbin had already informed the factory, taking a half-day leave that afternoon to procure household items. The factory had even assigned two people to assist him, one of whom was Wu Guangming.

With money, coupons, helpers, and the convenience of his factory identity, Song Wenbin quickly bought everything he needed. He made the purchases, and his assistants ensured they were delivered back home.

Initially, the house contained only a table, a few stools, and a bed in each room—all factory property. Apart from these, there was nothing else.

To establish a home, many more items were required.

Back at home, Xu Hengzhou watched Xiang Chen finish one and a half corn cakes. The stir-fried eggplant was gone, and most of the soup had been drunk.

He couldn’t help but reach out and touch Xiang Chen’s stomach. How could a child so small eat so much?

These corn cakes, he knew, were not the small, thin ones sold in his time. The cafeteria’s corn cakes were for workers—large and thick. Though called cakes, Xu Hengzhou thought of them more as oversized steamed buns.

A strapping worker would feel about seventy percent full after two such corn cakes. As no one could truly eat their fill these days, seventy percent full was considered a normal portion for a worker.

Yet, Xiang Chen had eaten one and a half by himself!

Xiang Chen felt embarrassed under Xu Hengzhou’s gaze. He covered his mouth, let out a tiny burp, and said softly, his face flushed, “If I don’t finish it, it’ll go to waste…”

In truth, having gone hungry for so long, he had inadvertently eaten too much. Only after experiencing starvation did he truly understand the happiness of a full stomach.

Xu Hengzhou understood completely. His heart softened, and he instinctively wanted to give Xiang Chen more food.

However, remembering the boy had just finished eating, he instead pulled out a Great White Rabbit candy, peeled off its wrapper, and popped it into Xiang Chen’s mouth.

He thought Xiang Chen seemed to really enjoy these candies, so he silently inventoried the Great White Rabbits in his spatial dimension, concluding that supplying Xiang Chen would not be an issue.

Unexpectedly, another candy was placed in his mouth. Xiang Chen, while savoring the sweet taste, furrowed his tiny brows and earnestly lectured Xu Hengzhou.

“You should keep some for yourself. Don’t give them all to me. You can’t just eat them whenever you want. You won’t find them again later, and then you’ll regret it.”

If one ignored the bulging cheeks on his dumpling-like face and his sticky, childish voice, his words might have carried more persuasive power.

Xu Hengzhou hummed and nodded perfunctorily, watching the little dumpling squint his eyes as he ate the Great White Rabbit as if it were a rare delicacy. He silently mused that it was no wonder so many people enjoyed keeping pets; feeding them was indeed a soul-satisfying activity.

Xiang Chen hadn’t even finished one candy when the people arranged by Song Wenbin arrived with the deliveries.

The first items to arrive were quilts and bedding. Song Wenbin had entrusted someone to make them after his transfer papers came through, so he had gone directly to collect them after leaving and then had them delivered.

Xu Hengzhou led the people inside, instructing them to place the quilts on the beds. No sooner had the quilts been set down than the delivery for the other items arrived outside.

The smaller items—a coal stove, a kettle, enamel basins, thermos bottles, bowls, chopsticks, and teacups—were all brought by Wu Guangming, who carried them in a large bundle.

Wu Guangming hadn’t left yet when someone outside called out, asking them to receive coal. It turned out Song Wenbin had ordered several hundred coal briquettes to be delivered.

Wu Guangming simply stayed to help carry the briquettes upstairs and arrange them in the corridor.

Seeing this, Xu Hengzhou told Xiang Chen to remain indoors, while he rolled up his sleeves to help. Xiang Chen refused to stay, insisting on helping to move the coal briquettes as well.

Being small, he could only carry one briquette at a time with both hands, huffing and puffing as he climbed the stairs.

Passing Chen Guoliang’s house, Xiang Chen paused. The adults were at work, Chen Fen and Chen Fang were at school, and Chen Xiaohua was again locked inside the house.

Xiang Chen glanced left and right, then called out a couple of times through the door. Soon, he heard the faint voice of the little girl.

After asking about her situation and hearing that she was fine, Xiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief. He gave her a few more words of advice, telling her to avoid Chen Fen, before continuing to huff and puff his way back to moving coal briquettes.

With Wu Guangming acting as the main force, and the coal deliverymen also lending a hand, the coal briquettes were quickly stacked in the corridor.

Noticing Wu Guangming was covered in sweat, his hands and clothes blackened, Xu Hengzhou felt a little embarrassed and told him to rest, offering to boil some water.

Wu Guangming waved his hand dismissively, went to the communal kitchen to wash his hands clean, and then drank directly from the tap before preparing to leave.

Xu Hengzhou politely saw Wu Guangming off, understanding perfectly why he was so eager to help. However, the man’s assistance was genuine, and these matters were not yet for him to consider; Song Wenbin would handle them appropriately.

Such were the advantages of being a child.

After Wu Guangming left, Xu Hengzhou looked at himself—his hands were pitch black. Then he looked at Xiang Chen—the little white dumpling had turned into a black dumpling, with streaks across his face, resembling a tiny, dirty cat.

Yet, the boy himself seemed unaware. Seeing Xu Hengzhou looking at him, he grinned foolishly, his row of tiny white teeth making the little fellow appear even more naive.

Xu Hengzhou chuckled to himself for a moment, then went to light the coal stove. During his stay at the police officer’s house in the provincial capital, he hadn’t been idle; he had learned most of the simple chores.

After lighting the stove, he went downstairs to a neighbor’s house where people were home and exchanged for two burning coal briquettes, placing them into his own stove. He then added a new briquette on top and set the kettle, now full of water, to boil.

Once the water boiled, Xu Hengzhou diluted it with cold water and thoroughly washed all the items Wu Guangming had delivered. Then, he refilled the kettle and continued to boil more water.

After both thermos bottles were filled, Xu Hengzhou closed the door and led Xiang Chen into the bathroom.

The little dirty cat needed a bath, after all. Xu Hengzhou thought the little white dumpling looked much better.