After slicing the vegetables, Lin Lan lifted the pot lid. The fragrant rice, with its crispy bottom layer, was cooked until soft. She scooped it into an earthenware basin, washed the pot, and began to stir-fry.
She brought out the lard jar. Just as she was about to scoop some out, Little Douzi ran to the side of the stove to remind her, "Mama, remember to use less oil when you cook. We have to make that oil last a long time."
Looking at his earnest expression, Lin Lan felt a pang in her heart. 'How can there be such a well-behaved child! He's so sensible it's heartbreaking.'
"Little Douzi is right. Mama will remember to use a little less from now on."
Little Douzi nodded. "Mama, it's getting dark. I'll go turn on the light."
He walked to the doorway, grabbed the light's pull cord, and with a CLICK, turned it on. The bulb cast a dim, yellow glow.
In those days, they were all tungsten filament bulbs, and country folk were too frugal to use high-wattage ones. This one was probably only about ten watts, but it was still much brighter than an oil lamp.
Lin Lan added a bundle of straw to the firebox. She scooped out some lard, added a little vegetable oil to the pot, and tossed in the stem lettuce. After stir-frying it a few times, she added a splash of water and let it simmer for a moment. Soon, the crisp, jade-green vegetable was cooked. She sprinkled some chopped scallions on top, gave it a few more stirs, and then scooped it onto a plate and carried it to the table.
She also brought the earthenware basin, bowls, chopsticks, and the leftover salted vegetables from lunch to the table.
Sitting on a bamboo stool, Little Douzi looked at the stem lettuce on the plate. "Wow! Mama, the dish you cooked today looks so pretty."
Lin Lan smiled and handed him his bowl and spoon. "Go on, try it and see if it's good!"
Little Douzi spooned a piece into his mouth and chewed a few times. "It's delicious! You eat too, Mama!"
Beaming at him, Lin Lan said, "You eat up. After dinner, Mama will find some clothes for you, and you can have a bath."
"Okay!" Little Douzi nodded, his cheeks puffed out.
Lin Lan pounded some soapberries with the back of a knife and left them to soak in hot water before sitting down at the table. The mother and son ate every last bit of the soupy rice and its crispy bottom.
Little Douzi rubbed his small belly. "Look, Mama, my tummy's all round."
Lin Lan smiled and nodded. "Yep! Eating your food helps you grow big and tall."
Little Douzi looked at Lin Lan, his eyes crinkling into a smile. "Mama was so good today. You made yummy food for Little Douzi."
Lin Lan ruffled his hair and said softly, "Mama will make more for you from now on." 'The body's previous owner would cook a proper meal when she was in a good mood, but when she wasn't, it was fried rice and pickled vegetables for every meal.'
Little Douzi's eyes sparkled as he looked at her. "Okay! Mama, I'll help you clear the bowls!"
After washing the pot and bowls, Lin Lan started looking for clothes for Little Douzi's bath.
She lifted the lid of the storage chest, propping it open with her head. Inside, clothes and pants were tossed about haphazardly. There was also a bolt of white cloth, likely left over from a funeral, two cotton battings, and two homespun duvet covers.
She rummaged inside and found a set of homespun clothes, a long-sleeved shirt, and a pair of small shorts. Glancing back at the filthy bed, she undid the coarse cotton thread stitching the duvet cover closed and swiftly stripped the bedding.
She spread out a dark-blue homespun blanket, laid the off-white duvet cover over it, placed the cotton batting inside, and then added a smaller top sheet. She found the thick needle used for sewing quilts, which had been stuck into the wall calendar. Just as she was about to start sewing the cover shut, she turned and saw Little Douzi sitting on his stool, his head bobbing as he began to doze off.
She gathered the dirty blanket and duvet cover and carried them outside to the washboard.
She ladled hot water into a washbasin and used the soapberry liquid to wash his hair. Then, she ladled more hot water into a large wooden tub, quickly stripped Little Douzi of his clothes, and lifted him into the basin.
The little boy sat in the tub, cackling with delight. Lin Lan ran her hands over his scrawny frame, gently scrubbing the grime from his knees, the nape of his neck, behind his ears, and from under his arms.
"Hee hee..." Little Douzi couldn't stop giggling.
Lin Lan laughed. "Don't wriggle so much. If you catch a cold, you'll have to take bitter medicine."
Little Douzi puffed his cheeks, trying to stifle his laughter. "Mama, you touched my ticklish spot."
Looking at the cheerful, freshly-scrubbed boy, Lin Lan planted a firm kiss on his cheek. "All done!"
She grabbed an old shirt to wrap him in, carried him to a chair, and quickly helped him into his clothes.
Once he was dressed, Little Douzi gave Lin Lan a big, smacking kiss on the cheek. "Mama, bathtime feels so nice! How come you never washed me before?"
Lin Lan kissed him back. "It was too cold before, and Mama was afraid you'd catch a cold."
"Oh!"
Little Douzi sat on the chair, his small feet swinging contentedly. As he swung them, he watched a busy Lin Lan pour out the bathwater, a wide grin on his face. 'Mama is different from this morning,' he thought. 'Mama smiles now. She likes me more than she did yesterday, and she cooked me delicious food.'
Lin Lan poured out the dirty water and glanced at the clothes soaking in the basin. She sighed, resting her forehead in her hand. "Sigh. It's pitch-dark. I'll just have to wake up early tomorrow to wash these."
She turned and went back into the room, where she found Little Douzi asleep, slumped against the chair. "Little Douzi, let Mama carry you to bed."
Little Douzi wrapped his arms around her neck. "I'm scared. I want Mama to sleep with me."
Lin Lan gave him a kiss. "Alright. You go lie down. Mama will come right after she washes up."
Little Douzi nodded, his eyes half-closed.
Lin Lan carried him into the bedroom, laid him on the bed, and tucked him under the covers.
With his eyes still closed, Little Douzi said anxiously, "Hurry back, Mama!"
Lin Lan gave him another kiss. "I'll be right there."
She found a long-sleeved shirt that had faded from many washings, an undershirt, and a pair of printed cotton underwear in the chest, then returned to the kitchen and placed them on a chair.
She went outside to check the courtyard gate, sliding the heavy wooden bar into place to secure it.
She returned to the house, gave herself a quick wipe-down, poured out the dirty water, closed the door, and went back to the bedroom. Little Douzi was already sound asleep, clutching the edge of the quilt.
Lin Lan found the long needle for sewing quilts and threaded it. She folded the cover's hem, put on her thimble, and began to slowly sew it shut. 'I learned how to do this when I was just a girl, around ten years old. For decades after that, everyone just used duvet covers with ties or buttons. Thinking about it now feels like recalling a past life.'
It took her nearly half an hour to finish sewing the cover. Lin Lan took off her dusty homespun jacket and lay down beside Little Douzi.
She began to calculate her outstanding debts. 'Fifteen yuan to the old woman, over a hundred to my three sisters-in-law, another twenty to the Lexing Team headquarters, and some to my own parents... All in all, it adds up to almost three hundred yuan in debt.'
'I was originally penniless. Liu Jinbao paid ten yuan in compensation, and after paying off one debt, I have three yuan left.'
Lin Lan sighed. 'Oh, my predecessor, my predecessor! You really were numb to it all—too many debts to worry, too many lice to itch!' She thought about these debts, plus Little Douzi's future schooling. All of it required money. She had to find a way to earn some.
'I should probably stick to my old trade,' Lin Lan thought. 'Making snacks. It requires little capital and you get your money back fast. But what should I make? Is there anything in this house I can use? A business that requires no starting capital?'
She mulled over the ingredients she had on hand. Suddenly, she thought of the fava beans in the wicker basket and the rapeseed oil in the jar. 'I'll try frying up some crispy fava beans.'
'One jin of dried fava beans will swell to over two jin after soaking. Once fried, they'll be crisp and crunchy—the perfect snack to have with a drink or just to nibble on. But where would I sell them?'
A thought suddenly sparked in her mind. She remembered where the body's previous owner used to sell things: the Eucalyptus Forest behind the vehicle factory and the silk mill.
That was a black market of sorts. Dealers secretly sold cloth coupons, meat coupons, and all kinds of ration tickets, along with meat, white flour, and various snacks. You could find things there that were unavailable anywhere else.
The worker dormitories for the two factories weren't far from the Lexing Team. Walking from here, the trip would only take a little over half an hour.