Chapter 35 - Cornmeal Porridge

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The little girl’s skin was a little dark. Her cheeks were rosy, and her hair was tied into two buns atop her head. When she saw that Sheng Ning was looking back at her, she shrunk into herself, and her eyes filled with fear.

“You’re scaring her.” Sheng An hugged Xiaohone and looked warily at Sheng Ning.

Sheng Ning suddenly understood. She was a huge scoundrel in the past, and something she did must’ve left a lasting impression on Xiaohong.

That was why Xiaohong was so afraid of her.

Since Sheng An didn’t want to send Xiaohong off to her grandparents’ place, Sheng Ning didn’t say anything more about it. She burned some firewood to boil a huge pot of water. After the three of them took showers, she could no longer keep awake, and fell asleep.

She didn’t get any proper rest on board the train the night before. The journey was bumpy, and she had walked for a long time afterward. Her eyelids had been heavy with sleep since then.

After a good night’s rest, Sheng Ning awoke the next morning to find Shen Luhua had already prepared breakfast in the kitchen. Sheng An was with Xiaohong in the yard, feeding the chickens, and several mother hens clucked away noisily.

Sheng An saw Sheng Ning emerge from the room, and her only greeting was a cold harrumph.

Sheng Ning pretended not to notice and headed into the kitchen. “Mom, what did you cook?”

When Shen Luhua saw her, she rubbed her hands together nervously and said, “It’s cornmeal porridge with freshly pickled soy bean and lotus leaf paste. It’s just something simple. I hope you won’t mind it.”

“Not at all! I love it.” It had been decades since she last ate cornmeal porridge, and the aroma alone was enough to make her drool.

“How did it turn out for the village head’s wife last night?” She slept so deeply last night that she had no idea what time her parents returned home.

“She suffered gastric hemorrhage and is still in the hospital. Her siblings went over last night.” Shen Luhua lowered her voice and said, “The both of you were too reckless last night! The village head isn’t someone we can afford to offend! Besides, he’s so huge! What if he had smashed your faces in?”

While at the hospital, Shen Luhua heard the neighbors’ recounts of the incident and was so shocked that she didn’t sleep well.

“I’m sorry. I was just feeling sorry for the village head’s wife.” Sheng Ning knew she had gotten herself into trouble. In hindsight, she was foolhardy, and her actions even scared her a little.

“It’s not your fault.”

“But, my father…” She was worried about infuriating her father and affecting his health.

“It’s fine. Although your father didn’t say anything about it, I believe he’s very proud of you.”

Sheng Third had just returned from feeding the pigs in the yard when he overheard the conversation between the mother and daughter. A smile broke out on his face.

His daughter had done the right thing, and he was proud of her. He would, however, have to admonish her for her disregard for her own safety.

At breakfast, Sheng Ning finished two whole bowls of cornmeal porridge all by herself. The whole family was astonished by her conduct, and the animosity in Sheng An’s eyes diminished considerably.

“Is life in the song and dance ensemble very hard, Daughter?”

“No. It’s pretty good there.” Sheng Ning put her bowl down and wiped her mouth with an expression of satisfaction on her face.

“When are you going back?” Sheng Third gazed at her intently, worried that she would tell him that she didn’t intend to go back.

Sheng Ning did an estimate, and without revealing the news about what had happened, she replied breezily, “In about a fortnight!”

“That’s great! That’s good to hear!” Everyone was very happy, but the look Sheng Third gave her made her feel very uneasy, as if he had seen through her lie.

After breakfast, Sheng Third and Shen Luhua headed to the fields to work. Sheng An brought Xiaohong along with her to gather pig feed. Sheng Ning was left alone at home and didn’t feel comfortable just sitting around idle.

“Ningning, why don’t you do the laundry?” Shen Luhua suggested kindly.

“All right! Sure!”

Sheng An was carrying a basket and was about to step out of the house when she heard their exchange. She turned back with a look of disdain on her face and asked, “Mom, does she even know how to do the laundry? Don’t you remember the last time you asked her to do it? She threw away your best coat! Don’t forget that we’re poor and can’t afford new clothes.”