Chapter 16: Two Lunch Boxes
Chapter 16: Two Lunch Boxes
Jiang Xia never looked down on the scent of hard work. Her grandmother used to be a cleaner before she started selling vegetables, which earned her more money.
She leaned against the door frame and sat down, leaving enough space for him. Then she handed him the water flask, "Have some water first."
Zhou Chenglei was indeed a bit thirsty. He glanced at the space next to her and sat down.
"I'll hold your lunch box for you."
Zhou Chenglei had intended to place the aluminum lunch box on the ground, but he handed it to her after hearing her offer. He took the water flask from her, unscrewed the cap, tilted his head back, and opened his mouth wide, pouring the water from the flask into his mouth.
Jiang Xia glanced at him.
With his head tilted back and his mouth wide open, his drinking posture was far from elegant, but it exuded a wild charm.
His jawline and profile were beautiful, with a sun-kissed complexion and fine pores. His neck was long, and the top button of his shirt was tightly fastened. His sharp Adam’s apple moved up and down as he drank, as if trying to break free from the collar, exuding an irresistible allure.
This man is perfect from every angle!
Zhou Chenglei drank half the flask in one go. When he put it down, he noticed Jiang Xia staring at him, assuming she wanted a drink. He handed her the water flask, "Here, have some."
Jiang Xia snapped out of her daze and took the flask, tilting her head back and taking a few gulps.
Damn, I was mesmerized.
This man is intoxicating!
Zhou Chenglei, seeing her drink hastily, reminded her, "Take it slow, don't choke."
Jiang Xia slowed down.
Zhou Chenglei noticed her fair, delicate face flushed with a rosy hue from the heat. Her fingers, holding the olive-green water flask, were white, fine, and long, creating a striking contrast between her porcelain skin and the military green of the flask.
He looked away after just one glance.
Jiang Xia took a few sips and then stopped, not wanting to lose her appetite by drinking too much water before the meal.
Zhou Chenglei waited for her to finish, then took the water flask from her, screwed the cap back on, and set it aside.
Jiang Xia handed him the lunch box on her lap. He took it, lifted the lid, and revealed a full box of food, with a generous amount of fish jerky and a boiled egg.
Zhou Chenglei passed the lunch box to her and took the one she hadn’t opened yet.
Jiang Xia was touched by his thoughtfulness and smiled politely, "Thank you."
Her voice was clear, sweet, and had a soft, comforting quality to it. Zhou Chenglei couldn’t help but glance at her.
The sky was a clear, cloudless blue, and the girl’s smile was gentle and pure.
"Don’t mention it," he said, then quickly averted his gaze and lowered his head to open the lunch box. Inside was a full box of rice, with more vegetables and pickled vegetables than fish jerky, and only two pieces of fish. There was also more sweet potato than rice, a stark contrast to the previous lunch box.
Jiang Xia noticed that this was the lunch box Zhou’s mother had given her.
She didn’t mind; they were getting a divorce anyway, and she understood that there was no such thing as unearned kindness in this world.
"I can’t finish it all, let’s swap."
Zhou Chenglei picked up his chopsticks and started eating, "No need, you can have the leftovers."
Jiang Xia, seeing that he had already started, placed a few pieces of fish jerky into his lunch box.
Zhou Chenglei tried to avoid it, "No, you eat."
Jiang Xia, "I really can’t eat that much."
Zhou Chenglei, "Eat until you can’t."
Jiang Xia gave up.
Zhou’s mother, seeing this, frowned, thinking Jiang Xia was being unreasonable!
Men need to do physical labor and need more meat for strength.
What could Jiang Xia, who couldn’t do anything, do with so much meat? Gain weight?
The meal consisted of sweet potato rice, steamed small fish jerky, and stir-fried green vegetables with pickled vegetables.
The small fish jerky was very fragrant, and the bones were so small they could be chewed and swallowed. The pickled vegetables were refreshing, the green vegetables were tender, and the sweet potato rice was sweet and delicious. The meal was good, not because of the cooking skills but because of the quality of the ingredients.
Jiang Xia was full and still had half a box of food left, as the meal was prepared for Zhou Chenglei’s appetite.
She stretched her waist, easing the discomfort in her stomach. Growing up poor, her family sold vegetables, and she never wasted a grain of rice, but she couldn’t eat any more.
Zhou Chenglei finished his meal just as she was stretching. He asked, "Can’t eat anymore?"
Jiang Xia nodded, "I’m stuffed."
Zhou Chenglei took the lunch box from her and, in a few quick bites, finished the remaining half box of food.
Jiang Xia, "."
At that moment, Zhou Zhou also came over with his lunch box, "Uncle, I can’t finish it. Grandma said to give it to you."
Zhou Chenglei didn’t say much as he took the bowl and quickly finished the remaining food from Zhou Zhou’s plate. Jiang Xia’s expression relaxed a bit.
After finishing the meal, Zhou Chenglei took the small spoon from Jiang Xia's hand and carried the three lunch boxes to the well to wash them.
Once the lunch boxes were clean, he told Jiang Xia and Zhou’s mother to go back and take a nap, as the midday sun was quite strong and he was worried they wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Jiang Xia didn’t return home. She had a bit of OCD and didn’t like resting until her work was done.
Zhou’s mother took Zhou Zhou back, as he had to go to school at around one in the afternoon.
Zhou’s father and Zhou Chenglei started working, with Zhou Chenglei climbing onto the roof and Zhou’s father mixing cement and sand.
Jiang Xia, wearing a straw hat, helped below by passing up tiles and other small tasks she could manage.
Soon, Zhou’s mother, Zhou Chengxin, and Tian Caihua arrived, pushing a cart full of tables and chairs.
Then, Zhou’s father, Zhou Chenglei, and Zhou Chengxin all climbed onto the roof to repair the leaking tiles, while Zhou’s mother mixed the cement and sand below. Jiang Xia and Tian Caihua stood on either side of the ladder, passing tiles and cement.
Before long, Grandmother’s family also came to help.
Grandmother’s six-year-old grandson, Zhou Jie, burst in and loudly shouted, "Big Brother, Big Nephew, Little Nephew, I’m here!"
Zhou’s father (Big Brother): “...”
Zhou Chengxin (Big Nephew): “...”
Zhou Chenglei (Little Nephew): “...”
Grandmother’s son, Zhou Yongguo, was the same age as Zhou Chenglei but two generations older, making him Zhou Chenglei’s great-grandfather. So, Zhou Chenglei had to call him Great-Grandfather, even though they were the same age.
Zhou Chenglei had never called him Great-Grandfather, only by his name, Zhou Yongguo.
They had grown up together, skipping classes and playing, and were very close.
Because Zhou Chenglei didn’t call him Great-Grandfather, Zhou Yongguo taught his six-year-old son to call Zhou Chenglei Little Nephew.
On the roof, the three Zhou men pretended not to hear.
Zhou Yongguo climbed up the bamboo ladder and looked at Zhou Chenglei, “Little grandson, you didn’t even call out when your grandpa came!”
Zhou Chenglei wished he could kick him off the roof!
Zhou Jie, bouncing around, ran up to Jiang Xia, “Niece-in-law, I’m your Great-Uncle.”
Jiang Xia looked at the chubby-faced, skinny Zhou Jie, “...”
She patted his head, “Great-Uncle, hello! Have you not been eating enough? Why are you so short and skinny? If I take you out, people will think you’re my son, not my great-uncle. You need to eat more.”
Jiang Xia managed to get a bit of a verbal jab in, but the child had a large head and a small, malnourished body.
Earlier, while chatting with Grandmother, Jiang Xia learned that Grandmother’s family had only one grandson, who was weak and picky about his food, causing a lot of worry.
Zhou Jie hated it when people said he was short. He was the shortest kid in the village and pouted, “That’s not respectful! Humph, I’ll grow taller one day, and I’ll be taller than you! Humph!”
Everyone in the yard laughed.
Grandmother chuckled, “Then you need to eat more and not be so picky.”
Zhou Jie ignored her and ran off to ask Zhou’s mother where Zhou Zhou and the others were.
Hearing they were at the new house, he ran off to play with them.
With more hands, the work went faster. With three more adult men, all skilled workers, the six of them finished repairing the roof in just two hours.
Zhou Yongguo found two large buckets of lime water from somewhere and brushed the walls, which were spotted with mold and peeling paint, making them look fresh and clean.
It was August, the hottest time of summer, so the walls dried quickly after being painted.
Jiang Xia looked at the freshly painted room, now white and bright, and felt much more comfortable.
Grandmother’s family helped paint the walls, while Zhou Chenglei and his father and brother went back to move the furniture.
By five o’clock, everything was moved over.
However, there wasn’t much furniture. The living room only had two old square tables and eight chairs, with nothing else.
Jiang Xia looked around her new home. Though it was sparsely furnished, it didn’t feel lonely or cold, thanks to the many people who had helped.
Tian Caihua walked in and, looking at the newly renovated house, said a bit enviously, “This old house looks quite comfortable after the renovation. But it shouldn’t have cost more than three hundred yuan, right?”
(End of Chapter)
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