Chapter 65: Bright Red

Zhou Ping, a small child, sat between Zhou Qing and Shen Li.

Swinging his short legs, his arms crossed and resting behind his head, he looked up at the bright moon above.

"What should we eat tomorrow?"

Zhou Yao rolled her eyes at him, "You haven’t even digested today’s meal, and you’re already thinking about tomorrow!"

Zhou Ping replied with confidence, "A person should have aspirations! If you don’t have aspirations, what’s the difference between you and a salted fish?^[1]"

Hearing "salted fish," Zhou Ping suddenly turned to Shen Li, "Senior Brother!"

Shen Li shifted his gaze from the peach to Zhou Ping, "Hmm?"

"Senior Brother, you're so good at shooting birds. Can you catch fish? Let’s have fish tomorrow!"

As soon as Zhou Ping mentioned fish, Zhou Qing became interested too.

Grilled fish, boiled fish, fish with pickled vegetables, fish in tomato sauce, fish head with chopped chili, spicy fish fillets, stir-fried fish belly...

Although she was full, her mouth watered at the thought!

Seeing Zhou Qing looking at him with eager eyes, Shen Li straightened his back, "I can catch fish. We’ll have fish tomorrow. Fish in autumn is fat and delicious."

After speaking, he turned to Zhao, "Is that okay, Third Aunt?"

Zhao chuckled, "Why not? You catch it, and I’ll cook it. Just a few days ago, Aunt Liu next door gave me a recipe for spicy fish. We can try it."

Zhao didn’t know about boiled fish but knew spicy fish.

Since the family had split, and relations were cut off, Zhao was happy every day.

This life is something she wouldn’t trade for being a deity!

Every day is filled with good food and drink, and she doesn’t have to work in the fields. Her biggest worry is figuring out what delicious food to make next!

Could life be any happier?

Zhao touched the new hairpin on her head and leaned back in the Taishi chair, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Seeing Zhao touch the hairpin, Zhou Huailin pursed his lips, "It’s getting late. We’ve been busy all day, let’s all wash up and go to bed."

As soon as Zhou Huailin mentioned sleep, Zhou Huaishan yawned.

"After five days of exams, getting the top spot was really not easy. Time to sleep, time to sleep."

After speaking, Zhou Huaishan turned to Zhou Qing, "Daughter, I’m not studying tomorrow!"

His gaze was firm, his attitude serious.

It seemed that if Zhou Qing didn’t agree, he would sit on the ground and throw a tantrum.

Zhou Qing chuckled, "Alright, I’ll give you two days off. No studying tomorrow or the day after. Relax a bit. On the third day, you can start working hard again. How about that?"

Zhou Huaishan immediately beamed with joy.

"You really are my own daughter!"

Zhou Ping frowned, waved his sleeve, and said, "Second Uncle, that stinks! I told you to eat less radish, but you wouldn’t listen."

Zhou Huaishan acted like he didn’t hear, and happily went back to his room to sleep.

His steps were rhythmically wobbly.

I’m not studying tomorrow!

This feels amazing!

I’m not studying tomorrow!

I can wear whatever clothes I want!

As Zhou Huaishan left, Zhou Huailin dragged Zhao back to their room as well.

Zhou Qing yawned as she got up, turning to Shen Li, "Alright, tomorrow we’ll go to the back river to catch fish."

"Okay."

Shen Li responded and got up too.

Zhou Ping hadn’t had enough of sitting. Seeing that everyone was leaving, he quickly said, "Why are you all going to sleep? Let’s sit a while longer!"

"You sit by yourself. We’ve been busy all day and are tired," Zhou Yao said as she followed Zhou Qing back to their room. "You can play for a while, but go to bed early."

"But if you all leave, I’ll be lonely by myself! What am I sitting for? To sit in loneliness?!"

Zhou Qing couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Zhou Yao rolled her eyes at Zhou Ping, "Next time Big Sister goes to town, I’ll bring you a ghost storybook. After you read it, you’ll feel like even if we’re not here, someone else is keeping you company on these chairs, and you won’t be lonely."

Zhou Ping, who feared nothing, was terrified of ghosts!

When he heard this, his face turned green.

"Sister! I’m your real brother!"

Zhou Yao glared at him, "So what if you’re my real brother? You burned my hair with a fire hook this afternoon! Look at how you singed it! How am I supposed to show myself in public now?"

Zhou Ping pouted and weakly said, "I was just thinking, since our family has a big fat pig, I should practice scalding pig hair in advance."

Zhou Yao was so angry she glared at him, "Go talk to ghosts! Sister, let’s go to sleep!"

Zhou Qing laughed.

These two siblings love and hate each other.

They are definitely related.

Zhou Ping, with a green face, jumped off the Taishi chair and dashed towards Zhou Huailin’s room.

However, Zhou Huailin had already locked the door.

Zhou Ping stood pitifully at the door, knocking, "Father, open the door. Mother, open the door."

The room was silent.

Zhou Ping clung to the door, knocking desperately, his voice full of despair and fear, "Open the door, open the door, open the door! Father, Mother!"

Inside the room...

"Father and Mother are already asleep. Go to your own room to sleep," Zhou Huailin’s voice, slightly hoarse and breathless, replied.

Zhou Ping pitifully clung to the door, "Asleep and still talking? Father, what are you doing? Why are you breathing so hard?!"

Inside the room...

Outside in the courtyard...

Zhou Qing and Zhou Yao had already gone inside.

Shen Li’s ears turned red, and he quickly turned around and went inside too.

Seeing that everyone had left and the courtyard was empty, Zhou Ping quickly knocked on the door a few more times to no avail. He turned, with tears in his eyes, and ran towards Shen Li.

"Senior Brother!"

He hugged Shen Li’s leg, looking up at him pitifully.

Shen Li couldn’t help but laugh, picking Zhou Ping up, "Then you can sleep with me."

Feeling the warmth from Senior Brother after being abandoned by his parents, Zhou Ping was filled with emotion.

There is true love in this world!

There is true affection in this world!

Inside Zhou Huailin’s room.

Zhao pinched Zhou Huailin hard, "Did you hear what Pingzi said? How am I supposed to show my face tomorrow?"

Zhou Huailin pulled Zhao Shi into an embrace.

"Don’t worry. They’re still kids; they don’t understand."

"Nonsense, Ping even understands how dogs mate."

After saying this, both Zhao and Zhou Huailin had a twitch at the corners of their mouths.

Dog mating?

So what does that make them now?!

Zhao’s face turned red, and she pulled the quilt over her head.

With one foot, she kicked Zhou Huailin out of bed, "Stay away from me!"

Zhou Huailin...

You little rascal, ruining your father’s plans. Let’s see how your father deals with you tomorrow.

Cursing angrily in his heart, Zhou Huailin reached out to pull Zhao back under the quilt, "Listen to me..."

The next morning.

After breakfast, Zhou Ping was already jumping with excitement, urging everyone.

"Senior Brother, hurry up!"

"Big Sister, hurry up!"

"Second Uncle, hurry up!"

Shen Li was busy harnessing the cart, and Zhou Qing was busy loading baskets and snacks onto it.

Zhou Ping was chattering non-stop, and his little butt was suddenly kicked by Zhou Huailin.

"All you know how to do is urge! If you want to leave early, go help your Big Sister and Senior Brother! So young and already lazy and greedy."

Zhou Ping was squatting on the ground mixing pig feed when his butt was kicked. He lost his balance and almost fell headfirst into the pig feed bowl.

His small body wobbled, but he managed to stay upright.

He looked up at Zhou Huailin with wide eyes, his face full of confusion and shock.

"Father, I’m mixing pig feed!"

Can’t you see?

Zhou Huailin...

"Of course, I know you’re mixing pig feed. I’m not blind!"

Zhou Ping...

Then why did you kick me?

Zhou Huaishan, munching on half a peach, strolled over, "Alright, Lin, why are you so angry early in the morning? Anyone who didn’t know better would think Ping ruined something important of yours."

Zhou Ping nodded pitifully, rolling his eyes as if to say, exactly!

In the kitchen, Zhao’s ears turned bright red.

_____

Footnotes:

[1] 咸鱼 (xián yú), or "salted fish" is a metaphor for a corpse, but can now mean people who have no intention of doing anything.