Chapter 4: Hometown is Wonderful

The police officer, with sharp eyes and a deep-seated hatred for evil, is still suspicious of him

In any case, he still remembers the year when the Guangxu Emperor sat on the dragon throne, and the local landlord invited the entire village to a feast, during which he had his very first chicken leg.

She smiled generously and said: "Are you the younger brother of Uncle Xiangwen from Northeast? Then do you know what kind of water I have cooked for you? Just a reminder, this is not grown in your Northeast."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yi felt a bit bewildered

Wang Yi said: "It is mint water"

Wang Xianghong pulled him back and said: "Drink some water, drink some water. You even brought me tea leaves and anti-inflammatory medicine this time, you are being even more distant."

Later, Wang Xianghong also sent her cat to him

Thus, Wang Yi lay on the lounge chair, petting the cat while sipping on warm mint water

The sun sets behind the western mountains, and night falls.

Wang Xianghong called out: "Be bold, come over for a drink later."

Wang Yi can easily handle it, and he is all smiles while doing so

Her complexion was a common blackish-yellow seen among fishermen, her eyes were bright and spirited, the upper part of her outfit was a blue Lenin suit that had faded from washing, and her trousers were patched in several places

The four corners of the cabinet are wrapped in shiny copper, and the surface is inlaid with four sets of tiles, each depicting mythological stories such as the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea and Hou Yi Shooting the Sun

Where have you gone with your leather shoes? If you don't come back soon, there will be nothing left to eat!

Upon learning that he is the son of Wang Xiangwen, the old birthday celebrant was very excited: "Good, good, Xiangwen's child has returned, now our old and young men are more complete."

He drinks with great enjoyment

After drinking, he felt embarrassed. Xiufang was busy in the kitchen, washing and scrubbing. He lay here basking in the sun, which seemed inappropriate.

Wang Yi was quite surprised and said, "Sister-in-law, do they still use kerosene lamps on the island? Is there no electricity?"

No one remembers the specific name of the old birthday star; everyone in the village, from the elderly to the young, respectfully refers to him as the Birthday Star Grandpa

Rowing, harvesting sea cucumbers, casting fishing nets

Fortunately, in this day and age, there are no televisions or mobile phones, and communication is inconvenient. Everyone, including Zhuang Mancang, has never been to Northeast China and is unfamiliar with the local customs and culture.

Xiufang said with ease: "How can we supply electricity? I heard from my father-in-law that to supply electricity, we need to pull a power line from the seabed. This is too difficult; there are many fish, shrimp, crabs, and sea turtles down there. Won't they chew through the power line?"

His parents passed away early, so he started cooking for himself at a young age, and his culinary skills are quite impressive

He lifted his head, and a small bowl containing 2 liang of white wine went down with a gulp

Wang Xianghong lit kerosene lamps both in the house and in the kitchen, and under the windproof lampshade, the flames were burning quite vigorously.

Wang Yi said: "What kind of fish maw is this? I have heard that fish maw is very expensive"

Wang Xianghong greeted the two to sit down, and upon seeing Wang Yi staring at the cabinet, he introduced them:

Xiu Fang rolled up her sleeves and got busy, while Zhuang Man Cang came out to advise, "Sister-in-law, don't rush. Just prepare a couple of simple dishes. I feel bad for bothering you every time I come over."

In the end, with no other options, she had to ask Wang Yi for help in washing the clams and scrubbing the sea snails

This is all labor-intensive work; in comparison, he truly prefers to move around the stove.

Zhuang Mancang smiled and patted his head: "Every time I come here, the food improves. In this season, even going to a big restaurant in the city doesn't offer such large prawns and crabs."

Thus, Wang Yi put the cat down to help

Wang Yi was pressed down onto the lounge chair. Although the sea breeze was somewhat strong, he still felt quite comfortable inside.

Like her father-in-law Wang Xianghong, she walks with a certain grace and poise

A fisherman, having heard that Zhuang Mancang had arrived, brought freshly caught fish to the door.

The craftsmanship is exquisite, and the details are lifelike

There is also a pot filled with dark mussels, which are most abundant in the Fuhai area. They are also known as sea rainbow or freshwater mussels, and fishermen can use them as food.

Xiufang brought a plate of large shrimp, serious-sized prawns, each one impressively big, all measuring the length of Wang Yi's palm.

Wang Xianghong pulled Wang Yi out and introduced him to everyone

That is a set of porcelain sculptures titled "The Rent Collection Courtyard," produced in Dejing Town. It depicts the cruel exploitation of our peasant brothers by the wealthy landlord Liu Wencai. I display it as a reminder to myself to never forget the class struggle!

The kitchen of Wang Xianghong's home also serves as a storage room, filled with dry firewood and fishing nets and gear. The roof and walls are blackened by grease and smoke, and upon entering, one is greeted by a fishy odor, as it also contains dried fish and stored shrimp shells and dried shrimp.

She advised, "You should choose the horse mackerel dried fish; this is sweet-dried fish, not salty, and it pairs well with alcohol"

Yuan Yuan, Yuan Yuan, it's time to go home, your grandmother has steamed a bun for you

How could Wang Yi dare to speak recklessly?

The God of Longevity is respected not only because of his age but also because he never takes advantage of his seniority or uses it to intimidate others. When he sees Zhuang Mancang salute him, he smiles and says: "Please, sit down. You are the guardian of the people. Why give an old man like me a salute?"

The God of Longevity truly enjoys a long life, being at least one hundred years old this year. Whether it is exactly one hundred, one hundred and one, or one hundred and two remains unclear; those who could clarify this have long since passed away

Wang Yi was quite familiar with this, as his father had once shared some experiences from the northeastern forest farm with him. Thus, he managed to fool everyone with a series of nonsensical tales.

The room has a leveled mud floor, with a set of Eight Immortals tables placed in the center, and a red lacquer cabinet in the corner

Wang Xianghong waved his hand and said boldly: "Here, either we are all familiar faces or old friends, old comrades. So what is there to say? No need for words, let’s drink and eat! Raise your cups and don’t put down your chopsticks!"

As night falls, the lights of thousands of homes illuminate the darkness

The continuous winning and full warehouse were all taken aback, listening to him introduce the heavy snow and customs of Northeast China, they were filled with astonishment.

Xiu Fang is very stubborn, but Wang Yi is even more persistent

The last rays of the setting sun cast their glow over the fishing village, bathing the houses, trees, roads, and boats on the island in a soft golden hue

Wang Xianghong's home is an old house; it is not to say that it is completely bare, but there are certainly not many pieces of furniture inside

The old man is short and thin, with hair and beard completely white, wrinkled skin, and age spots on his face and hands. However, he walks steadily and firmly, with a pipe in his mouth, taking a puff every few steps

Finally, she brought up a plate of large fish, which was a big red-scaled catfish. Its fins were spread open, and its belly was splayed out on the plate, making it appear as if it were still alive

Wang Yi, whose parents passed away early, is filled with admiration and longing for the genes of the birthday celebrant, who at such an advanced age can still take care of himself, a true miracle

Wang Xianghong proudly said: "This is not self-praise; it is not yet the season for eating shrimp and crabs. Since you in the city cannot supply them, feel free to eat tonight, and it would be best if you could not even fasten your belt due to overeating"

Due to the significant support he provided to the maritime guerrilla team in his early years, three of his five sons, who have since passed away, were members of the maritime guerrilla team and fell victim to the reactionaries

Xiufang then served fried dried fish, tofu and sea cucumber stew with cabbage, braised sea cucumber, stir-fried small abalone, and clam and radish soup

Come, once you have selected the dried fish, come over and lend me a hand to change the water in the basin again

Mint water is sweet and delightful

A basin has already been placed on the table, containing clams, scallops, and razor clams, topped with a layer of bright red crabs

According to historical records, Emperor Guangxu ascended the throne in 1875

However, the entire island holds great respect for the birthday celebrant, and the leaders from the county towns and urban areas outside the island also respect him

Xiu Fang went to the kitchen and busied herself for a while. She first brought a pot of tea to Wang Xianghong and Zhuang Mancang, and then brought a bowl of hot water, exuding a refreshing taste, to Wang Yi

Xiufang nodded with a smile: "Mint is a wonderful thing; it can be used to brew tea to alleviate seasickness, it can be eaten raw or cooked in dishes, and when dried and burned, it can repel mosquitoes and flies"

He then said that the waves were high today, and he felt a bit seasick and wanted to take a rest

Xiufang planned to fry some dried fish to accompany her drinks, so she asked Wang Yi to pick out a few good pieces of dried fish

Wang Yi felt a sudden jolt in her heart: What kind of drinking method is this? This is liquor, drinking it like this is risking one's life!

Seeing the elderly man Wang Yisu, one felt a deep respect

Zhuang Mancang said: "When have I ever eaten less? But you all have prepared too much, this is too polite, too distant!"

Unfortunately, the birthday star has not had a fortunate life; all five of his sons have perished in wars and maritime disasters, leaving him in solitude for decades

On one side are the ten founding marshals, while on the other side are renowned elder scientists such as Qian Xuesen, Qian Sanqiang, Zhu Kezhen, and Zhao Zhongyao

Wang Yi quickly selected some high-quality dried fish and returned, saying: "Good!"

Zhuang Mancang immediately followed suit

The island is rich in seafood, with various types of clams including flower clams, hairy clams, cultured clams, and white clams.

He is eager to have a conversation with Wang Yi

Wang Yi wanted to help, but Xiu Fang firmly refused to let him intervene: "How can a big man like you do this kind of work? Are you going to turn around the stove like your sister-in-law? You should be rowing, harvesting sea cucumbers, and casting nets!"

Wang Yi felt a tingling sensation on his scalp when he asked.

She is a healthy and strong young woman with ear-length short hair, lacking any particular hairstyle, yet meticulously groomed and perfectly tidy.

Come, have a sip, I added saccharin for you, it tastes good

The room lacks a ceiling, directly exposing the beams and the roof. Two baskets are hanging from the beams, and a wicker basket is suspended from the roof

He took a closer look and felt it was somewhat familiar, asking: "Sister-in-law, is this fish maw?"

Boldly opening the wine bottle, he said: "The fish has come up, shall we start eating? Party Secretary, Instructor Zhuang, would either of you like to say a few words?"

Wang Yi hurriedly said there is no need to go to such trouble

Wang Dongfeng returned later, carrying a basket in each hand, filled with fresh seafood, including crabs, sea conchs, squid, clams, sea cucumbers, and so on

"If you feel guilty, just eat more; if you eat more, we will be happy," Xiufang said with a smile as she turned around

Wang Yi went to fiddle with the dried fish, and then saw that there were several pieces of yellow-brown rubber-like material hanging on the rope, varying in size, with the larger ones resembling military canteens when viewed from a flat perspective

The walls are covered with newspapers, and on the north wall is a colored half-length portrait of the Chairman, with smaller portraits arranged on either side.

Bold and the document officer Wang Dongxi were equally excited, with one person holding Wang Yi's hand, asking questions left and right

Zhuang Mancang hurriedly stood up to pay his respects as the birthday celebrant arrived

Wang Yi instinctively glanced at Xiu Fang a couple of times; there was a certain vigor about her, a spirit that radiated.

Zhuang Mancang has gone back to drink water, and Wang Yi is also drinking water

Wang Xianghong came over and pulled him away: "Let's go, sit at the table, and drink!"

Wang Xianghong opened the bamboo lounge chair and said, "You should go outside and lie down for a while, bask in the sun. I will have your sister-in-law prepare a bowl of mint water for you, and once you drink it, you will feel much better"

Xiu Fang said: "What is so precious? In the old days, it was used to fool the wealthy landlords. Now we talk about science and civilization. Fish glue is just a type of food, just glue. A few years ago, the supply and marketing cooperatives didn't even want to collect it."

She shook her head and said, "There is no way to power it. On our island, everyone uses kerosene. The national policy is good; it takes care of us on the island and provides us with plenty of kerosene."

Additionally, the ornament on the cabinet lid caught Wang Yi's attention; it featured a white porcelain statue of Comrade Mao, with many white porcelain clay figurines in front of it

My hometown is truly wonderful

Xiufang turned around and casually said: "Yes, it is fish glue. It was brought by my father-in-law's old comrade from Guangdong who came to visit him many years ago"

"Hahaha, let's not talk about that, sit down and have some water." Wang Xianghong interrupted him, abruptly changing the subject.

"Dog treasure, it's time to go home for dinner!"

Wang Xianghong's daughter-in-law, Xiufang, has returned

The island of Tianya has become livelier, as the fishing boats returning from the sea come back one after another, and the women who have been working in the fields are also returning home

"Comrade Secretary, I will go home and tidy up a bit," the man replied readily

The warm rays of the setting sun shine upon me, a few hens cluck softly, the wind rustles the leaves of the peach trees, and the sounds of shouts and fishing songs drift into my ears with the sea breeze

Ke Wang addressed Hong with a familiarity akin to that of a son, particularly warmly, and insisted on going out to shout: "Tell Xiufang not to go to work, but to come back for a while first"

Later, more people arrived, including a bold individual whom Wang Yi had seen before; he was the militia captain. Additionally, there was the village clerk and the women's director, and finally, an elderly man also came.

Someone responded from a distance, "Alright!"

Once the cat had become accustomed to its surroundings, Wang Xianghong said, "Warm him up a bit," and the cat lay down on Wang Yi's belly, beginning to purr softly.

The smoke from the kitchen rises gently, and the voices of parents calling their children home for dinner are incessant

Zhuang Mancang said: "Our class struggle has triumphed, and now that reform and opening up have begun, we must unite and harness the energies of all social strata to jointly develop the economy. Old squad leader, you need to change your mindset..."

This is a legendary figure that his father once told him about, the old longevity star of Wangjia Village

In his impression, he had not seen such a spirited and positive woman for many years

Gold and silver can be discarded, but it is difficult to leave one's homeland. The old and young of the Wang family should live together, so that when one family encounters difficulties or disasters, they can support each other.

A few years ago, my father-in-law forgot about these items, which were left at the bottom of a box and became damp and moldy. It was only last year during the New Year when we were tidying up the cabinets that we found them again, and we thought we would dry them out to see if they are still edible

The cat, lost in its chanting, suddenly paused: Where is my warm and cozy human cushion