Chapter 3: Carrying the Rainwater to My Master’s Home

Chapter 3: Taking Rainwater to Master’s House

After He Daqing left, He Yuzhu noticed that He Yushui seemed unhappy.

“What’s wrong? Your father has only just left, and you already miss him?” he asked.

“Mm,” Yushui answered glumly.

“Be good, Yushui. Father has gone out to work. Once he earns money, he’ll buy you pretty clothes and lots and lots of delicious food.” He Yuzhu comforted her. “All right, don’t be sad. What would you like to eat tonight? Your brother will make it for you.”

“I want fish,” Yushui said.

“Good. Since Yushui wants fish, we’ll have fish. I’ll go buy one in a moment. Will you wait here at home, or come with me?”

“I want to go with you to buy fish.”

He took Yushui out and went straight to the market. He bought a fish, twenty jin of cornmeal, a red hair ribbon for Yushui, and some fruit candies.

When they returned home, he made sweet-and-sour fish and steamed buns made from mixed grain flour. After the siblings had eaten their fill, he let Yushui play by herself nearby. He Yuzhu then opened the box He Daqing had left behind and looked through his notes. He discovered that the notebooks contained not only Tan Family cuisine, but dishes from all eight major culinary traditions.

Next, he opened the jewelry box left by his mother. Inside were a gold hairpin, earrings, a necklace, a ring, and a green jade bangle. Judging by its appearance, it was clearly no ordinary piece. The instant his hand touched it, the Jade Clarity Art began circulating on its own. He sensed a stream of energy inside the bangle being drawn into him, and hurriedly stopped the technique. After all, it was his mother’s keepsake. He stored the bangle in his personal space.

Besides these items, there were two hundred yuan and the property deeds.

He rose and put the wooden box back into the kang cavity, though in reality he stored it in the study within his personal space. Then he took a small box from beneath a brick in the corner. It contained the pocket money he had saved over many years. After counting it, he found that he had one hundred and eighteen yuan.

That was the siblings’ entire fortune. Though it looked like quite a lot at present, in the future everything would require ration coupons, and there would also be natural disasters. This sum would amount to very little.

Although he possessed his personal space, he still needed a source of income to conceal his advantages. He had no particular skills before crossing into this world. Considering the great famine that lay ahead, as well as the fact that his culinary abilities as He Yuzhu had yet to develop, he decided that he would have to study cooking seriously.

Since he had decided to learn the craft, he would visit his master tomorrow and ask his advice.

“Brother, what are you doing?” He Yushui asked when she saw him sitting at the table in a daze.

“Nothing. I was just thinking. Tomorrow I’m going to Master’s house. Will you wait here for me, or come along?”

“I’ll go with you,” Yushui replied.

“All right. If you’re coming with me, go to bed early. We’ll leave early tomorrow.”

He brought over some water and washed Yushui’s feet first. After drying them, he placed her in bed, then washed his own feet. Once he had finished, he emptied the wash water. When he came back, Yushui was still awake.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet? If you don’t behave, I won’t take you with me tomorrow.”

“I want to sleep with you. I’m scared when I sleep alone,” Yushui said coquettishly.

“All right. You can sleep with me for now. But next year you’ll be going to school, and you’ll be a big girl. You won’t be able to sleep with me anymore, understood?”

He considered that their father had only just left, and that Yushui was still young and had no one beside her to make her feel secure, so he agreed to let her sleep with him.

“Okay, I understand,” Yushui said happily.

He carried Yushui’s quilt and pillow to his own bed, had her lie down, and tucked her in. Then he blew out the oil lamp and climbed into bed himself.

Early the next morning, He Yuzhu woke up and roused Yushui. He let her wash her own face while he emptied the chamber pot.

Once they had finished tidying up, he took Yushui outside. Just as he locked the door, they ran into Yi Zhonghai.

“Yuzhu, where are you taking Yushui?” Yi Zhonghai asked.

At this point, Yi Zhonghai had not yet become obsessed with having He Yuzhu support him in his old age. He Yuzhu had not caught his attention either, since he still had his apprentice Jia Dongxu.

“It’s Uncle Yi. I’m taking Yushui to my master’s house,” He Yuzhu replied politely.

Although he knew what would happen later and had no particular fondness for Yi Zhonghai, there was no need to turn him into an enemy now. He only needed to remain cautious.

“Uncle Yi, Yushui and I need to get there before my master leaves for work, so I won’t keep you.”

As he spoke, He Yuzhu continued walking.

“Then you two had better hurry,” Yi Zhonghai said.

He Yuzhu took Yushui toward his master’s home, buying a dozen or so steamed buns along the way.

When they reached the door, he was just about to knock when it suddenly opened. Seeing his master’s wife, he asked, “Mistress, where are you going?”

“Yuzhu, it’s you! You startled me. I was going to buy breakfast. Have you and Yushui eaten?”

“Mistress, you don’t need to go. I bought more than a dozen buns.”

“All right, then come in quickly. Don’t do that again. Do you really think your mistress can’t afford to feed you?”

She stepped aside and let He Yuzhu and Yushui enter. Noticing Yushui’s messy hair, she took the girl by the hand and said as they walked, “Yushui, who tied your hair like this? It’s such a mess. I’ll tie it properly for you.”

After entering, He Yuzhu saw his master in the courtyard and went over to greet him.

“Yuzhu and Yushui have arrived,” his master replied.

“You and Yuzhu set out the food. I’ll go call Fan Yao and Little Tiger, and fix Yushui’s hair while I’m at it,” the mistress said.

His master, Fan Dakang, had two daughters and one son. His eldest daughter, Fan Ting, had recently married. His second daughter, Fan Yao, was still in school. His youngest son, Fan Xiaohu, was the same age as Yushui.

“Yuzhu, your father told me to look after you more carefully. It made me furious. I gave him a thorough scolding on the spot. He abandoned you and Yushui, running off to Baoding with a widow. He doesn’t deserve to be called a father,” his master said angrily. “Today I’ll speak to Manager Li. Tomorrow you’ll come with me to F泽 Garden. With your master here, you and Yushui won’t go hungry.”

“Thank you, Master,” He Yuzhu said.

“Brother Yuzhu.”

Hearing someone call him, he turned and saw the mistress approaching with Fan Yao, Little Tiger, and Yushui.

“Fan Yao, Little Tiger,” He Yuzhu greeted them.

After finishing breakfast with his master’s family, his master went to work at F泽 Garden, while Fan Yao went to school.

“Yushui, I have some business to take care of. Stay here and play with Little Tiger. I’ll come pick you up this afternoon when I’m finished, all right?”

“All right,” Yushui replied obediently.

“Yuzhu, go take care of your business. I’ll keep an eye on her at home. Nothing will happen,” the mistress said.

“Then I’ll trouble you, Mistress.”

“No need to be so formal with me. By the way, can you ride a bicycle?”

“I can.”

“Then take the bicycle. I’m not going out today.”

She handed him the bicycle key.

He Yuzhu took it, unlocked the bicycle, and wheeled it out the door.