Chapter 7: Visiting the Popularity Giant

Grandma Li wanted to refuse An Chen’s mother’s offer to pay for her medical expenses out of pride, but when she thought of the situation at home, her pride faltered. She had intended to do a good deed and help An Chen’s mother, but now she’d ended up causing her to spend extra money instead. Embarrassed, she quickly asked about the condition of An Ning and An Chen, and An Chen’s mother reassured her that everything was fine and taken care of.

Unable to resist Grandma Li’s urging to return home early, An Chen’s mother agreed to let Li Jixiang accompany Grandma Li, intending to fetch her two sons herself.

It was already dark outside. If An Chen went home now, it would be hard to see him again. Li Jixiang, eager to increase her popularity value, wanted to visit An Chen, but An Chen’s mother wouldn’t allow it.

“Let Jixiang go see him for me, so I can be at ease,” Grandma Li said.

With that, An Chen’s mother couldn’t refuse anymore. She told Li Jixiang to come right back after checking in, since she’d be taking Grandma Li home soon and told them to watch out for safety on the way.

“Sigh, Old An is out in the countryside collecting soybeans, not at home, and these two rascals have to get into trouble. Grandma Li, you rest here, and I’ll have Jixiang back in no time.”

An Chen sat on a bench in the corner of the surgery room, one leg in a cast. An Ning, his brother, had his arm in a sling, and both glared at each other like fighting cocks, neither willing to concede.

Hearing footsteps, An Chen turned and saw Li Jixiang. His face instantly bloomed with joy.

“Jixiang, Jixiang, you came to see me?”

Someone please wake him up—diabetics, step back, don’t let him taste anything sweet! Who would want to visit a troublemaker laid up from a fight? I’m just here to collect popularity points. Li Jixiang grinned and hummed a non-committal reply, watching the string of pink numbers turn to 423. Mission accomplished—it was time to leave!

“Shameless! Who’d want to visit you?” An Ning muttered, pouting in An Chen’s direction.

“You’re just jealous Jixiang came to see me,” An Chen shot back, trying to swing his legs to stand.

“Tch!” An Ning nodded at Li Jixiang as a greeting. Instantly, the little pink number in Jixiang’s mind jumped to 433.

An Ning likes her! What an unexpected windfall! Li Jixiang was nearly giddy with delight.

“You’re both fine, so I’ll go check on my grandma,” Jixiang said, eager to leave now that her task was complete.

“Jixiang, how can you leave? My leg is hurt,” An Chen pleaded, hugging his injured leg, his chubby cheeks streaked with reddish scabs from the scuffle. As he spoke, the wounds seemed to pull, making him wince, his eyes brimming with tears.

Brothers fighting so fiercely—these two weren’t exactly angels. Li Jixiang chuckled awkwardly, telling An Chen to rest and heal, already plotting excuses to visit him after school over the next few days. At this rate, it would take at least three more days to reach a thousand popularity points.

“You two brats, get home now and see how I deal with you! Jixiang has to look after her grandma. An Chen, don’t pester her,” An Chen’s mother scolded.

On the way home, Grandma Li refused Jixiang’s help. Her steps were unsteady, but she managed to keep pace. As they passed the bathhouse, Grandma Li paused, squinting at the bright light over the women’s ticket window. She suddenly remembered something and asked Jixiang to remind her to come back for a bath on April third.

The thought of bathing in such a place horrified Jixiang; she’d rather never bathe in her life than strip naked in front of everyone.

“I’ll remember for you, Grandma. I’m not going,” she replied.

“How can you not? We have to be clean when we visit your father,” Grandma Li insisted.

“What?!” Jixiang shivered at her words. Her mute father had been dead for three years; was Grandma Li getting senile?

“Tomb-Sweeping Day is coming. Once a year, we must be clean to visit him. I wonder how Haiyang is doing on the other side… I wish I could join him soon…” Grandma Li mumbled, her words making the hairs on Jixiang’s neck stand on end—she felt as if a shadow was following her.

Back at the little shop, Grandma Li insisted on opening up, settling behind the counter and soon remembering she hadn’t made dinner for her granddaughter yet.

Hearing the clatter from the kitchen, Jixiang grew restless. The original girl could do chores—she couldn’t be the one who left Grandma Li to do everything alone.

In the past, Grandma Li would never refuse Jixiang’s help, but things were different now. With the secondary school exams just three months away, Grandma Li wanted her to focus on her studies and forbade her from doing chores. When Jixiang lit the coal stove that morning, Grandma Li had felt deeply guilty.

“All work is lowly, only reading is noble. Jixiang, listen to your grandma and study hard. If you succeed, I’ll finally see good days too. There isn’t much work at home; I can manage alone.” Grandma Li pushed Jixiang into the room and closed the door, then busied herself in the kitchen for a while and finally called Jixiang to eat.

On the table was a bowl of plain rice porridge and a dish of cabbage stewed with tofu. The tofu smelled slightly sour and broke apart easily, yet it tasted fine—the sweetness of the cabbage masked the tofu’s tang.

“Your Aunt An said they’ll be making tofu soon. She’s skilled—hers will taste better than what they sell in town.”

This tofu was bought cheap the day before, a bit sour but very affordable. Worried her granddaughter wouldn’t like it, Grandma Li relaxed a little when she saw Jixiang eating with relish. If she could find more sour tofu tomorrow, she’d soak it in saltwater, slice it, and fry it in canola oil until golden—it would taste as good as meat.

Grandma Li couldn’t remember the last time they’d eaten meat. When her son Haiyang was alive, every year around the twenty-sixth or seventh of the twelfth month, he’d visit an old comrade in the countryside to buy a piece of pork. On New Year’s Eve, she’d cook it with star anise and ginger, bringing it to a boil and then simmering it slowly, filling the house with fragrant steam and making Jixiang’s mouth water as she waited by the stove.

“Haiyang, you left us too soon!” Grandma Li brushed away her tears. Just then, the bell at the shop’s door rang—someone had come to buy something. She quickly took off her apron and hurried out. The bell clattered against the cloth curtain; the customer left empty-handed.

Jixiang put down her bowl and quietly peeked into the shop. Grandma Li’s silhouette behind the counter looked forlorn. Another hope dashed—she sat trembling on her little stool.

“Grandma, it’s time to close up and rest.”

“Yes, it’s so late…” Grandma Li squeezed out from behind the counter to lock up. Jixiang helped her, quickly fitting the wooden planks to seal the shop door.

With a sigh at the shelves, Grandma Li returned to the room and opened the kang cabinet, reaching underneath for a small white cloth bundle decorated with pink flowers. She unwrapped it and gazed at the few ten and five yuan notes inside, her expression growing dim.