When Mrs. Cheng cooked the walnuts, she boiled them first and then fried them. She was a very good cook. The walnut kernels were still as whole as half a piece after frying. Then she mixed honey with sugar to make caramel color. When the caramel was almost ready, she added the fried walnuts and fried them until they were coated with starch. Finally, she added cooked sesame seeds and rolled them again before serving. When they were served on a plate, the aroma was so fragrant that my mouth was watering just by smelling it.
Old Mrs. Cheng smiled and said, "It's delicious when it's fresh out of the pot, try it!"
Unlike the fried ones, the walnut kernels are fried over high heat, crispy and delicious, with a layer of syrup on them, and they are still pulling out threads when you pinch them. When you bite them in your mouth, you first taste the aroma of sesame, followed by the walnuts and honey bursting in your mouth. It is crispy and not sticky, and it tastes especially good.
Mi Yang ate a small portion of the dish. Old Mrs. Cheng was afraid that he would eat too much and not eat well at night, so she coaxed him, "Go to the room and get two boxes. We have made a lot of food. Pack some and send it to your grandfather. You can continue eating when you come back."
Mi Yang agreed and went in to get the box.
Old Mrs. Cheng has many children at home, and they come all the time during the holidays. The family also prepared a lot of iron boxes for sugar in advance, which came in handy at this time. Mi Yang took out two and filled them with amber walnut kernels. Old Mrs. Cheng also said beside her: "Take the bigger ones, pick the good ones to give to others, and keep these broken ones for ourselves to eat."
Mi Yang smiled and nodded. The old lady's habit had not changed over the years. When he was a child, he ate fried cakes in the military compound. The old lady would pick out the ones that were not very good-looking and had burnt edges and eat them herself, and pick out the good ones for Mi Yang to put in a box and give to the other children to share.
Just after I finished packing a box, I heard the sound of a car at the door, followed by a knock on the door and Cheng Ru's voice.
Cheng Ru came back to deliver something. She called the old lady to open the door while directing two factory workers to move a set of sofas down. Her father-in-law had been in the furniture business for many years. He was the only son in the family. After Cheng Ru got married, she and her husband opened another furniture factory and expanded the scale. Many of the furniture at the old lady's place were made by her factory. Sometimes the factory made samples and only displayed them. The items were still new. After the exhibition, Cheng Ru would bring them back for the old lady to use at home.
Korean dramas have been popular in the past two years, and Korean-style curtains and fabric sofas with small floral patterns are also particularly popular. This time, Cheng Ru gave me a set of such fabric sofas. The paint on the sofa legs was slightly chipped off, and it looks like it was newly painted and there are some slight traces, but the rest is in good condition.
Mi Yang asked, "Grandma, are you changing the sofa again?"
Old Madam Cheng said, "No, it's the same one as before. It's still very sturdy. Take it to your third aunt to have it repainted, and replace the sponge cushion and the sofa cover. It can still be used for many years."
Mi Yang smiled and said, "This is pretty nice and it's very popular now."
Cheng Ru had the workers move the sofa into the living room and put it in place. When he came out, he just happened to hear it and complained to Mi Yang: "Yangyang, you don't know, when I took the old sofa back and told the masters in the factory, they all said that it would only take a short time to make a new one, so it's better to make another one than to repair the current one! But your grandma didn't listen and insisted on saving money. Well, I begged the master craftsman in the factory to modify it, so you can just use it as it is."
Old Madam Cheng said, "I'm saving you money. Why do you always take things from your in-laws? We have them all at home, so you don't need to give us money."
Cheng Ru said: "Just take it and use it. It's just a set of sofas. Why are you being so particular with me?"
Old Mrs. Cheng insisted, "Your parents-in-law are good people, but you can't do this." She stroked the third child's hair again and smiled, "It's rare to meet a family with such a good temper. You can let them do whatever you want. You have to cherish your blessings."
Cheng Ru laughed and said angrily, "I know. I treat them well too."
Cheng Ru asked the workers to go back first, and she stayed to eat before leaving. Old Mrs. Cheng was very happy. She tied an apron and went to the kitchen to cook a few specialties for them. Cheng Ru and Mi Yang wanted to help, but they were also driven out by her. The old lady said: "Such a big house, why are you all crowded in the kitchen with me? You are usually very busy with work and study. It's rare to have some time. Go to the living room and sit down for a while. I will be done in a while."
Cheng Ru sat in the living room with Mi Yang, eating the freshly made amber walnut kernels together, and asked him: "What kind of sofas are popular in Shanghai now?"
Mi Yang had rarely been to the furniture store, but he knew the popular trends in the past two years. He said to her, "A sofa that combines leather and fabric, and it would be better if it has some other functions."
Cheng Ru said: "The kind that can be propped up and stuff can be put inside the box?"
Mi Yang shook his head and smiled, "The old-fashioned ones can also be placed. I saw an interesting one at my classmate's house. The lower layer of the sofa can be pulled out to form a small bed. It is very comfortable. Sometimes when the room is small and there are guests at home, it is also good to use it."
Cheng Ru became interested and asked him to tell her the story. He also took out a pen and asked him to draw it.
Mi Yang roughly drew a picture. He had good composition skills. Although he didn't know how to make a sofa, he had used one in his previous life, so he explained it clearly: "It's like this. It can be pulled out horizontally. There are also some that can turn the back of the chair into a bed. There are also many lazy sofas like this, and the price is cheaper."
He told Cheng Ru everything he remembered. Cheng Ru accepted the blueprint and said happily, "That's great. If it works, Third Aunt will give you a commission. I'll make two or three and exhibit them as a trial, and post some photos online."
Mi Yang asked, "Aunt San, how is the online store doing recently?"
Cheng Ru said: "The online store is doing pretty well. Thanks to you, we started early and have many repeat customers!"
Mi Yang said: "Can you post a video? The new function of the sofa is hard to see at first glance, so a video explanation would be best."
Cheng Ru shook his head and said, "Not yet. We don't have this function. You can just post some photos."
Mi Yang thought for a moment, and it seemed that the video function would not be available until a few years later, so he said to her: "Then put a few more pictures, explain it in detail, and ask a photographer to take the pictures, the effect will be better."
Cheng Ru agreed.
Online stores are becoming more popular now, and more and more people are using online banking to pay. The business has become more standardized. In the past six months, a small chat software has been developed to communicate with customers in real time. Cheng Ru's business is doing well. In addition to regular customers, there are also new customers coming in. She simply hired a few people to open a separate office to handle online business, and her business is booming.
Mi Yang couldn't remember when the certification was differentiated, so he just reminded her, "Aunt San, if there is a certification for corporate stores in the future, get one as soon as possible so that you don't miss any activities."
Cheng Ru said: "Okay, I'll ask them to pay attention."
She pointed the two boxes of wild sea cucumbers she brought to Mi Yang and said to him, "Take these. You came back in the Bai family's car this time, right? Give one box to Old Bai, we won't owe him a favor. Give the other box to your grandfather, it's very nourishing."
Mi Yang said, "No, Third Aunt, if you hadn't told me, I would have forgotten. My mother also brought clothes for you and the other aunts. I'll get them upstairs in a while. My mother has also prepared the rest. She brought something especially for my grandfather. Leave this for grandma."
Cheng Ru said: "Your grandma has it. I prepared it for her. Although it's not in a gift box, it's all the same stuff. She eats a bowl of millet and sea cucumber porridge every day. Look how good she looks."
Mi Yang smiled, accepted it and said, "Thank you, Third Aunt."
Cheng Ru waved his hand: "Why are you being so polite to me?"
Even without Mi Yang's blueprint, she had already prepared gifts. When her elder sister was away, she took care of Mi Yang as if he were her own son and made arrangements for him. The sisters had always had a good relationship, especially with the eldest sister Cheng Qing. Cheng Ru regarded her as important as Old Lady Cheng in her heart. She grew up under the eldest sister's care!
Old Mrs. Cheng quickly prepared the meal, which consisted of three dishes and a soup: shredded potatoes with green peppers, braised choy sum with mushrooms, and casserole with tomatoes and beef. The soup was a winter melon and chicken meatball soup. The homemade chicken meatballs were white, tender, and chewy, and especially delicious.
Mi Yang grew up eating the food she cooked, and this taste is the one that remains most deeply in his memory; it tasted so delicious.
After dinner, Cheng Ru had something to do at the factory, so before leaving, Old Lady Cheng brought her some food. Fortunately, Amber Walnut Kernels was made in large quantities, so she gave her an extra portion and also packed a box for Cheng Ru.
Cheng Ru deliberately said: "Look, there's also mine. If Yang Yang hadn't come, I wouldn't have had this blessing."
Old Madam Cheng smiled and chased her away: "Okay, take it and go quickly, even food can't stop you from eating!"
Cheng Ru left with a smile. She lived closest to home in the town and was also closest to the old lady. She would often come back and the two of them would bicker with each other, which made the atmosphere more lively.
Mi Yang took a portion of amber walnut kernels given by Old Lady Cheng, put them in a box, and rode out on his bike.
He first went to the camphor forest, wanting to send it to Mi Hong.
There was no one in Mi Hong's cabin. Mi Yang took a look and did not stay to wait. Instead, he rode his bike to look for him in the camphor forest.
A small path was planned here, paved with gravel, which was convenient for cycling. When Mi Yang found him, Mi Hong was working deep in the woods, with a newly delivered sapling next to him and two large camphor trees next to him, which were dug out and moved when the road was being repaired. The old man was stubborn and would not let anyone touch the forest.
Mi Yang went over to help him plant trees. Mi Hong glanced at him but didn't stop him.
Mi Yang has grown taller and looks like a big boy. He has been in the classroom for many years, so his skin is white and he looks a bit bookish. He is tall and straight, with delicate features. Even when he is working silently, you can tell that he is quiet and introverted. Mi Hong watched him for a while and praised him, "Well done."
Mi Yang smiled and said, "Grandpa, our school also has Arbor Day every year. We don't just study, we also do some work."
Mi Hong nodded and praised him again: "Your father called me and told me that you did well in the exam."
Mi Yang said, "Grandpa taught me well." He told him about his previous trip to Xinjiang and Professor Zhang, and said while working, "It was Professor Zhang's idea to do extra points in Beijing before. I used everything you taught me, and I got 10 extra points. It's very important."
Mi Hong was a little surprised and asked him, "What's your last name, Zhang? What's your name, Zhang?"
Mi Yang thought for a while and said, "I've never asked this question before. People usually call me teacher or Professor Zhang."
Mi Hong asked again: "How old are you and what do you look like?"
Mi Yang thought for a while and said, "He's probably in his sixties or almost seventies." Mi Yang remembered that there was a group photo on his phone, which was sent to them by Chen Baiwei. They took the photo together before leaving Xinjiang, so he took it out and showed it to Mi Hong.
It was not clear on the phone, and Mi Hong looked at it for a long time before he could barely distinguish it. He smiled and said, "It turned out to be him."
Mi Yang asked with some doubt: "Grandpa, do you know Professor Zhang?"
Mi Hong said: "Not really acquaintance, I just met him once a long time ago, that's fine, I just happen to have something here for you to pass on to him."
Mi Yang wanted to ask more, but Mi Yang didn't say much. He planted all the seedlings and asked Mi Yang to go back to the cabin with him.
The amber walnut kernels brought by Mi Yang were crispy and delicious. Mi Hong washed his hands and tasted two of them. He praised them and asked him to wait. He went to the compartment and got a wooden box with mothballs in it. The smell was much lighter than ordinary ones. There were several books neatly stacked in the wooden box. It seemed to be a stack of medical books. The top one was called "Medical Classification and Drug Determination". The corners had been repaired.
Mi Hong said, "That was more than 30 years ago. The receipt has been lost. Only his name, signed by hand, remains. Since he is your teacher, you can ask him about it. He will tell you that the book he left in Yisan Hall has been repaired. Fortunately, he has lived up to your trust over the years."
Mi Yang was stunned for a moment holding the books, then he remembered that Mi Hong had stayed in the capital decades ago. The reason he came to Shanhai Town was because of the Cultural Movement in the 1970s, so he returned to the small town with Mi Yang's grandmother and lived there for decades.
There is no need to mention these books. There were too many old objects destroyed at that time. I am afraid they were brought out in the chaos. Mi Yang touched the books and thought about Mi Hong's hard work over the past few decades. The book repair shop was smashed, not to mention the theater. How much grievance and hardship did the old man suffer when he fled in a hurry? Thinking of this, he felt a little uncomfortable.
Mi Hong, however, looked calm, as if he had let go of a worry, and his eyes were filled with indifference.