Dreaming of Lion Rock: Recipe in Hand

In the blink of an eye, it was 1979. The 19-year-old Chunni had become a grown-up girl. Although she had fair eyes, white teeth and a graceful figure, she was also a pretty young lady.

"Chun Ni, you're back from the county town!"

Since December last year, the country has begun to implement the policy of internal reform and external opening up.

Chunni and Yang Bangming's business changed from being secretive to being cautious and open.

There were more and more small vendors, and Chunni's business stabilized.

Gradually, Chunni's family stopped raising rabbits and bought all the rabbits needed for trading from the village.

That's why the villagers were so unusually enthusiastic about her.

"Hey, sales are fast today, so I came back early." Chunni came back alone, while Yang Bangming went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy spices.

"My rabbits are about to be sold. Chunni, when will you come to my house to see them?" My second grandmother from the same clan has many granddaughters and raises a lot of rabbits. The rabbits are fat and big, and are very pleasing to the eye.

"Okay, I'll be here in two days." Chunni seemed to have completely integrated into the land of Lion Rock. She greeted the villagers with ease and walked leisurely among the villagers without stopping.

Chunni returned to her home quickly. Seeing the low house, she couldn't help but sigh. She had been doing business for two years. Except for the special period of suspension, she was working non-stop to make money. Now her family has more than 1,000 yuan in savings, and she is considered one of the first people in Shizishan to become rich.

However, her house was still so low and small, and she had to bend down to enter the kitchen. Her three siblings were still dressed simply, and except for eating better, they were no different from the other villagers. She really wanted to have a big house to show off her wealth, but the timing was not right.

Chunni went to the yard to cut a bunch of leeks to use for frying eggs, but unexpectedly she ran into Wen Hua returning to her parents' home.

The low courtyard wall could not block the view from the neighbors. Wen Hua, wearing a new dress and a red hairband, greeted Chun Ni with a smile.

"Chun Ni, cut the leeks!"

"Yeah." Chunni was picking leeks without looking up.

"It's been a long time since we last saw each other. Well, this kid in our family is very tough, and I have to keep an eye on him all the time. Well, that's what marriage is like, the children can't live without you, and the man can't live without you." While saying this, Wen Hua also shook the fat baby in her hand, showing off.

"The baby is very cute." Chunni put down the leeks, walked to the courtyard wall, looked at the baby's big watery eyes, and her heart melted. She didn't bother to look at the baby's mother whose heart was blinded by greed.

"Yeah. Dacai and his mom really like Diandian."

It turned out that the baby's nickname was Diandian. At this time, Diandian vomited milk, probably because his mother shook him hard.

"Oh my. My new clothes!"

Wenhua's voice was as sharp as ever. She nodded to Chunni and rushed into the house with the baby in her arms.

Chunni...

Chunni went into the kitchen to prepare dinner, and Xiazhi came back. Xiazhi was 17 years old, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. He was half a head taller than Chunni and was very popular among the little girls in the village. He bent down and went into the kitchen.

"Sister, look at the bamboo rat I caught. Let's braise it. I haven't eaten meat for a long time. This is good to satisfy your craving." Xia Zhi made the request with a smile, holding a big bamboo rat in his hand.

"Cook it in the evening and wait for Qiuguo to come back to eat it together." Chunni is a good elder sister.

"Okay." Xia Zhi took a kitchen knife and went to the yard to kill the bamboo rat.

"Sister, do you still remember Grandma Sun who lived at the east end of the village?" Xia Zhi took the bamboo rat to the kitchen, washed his hands, and wanted to help Chunni light a fire.

"That grandma Sun who lives with her grandson alone? What happened to her?" Chunni was gradually getting familiar with the villagers, not to mention that grandma Sun had just sent a rabbit to her family a few days ago.

"Yeah, that grandma Sun's grandson is called Sun Ping. He stole all of his grandma's savings and ran away yesterday!"

Sun Ping is seven or eight years older than Xia Zhi. In the village, they always play with friends of the same age. Xia Zhi is not very familiar with Sun Ping.

"How do you know?" Chunni knew Sun Ping. Both his parents had passed away, and he had been dependent on his grandmother since he was a child.

During those most difficult years, Sun Ping became as thin as a bamboo pole, but her grandmother was safe and sound and as healthy as ever.

Everyone in the Shizishan Village knew that Sun Ping was very filial to his grandmother.

When Chunni first came to Lion Rock, she was in a daze and completely unable to manage things. At that time, Sun Ping secretly sent food to their family a few times. Although it was just some coarse grains such as beans and sweet potatoes, the gift was small but the sentiment was great. Chunni still remembers it clearly.

"It's spread all over the village."

Chunni believed in Sun Ping's character, and she also believed in the villagers' ability to spread rumors. She wanted to go to Grandma Sun's house to take a look.

Chunni had nothing to do in the afternoon, so she went to Grandma Sun's house with Xiazhi.

Grandma Sun was about 60 years old. She lost her husband when she was young, and her son and daughter-in-law when she was middle-aged. She was a pitiful person. Fortunately, she still had a grandson, so Sun Ping became her only hope.

The years have left wrinkles on her face, but the hardships of life have not worn down her will. On the contrary, they have made her face life positively and optimistically.

She always smiles at everyone and is one of the most loving old ladies in the village.

Her family is also one of the ones that keeps the most rabbits.

When Chunni arrived, Grandma Sun was picking out the rabbit grass she had found in the wild. She wanted to pick out the weeds.

There was no yard at Grandma Sun's house. Chunni and Xiazhi walked straight up to her and only then did Grandma Sun notice them.

"Chun Ni, Xia Zhi, why are you here? Do you want rabbits again?" Grandma Sun quickly stood up and brought stools to Chun Ni and her brother.

"Grandma Sun, don't worry, we'll get it ourselves."

When Xia Zhi saw Grandma Sun's actions, he quickly stopped her and went into the house to bring out two stools.

"Yes, Grandma Sun, we will need rabbits in a couple of days. I came to see if you have any rabbits that can be sold."

Chunni plans to take a look at the rabbit first.

Besides, poor people don’t necessarily need sympathy.

"Okay, okay. Come with me and take a look." Grandma Sun was very happy.

She is old and doesn't know how many years she can live. But her grandson has not yet married and has children, and she can't let go. She has to save more money for Sun Ping. She can't do other work, but she can still raise rabbits.

Look, she raises the most and best rabbits in Lion Rock, and their fur is shiny and smooth.

Chunni looked at the rabbits, told Grandma Sun that she would deliver a certain number of rabbits in a few days, and then returned to the yard.

"Grandma Sun, I heard that Sun Ping passed away." Chunni asked casually.

"Yes, he went to the south with his friends. He heard that there is money everywhere in the south, so he wanted to go and take a look." Grandma Sun frowned. She was very worried about her grandson.

But a bird shouldn't grow up in a cage, it should learn to fly in the sky. If her grandson wants to go out and make a living, she won't stop him.

It seemed that Grandma Sun knew about Sun Ping's departure, and Chunni felt relieved.

"Yeah, I also want to go to the south to have a look, but I didn't expect Brother Sun Ping to get ahead of me." Xia Zhi also wanted to go out and try his luck.

"Grandma Sun, is there any water left in your water tank? I'll fetch you two buckets." Xia Zhi saw that Grandma Sun looked worried and quickly changed the subject.

"Okay!" Grandma Sun smiled kindly, like a spring breeze, and the worry just now seemed to disappear in an instant.

"I'm old, too old. I can't do it anymore." Grandma Sun said self-deprecatingly as she walked towards the kitchen. She was going to get a bucket and a shoulder pole.

"Grandma Sun, you are still strong. Please walk slower. I can't keep up with you!" Xia Zhi's voice could be heard from far away.

"Hahahaha!" Grandma Sun was amused by Xia Zhi!

After that day, Xia Zhi would go to Grandma Sun's house from time to time to help fetch water and chop firewood, doing whatever he could until Sun Ping returned.