Divorced woman with child travels through time

Chen Wenfang and Aunt Liu were both quick and efficient. Soon, a large pot of steamed buns was ready. Chen Wenfang carried the buns and water to the main room and placed them on the table.

Chen Wenfang called out, "Everyone, take a break and have some steamed buns to fill your stomachs. We'll continue working in a little while."

Uncle Liu Hai led everyone over to wash their hands. Uncle Youdi ate his steamed bun with great surprise, thinking to himself that this Mrs. Chen was indeed as everyone said, a kind person. Although the steamed buns were made of coarse flour, they were made to be especially fragrant and sweet.

Brick was seventeen years old and came to work with Uncle Youdi. Brick had an old mother whose eyesight was poor. Every time she made steamed buns, some were sour, some were astringent, some were so salty they were unbearable, and some were not even cooked through. Brick wasn't always called Brick; he just followed Uncle Youdi around doing these tasks and loved laying bricks, so people started calling him Brick.

Brick had never eaten such delicious steamed buns before. They were fragrant and soft, and one bite filled his mouth with complete satisfaction. Perhaps because they were close in age, Brick and Dazhuang got along particularly well. Brick nudged Dazhuang and asked, "Zhuangzhuang, does Madam Chen's family always eat such delicious steamed buns? How are they made?"

Dazhuang replied, "Yes, there are also delicious pancakes with meat filling. I've also had ones with green bean filling. They're all very delicious. I don't know how to make them. My mother's pancakes are different from Chen Niangzi's. It's all about skill. Chen Niangzi's pancakes are still the best."

Brick chuckled. "Then we're in for a treat these next few days." "You bet!"

A pot of steamed buns was divided among everyone, two for each person. Chen Wenfang looked around and saw there was one left. Noticing that Zhuan Tou seemed a little hungry, she beckoned him over, "Young man, this is for you." Zhuan Tou hesitated for a moment, then went over and took the bun. "Thank you, Madam Chen," Chen Wenfang said with a smile. "You're welcome. Let me know if you need more."

Zhuantou felt an extra sweetness in his heart while eating the steamed bun; Chen Niangzi was such a kind person.

After finishing their steamed buns, everyone continued working. By noon, the well had been dug to a sufficient depth and water had begun to come out. Everyone was carrying soil and water, working enthusiastically.

Chen Wenfang and Aunt Liu made five large pots of steamed buns, and also prepared side dishes to go with the rice: stewed green beans with pork, stir-fried winter melon, and scrambled eggs with chives. The variety of dishes wasn't large, but the portions were generous—enough to fill you up.

Chen Wenfang set the dishes on the table and invited everyone to eat. Shi Tou returned with his three children.

"Mother, Madam Chen, we're back!" the three little ones called out to Chen Wenfang in unison.

"Okay, I'm going to wash my hands and eat," Chen Wenfang replied.

Uncle Youdi, who had just washed his hands, returned and saw Chuyi and Shiwu. He then asked Uncle Liuhai, who was standing next to him, "Whose children are these? I've never seen them before?"

Uncle Liu Hai looked at them and said, "Oh, these two children are the two children of Madam Chen's best friend. Their mother passed away. Their father also died of illness, and no one in their clan would adopt them. Their stepmother has her own child and doesn't really care about them. So the two of them came to live with us. Madam Chen is kind-hearted and, out of respect for the children's mother, she took them in."

Uncle Di sighed, "Madam Chen is truly righteous! She already has one child, and now she has two more. She probably won't want to remarry. It's really tough on her."

Uncle Liu Hai said, "She had no intention of remarrying. Chen Meizi is truly an extraordinary woman."

Chen Wenfang set up two tables of food, one for adults and one for children, with a large bowl of coarse steamed buns on each table.

The green beans were stewed until very tender, soaking up all the meat juices. The stir-fried winter melon was also generously cooked with plenty of oil and high heat, making it incredibly flavorful. The scrambled eggs with chives were also plentiful, with every bite bursting with egg. After a delicious and satisfying meal and some tea, everyone was full of energy and ready to get back to work.

The children, who had finished eating, didn't leave; they all gathered around to watch them work together digging the well. After two days of work, the well was finally finished.

On the third day, the carriage also delivered the bricks. Chen Wenfang and Uncle Liu Hai picked up a brick and examined it. It was solid, with clear texture and a light dark gray color; the quality was quite good. Chen Wenfang paid the money, and everyone helped unload the bricks from the carriage.

Today, Uncle Youdi only brought bricks. After a night, water seeped out of the well again, so Uncle Youdi went down into the well with the bricks. A frame was set up on the ground with ropes tied to it, so buckets could be lowered directly in, filled with water, and then the frame could be rotated to lift the water up. Uncle Liu Hai and Da Zhuang then carried the water out from above.

Uncle Youdi and Liu Haishu were both hardworking people, and the two groups worked together very well. In no time, they had emptied the well. Then Chen Wenfang and Aunt Liu came with the children to help, passing bricks from the pile in the yard, one brick to each child. Chen Xuanyu and Shiwu wanted to help too, but Chen Wenfang wouldn't allow it, saying they were too small and would slow things down. Instead, she told them to go and tend the fire and check if the water in the pot was boiling, as they would be making tea later. The two little ones obediently went to watch the pot.

Today was the last day of work. Chen Wenfang went all out; Uncle Di and Uncle Liu Hai were both honest and hardworking, and the well was dug in three days. Not wanting to let them down, he made braised eggplant and fish for lunch. He also took a large piece of pork and cooked a whole bowl of braised pork belly, all in large, square chunks, two centimeters thick. Finally, he stir-fried some cabbage; the cabbage, which hadn't yet started to form its core, was very crisp and tender because Chen Wenfang had moistened it thoroughly. Worried that the steamed buns wouldn't be enough, he also made flatbreads. Everyone ate very contentedly. Zhuantou even used the flatbreads to soak up all the meat juices before eating them. What a good child! He didn't waste a single grain of food.

Many hands make light work. Two people laid the bricks, while buckets were used to lower the bricks down one by one, and buckets of water were carried up one by one. The well was finished before dinner time. Fearing that the children might fall in, Chen Wenfang asked Uncle Youdi to take bricks and build two more rings around the ground to raise the level. They planned to build a windlass frame and add a cover later, making the well safe.

Chen Wenfang paid Uncle Youdi his wages and also gave each person an extra fifty coins as a token of appreciation for their hard work. Uncle Youdi was very grateful. Chen Wenfang then put the extra cakes in a cloth bag and gave five to each person. Seeing that Zhuantou looked rather shy, but was always very supportive at meals, Chen Wenfang secretly gave him an extra cake.

The well was dug, but the water wasn't drinkable yet. Charcoal was added, and it needed to settle for a few days before it was safe to drink. Chen Wenfang went with Aunt Liu to Wangjiazhuang to find Carpenter Wang, tell him the well's dimensions, and order a well pulley and a well cover. Seeing the cabinets in his yard, Chen Wenfang realized that with two more people in her household, she needed to buy more cabinets to store clothes. So, she bought four chests of drawers for storage. After buying them, looking at all the extra furniture, Chen Wenfang regretted her purchase. What if Wang Erniu came back and kicked her out? There was just too much stuff; moving might be a hassle.

When Zhuantou returned home, his elderly mother, whose eyesight was failing, groped her way over. Zhuantou took out some money and handed it to her, saying, "Mother, this is the payment from Madam Chen." Zhuantou then took out a cloth bag and said, "These are the pancakes Madam Chen made; they're delicious, Mother, you should try some." Zhuantou took one out of the bag and put it to his mother's lips.

Brick's mother took a bite and laughed, "Hey, these pancakes made by Madam Chen are really delicious! How did you make them?"

Brick smiled and said, "I don't know either. Da Zhuang said that only Chen Niangzi makes this pancake well. Even Da Zhuang's mother's isn't as good. It's a unique recipe. Mother, since you like it, I'll save it for you."

The old woman smiled and said, "I'm old and can't eat much. You eat it yourself so you can work better."

Zhuan Tou then picked up the flatbread and started eating. He had to tell Da Zhuang that he'd go do any work Chen Niangzi needed, even if the pay was low. It was delicious! You couldn't even buy this kind of food.