CHAPTER 51: 51 MEAT

Jiang Xinyu felt like she was walking on air, feeling a bit annoyed with herself; why get so worked up over a bit of pork?

Yet, it was precisely this bit of pork that was making Jiang Xinyu feel happy at the moment.

After returning home and taking a look around, her family really didn’t have a big basin. She didn’t want to dirty the new basin, fearing it wouldn’t wash clean afterwards.

In the end, she found two polypropylene bags, deciding to use them for now and later wash the meat in a small home basin.

As she walked, she thought about the seasonings needed in the space.

There’s not much starch, she’ll ask later if there’s any for sale here.

It’s all made into sausages, and when she’s craving, she can just cut a piece to satisfy her hunger.

The more she thought about it, the more appealing it seemed; as if she would eat it right away.

By now, many people had gathered, all with smiles on their faces.

Jiang Xinyu approached Tian Shulan. "Auntie, I brought the bags over?"

"Why did you bring bags?"

"My family doesn’t have a basin."

"We’ll find someone to carry a basin over to you later, return it to the brigade headquarters once you’re done with it."

"That would be great, I was wondering how to wash it."

"You have to wait a bit longer; it might take about an hour."

"Okay, I’ll head back to return the bags home first."

Lazy Jiang Xinyu was now happily making trips back and forth.

On her way, she ran into Sun Ermei and two other women.

"Xinyu, have you gone to watch the pig being slaughtered?"

"Yes, the women’s director said it will be another hour before the meat is divided, Auntie, I’ve bought some pork entrails and was wondering where I might find starch?"

"How much do you need?" The older woman beside her asked.

"Auntie, I need several dozen pounds."

"I’ll go ask at my mom’s place, but they probably won’t sell it, they might want to trade for grain instead."

"Auntie, could you please find out how they wish to exchange it?"

"Sure, I’ll come over to find you in the evening."

Jiang Xinyu was satisfied, knowing she could exchange more starch, "Auntie, can you come with me to my house now?"

The other woman guessed her intentions and accompanied Jiang Xinyu back.

"Auntie, come inside. I don’t have other grains, but could this work for you? Would you like to taste it?"

Jiang Xinyu offered a piece of steamed yam.

Zhang Cuihong took it, bit into it, though it wasn’t peeled and was cold, the texture was soft and tender. For someone who had eaten wild vegetables for months, this was a delicacy.

"I can’t decide now, I’ll take this home to inquire. How much do you want?"

"Auntie, a hundred pounds or more would be great."

"Alright, I’ll ask around in my mom’s village; there’s plenty of starch."

"Auntie, do they have vermicelli to sell? I can trade for yam as well."

"Yes, I’ll ask them how they want to trade."

"Thank you, Auntie, regardless of the result, take this and don’t return empty-handed."

"I won’t be polite, the family indeed doesn’t have much to eat."

"Auntie, I’ll give them to you raw, you can steam them over the stove at home, or cook porridge."

Jiang Xinyu took three broken pieces of yam from the cellar.

"Okay, I’ll head to my mom’s place now. Just wait for my news; if they’re willing to trade, I’ll have them deliver directly."

"Alright, Auntie rest assured, there’s absolutely enough yam here."

Zhang Cuihong felt rewarded and hurried home with renewed energy, saving the half piece of cooked yam for later despite her hunger.

She returned home in a rush, "Dear, I’m heading to mom’s place for a bit, make sure to go get the meat later, and don’t pick only the lean cuts."

"What’s the hurry to go to your mom’s now?"

"Jiang Xinyu from Old Jiang Family in our village wants to trade for starch; I’ll go check, try this, it’s what she wants to trade with."

Zhang Cuihong broke off a piece and put it into Jiang Hongqi’s mouth.

"Hmm, this is good, fills you up, like sweet potato."

"But there’s not much yield on sweet potato this year. Alright, I’ll go inquire further; she also wants vermicelli, and I’ll handle it all at once.

These three roots are what she gave as compensation. I’ll take a section for my brother to check."

"Go, I’ll handle the meat."

Zhang Cuihong left with a palm-sized section of raw yam and a piece of cooked yam.

Today came with unexpected surprises; there’s even vermicelli, and she only had cellophane noodles and hot pot wide noodles in her space.

After calming her excitement, she decided to wait.

Everyone had already started lining up spontaneously, and Jiang Xinyu came over to find she was in the middle of the line.

They were weighing to see how much pork there was altogether, to calculate how much each person gets.

It was divided by head, regardless of adult or child.

Families with many children were pleased, but those with fewer people weren’t happy, but the minority conformed to the majority.

The tally was in: two pigs; excluding entrails, there were three hundred and fifteen pounds of meat, equivalent to about two ounces of meat per person.

Family units took turns calculating, Jiang Xinyu figured out their family received six ounces and nine tenths of a pound of meat.

It was pitifully little; could this meat even make two dishes?

The pace of meat distribution was very slow, as everyone wanted the fatty cuts, leading to loud arguments.

Jiang Xinyu felt she could take any cut.

Many people didn’t want the front neck cuts, where the shoulder meat was.

The line slowly moved forward, and it took over an hour before it was Jiang Xinyu’s turn.

The one distributing meat was Zheng Huicheng. "Girl, your family’s share is for three people, so six ounces and nine tenths. Where would you like it from?"

"Uncle, I’m fine with any part, whether fatty or lean."

"Haha, you old women listen up, listen to the high awareness of this young girl! Yet you all keep fighting.

Girl, would you like lean meat, how about the leg tenderloin, it’s all lean without any fat?"

"Uncle, if it’s lean, can I have the tenderloin?"

"Sure, I’ll give you the tenderloin."

Jiang Xinyu was quite pleased to hold the tenderloin she’d waited for all day, thinking she could make meatballs.

"Oh right, girl, there’s some extra meat, not much, around two to three pounds. If you want some, come over after we’re done; it’s sixty cents a pound," Wang Jianqiang had just told him to take care of this girl, feeling he had taken advantage during the meat distribution, but selling her some leftover meat wouldn’t be doing her wrong.

"Thank you, uncle, I’ll come back later."

Jiang Xinyu saw Tian Shulan waving to her from a distance.

"Xinyu, come, I’ll push the cart to send these two sets of entrails back for you."

"No need, Auntie, I can push it myself."

"Why be so distant? Even if you can push it back yourself, you can’t carry it down. Let’s go, quickly."

Jiang Xinyu didn’t hold back and walked alongside the cart chatting.

"Xinyu, when are you going to the county?"

"Auntie, I’ll go on the fifteenth of the last lunar month. Do you have anything to send over to Kong Mengjie?"