Although Jiang Chan made many kinds of pastries, peach crisps were still her main product. She only made other pastries when treating Xiao Hua to something extra. This also helped Xiao Hua fit in better among the other children.
Now, watching Xiao Hua playing and laughing together with the children, Jiang Chan knew that the inferiority the child once carried had completely disappeared. Xiao Hua had become lively and cheerful, clever and polite, and she could even speak some Mandarin.
“Aunt Jiang, I’m going back to visit my parents in law tomorrow. Could you help me make two pounds of sachima tonight? They’re getting old, and they can’t chew hard food very well.”
This was a male doctor in his thirties at the hospital. He could be considered one of Jiang Chan’s biggest customers. His son especially loved the pastries Jiang Chan made and came to buy them almost every day, often ordering them fresh.
“Sure. Come pick them up at nine tonight. I’ll make them now.” Jiang Chan had fully adapted to her role as an elderly woman by now. She even felt like she was taking advantage of others.
She agreed right away. She had nothing to do in the evenings anyway, and if there was business, of course she would work.
The dormitory Doctor Liu had arranged for her was not small. At the very least, Jiang Chan could move around comfortably. Xiao Hua also obediently put down the picture book in her hands and helped with whatever small tasks she could manage.
While making the sachima, Jiang Chan also worked quickly and made a sponge cake. Sponge cake was what people usually called a basic cake base. Jiang Chan cut it into evenly sized small squares. Seeing Xiao Hua staring longingly, she cut off a small corner for her.
“Remember to brush your teeth after you eat it. It’s best not to eat sweets at night. This is being saved for Doctor Wang. He often supports our business.”
Xiao Hua nodded, hugged the cake Jiang Chan gave her, and went to sit at the table. She took a bite, then looked at her book, then took another bite.
At nine o’clock in the evening, Doctor Wang arrived at Jiang Chan’s dorm right on time. Jiang Chan packed up the two pounds of sachima for him, then took out the sponge cake she had cut from the cupboard.
“Doctor Wang, you often support my business. I don’t really have anything to give you. These are a few pieces of sponge cake. Take them home and have a taste.”
Doctor Wang took a look. There were exactly four pieces, clearly prepared with his family of four in mind.
“You’re back?” Seeing Doctor Wang changing his shoes at the door, his family member, Nurse Zhou, walked over and took the bag from his hand.
“What’s this? I’ve never seen it before.” Nurse Zhou opened it to take a look. The little boy who had not yet gone to sleep came running out.
Nurse Zhou had already coaxed him to bed earlier, but the child was clever and stubborn. He lay in bed with his eyes open, waiting until now.
He knew his dad had gone to Xiao Hua’s grandma to buy sachima. Just thinking about the sachima made the little boy swallow his saliva.
He stood on tiptoe. “Mom, this is sponge cake made by Xiao Hua’s grandma. It’s really delicious. It’s soft and fluffy. Grandpa and Grandma don’t have good teeth. They’ll definitely be able to eat this.”
No matter how tempted he was, the child still knew his limits and did not make a fuss about eating it. Doctor Wang nodded, pleased by his son’s considerate words. Looking at it this way, although the child was mischievous, his heart was not bad.
He took out one square piece of cake. “This is from Aunt Jiang. I’ll leave one piece for you. The remaining three pieces will be taken to Grandpa and Grandma tomorrow. Xiao Hu, do you have any objections?”
“But you can’t eat it now. You’ve already brushed your teeth. Is it okay to eat it tomorrow morning?” Seeing his son reaching out, Doctor Wang teasingly raised his hand higher, making the child jump to try to reach it.
Nurse Zhou slapped him lightly. “Enough. You’re a grown man and still teasing a child. Xiao Hu, stop fooling around. You’re not allowed to eat it tonight. You’ll have it for breakfast tomorrow. Hurry up and go to sleep. We’re visiting Grandpa and Grandma tomorrow.”
Xiao Hu drooped his head and walked toward the room, muttering, “Hmph. Fine, I won’t eat it. Xiao Hua’s grandma gives me lots of good food anyway. I’m not missing out on just one bite.”
Even though he said that, before six the next morning, Xiao Hu crawled out of bed. At that time, Doctor Wang and Nurse Zhou had not yet woken up.
Xiao Hu knocked on the door. “Mom, get up. We’re going to see Grandpa and Grandma today.”
Nurse Zhou helplessly nudged Doctor Wang. “I don’t know who your son takes after with this personality.”
Doctor Wang sat up and ruffled his hair a couple of times. “Who else could it be? He takes after the old man. He complains with his mouth but acts honestly.”
“Hurry up and get up. He’s already held it in all night.” Doctor Wang spoke while getting dressed. The next moment, the child would probably barge in.
When it came time for breakfast, Nurse Zhou indeed brought out that piece of sponge cake. Xiao Hu’s eyes were glued to it. The small plate was placed in front of him, with his parents watching.
Xiao Hu suddenly became shy. “Dad, Mom, do you want to try some too?”
He swore to himself that he was just being polite. But his parents exchanged a glance, and Nurse Zhou swiftly and accurately cut off a piece.
Seeing the large chunk missing from the cake, Xiao Hu felt a hundred times reluctant.
Then he looked at his dad, who was staring at the cake with shining eyes. Xiao Hu resigned himself to fate. “Dad, you should have some too.”
Doctor Wang smiled broadly. “Then Dad won’t stand on ceremony.”
After saying that, he copied Nurse Zhou’s method. In the end, only about one third of the cake was left for Xiao Hu.
The child blinked, his mouth drooping. Nurse Zhou, already prepared, covered her ears.
Sure enough, the next second, a piercing wail erupted. No one knew where the child got such lung capacity. It was truly ear splitting.
Doctor Wang tapped the table. “Son, Mom and Dad are teaching you a lesson. Sometimes, when you’re just being polite, people will take it seriously.”
The crying quieted a bit. Nurse Zhou smiled. “Is it because Xiao Hu couldn’t bear to give the cake to Mom and Dad? How about Mom gives it back to you?”
The crying stopped completely. The boy wiped his eyes. “Mom can eat it. The rest can go to Mom too. A gentleman’s word cannot be taken back.”
Doctor Wang laughed. “It’s ‘a gentleman’s word cannot be chased back even by four horses.’ Not knowing culture is really scary.”
He added one more teasing remark. The boy refused to accept it. “I’m still little. When I grow as big as Dad, I’ll definitely know way more than you.”
After crying was done and the lesson was over, the couple packed up and took the child to visit his grandparents.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Xiao Hu is here to see you. Did you miss me?”
Both adults were riding bicycles. The boy sat on the front bar of Doctor Wang’s bicycle. Before they even reached the door, he was already shouting at the top of his lungs.
Doctor Wang frowned. His ears were about to go deaf from this kid.
Before his voice even faded, a kind faced elderly woman walked out of the doorway. Seeing the little boy with cheeks red from the cold, her face bloomed into a smile.
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