By Zheng Yanying

The W armth of Five Cents

By Zheng Yanying

I t was in 1966 when I was still in the higher grades of a primary school.During the summer vacation,on a market day of Ma Zhuang Village on the northern plateau of Xianyang,my mother gave me twenty cents,and asked me to take my three younger brothers to the market and buy half a kilo of salt.

Upon arriving at the market,my youngest brother excitedly pointed to thefoodstallswhooping:"Pastry, sesame chips,and wonton.Brother, mom gave you some money,right?"

I halted him,saying,"That’s for salt.Half a kilo of salt cost twenty cents,and lasts half a year flavoring our dishes.If we spent them on a bowl of wonton,it would be gone in a few minutes."

He didn't dare to say anything more, and the other two brothers shut their mouths seeing my glare.

The grocery store where we could buy salt was located at the east end of the market.To get there,we had to pass through streets selling all kinds of food.I walked at a fast pace along the streets,for fear that any one of the younger brothers would be caught by the food on the way.At a stall selling fried bean jelly,however,my youngest brother suddenly left hold of my hand and sat down on the bench in front of the stall.

The other two brothers both looked at me.In fact,my mouth was also watering lured by the special smell of the fried jelly.

The stall owner truly knew how tomarket.He avoided looking at me directly,but intentionally cried loudly: "Your mouth will feel satisfied for a whole year,after just one bite of my fried jelly.A plate costs five cents only."With these words,he began to stir fry.The oil frizzled in the griddle, leaving me a ravenous appetite.

I kept silent,calculating.The cost of a plate of jelly equaled to that of 125 grams of salt.

I watched closely how the stall owner cooked,every action in detail.Especially at the end,when shoveling the golden jelly crust in the griddle,the stall owner deliberately shoveled slowly in small pieces,luring pedestrians along the entire street.

He shoveled the jelly onto the plate and laid down the chopsticks heavily on the table.After that,the plate was put down in front of my little brother. I still did not turn around.I knew right then,theythreemustbelooking straight at me and waiting for my words.

My second brother dragged my clothes,whispered:"Brother."My third brother came to me,looking into my eyes sheepishly.I bowed my head and took a deep breath.

At this moment,the little brother uttered a few words which touched me for decades:"Brother,I’m dying for this incense.What about I take one bite only and you three eat the rest?"

I turned around.The little brother was looking at me anxiously.I gently replied:"Ok."He immediately smiled. He picked up the chopsticks but took only a small piece of jelly.He put it into his mouth,but did not chew.Heseemed to be waiting for the jelly to melt in his mouth.Yet he swallowed loudly.I knew that’s because of the saliva he swallowed together with the jelly.

He stood up,handed me the chopsticks,and said earnestly:"Brother,it’s just too delicious to be true.And there is even bean paste in it."

"I don't like jelly.It’s for you three. "I handed the chopsticks to my second brother.

Both my second and third brother modestly declined.After each took a small bite,they again urged me to eat the jelly.I still declined.My little brother picked up a handful of fried jelly with chopsticks and put it in front of my mouth.The reddish brown soy and the airy white steam suddenly broke all my defenses.

I ate it.I swallowed quickly without opening the mouth,so that the taste wouldn’t leak.Then I handed the chopsticks to the little brother.

He declined again.I separated the jelly into three piles on the plate, asked each of them to take a pile,and put the chopsticks down on the table, said:"You eat.I go to pay the bill."

Out of my expectation,they only ate up two piles,and left a pile for me.I asked who did not eat.My second brother replied that,it was the little brother who didn't eat his share and left it for me.

I said no more.There were actually only three pieces of fried jelly in that small pile.I ate one piece,and put the other two pieces directly into my little brother's mouth.

When we were back home,mom saw our faces glowing with pleasure, and called us to dinner.I put the salt bag on the salt pot.Mom weighed it in hand,smiled and said:"Let’s have dinner."

For several months since that day,I always felt home dishes taste lighter than usual,with perhaps less salt.I secretly asked the brothers.They also felt it but didn't dare to ask.

Many years later,I asked mom if she found out the salt was lighter than expected that day.Mom winked:"I surely knew it."

I asked,"Did you know where we spent the money?"Mom replied with a beam:"It doesn’t matter.It only cost me five cents buying four boys joy and happiness.How could you find anything worthier than that?"

(FromTonight News PaperJune 18, 2015.Translation:Jessie White.Illustration:Tong Ling)