Rebirth: Not Being a Waste - Chapter 21

When Zhang Shu walks in carrying a large piece of meat and a bucket, his only female cousin runs up to him, eyes wide with curiosity.

“Brother, where did you pick up such a big piece of meat?”

Zhang Shu glances at her. She has just finished playing shuttlecock, her face flushed and glistening with sweat. Such an innocent little girl now—yet in the future, she will turn mean and sharp-tongued, making it her duty to scavenge benefits for her mother’s family. No, more precisely, for herself.

“Do you think meat like this can just be picked up? If so, let me know so I can pick some up too next time,” Zhang Shu says, looking at her seriously.

“Huh? You bought it?” Zhang Rong’s eyes widen in disbelief. Where would he get so much money?

“Why couldn’t I have caught it?” Zhang Shu says, visibly annoyed. He swings the slab of pork off his shoulder and drops it onto the chopping board with a heavy thud, making the board tremble.

“You caught it? Stop joking! Even my brother can’t do that. Only the hunters from the Li family can catch wild game in this village!”

“Believe it or not.” Zhang Shu picks up a large kitchen knife and swiftly hacks the pork into several portions. He sets aside a cut of pork butt for dinner while placing the rest into a basket. Then, he grabs the bucket of small fish and carries everything into his room.

Zhang Rong stares at him for a moment, then runs off to complain to her mother.

“Mom! Zhang Shu brought back a huge piece of meat—this big!” She gestures with her hands. “And a whole bucket of fish! But he only left a tiny piece in the kitchen!”

“Where did he get so much meat?” Wang Cuilan asks, threading a needle through her hair before continuing her sewing.

“He said he caught it!”

Wang Cuilan looks up. “He caught a wild boar?”

“I don’t believe it either, but it’s true! Mom, if you don’t believe me, come look for yourself!”

Skeptical, Wang Cuilan follows Zhang Rong to the kitchen. Sure enough, she sees the piece of pork butt left on the chopping board.

Her father’s birthday is coming up. If she takes that meat home, she won’t have to spend money on a present, and she’ll gain face in front of her family.

She glances toward Zhang Shu’s room and notices the bamboo basket sitting on the table. The door is open, and Zhang Shu is nowhere to be seen.

Slipping inside, she lifts the basket’s lid and finds the pig’s head and other cuts of meat. A wave of satisfaction washes over her. There really is so much meat! With the summer heat, it will spoil if left too long—she might as well take it to her mother’s house now.

Just as her fingers touch the basket, Zhang Shu’s voice rings out behind her.

“Second Aunt, what are you doing?”

Her hand trembles. She spins around and clutches her chest. “What are you sneaking around for? Trying to scare me to death?”

“This is my room.”

“We’re family—what’s yours and mine? Don’t be so polite!” She forces a laugh, then scolds lightly, “Auntie wants this basket of pork. Your grandfather’s birthday is coming up. You’ll be coming with us to the banquet the day after tomorrow.” She reaches for the basket.

Zhang Shu presses one hand firmly on its edge and raises the other in front of her. “Second Aunt, if you want to give a present, buy one yourself. Besides, my maternal grandfather has passed away. He never got to enjoy this in life, and he certainly wouldn’t want others enjoying it now.” His voice is calm, but he clenches his injured hand, and fresh blood drips down his arm.

The sight of Zhang Shu’s dark, piercing eyes sends a chill through Wang Cuilan. She almost screams. Snatching her hand back, she bolts from the room without looking back.

Zhang Shu watches her flee, then turns toward the kitchen.

He chops the pork into large pieces and lights the stove. As the fire crackles, he brushes the pot clean and tosses in the meat. The sizzling sound fills the room as fat renders down. He adds spices and stews it with water.

Men and women cook differently. Men’s movements are bold and unrestrained, and their dishes carry a wild flavor. In terms of meat dishes, men’s cooking often tastes better. In the countryside, there is no saying that “a gentleman stays out of the kitchen.” The reason most men don’t cook is that they fear others will mock them for failing to uphold the household’s male authority, unable to even control their wives.

But Zhang Shu can cook.

Back in the day, when his wife and her daughters-in-law were constantly at odds, and she spent her time cursing people outside their doors, it was Zhang Shu who prepared the meals for her.

As the pork stew simmers, he sprinkles in some salt.

Just then, his grandparents return home.

“Ah’shu, why are you cooking? Where’s your second aunt?” Grandma Zhang asks curiously.

“My second aunt is in her room. I don’t know what she’s doing. Anyway, I had free time.” Zhang Shu smiles innocently, as if it doesn’t matter that he is doing extra work. Blood still stains his hands, making him look particularly pitiful.

Grandma Zhang’s face darkens. Lately, Wang Cuilan has been deliberately making things difficult for Zhang Shu. First, she stops washing his clothes. Then, she gossips about him behind his back. And now, she isn’t even cooking?

Do they expect a wounded young man to take care of the whole family?

When her eldest son and daughter-in-law died, Wang Cuilan and her husband promised to take care of them in their old age. More importantly, they vowed to treat Zhang Shu as their own son. That was the only reason she allowed them to stay.

Now, not only do they refuse to work outside, but they also only do chores for their own family. Do they expect Zhang Shu to support them with his money? The household has already been divided—the house and everything in it belong to Zhang Shu!

“Wang Cuilan, come out!” Grandma Zhang’s voice is sharp and commanding.

Wang Cuilan lies on her bed, still shaken. Zhang Shu’s expression earlier had been terrifying—filled with a madness that sends shivers down her spine. He let his blood drip freely, as if he didn’t care. In that moment, he looked at her with the eyes of a dead man.

Thinking about the changes in Zhang Shu lately, she can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong. Maybe when he went back to his mother’s house, he was possessed by an evil spirit. He is no longer the same Zhang Shu. She needs to find someone to exorcise him.

Grandma Zhang calls again, her voice even louder this time.

Wang Cuilan hesitates but eventually walks out. She is confused—why is the old woman suddenly taking her anger out on her?

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” Grandma Zhang glares at her. “Lately, you’re at home all day, yet you don’t do the laundry or cook, and you dare ask me what’s wrong?”

“I did the laundry,” Wang Cuilan says, her voice lowering as she catches sight of Zhang Shu. “It’s still early, isn’t it?” She glances at the sky and realizes it isn’t early at all.

“Early? Were you planning to starve us to death? If Ah’shu hadn’t cooked, were you expecting an old woman like me to come home from work and cook for you?”

“Mom, why are you saying this? I just lay down for a little longer because I wasn’t feeling well at noon.” Wang Cuilan covers her face and sobs.

“Ah’Shu is just being filial to his grandparents. Why blame Cuilan for that?” Zhang An walks in, having just returned.

“Ah’shu is still injured!” Grandma Zhang snaps. Her anger fades just as quickly as it comes. Seeing Wang Cuilan cry, she remembers her past kindness and finally softens.

“You promised to take care of Shu, and that’s why I let you stay. We don’t need anyone taking care of us—we’re just fine on our own. Just treat Ah’shu properly, that’s all we ask. Consider today’s matter settled.” With that, Grandma Zhang turns and goes back inside.

Behind her sleeves, Wang Cuilan’s face twists with resentment. That old woman just wants them to be Zhang Shu’s servants! But she forgets—no one forced them to stay. They had been the ones who insisted on coming back.