Chapter 54: You Need More Friends

Despite having a hunch early on—after all, a water pump well was no small thing and extremely useful for rural areas—Old Party Secretary was still shocked when he saw Zhou Yimin actually made it into the newspaper.

In their eyes, only truly remarkable people got featured in the papers!

“Let me see.” The Old Party Secretary no longer cared about the pork belly distribution.

He read through the entire article and even saw a mention of their Zhou Family Village. The joy and pride on his face were impossible to contain.

“Uncle, this newspaper…”

“If you want one, go buy it yourself. Don’t even think about taking this one.”

The old man planned to keep it as a personal treasure! In the future, he could proudly show it off and brag about it—who would dare outshine him then?

The Old Party Secretary chuckled awkwardly and carefully handed the newspaper back to Zhou Yimin’s grandfather.

After that, the pork belly was distributed—one bowl per elderly person. Each bowl contained three large pieces, each nearly half the size of a palm.

The pork belly was layered, tender, and practically melted in the mouth. It had to be handled delicately with chopsticks; otherwise, it might fall apart.

It looked incredibly appetizing.

Even at seventy-one years old, the Old Party Secretary received a bowl.

Everyone repeatedly thanked Zhou Yimin and his grandparents before taking their bowls of taro pork belly home. They would eat it with their families, washing the bowls clean afterward before returning them.

Not a single person ate on the spot; they all took it home. This kind of delicacy was something they rarely got to enjoy—even once a year was a luxury.

Soon, news spread throughout the village about Zhou Yimin’s newspaper feature and the pork belly distribution.

Learning that their Zhou Family Village was mentioned in the paper brought the villagers immense pride. In these times, collective honor was a big deal to everyone.

As for the pork belly distribution, those who didn’t receive any didn’t complain—just felt a little envious.

It was fair after all. The rule was clear: only those aged seventy and above received a portion. No favoritism. If their own family didn’t have an elderly person over seventy, there was no one to blame.

“My old man is just one year short!” someone lamented, feeling deeply regretful. If only their elder were one year older, they too could have enjoyed a share.

Hearing such “filial” words, an older relative couldn’t help but give them a kick.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yimin carried out a basin of sorghum rice and three bowls of taro pork belly, calling out to the people working hard on the house construction.

“Brother Zhiming, let’s have lunch first!”

“Alright!”

Zhou Zhiming saw how eager everyone was and decided not to delay mealtime.

They put down their work, washed their bowls, and gathered around the food. Zhou Zhiming scooped the rice and added, “Two people share one bowl of taro pork belly.”

Each bowl contained three pieces of pork belly, meaning each person got one and a half pieces. Most planned to eat half and take the other piece home.

Half a piece was enough since they were also eating sorghum rice, which was already better than what the village’s communal kitchen offered. The taro was also delicious—soaked in flavorful oils, it was another rare treat.

“If only we could eat this every day,” someone sighed.

The pork belly was so tender it could compete with tofu—no need to chew much. A single bite, and it seemed to melt away, leaving behind a rich, savory taste.

“Keep dreaming! If you can have this once a month, you should already be thanking the heavens,” Zhou Zhiming playfully scolded.

Given the current times, even once a year was a blessing.

Inside the house, Zhou Yimin and his family were also eating.

“Grandma, this piece is the best.” Zhou Yimin picked out a perfectly balanced piece of pork belly for his grandmother.

Elderly people shouldn’t eat too much fatty meat—it was hard to digest. But for someone like his Third Uncle, who did heavy labor, eating a couple of fatty pieces was no issue.

Grandma happily accepted it, enjoying the thoughtfulness of her grandson.

“Yimin, you could be a professional chef!” Zhou Xuqing praised, swallowing a piece in just two bites. This was even better than preserved meat or cured duck.

Even the village’s communal kitchen couldn’t make such delicious pork belly.

In reality, Zhou Yimin relied heavily on seasonings and spices—his actual cooking skills were just average.

It was like modern food bloggers who threw in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken essence, and pre-made seasoning packets—how could the food not taste good? Even spoiled meat could be made palatable that way.

Grandpa was in high spirits and had another two drinks.

“My cooking skills are nothing compared to a real chef,” Zhou Yimin laughed.

“Big Brother’s food is the best!”

Lai Cai quickly chimed in with flattery, “Even better than my mom’s!”

Third Aunt was speechless. If she had access to the same ingredients, she could cook just as well. But did they ever give her such good ingredients? A clever housewife couldn’t cook without rice!

Predictably, Lai Cai earned himself a flick on the forehead from his own mother.

“Hold your bowl properly, you too.”

Third Aunt was still holding little Qianqian, who had just been fed formula. The little girl was quietly observing everyone eat.

After finishing their meal and seeing Laifu’s group off, Grandma brought out an apple for Zhou Yimin. No matter how well-behaved or lovable the other kids were, her dearest grandson was always number one in her heart.

“Grandma, I’m heading back to the city this afternoon. Tonight, one of my childhood friends is hosting a housewarming party with two banquet tables,” Zhou Yimin told her.

“The one who visited our village before?” Grandma asked with a smile.

Zhou Yimin nodded. “Yep, that’s him.”

“Alright, go ahead! You need more friends,” Grandma said. She wasn’t ignorant—she knew the city was complicated. It was best to make more friends and fewer enemies.

Especially childhood friends with deep bonds—those relationships needed to be maintained.

Her grandson had no family to rely on in the city, so it was even more important to build strong connections with friends and neighbors.

“Don’t worry, Grandma! I’ve got plenty of friends!”

Grandma didn’t doubt it. After all, her grandson always brought home good things—without friends and connections, where would he get them?

Just then, two children appeared at No. 56 Courtyard.

“Kids, who are you looking for?”

An elderly lady had noticed them earlier. They were wearing tattered clothes and carrying a bag of unknown contents, hesitating at the entrance for a long time.

If Zhou Yimin were here, he would have recognized them immediately.

“Auntie, we’re looking for Huang Suqin,” the older boy said.

“You’re looking for Suqin? How are you related to her?”

Judging by their appearance, the elderly lady had a guess—they were probably here to seek refuge with a relative. She had heard that life in the countryside was tough, and many people were flocking to the city just to survive.

Lately, their neighborhood had even seen an influx of refugees. Some had even abandoned children at the local government office, leaving the officials in a tough spot.

The office had no food to spare, but ignoring the issue could lead to trouble.

“She’s our aunt.”

“Oh! Wait here. I’ll go ask. Don’t wander off.” The elderly lady instructed them.

“Okay, thank you, Auntie!”

She immediately headed to the back of the courtyard. Huang Suqin and her husband lived well—they had no elders to care for and no children of their own.

(End of Chapter)