Eating Rice
737 Words
Lam Thach fumed, “What village head?!”
Lam Thuy quickly looked around. Seeing no one nearby, he hissed, “Keep your voice down! If someone hears and tells the village head, we’ll be in big trouble.”
Lam Thach grumbled, “So I just have to swallow this?”
Lam Thuy replied, “We’ll deal with it later.”
“…Fine.”
Because there was meat in the meal, along with tofu, fresh greens, and pickled vegetables, everyone stared at the dinner table with hungry eyes.
Linh Du still received a bowl of egg soup. Trinh Trieu noticed that only Ta Shi had egg soup.
This family couldn’t even afford one egg per person—it was clear he’d have to improve their meals in the future.
Everyone sat down, and Trinh Shi began to portion out the food.
First was Old Master Trinh, then Trinh Trieu. Since Trinh Trieu was the one who brought the money home, he was given more meat.
Next was Linh Du, who also got a generous share. Then came Tieu Lang, Tieu Me, and Tieu Yen—each child received two pieces of meat.
Everyone beamed with joy as they looked at the food before them.
In Linh Du’s bowl were both lean and fatty cuts of pork. Most people preferred the fatty meat for its richness, but Linh Du only liked lean meat.
In this era, pork often had a strong odor—it was the kind of meat usually left for the poor.
After eating a few bites of lean meat, Linh Du lost her appetite.
She had craved meat earlier, but now that she was eating it, the taste was… underwhelming.
She looked around the table, considering sharing her portion.
On the other side, Trinh Trieu also found the pork unpleasant. Most of the meat in his bowl was fatty—something he didn’t enjoy.
At that moment, a pair of chopsticks dropped a few pieces of meat into his bowl.
He looked up and saw Linh Du, transferring the meat—mostly fatty—into his bowl.
Trinh Trieu: …
The others had also witnessed Linh Du’s gesture.
Trinh Shi asked cautiously, “Ta Shi, aren’t you going to eat your meat?”
Linh Du replied calmly, “Your precious grandchild doesn’t like it.”
Trinh Shi glanced at Linh Du’s belly, thinking that perhaps her tastes had changed because of the pregnancy.
Ta Shi used to eat meat ravenously, and now she didn’t even want it. It had to be the baby’s influence.
Tien Shi chimed in, “Sister-in-law, if you don’t want to eat it next time, give it to me—I love meat!”
She was genuinely surprised someone didn’t like meat.
Back when she was pregnant, she’d craved meat to the point of madness.
Linh Du gave her a brief glance but said nothing.
Trinh Trieu looked at his bowl for a moment, hesitated, then divided the meat among Old Master Trinh, Trinh Shi, and the three children.
Everyone watched him. Trinh Trieu said calmly,
“I already ate at the county town. You all go ahead and eat.”
Trinh Shi picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, intending to give it back to Trinh Trieu.
“You worked hard—eat more.”
Trinh Trieu tilted his bowl to avoid her and replied,
“No need.”
He then finished the rest of the food in his bowl, set it down, and said,
“I’m full.”
Linh Du glanced at him briefly, then finished her egg soup and ate greens and tofu with rice.
When she was done, she set her bowl down and stood up to leave.
The three little girls were overjoyed to have meat.
As they ate, they all agreed that today was a wonderful day.
Tieu Yen said,
“If only we could eat meat every day.”
Tieu Me added,
“Yeah!”
Trinh Shi chuckled,
“Eating meat every day? That’s not gonna happen. Now hurry up and eat. We still have to clean up afterward.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Inside the room, Linh Du sat at the edge of the bed while Trinh Trieu sat beside the table.
Neither of them spoke.
By now, dusk had fallen. Linh Du looked out the window and finally said:
“Light the lamp. Then go fetch me some warm water.”
- Writer
