Wang An wanted to complain a bit to his old man, but to his surprise, Wang Dazhu didn't engage at all. Looking at the boiled fish and fish head soup, he nodded and said
"This food is really good. I've got to have a proper drink this noon. Mm, good, really good."
While saying it was really good, Wang Dazhu turned and walked toward the well platform.
Wang An hurriedly said
"Hey, I say, Dad, you're..."
Not hearing a word Wang An said, Wang Dazhu had already walked far away. Wang An sighed helplessly, picked up his food basin, and walked into the house.
A while later, the two young ladies, Wang Xiaomei and Wang Xiaoli, along with Sister Xiao Lai, returned from school. Once Shen Wei entered the house, the family officially began their meal.
At the dining table, Liu Guilan completely changed her previous attitude from when she called Wang An a "spendthrift." While serving fish to Wang Xiaomei, Wang Xiaoli, and Sister Xiao Lai, she praised Wang An
"Xiao An, this boiled fish you made is quite delicious. If Xueqing likes it, make it once in a while when you're free. Don't just be lazy as death every day doing nothing. Anyway, we have plenty of soybean oil in the house."
Wang An looked at his mother with a face full of astonishment and was about to speak when he heard Liu Guilan continue
"Besides, there are still those soybeans in the storehouse. Take them to the oil mill to be pressed into oil one of these days. Otherwise, now that the hot weather is coming, those 'niuzi' will ruin a lot of them again."
The "niuzi" Liu Guilan referred to were a type of shell-bug, called "youzi" or "niuzi" in some places.
However, the scientific name for these things was the maize weevil, or simply weevil, and they were only about the size of a sesame seed.
As soon as summer arrived, these damn things would emerge. Whether it was soybeans, mung beans, corn, rice, or other grains, these damn things would spontaneously appear inside them, which was incredibly disgusting.
Once Liu Guilan finished speaking, Wang An looked at his mother and was completely bewildered. Mainly, his mother's face changed far too quickly. Had she forgotten her previous words about "boiled fish wasting oil" and "boiled fish being spendthrift"?
No wonder since he was a child, people around him said he changed faces quickly and that he was born under the sign of the "sour-faced dog." It turned out he had "inherited his mother's traits"!
Though he thought this, Wang An smiled and flattered his mother
"Aye, alright Mom! Whenever you and Dad want to eat boiled fish in the future, just tell your eldest son. Your eldest son guarantees to arrange everything perfectly for you."
As he said the last sentence, Wang An patted his chest, displaying a loyal attitude of being ready for orders at any moment.
Liu Guilan was quite satisfied with her eldest son's attitude. Just as a hint of a smile appeared on her face and she was about to speak, the youngest sister, Wang Xiaomei, suddenly said
"Big Brother, do you know what the word 'obsequious' means?"
After Wang Xiaomei spoke, Wang An was momentarily stunned. Did they teach the word "obsequious" in the second grade of primary school?
Before Wang An could explain, Wang Xiaomei continued
"Our teacher said that obsequiousness means brown-nosing. What you just did was obsequiousness."
Once Wang Xiaomei finished, the people eating at the table froze for a moment, and then everyone burst into laughter. Wang An naturally joined in the laughter as well.
Truth be told, Wang Xiaomei's description was truly apt; there wasn't a single flaw in it.
After the laughter subsided, Wang An pretended to be angry and said to Wang Xiaomei
"Wang Xiaomei, is that how you talk to your big brother? You dare call your big brother obsequious, and say your big brother is brown-nosing? All the love I've given you day after day has been for nothing!"
As Wang An finished, the laughter at the table grew even louder; everyone laughed so hard they forgot to chew the food in their mouths.
When dealing with his younger brother Wang Yi and sisters Wang Xiaomei and Wang Xiaoli, Wang An had always maintained the image of a great big brother. He basically granted almost every request they had.
In local terms, Wang An spoiled his younger siblings excessively—spoiled them beyond all limits.
He couldn't help it. In his previous life, regarding the care of his parents, Wang An felt that as the eldest brother, he owed his younger siblings far too much.
Therefore, as long as his siblings didn't make an overly outrageous request, Wang An would agree to it.
Otherwise, in the 1980s when bicycles weren't even widespread, how could Wang An have agreed to Wang Yi's request and very readily bought him a motorcycle?
One must realize that even into the 21st century, motorcycles remained the "dream car" for most families.
Consequently, aside from Wang Yi, who was already in middle school and had become completely mature—knowing how impressive Wang An was on the outside and respecting him as a big brother—Wang Xiaomei and Wang Xiaoli weren't afraid of Wang An at all. Occasionally talking back to him was a common occurrence.
After Wang An spoke, Wang Xiaomei pouted and said solemnly
"I'm not 'talking' about you; I'm just stating a fact. That act of yours just now was exactly like the example our teacher used to explain obsequiousness."
Wang An pretended to be angry and said
"Hmph, Wang Xiaomei, let me tell you, you've made me sad! In the future, if you ask me for money to buy this or that, I'm definitely not giving it to you."
Wang Xiaomei could naturally tell whether Wang An was truly angry or just pretending. With a smug look, she said
"Then I'll ask you again once you're not sad anymore. Anyway, I still have pocket money for the next couple of days."
Pausing for a moment, perhaps worried that her big brother—this ATM—might actually stop spitting out money for her, Wang Xiaomei suddenly blew Wang An a flying kiss and said cheekily
"My big brother is the best to me, isn't he, Big Brother?"
This sudden reversal by Wang Xiaomei caused the laughter that had just died down at the table to erupt once again.
It had to be admitted that Wang Xiaomei knew exactly how to handle her biological big brother.
Wang An rolled his eyes at Wang Xiaomei and said in a fake annoyed tone
"Just get lost! I've seen through it all; there's no good in being your big brother."
At this point, Wang Xiaomei shoveled the last bite of rice from her bowl into her mouth, took another piece of boiled fish with her chopsticks, and then shook her little head, saying with an exaggerated expression
"Too delicious! The food my big brother makes is just so fragrant, it's making me dizzy with delight."
However, after Wang Xiaomei spoke, no one responded. Everyone was just smiling at this quirky little girl, wanting to see how she would continue her performance.
Wang Xiaomei didn't mind. She set down her bowl and chopsticks, left her seat, and walked over to Wang An's position. She then threw her arms around Wang An's neck and said in a long, clingy drawl
"Big Brother~~, Big Brother~~~, you're the best to me, aren't you, Big Brother? Just forgive me, okay?"
Wang An remained unmoved and said nothing. Wang Xiaomei pulled Wang An's head toward her and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Wang An pretended to be disgusted and wiped his face, saying helplessly
"Alright, alright, just stay away from me. If you just annoyed me a few times less, everything would be fine."
Wang Xiaomei pinched Wang An's cheek and said with a giggle
"Then, Big Brother, does that mean you're not angry anymore?"
Wang An leaned his head back, pretending to be very annoyed by her, and said
"Yes, yes, yes, not angry anymore, not angry anymore. Now just stay away from me."
But Wang Xiaomei was relentless
"Then, if your dearest little sister asks you for money, will you give it?"
Wang An pushed Wang Xiaomei away and said with a face full of helplessness
"Good grief, I'll give it, I'll give it if you want it. Can you just let me finish my meal in peace?"
As the others watched this comical scene between the siblings, the laughter never stopped. (End of Chapter)