Chapter 1.2 “I’m Not Interested in You”

Zhuang Jie was fourteen and in her third year of junior high school when she moved to Nanping Town. Her mother came here with her and her sibling and later she remarried. Her biological father was in a tragic car accident early in life. That same accident took Zhuang Jie’s lower leg. 

     Zhuang Jie’s mother was quickly renowned in town, and within two months of marrying into the He family, she started selling roast chickens. Because of the secret family recipe, the small business did very well; more than enough to support the whole family. The year Zhuang Jie was admitted to university, her mother became pregnant again and gave birth to her half-sister.

     Now, she has a brother in high school and a half-sister in sixth grade. Her stepfather is also  regarded as a kind and righteous person. He and her father were actually sworn brothers. When her father passed away, her mother was seven months pregnant. Two months after her mother gave birth to her younger brother, her now stepfather took the three of them back home to Nanping Town.

     Currently, the family has opened two roast chicken shops in the town.  Her mother is in charge of sales and the development of new products and her step-dad is in charge of slaughtering and cooking. The whole family is doing well, not too rich, but not poor either.

     The weather at the moment is very good. She was just in time for the blue skies, white clouds and the crisp autumn air. Even better than the weather, is Zhuang Jie’s mood. Before entering the door, she slowed down her pace, turned her body facing towards the courtyard, and shouted out: “Xiao Jie is back!”

     When Zhuang Jie turned her head, her stepfather, He Zhangyue, was turning the corner from the street. Once he was sure that it was Zhuang Jie, he immediately took the luggage from her hand, and asked why she didn’t let them know beforehand so they could pick her up at the station.

  Zhuang Jie simply said it was all right, and that she took a taxi home. He Zhangyue inquired about prosthetic was and if it was really the same as a real leg. She raised her trouser legs to show him. She told him that would not affect walking, but it was still somewhat unbalanced.

     He Zhangyue welcomed her back home, rubbed his hands and looked at her after putting away her luggage, “Are you hungry? Should I order you a bowl of noodles?”

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     Zhuang Jie humbly responded, pointing to the bloody smock on his body, “Are you killing a chicken?”

     He Zhangyue was startled, turned around and walked quickly. The fire in the courtyard next door was blazing, preparing the hot water for removing the chicken feathers!

     Zhuang Jie took a bath first, and then went to the chicken shop afterwards. The store is in the best location, in the center of the town, fifty or sixty square meters, neither too big nor too small.

     Three or five people lined up at the door to buy roast chicken. Zhuang Jie leaned on the door and watched her mother pack it quickly. An eye-catching logo is printed on each bag: Century-Old Famous Store, Liao Genji. Above the logo is a bright red c*ckscomb head.

     Liao Genji is my grandfather’s name. The secret recipe of roast chicken was passed down from the ancestors, but it became popular in the hands of the grandfather, so it was simply registered as “Liaogen Chicken”

     Liao Tao was startled when she saw Zhuang Jie at the door. Then, she proceeded to scold her for not telling her she was coming back home.  Zhuang Jie laughed a few times, happily and then went over to help pack, saying that the company rewarded her with a half-month paid vacation, and she came back without really planning it out much.

     Liao Tao asked suspiciously: “Why does the company only reward you?”

     Zhuang Jie said, as a matter of fact: “Of course, it’s because I’m outstanding.”

     Liao Tao smiled and pinched her, then fished out some chicken feet for her and had her sit on the stool to eat. While packing, she kept looking at her, “Your company is good. Excluding the seven-day holiday for the National Day, you only took eight days off with pay.”

     “Only my mother would calculate vacation pay.” Zhuang Jie said as she replied to a WeChat message.

     Liao Tao was very happy, so she wrapped an extra fried chicken drumstick for the customer, saying that it was a new product for her to try. Then, she called He Zhangyue and asked him to cook some of Zhuang Jie’s favorite food tonight.

     Zhuang Jie heard that the phone was put away, “Uncle He already said the same thing.”

     “Why don’t you eat the chicken feet? This is the boneless braised chicken feet that I just developed.”

     “It’s getting late, I wanted to eat something light.” She didn’t tell Liao Tao about her operation and wanted to avoid food issues.

     “That’s fine, light food nourishes the stomach.” Liao Tao put away the chicken feet,  indifferently. At this time, two people came by the door, holding two red flags in their hands and hanging them on the wall of the door. After hanging up, one of them greeted Liao Tao, who gave them fifty yuan.

     Zhuang Jie saw them hanging from each store, and asked, “What are you doing with the red flags?”

     “Isn’t it the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China this year? Shops facing the street have to hang them.” Liao Tao went out to take a look, and came back with a smile: “It’s so beautiful to hang it.”

     Zhuang Jie looked over, and the neon lights on the street were flickering with lights and festoons, and the banner read –Celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China– Banners were hung in front of the shopping mall, which had officially opened on September 30.

     “Our town is amazing. There is even a KFC!” Zhuang Jie was surprised.

     “What’s up with KFC? Your grandpa is still Liao Genji!”

     Zhuang Jie laughed, Liao Tao made her feel a bit shy, looking down and giggling all day long. That’s not the same as KFC in the city, but just a high imitation KFC. After finishing speaking, she went to the cashier to settle the accounts, and planned to go home early with Zhuang Jie.