~Between the Pages and the Coffee Pot: Translated Novels~

  Chapter 48: Ready and Confident     Half an hour passed quickly, and the stoves below were all set up, waiting for Chen Fan to show his skills.   To ensure everyone could see clearly, they had even built a raised platform.   Standing on the platform, Chen Fan held up a turtle as big as a washbasin, looking like he was hosting a live stream sales event. "Watch closely everyone – these turtles are quite fierce, so you must be careful not to get bitten."   A woman called out from below, "Master Chen is really thoughtful. Every year when we drain the ponds, someone gets bitten. Back then, we'd just smash the turtle with a shovel, chop off its neck, then pry its mouth open – it was agony."   Someone nearby immediately added, "And it's not just in the past – just now while cleaning the turtles, Zhang Cuie got bitten. Luckily we were by the water – putting the turtle in the water made it let go."   Chen Fan chuckled. "That's why you can't j...

  Chapter 47: The Loudspeaker     Chen Fan followed their example, placing his teacup on the ground beside his feet. He held the cigarette in his hand without smoking it, and smiled as he spoke. "I did go. The butcher who came today was Master Zhu from the food station."   Zhang Changjiang nodded. "Master Zhu is an old hand at this. He started learning to butcher pigs with his master when he was just a teenager, worked on his own for a few years after finishing his apprenticeship, then went to the food station to specialize in butchering once the public-private partnership was established. That makes it nearly twenty years now."   Chen Fan did a quick calculation – that would make him around 45 years old, right?   But thinking back to what Master Zhu had looked like earlier, he seemed younger than his actual age. In contrast, some villagers who were younger than him looked much more weathered.   Ye Shubao chuckled from the side. "And the one who made t...

  Chapter 127: Peacefully and Harmoniously     Li Junlu was having a headache. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don't want to deal with it anymore, no matter what.” Marry if you want to marry. Just move into your husband's family as soon as possible. I don't want to worry about it anymore. He opened his eyes again and saw the badge and comb on the coffee table.   He thought they looked familiar.   “I've seen this badge somewhere.”   Ying Sisi suddenly remembered Grandma's words in the letter. She quickly put it away and said, “I found it in my room. It must be my father-in-law's.”   This badge is similar to the one that father Qin is wearing in the photo that hangs on the wall in the living room.   It definitely belongs to him.   Li Junlu didn't suspect anything. He didn't think about it anymore. “Have your parents-in-law come to stay with you?”   “No.”   Li Junlu said with a sigh, “You're smart. You liste...

  Chapter 126: Purpose     Ying Sisi took the package after signing the receipt. She noticed that the return address was her old home in the south, and the sender was Hu Zhiqing.   My relationship with Hu Zhiqing isn't close. Why would he send me something? She opened the outer layer of the packaging.   A long box was inside.   There was a letter on top of the box. It was addressed to Ying Sisi.   It was in Grandma Hua Kui's handwriting.   Is she thanking me for sending the winter clothes?   Why be so polite? It doesn't cost anything to send a package back. *****   She opened the letter and read:   Ying Sisi,   I received your winter clothes.   They're so warm.   You've been in the city for 123 days, right?   Ever since you went to the city, I haven't slept well. It's not because I miss you. It's because I have no one to keep me company. It's too lonely.   Don't think it's because I'm not married or don'...

  Chapter 46: A Real Man     Climbing up a slope brought them to the open yard outside the brigade headquarters office.   Zhang Wenliang pointed to four men sitting in the sun by the door. "The one in the blue cotton jacket wearing a cap is Brigade Chief Zhang Changjiang – he's my uncle."   That one sentence left Chen Fan feeling a bit overwhelmed.   Zhang Wenliang continued his introduction enthusiastically. "The one in the military greatcoat is Deputy Chief Xiao Liewen. He's a veteran – came back in the fifties, and I hear he earned some merit citations, though no one knows the details because he never talks about it when asked. But no one doubts it, since the prefectural military sub-district arranged a job for him and he didn't go to report for duty – he came back home instead.   "It was only when the county military sub-district didn't see him show up and Director Cao came personally to find him that everyone found out about it, but he still ref...

  Chapter 45: Keep Them Alive for The New Year?     Besides Zhang Wenliang, the watch dogs had also come along with Chen Fan.   The dogs had been following them since they were outside the woods, running a few steps then stopping, looking at Chen Fan as if he were some kind of strange creature.   By the time they reached the road in front of the earthen wall houses, quite a few local dogs had come running out after catching their scent.   The big yellow dog immediately got excited, rushing over to bark loudly: "Woof woof woof... (This guy can speak dog language!)"   The other dogs behind it barked along: "It's true, it's true – I heard it too!"   In no time at all, all the dogs had gathered around, barking nonstop.   "Really?"   "Why isn't he talking?"   "Make him say something so we can hear!"   Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly – were dogs this gossipy too?   Zhang Wenliang was surprised to see so many dogs swarming ov...

  Chapter 125: Awkward      Ying Sisi went to the restaurant by a roundabout way.   Old Zhao was just about to order some river mussels. “You're just in time.  I want to order a hundred pounds of the river mussels. The price is one yuan per pound.  It's even more expensive than the fish we get from the market.  What do you think?  If you have peaches, bring some of those too.”   “I'm not selling them anymore.”  Ying Sisi revealed about the upcoming inspection.  “You should lay low for a while.  If you're caught, the restaurant will push all the blame on you.  You'll be in trouble.”   “Where did you hear that?  Are you trying to scare me? I'm not easily scared.”  Old Zhao laughed.   Ying Sisi said seriously, “I'm not joking. This information is very reliable.  If we weren't good friends, I wouldn't bother to tell you. You can choose not to believe me.  But don't cry when you lose your job....