The Derelict Iris

🍂 Accusations 🍂

"This is... A food carrier?"

Xian picked up the food carrier which was kept over the table and found a letter kept under it. He opened the lead of the food carrier as a tantalizing aroma of sweet and sour fish hit his nostrils.

"Cooked fish?"

It's probably his favourite of all time. Cheng wasn't a person who could cook very well like a cook. So everytime he used to cook sweet and sour fish he either poured a very small amount or big amount of sauce or lemon. Xian being fed up finally prohibited his brother from making that item. He'd rather only fry it and then intake. But at present suddenly getting such a beautiful dish, Xian couldn't help but take a noseful of good smell. Taking some sauce in his finger he put it inside his mouth and enjoyed the exotic taste.

"Ummm.. It's so tasty. Did Gege make this for me? Not seeming so though. Also from where did he even manage to get this good fish! It must be costly enough if he has bought it."

He ate a portion from the fish in order to judge it's quality as well as to know how good it's cooked.

"It's steamed so well. "

He took a few more bite from it, enjoying the taste of it fully and then only he noticed a thick coarse paper beneath the food carrier. He took it out and unfolding it he bruised his vision over it. In the past he didn't know how to read, but under Jun's supervision he did learn some letters a few years ago. Besides when Jun wasn't there he often used to visit the roadside story tellers in order to earn some more knowledge from them. Seems it finally came into some use this time. He started reading the letter, sometimes getting halted in between the words since he wasn't a very fluent reader.

You brat Wei Xian,

When you'll be getting this, you may already be in a happy mood after having a good meal, or may you also be angry with this oldy grandpa for having you scolded by your dear Gege. If you're reading this letter before then don't dare to throw it away. I struggled a lot catching it and then cooking it. No need to be so stingy. Instead you can just say this grandpa whenever you need fish, instead of stealing. I really don't bite as everyone thinks.

With regards,
Grandpa Qiren

Xian was spellbound after reading the letter for serious. He was in a dilemma if he was seeing a dream or if it was a reality. That grumpy old person cooked for him? For what? After receiving a beating, was it a consolation prize? He wondered.

Thinking a person should never be angry with food, he finished and became satisfied with the taste and amount. Pricking his teeth with a portion of the fishbone he kept thinking whether to stalk his brother next or to return the food carrier to this crazy yet kind oldy.

Finding both the options pretty boring, he  finally decided to hang out by himself. If it was in summer he'd have visited the street side vendors and raconteurs for spending time. But in the monsoon, the street vendors were fewer and some even went to their country house to some other villages. Xian sometimes tried to ask Cheng if they ever had a country house and a joint family, but silence was the best answer he could only receive every time.

Nevermind, we cannot receive answers to all our questions in a lifetime.

That's the sentence via which he always calmed his heart down. He drove away his thoughts and set out for the market. Taking a stroll around the village market wasn't a bad idea, as he thought. Liu uncle was thought to be out of the village but to his good fate, he was actually back.

"Liu uncle. You're back."

"Ayee, Xian here. How're you doing son?"

"I'm doing fine, and how're you and aunt doing?"