Outsider: The Fifth Young Master of the Kang Family

Chapter 98: Mooncake Love (Part )

"At that time, I, Kang Ershou, was in the prime of my youth. Your mother, Wang Yulian, was 1958 or years old and was more beautiful than Diao Chan. This happened just before the Mid-Autumn Festival in ." My dad began to recall.

"At that time, I went to Shamian to sell mooncakes. Your mother happened to be selling fruit across from me. I saw you day and night and fell in love at first sight. But when I didn't know how to express my feelings, I remembered the story that my master told me when he was teaching me how to make mooncakes and send military intelligence with mooncakes."

The second brother slammed the table and interrupted his father, saying, "Oh, I've heard this story before, it's like this." But he couldn't remember it, so he looked at Kang Qirui, "Ah Rui, you tell me, I forgot it, hahaha."

"It's like this. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the vast majority of people in the Central Plains could no longer bear the cruel rule of the Yuan Dynasty's ruling class, and they rose up in rebellion against the Yuan Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang united various resistance forces to prepare for the uprising. However, the court officials and soldiers searched very closely, and it was very difficult to pass on information. Military advisor Liu Bowen came up with a plan. He ordered his subordinates to hide a note with the words "Uprising on the night of August 15th" inside the mooncakes, and then sent people to deliver them to the rebel forces in various places, informing them to respond to the uprising on the night of August 15th. On the day of the uprising, all the rebel forces responded together, and the uprising was finally successful." Kang Qirui took up the second brother's words and told the story of the Mooncake Uprising.

"Hey, don't change the subject." The old man gave a lecture and continued to tell the story of the past, "Others can send military intelligence with mooncakes, so I will send love letters with mooncakes."

“After your father gave me a tube of mooncakes, he stopped selling mooncakes and left in a hurry. I thought something was wrong with him, but when I came back and ate the mooncakes, I realized that your father left in a hurry because he was afraid that I would reject him on the spot,” my mother recalled sweetly.

"After that, we got together, and we got married in less than two months. I still remember the gift money was 48 yuan," said Dou, smiling.

Everyone couldn't help but applaud for the story of Lao Dou's mother. "Our Lao Dou is really a hero. He got married in less than two months, haha, so avant-garde." Er Lao gave a thumbs up and praised.

"I really didn't expect that this old cookie mold would have such a classic and romantic love story." The second sister-in-law also said with emotion.

"Sister-in-law, you're only half right. It's not just a romantic love story, it's also a family history." The old woman recalled the hard times back then and said with emotion, "When your dad and I got married not long ago, eating from a big pot became popular. Your dad was assigned to work as a waiter in a state-owned restaurant because he knew how to make mooncakes, and I went in as a couple. We used to have no worries about two meals a day, but in the end, we gave birth to five of you guys in our lifetime. We couldn't support you with the salary we earned from the company. We could only make mooncakes after get off work at night, sell them at the morning market the next morning, and then rush back to work to barely cover our expenses."

"We have been making mooncakes for 20 years. Guang and Zong went out to work early to support their younger brothers in school. It's a pity to think about it. In the 1980s, Yao graduated from college, and only Zu and Rui were still studying. The family began to save some money, so we changed from making mooncakes to buying them."

This bitter past made the mood of the elder brother Guang and the second brother change a little. The second brother took a sip of wine silently, while the elder brother Guang said: "Alas, we have made it through. I have no regrets. I just think the mooncakes I make are much more delicious than those bought outside. It's a pity that I haven't eaten the mooncakes I made for a long time. They are really fragrant and sweet."

"What's so fragrant and sweet about it?" The second brother took another sip of wine. "There's only a little filling, but the skin is so thick and hard that it can kill a dog across the Pearl River." Compared to the eldest brother, the second brother didn't miss the past so much. He was really afraid of being poor.

"Yeah, yeah, actually you're the one who eats the most." The old man pointed at the second brother and scolded him, "Do you have enough strength to throw it across the Pearl River? You're the only one who eats the most but doesn't gain weight."

The second brother wanted to refute, but Xianglan said in time: "Hey, second uncle, stop making noise and listen to mom." Sachiko also said: "Yes, Mom, you continue." She wanted to know more about the Kang family's past. After listening to the general story, she understood why the five brothers of the Kang family had such a good relationship, and why Kang Qirui was partial to the eldest brother and only thought about the second brother.

"Originally, as our family's financial situation gradually improved, we thought we were going to live a good life, but it turned out to be even more troublesome." Ma continued to recall: "A Guang was too honest. I remember one time he bought a popsicle at the factory gate and when he got home, only the popsicle stick was left because it had melted. The person who bought him one cent short of the change, he took a two-dollar bus to go and ask for it back. Alas, he couldn't find a wife until he was forty."

As she spoke, the mother looked at Da Lao Guang and Xiang Lan with satisfaction and said, "Fortunately, in the end, fools have good luck and found a good wife like Xiang Lan." Da Lao Guang and Xiang Lan felt embarrassed by what the mother said.

"Zong is the complete opposite. Guang is too honest, but he is the most cunning." The old man took over the words of the nanny and said, "When people set up stalls next to him, he will use tricks to get them to sell to him at a 70% discount. When he goes out to do business, he will come back with his family."

"Kang Qi Zong, receive the goods." The maid simply imitated what the second sister-in-law said when she first came to the Kang family, and asked the second sister-in-law: "Did I imitate it well? Hahahahaha." The second brother and his sister-in-law were so embarrassed that they almost lowered their heads under the table.

After making the second sister-in-law laugh, the mother continued, "Ayao has been like a Xiguan young master since he was young. Every day, a bunch of female classmates and colleagues chase him to the doorstep. Every time he chases them away, he gets very annoyed."

After hearing this, Sachiko twisted Ayao's waist under the table and asked with gritted teeth: "Are you really that likable? Is there anyone you like?" Ayao begged for mercy, "No way, I haven't messed with anyone. I swear you are my first love."

"Tsk." Everyone unanimously despised A Yao, a henpecked husband.

"As for the two younger ones, Azu and Arui, one only knows how to go out and play and doesn't even know where his schoolbag is, and the other only knows how to read books all day and never goes out to play. I was so worried about both of them, but fortunately, they are both doing well now. Azu, who doesn't know where his schoolbag is, has been admitted to university, and Arui, who only knows how to study, is now much more outgoing and cheerful, and their child is about to be born." When the mother talked about Azu and Kang Qirui, she looked very comforted. "Mom, I have been very outgoing since I was a child, but the eldest and second brothers went out to work early so that we could study, so how could I bear to go out and play and disappoint them." Kang Qirui did not think he was introverted. In the words of later generations, he thought he was an e-talent.

"Wow, Master Rui, you make me seem very unnatural when you say that." A Zu argued, but Kang Qirui ignored him and just rolled his eyes at him, letting him figure it out for himself.

"Okay, okay, now everyone has seen it. Although our Kang family cannot be said to be wealthy, we are harmonious, prosperous, and happy." The mother was still very satisfied. She was content as long as her children were happy.

After dinner, everyone went to the living room to watch TV as usual, but the old lady went back to her room. The second brother secretly looked through the crack of the door and found that the two old people were holding the mooncake mold and reminiscing about the happy times in the past. The second brother watched for a while and then walked out to imitate everyone: "Oh, my wife, we haven't been on a date for a long time."

The old lady slapped him on the back, and the two elders went out to go shopping amid everyone's laughter. The second sister-in-law suggested that we hold an event to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day on the same day this year. Everyone agreed, but no one had any idea of ​​what to do.

Finally, Kang Qirui said, "Tonight we have been reminiscing about the good times and the bad times. Why don't we do it ourselves? Learn from Madam Dou and make mooncakes ourselves."

"What kind of activity is it to make your own mooncakes?" A-Zu disagreed.

"If you want to learn, you must learn all of them. Let's play the Mooncake Love Game, like Lao Dou's mother. If you want to talk to someone, just write it on a note, put it in the mooncake, and then give it to him. How about it?" Kang Qirui suggested.

"Okay, okay, this is good." Everyone said that they would play like this. As they were talking, Lao Dou's mother came back with a bunch of paper and bamboo strips in his hand.

The second sister-in-law asked curiously, "Grandpa and grandma, what are these things for?"

"Nostalgia is in fashion nowadays. This year, your father and I plan to make those carambolas, oranges and handmade lanterns again." The mother said with a smile.

"We just said that we are going to make mooncakes ourselves." Xianglan said with a smile, and everyone thought of the same thing.

The old man clapped his hands in agreement and said, "Great. We've spent decades to raise these bone-melting dragons. We must have a good time on August 15th this year." Then he ran back to his room, and no one knew where he was going.

After a while, the old man came out with a piece of paper, turned off the TV, and said, "Didn't you say you were going to make mooncakes yourself? This is the recipe I used to make mooncakes. Guang, the ingredients here are clearly written down. You arrange for the boys to complete this task, and be on time."

"No problem." The eldest brother took the formula paper and walked back to his seat, "Boss, let me see it." The second brother snatched it away with one hand.

He looked at it for a while, passed the paper to others, and walked to the old man and said, "Old man, I think everything on this paper is not a problem, but there is a problem that is the biggest problem now, which is the problem of the oven."

"You poor boy, the crickets in Baiyun Mountain can only chirp." The old man nodded at the second brother and said, "Didn't you say that money is not a problem?"

The second brother thought about it and said generously: "Yes, I said that money is not a problem, and the oven is even less of a problem. I, Kang Qi Zong, will take care of it." The second sister-in-law rushed to the second brother as soon as she heard it, "Zong."

"What's the point of it? It's just a donation." The second brother advised, and the second sister-in-law had to agree to give the money.

"All you need is to be willing to make contributions. Tomorrow is Saturday the 22nd. Let's buy materials and bake the furnace tomorrow and officially start work the day after tomorrow, okay?" The boss just asked for everyone's opinions.

"No problem." Everyone nodded.

(End of this chapter)