Chapter 25

Chi Yin was in high spirits today and wanted to celebrate. However, Wei Chengan told her that guests were coming over, so he wouldn't be cooking at home; instead, he was treating them to a meal out at a restaurant. Two years ago, a massive rainstorm in Yanhe County had led to severe flooding, submerging the farmland of many locals. The land behind Old Li’s house had collapsed, leaving behind a stagnant pit of water that wouldn’t drain, which eventually became a pond. Unable to grow crops, Old Li had been frustrated and went to the County Committee Compound to make a scene. A duty officer suggested he try stocking it with fish fry. Old Li went home and did exactly as he was told. He threw whatever feed he had into the pond, and while the fish grew better and better, selling them became a problem. In the eighties, ordinary families were barely scraping by, and when they did eat meat, they preferred fatty pork—who would think to buy fish? Old Li, worried sick, went back to the County Committee Compound to complain. By chance, he ran into Wei Chengan at the gate. Wei Chengan listened to the whole story and asked him about his cooking skills, eventually suggesting that since he couldn't sell the fish, he should open a restaurant instead.