C18

Lim Shan was feeling much better. After a couple of days resting at home, he refused to stay in bed any longer and insisted on getting up and moving around. The return of his youngest son was more effective than any medicine.

Shen Shuling took her eyes off him for a moment, and when she returned from a stroll around the village, she found the old man full of energy, busy making a pot of tofu. When did he soak the soybeans? Did he get up in the middle of the night?

The kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of tofu. Shuling peeked in and saw the old man cheerfully shaking a strainer to filter the tofu pulp, looking more spirited than she was. Seeing her, he greeted her warmly.

"Working gives me energy. I feel strong all over. Lying down makes these old bones of mine feel like they're falling apart," he said, shaking the hanging rack to better strain the tofu pulp. "I'm making some tofu. Later, Fuqing can take it on the tricycle to sell."

Lim Shan was all smiles. Though his face was lined and he had lost some weight, he no longer looked as frail as he did a few days ago. Shuling smiled knowingly and joined in to help.

Before adding the coagulant, she ladled some cooked soy milk, added sugar, and poured a bowl for herself and one for her little nephew. The two of them sat in the yard, happily sipping away.

Lim Fuqing returned from harvesting vegetables, his face lit up with a bright smile.

"The garden's thriving like someone added extra fertilizer; everything's growing so well," Lim Fuqing said, handing a freshly washed tomato to Shen Shuling.

As she bit into it, the red juice spilled out, and her satisfied expression seemed to wash away all his fatigue.

"Hey... why don't we take everything to the city this afternoon and sell it? Dad insisted on getting up, and before I knew it, he made a huge pot of tofu," Shen Shuling complained, glancing towards the kitchen.

What could he do? It was his own father and his own wife. He could only comply, so after lunch, he pedaled the tricycle, with his wife, who loved to watch the hustle and bustle, sitting on the back, and headed to the city to sell the tofu.

As a kid, he used to sit on that very back seat, following Lim Shan through every street and alley. He could navigate Lim Shan's usual routes with his eyes closed.

Many loyal customers along the way would come out with money in hand at the sound of Lim Fuqing's tricycle bell.

A fashionable lady with a perm came out with cash and a plate, looking towards the back seat, puzzled not to see Lim Shan.

"Where's your old man? Why are you the one selling tofu? I've been craving your family's tofu for ages. Why haven't you been around lately?" she lamented, quickly picking out tofu pieces and placing them on the scale.

"Mrs. Wang, my dad was sick a few days ago and had to stay in the hospital for a bit. He's just starting to feel better today," Lim Fuqing patiently explained.

Mrs. Wang was surprised and asked a flurry of questions before heading inside. She came back with a couple of pounds of candy, insisting that Lim Fuqing take it home. Unable to refuse, Lim Fuqing decided not to charge Mrs. Wang for the tofu.

Shen Shuling watched the whole interaction, and once the small three-wheeler left Mrs. Wang's alley, she covered her mouth and laughed.

"What’s so funny?"

"I'm laughing because it looks like Dad's got a new admirer."

Lim Fuqing was puzzled at first, but then it clicked. "You mean... Mrs. Wang likes Dad? Is that even possible?" How did his wife figure this out so quickly?

Shen Shuling explained, "Mrs. Wang's hair still had the scent of gel, which means she styled it after hearing the three-wheeler's bell. And her clothes were perfectly ironed, not a wrinkle in sight."

"No matter how old a woman is, she'll only go to such lengths to look perfect in front of someone she likes."

Lim Fuqing suddenly understood and couldn't help but admire his wife's keen observation.

"You don't have a problem with this, do you?" Shen Shuling asked, playfully poking Lim Fuqing in the lower back.