When Zhao Jun got home, Wang Meilan was in the outer room by the stove, chopping pickled cabbage. A glance at the wild boar meat thawing in a nearby basin of cold water told Zhao Jun they were making dumplings again.
Wang Meilan stopped chopping, looked at Zhao Jun, and said, "Go on inside. Your dad wants to talk to you."
"Huh?" Zhao Jun was taken aback.
Zhao Jun entered the east room and saw Zhao Youcai wrapped in a thick cotton quilt, sitting cross-legged on the heated brick bed. He was holding a large, steaming enamel mug, blowing on it as he took small sips of water.
"Dad, are you feeling any better?"
Zhao Youcai put down his mug and looked up at Zhao Jun. Instead of answering, he asked a question of his own. "Your mom said that kid, Zhang Laibao, has been hanging around our house the past couple of days. Is he here for you?"
"Yeah," Zhao Jun replied. "He bought a few dogs in Lingnan and wants me to help him train them."
