The Daily Life of a Stepmother in the 1980s
Xu Tao noticed Wang Juanjuan's nervousness and immediately invited her in.
"Hello, I'm Xu Tao. Please come in!"
"Okay"
Wang Juanjuan kept her head down the entire time, softly acknowledging before following Xu Tao into the Zhao household.
"Please have a seat and rest for a while. I'll get you a glass of water."
Xu Tao gestured for Wang Juanjuan to sit in the living room while she went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water.
"There are two other people who will be working with you in the future. They should be arriving soon. Please sit and have some water."
Xu Tao had mentioned the day before that she asked Wu Hui and the others to come over at 2 PM to test their cooking skills. Wang Juanjuan arrived right on time, neither early nor late, precisely at 2 PM.
"Mm, okay"
Wang Juanjuan nodded, holding the glass of water.
"Sister Feng, would you like to take off your straw hat?"
Xu Tao asked tentatively, noticing that Wang Juanjuan kept her head down and wore the hat the whole time.
Xu Tao knew Wang Juanjuan had vitiligo and understood that she might be self-conscious about it.
"My vitiligo is quite severe. I... I'm afraid it might scare you."
Wang Juanjuan grew even more nervous, sitting in her seat, clutching her gray pants tightly, her voice trembling.
Her appearance had frightened many children, causing them to cry.
She often went out covered up and rarely left her home.
"It's fine. I'm not easily scared. Besides, we'll be seeing each other often. You can't wear a straw hat forever."
Xu Tao reassured her calmly.
"..."
Wang Juanjuan bit her lip, her bony fingers gripping her pants, clearly tense. "Then I'll take off the hat. If you feel scared, I'll put it back on, okay?"
Wang Juanjuan carried a heavy burden in her heart. After hearing Xu Tao's words, she hesitated before deciding to remove the hat. It was indeed impolite to wear a hat in someone else's home, but she was genuinely afraid that the white patches on her face might frighten Xu Tao.
"Okay, take it off. It's fine." Xu Tao encouraged her.
Wang Juanjuan finally removed the straw hat, revealing her face. However, even without the hat, she kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with Xu Tao.
Xu Tao looked at Wang Juanjuan. Her face was covered with white patches, quite severe, mostly concentrated on the lower half of her face.
Vitiligo wasn't uncommon, and Xu Tao had seen people with the condition before. However, this was the first time she had seen someone with such a severe case.
The lower half of Wang Juanjuan's face was mostly white, starkly contrasting with the rest of her skin, making it appear uneven and somewhat startling.
Xu Tao remained calm and unbothered. She observed Wang Juanjuan closely and realized that without the vitiligo, Wang Juanjuan was actually quite attractive, with delicate features.
The severity of Wang Juanjuan's vitiligo had resulted in profound insecurity, exacerbated by the fear, avoidance, and judgment she faced from those uninformed about the condition.
"Is it... scary?"
"Not at all!" Xu Tao replied casually, then stood up and walked to her room.
Wang Juanjuan was slightly surprised by Xu Tao's nonchalant response. She looked up just in time to see Xu Tao's retreating figure, momentarily stunned. When Xu Tao returned, Wang Juanjuan quickly lowered her head again.
"Here" Xu Tao handed a mask to Wang Juanjuan.
Wang Juanjuan looked up in surprise, reaching out to take the mask from Xu Tao. "What's this?" she asked, holding the mask with a puzzled expression.
"I made these masks yesterday," Xu Tao explained with a light smile. "Since you'll all be handling food, I made these masks to ensure cleanliness and hygiene. You’ll need to wear them while working so that saliva doesn’t accidentally get on the food."
Xu Tao had a slight obsession with cleanliness and would never overlook such details. Masks, chef hats, she would require everyone to wear them.
Although the company canteen primarily served taxi drivers from the company, Xu Tao wouldn’t compromise on hygiene. She absolutely wouldn’t allow the canteen to cut corners when it came to cleanliness. It was a basic requirement for someone as meticulous as her.
"It seems like it can cover the white patches on my face"
Wang Juanjuan holding the mask up to her face, her eyes lighting up.
She was very self-conscious about the white spots on her face and feared the looks of discomfort from others. Her condition was mostly concentrated on the lower half of her face, with only a small patch on her forehead. Wearing the mask would perfectly cover the affected areas.
Wang Juanjuan tried on the mask, her joy evident.
"Do we all have to wear these?" she asked Xu Tao nervously, clutching the mask.
Having grown accustomed to being treated differently, she couldn’t help but overthink.
"Of course. Everyone must wear them when working in the kitchen" Xu Tao replied seriously, leaving no room for doubt.
Wang Juanjuan nodded, visibly relieved. "I see!"
"Have some water," Xu Tao said warmly, her voice carrying a hint of laughter.
"Okay" Wang Juanjuan replied, holding the mask in one hand and the cup in the other as she took a sip. Her deer-like eyes met Xu Tao’s briefly.
From Wang Juanjuan’s eyes, it was clear she had a pure heart. Aside from her vitiligo, Xu Tao found herself liking Wang Juanjuan’s demeanor. She sat politely on the stool, exuding a natural gentleness that seemed to radiate from within.
She was the kind of delicate woman who would evoke a protective instinct in men.
"Why are you looking at me?" Xu Tao asked with a smile, noticing Wang Juanjuan’s occasional glances.
Wang Juanjuan had been too shy to look directly at Xu Tao, her glances filled with curiosity.
Xu Tao was the first person she had met outside who didn’t seem afraid of the white patches on her face. There was no trace of hidden disgust in Xu Tao’s eyes. She treated Wang Juanjuan like a normal person.
"You’re so beautiful" Wang Juanjuan said awkwardly, lowering her gaze to compliment her.
"Thank you" Xu Tao replied with a soft laugh.
Xu Tao’s gentle laughter put Wang Juanjuan at ease. She felt reassured that Xu Tao truly wasn’t afraid of her vitiligo and sipped her water delicately.
"Mommy"
Just then, Zhao Linan woke up from his nap. In the past, the little boy would get out of bed on his own after waking up, but now that he had grown attached to Xu Tao, he would sometimes call for her when he felt lazy after his nap.
"My son’s awake. I’ll go check on him. Please make yourself comfortable for a moment," Xu Tao said to Wang Juanjuan.
"Okay" Wang Juanjuan nodded, though a hint of nervousness crept into her eyes. She quietly set down her water cup and gripped the mask and straw hat tightly.
Xu Tao walked into Zhao Linan’s room and saw the little boy grinning at her from the bed. She picked him up and kissed his soft, chubby cheeks.
"Xiao Nan’s awake. Let Mommy help you get dressed, and I’ll tell you something."
"Hmm?" Zhao Linan lazily clung to Xu Tao as she fetched his clothes and jacket.
"There’s an auntie outside. She’s sick and has something on her face. You mustn’t be scared when you see her, okay?" Xu Tao gently reminded him, helping him change his clothes.
Wang Juanjuan was clearly sensitive and insecure about the white patches on her face. Xu Tao didn’t want Zhao Linan, being young and unaware, to unintentionally hurt her feelings.
Although Wang Juanjuan might have already grown accustomed to the impact of her vitiligo, and Zhao Linan’s fear wouldn’t be a significant blow, Xu Tao still felt that a child’s innocent fear could be particularly hurtful.
Children’s fear was instinctive, and for someone like Wang Juanjuan, who could trigger that instinct, it must be deeply painful.
"Is it because she’s sick?" Zhao Linan blinked.
"Yes" Xu Tao nodded, helping him out of his pajamas.
"Okay, Xiao Nan won’t be scared" Zhao Linan said bravely, sitting on the bed as Xu Tao helped him into his jacket.
He had been sick before and knew how uncomfortable it could be. Since Mommy said the auntie was sick, Xiao Nan wouldn’t be afraid. A little man had to be brave.
"Such a good boy" Xu Tao praised, kissing his cheek after putting on his jacket.
"Hehe" Zhao Linan giggled, wrapping his arms around Xu Tao.
Xu Tao carried the child out of the room. Wang Juanjuan was still sitting nervously, clutching the straw hat, her eyes filled with anxiety. She was ready to put the hat back on if Zhao Linan showed any signs of fear.
"Xiao Nan, say hello to Auntie"
Xu Tao holding Zhao Linan and prompting him to greet Wang Juanjuan.
"Hello, Auntie"
Zhao Linan looking at Wang Juanjuan with the innocent curiosity of a child. His eyes lingered on her face, but he didn’t show any fear.
Wang Juanjuan looked at Zhao Linan and let out a subtle sigh of relief. Seeing Zhao Linan’s chubby, fair cheeks, she couldn’t help but think of her own thin and frail son.
"Hello to you too"
Wang Juanjuan standing up with the straw hat in her hands and smiling at Xu Tao and her son.
Xu Tao's calm demeanor and Zhao Linan's lack of fear made Wang Juanjuan incredibly happy. It had been a long time since she felt so at ease.
Aside from her family, who were already accustomed to her condition, this was the first time she had relaxed in the presence of others outside her home.
Not long after Zhao Linan woke up, Guo Pingping and Wu Hui arrived. Guo Pingping brought her daughter, Li Pandi, while Wu Hui carried Ye Xiaohua.
"Sister-in-law, I’ve come with Sister Ye"
Guo Pingping said as she entered, holding her daughter’s hand. When she saw Wang Juanjuan, she froze for a moment. She knew there would be an additional person working in the canteen but had no idea who it was. She certainly didn’t expect Wang Juanjuan to have vitiligo, and to such a striking extent.
Li Pandi, Guo Pingping’s daughter, was naturally quiet. When the little girl saw Wang Juanjuan, she immediately hid behind her mother, on the verge of tears.
"Uh… is this Sister Feng?" Guo Pingping asked in surprise.
"Yes," Xu Tao nodded.
Wu Hui followed closely behind, carrying Ye Xiaohua. When she saw Wang Juanjuan, she also paused briefly but quickly regained her composure.
The little girl in her arms, Ye Xiaohua, was too young to understand and showed no fear toward Wang Juanjuan. Instead, she curiously stared at Wang Juanjuan, seemingly fascinated by the patches on her face.
"I’m sorry for scaring you," Wang Juanjuan said apologetically, quickly putting her hat back on when she noticed Li Pandi’s reaction.
"No, not at all!" Wu Hui immediately shook her head.
Although it was her first time encountering someone with vitiligo, and she had been momentarily startled upon seeing Wang Juanjuan, she quickly composed herself, especially after seeing Wang Juanjuan’s apologetic expression.
Guo Pingping forced a smile. "Sister Feng, I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve never seen this before. Please don’t take it to heart."
Guo Pingping, though initially surprised, quickly calmed down. She felt a bit embarrassed about her reaction, especially when she saw Wang Juanjuan putting on her hat and lowering her head, realizing how hurtful her behavior might have been.
"It’s okay, I understand," Wang Juanjuan replied softly, shaking her head.
"Sister Feng, you don’t need to wear the hat. You’ll be working together from now on, and everyone will get used to it," Xu Tao said, setting Zhao Linan down.
"Yes, once we get to know each other, it’ll be fine," Guo Pingping added, nodding in agreement.
Wang Juanjuan hesitated for a moment before taking off her hat again, though she still avoided direct eye contact.
"Xiao Nan, why don’t you take Pandi outside to play?"
Xu Tao suggested, patting Zhao Linan’s head and glancing at Li Pandi, who looked like she was about to cry. She thought it would be good for Zhao Linan to take Li Pandi out for a walk.
The little girl was too quiet and withdrawn, and it seemed like she was on the verge of tears.
"Okay," Zhao Linan nodded, taking a few steps toward Li Pandi. "Sister, let’s go find Brother Xiao Ma and play!"
Li Pandi, however, clung tightly to Guo Pingping’s leg. When Zhao Linan invited her, the little girl shook her head frantically and hid behind her mother, clearly reluctant to go.
"Li Pandi, what’s wrong with you? Your little brother is asking you to play, and all you do is hide!"
Guo Pingping was visibly annoyed by her daughter’s behavior. If Xu Tao hadn’t pointed it out, she might not have noticed how much Li Pandi avoided interacting with others.
Why had her child turned out like this? Other children were lively and chatty, but Li Pandi could go an entire day without saying a word.
"..."
Li Pandi shrank back, her head lowered, and tears welled up in her large, dark eyes as Guo Pingping scolded her.
"I must have owed you in a past life" Guo Pingping sighed, squatting down to wipe Li Pandi’s tears. "Stop crying."
Li Pandi sniffled quietly, her sobs subdued.
"Mommy" Zhao Linan looked at Xu Tao, confused and unsure of what to do as Li Pandi suddenly burst into tears.
"It’s okay. If your sister doesn’t want to play, you can go play by yourself," Xu Tao said gently to the child.
"Okay, Mommy. I’ll go play then," Zhao Linan nodded and ran out of the yard to find his friends in the alley.
Xu Tao watched Zhao Linan run out of the house before turning back to Wu Hui and the others. "I went to the market this morning and bought some ingredients. They’re all in the kitchen. Go take a look and prepare a dish you’re good at using what’s available. The basic seasonings should all be there."
"Okay," the three women nodded and moved to the kitchen to start cooking.
Li Pandi had stopped crying by now but still clung to Guo Pingping like a shadow.
"Decide what you want to cook and who will go first. If you need anything, let me know. I’ll handle the firewood," Xu Tao taking on the responsibility of tending to the stove.
"I can only make simple dishes, nothing fancy. How about I stir-fry some greens?"
Guo Pingping knew her limits and was a bit nervous, not wanting to waste ingredients.
"That’s fine."
"I’ll make fried taro balls. It’s simple but might use up some oil," Wu Hui suggested after looking at the taro.
"Go ahead" Xu Tao smiled warmly, then turned her gaze to Wang Juanjuan, who still seemed a bit uneasy.
"I… I’d like to make twice-cooked pork, but I’m worried I might ruin your meat," Wang Juanjuan said, looking at the pork with concern.
It had been a long, long time since she had last cooked with pork. Ever since her son was born and the elderly in her family fell ill one after another, meat had disappeared from their dining table.
A single pound of pork was too expensive for their household. Even though she felt sorry for her thin and frail son and wanted her family to eat better, she could never bring herself to spend money on meat.
As long as they had enough to eat and didn’t starve, that was enough. Who could afford to eat meat?
"Don’t worry about wasting ingredients. Just pick what you need and cook what you’re good at," Xu Tao encouraged Wang Juanjuan.
"Okay," Wang Juanjuan nodded with determination, as if she had made a significant decision.
Guo Pingping was the first to cook. She grabbed a handful of greens, chopped them roughly, and stir-fried them in oil. Stir-fried greens were supposed to be simple, but as she had admitted earlier, her cooking skills were quite average.
She stir-fried the greens, hesitated for a moment, and then added some water. The timing was off, and by the time the greens were done, they had lost their vibrant color and were swimming in a pool of watery sauce.
"..." Guo Pingping placed the plate of greens on the stove, her eyes filled with guilt and worry.
"Let’s all taste it," Xu Tao said, picking up her chopsticks and inviting the others to try the dish.
"How… how is it?" Guo Pingping asked nervously, looking at Xu Tao, Wu Hui, and Wang Juanjuan as they tasted the dish.
"The greens are overcooked, and the color isn’-t great. Greens already contain water, so there’s no need to add more while cooking. The flavor is average. On a scale of ten, I’d give it a six," Xu Tao said calmly. She hadn’t expected much from their cooking skills to begin with. As long as it wasn’t terrible, that was enough.
Once the canteen opened, the weekly menu would be fixed, and with a set recipe, the dishes would turn out fine.
"Yes, there’s definitely too much water," Wu Hui nodded in agreement.
"Right," Wang Juanjuan also chimed in after tasting it. "Adding water takes away the crispness of the greens. You don’t need to add water next time."
"I see. I’ll keep that in mind," Guo Pingping nodded, taking the feedback to heart.
Wu Hui was the next to cook. Her skills were relatively better, but frying taro required a lot of oil. She hesitated before pouring a generous amount into the pan, her heart pounding nervously.
Fried taro was a common dish in Wu Hui’s hometown, often made during festivals. She managed to cook it decently, though a few pieces were slightly overcooked. Overall, it was acceptable.
"Eight out of ten!" Xu Tao gave her score. She wasn’t a fan of greasy food, but she still gave a fair evaluation. Compared to Guo Pingping, Wu Hui’s cooking was definitely better.
"Thank you," Wu Hui smiled in relief, glad that her score was decent.
After Guo Pingping and Wu Hui had each cooked a dish, it was Wang Juanjuan’s turn. Despite her timid personality, Wang Juanjuan was quite skilled in the kitchen.
She sliced the pork, stir-fried it with green peppers, and handled the entire process with ease. The aroma of the twice-cooked pork filled the air.
"Just the smell of this dish is making my mouth water," Guo Pingping said, unable to hide her excitement. "Sister Feng, your cooking skills are probably on par with Sister-in-law’s."
"I didn’t do a great job. Please try it," Wang Juanjuan said modestly.
The twice-cooked pork looked appetizing and smelled delicious. Xu Tao picked up her chopsticks and tasted a piece of green pepper. The flavor was excellent, far surpassing the dishes made by Wu Hui and Guo Pingping.
Xu Tao hadn’t expected Wang Juanjuan to be the best cook among the three. Not only was the dish well-presented, but it was also perfectly suited to the tastes of the working men.
Twice-cooked pork was a favorite of Zhao Weiguo’s. Xu Tao didn’t care much for the meat in the dish, but she loved the accompanying vegetables, like the green peppers.
"Nine out of ten. I’m deducting one point to keep you from getting too proud," Xu Tao said with a smile as she put down her chopsticks.
"Yes, it’s really fragrant"
Guo Pingping and Wu Hui also picked up their chopsticks to taste the dish. Both of them enjoyed eating pork and quickly dug in, their mouths glistening with oil. Guo Pingping even fed a piece of meat to her daughter, Li Pandi.
Li Pandi obediently opened her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. The little girl’s eyes narrowed with delight, her earlier fear of Wang Juanjuan completely forgotten.
"I’m glad you like it. I was worried you wouldn’t," Wang Juanjuan said, her lack of confidence stemming from her vitiligo and her introverted nature.
"It’s really delicious. Aside from the last time I had meat at your place, Sister-in-law, this is the first time I’ve eaten meat in so long. I’m going to have a few more pieces"
Guo Pingping giving Wang Juanjuan a thumbs-up. Unable to resist, she helped herself to a few more bites.
Wang Juanjuan also tasted the dish, though she only tried the green peppers.
"My dish was the worst. Sister-in-law, will you still hire me?" Guo Pingping asked after indulging in a few more bites, suddenly worried as she looked at Xu Tao.
She knew her own cooking skills and was genuinely afraid that Xu Tao might not hire her. Initially, Xu Tao had only planned to hire two people—one for the day shift and one for the night shift, with the two rotating shifts.
"No, I’ll hire you," Xu Tao said with a smile. "But you and Sister Wu Hui will need to learn from Wang Juanjuan."
Xu Tao had originally intended to personally guide Guo Pingping and Wu Hui in improving their cooking skills. However, since Wang Juanjuan’s cooking was quite good, Xu Tao decided to delegate the responsibility to her.
"Of course, we’ll definitely learn from her," Guo Pingping promised, patting her chest.
Wu Hui also nodded. Both women had a good attitude toward work, which put Xu Tao at ease.
"I’ve made masks for you, but once you start working at the canteen, you’ll need to tie up your hair. When you go back, make yourselves some hats to wear every day before entering the kitchen," Xu Tao explained the basic requirements.
"Chef hats, right?" Wang Juanjuan asked.
"Yes," Xu Tao nodded.
"I’ve heard that chef hats are white. In our area, white hats are only worn when someone passes away. It’s considered unlucky to wear them otherwise. Do they have to be white?" Wu Hui asked with a worried expression.
"Yes, that’s true!" In the south, wearing white was associated with mourning, and many people found it inauspicious.
"They don’t have to be white. You can choose the color of the hats yourselves. As long as it’s a hat, it’s fine" Xu Tao said, adding that she wouldn’t mind if they even chose green hats, as long as their husbands were okay with it.
"That works" Guo Pingping said, relieved.
"Also, I originally planned to have you work three shifts. However, with three shifts, the handover between the afternoon and night shifts would be very late, and I’m concerned about your safety going home. So, I’ve decided to have two people work the day shift and one person work the night shif"
"The day shift will run from 6 AM to 6 PM, responsible for lunch and dinner. The night shift will handle a simple midnight snack and prepare breakfast, like steaming buns and cooking porridge" Xu Tao explained her plans for the canteen.
"The day and night shifts will rotate every month, but the night shift will be a bit more demanding for now. I’ll see how things go in a few days and consider hiring another person to share the night shift"
Xu Tao then asked for their opinions. "Is this schedule acceptable to you?"
"Yes, it’s acceptable" they all nodded.
"Um, I have a small question" Guo Pingping raised her hand hesitantly.
"Go ahead" Xu Tao looked at her.
"It’s nothing major. I just wanted to ask if I could be scheduled on the same shift as my husband, Li Jianshu. If he’s on the day shift, I’ll take the day shift. If he’s on the night shift, I’ll take the night shift," Guo Pingping said, somewhat embarrassed.
"Of course," Xu Tao nodded. "I’ll discuss it with Zhao Weiguo and adjust their shifts to avoid conflicts with yours."
She naturally wouldn’t do anything to separate couples. It made sense to schedule them on the same shifts. Otherwise, if one was on the day shift and the other on the night shift, they wouldn’t have a normal family life.
"That’s great. I have no other issues," Guo Pingping smiled.
Wu Hui and Wang Juanjuan, hearing Guo Pingping’s question and Xu Tao’s response, also felt relieved. Being on the same shift as their husbands and commuting together was ideal.
As for whether the work would be tiring, they didn’t mind at all. Women these days were mostly focused on their families and household chores. Working at the canteen was a joy for them, and they considered it a relatively easy job.
"Then you can discuss among yourselves who will take the day shift and who will take the night shift for the first month."
"My husband, Li Jianshu, is currently on the day shift" Guo Pingping said, looking at Wu Hui.
"Zhenhua is also on the day shift" Wu Hui added, holding her daughter and looking at Wang Juanjuan.
Wang Juanjuan, being looked at by both of them, pursed her lips. "Then I’ll take the night shift first. My husband, Yongnian, happens to be on the night shift," she said softly.
"Great, that works out perfectly" Xu Tao said, feeling relieved. Since they all wanted to align their shifts with their husbands, this arrangement for the first month would work just fine.
o0o
Thank you for the update ☺️
ReplyDelete❤️❤️
Delete