Chapter 427 - 361: Sprayed 4 Faces
In the area where Zhao Jun’s family lived, Yong’an Forest Farm was the largest. The dozen or so other forest farms of varying sizes were all managed by the Forestry Bureau.
Whenever leaders from the other forest farms visited Yong’an, the staff there would always play the gracious host.
Over the years, Zhao Youcai had seen his fair share of leaders. He knew them, but they didn’t know him. Still, just by overhearing a few snippets of their conversations, Zhao Youcai could learn a great deal.
Zhao Youcai remembered that last year, a leader from Duck Frame Forest Farm had come by, bringing four bottles of Wuliangye and ten cans of Jianlibao for Yong’an Forest Farm’s Secretary Zhang and Zhou Chunming.
Because the sweet and sour pork Zhao Youcai made was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and perfectly balanced, that leader had insisted on pouring him a glass of Jianlibao.
Zhao Youcai took one sip and thought it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.
As he was about to leave, he overheard the leader from Duck Frame telling Secretary Zhang that his son didn’t even bother with the pull-tab when drinking Jianlibao. He would just puncture the can with a nail and spray it into his mouth.
Zhao Youcai didn’t quite understand what "spraying it" meant, but he figured it worked like this: ’You poke a hole in the can with a nail, and then when you squeeze it, the soda sprays out. But if you don’t squeeze it, it won’t spray.’
’I’ll just poke a hole with a nail,’ he thought, ’give each of the two little girls a couple of squirts, and save the rest for tomorrow.’
That way, he wouldn’t make Wang Meilan angry and could still win favor with his two daughters. It was a win-win situation.
As for the problem of the soda leaking out after it was punctured, Zhao Youcai had a solution for that too. ’Worst case, I’ll just seal the hole with some wax.’
After the New Year, Zhao Hong was now eight by the traditional count, though she hadn’t even celebrated her seventh birthday yet.
Growing up in a mountain village, the little girl spent her days just playing around, her mind occupied with snacks, drinks, colorful pencils, and scented erasers.
The moment she heard her dad say there was a better way to drink from the can, Zhao Hong didn’t hesitate. She hopped off the kang and pulled a flat wooden box out from under the wardrobe against the wall.
Zhao Hong lifted the lid and took out a nail. Zhao Youcai frowned at the sight of it, pointing at the box. "Find a clean one. There are some in that newspaper packet in the corner."
At his words, Zhao Hong quickly tossed the rusty nail back into the box and pulled out the newspaper-wrapped bundle standing in the corner.
The little girl frantically unwrapped the paper, revealing a stash of brand-new, perfectly clean nails, all about three centimeters long.
With her mind set on the soda, Zhao Hong grabbed a single nail, tossed the rest back into the box, and hurried over to her father’s side.
"Dad, here!" Zhao Hong stood at the edge of the kang, her little arm straining as she held the nail up to her father.
Zhao Youcai took the nail and grinned at Zhao Hong. "Second daughter, Dad’s the best, isn’t he?"
Without a moment’s hesitation, Zhao Hong replied, "The best!"
Zhao Youcai laughed heartily, but that wasn’t enough for him. He pressed on, "Who’s better? Dad or your brother?"
The little girl’s smile faltered for a second, but her eyes landed on the can in Zhao Youcai’s hand. "Dad’s better!" she said instantly.
One might say she’d praise anyone for a treat, but this was her own father, after all!
"Hahaha..." Zhao Youcai was overjoyed. "Get up on the kang," he said to Zhao Hong. "Dad’s going to open it for you and your little sister."
Hearing this, Zhao Hong pressed her elbows onto the kang, flopped her torso onto the surface, and then swung one leg up.
Her dear father, Zhao Youcai, even gave her a benevolent hand to help her up.
Then, both Zhao Hong and Zhao Na gathered in front of Zhao Youcai. When children are desperate for a treat, they have a habit of kneeling next to the adult.
It wasn’t a bow of supplication; kneeling simply brought their bodies—and mouths—closer to the prize.
Zhao Youcai held the can in his left hand, turning it over and over. Suddenly, he stopped. With the nail in his right hand, he aimed for the very center of the Jianlibao logo and stabbed.
As the two little girls stared, a loud PSSSH erupted, and orange-colored soda sprayed all over Zhao Youcai’s face.
He hadn’t stopped to think. It was a *carbonated* beverage, after all. How could it *not* be full of gas? Combined with the principle of pressure, once the can was punctured, the soda could spray more than three feet.
PSSSH...
The soda sprayed across his face, forcing his eyes shut. He instinctively jerked the can away.
PSSSH...
But the stream of soda just hit his forehead instead, splashing onto the kang cabinet behind him.
On top of the cabinet was the family’s bedding, neatly stacked quilts and pads belonging to Zhao Youcai, Wang Meilan, Zhao Hong, and Zhao Na.
There were sleeping pads to lie on and quilts for cover.
In those days, mattress pads and quilt covers were all homemade from store-bought cotton. To tell the sides apart, the surface of the sleeping pad you slept on was usually a blue-and-white checkered pattern, while the other side was typically a floral print. Solid colors were rare.
As for the quilts, both sides were usually floral.
PSSSH...
Now, the family’s bedding was even more colorful.
PSSSH...
The soda hit the wall, spraying a New Year’s painting. The face of the little baby holding a giant carp in the picture was now covered in orange!
Zhao Youcai was a bit stunned, not understanding what was happening. But the two little girls were ecstatic!
Because their dad had just said that spraying it was the best way to drink it!
Zhao Hong grabbed and twisted her father’s hand. Zhao Youcai hadn’t let go of the can, but now the hole pierced by the nail was aimed right at her.
What a crafty little girl she was when it came to food!
PSSSH...
As the soda sprayed toward her, Zhao Hong opened her mouth wide. The stream hit the roof of her mouth and cascaded over her tongue, instantly filling her senses with sweet, refreshing orange flavor.
But she still had to swallow it.
And to swallow, you have to close your mouth!
But as soon as Zhao Hong closed her mouth, the hole in the can—which of course did not close—kept right on spraying.
The moment she shut her mouth, the soda sprayed her upper lip and shot right up her nose.
Getting water up your nose is uncomfortable enough, let alone carbonated soda.
The stuff was fizzy, and it had flavor.
In an instant, Zhao Hong felt a terrible burning sensation. Snot and tears immediately started streaming down her face.
Zhao Hong shoved her father’s hand away and sat down hard on the kang, her lip quivering as she was about to burst into tears.
Usually, whenever the two sisters ate or drank anything, they would share, "one bite for you, one bite for me." The younger one always got the first taste, and then they would take turns.
But today, Zhao Hong had gotten the first drink, and Zhao Na hadn’t had a single drop.
Zhao Na lunged forward and, in a flash, snatched the can right out of Zhao Youcai’s hand.
PSSSH...
A stream of soda sprayed Little Zhao Na right in the eye. It didn’t do any real damage, but it stung. She shook her head, and the spray hit her on the forehead.
She wasn’t Zhao Youcai; the little girl was only five years old, how could she handle that? She immediately threw the can under the kang, sat down, and started wailing.
Meanwhile, Zhao Hong’s tears had also started to fall.
PSSSH...
The can rolled onto the floor, still sputtering out soda, though the stream was noticeably weaker now.
But now, in the east room of Zhao Jun’s family home, there was soda everywhere: on the walls, on the kang, on the kang cabinet, on the bedding, on the kang table, and on the floor.
Zhao Youcai, Zhao Hong, Zhao Na, and the chubby baby holding the giant carp in the New Year’s painting—all four of their faces were dripping with soda.
’It’s a total disaster!’ At that moment, Zhao Youcai’s heart turned to ash.