Chapter 1 — Ten Years Waiting for a Taste

A meal of steamed dumplings with Thai vegetables helped me get a salary increase of 20,000 yuan, the boss burst into tears: I have been waiting for this taste for ten years. I have been a maid for the boss's house for three years, and until now I have never interfered in things that should not be interfered with. That day, I saw that the chopped vegetables in the yard were overgrown and no one cared, so I conveniently dug a basket and wrapped it in dumplings. When the dish was served on the table, the boss had just taken a bite when his chopsticks suddenly stopped. His eyes turned red, he carried the entire bowl to the yard, squatted down to eat. The next day, he called me in:

“Miss Zhang, from next month, I will increase your salary to 20,000 yuan.”

I was startled:

“No need, it's just a dumpling meal.”

He shook his head, the corners of his eyes were wet again:

“I've remembered the flavor of this dumpling for ten years.”

01

I work as a maid for the Co family. This year is the third year. My boss's name is Van Lam. This morning before going out, she told me:

“Miss Truong.”

“Tieu Tiep's lunch today.”

“Two South American white shrimp.”

“Thirty grams of broccoli.”

“Twenty-five grams of cod.”

“Everything must be steamed.”

“Do not add any seasoning.”

“Salt doesn't work, oil doesn't work, soy sauce doesn't work even better.”

She looked at me with a very serious expression.

“The original flavor of food is the most nutritious.”

I nodded.

“I know, ma'am.”

"There's still water."

She pointed to the water filtration system in the kitchen.

“The water Tieu Tiep drinks must come from this machine.”

“Boil then let cool to exactly forty-five degrees.”

“Must be exact.”

I nodded again.

“Yes, ma'am.”

At that time, Van Lam was satisfied. She picked up her handbag and changed into high heels. Luck, luck, luck. The sound of shoes gradually disappeared outside the door. The whole villa fell into silence. Only the sound of the refrigerator and water purifier quietly buzzing remained. Tieu Tiep is the son of Co and Van Lam. Six years old this year. The boy sat on the carpet, building a giant Lego battleship. It speaks very little. Most of the time it's silent. I went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. The inside was filled with stuff. Each type of food has its own compartment, clearly labeled on top. Japanese mushrooms, Australian steak, French cheese. I took out South American white shrimp, broccoli, and cod. Place on electronic scale. Shrimp, thirty-one grams. I used scissors to cut off a bit of the shrimp tail. Thirty point one gram. I cut a little more. Twenty-nine point nine grams. It's temporary. Broccoli, thirty-five grams. I cut off a small branch. Thirty point five grams. Alright. Cod, twenty-six grams. I used a knife to slice it very thinly. Twenty-five grams. Exactly. That was Van Lam's request. She said, we must raise children according to scientific methods so that the child can have the best future. I put it all in the steamer. Set a timer for fifteen minutes. After that, I went to the living room to prepare to clean the house. Tieu Tiep is still assembling his ship. It did not raise its head. I clean the house, it installs Lego. Between us is a large, empty living room. Just like two planets have their own orbits, not bothering each other. After cleaning the house, I went to the backyard to collect clothes. The yard is very large. The lawn is cared for by a professional gardening company. Green as velvet. At the edge of the lawn, near the corner of the wall, the gardener doesn't take very good care of it. That place is full of weeds. At first I also pay no attention. It's a beautiful sunny day today. The sunlight shines down on that grass. I suddenly saw it. The serrated leaves grow close to the ground, with tiny white flowers blooming above. It's Thai vegetable. Grows densely into a large patch. No one takes care of them, they just grow there freely. In my hometown, every spring comes, my mother often takes me to the fields. The mother and daughter carried a basket to dig and chop vegetables. Mom said this vegetable is very fragrant. Used to wrap dumplings or wontons, both are delicious. It has the taste of spring. I stood and looked for a long time. By the time I had collected all my clothes, I was still standing there. The leaves of Thai coriander shake in the wind. I seem to smell the smell of earth mixed with the smell of green grass. Very familiar. In the afternoon, Tieu Tiep takes a nap. I threw away its leftovers. It only ate a third of it. Shrimp is not touched. Broccoli takes just one bite. The cod was smashed with a fork. If Van Lam knew, he would definitely not be happy. She would say I don't know how to guide a child to eat. I clean the plate. Not understanding what the devil was doing, I went into the warehouse to find a small plastic bag and a shovel. I went to the backyard. Squat on the corner of the wall. Then use a shovel to dig up a vegetable plant and chop it. There is still wet soil on the roots. I put it in a plastic bag. Soon, the bag was full. I carried the bag of vegetables back to the kitchen. Like a kid who just did something bad. My heart was both tense and a little excited. I poured the vegetables into the sink. Carefully rinse. Wash off all the sand and remove the yellow leaves. I feel like I'm back to that afternoon in my hometown. Mom sat next to me picking vegetables, and I sat washing them. Mom said:

"Daughter, wash up a bit. Tonight I'll pack some dumplings for you to eat."

I blanched the washed Thai vegetables in boiling water. Take it out and squeeze out the water. Then use a knife to chop it. In the kitchen, only the steady sound of my knife echoed. Tieu Tiep is still sleeping. Mr. Co hasn't finished work yet. Van Lam is outside. For now, it's just me in this house. Along with uninvited guests from the land.