Wu Shufen drew some hot water for the mother and son to wash up while she and Lin Changyou prepared some food for them.
The couple picked out some of the better leftovers: steamed pork knuckle, sweet steamed pork belly, a cold salad, and fish with pickled peppers and broad bean paste. They also went out to their vegetable patch, picked a handful of rapeseed shoots, and stir-fried them.
After Wu Shufang and her son had washed up and changed their clothes, they came out to find the food already hot on the table.
"That's so much better," Wu Shufang said. "We were so covered in mud, people must have thought we were beggars."
Lin Changyou smiled. "Accidents are bound to happen when you're traveling."
Wu Shufen ladled rice for the mother and son and brought it to the table, saying apologetically, "Sister, it's just some heated-up leftovers. Please make do for now. We'll go into town to eat properly later."
