Outside the west wing, Zhang Guoqing looked at the white fungus on the stove, which had already soaked thoroughly, and pulled open the small damper of the coal stove to let it burn. This time he was at home, so he wasn't worried about it boiling over. The old books he bought were placed in the outer living room cabinet, stacked neatly with the books he had bought before. He was concerned about leaving them in the outer living room where people came and went, as so many books would be too conspicuous.
He looked at the small living room, noticing the pile of eggs and the cabinet full of brown sugar and red dates. The outer living room was filled with things, including some preserved meat and dried chicken brought by his mother-in-law. The variety of smells was overwhelming, enough to surprise anyone who came in.
