bookrandom Chapter 479 Spring of 91
Chapter 479 Spring of 91
The arrival of winter vacation means that the Spring Festival is getting closer and closer.
Zhuang Chaoying found a professional renovation team through Uncle Wang to carry out a comprehensive renovation of the old house.
The house is currently being ventilated and is not suitable for living in yet.
Moreover, Ah Ling's small catering business is thriving, and she plans to keep it running for a few more years.
So we'll just leave the renovated house for now. We'll have a chance to live there someday, since the house won't just disappear.
Lin Wufeng took Song Ying and Lin Dongzhe back to his hometown in Fujian Province for the Chinese New Year this year. Before leaving, Song Ying specially stuffed a bulging red envelope into Yuyao's hand.
"Knock knock knock! In-laws."
With the Spring Festival approaching, Zhang's parents had discussed it with Tu Nan and Wan Shu a few days ago. They felt that it would be quiet and lonely for the three of them to spend the New Year, unlike the lively atmosphere of the villagers.
Tu Nan directly suggested that the two families spend the New Year together, so that he and Wan Shu wouldn't have to run back and forth between the two places.
At this moment, Huang Ling was holding onto a chair, watching Pengfei hang up cured meat.
Upon hearing the knock on the door, Huang Ling quickly gave instructions.
"Here they come, Pengfei, watch out!"
She walked quickly to the door, opened it, and saw her in-laws, a family of three, standing outside carrying a lot of things.
Mr. Zhang was carrying two live fish; Mrs. Zhang was carrying a basket of homemade cured meats.
Zhang Wanqing carried two bottles of Wuliangye liquor in one hand and two oil paper packages in the other. "Aunt Huang, these are freshly baked meat mooncakes, please try them."
"In-laws, Wanqing, didn't we agree that we didn't need to bring anything? Chaoying and I are overjoyed that you're here."
Huang Ling quickly made way for them and ushered them inside. "Chao Ying! Old Zhang and the others are here!"
Mr. Zhang responded with a smile. “Mother-in-law, we won’t be eating at home. Bringing the New Year’s goods we bought is perfect. It’s more lively when everyone eats together.”
"Okay, okay, come inside quickly." Huang Ling said as she took some of the items from their hands and led them into the house.
Hearing the noise, Zhuang Chaoying pushed open the kitchen window, poked her head out, her apron covered in flour, and held a bunch of green vegetables in her hand.
"Come in and sit down! I'll start preparing the New Year's Eve dinner right away. Today, I'm going to make sure you all try my signature braised pork!"
After Mr. and Mrs. Zhang politely greeted Mr. and Mrs. Huang inside the house, Mr. Zhang very consciously went into the kitchen to help his father-in-law with the chores.
Zhuang Chaoying pointed behind the door. "Tie on your apron."
Mr. Zhang skillfully tied on his apron, walked to the sink, carefully washed his hands, then took the cleaver from Zhuang Chaoying and began chopping minced meat.
He chopped the meat as he spoke with great enthusiasm.
"Old Zhuang, have you had any new works lately? Don't keep them to yourself! Let me feast my eyes first."
Zhuang Chaoying held a spatula in her hand, intently stirring the braised pork in the pot.
"Old Zhang, do you think it's like a hen laying eggs? You're so diligent. Good works take time to polish. I'll send you my new works as soon as they come out. How about that? Isn't that generous of me?"
"That's really kind of you, so kind of you!" Mr. Zhang laughed heartily, his hands moving faster as he chopped the meat.
The two men were working enthusiastically and in perfect harmony in the kitchen.
After chopping the meat, Mr. Zhang went to prepare glutinous rice flour. He then carried the flour out of the kitchen. The extra meat could be used to make a chicken and vegetable meatball soup.
In the living room, Huang Ling and Peng Fei had already set up a round table.
Tu Nan rolled up his sleeves. "You and Xiao Ting go play with your little sister. Peng Fei and I have been making glutinous rice balls since we were little, so we're pretty good at it."
Xiaoting squatted down next to Yuyao, making little noises that made the little one giggle.
Huang Ling, Pengfei, and Tu Nan were diligently making glutinous rice balls, while Huang's parents were teasing their little grandson, Yuyao.
"Yuyao, look! Your sister-in-law and sister are going to sing for you."
Xiaoting and Wanshu are carefully selecting cassette tapes, wanting to present everyone with a cheerful song.
"Sister-in-law, I want to sing 'A Game, A Dream'."
Zhang Wanshu was holding a shoebox and rummaging through a pile of cassette tapes. "This one is 'Little Sister Under the Streetlight,' Xiaoting, this one is nice too."
As she spoke, she pulled the cassette tape out of the shoebox and showed it to Xiaoting.
Xiaoting leaned over to take a look. "Sister-in-law, let's sing 'The Silent Ending' instead. We can have a love song duet."
Zhang Wanshu smiled and nodded, put the cassette tape back in the shoebox, then picked up the cassette tape of "The Silent Ending" and put it into the stereo system. The two of them each picked up a microphone.
As the intro began, Xiaoting cleared her throat and picked up the microphone.
"I once told you that this was a silent ending, and as the years have passed, I said that if one day I were to leave you, there would be no tears on my face."
After singing those two lines, Xiaoting quickly reached out and tugged at her sister-in-law, who was being fed oranges by her brother.
Zhang Wanshu quickly swallowed the orange in her mouth and lowered her voice slightly.
"But how can I stop thinking about you again? How can I, how can I bury all the memories?"
After the song ended, applause rang out in the living room.
Behind them, Mr. Huang held Yuyao's little hand and clapped gently for them.
"Sister, you and your sister-in-law sang so beautifully," Yuyao said in her childish voice.
After saying that, he ran over with his short legs and hugged one of their thighs.
Saliva dripped from the corner of her mouth, making her look incredibly cute.
Seeing this, Wanshu picked her up and took out a handkerchief from her pocket to gently wipe her drool. "What else does Yuyao want to hear?"
Yuyao tilted her head, trying hard to recall the lyrics, and said in a childish voice.
"Hmm? You want to listen? It's a song that Dongzhe-gege often sings, 'Love the Soldiers and Hari Raya'~"
"Hahaha! Okay, let your brother sing for you."
At this moment, the room was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.
In the kitchen, Zhuang Chaoying and Zhang's father were busy cooking.
The sizzling sound of the oil frying pan mingled with the shouts of Zhuang Chaoying and Zhang's father. "Old Zhang! Quick, get the plates!"
"It's here! This braised pork is guaranteed to be so delicious it'll make your teeth ache!"
At 7 p.m., the New Year's Eve dinner was finally ready.
The adults sat at one table, and the children sat at another, and the food on both tables was the same.
Chicken and vegetable meatball soup; smoked fish and braised duck; stir-fried shrimp; osmanthus-flavored lotus root; stir-fried bean sprouts; stir-fried celery; jellyfish head; braised fish; stir-fried tendon; poached chicken; braised pork.
Xiao Yuyao sat in a children's chair that her father had specially commissioned a carpenter to make.
Yuyao can already eat by herself. Although she makes a mess while eating, and her little hands and face get dirty, it is a good opportunity to train her to eat independently and develop her practical skills.
Tu Nan and Peng Fei sat on either side of her, keeping a close eye on her.
They originally wanted to send Yuyao to daycare, but Mr. and Mrs. Huang couldn't bear to part with her. They felt that Yuyao was still too young and wanted her to stay at home for another year before going to daycare next year.
Mr. Huang raised his glass. "This year is the first time that Wan Shu's parents are celebrating the New Year with us. It's also the most lively year so far. Let's all raise our glasses to celebrate the better 2019, and wish the children good health, smooth studies and work. Aunt Ling doesn't want me to drink too much, so I'll just have a sip. You can drink as you like."
After saying that, he glanced at Ah Ling's mother. "Just this one cup, don't worry, I won't drink any more."
Then, everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together.