After Lu Ting came out of Political Commissar Huo's office, he went to find his father Lu Fengnian and told him that he and his wife went shopping today and came across someone selling soft-shelled turtles, so they bought all of them and kept them in their big water tank.

"Dad, leave the fish for Yanyan to eat after she gives birth. The two grass carps and rabbit are specially prepared for you."

"Take it back and eat it yourself. Your brother isn't home, and your mom and I don't cook much sometimes. We just fry two eggs and a bowl of pickled vegetables. The rice wine is done, too. Do you want to buy two pounds to drink?"

"Dad, when you get home later, buy us two kilograms of rice wine in a bottle, and bring us some lees."

"You kid ordered me to do things."

"Dad, Zhenzhen is coming over for dinner tonight. You and Mom should come over too. We're having mushroom soup hot pot tonight. I've prepared a big soft-shelled turtle and a five-pound rooster."

"Okay, I get it. If nothing else, go back early. I heard that you even dug up a ginseng during this mission. You're amazing!"

Lu Ting was so upset, he almost died. His father was still talking about ginseng. Is ginseng as valuable as his life?

"Dad, I bought a few ginsengs from a mountain herder. I'll give you one to make medicinal wine."

Lu Fengnian knew that his son was a filial son, and he would prepare some good things for them.

He suddenly thought of his biological father. If he were still alive, he would try his best to let go of the past and be filial to him.

He has been without a mother since childhood, and now even his only father is gone. This feeling of being without a father or a mother is really not good.

"Ting'er, your father is still young. You can give that ginseng to your grandfather. When Xiaoyan gives birth, I will invite your grandfather to stay with us for a few days."

"Dad, I have several ginsengs in my hand. I will prepare some for grandpa, and I will give you a ginseng to soak in medicinal wine so I can drink some."

"That's what you said. I'll find a way to prepare a jar of white wine in the next two days, and you can go ask your father-in-law to prescribe a tonic to soak with ginseng."

"Okay, I understand."

Qin Zhen came over for dinner in the evening and brought two bars of soap for Su Yan, saying that they were welfare benefits given by the soap factory this month. Su Yan didn't need soap but she accepted it anyway. After all, it was a token of her thoughtfulness.

Lu Ting was killing chickens and turtles, Hua Jing was soaking mushrooms, and Su Yan pulled Qin Zhen back to her room and took out a yellow sweater that she rarely wore from the closet and gave it to her.

"Zhenzhen, please don't be disgusted by the fact that I've worn this sweater."

"Cousin, I can't have your sweater. You can continue to wear it after you give birth."

"You don't have to worry about me. I have two new sweaters in my closet. You can wear this one so you don't get cold at work."

Su Yan wanted to give Qin Zhen one of the original owner's old sweaters because she saw that Qin Zhen was wearing thin clothes and the cuffs of her sweater were torn as if they had been chewed by a dog.

Qin Zhen had no choice but to accept it. Su Yan asked her to take off her old sweater and let her mother help her mend it.

Su Yan is taller than Qin Zhen, so the sweater becomes a little big for her. Qin Zhen is quite happy about this because she can at least wear an extra layer underneath the sweater.

Hua Jing saw her daughter go into her nephew's wife's room and come out with a sweater in her hands. She asked, "Zhenzhen, what's going on?"

"Mom, my cousin's wife gave me her yellow sweater. I need to trouble you to add some wool and mend it again."

"Take the sweater back to the guest room. I'll buy you some yarn and help you mend it when I have time."

Lu Ting put the chopped soft-shelled turtle and chicken into an iron basin, washed the cabbage, spinach, coriander and Chinese cabbage, and then soaked a handful of sweet potato flour.

Su Yan had nothing else to do, so she helped prepare the sauces for the hot pot: minced garlic, minced ginger, peanut butter, sesame paste, beef sauce, secret chili sauce, chopped coriander, chopped green onions...

After a while, Hua Min came over with the wine dregs and Lu Fengnian came over with a pot of rice wine.

Su Yan then remembered that this was the rice wine that Lu Ting had steamed before he went on the mission.

When Lu Fengnian saw the turtle and chicken on the table, his face was full of smiles. He thought that since his son had returned, he would have a feast for the eyes. He didn't know where this kid got so many wild products from.

"The hot pot soup is boiling. Now we can pour the turtle and chicken in and simmer slowly. Ting'er, put this pot of rice wine on the stove to heat it up."

Lu Ting took the blow kettle and went to boil the rice wine. Drinking a bowl of hot rice wine in winter would make his hands and feet less cold.

Qin Zhen saw her aunt and uncle coming over and quickly called out, "Aunt, uncle."

"Zhenzhen is here, hurry up and sit down. The hot pot still needs to be cooked, or why don't we all have a bowl of sweet wine with the eggs first."

"Okay, Auntie."

"Sister, let me get the eggs and sugar."

When Hua Jing heard that there was a dish called "wine lees with eggs", she hurried to the cupboard to get the sugar jar and eggs.

Hua Min scooped two spoonfuls of wine lees into Su Yan's bowl, then cracked an egg into her bowl. "Xiao Jing, come here, put two spoonfuls of sugar in Yanyan's bowl."

It was Su Yan's first time drinking sweet wine lees with eggs, and it was surprisingly delicious, not fishy at all. Lu Ting and Lu Fengnian didn't drink it, as they were going to have hot rice wine later.

Twenty minutes later, Lu Ting used a slotted spoon to scoop out a few pieces of chicken for Su Yan. "The chicken is cooked. Yanyan, have some first. The turtle needs to be cooked a little longer."

Qin Zhen looked at Lu Ting. She thought her cousin was just pretending to be nice to his wife in front of outsiders, but she didn't expect him to be so nice to her at home as well.

Hua Min picked up a piece of chicken and placed it in Qin Zhen's dipping sauce bowl. "Zhen Zhen, what are you looking at? Eat it quickly!"

"Thank you, Auntie."

Hua Jing looked at her daughter with a smile, "Your cousin and his wife invited you to dinner, and they specially killed a chicken and a turtle for you. When you get married and invite them to your house for dinner, you must treat them warmly."

"I know, Mom."

Su Yan couldn't help but say, "Aunt, it's just a simple meal, but you're making it like a thank-you party. Eat quickly and eat more."

Hua Jing smiled awkwardly and ate her meal without saying anything else. Lu Ting poured a bowl of hot rice wine for his father, mother, and aunt, and asked Qin Zhen, "Would you like some rice wine?"

"Thank you, cousin. No thanks. Please pour a bowl for my wife."

Su Yan waved her hand, "No, I'll drink turtle soup later."

Lu Fengnian picked up a piece of chewy turtle skirt and handed it to Hua Min. "The skirt of this turtle is very thick today. It's good for you, my lady."

When Lu Ting heard what his father said, he quickly used a colander to scoop out the edge of the turtle skirt for Su Yan.

Hua Jing smiled as she watched her brother-in-law and nephew being so attentive to their wives, and thought to herself that she didn't know if the child's father missed her during the days she was away from home.

"Xiaoyan, Principal Zhu called and said Jin'er is dating his daughter. Do you know about this?"

"Dad, Xiao Jin didn't tell me about this, but I think I saw him writing a letter to that comrade Zhu Ting before. They must be in love."

"Since we're already talking about it, I'll go to the Zhu family to propose during the winter break, and let them get married next year."