Just then, Zhouzhou ran in carrying a small bowl of fried radish balls. Seeing her aunt crying, she picked up a steaming radish ball with her chopsticks and held it to Zhou Qiqi's lips.
Zhouzhou, this little girl, can speak quite fluently now, but she still prefers to solve problems through actions.
Zhou Qiqi was amused by her actions and stopped crying. She wiped away her tears, smacked her lips, and said:
"Mom, these meatballs are so delicious! They're crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and juicy!"
She hasn't properly eaten homemade fried meatballs for the Lunar New Year for many years.
When I lived alone in my past life, I always felt that frying meatballs was too much oil and too much trouble, and I couldn't eat many by myself, so I never made them.
At most, I can buy some ready-made food to satisfy my cravings, but nothing tastes as good as homemade.
Qin Peilan was overjoyed to see that her daughter-in-law liked it, and smiled:
"Eat as many as you like! They're frying right now, there's plenty!"
Zhou Qiqi didn't mind the heat and followed her mother-in-law into the kitchen. Leaning against the door frame, she watched Qin Peilan skillfully prepare the food while blowing on it, happily eating several pieces in a row.
The oil sizzled in the pan, filling the entire kitchen with its aroma.
As Qin Peilan turned the meatballs over with long chopsticks, she recalled with a smile:
"When I think of Huaichuan and his friends when they were little, they were just like you are now, always waiting around the pot for the meatballs I just fried, like hungry cats! It's been a long time since I've fried New Year's treats so properly."
"The last time it was this lively was when your grandma was still alive. It was also during the Lunar New Year. The next day, we were preparing to go back to our hometown to visit relatives. The night before, I fried a lot of dough cakes to have as provisions for the journey. But guess what? Those three boys, Huai Shan, Huai Yue, and Huai Chuan, while they were still hot, each of them secretly ate more than half of them! The next day, when we set off, the food bag was empty, and the three big boys were starving on the road. I was so angry!"
Shen Zhenbang, who was helping peel garlic nearby, couldn't help but laugh and chime in:
"That's right! I remember it clearly! Back then, Huai Shan was already a twenty-year-old young man, and he was still fooling around with his two younger brothers!"
That's how it is during the Spring Festival. When people have some free time and get together, they always like to reminisce about the past.
As Zhou Qiqi listened, a thought suddenly struck her.
She suddenly seemed to understand why Shen Huaichuan liked to eat fried dough sticks.
She silently calculated the time; that year was probably the last time the three brothers would spend a lively New Year together.
The following year, his elder brother, Shen Huaishan, went to the border battlefield, and then... he never returned.
That turned out to be the last meal the three brothers had together.
Thinking of this, Zhou Qiqi felt a pang of tenderness in her heart, and she softly suggested:
"Mom, Dad, how about... we fry some dough cakes this year? Not too many, just a few. Tomorrow we'll drive back to City B to visit my second brother and sister-in-law at the military hospital and bring them some of the festive spirit from home."
Qin Peilan and Shen Zhenbang were both taken aback: "So sudden?"
The elderly couple's annual tradition is to return to the military hospital in City B after the Lunar New Year, around the seventh or eighth day of the new year, to accompany their second son and daughter-in-law. They stay there for two or three months without fail.
That was the plan for this year as well.
Zhou Qiqi smiled and said, "Why not? It's a time for family reunion during the Spring Festival. My second brother and sister-in-law are also family. While the whole family is together and the festive atmosphere is strong, let's have a spontaneous family reunion and bring them the joy and flavor of home!"
Qin Peilan and Shen Zhenbang exchanged a glance, both seeing attraction and agreement in each other's eyes.
The elderly couple exclaimed in unison, "Okay! We'll do as Qiqi says! This is a great idea!"
Seeing that they agreed, Zhou Qiqi immediately made the arrangements:
"Mom and Dad, you'll have to work hard. Keep kneading the dough and let it rest. I'll go tell Huaichuan to check the Jeep beforehand and fill it with gas. We'll set off first thing tomorrow morning!"
She went out of the kitchen to look for Shen Huaichuan, but after searching the house and the surrounding area, she couldn't find him.
This man, I don't know what's wrong with him, he's been disappearing like a ghost these past few days, you can't find him if you don't see him for a while.
She had no choice but to entrust the matter to Qin Lei, who had been helping out at home.
Upon hearing this, Qin Lei immediately straightened his back:
"Okay! Don't worry, sister-in-law, I'll go to the logistics department right away to drive the car out for inspection and refueling! I'll be here on time to drive it tomorrow morning!"
Zhou Qiqi shook her head and said with a smile:
"Goodbye, Qin Lei. It's almost Chinese New Year. You should take a few days off too. Even if you can't go back to your hometown, you can rest in the military dependents' area or go to the city and have a nice date."
Qin Lei's face flushed slightly, and he scratched his head: "A...a date? What are you saying, sister-in-law?"
Zhou Qiqi winked mischievously and smiled:
"Alright, stop pretending to be confused! I know everything. You're dating Wang Chunyan from the military arts troupe, aren't you? That young lady has it tough, so you should spend more time with her and treat her well!"
Qin Lei, having been caught out, chuckled sheepishly and nodded vigorously.
"Yes, sister-in-law, I understand! I will definitely treat her well!"
After arranging the car, Zhou Qiqi went back to help her mother-in-law pack her things, her mind preoccupied with tomorrow's itinerary.
Almost an hour later, Shen Huaichuan returned from outside.
Zhou Qiqi asked him where he had gone, but Shen Huaichuan's eyes flickered and he stammered, unable to give a clear answer.
Seeing his expression, Zhou Qiqi didn't press him further and told him about the family's decision to visit her second brother and sister-in-law in City B the next day.
After listening, Shen Huaichuan paused for a moment, looked deeply at Zhou Qiqi, his eyes filled with emotion, and said softly:
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