Chapter 15 Big Chicken Drumstick
When Gu Mingda walked into the restaurant carrying Niu Niu, the noodles were just being served.
Zhang Yunniang only saw her husband holding a book in his hand and did not see the so-called black turtle at all. She opened her mouth to ask, but saw her husband gently shaking his head.
With years of tacit understanding between husband and wife, she immediately understood what he meant and stopped worrying about the issue.
Gu Mingda saw five bowls of plain noodles on the table and asked, "Did you just order noodles?"
Zhang Yuniang nodded.
Gu Mingda knew that his wife was always frugal, so he said, "It's rare for the children to come to the county, so we must let them eat some meat."
After that, Gu Mingda waved to the waiter of the roast chicken shop next door and said, "Please send us a roast chicken."
Zhang Yunniang didn't even have time to open her mouth before the shopkeeper took a roast chicken and started chopping it. The knife had already cut into the chicken, and if she tried to stop him at this point, she would be gossiped about.
Gu Zhao cheered on the spot: "Great! Great! We have roast chicken to eat!"
Niu Niu's eyes lit up, and she smelled the tempting aroma of roast chicken in the air with anticipation in her eyes.
The roast chicken is ready and delivered immediately after being cut.
Gu Mingda was the first to pick up his chopsticks. Before Gu Zhao could do anything, he stuffed the two big chicken legs into Niu Niu's and Zhang Yunniang's bowls respectively, and gave the two chicken wings to his two sons.
Gu Zhao frowned and said aggrievedly: "Dad, I used to eat big chicken legs, not small chicken legs!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunniang immediately wanted to take the big chicken leg from the bowl and give it to her younger son, but was stopped by Gu Mingda.
"This is what you should eat, no need to give it to him." Gu Mingda said.
Zhang Yuniang paused for a moment.
Gu Mingda turned around and looked at Gu Yan again, and asked, "Ayan, tell your brother why you do this."
When the thirteen-year-old Gu Yan heard this, he nodded like a little adult.
"Third brother, are big chicken legs good things?" Gu Yan asked.
Gu Zhao nodded vigorously and said, "Of course it's a good thing! Daddy always gave me one before, why not this time? Does he not love me anymore?"
Gu Yan did not answer him directly, but said: "Do you remember the story of Kong Rong giving away his pears that I told you before?"
Gu Zhao answered very honestly: "I don't remember."
Gu Yan didn't seem too surprised to hear this, and said in a gentle voice: "Then let me tell you again, there was a child named Kong Rong. One day, his mother brought many pears home..."
Gu Yan's voice seemed to have some kind of magic. Although he was clearly telling a story, Gu Zhao and Niu Niu were both drowsy and could hardly hold the bowls in their hands.
After Gu Yan finished telling the story, he concluded: "So, when dealing with people, we should know how to be humble and abide by the principles of filial piety and brotherhood. Did you remember this time?"
Gu Zhao narrowed his eyes, looking as if he wanted to fall asleep while sitting. If Niu Niu beside him hadn't been held by Gu Mingda, she would have fallen under the stool.
Gu Yan frowned slightly and raised his voice slightly: "Do you understand this story?"
Gu Zhao and Niu Niu finally woke up from their inexplicable drowsiness, looked at him dazedly, and nodded blankly.
Gu Yan nodded contentedly and said, "Both of them are so sensible, so I feel relieved."
Seeing that he felt he had completed his task and picked up the bowl to continue eating noodles, Gu Mingda and Zhang Yuniang looked at each other and laughed at the same time.
Gu Yan’s storytelling hypnosis method is still so effective. Gu Zhao has completely forgotten about the big chicken leg now.
But Niuniu suddenly raised her bowl and said, "Kong Rong gave up his pears, Niuniu will let Daddy eat the big chicken drumstick!"
Gu Mingda was so happy when he heard this that he patted his daughter's head and said, "Niuniu, good girl, today is your first time eating a big chicken drumstick. Daddy won't eat yours. I'll wait for you to give it to Daddy next time, okay?"
"Your father has eaten it many times, but you haven't eaten it yet. Come and eat it quickly." Zhang Yunniang said from the side.
After hearing this, Niu Niu stopped hesitating and took a bite. Her eyes immediately lit up and a strange glow appeared on her face.
Seeing his daughter enjoying the meal, Gu Mingda's appetite also improved, and he asked, "Is it so delicious?"
Niuniu nodded vigorously: "It's so delicious! Better than wontons! Better than duck eggs! Better than chestnuts! Isn't this the most delicious thing in the world!"
Zhang Yunniang felt a pang in her heart when she heard this. Roast chicken, wontons, duck eggs, and chestnuts were all things that Niu Niu had eaten after leaving the Zhang family. In the child’s poor memories, these were extremely rare delicacies.
Gu Mingda smiled and shook his head: "No, there are many things that are more delicious than roast chicken. Daddy will buy some cakes for Niuniu later. They are sweet, fragrant, and soft. When you take a bite, it feels like eating a cloud in your mouth."
Listening to Gu Mingda's description, Niu Niu felt as if she had entered a colorful dream.
She couldn't help but stretch out her little round hand and gently pinch her cheek. After feeling the touch, she was finally sure that such a wonderful life was not just a dream!
After finishing the meal, the family just walked out of the small restaurant and saw an old man on the corner of the street carrying a string of candied haws and shouting: "Candied haws~ If it's not sweet, I don't want any money~"
"Candied Haws!" Gu Zhao shouted happily, and then rushed towards the candied haws.
But just as he took a step forward, he seemed to be tripped by something and his body couldn't help but tilt to the left.
Gu Mingda was holding Niuniu, and Gu Yan was always mature and steady, so Zhang Yunniang's attention was always on Gu Zhao. She noticed his movement at the first time, grabbed the back of his neck, and barely pulled her son back from falling.
After making sure that Gu Zhao did not fall, Gu Mingda and Gu Yan looked at Niu Niu at the same time.
Niuniu opened her eyes wide, breathed a sigh of relief, turned to look at Gu Mingda, and said, "Dad, Third Brother didn't fall down, I'm really not a jinx!"
Gu Mingda nodded and said with certainty: "Your third brother was about to fall, but because of your reminder, your mother was always paying attention to him, so he didn't get hurt. Niuniu, you are the little lucky star!"
When Niu Niu heard this, her big eyes lit up like the stars in the sky, and she was as happy as a light bird.
The family strolled around the county for a while, bought cakes for the children, bought a piece of meat at the pork shop, and before leaving, sold the handkerchief embroidered by Zhang Yunniang to the embroidery shop.
No matter how much Gu Zhao begged, and even though he avoided the fall, Gu Mingda kept his word and refused to buy him the candied haws this time.
The return journey was also smooth. When the ox cart swayed into the village, I saw a few children looking forward to it at the entrance of the village from afar.
"Second Uncle is back! Second Uncle is back!" Gu Daya shouted.
"It's meat! Second uncle bought meat again!" Gu Jin jumped up with joy.
For the children of the first and third branches of the Gu family, every time Gu Mingda came back from outside, he would always buy meat for the family and bring snacks for them, just like the New Year.
"Why are you buying us cloth again? Your father and I are so short of clothes. You should save the money for Mingda to take the exam. You don't have to buy anything for us!"
Although Old Mrs. Gu said this, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up while she spoke.
Chen Chunhua was shameless and came over and said, "Mom, you don't need clothes, but your grandchildren do. My family..."
As usual, Mrs. Gu interrupted her eldest daughter-in-law's nonsense and said, "Are you blinded by greed? You want to covet the things that your own son gives to his mother! How come I have only seen the second son showing filial piety to me over the years? Why don't you and the eldest son buy something for me?"
The third daughter-in-law Liu Erni, who was also ready to make a move, immediately retracted her outstretched hand after hearing her sister-in-law being scolded.
Chen Chunhua, however, has always been a shameless person. She touched her nose and said, "I'm just worried that you have too much material to use up. Don't let it go bad."
"Bah! Major General, your abacus beads hit my face! Instead of talking nonsense here, you might as well feed the chickens!" Old Mrs. Gu scolded.
Old Mrs. Gu is not a fool. She can wear the cloth herself or give it as gifts to relatives, but she cannot give it to the other two families.
Sucking the blood of one son to subsidize the other two sons, isn't this intentional to make the second son feel disheartened and cause unrest in the family?
She is not that kind of stupid old lady who is biased!
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