With the mindset of 'if I can't beat them, I'll join them,' Jiang Si immediately nodded in agreement.
"Okay, I'll do as you say. I'll make a few more dishes."
The main thing about Chinese New Year is to have fun.
Soon, Uncle San and Uncle Zhong finalized the menu!
There are dishes such as braised goose in an iron pot, poached Wenchang chicken, crab with scallions and ginger, braised mutton, lemon spicy and sour shrimp, pig's trotters and kidney bean soup, and stir-fried pork ribs with rice cakes.
Fish is an indispensable part of the New Year's dinner table for people in the South, so steamed fish is a must.
Then add a few more vegetable dishes, and that should be about right.
Uncle Zhong is in charge of cooking today's New Year's Eve dinner, while Third Uncle is in charge of washing and preparing the vegetables.
Although Jiang Si's cooking skills are not excellent, her knife skills are quite good.
It cuts meat and vegetables quickly and evenly.
The three chatted and laughed, and got busy quickly.
Around 5:30, Uncle Zhong started cooking right on time.
Before long, the table was filled with fragrant dishes.
A little later, Xu Mingjuan brought over a bowl of oily, spicy diced chicken.
Jiang Si didn't stand on ceremony with her; she just loved eating spicy and sour food.
I accepted the gifts, gave her a bowl of braised pig's trotters in return, and also packed her some durian that I had roasted myself.
It's called roasting, but it's really just putting it in an iron basin and then heating it on a stove for a while.
Heated durian has a less pungent smell that most people can tolerate.
Sure enough, Xu Mingjuan's eyes lit up after taking a bite.
Not long after Xu Mingjuan left, the brothers Wei Dong and Wei Min also arrived.
"Auntie, this is the braised pork my mom made. I'm adding it to your meal."
Jiang Si smiled and accepted it, then asked the two brothers for their opinions.
Finally, I gave them a bowl of pork ribs with rice cakes and a serving of roasted durian.
Upon seeing durian, the two brothers' expressions turned particularly melancholy.
However, ever since they were 'punished' that day, the two of them no longer dare to speak recklessly!
After all, the word "durian" is too difficult to write.
I need to write it 1000 more times.
Just thinking about it is terrifying.
"Thank you, Auntie!" the two brothers said in unison.
Just as the two were about to go home, Jiang Si called them back.
They each slipped a red envelope into their hands, though neither of them initially wanted to accept it.
Until Jiang Si said, "If you don't want them, I'll buy you some workbooks and send them over tomorrow..."
Upon hearing this, the two brothers accepted the red envelope without saying a word.
Huo Tingzhou returned around this time, and saw the two brothers running faster than rabbits.
He asked in surprise, "What's wrong with them?"
Jiang Si pursed her lips and smiled slyly, "Maybe it's because I'm too happy during the New Year."
After saying that, she took his arm and said, "The food is ready, we're just waiting for you to come back and set off the fireworks."
As if to fit the occasion, she had barely finished speaking when...
Another burst of firecrackers rang out in the family compound.
Jiang Si instinctively covered her ears, "It's much more lively celebrating the New Year here."
"Why do you say that?" Huo Tingzhou said, pulling the person along as they walked into the courtyard.
Jiang Si smiled and said, "I heard from my grandparents that they didn't put up any Spring Festival couplets this year, and they didn't buy any fireworks or firecrackers either."
Huo Tingzhou looked puzzled. "You called your grandparents?"
"Well, I didn't have anything to do this afternoon, so I went to the communications unit to make a call and wish my grandparents a Happy New Year in advance."
"Didn't we already offer prayers that day?"
"That day was that day, today is different,"
Jiang Si placed the matchbox in his palm. "Today is New Year's Eve. Call home; they'll be even happier."
That's true. Grandpa and Grandma Huo had just received a phone call from their eldest son's family in Xinjiang Province.
The elderly couple sat in the living room, sighing and lamenting, "I wonder how our third son and the others are doing."
The next second, the phone in the living room rang.
Although the whole family couldn't spend the New Year together this year, Grandpa Huo and Grandma Huo were still happy to receive phone calls from their eldest brother and Jiang Si.
The elderly couple were overjoyed.
"By the way, my older brother said they'll be going back to Beijing for the Chinese New Year at the end of this year. Let's go back and celebrate together then."
Jiang Si smiled after speaking, "It's more lively with more people."
Her due date is October 9th, and theoretically, if she's carrying twins, labor will start earlier.
Therefore, the baby will most likely be born in mid-to-late September.
By the time Chinese New Year arrives in February, the baby will already be over five months old.
Going back by train shouldn't be a big problem.
"But it's too early to say that now. Let's see when the time comes."
"Okay." Huo Tingzhou nodded.
As they spoke, the two went outside together.
Jiang Si quickly covered her ears, but the crackling sound she had imagined did not occur.
There was no scene of it shooting into the sky with a whoosh and then exploding into a flower with a bang.
Did you buy a dud?
Jiang Si looked puzzled and listened to the noises coming from other houses.
Why isn't ours as loud as the others'?
Huo Tingzhou awkwardly touched his nose. "It's not a dud."
“Isn’t that right?” Jiang Si said, “Listen to what other people are doing.”
At this time, Mr. Hu's family next door also started setting off firecrackers in preparation for their New Year's Eve dinner.
Huo Tingzhou had no choice but to confess that because the supply of fireworks and firecrackers was limited at the time, there were two types available on the market.
The one he bought didn't contain much gunpowder.
Huo Tingzhou: "The point of celebrating the New Year is to have a festive atmosphere; there's no need for it to be too loud."
Jiang Si opened her mouth, about to speak.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
