Chapter 81: Hospitality
We passed through a lush sycamore avenue and bypassed several three- or four-story simple buildings.
Qiao Yingjing pointed to several large brick-red tiled houses not far away and said in a baby voice.
"Sister, that's our home."
After saying that, he ran over with his short legs, pushed the gate open with force, and waved his chubby little hands in the wind.
"Sister, hurry up."
When Mr. and Mrs. Qiao Zhiping saw how attentive their youngest son was, they didn't know whether to laugh or cry. They didn't usually get this kind of treatment.
"Xiao Fei, did you pick up the person?"
A middle-aged woman wearing a floral top and short hair in the yard next door came out of her house after hearing the noise.
"Yes, I got it."
Wang Xiaofei stepped forward with a smile, "Sister Guihua, this is our niece, Lin Siqiao."
After that, he introduced to Lin Siqiao that Sister Guihua was the lover of Deputy Captain Zhou.
This time they were able to be transferred here from Zhoudao thanks to the mediation of Deputy Headman Zhou, otherwise things would not have gone so smoothly.
Lin Siqiao nodded and greeted politely.
"Hello Aunt Guihua, I'm Siqiao."
"Okay, okay."
Aunt Guihua couldn't stop smiling. She looked Lin Siqiao up and down and said with emotion.
"They say that nephews resemble their uncles. This is absolutely true. This child looks exactly like your uncle Zhiping."
"Especially the eyes, they are so bright and they seem to be able to speak."
"No, thank goodness my brat takes after his dad."
"If I have single eyes like me, it will be difficult to find a wife when I grow up."
"No way, it looks good even if you follow me."
Aunt Guihua did not delay the family from having dinner and reminiscing about the past, and hurried back to the kitchen to bring out a plate of white pastries.
"This is the Chongming cake I just made at noon. It's still warm."
"Take it back and add some to the dish so the children can have a taste of it."
Chongming cake is a local specialty cake made from glutinous rice and white rice.
Aunt Guihua was generous with the ingredients, including a lot of red dates, walnuts and red bean paste.
You can tell at a glance that this cake tastes right.
The two families usually have frequent visits and their relationship is very good, so Wang Xiaofei did not refuse.
"Then thank you, Sister Osmanthus."
"What's the relationship between us? Come on, let's go back and eat."
After saying this, Aunt Guihua went back to the house to continue her work.
"Come on, let's go back too."
"Um."
The group entered the yard. The yards in the south are generally not very big. Lin Siqiao estimated that it was about 50 square meters.
The toilet is on the left side of the door, and on the right side is a vegetable garden, which is surrounded by a fence and planted with some seasonal vegetables.
There are also seven or eight chickens roaming around in the yard, and several green-headed mallards.
Wang Xiaofei likes cleanliness and originally didn't want to keep so many pets.
But the two sons insisted on raising the baby and even promised that they would never let her see even a little bit of chicken poop, so Wang Xiaofei just let them do as they pleased.
You know what, although these two kids are young, they are quite capable at doing things.
The eldest was responsible for feeding them, and the youngest, being young, took on the work that his brother didn't want, and shoveled chicken poop in the yard with a small shovel every day.
There are many small rivers and ditches on the island, and there are abundant snails, small fish and shrimps in the rice fields.
Just scoop some from the net bag and pick some vegetables from the vegetable garden and chop them up. These little chicks love to eat them.
After only a few months of raising them, the chickens and ducks at home have become plump and fat.
Knowing that their sister was coming over today, the two children were very happy. They specially picked a big and fat chicken and asked Wang Xiaofei to make it into a poached chicken.
After staying in the yard for a few minutes, everyone went into the house.
The house is a traditional three-room tiled house with a room on each of the left and right sides, which are divided into four rooms in total by partitions.
The living room is between the two rooms, which people here usually call the main room.
There is a door installed on the back wall of the main room. When you open it, you will see the kitchen.
Qiao Zhiping asked the two children to take Lin Siqiao to rest in the living room for a while, and he went to the kitchen to help his wife.
The meat dish has been prepared early in the morning, now just stir-fry two vegetables and we can start eating.
Lin Siqiao sat there with nothing to do and looked around the main room. There were not many furniture in the house at that time.
In the main room, apart from a high desk, there was only an octagonal table and four benches.
There is an oversized portrait hanging on the wall, with a wooden and glass frame next to it.
There are quite a few old black-and-white photos inside, most of which are one or two inches in size.
"Sister, please sit down."
The eldest brother, Qiao Yingchen, didn't talk much. Seeing that his sister was staring at the photos on the wall, he moved a stool for Lin Siqiao.
When Qiao Yingjing saw this, he realized that was not possible.
He immediately climbed onto the bench, picked up the teacup on the table and poured a cup of hot water for Lin Siqiao.
After thinking about it, he moved the small stool to the master bedroom and opened the cabinet door with great skill.
He scooped a full spoonful of brown sugar and added it in, then holding the teacup in both hands, he ran happily to Lin Siqiao's side.
He tilted his head back and blinked his round eyes again and again.
"Sister, have a drink."
“It’s very sweet.”
This scene reminded Lin Siqiao of an advertisement she had seen when she was a child.
A child about the same age as Yingjing, holding a basin of hot water, staggered towards his mother.
It's the same soft and cute expression, and even the tone of voice is very similar.
Help, how can there be such a cute little friend!
This was the first time that Lin Siqiao was taken care of by such a young man.
I couldn't help but half squatted down, rubbed his chubby cheeks, and pulled Yingchen over to the side.
"Thank you."
"But I can't finish drinking so much, can you help me share it?"
The two children were silent for a moment, then nodded.
Lin Siqiao divided the sugar water into three parts, and the three of them sat in a row on the same bench, talking and laughing.
"Okay, it's time to eat."
Wang Xiaofei came out of the kitchen with dishes in both hands. Lin Siqiao took the two children to the kitchen to serve the dishes, and soon the food was on the table.
Today's meal is particularly rich, including hairy crab fried with rice cake, poached chicken, fried loofah and edamame with dried shrimps, cold-mixed shredded pumpkin, fried white lentils with pickled cucumber, and grilled fish.
Fish-braised fish is one of Chongming's signature dishes for entertaining guests. It is made by braising various small fishes together with river shrimps, river crabs, snails, and tofu.
The taste is extremely delicious.
There is also golden pumpkin, which is also a specialty of Chongming. The pumpkin flesh is stringy and crispy, and the taste is very similar to cold shredded jellyfish.
Qiao Zhiping specially took out some white wine that he hadn't drunk for a long time. Wang Xiaofei was also a good drinker, so the couple each had a full glass.
Looking at his niece who has grown up and become a completely different person, Qiao Zhiping was so happy that he didn't know what to say.
But while he was happy, he also felt sad. It would have been great if his third sister were still alive.
With red eyes, Qiao Zhiping drank half the cup in one breath.
Lin Siqiao frowned, "Uncle, don't drink on an empty stomach. It's bad for your stomach."
"Well, uncle promises you."
Qiao Zhiping put down his wine glass and picked up a piece of chicken for Lin Siqiao.
"Try this boiled chicken. The chicken was fed by the two brothers themselves."
"It's usually very precious. We've moved here for about half a year, and this is the first time we've had it."
When the two brothers heard this, they immediately raised their heads from the bowls, looking as if asking for praise.
Lin Siqiao lowered his head and took a bite. The poached chicken made by his aunt had golden skin and tender meat.
When you take a bite, you can clearly feel the rich juice and the indescribable deliciousness.
"How is it? Is it delicious?"
“Mm, delicious.”
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