I had heard of this opera appreciation banquet before, but I had never actually seen it live, let alone a Qinqiang opera version known for its high-pitched and passionate style.
To be honest, at the beginning, the sound coming from the loudspeaker was a bit intermittent, and coupled with the unique singing style of Qinqiang opera, Xie Yan was completely confused and didn't understand it at all.
But as the performance progressed, he was gradually drawn in by the actors' brilliant performances, and his attention became more and more focused.
Watching the actors' vivid expressions, graceful movements, and infectious singing, Xie Yan miraculously understood the plot, as if he had stepped into the world of opera filled with love, hate, and passion.
Only when the melodious and stirring opera music gradually faded away, and the last note dissipated into the air, did Xie Yan awaken as if from a dream, realizing that he had actually sat obediently and watched the entire play.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
He wondered to himself: Could it be that he's really getting old and the dormant opera genes in his body have suddenly awakened?
Listening to the lively discussion around him, Xie Yan silently pricked up his ears and nodded in agreement from time to time. Although he didn't quite understand some parts, he still grasped the general meaning.
Even if you don't quite understand some parts, you can still guess most of it through the actors' wonderful performances.
Yu Yue held Chaochao, who had fallen asleep sometime earlier, in her arms. Tongtong, on the other side, was also sleeping soundly with a rosy smile. The group slowly walked outside with the flow of people.
When I passed by a pancake stall, I stopped and bought a few pancakes for my elderly family members.
It's not that they're unwilling to buy other things; it's just that other things are inconvenient to carry. Take the noodles they ate for lunch, for example. If they took them back, the noodles would have become soggy and lost all their texture, making them unpalatable.
You can take the bridge-side jelly home, but you can also have some at home; Qian Hong just made some yesterday, and the same goes for the sweet fermented rice.
They were among the last to leave; there weren't many people left, and the stalls that had been hidden by the crowd were now visible.
Xie Yan's gaze was drawn to the zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) stall; the zongzi soaking in ice water seemed to exude an alluring magic.
He pulled Yu Yue back to that stall.
The rice dumplings here are all plain white rice dumplings. After being carefully steamed, they are placed in ice-cold water to soak.
When they arrived at the stall, the elderly woman who was selling the food heard Xie Yan say he wanted zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), and immediately started working quickly.
She skillfully scooped several rice dumplings from the icy water; the dumplings, still slightly cool, shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
The old lady gently peeled off the bamboo leaves, instantly revealing the plump, white rice dumplings inside, like freshly bathed white jade, exuding a faint aroma of rice.
After peeling the zongzi, the old lady carefully took out a separate bag and slowly filled it with her prepared honey water. The honey water was as clear and transparent as amber, which made people happy just by looking at it.
Honey is the soul of this rice dumpling. The amber-like, crystal-clear honey is slowly poured over the white rice dumpling, allowing every inch of glutinous rice to be soaked in it.
Take a gentle bite, and the first thing your tongue touches is the cool, refreshing sensation. Then, a sweet flavor spreads throughout your mouth, with the aroma of rice and the sweetness of honey blending together. The wonderful taste is truly unforgettable.
Xie Yan still remembers the amazement he felt when he first tasted it, which made him, someone who doesn't particularly like sweets, very happy.
Chaochao and Tongtong, the two little ones, woke up one after the other on their way home. Chaochao groggily opened her eyes and, realizing they were already on their way home, couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
Xie Yan found it amusing and looked at her, "Tell me, why are you sighing?"
Chaochao quickly stood up and carefully checked her skirt. Seeing that there were no wrinkles, she breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at Xie Yan, saying, "I wanted to look at other things, but there were too many people. I thought I would wait until there were fewer people before looking at them, but I actually fell asleep."
After saying that, she sighed sadly, looking as if she had missed something of great importance.
Xie Yan couldn't help but give her a light flick on the forehead and laughed, "You can still watch it tomorrow, it's not like it's only today. Why are you sighing like an old man?"
Chaochao touched her head, pretending to be angry, and glared at Xie Yan. "Dad, you can't hit my head. What if you make me stupid?"
Xie Yan laughed and coaxed, "Okay, okay, I know."
When they got home, it was already past six in the afternoon.
Just as Yu Yuehui picked up a potato to peel and cook, Mao Dan's clear voice came from outside: "Little aunt, little sister, Chaochao~"
Chaochao was having a great time playing with Tongtong when she heard Maodan's voice and immediately shouted back, "Brother, I'm here!"
Mao Dan's cheeks were rosy, like a ripe apple, clearly showing he had been baking in the sun all day. He ran in.
Before he could even catch his breath, he shouted impatiently, "Grandma wants you to come eat, hurry up!"
After saying that, he looked anxiously at Xie Yan. He had seen it when he left. Grandma had cooked meat today. If he had arrived late, his gluttonous parents would have eaten it all up.
Yu Yuehui, who was already peeling potatoes, put down her hands immediately upon hearing this and asked, "Is it already being made?"
Mao Dan nodded vigorously and urged, "Almost done. Grandma told me to call you over quickly, Auntie." After saying that, he turned to stare at Xie Yan, silently urging her on.
Xie Yan: "..."
Seeing this, Gu Bin picked up Tongtong and prepared to go home.
Tongtong was still a little reluctant. She turned to look at Chaochao, her eyes full of reluctance, and drew out the last syllable: "Sister Chaochao, come find me after you finish eating~"
Chaochao nodded earnestly, adopting the demeanor of an older sister, and before leaving, she added, "Then go home and eat well. I'll come find you after I finish eating."
Xie Yan couldn't help but find it amusing to watch the two little ones' reluctant farewell.
Gu Bin acted like a wicked mother-in-law who broke up a young couple, picking up Tongtong and leaving.
Yu Yue came out carrying the five tofu cakes and eight zongzi she had bought. Seeing the father and daughter staring blankly at Gu Bin and his daughter's backs, she said, "Let's go. Gu Bin and Tongtong have already gone far away. Why are you still looking?"
Seeing what Yu Yuehui was carrying, Chaochao immediately reached out, "Mom, I'll take the zongzi!"
Yu Yuehui knew immediately what she was up to, but she still smiled and gave her the zongzi, and also handed the tofu cake to Maodan.
The siblings, pulling their belongings along, ran off like two happy little rabbits.
When Xie Yan and Yu Yue arrived, they heard Chaochao's clear and loud voice: "Grandpa and Grandma, this is a gift Chaochao bought for you. Open it and try it!"
Xie Yan turned to look at Yu Yuehui and teased, "Is your daughter trying to steal the credit?"
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