Chapter 284 Return to the Village
Dong Mei was so angry that she came out and started scolding everyone again. This time they quieted down completely, but the four of them were still angry with each other. When they had dinner, they were all silent as chickens and no one was willing to give way to speak.
In the end, Zhou Jianye and Sun Junwei chatted with each other, Zhou Chuyan and Zhao Xiaojing chatted with each other, and Zhao Xiaojing had to say a few words to Dong Mei from time to time. The meal did not feel like a reunion at all.
At the end, Sun Junwei and Zhou Jianye complained about their work and were heard by Zhou Chuyan, who said that he "has no ability but blames the environment". Before Sun Junwei could say anything, Zhou Jianye got angry again and scolded Zhou Chuyan, saying that "her temper is as bad as your mother's", which annoyed both Zhou Chuyan and Dong Mei. The three of them started the annual quarrel drama again, "You know who my temper is derived from", "You only come back once a year and have you said a good word", and "Do you two mother give us two the right to speak".
"Goodness, your third aunt's family really look like a family. They have quite consistent personalities. They never talk nicely when they're arguing." Su Yuchen listened in amazement. "How can ordinary people have such fighting power? They can't even stop arguing, but they can still keep fighting. They are really gifted."
"Who said it wasn't? That's why I quickly slipped away this morning. Besides, it's already the third day, and she's about to get mad at me. That's why I asked you to pick me up this morning. If you don't run away, I'll become a thorn in her side." Zhao Xiaojing laughed. "Why did you get up so early this morning? You sent a message saying you were leaving before I even woke up. What time did you wake up?"
"Five o'clock! I'm telling you, my mom is exaggerating!" Su Yuchen wailed, "She woke me up at seven o'clock yesterday to help, and as soon as I told her to wake me up when you were coming this morning, she started to get nervous! One moment she was nagging me to change the sheets, the next she was asking me to clean the room, the next she was asking me to buy you a toothbrush, towels, and slippers, and this morning she even told me to get up and leave at five o'clock! I said you weren't up yet, and she said I'd get up first, eat dinner, and leave first!"
"Pfft, Auntie is as good at execution as ever." Zhao Xiaojing couldn't help laughing. "You have breakfast so early?"
"Yeah! It's five o'clock, and she's already prepared breakfast. It's amazing!
You haven't eaten yet, have you? I just checked on the way, and there's no breakfast for sale. You'll have to wait until we get to my house to eat. My mom should have some left for you. She's going to fry hemp leaves soon anyway, and there's plenty of food at home."
"Fried hemp leaves! I haven't had this for a long time. It's a good opportunity to learn how to make it." Zhao Xiaojing said greedily.
Fried hemp leaves are a thinly rolled, deep-fried snack made from dough coated with black and white sesame seeds. When Zhao Xiaojing was a child, she'd always enjoy this snack during Chinese New Year visits to elderly relatives. The leaves are crispy and crunchy, and each family's recipe has its own unique flavor. The ones Zhao Xiaojing had during her visits have included sweet, milky, cumin, spicy, five-spice, honey, and more. Her favorite is the five-spice version made by her grandmother; it's so salty and fragrant that she can devour half a plate in one sitting.
Unfortunately, after that grandmother fell ill, the older generation either could no longer make it or passed away one after another. The younger generation did not like to make these oil-consuming and labor-intensive things, so gradually we no longer ate them.
As it was the first day of the Lunar New Year, the road to the countryside was clear and the car drove into the village for more than 40 minutes. The crackling sound of firecrackers could be heard from afar. When Zhao Xiaojing drove in, she saw that the ground was covered with remnants of firecracker red paper and various empty and flattened firecrackers. Some people were lighting and setting them off, looking very festive.
"It's really lively. Yangcheng stopped allowing anti-whiplash two years ago, but the village is still free."
"I'll take you out to see it tonight. If you want to set off fireworks, we can buy a big one. It's more lively at night. There are not many people setting off fireworks during the day, just firecrackers. Fireworks are more beautiful at night." Su Yuchen turned a corner and drove to a small courtyard at the outermost edge of another road.
The gate of the courtyard was open, and Su Yuchen drove straight in and parked inside the courtyard. As soon as Zhao Xiaojing got out of the car, she saw Su's mother wearing an apron and frying hemp leaves in the kitchen outside.
Su's mother had a round face and a big mouth. She was adding hemp leaves and turning them over in the wok at the same time. Her movements were very skillful and she looked simple and capable.
"Hello, Auntie!"
"Hey! Xiaojing is here! Have you eaten?" Mother Su looked up and greeted Zhao Xiaojing.
"Not yet, I'm waiting to eat your fried hemp leaves!" Su Yuchen said as he closed the car door.
"Oh, that's perfect. There's some rice left in the pot. Hurry up and serve some to your classmates!" Mother Su pointed at the pot behind her and instructed Su Yuchen. "See if the rice is still hot. If it's not, pick up two sticks and heat it up."
"It'll take a while to fry the hemp leaves. Oh, Xiaojing, you don't know, Chenzi and her father are starving to death. I fried them before the New Year to serve to guests, but she came back and finished them in two days! Not only did she eat them without saying a word to her father, she also ate them together and enjoyed them more and more. I can't even serve anything to the guests today!" Su's mother glared at Su Yuchen and complained to Zhao Xiaojing.
"That means Auntie's fried food is delicious! Suozi has a very picky taste. She won't take a second bite of anything that doesn't taste good." Zhao Xiaojing laughed happily. Su's mother was quite familiar with him.
"She's reaching out from her throat—she's too greedy! Just like her father, she's already gobbled up half of the Beijing fruit, plum beans, and fried dough sticks I made for her. If I don't ask them to do some work, I'll lose all these snacks for my guests!"
"Or I won't eat, and you can ask my dad to do the work alone?" Su Yuchen opened the steamer to test the temperature, then took the tongs and picked up a few pieces of firewood from the big stove on Su's mother's side to heat up the rice.
"Your dad, your dad only knows how to eat!" Su's mother complained, "I told him to go to the fields to pick vegetables, and he hasn't even brought any back yet. Guests are coming to pay New Year's greetings soon! They're coming to pay New Year's greetings to him, and he's been dawdling all day long, like a quack selling ointments—all talk and no action!
"Xiao Jing, please go sit in the main room. The meal will be heated up soon. Chenzi will bring it to you. Go up to the room and warm up first!"
"Just eat in my kitchen. It's troublesome to carry things back and forth. You won't be cold while you're lighting a fire." The kitchen in Su Yuchen's house is large and well-lit. Next to the earthen stove is a large table surrounded by four old-fashioned benches, which looks like a dining table.
"As long as you don't mind the things piled up everywhere and can't move away, it's fine. We eat here in the morning to save trouble. Usually at noon, guests eat in the main hall. The main hall is big and has plenty of space to sit." Su's mother explained.
"Warm, almost done. If it's too hot, let it cool down." Su Yuchen lifted the lid of the steamer and took out the food from the pot with a rag. There were three large buns, a bowl of millet porridge, a plate of mixed braised vegetables, and a plate of cured fish. The plates and bowls were all large and generous.
"Auntie, you left so much for me? I'm afraid I can't finish it..." Zhao Xiaojing was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
"If you can't finish it, eat as much as you can! Look how thin you are, eat more, don't be afraid of getting fat!" Su's mother said happily.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
