After Li Xiangkang returned, the house became exceptionally lively. He would tell everyone some interesting stories that happened at school, making everyone laugh.
Li Xiangkang's storytelling was so vivid that Yan Qingqing laughed until tears almost came to her eyes.
Seeing that Yan Qingqing was happy, Li Xiangkang took the opportunity to make a request: "Mom, I haven't eaten your cooking in a long time. Could you cook me a nice meal?"
Yan Qingqing naturally wouldn't refuse her son's wish to eat it, so she smiled and said, "Okay, it's definitely no problem if our Fourth Son wants to eat it. How about I make you a whole fish feast tomorrow?"
Upon hearing this, Li Xiangkang grinned and said, "I love anything Mom makes."
Actually, it wasn't just Li Xiangkang who was happy; everyone else was happy too, because they were also enjoying the delicious food that Yan Qingqing was cooking for them.
The next morning, Li Xiangping instructed Ah Er to go into town to buy fish.
Ah Er came back right after they had just finished breakfast.
In addition to buying a large bucket of fresh fish, he also bought more than half a bucket of shrimp and several crabs.
Yan Qingqing hadn't eaten seafood since arriving here, so she was very happy to see shrimp and crabs.
Ah Er was still feeling uneasy about making a decision on his own initiative, but seeing Yan Qingqing happy, he felt relieved and said, "I saw an old man selling things next to the fishmonger, but no one was buying anything from him."
They all said that this stuff tasted fishy and unappetizing, so I bought it because I couldn't stand it.
"I'm glad you don't blame me, Madam."
Yan Qingqing laughed and said, "This is good stuff. The reason they say it's fishy is because they don't know how to cook it. I'll show you how to make it later so you can try it."
After Yan Qingqing finished speaking, she instructed someone to take these things to the kitchen and process them first.
The fish must be killed since they are fresh, and the crabs and shrimp must be cleaned. The shrimp veins must also be removed.
Because Ah Er bought a lot of things, and there were only two cooks in the kitchen, it took them a long time to process everything.
Yan Qingqing went back inside to change into some neat clothes, then wrapped her arms with strips of cloth before going into the kitchen.
Soon, a delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.
Yan Qingqing made sweet and sour carp, braised fish, sauerkraut fish, boiled fish, braised shrimp, boiled shrimp in salt water, and steamed crab. Considering that Jinxiu and Li Xiangyang were relatively young, she also made shrimp paste especially for them.
In addition, He Niangzi and the others prepared some seasonal vegetables, making Li Xiangkang's mouth water as he looked at the large table full of food.
Ah Da and the others were also peeking around, and Yan Qingqing said with a smile, "There's still some in the kitchen, you can share it."
Upon hearing this, Ah Da and the others ran faster than anyone else and disappeared in an instant.
Yan Qingqing sighed helplessly as she looked at the group of gluttons in her house. Whose servants are like theirs?
Li Xiangkang swallowed hard, smelling the delicious aroma of the food, and asked, "Mom, when can we start eating?"
Not only was Li Xiangkang tempted, but Li Xiangping and the others were also almost unable to resist. However, they were all much more reserved than Li Xiangkang.
Yan Qingqing looked outside and said with a smile, "We'll be able to eat soon."
As soon as she finished speaking, a tall and slender young man walked in; it was Xiao Mochen.
The four Li brothers, Li Xiangkang and Xiao Mochen, were the closest. As soon as he saw Xiao Mochen, he would run to him.
Xiao Mochen is now half a head taller than Li Xiangkang.
However, Li Xiangkang was a clever man, and he had made great progress in his studies over the past few days, so he didn't mention the matter at all.
The two whispered to each other in the courtyard for a while. Yan Qingqing looked at the food on the table and said, "Why don't you two go to the study to talk? We'll eat first."
Xiao Mochen was so engrossed in listening to Li Xiangkang talk about his achievements at school that he forgot there were other people in the room.
So he quickly walked in and smiled at Yan Qingqing, "Auntie, I was just having a good time chatting with my fourth brother and forgot. Please don't be angry with me, Auntie."
Yan Qingqing snorted and said, "If I get angry with you guys every day, I'll die of anger. Come and eat."
Yan Qingqing spoke to Xiao Mochen very rudely, just as she did to Li Xiangkang and the others.
But Xiao Mochen was very happy, which proved that his aunt did not treat him differently. He was important to his aunt.
Ever since Li Xiangyang saw Xiao Mochen, he has been drooling and babbling, twisting his body to find Xiao Mochen, and even his wife can't hold him.
Seeing this, Xiao Mochen naturally took Li Xiangyang and even wiped her drool without any disgust.
Li Xiangkang looked at Li Xiangyang with a hint of jealousy and said, "Xiao Qi, why won't you let your fourth brother hug you? I'm your own brother!"
Li Xiang'an said mercilessly, "It's because you're not as good-looking as Mo Chen. Our Xiao Qi only likes good-looking people."
If Li Xiang'an hadn't mentioned it, Yan Qingqing wouldn't have noticed, but it seems to be true.
Of the children in the family, Li Xiangkang is still a bit chubby because he hasn't fully grown up yet, while Li Xiangan is currently the best-looking and Li Xiangyang likes him the most.
But as soon as he saw Xiao Mochen, Li Xiang'an was forgotten, and Li Xiangyang clung to Xiao Mochen like a pendant.
This discovery made Yan Qingqing want to cover her face; her daughter had been lecherous since she was little. What would she be like when she grew up?
But that's at least a decade or more from now, so it's too early to worry about these things.
Yan Qingqing was very open-minded; if she had to worry about everything, she wouldn't want to live anymore.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, he urged them to sit down and eat.
They were starving, and as soon as Yan Qingqing spoke, the whole family quickly sat down and began to eat heartily.
Xiao Mochen knew the fighting power of the Li siblings. His aunt had finally cooked a meal, and he was afraid that if he ate too slowly, there wouldn't be any left.
He held Li Xiangyang in one arm and chopsticks in the other, yet his eating speed did not slow down at all.
By the end, everyone had eaten until their bellies were round and full.
Li Xiangkang, in particular, was so full he was lying back in his chair, saying, "Mother's cooking is so delicious! It's a pity my stomach is too small to eat so much. If Third Brother were here, he definitely would..."
Before Li Xiangkang could finish speaking, he saw Li Xiang'an frantically giving him meaningful glances.
But it was too late; he noticed his mother's complexion was not good.
So she asked cautiously, "Mother, do you miss Third Brother?"
During the time Li Xiangjian was away in the army, Yan Qingqing tried her best not to think about him, because once she did, she would worry and couldn't sleep. After all, he was just a teenager.
But that little rascal Li Xiangjian has never written a single letter home.
All my efforts in teaching him over the past year have been wasted.
Xiao Mochen comforted Yan Qingqing, saying, "Aunt, the journey to the border is long, and Third Cousin may not be settled yet."
At this moment, Li Xiangjian, who was far away at the border, was carrying out a mission, but he couldn't help sneezing. In order not to be discovered by the enemy, he held it in.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com