"Time to eat, kids."
Grandma Fang's kind, smiling voice reached their ears as she walked out of the kitchen carrying dishes.
"Grandma, let me help you."
Huo Tingjun quickly shrunk off the sofa, wanting to help.
Seeing this, Wen Xingyue also prepared to go.
She had never done any housework at home, but since Xiao Jun had gone, Wen Xingyue felt that she should go too.
"No need, no need, you can just sit and play."
Grandma Fang smiled and avoided her grandson's hand, as she was holding a hot dish that might burn the child.
"Mom, let me help you."
When Wen Xingyue saw that Grandma Fang had a little chubby baby, she went to the kitchen.
Inside, Mr. Huo and Mr. Fang were cooking, while Mrs. Huo and Fang Yihan were plating the food. After all, it was a birthday celebration, so making it look nice would be pleasing to the eye.
The men usually cook when they're not busy, but Grandma Fang specially cooked for her daughter's birthday today.
"Okay, this isn't hot. Be careful, Yueyue."
"We're all family," Mrs. Huo said with a smile, handing her a plate of cold dishes.
"Okay, I'll definitely hold it steady." Wen Xingyue nodded solemnly, holding the plate in her hands, as if she had been entrusted with a great responsibility.
"Yueyue, try this."
Fang Yihan found it amusing to watch her sister feeding her a piece of fried pork rib from a plate, just like she was coaxing a child.
"Thank you, Auntie." The delicious food was brought to her lips, and the tempting aroma wafted into her nose. Wen Xingyue subconsciously opened her mouth and took it in, her cheeks bulging. Her speech was a little unclear and sticky.
"You're welcome." Fang Yihan couldn't hide her smile and couldn't resist picking up a piece and putting it in her mouth.
The little girl looks so hungry when she eats.
Yes, it really is delicious.
With the addition of two hardworking little bees, Wen Xingyue and Xiao Pang, the living room table was soon filled with a full spread of dishes.
They can be fried, stewed, boiled, stir-fried, steamed, or served cold.
It was a feast; it was the first time Wen Xingyue had ever seen so much delicious food, and she couldn't take her eyes off it.
"Dinner's ready, dinner's ready."
Little Fatty sat on the stool, cheering excitedly.
"Eat, eat, hurry up, sit down and eat. Eat when you're hungry, don't wait for us."
Grandpa Fang sat in the seat of honor, beckoning them to eat, and then took the first bite of his chopsticks to put a piece of food on his wife's plate.
If my spouse and I don't eat, the children won't touch their chopsticks either.
After Fangwai Gong started eating, the others followed suit.
"Grandma's Four Happiness Meatballs are delicious. They might be a little hot inside, so be careful when you bite into them."
Wen Xingyue's bowl was piled high with dishes that her elders had placed on it. Huo Tingxiao picked up a meatball covered in a rich sauce and gave her some instructions.
"Okay." Wen Xingyue's cheeks were bulging as she ate one bite after another with gusto.
As a result, even my maternal grandparents, who were getting old and had a decreased appetite, were encouraged to eat a lot.
Fang Yihan, who always eats only in moderation to maintain her slim figure, was also tempted to eat more, even with tears in her eyes.
As for the Huo family, they've gotten used to it.
Seeing Wen Xingyue eating so heartily, they found it a pleasure to watch. Elders, in particular, love seeing their children eat well.
"So delicious!" Wen Xingyue's eyes lit up with each dish she ate, praising them generously, her rosy lips glistening with oil.
[Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, oh my god, how can it be so delicious? The outer skin is fried to a crispy perfection, and the fish meat inside is so tender that you'd want to swallow even the bones.]
Hearing her words, Huo Tingxiao, who was standing to the side, trembled as he picked up the fish with his chopsticks. He put the fish he was about to put into her bowl down, checked it carefully again, and only put it into her bowl after confirming that there were no fish bones.
This sweet and sour pork is so delicious! I love it! I wonder if Aunt Wang knows how to make it. I'll pester her to make it for me when I get home.
This spicy braised pork trotter is also delicious, sizzling and fragrant with spice.
[This braised pork ribs with chestnuts is delicious! The chestnuts are so soft and sweet, and the ribs fall right off the bone with just a gentle bite. I love it!]
This steamed egg with minced meat is also smooth, tender, and delicious.
This fermented fish is absolutely amazing, it's so delicious...
[Delicious, delicious, all of this is so delicious!]
The little girl's straightforward words and simple, sincere remarks made everyone laugh.
Having such a little foodie at home can improve one's appetite considerably.
"Big sister, I think if I can't eat anymore, I can come to your house for a free meal."
Fang Yihan nudged her older sister's arm and spoke in a low voice.
This is so delicious with rice.
I haven't met anyone who eats with such relish in a long time.
People nowadays eat at two extremes: either they are extremely reserved, eating only a few bites before saying they are full, or they eat quickly and hastily, as if afraid someone will steal their food.
"You can go to your sister's house for a meal while she's here, or you can eat at home. But what will you do when we're gone?"
When Grandma Fang heard this, the smile on her face faded considerably, and her kind face became somewhat sorrowful.
“You can’t cook. You can buy food outside when you’re young, but when you get old and your legs become weak, and you don’t have children or a partner, how will you live alone?”
Thinking that her youngest daughter was over thirty and still unmarried, Grandma Fang was so worried that she couldn't eat.
"Mom, it's my birthday today, can't we just not talk about this? When I get old, I'll have my own way of getting old. It's not like I can't live without getting married. Do you think everyone can meet a good man like Dad and my brother-in-law like you and my older sister? Why should I entrust my future to someone else?"
Pressuring her to get married again, Fang Yihan regretted what she had just said, her bright and elegant face showing a hint of helplessness and bitterness.
"I've enjoyed life to the fullest for the past few decades, so what's wrong with suffering a few years in my old age?"
Fang Yihan said it in a very serious tone.
Wow, Auntie's idea sounds really reasonable.
Wen Xingyue was enjoying her meal when she heard Grandma Fang speak. She immediately slowed down and listened quietly to the gossip.
There are so few fun things in this world; gossip is the greatest pleasure. With gossip at the forefront, even eating can be slowed down.
"What kind of nonsense is this? You'll suffer for a few years, and you'll regret it for those years! Would your mother harm you? After today, you'll be thirty-three. Tingxiao might even have a child soon, but you still don't have a place to settle down. How can your father and I rest in peace after we're gone?"
Grandma Fang was so angry that she felt extremely suffocated.
She and her father are getting old and might pass away any day. Her older sister is already married and has her own family. Although the two sisters have a good relationship, the older daughter has her own family and will inevitably have some things she can't take care of in the future. Unfortunately, the younger daughter is stubborn. Ever since they came back from the countryside, they have arranged blind dates for her, but every single one of them has failed.
Now, thirteen years have passed, and their youngest daughter is now a thirty-year-old spinster, still without a partner. Ironically, the youngest daughter isn't in a hurry, but her parents are so anxious that they can't eat or sleep.
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