The next day, Qi's mother got up early to cook, steamed a pot of cornbread, and reheated yesterday's dishes. Qi Zhijun went to call Wang Dong and Wang Fang to come over for dinner. After everyone was seated, they found that Xiao Cui had not come.
Qi Zhijun, looking somewhat awkward, picked up a bowl and chopsticks, put some food on Xiao Cui's plate, and placed two steamed buns on it before handing them over. After everyone left, Qi's mother, without even lifting her eyelids, said, "Let's eat. Don't pay any attention to them."
Wang Dong said embarrassedly, "If your aunt doesn't want us to come, then forget it. We'll just eat at home."
Qi Zhifang said, "It's alright, it's good that you're here. It was already agreed on yesterday, and now it's up to your maternal grandmother to decide who marries you."
After taking a small bite of cornbread and swallowing it slowly, Qi's mother said, "Say less, Dongdong. You've given most of your food coupons and money to Fangfang. Where would you get money for food? Come here. We can manage at home. Do you think we'd be short of food for just the two of you?"
After Qi Zhijun entered, the group stopped talking and ate in silence. That evening, Qi Zhijun looked at Xiao Cui, who remained motionless on the bed. He sighed, sat down on the edge of the bed, and said, "What's wrong? Still upset? Enough already. It's New Year's Eve today. We should at least have dinner together tonight, shouldn't we?"
Xiao Cui snorted coldly, "Qi Zhijun, don't bother me. If I can't afford to fight your family, can't I at least avoid them? I'm already full just looking at your hypocritical faces, why would I want to eat?"
Qi Zhijun chuckled softly, "Alright, even if I was wrong, you can't go against your own stomach, can you?"
Xiao Cui pulled the blanket over his head and muttered, "What's it to you? We're a couple who've been talking about divorce all along. Even if we've shared a bed, we're not that close as strangers. Get out!"
Qi Zhijun sighed, knowing that it was impossible to get Xiao Cui out today, but still served Xiao Cui the food.
Qi Zhifang, unable to bear it any longer, called out "Brother" once, but her mother stepped on her foot and calmly said, "Come and eat. This year, let's not be shy and have a good meal."
The food on the table was eaten clean, a harmonious scene tinged with an eeriness...
Although their lives were a mess, he still loved Xiao Cui more, since Wei Shuqing had never received the same treatment from him.
Furthermore, the Zhao family prepared six dishes for their New Year's Eve dinner: a braised carp, celery stir-fried with shredded pork, stewed pig's trotters, braised pig's feet, stir-fried wood ear mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, and pork, plus minced meat stewed with tofu.
Zhao Dahu and his father were drinking a little wine when Zhao Dahu said, "I remember when my grandparents were alive, they would eat tofu every year during the Spring Festival. I always ate the most, and my grandparents would say that I was lucky. Now that I think about it, it really is true."
Wei Shuqing asked in confusion, "Why? Oh, right, Mom, I'm wondering the same thing. Every year our family has such a big plate of tofu."
Father Zhao laughed and said, "Tofu sounds like 'doufu' in Chinese! It's all about wishing for the coming year! Da Hu eats the most every year!" He chuckled softly, "But speaking of which, what don't you eat the most? You've been able to eat since you were little, like a bull."
Then Aiguo, his face full of wrinkles like a big chrysanthemum, said, "Oh dear! Aiguo's appetite is still a bit lacking compared to your father's."
Wei Shuqing was speechless. Even so, it was still not enough. Looking at Zhao Dahu, he was all muscle and bone. At 183 centimeters tall, he looked like he was overnourished.
Looking at Zhao Aiguo, she's already numb to this issue, just by talking.
Zhao's mother nodded and said, "He doesn't have as good an appetite as our Da Hu did when he was little." She then placed a pig's trotter on Zhao Aiguo's plate. "My precious grandson, have another pig's trotter! It's good for your skin, eat more of it, and you'll grow up healthy. We can't let your father ruin your health; we don't want you to look like him!"
Zhao Dahu said with a smile, "My son is very handsome!"
Zhao Aiguo nodded, put down the pig's trotter he had just finished eating, and scooped a bowlful into each person's bowl with a spoon, saying, "Then the whole family has to eat this, we all have to be blessed, and our family all have to be lucky people."
"Yes, yes, my grandson is right!" "Yes, yes, my son is right!"
Wei Shuqing could only smile. Zhao Aiguo was becoming increasingly glib, and with his doll-like appearance, he was utterly irresistible. She shook her head and decided to eat instead.
After the New Year, all industries resumed work. On this workday, Qi Zhifang rushed to the supply and marketing cooperative after get off work at noon to exchange her coupons for supplies: four cans of meat, one pound of brown sugar, three pounds of cotton, two pounds of yarn, and three pounds of sausages. Just as she finished counting the items and was about to leave, she saw her lover, Flamingo, accompany a beautiful woman in her thirties, wearing a royal blue dress and high heels, with a long braid.
For a moment, seeing her dressed like that, she thought that Lao Liang couldn't forget her and had found her a stand-in.
Looking into Lao Liang's affectionate eyes and refined demeanor, she felt a pang of bitterness in her heart and quickly moved aside. Seeing Lao Liang treat that woman the same way he had treated her, she felt as if thousands of jars of aged vinegar were being stirred up inside her.
"Old Liang, do you have enough food vouchers?" the woman asked Old Liang coquettishly.
Old Liang nodded, "That's enough, buy whatever you want today!"
The woman smiled haughtily as she selected items from the sales clerk. She bought four cans of meat, four cans of fruit, four cans of fish, and two pounds of peach shortbread. Old Liang paid the bill attentively.
The two of them hurriedly left after buying their things. At that moment, she felt a pang of sympathy for Li Yuemei, but also a touch of schadenfreude. Then she quickly went to the post office, packed the items, and sent them to Wang Fang, as if she had accomplished something momentous.
When Qi Zhifang returned to her workplace, she received a package at the gate, weighing approximately twenty pounds. After checking the address, she found it was from a coal mine in Northeast China, which puzzled her. Nevertheless, she carried it away.
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