The next day, the family usually had dinner on New Year's Eve. They had to prepare the evening dishes during the day, so they had no time to make breakfast and lunch. Xu Manman prepared the meat filling and asked the family to make dumplings to fill their stomachs the next day.
I had to prepare the dishes and make dumplings. The pot at home was on low heat and I was busy all the time until almost 10 o'clock.
On this day, not only Xu Manman's family, but the entire tube-shaped building was filled with the aroma of oil and meat. The family building was inhabited by employees. No matter how bad the conditions were, it was always possible to get some meat throughout the year.
On the 30th day, everyone in the family is busy. Some are cooking, while others are cleaning up the chairs, benches, bowls, chopsticks and wine glasses.
At noon, I cooked some dumplings that I had made yesterday. After filling my stomach, I continued to work. There were many dishes to cook, and I was afraid that the food would get cold in the cold weather, so Dad Xu went out to borrow a steamer.
What was prepared yesterday were all semi-finished products. The steamed dishes were put directly into the steamer, and the remaining dishes had to be made on the spot. As the chef, Xu Manman couldn't stop and was busy until her uncle's family got off work, and all the dishes were ready.
Before dinner, Chen Ming took his two younger brothers to paste up couplets on the doors of the two houses, and also pasted window decorations that suited the occasion on the windows inside.
The New Year's Eve dinner is served: braised pork with fermented bean curd, fried pork chops, vermicelli egg dumplings and meatball soup, steamed fish cake, steamed egg rolls, steamed fish, sweet osmanthus lotus root, cold braised pork head, eight-treasure duck, scrambled eggs with garlic sprouts, stir-fried pork with pickles, eggplant and beans, braised potatoes with sauce, and stir-fried cabbage.
Two large square tables were filled to the brim.
There are no such strict rules at home. Adults and children do not sit at separate tables. Children from each family sit with their parents.
Everyone sat down, and Father Xu raised his glass. "This is the first time in three years that all three of our families have gathered together. Thank you all for your hard work, especially Manman and Xiaoming.
Being so far away from home, the adults can't take care of you if anything happens, so you two siblings can only support and help each other."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Xu's father choked up a bit, "Dad... Dad doesn't ask you to become a dragon or a phoenix, I just ask that you can be safe, go safely, and come back safely together."
Xu Manman drank tea instead of wine and said, "Dad, I will."
Chen Ming also picked up his wine glass and expressed his position to his uncle, "Uncle, don't worry, I will protect Manman."
Thinking that we would have to separate again after the Lantern Festival, the atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
Xu Ma came out to lighten the mood. "Hey, why are you saying this on New Year's Day? Manman is the chef for this meal today. Come and try it, Manman's cooking is really delicious now."
The young aunt continued, "Yes, yes, Manman's cooking is really delicious. The last time I ate here, I was so greedy that I kept thinking about it and couldn't even eat the food I cooked myself."
"Then Auntie, you have to eat more today. Try this with the egg rolls and honey lotus root. This is my first time making them, so I'm not sure if they taste right."
Everyone stretched out their chopsticks towards the two dishes that Xu Manman mentioned.
"Hmm...it's delicious, Manman. The food you cook is even better than what we buy in state-owned restaurants." This is my third cousin.
"Yes, yes, this egg roll is so fragrant, and this fish cake is both beautiful and delicious." Xu Jianguo tried one after another, one bite after another, and could not stop at all.
Even Chen Ming, who was used to Xu Manman's cooking, couldn't put down his chopsticks at this moment.
The elders didn’t even bother to drink the wine, and were fully immersed in the food.
My second cousin also developed a new way to eat it. He mixed rice with pickled vegetables and minced meat, and put a piece of braised pork on top. He took a full mouthful and it was so delicious that he squinted his eyes.
The five young men were in the prime of their eating years. They had only taken a few sips of wine when they finished all the food on the table except the fish. Even the soup was used to mix with the rice.
Of course she was not needed to clean up after the meal.
After dinner, take a shower and wash your hair, then change into new clothes. It’s a new year and a new beginning.
We made some tea and sat around the table with the elders to celebrate the New Year. It was cold, so Dad Xu put a brazier under the table to keep warm.
There is no TV at home, but there is a radio that is always on. You can hear dramas, songs, storytelling, news and the like on it, which adds to the lively atmosphere during the conversation.
Xu Manman, with a candy in her mouth and a blanket covering her legs, sat next to her mother, quietly listening to the elders chat about household matters, factory gossip, national policies, and everything in between.
Mom would touch Xu Manman's hand from time to time, and her aunt would put all the snacks on the table in front of her. Her younger aunt would instruct the boys to serve tea and water...
Under the warm light, this scene looks particularly warm.
Xu Manman cherishes this moment especially.
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