Chapter 126 New Year's Eve Dinner
As the sound of firecrackers became more frequent, the fragrance in Wan's yard became stronger and stronger.
Boss Wan has already brought several of his younger brothers and younger generations to the main hall to perform the sacrificial ceremony.
Old Mrs. Wan was holding little Fubao in the kitchen and chatting with her daughters-in-law and the Zhao mother and daughter.
Outside, the north wind was blowing and snowflakes were flying, but inside the house, everyone was having fun and it was warm like spring.
Today’s New Year’s Eve dinner is particularly sumptuous.
Because it was the first year I spent at the border, there was no shortage of food at home. Except for fish, there was no shortage of chicken, duck, meat, and eggs.
Old Mrs. Wan and Mrs. Wan San even specially prepared a menu, and her intention was very clear.
First, let Mrs. Wan try out her cooking with the ingredients at home, and let the Zhao family help taste Mrs. Wan's cooking skills. After all, the Zhao family has tasted all kinds of delicacies from land and sea, and what they say will definitely be more convincing than those country people who have never eaten good food in their lives.
Second, Mrs. Wan also used this opportunity to give this year a perfect ending and a good start to the coming year, implying that the future will be prosperous and smooth.
As the rich aroma of meat wafted from the kitchen, the children's stomachs began to growl.
Since they didn’t have lunch yet, Grandma Wan gave each child a piece of snack to fill their stomach.
I was so hungry at the moment that my stomach was sticking to my back.
Finally the sacrifice was completed.
The eldest brother Wan, along with the second, third and fourth brothers Wan, set up the table in the main room.
Wan Laoer also lit two fires in the main room.
The kang in Old Lady Wan's room was heated up, and the kang table was set up. The small table by the window was also moved to the middle.
There are a lot of people tonight, so we plan to set up three tables.
The men have one table in the main room, and the women and children have one table each in the east room. This way it's not crowded and it's lively, and men and women eat separately.
After all, the Zhao family is here this year, so it's not convenient for men and women to be together. But it's also very lively this way. There's a door in the middle. If you open the door, you can hear what people are saying outside.
After the tables and chairs were set up, Old Mrs. Wan asked Old Man Wan to go to Zhao's house and invite Wan Jinshu over.
"Boss, go and invite your brother Jinshu over. The weather is cold and the food will get cold right out of the pot. Wait until everyone arrives before we serve the food."
Boss Wan agreed and went out in the snowy wind.
Soon Wan Jinshu and Wan Xingchen were picked up by Boss Wan.
Everyone walked into the main room, giving way to each other.
Wan Ersao and Zhao began to take turns delivering food from the kitchen to the house.
First comes the meat dishes, then the vegetarian dishes, and finally the soup.
Finally all the dishes were served.
Boss Wan and the children started setting off firecrackers in the yard.
This is also the most exciting time for children.
Even little Fubao's face turned red with joy, and he cried out in Wan Ersao's arms.
In fact, little Fubao didn’t know what to be happy about. In her one-year-old life, she had never seen anyone else set off firecrackers.
But she could feel her brothers' excitement and eagerness to try.
Children's emotions are most easily contagious to each other.
Listening to the crackling sound of firecrackers, little Fubao was not afraid. Instead, he clapped his hands and giggled.
Wan Ersao was afraid of scaring the child, so she tried to cover Xiao Fubao's ears, but the little guy broke free.
Mrs. Wan Er saw little Fubao looking at the firecrackers in the yard with sparkling eyes and full of curiosity. She didn't have the heart to disturb her. She just held little Fubao in her arms, with her eyes full of the soft and lovely look of her daughter.
Finally, the firecrackers were over and the air was filled with the smell of sulfur, which made everyone extremely happy. Boss Wan led everyone to their seats.
Old Mrs. Wan took the women and children into the inner room.
Sitting outside were several brothers of the Wan family and Wan Jinshu and his son. The eldest brother Wan also left Wan Quan in the outer room.
In the east room, all the women were sitting on the kang, and a circle of children were sitting on the floor.
The dishes were also quite different, with the men's table having the most complete selection.
There are eight-treasure duck, braised pork, braised chicken, minced meat steamed egg, crystal pork trotter, braised lion head, steamed preserved meat, Ruyi cake, seven-treasure dim sum, spicy radish, hot and sour cabbage, stewed pork ribs with potatoes, stewed chicken with radish...
Some of these dishes were divided into three portions and placed on each table in the inner room.
After everyone in the main room was seated, Boss Wan took out a jar of wine. This was bought by Second Sister Wan today. It wasn't a very good wine, but it was suitable for the occasion.
But for farmers, it is already the best.
Boss Wan poured a cup for everyone, and everyone except the two children Wan Xingchen and Wan Quan drank a little.
The women and children inside didn't care about the men outside and started eating.
Especially at the table of children, all you could hear were the sounds of chewing and swallowing. These little brats could hardly lift their heads to eat, they were wolfing down the food, and before they had even swallowed the food in their mouths, their eyes were already on the dish they were going to pick up.
Little Fubao nestled in Wan Ersao's arms, enjoying being fed by his mother.
Although Xiao Fubao usually eats the most exquisite food at home, there are only a few of them, and they are mostly light.
Today's table was filled with light dishes, rich and spicy dishes, and soupy dishes. Little Fubao, a little foodie, was overwhelmed.
Mrs. Wan was afraid that Xiao Fubao would get indigestion if he ate too much meat at night, so she didn't dare to let the little guy eat too much. She picked a little of each and put them in her own small wooden bowl.
But little Fubao is not satisfied with just eating these. The little girl has tasted them. These are different from what she usually eats and are more delicious.
When Wan Ersao went to scoop the egg custard for her, the little one quickly grabbed a piece of braised pork from the plate closest to her.
When Wan Ersao found out, Xiao Fubao was already stuffing the food into his mouth.
Frightened, Wan Ersao quickly tried to pry little Fubao's little fingers apart.
The braised pork was stewed until it was soft and tasty. Little Fubao's little hand tightly grasped a piece of braised pork, and the juice flowed down the little guy's tender white hand.
Little Fubao's mouth was also covered with the braised pork soup, and he was eating with gusto, making smacking sounds.
The little girl was very protective of her food. Wan Ersao couldn't pry her fingers open no matter what she did. The braised pork was already mashed into pieces in her hands.
When Old Lady Wan saw this, she said happily, "Alright, let her eat. It's okay. It's just a piece of meat. She can eat some hawthorn cake to help digest it."
Mrs. Wan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Seeing that little Fubao's bright eyes were staring at the plate again, she was so scared that she quickly moved all the plates in front of her away.
The little guy's movements were so fast that she couldn't defend herself.
Little Fubao was satisfied when he ate his favorite meat. He put almost the entire paw into his mouth and licked it. After that, he opened his dirty little hands to ask for meat. He was small to begin with, and when he sat at the table on the kang, he saw a smiling face. At this time, the little guy stretched his neck and opened his eyes wide to look for meat on the table.
Old Mrs. Wan cut a whole piece of braised pork into two halves and gave half to little Fubao.
"My dear, eat. Eat as much as you like. Next year, when we make money, I will cook meat for you every day."
Little Fubao was like a cat that had caught fish. He quickly held his small wooden bowl, stretched out his tender white hands, grabbed half a piece of braised pork from it and stuffed it into his mouth.
Wan Ersao saw that she was eating with gusto and did not stop her, for fear that her daughter would choke again. But it was she, as the mother, who felt sorry for her.
When others saw how cute and adorable little Fubao was, they also started eating happily.
Different from the harmonious and festive atmosphere of the Wan family is the Shen family next door.
Several sons of the Shen family took the money from Old Lady Shen to the town to buy things. They finally came back before dinner, but the house was still empty.
During Chinese New Year, other families would prepare some hot dishes or something. Even the poorest families would cook a pot of cabbage porridge, which at least was hot.
There was not even a smoke coming out of the Shen family's kitchen. The whole house was so quiet that the only sound was snoring.
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