Chapter 67 Treating Guests to Dinner
Leilei didn't dare look at his mother's expression, and lowered his head like a child who had done something wrong. "Sister, I'm sorry, I didn't expect Xiaohuang to do this."
His voice grew softer and softer, his fingers nervously twisting the hem of his clothes.
"Will Yao Yao forgive her brother?"
Lu Mingyue did not criticize, but instead left the decision to the child.
Yao Yao was no longer angry when her brother apologized.
"It's all Little Yellow's fault. It was punished by not eating earthworms for a day."
The brother and sister reconciled.
Lu Mingyue also said goodbye, "Sister-in-law Wang, we're going home to change our clothes."
"Okay, I'll come again when I have time."
They lived in a remote location, so few people came to the area. Although they didn't have any strange neighbors, they didn't even have anyone to talk to.
Now that Lu Mingyue has arrived, Wang Fengmei feels that there is much more fun.
After arriving home, Lu Mingyue changed Yao Yao's clothes, and Lei Lei took the initiative to say that it was his fault and that he should wash his sister's clothes.
"Okay, but make sure it's washed thoroughly and don't waste water."
Freshwater resources are limited on islands, so while ensuring daily use, they must also be used sparingly.
Water used for washing vegetables at home can be saved for watering vegetables or flushing the toilet, thus conserving water multiple times.
"good."
Yao Yao joined her brother in washing clothes, while Lu Mingyue glanced at her, then took a pen and paper and sat on a stool to write down the menu.
There are nearly twenty people in total, so we need to have both hot and cold dishes, and considering the children's tastes, we can't leave out either sweet or savory options.
The advantage of being near the sea is that there are many natural ingredients, which saves them money.
When Huo Zheng returned, Lu Ming gave him the menu.
"What do you think? Is there anything that needs to be cut or added?"
Huo Zheng took the menu and looked down. Lu Mingyue's handwriting was not as stiff as his; the strokes had a soft curve, like the corners of her eyes when she smiled.
The dishes listed on the menu are both home-style and delicious.
Huo Zheng trusted her cooking skills; no matter what she made, it was delicious. Just looking at the menu made him look forward to the day he would treat her to a meal.
The two children were also looking forward to it, because their mother had asked for their opinions and taken them into consideration.
The two children skipped and hopped outside to play, and couldn't help but show off to their friends as soon as they saw each other.
"Did you know what? Mom asked for our opinion!"
"Yes, yes, Mom said she's going to make lots of delicious food."
According to the two children, Lu Mingyue's cooking skills were comparable to those of a national first-class chef, which made the other children very envious. They all clamored to eat Lu Mingyue's cooking when they got home.
The day before the dinner party arrived quickly.
Lu Mingyue invited Wang Fengmei and Zheng Xiuhua to go beachcombing together.
At the beach in the early morning, the tide had just receded, and a layer of damp seawater remained on the sand.
The three people carried small buckets and shovels, searching along the soft sand.
A short while later, Wang Fengmei spotted several small crabs in the crevices of the rocks. "Come quick! There are some here!"
She carefully reached out and grabbed the crab, which was waving its pincers. She laughed as she tossed it into the bucket.
Zheng Xiuhua bent over and searched for small holes in the sand. With a gentle dig, she unearthed several plump clams.
Lu Mingyue was not to be outdone, and she found a lot of scallops in the shallow water and caught a large octopus.
By noon, they returned home laden with their spoils.
Everyone couldn't help but smile at the thought of these seafood dishes being served tomorrow.
The dinner was scheduled for the evening, so everyone rested early and the family started preparing.
Huo Zheng got up early and cleaned the yard, cleared the weeds in the vegetable garden, and even cleaned the ones at the entrance. The whole yard looked brand new.
The family had a simple lunch.
After dinner, we started processing the seafood we had caught from beachcombing yesterday.
Wang Fengmei and Zheng Xiuhua also arrived early to help.
Wang Fengmei skillfully processed the seafood, washing the clams to remove sand and gutting the scallops.
Zheng Xiuhua was in charge of preparing the side dishes, neatly chopping scallions, ginger, and garlic and arranging them on a plate.
While cooking, Lu Mingyue instructed, "Huo Zheng, go wipe the table clean and set out the bowls and chopsticks."
By the afternoon, a fragrant aroma was wafting through the courtyard.
"It smells so good."
Niu Niu held his father's hand and smelled the aroma as soon as he entered the door.
He couldn't help but sniff, and stood on tiptoe to look at the dining table.
Steaming fish is rising, garlic scallops are glistening with oil, and golden, crispy salt and pepper crabs are sitting on the side.
"Wow!" Niu Niu exclaimed, his eyes widening as if he had discovered a treasure.
Yao Yao couldn't resist reaching for the chopsticks, but her mother stopped her with a smile: "Wait until all the guests are seated before you eat!"
But her eyes remained fixed on the plate of scallops, and she was practically drooling.
Leilei leaned over the table and whispered to Niuniu, "There are so many of our favorite dishes today!"
Niu Niu's eyes lit up even more as he listened, eager for the feast to begin immediately.
As the last dish was finished cooking, a commotion arose outside; the guests had arrived.
The courtyard gate was pushed open, and Huo Zheng's comrades walked in smiling, each carrying something in their hands.
Some were carrying baskets of eggs, some were carrying vegetables, and others were carrying snacks.
"We heard you're having a feast today, how could we come empty-handed!"
As Qin Lie, who was leading the group, spoke, he put the bottle of wine he was holding on the table, saying, "This is for the brothers!"
As Yu Hong smelled the aroma in the air, his stomach growled even louder.
"See? I wasn't wrong, was I? Comrade Lu's skills are indeed extraordinary. Now you know I wasn't exaggerating, right?"
He looked up at the busy Lu Mingyue, gave her a thumbs up, and exclaimed, "Mingyue, your cooking skills are absolutely amazing! Even better than a restaurant chef, it smells so good it makes my mouth water!"
Lu Mingyue smiled and waved her hand: "Please sit down, please sit down. We've been waiting for you to start the feast!"
As soon as Lu Mingyue came out, the noisy scene seemed to be paused.
Everyone was taken aback at first, but their eyes were involuntarily drawn to her.
Her skin was fair and delicate, her eyebrows and eyes were gentle, her voice was soft as a spring breeze, and when she smiled, the corners of her eyes curved like a bright moon in the night.
After finishing cooking, Lu Mingyue changed her clothes. This was the first time she had appeared in front of Huo Zheng's comrades in a formal setting, so she had to take it seriously.
Everyone present shared the same feeling: in the family compound, it was probably impossible to find a second person more outstanding than her.
No wonder Huo Zheng went off the island to marry her; I heard she's several years younger than him.
When faced with teasing glances or arguments, pretend you don't see them and invite everyone to sit down.
The courtyard suddenly became even more lively, with children cheering and crowding around, while the adults hurriedly called them back.
Lu Mingyue walked gracefully to the table under everyone's gaze, and greeted everyone with a smile.
Huo Zheng quickly pulled over a chair and arranged for her to sit next to him.
"This meal is so lavish."
Looking at the table full of dishes, Yu Hong couldn't help but sigh.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Not only were the portions large, but the dishes were also delicious and appetizing, making their mouths water.
No wonder Yu Hong said he's no less skilled than a master chef.
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