Chapter 68 is particularly abrupt
Yu Hong couldn't help but swallow hard, his stomach growling loudly, which made everyone around him laugh.
He quickly gave a thumbs up and praised the busy Lu Mingyue, "Mingyue, your cooking skills are absolutely amazing! You're even better than the chefs at state-run restaurants. The smell alone 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!"
The people who came were all familiar faces, and the courtyard was bustling with activity.
The last one to walk in was Shen Feng, whom everyone usually calls "Shenfeng".
He entered the room with a hearty laugh, but surprisingly, he was followed by another person.
The atmosphere in the Huo family courtyard momentarily froze.
Shen Baoqin is Shen Feng's younger sister. She had heard that her brother was going to have dinner at the Huo family's house, so she begged and pleaded, "Brother, I want to go too, just to watch. I promise I won't cause any trouble."
Her eyes were red, and her tone was filled with grievance and urgency.
Shen Feng initially disagreed, knowing his sister's feelings for Huo Zheng and that this occasion was inappropriate.
But Chen Baoqin kept pleading and cajoling, talking from morning till night, tears welling up in her eyes as if they were about to fall at any moment.
With the help of his parents' persuasion, Shen Feng finally couldn't resist her and sighed.
"Alright, but you have to promise me you won't talk nonsense, you won't cause trouble, and you definitely won't cause any trouble for the Huo family."
Shen Baoqin nodded immediately, as if she had grasped a lifeline and agreed.
At this moment, Lu Mingyue's eyebrows twitched slightly as she looked at Shen Baoqin walking in.
She subtly shifted her gaze, yet keenly sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere of the courtyard.
Those who know her well are aware of Shen Baoqin's feelings for Huo Zheng, and these feelings seem particularly out of place in such a lively setting today.
Shen Feng also felt a little embarrassed. He didn't want to bring his sister, but then he thought that maybe letting her see Huo Zheng and his family interact would make her give up completely.
So he gritted his teeth and brought the person in.
The laughter in the courtyard seemed to have subsided a bit, with only the children still chasing and playing carefree.
Shen Baoqin stood at the door, her eyes darting around, but she couldn't help but search for Huo Zheng's figure in the crowd.
"Alright, kids, come and eat. The braised meat is ready."
Huo Zheng came out of the kitchen carrying two plates of braised meat.
The rich aroma of soy sauce wafts up, and the bright red pork belly glistens under the light, its fat and lean meat perfectly balanced, looking like it's about to melt in your mouth.
The children smelled the aroma and immediately put down their toys, rushing to the dining table.
Yao Yao stood on tiptoe, craning her neck to stare at the plate: "Wow! It looks so delicious!"
Niu Niu grabbed his father's hand and urged, "Dad, sit down quickly, I want to eat meat!"
Huo Zheng smiled and placed the braised meat on the table. "Kids, you have your own table over here."
Adults and children sit separately, or at a separate table. Even the youngest children can eat by themselves without being fed, and parents can eat with peace of mind.
When Huo Zheng saw Shen Feng arrive, he quickly asked him to sit down, but there was only one empty seat on the table, and Shen Baoqin had nowhere to sit.
Huo Zheng seemed to have just noticed Shen Baoqin and said to her, "I'm sorry, Comrade Shen, I didn't know you were coming. There are no seats available. Why don't you sit with the children?"
Shen Baoqin was slightly taken aback, and a sense of loss welled up in her heart.
She originally wanted to sit at the same table as the adults, preferably closer to Huo Zheng, but the long table was already full of people, and there wasn't even room to add a chair.
“It’s alright, I’ll just sit with the children.” She tried to make her voice sound calm and natural.
The children's small table was right next to her. Shen Baoqin forced a smile and sat down next to the children.
She kept her head down, clutching her chopsticks, but had little appetite. Her fingers unconsciously tightened, her knuckles turning white.
She kept her head down, poking at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, seemingly eating earnestly, but it tasted like nothing at all.
Occasionally, she would secretly glance at the long table, where Huo Zheng and Lu Mingyue were talking in hushed tones.
When Lu Mingyue smiled, his eyes were so gentle they could melt your heart.
That scene was like a fine needle, gently pricking her heart.
Yao Yao blinked her big eyes at Chen Baoqin, her little brows furrowing.
She remembered very clearly that the last time she went to see her father with her mother, it was this person who stood in front of her father and spoke to him.
My father looked very serious at that time, with his brows furrowed and he seemed very unhappy.
Dad was unhappy, and Yao Yao was unhappy too.
She whispered to Niu Niu beside her, "I don't like her. She made Dad angry last time."
Niu Niu nodded as if he understood, and also frowned like Yao Yao.
Shen Baoqin heard the children's whispers, her fingers trembled slightly, and she almost dropped her chopsticks.
She frowned, looking coldly at the children in front of her, but found herself at a loss for words.
Lei Lei, who had been listening intently, frowned and whispered to Yao Yao, "Don't talk nonsense, eat your food."
But Yao Yao still pouted and moved her chair to the side, putting some distance between herself and Shen Baoqin.
Laughter and clinking glasses echoed from the long table, but she felt as if she were separated by an invisible pane of glass, only able to watch Huo Zheng and Lu Mingyue smile at each other from afar.
Shen Feng saw this and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but he quickly smiled again and continued chatting and laughing with his comrades.
He knew that there were some distances she had to face on her own.
"Old Shen, eat quickly, or there won't be any left."
Yu Hong, with food in his mouth, kept urging Shen Feng, who hadn't even picked up his chopsticks yet.
Wang Fengmei looked at you with disgust, saying, "If you looked like this, people would think I was abusing you and not feeding you."
Everyone burst into laughter, making the atmosphere even more lively.
Shen Feng then picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly. Although he didn't say anything, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Yu Hong picked up a piece of steamed fish, his eyes lighting up: "The fish is so tender it melts in your mouth, the freshness is locked inside, it's so delicious!"
"And these garlic scallops," Wang Fengmei scooped a spoonful and put it in her mouth, nodding repeatedly, "The garlic is fragrant but not greasy, and the scallop meat is firm and chewy. It's simply a delicacy!"
Zheng Xiulan couldn't help but praise, "Your sweet and sour pork is just the right balance of sweet and sour, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. My husband ate three pieces and still wanted more!"
His comrades chimed in, some saying the meal was even more lavish than the New Year's feast, others saying they were already satisfied just by the aroma.
The children ate with gusto, their mouths stuffed with food, yet they still managed to mumble, "Delicious! More!"
Lu Mingyue was a little embarrassed by the praise, and waved her hand with a smile: "I'm glad everyone likes it, please eat more!"
But the smile in her eyes and brows revealed her contentment and happiness.
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