Braised pork belly, stewed pig's trotters, fried meatballs, braised carp, pork stew with vermicelli, Mapo tofu, smashed cucumber, and stir-fried cabbage with vinegar. Su Xingran looked at the table full of dishes and her mouth watered.
In previous years, our family's New Year's Eve dinner consisted of braised pork, Mapo tofu, shredded potatoes, stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, and fried meatballs. This year, there were several more dishes. My parents said that this year is our own family's New Year's Eve dinner, and it's the first time we're having it with our chef, so we can't neglect him.
At the dinner table, Su's father and master even started drinking. The wine was taken out of Su Xingran's space that morning. She had agreed with Su's father that if the master asked where the wine came from, she would say that she bought it at the black market in town, and that she had bought several bottles to give to the master when he returned home.
Sure enough, after taking a sip of wine, the wine master asked, "Guomin, where did you buy your wine? It's so fragrant, pure, and smooth." Su's father had no choice but to do as Su Xingran had instructed. Hearing that there were several bottles of wine, he told the wine master to take them all back. The wine master was so happy that his eyes narrowed into slits with laughter.
The four of them enjoyed their New Year's Eve dinner together in a lively and cheerful atmosphere. Su Xingran ate so much that her stomach swelled up and became quite full.
In a courtyard house in Beijing, two men sat on a sofa, silent. After a long while, one of them finally spoke, "Brother, how is Dad doing? What did he eat for New Year's Eve dinner tonight? Or did he not eat at all?"
I don't know either. He's been gone for five years. When he passed away, he told us not to disturb him; he wanted to live a quiet life alone. If it weren't for the occasional news I heard about Dad from my uncle's cousin, I would have thought he had taken his own life and followed Mom.
Sigh, my father and mother were childhood sweethearts, inseparable since they were little. After getting married, they went through so many unforgettable moments. In these turbulent times, for decades, they finally managed to settle down and live a peaceful life together.
Their mother passed away. If it weren't for her dying wish that their father would live well, he would have followed her long ago. The two brothers witnessed their parents' love from a young age—a love that flowed gently and steadily, never ceasing.
As the brothers grew up, they also met the people they loved, so they could understand why their father became despondent after their mother passed away, and eventually left, far away from this place where their mother's presence was everywhere.
The two brothers felt a pang of sadness at the thought of their father alone today, missing their mother, in the cold night, feeling especially desolate.
The doctor, whom the brothers Huang Taihe and Huang Taizhou, far away in Beijing, were thinking of and imagining to be having a miserable day, was drinking merrily with Su's father. If it weren't for Su's mother and Su Xingran stopping them, the two of them would have drunk themselves into sworn brotherhood.
After the New Year's Eve dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Su gave Su Xingran a New Year's Eve red envelope. The couple also gave a red envelope to Su Xingran's teacher. When Dr. Huang tried to refuse, Mr. and Mrs. Su told him that he was Xingran's teacher and therefore part of their family.
Master Huang also gave each of Su Xingran's family of three a New Year's Eve red envelope. Perhaps as people get older, they tend to get sleepy, and before 10:30, Dr. Huang started to doze off.
Su's parents had already tidied up the spare room. Doctor Huang wanted to go home, but Su Xingran pulled on his sleeve and told him to rest there tonight and stay up all night to welcome the New Year.
Su Xingran felt a pang of sadness thinking about how her master was alone at home, waiting for the New Year. She considered her master family, so she hoped that her master would be well.
As the clock struck midnight, Su's father got up and set off a string of firecrackers to welcome the New Year. Su Xingran stood at the door, watching the lit firecrackers, a smile on her face. In her heart, she silently said, "Happy New Year, Su Xingran! Happy new student!"
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