In winter, the whole family sits around a hot pot, and the air is filled with a warm and cozy atmosphere.
After eating this spicy hot pot, Lin Xiaoxiao will not breastfeed An'an for three days. Fortunately, he is not a picky eater and likes to drink formula.
"Dad, didn't you go to see Uncle Liu yesterday? How's his hand?" Lin Xiao ate a piece of tofu and suddenly remembered that she hadn't visited Lu Zhi for a while, so she asked Wen Mo.
Wen Mo said, "I'm all better, but I can't muster any strength and I still need to rest."
Lin Xiaoxiao thought that Lu Zhigang was forty years old but looked like he was fifty, and couldn't help but say, "After working hard for twenty years, he should take a good rest for a while."
Working in the machine factory year-round, moving steel and loading/unloading molds all rely on manual labor. Every day, carrying heavy iron lumps, their hands tremble so much by the end of the day that they can barely hold their bowls. In the hottest part of summer, the temperature in the foundry workshop can exceed forty degrees Celsius.
After Lu Zhi and his wife left the Lu family, he achieved his current success entirely through his own hard work.
During her last visit to the hospital, Aunt Liu told Lin Xiao a lot about Lu Zhi's past.
When he first entered the machine factory, he was just an apprentice, earning five yuan a month. The older workers were conservative in their skills and would usually hold back some of their knowledge when teaching apprentices. In order to learn real skills, Lu Zhi insisted on serving meals to the older worker who was training him for a year and even poured him water to wash his feet.
Five years after becoming a full-time employee, he was finally allocated a 12-square-meter tenement building with a shared toilet and kitchen. Many things required ration coupons. During the most difficult time, his family didn't even have a basin. He could only collect scraps from the factory for a month to make his own iron basin.
You should know that to buy such an iron basin at a department store, you not only need money but also industrial coupons.
Lu Zhi took care of many things in the house.
During those difficult years, the couple didn't dare to have children until Lu Xiaofei was born after Lu Xiaofei was promoted to a fifth-level fitter, her basic salary increased, and her living conditions improved.
Lu Zhi is now an eighth-level fitter at the machine factory, the highest level among skilled workers. Almost everyone in the workshop is his apprentice. His monthly salary is as high as 126.87 yuan. When the factory distributes welfare benefits during holidays, he is always given a little extra attention. Occasionally, he can even get scarce industrial coupons or tickets for "three turns and one sound" (a type of gift certificate).
When Lu Zhi was injured, the factory director even brought gifts to express his condolences, which shows his status in the factory.
But Lu Zhi can't stay idle. He feels uneasy if he doesn't go to work or get paid for several months in a row. After all, he has a family of three to feed, and Lu Xiaofei is still studying at the factory-run primary school.
The couple could save money and make do with whatever they ate, but Lu Xiaofei was different. She was only eight years old and at the age when she was growing. Even Lu Zhi, who was used to being frugal, insisted that there be at least one meal of meat in the house every day.
Every morning, we also have to feed Lu Xiaofei eggs and give her milk powder, which costs quite a bit each month.
Fortunately, the couple had saved enough money when they decided to have a child. Although they couldn't afford to give their child a wealthy life, they could still live a comfortable life.
Even Wen Mo had to admit that his younger brother really doted on his child.
Lin Xiaoxiao felt that what was most commendable was that her sixth uncle and aunt did not discriminate against girls at all. They said they only wanted one child and that was it. Even though they had a daughter, they had no plans to have a second child.
In Lu Zhi's words, given the family's circumstances, having more children means less for each child; if there were only one child, she could enjoy everything.
Lu Xiaofei was also well-educated; she was intelligent and quick-witted, and even at a young age, she knew how to care for her parents.
Upon learning that Lu Zhi was alright, Lin Xiaoxiao continued eating with peace of mind.
"The tripe here actually tastes pretty good." Seeing that Wen Mo and Lin Xiao were enjoying their meal, Wen Shiyu took a small bite herself.
After carefully tasting it and finding no strange smell, I felt reassured and ate the rest.
"It's crunchy." She liked the texture.
Lin Xiaoxiao cooked that piece for her, and it was cooked to perfection. Lin Xiaoxiao then cooked three more pieces for her. "Mom, try the spicy one, it tastes even better when it's spicy."
Wen Mo, who can't handle spicy food very well, kept sticking his chopsticks into the spicy broth, which showed how delicious it was.
The small pot of chicken soup broth was only eaten by Uncle.
The uncle looked at the spicy hot pot with longing, "Shall I try some?"
His eyes were practically brimming with longing, and seeing his eager gaze, Lin Xiaoxiao gave him some of it.
The fragrant aroma filled the living room, but the one suffering the most was not Uncle, but An'an, who was sitting in the baby high chair next to Qin Yushen.
The little guy was drooling, and the bib on his chest was already wet.
Watching the adults eat, he eagerly lunged at the table, reaching out to grab the food. Every time Qin Yushen picked up a piece of food, he would pass right in front of him, and the little guy would cry out, signaling to his father to let him have a bite.
"Haha, son, look at your drool." Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh twice and took a new bib for him.
As soon as I put it on, my saliva started flowing.
An'an grabbed her fingers and cried pitifully.
"Ah." An'an wants to eat meat.
“You can’t eat it, baby.” Lin Xiaoxiao gently pinched his little nose.
An'an got angry and slammed her hands on the table, shaking the plates of food.
Uncle, Wen Mo and Wen Shiyu couldn't help but laugh.
"You can eat it when An'an grows up."
"Look at this little face, it's getting more and more lifelike."
An'an can now express his likes and dislikes very accurately. He will laugh when he is happy and frown when he is unhappy. Adults love watching him make little expressions these days.
Although he wasn't strong enough to overturn a table, Lin Xiaoxiao still picked him up.
"Are you hungry? Mom will feed you something delicious."
An'an clung tightly to her mother's clothes, afraid of being put down again. When she heard there was something delicious to eat, her mouth watered even more.
Qin Yu knew exactly what she wanted to be fed, so he went to the kitchen and brought out the steaming food from the pot.
Lin Xiaoxiao reached for it, but Qin Yushen dodged it, saying, "It's still very hot."
He put the bowl on the table and reached out to pick up An'an, but An'an clung tightly to her mother and wouldn't let go. Qin Yushen looked somewhat helpless and exchanged a glance with Lin Xiaoxiao.
"Come here, Daddy will hold you." Qin Yushen reached out to An'an, his voice gentle and persuasive. "Let Mommy eat, and Daddy will feed you, okay?"
An An even seemed to be thinking about it seriously for a moment.
Seeing the bowl next to her father, she knew there was something delicious inside. After thinking for a moment, she still went into her father's arms.
Lin Xiaoxiao sat next to Qin Yushen, and An'an could reach out and touch her mother, smiling happily.
"How about I feed her? You haven't eaten much, Xiao Qin." Qin Yushen had been cooking vegetables for Lin Xiaoxiao, barely eating any himself. Wen Shiyu genuinely liked this son-in-law, so she put down her chopsticks.
Qin Yushen looked up and said, "It's okay, Mom. I ate something in the kitchen. I'm not hungry. You guys eat slowly. An'an will be fed in a little while."
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