Chapter 43
The goldfish has temporarily moved to a new home.
The square table, which had been closed for a long time, was pulled out and transformed into a round table.
The stewed ribbonfish is so tender that it falls off the bone with a touch of chopsticks; the steamed egg with minced meat is as smooth and bouncy as pudding; the classic seaside dish of blanched squid and seaweed and oyster stew; the home-style stir-fried garlic sprouts with meat and yam and wood ear fungus; and in the center is a pot of old duck soup with mushrooms and duck stew brought from grandma's house. The aroma alone is enough to make your mouth water.
Those who washed their hands first helped set the table and pour drinks. They were arguing and squabblening in the bathroom, but after coming out, they all sat down obediently in a row.
Just as Yan Yuheng was thinking he should say something to start the ceremony and was mentally preparing to speak, Jiang Weichao gave the order, "Let's eat, kids."
In the blink of an eye, half of the plate of ribbonfish was gone.
"Sis, give me a spoonful."
Jiang Jiayi held up a bowl and handed it to Jiang Jiawei, gesturing to the steamed egg in front of her.
Xu Zizhao stuffed his mouth with rice, "I want some too!"
Mu Zhengxi glanced at the man; this kid was really outgoing and familiar with everyone.
Yan Yuheng: "I want one too! I want one too!"
Mu Zhengxi: "..."
Jiang Jiawei turned to him and asked, "Do you want it?"
"want……"
Being in a good position, Mu Zhengxi took the steamed egg scooped for him by Jiang Jiawei, then picked up the bowl and switched places with Xiao Guan, saying, "You guys do it yourselves."
Yan Yuheng and Xu Zizhao exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with disdain for Mu Zhengxi's behavior.
Jiang Jiayi: "So the three of you have known each other since elementary school?"
Xu Zizhao pointed at Yan Yuheng, "I've known him since kindergarten."
"Didn't Brother Xi go to the same kindergarten as them?"
"No, he was still in the temple at that time."
"Temple??? Why???"
Yan Yuheng nudged Xu Zizhao, only then realizing his loose tongue. He glanced at Mu Zhengxi, chuckled dryly, pretended to swallow the food in his mouth, and repeated clearly, "He's at Simiao Kindergarten, we're not at the same kindergarten."
Jiang Jiayi said "Oh," and added, "I knew it. It's not like I'm going to become a nun, so why am I in a temple?"
Jiang Jiayi had a new point of curiosity, "So, did the three of you start playing soccer together when you were little?"
The topic was changed.
“He only started playing soccer in his first year of high school.” Yan Yuheng had something to say about this past event. “We asked him to join us before, but he didn’t want to. In the end, he couldn’t make it on the basketball team, so he came to join us.”
Xu Zizhao immediately retorted, defending himself, "What do you mean I can't make it? It's clearly you guys who are short-staffed, okay? I went there to save the day for you."
"You have the nerve to talk about saving the day? Think about it, if it weren't for me and Zhengxi protecting you back then, you would have been eliminated in the first round with your physical fitness from the very beginning of training."
"When did this happen? I don't recall it."
"Go ahead and pretend."
Jiang Jiayi: "Hey, let's go play basketball later."
"sure."
"Let's play one game first. I don't believe I can't figure it out."
"With your IQ."
"We're both equally bad, so neither of us should criticize the other."
...
Jiang Jiawei nudged Mu Zhengxi's elbow, "The goldfish haven't been fed yet. After you finish eating, give them some fish food."
Mu Zhengxi looked at Jiang Jiawei, and after a few seconds he replied with an "okay". He then tried to stand up, but was pulled back to sit down.
"Let's go after we finish eating."
Mu Zhengxi obediently sat down again, tilted his head, and asked seriously, "Won't we starve to death?"
Jiang Jiawei shook her head, munching on fish, and replied seriously, "It's not their mealtime yet."
What time is mealtime?
"a little."
Mu Zhengxi chuckled softly, "What about dinner?"
"Six-thirty."
Jiang Jiawei smiled after she finished speaking.
Mu Zhengxi thought for a moment and then asked, "Want some late-night snacks?"
Sometimes I eat it, sometimes I don't.
"Why eat? Why not eat?"
“这是人家鱼的隐私，你不要问。”姜嘉蔚啧了一声，大有一种替鱼守护秘密，再问就要揍人的意思。
"Okay, I got it."
Let's get back to normal.
How's the Strong Foundation Training Program going? Are you adapting well?
"It's fine."
Mu Zhengxi looked at her and thought to himself, "That's good."
"How's your intensive training? Is it tough?"
"It's pretty good. Anyway, every day is just classes, discussions, experiments, and problem-solving. It's very regular. We'll have another intensive training session in April."
Jiang Jiawei nodded. "What schools are the others from?"
"My roommate is from the First Affiliated High School of Hanyang University. I've forgotten the others. I'll ask them next time."
...
The sun shone brightly throughout the house.
As Jiang Weichao watched the children eating and talking non-stop, it was as if he were seeing himself and his sister when they were little, when the neighbor's children would come over, and they would gather around the TV to watch TV and eat together.
He smiled and shook his head.
"Make sure you finish everything, otherwise we can cook hot pot tonight!"
"Anything left over will be removed from the hot pot menu for dinner!"
"!!!!!"
Afternoon.
"Jiajia".
Like Jiang Jiawei, Chen Jingyu thought there was something wrong with the door when she went upstairs. She went downstairs and came back upstairs to fix her hair.
Jiang Jiawei, who was drawing cards, caught a glimpse of someone out of the corner of her eye, "Jingyu."
Upon seeing the newcomer, Yan Yuheng raised his hand in greeting, "Hello."
Xu Zizhao, biting on a yogurt straw, followed closely behind, saying, "Hello."
The sudden greeting made Chen Jingyu's facial muscles stiffen, revealing a rare display of social anxiety and restraint. She gracefully raised her hand and said, "Hello...you."
Jiang Jiawei handed the cards in her hand to Jiang Jiayi, stood up, and introduced them, saying, "These two are Zhengxi's classmates."
Mu Zhengxi nodded to Chen Jingyu.
Chen Jingyu was quite familiar with Mu Zhengxi, so her expression was much more natural, and she casually said, "Long time no see."
Jiang Jiawei introduced Chen Jingyu to Yan Yuheng and the others, "This is my classmate."
At this moment, Chen Jingyu deeply understood the meaning of the saying "birds of a feather flock together." Sure enough, handsome guys always hang out with other handsome guys.
Chen Jingyu lowered her voice and asked Jiang Jiawei, "Are you still going?"
"Go ahead."
"You guys have fun, we're going out." Jiang Jiawei decisively took Chen Jingyu's hand. "Let's go."
Mu Zhengxi and Jiang Jiayi reacted immediately, asking in unison, "Where are we going?"
Jiang Jiawei: "Go find my classmate."
Jiang Jiayi responded with an "Oh".
Mu Zhengxi thought to himself, "He clearly just wanted to go read comics."
The two went downstairs.
Chen Jingyu looked back upstairs in surprise, and then realized, "Why is Mu Zhengxi's classmate coming to your house to play? When did you become so familiar?"
"We got to know each other during the school sports meet, and they came to visit Jiang Jiayi, not me."
"Yeah?"
Chen Jingyu glanced at Jiang Jiawei's face, her expression full of doubt.
"Dad, I'm going out."
"Okay," Jiang Weichao said. "Hey Jingyu, come over to our house for hot pot tonight."
"Okay, Uncle, let me ask my mom."
Chen Jingyu: "Are they going to eat at your house tonight too?"
"Yes, we had lunch at our house too."
Chen Jingyu exclaimed in disbelief, "Jiang Jiawei, your social skills are truly amazing!"
"What are you talking about?" Jiang Jiawei suddenly remembered. "You've already made an appointment, haven't you?"
"It was arranged a long time ago."
"Can you finish it in an afternoon?"
"OK."
"You rode a bicycle?"
"Yes, give me a ride."
"good."
Chen Jingyu sat on the back of Jiang Jiawei's bicycle, glided down the slope, turned around the street corner, passed two traffic lights, and then turned right. Their final destination was a bakery.
After Jiang Jiawei left, the boys played cards at home for a while before heading to the community activity center to play basketball.
Yan Yuheng stared incredulously at the basketball court where Mu Zhengxi had assembled a team with just one phone call, "How many times have you been here?!"
Mu Zhengxi, hands in his pockets, sighed regretfully, "Only about ten times."
Yan Yuheng, dizzy.
"I think you should just change your household registration to Changqing, then you'll be a local now."
The tone was somewhere between praise and teasing, and Mu Zhengxi assumed it was only the former.
"I'd like to as well. Could you ask my parents for me?"
Mu Zhengxi's expression, which suggested he had genuinely considered the issue, made Yan Yuheng even more terrified.
"Let him marry into the family, Mu Zhengxi, let him marry into the family."
"Sure, why not?"
Yan Yuheng was completely speechless.
Xu Zizhao, growing impatient, shouted, "Hey you two, what are you doing! Haven't you guessed the result yet?!"
Mu Zhengxi: "He lost, and he's on your team now."
Xu Zizhao: "What bad luck."
Yan Yuheng went over and gave him a whack on the back of the head. "As expected, raising a son is worthless." He then glared angrily at Mu Zhengxi.
Xu Zizhao: "I am your father!"
The seafood hotpot party started with six people, then grew to seven, and finally to nine. Sister Zhenzhen and Lin Chao also came along, bringing them milk tea.
There were too many people, so we started cooking on the first floor.
Hot pot with two broths.
Apart from Jiang Jiawei, Zhenzhen, and Lin Chao, the other contestants are all roughly at the beginner level.
The challenge is to eat a cabbage soaked in chili oil, downing it in one bite.
Chen Jingyu was the first to abstain, patting Jiang Jiawei on the shoulder.
"quick!"
Jiang Jiawei quickly gave her her own cup first, then refilled her already empty cup. Then she turned her head and saw that her father's face was already red, and Jiang Jiayi's was also sweating. So she quickly filled their cups as well.
None of the men were willing to admit defeat.
They're just barely holding on.
Until someone came into the store.
She's the auntie from the bicycle shop next door.
"Wow, it's so lively! Wow, so many guests have come today."
Jiang Weichao picked up his water glass. "Sit down, Sister Fang, let's eat something together." He then downed his drink in one gulp.
Fang Jie glanced at it and shook her head, "It's too spicy, I can't eat it."
"We have non-spicy options."
"Haha, no need, no need, I just finished eating."
"Let's sit down and chat."
Zhenzhen reached out to coax the children, "OK, you all won, you all won." She shifted her seat, "Sit down, Fang-jie, come on, let's sit together."
Several animals, disguised as hippos, gulped down drinks.
Fangjie looked at them and said, "These people look a bit unfamiliar."
Jiang Weichao handed her a bowl, saying, "They're all the kids' classmates, they came over to play."
Fangjie looked at their flushed faces and asked, "Did they all get burned by the spiciness?"
Zhenzhen laughed, "We're playing a game."
Lin Chao asked, "Sister Fang, what would you like to drink?"
"I'll just have some orange juice."
"good."
Jiang Weichao suggested, "Let's have a beer, it's been a long time since we've had one together."
Zhenzhen: "Come on, I'll go to the store to get it. There's still some left over from yesterday's drink."
"Why go to any store? I still have some here. I'll get yours when I finish my drink."
Fangjie stood up and said, "Then I'll bring over the cold seaweed salad that we made today."
"Call Lao Yu over too."
"What's he doing here? He can't drink that much."
"It's a lively scene, he's drinking a beverage."
"Then I'll ask him."
Fangjie brought seaweed seedlings and a bag of ice cream. "My grandson insisted on eating them last time he came, so Lao Yu took him to the mall to buy them. I'll give them to the kids to cool them down from the spiciness later."
"Waaaaah!!!"
The high school student, transformed into an ape, cheered with raised arms. If there's anything more satisfying than eating hot pot in winter, it's definitely having a creamy ice cream afterwards!
Yan Yuheng turned his head and whispered in Mu Zhengxi's ear, "You should marry into the family. I'm serious. Dad will prepare a dowry for you."
"Okay, I'll take this number."
Mu Zhengxi gestured with his hand.
Yan Yuheng smiled and said, "I'll call you Dad, so give it to me."
Mu Zhengxi sneered, "You have no ability but you still want to be someone's father."
After dinner, the adults' beer party continued, but the minors' soda party ended first, and everyone cleaned up the table together.
Mu Zhengxi and Jiang Jiawei were in charge of washing the dishes.
"Who are the cookies you baked this afternoon for?"
Do you still remember Xu Wei?
Mu Zhengxi thought for a moment, "Oh, I remember."
"It's her birthday tomorrow." Jiang Jiawei raised her hand and wiped the water that had sprayed onto her nose with her arm.
After washing all the bowls in the sink, Mu Zhengxi took out a tissue and wiped his hands.
"I want to eat it too."
Cookies?
"Um."
"Okay, let's do more."
Jiang Jiawei put the bowl away in the cupboard, and Mu Zhengxi handed her the tissues he had prepared. He took out two rolls of tape from his pocket, but this time he was smarter and clenched his fingers tightly when Jiang Jiawei reached out to take them.
He raised his chin and said, "Exchange."
"I want the original film."
"But I took a lot of pictures of my sister too."
"Can't I see your sister? I even bought her candy."
"Huh?? You really bought it for her?"
“Of course, I keep my word~” Mu Zhengxi pointed to the paper bag on the TV cabinet, “The pink one is it.”
Jiang Jiawei said, "Here's the original film. It's not that I don't have any left, I just haven't developed it yet."
"What's so difficult about that? I'll wash one for you." Mu Zhengxi's eyes lit up as he pointed at the person. "Don't try to renege on your promise again."
"I'm not that kind of person."
"You'd better be."
"Are you two done washing up?"
Jiang Jiawei: "Okay!"
"Let's go!"
Mu Zhengxi grabbed Jiang Jiawei, "Let's switch first." The angle of his lean suddenly brought the two of them very close. Jiang Jiawei looked down at the temperature on her fingertips that didn't belong to her.
a long time.
Mu Zhengxi also noticed the awkwardness in the air, so he quickly let go of her hand, his eyes darting around, and he raised his hand to touch his neck as if to cover up his embarrassment.
I'm still a little unhappy.
"Jiang Jiawei, you have to keep your word."
Jiang Jiawei smiled.
"Okay, I'll go get it now."
As he turned to leave, he turned back and said something.
"Feed the goldfish."
"But their dinner time has passed."
"Then just say sorry, and promise not to forget next time. They will forgive you."
"You forgot why I said sorry, I don't want to!"
Jiang Jiawei smiled good-naturedly and said, "Okay then, I'll explain it myself in a bit."
Mu Zhengxi looked down at the two fish floating on the surface of the fish tank, blowing bubbles, and complained, "It was Jiang Jiawei who forgot, not me~"
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