This was Yu Yao's first time watching a ballet performance so formally. Ning Wan'er on stage was simply radiant, both beautiful and cool.
This performance featured eight model operas.
After the performance of "The Red Detachment of Women," other pieces such as "The White-Haired Girl," "Shajiabang," and "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy" were performed in turn.
Although everyone could recite each program by heart, the performance by this group of comrades from the Capital Cultural Troupe was particularly good. Everyone enjoyed eating while watching, creating a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.
Yu Yao and Lu Ze brought aluminum lunch boxes to the long table.
"Lu Ze, try this roast goose. It's made with Qingyuan black-brown goose. When marinating it, we used not only Shaoxing rice wine but also rose wine. It was roasted over charcoal for a full hour, so the skin is especially crispy. It's sweet, I'm sure you'll like it."
As Yu Yao introduced the food to Lu Ze, she used the tongs next to her to put food into her and Lu Ze's aluminum lunch boxes.
Lu Ze took the tongs from her hand. "You've been busy all day. What would you like to eat? I'll help you change the tongs."
Yu Yao nodded and pointed to the braised pork next to her: "This braised pork is a recipe improved by the quartermaster. It has lychee wine added, and it tastes very different from the one served in the canteen. It's especially fragrant. I'll take two pieces."
Knowing that Yu Yao didn't like fatty food, Lu Ze specially picked out two pieces of pork belly with a 20/30 fat-to-lean ratio. After serving Yu Yao, he picked out some braised pork belly for himself, with half fat and half lean.
This year, to ensure that the soldiers and their families could eat well, the braised pork was not cut into small pieces like it usually is in the canteen; instead, each piece was cut into pieces the size of a mahjong tile.
The trembling braised pork was packed in an aluminum lunchbox, and it wobbled several times, with the sauce on top dripping onto the rice underneath.
There were people standing in front of each long table to take food. Everyone knew that food was precious. Adults brought children with them, and the adults didn't stop the children from taking food, but they absolutely did not allow any waste.
"Mom, this roast goose is so delicious! I love Chinese New Year so much this year."
"Mom liked it too. This year's New Year's Eve dinner was so good. I wish I had two stomachs so I could eat even more delicious food."
Conversations like this also took place near other long tables.
Everyone who came to eat raved about the New Year's Eve dinner, not only finding the buffet style novel and fun, but also praising the more than fifty dishes.
"Honey, try this poached chicken. The dipping sauce is made with chili peppers. How come other people's chicken tastes so good?"
"You shouldn't bother researching it; they must have a secret recipe. It would be great if they did this every year for Chinese New Year."
The young couple who had just arrived were so overwhelmed by the sight of the long table full of delicious food that they couldn't take their eyes off it all.
"It's so great to spend the Chinese New Year in the army. I never expected there to be so much good food."
The young soldier smiled and said, "It's good to stay on the island this year. If we went back to our hometowns for the New Year, we wouldn't have the chance to eat so much good food."
“You’re right. Anyway, there’s no one left in our hometown. If you apply to be on duty during the Spring Festival next year, I won’t be angry with you.”
She had initially resented her husband for staying on duty on the island instead of going home for the Lunar New Year, but after seeing the New Year's Eve dinner at the military base and the performances on stage, she was incredibly glad she hadn't gone back.
She had just arrived on the island last month. The island was just as remote and inconvenient as she had imagined. She was worried that she would be nervous about spending New Year's Eve with the troops, but she didn't expect the New Year's Eve dinner at the military base to be so much fun.
Not only was it relaxing and joyful, but there was also so much delicious food and drinks. We weren't worried about having nothing to talk about with the other military families. As long as we talked about the New Year's Eve dinner and the food we ate this time, everyone's relationship became much closer.
Just now, she and several aunts had arranged to go up the mountain together to pick bamboo shoots.
Yu Yao's eyes lit up with smiles as she heard everyone's praise for the New Year's Eve dinner.
It's wonderful that so many people enjoyed this New Year's Eve dinner!
When Commander Zheng and the others saw Yu Yao and Lu Ze arrive, they all came over with aluminum lunchboxes.
"Xiao Yu, this New Year's Eve dinner event was very well organized. On behalf of all the soldiers and their families who stayed on the island, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude!"
Yu Yao was flattered: "Commander Zheng, you are too kind. The success of this event is inseparable from the joint efforts of all the comrades behind the scenes."
Sister Dan smiled and said, "Xiao Yu, you're too modest. Other comrades should express their gratitude, but you, as the person in charge, should also be grateful."
Other leaders in the unit were meeting Yu Yao for the first time and were surprised by her youth and beauty, but even more surprised by her abilities.
"The Chairman is right. You are like the sun at eight or nine in the morning, full of vigor and vitality. With successors like you and Lu Ze, we old-timers have nothing to worry about when we retire."
The leader who spoke was the one who had been transferred to the headquarters of the Guangdong Provincial Military Region.
Commander Zheng thought of something and said, "Xiao Yu, Lu Ze said you want to go see the old courtyard. Commander Fu and Brigade Commander Liu are here, and the courtyard you want to see belongs to their two families. You can arrange a time."
Yu Yao and Lu Ze exchanged a glance and arranged a time that would be convenient for everyone with the two leaders.
This year's New Year's Eve dinner included a buffet and performances, followed by free time.
The children in the compound had all run off long ago, all to play with firecrackers and fireworks. The supply and marketing cooperative hadn't even had enough fireworks and firecrackers to sell in the past few days.
Yu Yao managed to snag a few fireworks after two days of scrambling. Looking at the fireworks display in the courtyard outside the auditorium, she was eager to try them out: "Lu Ze, did you bring all the fireworks and firecrackers I bought? Let's go set them off!"
"Wait here for me, I'll go get it."
Yu Yao stood there with her camera, waiting for Lu Ze, but her gaze was drawn to the adults and children running and making noise in the distance.
Fireworks soared into the sky above the open space, emitting brilliant light that illuminated smiling faces.
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