Chapter 50: New Year
Except for Li Wenxi, everyone else was slumped on the sofa. The benefits of regular martial arts practice were apparent at this time.
Li Wenhua was also slightly better, after all, he had eaten and rested for a while, and boys usually have unlimited energy.
Li Hongbin had not returned from overtime today.
So dinner was still the noodles ordered by Li Wenxi, with shredded pork, green vegetables and eggs.
Qin Lan and the others were so focused on eating that they didn't bother to talk.
A few days later, Qin Lan and other military wives on the island made an appointment to go to Ningcheng to buy New Year's goods.
Li Wenxi continued to read books, practice swordsmanship, and practice math competition questions at home. Occasionally correcting Li Wenhua's boxing posture.
On New Year's Eve, the island was already filled with the flavor of the New Year. White smoke was rising from the chimneys of every household. I wonder what delicious food was being cooked. Various aromas were wafting out of the kitchen windows of every household.
In the courtyard of the Li family, Li Wenxi was moving all the stools in the house out to clean them. The sun was shining brightly today, so she put them in the courtyard to dry after cleaning.
A strong aroma was wafting from the courtyard next door.
"It smells so good, sister. What do you think Auntie is cooking?" Li Wenhua, who was cleaning the windows, asked.
Li Wenxi sniffed. It smelled really good. After thinking about it, she shook her head. She didn't know either.
"Hey, other families have already started sharpening their knives to buy pigs and sheep in preparation for the festival. Mom even took my eldest sister to Ningcheng to buy clothes. My eldest sister has gone to Ningcheng to buy clothes so many times." Li Wenhua complained.
It turned out that Li Wenting still hadn't chosen the clothes that day. When they were buying New Year's goods, Li Wenting went with them to buy clothes again. Who knew that they still didn't find anything she liked. This New Year's Eve, Qin Lan took Li Wenting there early in the morning again.
Li Wenxi thought for a while, "I'll prepare the pig's feet later and stew them in that small clay stove. Then I'll mix the filling for the dumplings, and you help me make the dumplings." After waiting for a long time, Qin Lan and Li Wenting didn't come back, so Li Wenxi decided to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner by himself.
"Xiaoxi, Wenhua, come and try the fried meatballs." Auntie Sun called out from the kitchen window.
"Wow, fried meatballs." Li Wenhua jumped down from the window and dropped the rag. She pulled Li Wenxi, who was washing the stool, and said, "Sister, hurry up, Auntie Sun's fried meatballs are delicious."
When they entered the Chen family's kitchen, Li Wenxi saw the boiling oil pot on the stove in the Chen family's kitchen filled with round meatballs. She couldn't help swallowing her saliva. What a big deal! She had never seen anyone eat meat like this before.
Auntie Sun pointed to a basket of fried meatballs on the chopping board and said, "They have cooled down. You can eat them yourself."
Li Wenhua was about to reach out to grab them, but was stopped by Li Wenxi. "Wash your hands first. Your hands have just finished picking up the rag."
Li Wenhua stuck out his tongue and ran out. Li Wenxi also washed his hands, then picked up a pair of chopsticks to pick up a meatball and put it in Li Wenhua's hand.
Auntie Sun smiled and looked at Li Wenxi lovingly.
Li Wenhua, who had not eaten fried meatballs for a long time, and Li Wenxi, who had never eaten fried meatballs before, stood in the Chen family kitchen and ate them voraciously.
Auntie Sun was also very satisfied.
Before leaving, Auntie Sun also filled a bowl of meatballs and insisted that Li Wenxi take it home.
Li Wenxi was determined not to accept it. How could she eat and take it at the same time?
But Li Wenhua squeezed over and took the bowl directly, "Auntie, my sister won't take it, so I'll take it."
Then Li Wenxi hit her head a few times.
The two of them went out of the courtyard with a bowl of meatballs, and saw Qin Lan and Li Wenting coming back with big and small bags.
Qin Lan frowned when she saw the meatballs, "Why did you take things from your aunt again?"
"Auntie insisted that we take it." Li Wenhua said hurriedly.
Qin Lan didn't say anything else. When she returned home, she saw that the house was brand new, clean and bright inside and out.
Li Wenhua smiled proudly and said, "My second sister and I cleaned this together. Mom, clean it up."
The tired Qin Lan was happy. On this day, she was furious while shopping for Tingting. She didn't like this or that.
Seeing that if she didn't buy it now, the store would be closed and people would have to go home for the New Year's Eve dinner, Li Wenting hurriedly chose one.
All the way, Li Wenting regretted that she should not have bought the one she bought before.
Li Wenxi continued to bring out the dishes, washed the meat, mushrooms, and pig's feet, and instructed Li Wenhua to wash the small clay stove.
She put the washed pig's feet into the clay stove, lit a fire, and stewed it in the corridor. She also chopped the ground vegetables, mushrooms and meat into stuffing and made dumpling skins. She and Li Wenhua sat in the yard and made dumplings stuffed with ground vegetables, mushrooms and meat.
Qin Lan quickly put down the things and went to the kitchen to prepare the dishes.
Li Wenting pouted and went back to the second floor with the bag of clothes.
Li Wenhua leaned towards the kitchen and sniffed, "Mom has to roast the fish black again. Fortunately, you mixed the dumpling stuffing. Otherwise, I would taste salt again."
Li Wenxi thought for a while and put the dumplings in the dustpan. She
got up and went to the kitchen.
She decided to cook the New Year's Eve dinner tonight. She didn't want a lot of good ingredients to be wasted.
In the evening, accompanied by the sound of firecrackers, Li Hongbin stepped into his yard, and soon he found something different.
In previous years, when he returned home on New Year's Eve, the dishes in the house had not been washed yet, and the couplets were waiting for him to post.
Now he stood in the yard, and the yard had a brand new feeling, and the couplets were neatly posted on the door. An alluring aroma wafted from the house, and two small stoves were gurgling in the corridor.
He approached and lifted the lid of one of the small pots, but it was so hot that he put it down.
"Dad, be careful, don't drop the chicken soup we've been stewing for the whole afternoon." Li Wenhua hurried over and pushed his father away. He was relieved to see that the small clay stove was still there.
"You are very protective of your food, kid." Li Hongbin smiled as he watched his son take two rags and carefully carry the small clay stove to the living room.
Li Wenhua lifted the lid of the pot, and a strong aroma of chicken soup instantly hit him. A few red dates and longans floated on the golden chicken soup, and he swallowed his saliva.
"This chicken soup is well stewed." Li Hongbin said after taking a look.
"I washed the longans and red dates and added the water. I also posted the couplets in our house this year." Li Wenhua said hurriedly.
"Not bad, he has become a little man."
Li Wenhua smiled proudly.
Qin Lan was bringing dishes to the living room, and Li Wenxi was still frying the last cabbage in the kitchen.
There are a lot of meat dishes tonight, so we need to eat some vegetables to relieve the greasy feeling.
Outside the door, the sound of firecrackers continued. A rich table of dishes was placed in the Li family's living room. Before starting to eat, Li Hongbin took out three red envelopes and handed them to Li Wenhua, Li Wenxi, and Li Wenting: "This is the New Year's money. Grow up healthy and happy next year."
"Thank you, Dad."
Amid the sound of firecrackers, the new year has arrived.
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