Chapter 104 Chapter 104 As the Chinese New Year approaches, Huaihefang...

As the Chinese New Year approaches, the festive atmosphere in the Huaihefang alley is getting stronger and stronger. Today is the 27th day of the lunar year, and many families in the alley have started frying smoked fish. The fragrant aroma fills the entire alley.

The children on winter vacation were running around in the alleys, with candies in their mouths and fried smoked fish in their hands. They took a bite and found it crunchy.

Mother Meng was carrying bags of things as she walked home. She met neighbors from time to time along the way and stopped to talk to them.

"Dr. Meng, you bought so many things. I just saw your president, Meng, carrying a lot of things. Your family has prepared so many New Year's goods this year."

Mother Meng smiled and said, "Feifei is coming home today."

"Hey, Feifei is back. I'm here to buy some more things."

Passersby heard this and stopped to chat: "Fei Fei is back for Chinese New Year this year. I haven't seen her for a year and I miss her so much."

"Yes, Feifei has been a little girl who grew up in Hai City. Now she has gone to such a far country. She has suffered a lot."

"Doctor Meng, you have to give Feifei some good care this time."

"By the way, Dr. Meng, did Feifei come back alone this time?"

"How could he be alone? Qinqin, that little girl, must come back with him."

Mother Meng smiled and said, "Everyone come back, Qinqin's father should come back with you."

"Oh, Qinqin's father is back too. Then, Doctor Meng, you have to add two more dishes to your meal today. This is really a rare guest."

"Yes, I remember that I haven't seen Qinqin's father since Feifei got married. I even forgot what he looks like."

"I still remember he was a tall guy, very good-looking."

"Yes, it's just that the workplace is too far away, and I can't even come back once."

Mother Meng smiled and explained for her son-in-law: "His job is special, and there is nothing we can do about it."

As long-time neighbors, they knew what the son-in-law of the Meng family did, and they all nodded in agreement: "Yes, the organization needs him."

"I heard that Qinqin's father has been promoted to group leader. He must be a senior cadre now. He is really young and promising."

…

After chatting for a while, Meng's mother continued to walk home with her things. When she reached downstairs, she happened to meet her youngest son who was riding a bicycle back home.

"Mom, you bought so many things. If you had told me earlier, I would have come to pick you up."

Meng Zhongyan parked his bike beside the wall and ran over to take the things from Meng's mother.

Meng Mu asked him, "Have you eaten yet?"

"I've eaten at the hospital. I'll come back to change my clothes and go to the train station to pick up my sister and Qinqin later." Meng Zhongyan worked the night shift yesterday and doesn't have to work during the day today.

Mother Meng laughed and said, "Why would you change clothes to see your sister?"

Meng Zhongyan said, "It's been a while since we last met. How can I go there in such a sloppy way? I dress up to show my seriousness."

The mother and son went up to the third floor and opened the door. Father Meng was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. When he saw them coming back, he pushed his glasses and said, "The fish and shrimps we bought at the seafood market this morning are now in the kitchen sink."

Meng Zhongyan was surprised and asked, "Dad, did you queue up at the seafood market early this morning?"

As the Chinese New Year is approaching, people have been lining up there since midnight to grab the goods.

Mother Meng said, "If we expect your father to be so slow to line up, he won't be back until dark."

Father Meng coughed lightly and said, "I have a friend whose son-in-law happens to work at the seafood market. I asked him to save some for me."

"oh."

Meng Zhongyan nodded. He really couldn't imagine his father queuing up at the seafood market to grab fish.

Meng's mother went to the kitchen to check on the fish and shrimps she had bought. The pond was full of them, including two large grass carps, which were perfect for making smoked fish.

Two pounds of shrimps, still alive and kicking, wash half of them and make fried shrimps, and the rest can be shelled and cut into shrimp kernels to make wontons.

There are also two small yellow croakers, which is Feifei’s favorite, so just braise them.

Mother Meng quickly started to clean and shouted outside, "Zhao Xing, didn't Xiao Chen from the meat processing factory say that he would deliver spare ribs today? When will he come? I want to make sweet and sour spare ribs for lunch. Qinqin loves it the most."

Father Meng looked at his watch and replied, "They said it would be delivered at ten o'clock. It will be here soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the door.

Meng Zhongyan, who had just put down his things, went to open the door. It was a clever young man who smiled and said, "Excuse me, is this President Meng's home?"

Meng Zhongyan nodded: "Yes, that's right."

The young man handed over the large bamboo basket he was carrying and said, "Our director asked me to deliver this. He said that this is the goods that President Meng ordered from him."

Father Meng also stood up and walked to the door, smiling and said, "You are from the meat processing factory, right?"

"Yes, our director's last name is Zhou. He said that you ordered the goods in advance from the factory. Today's pork is black pork collected from the countryside. It tastes better than the ones from the pig farm."

Father Meng nodded and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Please go back and tell your director. I will thank him another day."

The young man smiled and said, "You're welcome. I have to go to work, so I'll leave now."

After handing the bamboo basket to Meng Zhongyan, the young man left with a smile.

Father Meng said to his youngest son, "Take it to the kitchen. Your mother is going to make sweet and sour pork ribs."

Meng's mother had heard the noise in the kitchen. She took the bamboo basket, took out the contents and placed it on the stove. There were two pounds of ribs, all middle ribs, which were most suitable for making sweet and sour ribs.

There were also two pounds of pork belly, two pig ears, two pig feet, and a pig liver.

Meng's mother prepared everything. She could brine the pig's ears, as Meng liked to eat them. She would pickle the pig's liver when she had time and save it for New Year's Eve.

Meng Zhongyan went back to the room, changed his clothes, washed his face, and went out.

"Dad, Mom, I'm going to the station to pick up my sister and the others."

"Don't be in a hurry." Father Meng stopped him.

Meng Zhongyan stopped and asked, "What's wrong?"

Father Meng said, "Go to your uncle Wang first and ask him to drive you there. I have already informed him in advance."

Which Uncle Wang?

Meng Zhongyan was stunned for a moment, and quickly realized that his father was talking about his former driver.

According to Mr. Meng's rank, the company provided him with a car. However, in the past two years, Mr. Meng gradually let go of the things he was doing and prepared to retire. Except for meetings and work needs, he no longer used the car. He usually walked to and from get off work.

Meng Zhongyan smiled and nodded: "Okay, I don't have to take the bus and change buses. You made an exception today, tsk tsk, it seems that dad still loves my sister the most."

Father Meng smiled and said, "If you go to Qiongzhou for more than half a year before coming back, I will also let Lao Wang drive to pick you up."

Meng Zhongyan shrugged and said, "Forget it, I still think Haishi is better."

The train slowly pulled into the station. The family of three had packed up early and sat on the bed. Xia Qinqin looked at the scenery outside the window and said excitedly, "Mom, I seem to have been here before."

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "Yes, this is where I took the train last time."

Xia Qinqin touched her head and smiled: "Yes, grandparents and uncle are here too."

As she spoke, she looked out the window again. The train slowly stopped, and Xia Qinqin spotted a familiar figure on the platform.

"Mom, my uncle is here too!" She pointed out the window excitedly.

Meng Yufei looked over and saw that it was indeed her own brother, who was looking at each carriage, looking for someone.

Meng Yufei opened the window, and Xia Qinqin stuck her head out and shouted, "Uncle! Little uncle! I'm here."

It was the time when people were getting on and off the train, and the platform was full of noise and her voice was immediately drowned out by the crowd.

However, Meng Zhongyan still looked over. Xia Qinqin had already changed into the bright red cotton coat that her grandmother bought for her, which made her skin look even whiter. She was very eye-catching when waving outside the window.

Meng Zhongyan smiled widely, trotted over, pinched the little girl's face, and asked her, "Qinqin, do you miss your uncle?"

"I want to!" Xia Qinqin said loudly.

Meng Zhongyan smiled and stroked her braid again, then turned to greet the window: "Sister, brother-in-law, you must have had a hard journey."

Xia Junshan smiled and nodded: "Zhongyan has grown into a man." The boy he met a few years ago was still in high school.

Meng Zhongyan smiled and scratched his head.

Meng Yufei directly sent Xia Qinqin out of the window, "Xiaoyan, pick up Qinqin."

Meng Zhongyan quickly reached out and hugged his niece. Xia Qinqin happily came out of the window and clapped her hands, saying, "I'm getting off the bus. It's fun."

Meng Yufei said to her daughter outside the window: "You play with your uncle first, mom and dad will get off now."

"Okay." Xia Qinqin nodded, lying in her uncle's arms and happily playing with him.

Meng Zhongyan smiled and said, "Oh, Qinqin has grown taller."

Xia Qinqin said with a smile: "Yes, I have grown a lot taller and heavier. I eat well every day. Uncle, have you grown taller?"

Meng Zhongyan shook his head: "No, uncle is an adult now, and adults don't grow taller."

"Ah, so that's how it is." Xia Qinqin suddenly realized, "Then I should grow up slowly, so that I can keep growing taller."

Meng Zhongyan tapped her forehead and smiled, "Don't worry, you still have many years to grow taller."

Meng Yufei and Xia Junshan carried their luggage through the crowded crowd and finally got off the car. Meng Zhongyan was already waiting for them at the door holding Qinqin.

"Dad asked Uncle Wang to drive you here. The car is parked outside." Meng Zhongyan handed Qinqin to Meng Yufei and took the box from Xia Junshan. "Let's go out of the station. Mom is already cooking at home. She asked Dad to order fish and meat two days in advance. She will show off her cooking skills at noon. I will also benefit from you and have a good meal."

When Xia Qinqin heard about food, her eyes lit up and she asked, "Did grandma make sweet and sour pork ribs?"

Meng Zhongyan rubbed her nose and said, "Of course, how could I forget our Qinqin's favorite food?" Then he leaned close to her ear and said, "Let me tell you in secret, grandma went to the Friendship Store this morning and bought imported chocolate."

"Chocolate!" Xia Qinqin opened her little mouth and said hurriedly, "Let's go home quickly."

"Okay, let's go home now."

The car was parked outside. Nowadays, few people drive, so no one will give you a ticket for parking your car outside.

After putting the luggage in the trunk, Meng Zhongyan sat as the passenger, and the family of three sat in the back seat.

Uncle Wang also knew Meng Yufei. When she was little, Meng Yufei often went to Meng's father's unit. It can be said that Uncle Wang also watched her grow up.

"Fei Fei is finally back. It's so warm in Qiongzhou. Are you still cold after coming back?" Uncle Wang said with a smile in the driver's seat.

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "It's a bit cold, but it's okay. After all, we can live here for so many years. It's almost the New Year, and Uncle Wang thanked you for coming to pick us up."

Uncle Wang waved his hands and said, "It's not that hard. It's just a matter of turning the steering wheel."

The car drove along the streets of Haishi. Xia Qinqin leaned against the window and looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar buildings outside. "Wow, there are so many tall buildings."

"Dad, look at that red house. Grandpa and I had dinner there before."

"Mom, we've bought clothes in this building before."

"Oh, this is where they sell chocolate."

…

The familiar buildings awakened her memories, and she excitedly shared her previous memories of this city with her father.

Xia Junshan cooperated with his daughter and listened with a smile as she introduced each building to him, as if he was participating in the time that was once lost through his daughter's narration.

Meng Zhongyan, who was the co-pilot in the front, looked back and smiled: "Qinqin has a really good memory. She still remembers what happened before." - After all, she was only four years old, and he had been away for more than half a year. Meng Zhongyan was afraid that she would forget him.

Xia Qinqin said confidently: "My memory is very good. By the way, little uncle, I am now in the senior class."

Meng Zhongyan said with a surprised expression: "Really? That's amazing."