Set the egg mixture aside. The carp has almost thawed. Clean it up, marinate it for ten minutes, and then cut it into pieces for later use.
Take out the chopped pickled cabbage, and while Grandma Qin isn't looking, take out the seasoning for making pickled cabbage fish from your space. Put the pickled cabbage back into your space without using it. Then stir-fry the pickled cabbage in a pot, add water and bring it to a boil, add the fish pieces, and finally add the seasoning.
Pickled fish doesn't need to be cooked for too long; seven or eight minutes is enough. Any longer and the fish won't be as fresh and delicious.
Pour out the pickled cabbage, wash the pan, add oil, pour in the egg mixture, and the scrambled eggs are ready in no time.
The last cold dish is even easier to make: just put shredded cabbage and glass noodles in a bowl, add salt and chili oil, and you're all set.
Just as Qin Xiaoxiao finished, the Su sisters and Liu Meijuan arrived.
Once everyone was present, Qin Xiaoxiao urged them to sit down and eat.
Qin Xiaoxiao cooked rice for the guests, all of which was taken from her space. Qin Feng looked at Qin Xiaoxiao suspiciously several times because of this.
Qin Xiaoxiao pretended not to see it at all. Anyway, if she didn't say anything, no one would know where she got so much rice from.
"Xiaoxiao, thank you for treating us to dinner. This is the canned meat I brought."
Su Yun placed two cans of meat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and looked at Qin Xiaoxiao with a smile.
Not to be outdone, Su Yu placed a piece of cured meat on the table.
"Xiaoxiao, this is mine."
Liu Meijuan smiled and took out two cans of fruit from behind her. "It seems that my gift is the lightest, but it doesn't matter. It's a small gift but a big sentiment. This is my heartfelt gift. Please accept it, Xiaoxiao."
Qin Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes, took the can of food from Liu Meijuan and put it on the table. "You make it sound like I'm greedy. I invited you over for dinner not to take your things, but mainly to celebrate my discharge from the hospital."
No, she escaped death and survived.
Liu Meijuan smiled and shook her head, "It's your kindness to treat us, and it's only polite for us to bring things over. It's unreasonable to go to someone's restaurant empty-handed. We're not the kind of people who take advantage of others."
"Yes, yes, you guys are the best, come and eat!"
After everyone was seated at the table, Ma Dahua and Qin Ye helped Qin Xiaoxiao bring the dishes from the kitchen. When all the dishes were on the table, the Su sisters and Liu Meijuan stared wide-eyed.
"You're not going to stay next month?"
Liu Meijuan was a little angry, and glared at Qin Xiaoxiao with a frown.
Qin Xiaoxiao touched her nose and whispered, "I was just thinking that we've been together for so long but have never eaten together before, and this is my first time treating, so of course we have to eat well."
"Alright, alright, this is the only time. Don't nag me anymore."
Liu Meijuan glared at Qin Xiaoxiao again, "What kind of relationship do we have? Do we need to eat these things? Our relationship isn't maintained by these things. If a meal can solve everything, then why should I be sincere with you?"
Su Yun disagreed and added, "That's right, Xiao Xiao. Even if we had money, we wouldn't spend it like this. Look at this, chicken, fish, and meat—eight dishes in total, seven of which are meat. You can't live like this. You still have a long life ahead of you in the village. If you spend all this now, how will you survive in the future?"
Don't think you can spend money recklessly just because you get a monthly allowance. What will you do when the allowance is gone next year and you're still used to spending lavishly? Will you still be able to live like that?
If you save money now, you can save it for your future wedding dowry, and your in-laws will look at you with more respect.
It's better to have what others have than to have it yourself. Even if your husband and in-laws value you, they can't possibly spend all their money on you. Wouldn't that make them feel better?
Su Yu nodded in agreement, "That's right, Xiao Xiao, let's just have some home-cooked food. I feel bad that you spent so much money to treat us to a meal."
My sister and Sister Liu are right. You need to be careful with your money. After you get married, you won't be able to spend it so freely. Then you'll have the money to buy whatever you want without your in-laws having to pay for it, and they won't be able to say anything."
The Qin family members looked at the Su sisters and Liu Meijuan, who were wholeheartedly thinking of Qin Xiaoxiao, and couldn't help but nod in approval.
Xiao Xiao's three friends are of good character. If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be too busy eating to even look up, let alone have the mind to advise Xiao Xiao.
These three are worth befriending.
Qin Feng laughed and said, "Alright, this time it's just Xiao Xiao's treat, so let's all listen to her. But we can't do it next time. They're right, we can't be so wasteful in the future. How much did all this food cost? It's enough for you to eat for a month."
After saying that, Qin Feng picked up his wine glass and said with a smile, "On behalf of the Qin family, I welcome the three educated youths to visit us."
We've been in Qinjiacun for so long, and we're so grateful for your help in taking care of her. With you here, we can feel at ease letting her stay at the educated youth compound.
From now on, the four of you should get along well and visit our family often. If you need anything, just let us know, and we'll do our best to help you.
Qin Feng's words were tantamount to giving the three of them a guarantee that they could come to him if they needed anything in the future, and that he would help them as long as it didn't violate his principles.
Receiving Qin Feng's promise was an unexpected surprise for the three of them; they never imagined that having dinner at the Qin family's house would bring such a pleasant surprise.
Although they complained that Qin Xiaoxiao was extravagant and didn't know how to manage money, when it came to actually eating, they wouldn't give way to anyone, and everyone buried their heads in their food.
While eating, Grandma Qin said, "I never expected my eldest granddaughter to be such a good cook. If I had known, I would have had her cook dinner earlier, so everyone could have eaten more."
Grandma Qin and Ma Dahua are both good cooks, but they are both reluctant to use oil, so their dishes are naturally not as delicious as Qin Xiaoxiao's.
Qin Xiaoxiao's goal was to gain Old Madam Qin's approval so she could seize the opportunity to cause trouble in the kitchen. Now that she heard Old Madam Qin praising her, she was overjoyed.
“It’s not difficult at all. I’ll take care of dinner at home from now on. You and Auntie can rest.”
Ma Dahua glared at Qin Xiaoxiao with a smile, "I'm here at home, there's no need for you. You'll be doing the chores and cooking later, you won't be able to avoid it even if you want to."
Grandma Qin nodded. "That's right. After you get married, you'll be responsible for all the meals at your husband's family's house. We can't expect your mother-in-law to serve you, can we? Alright, from now on, your aunt and I will cook the meals at home. Just wait and enjoy the freshly prepared meals."
Qin Xiaoxiao, having received affirmation, was unwilling to give up the opportunity. "No, let me do it. You and Auntie should rest. Anyway, I don't cook at home much anymore."
Grandma Qin was taken aback when she heard this. After thinking for a moment, she nodded and said, "That's true. You'll be twenty years old by the New Year. It's time to find someone and get married."
Seeing that Grandma Qin had completely misunderstood her, Qin Xiaoxiao quickly said, "Grandma, that's not what I meant. I meant..."
Does this mean she'll be able to return to the city in a few years? Or is it that she should take the college entrance exam?
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