"Uncle Maocai is finally free of worries. So, are Jianguo and Daya still staying in their hometown?"
Zhang Hongmei just smiled and didn't say anything. But then she immediately thought that Auntie San would be coming over soon, and if Liu Xiuling asked, she was afraid she would be upset.
I glanced at the old lady. I didn't know what to say.
"Jianguo stayed in his hometown, but Da Ya disappeared."
Liu Xiuling understood and knew what her great-grandmother meant.
"Mom, eat this!" The eldest son ran over, holding a fried dough twist in his hand and feeding it to Zhang Hongmei.
Zhang Hongmei took a bite and said, "Thank you, boss. This twisted dough stick is delicious."
The little guy immediately ran to the old lady's side and said, "Grandma, please eat."
The old lady didn't have many teeth left, but she still accepted the twisted dough stick.
"My son Zhenye is very filial," the old lady said slowly, kowtowing.
“Eldest son, look at your ancestor. Because he is old, his teeth are not working well. You need to observe him carefully and be filial to him accordingly.”
Zhang Zhenye tilted his head and looked at the old lady.
"Mom, I understand. It's because Grandpa's teeth aren't good, and the twisted dough sticks are too hard for him to eat, right?"
"Yes, that's the situation."
"So that means I'll have to be gentle with the old man from now on, right?"
"Yes! That's exactly what I mean. My eldest son is really smart."
"Hongmei, how old is this child?"
"It's been a week and a half."
"That's amazing. You really know how to raise children."
"It's nothing, it's just about gradually instilling the right ideas in him."
Su Chen watched over the five children from the side, while Liu Jingsong also took care of his four younger brothers.
"Red Plum, what about this sturdy pine?"
“He is the child of Li Cun’s family. The couple divorced and no one treated him well, so I took him in and raised him.”
"Licun? Great-Grandma, is it Shuangcun's family, the one whose mother is particularly notorious for being a scoundrel?"
"Yes, it's them. Jinsong has been here for five years and is already in second grade. He's a sensible child. He didn't follow their family's example."
Liu Xiuling watched as the five children got along very well, without any conflicts over food, and were all very considerate of each other.
"Grandma, these children are so well raised. They're so young, yet they already know how to take care of each other."
"Yes, Hongmei knows how to educate children."
"Great-Grandma, I'm going to help Grandma cook."
"Grandma, I'm going too."
The two went to the kitchen, where Liu Changhe's family was making steamed buns. The five children also rushed in.
"Great-Grandma, what are you doing?" the second son asked, tilting his head.
"Grandma is steaming buns for you to eat." Liu Changhe's family looked at the five curious children.
"How about this, Grandma will give each of you a piece of flour, and you can make your own steamed buns. Once they're cooked, you can eat the ones you made yourself, okay?"
They all looked at Zhang Hongmei. "Mom, is it okay? I want to try?"
"Yes, but you all have to go wash your hands with Aunt Su Chen."
The five children ran out again in a swarm.
"Grandma, we didn't get this kind of treatment when we were kids."
“You didn’t have such a good life when you were young. Besides, my great-grandchildren are so lucky.”
"You're really biased," Liu Xiuling teased the old woman with a smile.
"Big sister, what can I do?"
There's a big grass carp in the tank outside, your uncle bought it. Why don't you make fish balls for the kids?
"Okay, I'll go kill the fish."
"Hongmei, you have this skill?"
"Big sister, I've been living on my own since I was five years old, and I can cook any kind of meal."
Zhang Hongmei took the kitchen knife and went outside.
At this time, Liu Maocai's family took them over.
"Hongmei, what are you doing with that knife?"
"Oh, my third uncle is here. Perfect timing, someone can do the fish-cleaning work now."
Liu Maocai smiled and took the cleaver, then went to the side to clean the fish.
When Liu Pengfei saw Zhang Hongmei, he immediately ran over and said, "Auntie."
“My Pengfei has grown taller and stronger.”
"Third Uncle, Third Aunt, it's me, Xiuling."
"Xiuling? I hardly recognize her." Li Cuihua held Xiuling's hand and looked at her with a smile.
Zhang Hongmei led Liu Pengfei into the old lady's house.
"Ancestor, Pengfei has come to see you."
"Hurry up and let the old man take a look? This young man has grown taller."
"Quick, there's some good food over there, all prepared by your great-grandmother. Help yourself to whatever you like."
Li Cuihua and Liu Xiuling also came in. "Second wife, why are you lying down?"
"It's okay, I've been sitting for a while, I'll lie down for a bit."
"You all stay here, I'll go cook for my aunt."
"Go ahead, I'm fine here."
The braised pork and braised fish are already cooked. Li Cuihua and Liu Xiuling are working together, one tending the fire and the other preparing the vegetables.
"Cuihua, you need to scoop out some more rice; the kids love it."
"Okay, I'll take it."
Liu Maocai brought in the cleaned fish. Zhang Hongmei took it, placed it on the cutting board, and began to prepare it, otherwise the fish wouldn't be tender enough.
All six children went into the kitchen. Each of Liu Changhe's family members was given a piece of dough, and the six little ones imitated the old man's actions like adults.
"The six of you can be creative and make it whatever you like."
Liu Maocai left the kitchen and went inside to chat with the old lady.
When Zhang Hongmei cut off the fish skin, she glanced at the children and smiled.
The eldest made an apple-shaped one, the second one made a strange-looking thing, the third one made a flower, the fourth one was uncreative, just a round ball, Pengfei was older than them and made a dog, and Jingsong was also uncreative, making a round ball as well.
"Second child, can you tell Mom what you did?"
"tank!"
"Oh! So it's a tank. Very good. Put them all in the steamer later. Once they're cooked, you can eat what you made yourself, okay?"
The kitchen is too cramped. Why don't you go out and play with your two aunties?
The six little ones rushed out in a swarm again.
"Big sister, wouldn't it be great if it were a girl?"
"Hehe, you can have another one later."
Zhang Hongmei smiled, turned her head, and began to chop the fish meat with the back of the knife.
After the fish meat was chopped and seasonings were added, it was stirred.
“Hongmei, let’s take turns. It looks like it’s hard work.”
"That's right, you have to beat the fish until it's firm and elastic. Big sister, I'll leave it to you now. I'll take over when you get tired."
Then he started chopping the fish head, cleaning the fish bones and skin, and cutting them into pieces. He planned to serve them to his third uncle and the eldest uncle as a snack with their drinks.
The rice is cooked, the pot is washed, water is added, and it's placed in the steamer.
Li Cuihua lit another pot, and Zhang Hongmei added water to make fish soup.
"Grandma, when is my uncle coming back?"
"He'll be back at 11 o'clock. He doesn't need to go to work this afternoon."
"Hehe, my uncle quite likes going there."
"Your uncle said there's no land to farm here, so doing some work is more comfortable."
The fish and meat were all placed in the steamer, just waiting for Liu Changhe to come back and cook.
At lunchtime, the children's favorite foods are the steamed buns they made themselves and the fish balls made by Zhang Hongmei.
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