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"Hehe. What's wrong?"
"The commander has been criticizing me for half a day. You said you learned it in one go, but it took me a week to learn it."
"Heh, I'm smarter than you!"
"They're all bullying me!"
"Alright, stop fooling around and hurry up and set the table so we can eat." Zhang Xingguo glared at him with a smile.
At this moment, Zhang Shouyi also came out wearing an apron. "Hurry up and wash your hands and eat. Are you happy now?"
"Yes, all my friends rode in the car I was driving, of course I was happy."
"As long as you're happy. Let's eat. Try my cooking, and tell me if there's anything I can improve, so I'll do better next time."
"Are you using me as an experiment for your future sister-in-law? Don't worry, I'll definitely tell you if there are any shortcomings."
Zhang Hongmei took a bite and said it was pretty good. "It's quite delicious, but it would be even more perfect if you used less oil next time."
"Okay! Eat more."
Watching the interaction between the two, Zhang Xingguo happily ate an extra bowl of porridge.
Tomorrow is the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. Time flies!
This year, thanks to Zhang Xingguo and the other two, Zhang Hongmei had the happiest Spring Festival. Although she was tired and had to cook a lot of meals, she was no longer lonely.
Breakfast was simple: rice porridge, pickled cucumbers, and peanuts.
After dinner, Zhang Shouyi asked Zhang Hongmei with a smile, "Hongmei, are you going to get gas today, or is Xiaoshun going?"
"I'm not going. I'll stay home today to read and tidy up."
“Okay, then let Shouyi stay home with you, and I’ll go with Xiaoshun.”
"Do we need to go to the gas station together?"
"No, I'm just preparing something. Don't worry, everything will be fine."
Since Zhang Xingguo had already said that, Zhang Hongmei didn't say anything more. She couldn't delay his business, could she?
Since we're going to refuel, let's make lunch early. "Uncle Zhang, is there anything you'd like to eat?"
"Fried eggs with pancakes."
"Okay, I'll go make the dough. As for the vegetables, it'll be pickled cabbage stew with rice noodles, some sliced meat, and frozen tofu. That'll make both soup and vegetables."
"Okay, what kind of dish is this?"
"I don't know, I just ate whatever."
While listening to the radio, with Zhang Shouyi explaining things in more detail, I gradually gained a deeper understanding of some potential political issues.
We ate lunch at 11 a.m., and the fried chili oil was the most popular.
In the afternoon, without Zhang Xingguo causing trouble, Zhang Hongmei and Zhang Hongmei played chess. It's really not easy to find some entertainment.
A person's chess style reveals their character. Zhang Hongmei is the type to play steadily and cautiously, while Zhang Shouyi is the type to relentlessly pursue and attack, giving his opponent no chance to retaliate.
Moreover, his thinking was exceptionally clear. Sometimes, while Zhang Hongmei was still pondering, Zhang Shouyi already knew roughly how many steps she was going to take; he was the kind of person who thought three steps ahead before taking one.
Zhang Hongmei had no chance of winning, but she could last about an hour in a game.
I only played two rounds before giving up; it was too mentally taxing. I was simply not on the same level as them; I was too simple-minded, while they were cunning and shrewd.
Zhang Shouyi watched as Zhang Hongmei closed her eyes and pressed her Jingming acupoint, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Hongmei, what's your impression of me?"
"My impression of him? Pretty boy, weirdo, two-faced, cunning old fox." After saying that, Zhang Hongmei opened her eyes, looked at Zhang Shouyi's gloomy face, and smiled mischievously.
"But after spending more time with you, I realized you are rational, responsible, intelligent, and dependable. Most importantly, you make people feel safe!"
Zhang Shouyi's expression changed from gloomy to sunny.
"Little girl, is it fun to tease me?"
Zhang Hongmei quickly wiped the smile off her face. "No, I'm just telling the truth. Besides, you're the one who should be asking me."
"Yes, I asked you that question, but I only remembered the last part of what you said, which was about security. And you also remembered that I will make you feel secure for the rest of your life."
“Brother Zhang, there’s no need to be so serious. Besides, this sense of security won’t be suitable for you to provide when I’m older. You should give your sense of security to your wife in the future.”
"I said I'd give it to you, so I'll give it to you."
Zhang Hongmei was speechless; she couldn't reason with someone who was mentally unstable.
However, I subconsciously felt that I couldn't continue this topic.
"Brother Zhang, can you tell me what the best food is in the capital? I want to try everything when I go there."
"Hehe!" Zhang Shouyi couldn't quite tell that this girl was abruptly changing the subject, but he let her be.
"There are many delicious foods to eat, and plenty of options available. Don't worry, no matter how busy I am, I will take you to eat your way through Beijing."
The most famous dishes are Peking duck, donkey rolls (a type of glutinous rice roll), and hot pot with mutton; these are all my favorites.
"Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. All my sheep have gone to the collective, otherwise I would definitely slaughter a sheep this year and have hot pot with mutton."
"You weren't compensated after it was returned to the public?" Zhang Shouyi thought Zhang Hongmei had been bullied in the village.
“Giving work points and grain are things for the future. Right now, our village still owes Grandma 15,000 yuan.”
"That's good. Don't worry about these things. I won't let you lack anything in the future."
Zhang Hongmei: Don't say things that are ambiguous and misleading all the time.
"Hehe, I just want to eat meat, mutton."
"Did your village not slaughter any sheep this year?"
"No, there are only three rams, and all the ewes are pregnant. It wouldn't be good to kill either of them."
"Are you a shepherd?"
"Yes, everyone took good care of me, herding sheep was the easiest thing ever."
"What will happen to the grain when you go to the city?"
“I can keep going back to the village to get grain. My work points are higher than everyone else’s. I got points for both wild boars, and for the sheep too, plus the work points I earned from working in the fields. All of these can be exchanged for grain.”
But I don't want to change it now. You have no idea that when they grind cornmeal, they even grind the corn kernels into it. Even the steamed cornbread is inedible. I really can't get used to it.
"I'll have someone send you some grain in a while. Don't worry, it's all fine grain."
"No need, I have prepared enough dried vegetables for my family of four. Don't worry, it's enough for me."
"Yes. Just make sure you don't mistreat yourself."
"I would never deprive myself of good food! Why would I be so pessimistic? I have money and food, why would I suffer?"
“That’s the right way to think about it. We can eat whatever we want.” Zhang Shouyi was afraid that Zhang Hongmei would feel embarrassed and wronged.
Da Shan ran over excitedly, "Hongmei, look, there are three wild rabbits. I'm giving them all to you. Uncle Zhang and the others should be leaving soon. You can give them some extra food."
"Alright, which trap is this?"
"It was found in those traps in the cabbage field. Here, I'll kill it for you."
"Perfect timing, I'm too lazy to do it right now. Just chop it into pieces for me."
The two chattered away in the courtyard, but Zhang Shouyi inside the house was not happy; the girl was ignoring him.
I know my behavior is childish, but I can't control my thoughts.
Thinking that she's only twelve years old, I really have a long way to go.
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