Chapter 372 The Orphanage's Handsome Boys 72 (Fourth Update, Please Vote)
On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the entire city of Beijing was filled with joy.
Red lanterns were hung at the entrance of the shops, and long queues formed in front of the grocery stores as people lined up with their meat coupons, oil coupons, and sugar coupons to buy what they needed.
It's Chinese New Year, a rare chance to relax and unwind.
Inside the small building, Aunt Li packed her luggage, rubbed her hands together, and stood in the living room with a slightly red eye. It was the end of the year, and she finally had time to go home and visit.
Shen Ci came downstairs, holding a thick red paper packet in her hand, and handed it over.
"Sister Li, please take this."
When I go home for the Chinese New Year, I buy some new clothes for the children and some good food for the elderly.
"You can come back to work on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year; stay home a few more days."
When Li Sao took the red envelope, she realized it was quite heavy; the money inside was probably equivalent to two or three months' salary for her.
Her lips trembled, as if she wanted to say something, but tears fell first.
"President Shen, I... I really don't know what to say."
If it weren't for you, I don't know how my family would have gotten through this year's Spring Festival.
My husband is in poor health, and the family depends on me. We're so grateful to have met you; you're truly a kind person.
She wiped away her tears and took out two brand-new pairs of cloth shoes from her bag. They were clean and looked like they had never been worn.
"I made these in my spare time. They have many layers of soles and are very comfortable to wear. You and the young master can each have a pair. Please don't find them unsatisfactory."
They were all made to your and the young master's sizes.
The shoes are made of black corduroy with white cloth edging, and the soles are stitched tightly and neatly, showing that a lot of effort has been put into them.
Shen Ci accepted it, feeling a warmth in her heart. Aunt Li was diligent, clean, and rarely spoke; she was a very capable person, and they got along well at home.
"Thank you, Aunt Li. This is really good cooking. Go back now, the car is waiting at the door."
We absolutely cannot let our family reunion be delayed because of us.
After seeing off the profusely grateful Li Sao, Shen Ci and Lu Jinnian packed their luggage and drove to the courtyard house.
The trunk of the car was packed full of imported chocolates, White Rabbit candies, malted milk powder, and New Year's gifts for everyone, all bought from the Friendship Store.
The courtyard house had been cleaned thoroughly in advance, and the Spring Festival couplets written by Shen's father were pasted on the main gate.
Firecrackers bid farewell to the old year, and the fragrance of plum blossoms heralds the new spring. Horizontal scroll: All things are renewed.
Colorful paper was strung up in the yard, and red lanterns hung under the eaves. Children chased and played in the yard, their laughter causing the snow on the trees to fall in a soft rustling sound.
"Auntie's here!"
The youngest tiger cub, with sharp eyes, was the first to rush over and hug Shen Ci's leg.
The whole family came out to greet them. Mother Shen was wearing an apron, and her hands were still covered in flour.
Father Shen wore the new Zhongshan suit that Shen Ci had bought for him. Both his elder brothers and their families were present, and even Chang'an, who worked at the food factory, had come back on holiday.
"Mom, Dad, eldest brother and sister-in-law, second brother and sister-in-law."
Shen Ci greeted everyone one by one, and Lu Jinnian followed behind, greeting people as well.
Chang'an walked over and patted Lu Jinnian on the shoulder.
"Xiao Nian, this is for you."
He handed me a cardboard box containing a Hero brand fountain pen.
"I heard from your aunt that you are a good student, this will come in handy."
He then took out a few small paper packets and distributed them to his younger siblings.
"This is a hair clip, this is a glass marble, this is a comic book, and this is my first month's salary. It's not much, so please don't mind."
"When I make money, I'll buy everyone a good one!"
The sister-in-law's eyes reddened. This was the first time her son had earned so much money. He was really doing well now, but she still complained.
"You're wasting money! It's so much better to save it!"
"Mom, I bought some things for the family. I'm happy."
Chang'an smiled innocently, never expecting that he would one day be able to work in a factory. In his previous life, he thought he would be like his parents, growing up and farming.
Before this year, he had always imagined that his life would change so drastically.
Seeing this, Mother Shen suddenly turned away and wiped her eyes. Father Shen patted her hand and whispered.
"Old woman, this year's New Year finally feels like a New Year."
Yes, it finally feels like New Year's.
With a daughter and a grandson, the whole family is together.
As Shen's mother recalled those years, every New Year's Eve she would secretly wipe away tears, thinking of her little daughter whose fate was unknown, and of this broken family.
"Don't just stand there, come inside!" She turned around, a smile spreading across her face.
"Let's have a proper New Year's Eve dinner tonight and have a good time!"
The New Year's Eve dinner was ordered from the time-honored restaurants Quanjude and Donglaishun, but the Shen family insisted on cooking some home-style dishes themselves.
The kitchen was bustling with activity. Mother Shen and her two daughters-in-law were making dumplings, with fillings of cabbage and pork, and fillings of chives and eggs. The dumplings were wrapped and arranged in rows.
This year, everyone was happy to have a family reunion. Unlike previous years, the dumplings weren't flat and empty. This year, all the dumplings were round and plump, with plenty of filling.
Shen Guodong set up a stove in the yard to fry meatballs and ribbonfish, while Shen Guoliang was in charge of stewing meat, with braised pork bubbling away in the pot.
In the evening, the New Year's Eve dinner was served.
The dining room in the courtyard house has a large round table, which is covered with food, with a platter of roast duck and hot pot mutton ordered by Shen Ci in the center.
Around the table were braised carp, four-happiness meatballs, sweet and sour pork ribs, poached chicken, and homemade dumplings piled up like a small mountain. There was also jujube cake specially steamed by Mother Shen, wishing the whole family a promotion.
The whole family, more than a dozen people, sat around a table, with the children sitting next to the adults. Each person had a glass of orange soda in front of them. This was a new product from the Chenci factory, and the children loved to drink it.
The Shen family has no rules against men cooking or women sitting at the table; their main focus is on family reunion, celebration, and liveliness.
In Shen's mother's eyes, her daughter could not only sit at the table, but she would also praise her for standing on the table to eat.
Mr. Shen stood up, his voice choked with emotion, tears streaming down his face.
"Come on, let's raise a glass. This year's New Year is the most reunion and the happiest year for our Shen family."
Why? Because our third son came back, bringing Jin Nian back with him, and leading our whole family to a better life.
I won't say much, just one sentence: Things will only get better from now on! Cheers!
"cheers!"
The clinking of cups made a crisp sound, and the children couldn't wait to start eating, picking up food, chatting and laughing, with the clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
It was so lively! At the tail end of the 1970s, the Shen family was finally reunited.
Lu Jinnian ate his meal quietly, but the corners of his mouth remained slightly upturned.
Chang'an put the biggest piece of pork rib on his plate, his eldest aunt scooped a spoonful of four-happiness meatballs into his bowl, and his second aunt put a duck leg on his plate...
Grandma, Mom, and everyone else were putting food on his plate; it felt like he was surrounded by love.
He was so happy that he seemed a little overwhelmed.
If he hadn't been abandoned, he would have continued to grow up in a family like that.
"That's enough, that's enough, I can't eat this much."
Lu Jinnian said that what greeted him was a piece of fish that his mother had placed on his plate.
"You're still growing, eat more! Eating fish makes you smarter!"
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