Chapter 807 It's New Year's Eve again. The wheels of the carriage rolled over the streets of the capital, which were covered with a thin layer of snow. On the bare branches of the locust trees on both sides of the road, red lanterns had been hung, exuding a strong festive atmosphere.
The jeep drove into the military compound. Every household had paper-cut window decorations on their windows, and the aroma of fried roe and stewed meat could be faintly smelled.
As soon as the car came to a stop, I bumped into Political Commissar Wang from the next building, who was strolling around the courtyard with his hands behind his back.
"Hey, Qingyang's back!" Political Commissar Wang greeted him with a smile, his white eyebrows still dusted with snowflakes.
Lu Qingyang got out of the car carrying large and small bags, and replied with a smile, "Just got off the plane, Uncle Wang, you're still so healthy."
At this moment, several teenagers who had been chasing and playing in the courtyard gathered around, their eyes fixed on the net bag and oil paper package in his hand.
"Uncle Lu, what delicious food did you bring?"
Hearing the noise, Aunt Li, who lived across the hall, poked her head out of her house, wiping her hands on her apron: "Qingyang's trip has been quite long. Xiao Mo was talking about it the other day."
Lu Qingyang smiled and opened a net bag, taking out a tin box with the words "Xinghualou" printed on it, and then several packets of pastries wrapped in oil paper: "I didn't bring anything special, just some pastries from Haishi. This box is for you, Uncle Wang, to have with your drinks. Aunt Li, try this packet of seaweed cakes, the old taste of Haishi. And you little gluttons..."
He grabbed a handful of White Rabbit candies and gold coins and distributed them to the eager children.
The children cheered and eagerly unwrapped the candy. Political Commissar Wang took the tin box, opened it, and smelled it: "Hmm, this smells like mung bean cake! Your sister-in-law loves this. You're so thoughtful, Qingyang."
Aunt Li held the seaweed cake, her smile deepening the wrinkles around her eyes: "You've come all this way and you still remember us. You know, Qingyang is such a thoughtful and sensible child. It's truly rare."
"Yes, the Fang family's good fortune all rests on Lu Qingyang." Political Commissar Wang nodded in agreement, patting Lu Qingyang on the shoulder. "Hurry home, Xiao Mo and the children must be getting impatient."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Lu Qingyang picked up the remaining luggage and local specialties and headed towards his own small building.
Behind them, they could still hear Aunt Li sighing, "Look at Qingyang, he's really made something of himself..."
As I opened the door, the warmth of the heater mingled with the aroma of cooked food and wafted out.
Aunt Liu came out of the kitchen wearing an apron and smiled when she saw him: "You're finally back."
The two children rushed over, calling "Dad!"
Lu Qingyang handed over the fresh meat mooncake and fermented fish he had specially reserved: "They're still warm. Try the taste of the seafood that Dad brought back."
Ding Panyun came out of the kitchen carrying freshly cooked dumplings. As soon as she saw her son enter, a smile immediately appeared on her face: "You're finally back. Come on, wash your hands and eat. Your dad was just talking about it."
Fang Zhongwen put down the newspaper in his hand, looked over from above his reading glasses, and smiled slightly: "Was the journey smooth?"
"Smoothly." Lu Qingyang put his luggage in the entryway and took out a few oil paper packets from the net bag he was carrying.
"Mom, this is a fresh meat mooncake from Haishi Laoda Fang, your favorite. Dad, this is a pickled fish from Shao Wansheng, the best accompaniment to wine."
Ding Panyun took the still-warm mooncake and scolded, "You're wasting money again."
But he carefully peeled off the oil paper, and the savory aroma of ghee mixed with meat filling immediately wafted out.
At the dinner table, Lu Qingyang recounted his experiences in Haishi.
When Fang Zhongwen heard that densely packed shantytowns were still crammed beneath the high-rises along the Bund, he seemed to ponder: "Construction always takes time."
When talking about the fashionable men and women on Huaihai Road and the imported goods in Friendship Store, Ding Panyun couldn't help but sigh: "These young people nowadays are really daring in their fashion choices."
"How is Grandpa doing lately?" Lu Qingyang asked.
"He's doing great!" Ding Panyun picked up a dumpling for him. "He now practices the Five Animal Frolics twice a day, and yesterday he even won a piece in a game of chess with your dad."
The next morning, Lu Qingyang carried the seaweed cakes and Longjing tea he had brought from Shanghai to the small courtyard where Grandpa Fang lived.
In the snow-covered courtyard, an old man, dressed in his exercise clothes, practiced the Five Animal Frolics. Although his movements were slow, each move was precise and skillful.
Upon seeing his grandson, he slowly stopped his movements, his face flushed.
“Grandpa.” Lu Qingyang stepped forward quickly.
Grandpa Fang took the cloth and wiped his sweat, his eyes shining: "How's the matter in Haishi going?"
The grandfather and grandson sat down on a bench in the courtyard.
Lu Qingyang explained in detail the store location and clothing style planning. Grandpa Fang listened attentively, occasionally interjecting to ask questions about details.
The old man took a sip of the Longjing tea brewed by his grandson and said, "That's how you should do things: you need both courage and a down-to-earth approach."
He put down his teacup and suddenly laughed, "Look at my tiger act just now, didn't it look like a tiger?"
Lu Qingyang nodded seriously: "It captures both the form and the spirit."
The old man laughed heartily, his laughter particularly loud in the courtyard in the early morning.
Sunlight streamed through the bare persimmon trees, casting dappled shadows on the snow.
Looking at his grandfather's rosy complexion and relaxed brows, Lu Qingyang felt his last worry subside.
“When your shop in Shanghai opens,” the old man patted his shoulder, “I’ll go take a look. I haven’t been there in so many years, and I hear the Bund has changed a lot.”
"I'll definitely take you there," Lu Qingyang replied with a smile.
Grandma Fang brought some snacks to Lu Qingyang, saying, "The New Year is almost here, time really flies."
Grandpa Fang nodded: "Yes, I wasn't thinking clearly a while ago, I don't even know what I was saying, and I didn't realize how much time had passed."
Grandma Fang came out of the inner room carrying an enamel pastry plate piled high with freshly fried cat ear pastries and sesame candy, emitting a sweet and oily aroma.
"Qingyang, have something to eat first."
She pushed the plate towards her grandson, sat down in the wicker chair next to her, and looked out the window at the sporadic sounds of firecrackers. She sighed softly, "It's almost New Year's Eve. Time really flies."
Grandpa Fang held a cup of hot tea to warm his hands, the rising steam blurring the deep wrinkles on his face.
He nodded upon hearing this, his gaze drifting away for a moment, his voice tinged with a hint of emotion: "Yes, it's so fast. Before, my mind was like it was covered by a thick fog, I was completely confused, I couldn't even tell whether the days were square or round, and I couldn't feel how time was slipping away. Now that my mind is clear, I realize how fast the days really go."
"No matter how fast or slow time goes by, it's good that everyone is happy. Grandpa, I brought back some rice wine. It's not very strong. How about we have a couple of drinks later?"
"Rice wine? Great! You really understand me, knowing that I'm not allowed to drink strong liquor these days. This rice wine is good, it warms the body and won't hurt you."
The grandfather and grandson went to their mother's courtyard for lunch.
Aunt Liu came out of the kitchen carrying a steaming hot casserole. When she saw them, her face immediately lit up with a smile: "Hurry up, Grandpa, Grandma, Qingyang, we've been waiting for you to start the feast. There are several new dishes here that I secretly learned from my son."
The table was laden with a dazzling array of dishes.
Besides the usual braised pork and stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, there were indeed a few dishes that looked very fresh.
Aunt Liu deliberately placed the casserole in front of Lu Qingyang, and when she lifted the lid, she saw a bright red, oily, and tempting pig's trotter inside.
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