Chapter 128 127. He rarely takes the initiative, and his heart is beating fast
The baby has not been weaned yet and cannot do without wet nurse Mu, so the Lei family took her husband and children over and let them have a reunion dinner today.
The same goes for the other servants.
Those who stay in the Lei family to serve and work during the New Year can not only receive an extra New Year bonus, but can also bring their families over for a reunion, as long as it does not affect the people in the main house.
When Sister Huaer, Xiao Liumu and Xiaobao were running around playing, they met some children from the servants' families. After getting the consent of the adults on both sides, they took them to play together.
It was late at night, and the yard was filled with the sounds of children running around and playing games.
The yard was simply filled with lights, making it bright. Snakes and insects were rare in winter, and with Xiaohua and the servants watching over it, it didn't matter if they played around a bit.
Qingmi County also has the custom of staying up all night on New Year's Eve.
The elders were all chatting and warming themselves by the fire in the main room, and Zhou Yi felt embarrassed to go into the room with Lei Li to make trouble. After thinking about it, he asked someone to prepare dough and meat filling, and then soaked and marinated the rice and meat.
Dumplings and rice dumplings are traditional foods in Qingmi County.
Qingmi County is rich in rice and has relatively developed water transportation. Its economy is considered to be relatively good among the counties in Xiling, and the people have higher requirements for food.
Dumplings, glutinous rice balls, and rice dumplings are all favorite foods for people in the county during the New Year and other festivals.
Rice and flour are expensive, meat and sugar are expensive, and preparation takes a lot of time and effort. For ordinary families, being able to have such a meal during the New Year or give it to relatives and friends is a great honor.
At least in Sanlihe Village before the chili business started, no one was willing to eat it during the New Year. At most, they would make some vegetable balls with a little minced meat or a little sugar in them to sweeten the mouth.
The night is long.
Although there were many fruit snacks and sweet soups to fill his stomach, Zhou Yi still preferred to do something, and so did the other people in the Lei and Liu families.
They are all very busy.
"I haven't made dumplings or zongzi in years. I almost forgot how to make them."
Liu Yeer smiled and said that her hands were not very good at it at first, but after making a few, she got the hang of it. The dumplings were white, plump, quick and good-looking.
"Yes."
Grandma also smiled and said, skillfully wrapping a zongzi with bamboo leaves, "The last time we made zongzi was when Sister Huaer and Xiaomu were born. His grandpa and great-grandpa were very happy to have two grandchildren at once, so they bought some meat and mung beans and made a meal of zongzi."
Ordinary zongzi is made of bamboo leaves or holly leaves, glutinous rice, peeled mung beans and pickled pork belly.
More complex and fancy zongzi may contain red beans, egg yolks, mushrooms, ham, pork trotters, dried shrimps, scallops, peanuts, chestnuts, etc. to make them salty, or red bean paste, red dates, preserved fruits, pine nuts, walnuts, etc. to make them sweet, and alkaline water may be added to make brown sugar alkaline water zongzi.
They are all delicious.
Qingmi County has many foreign merchants coming and going, and the cuisine also incorporates foreign flavors and is quite diverse, not limited to salty or sweet. Most people like to eat sugar and meat.
But tofu pudding must be sweet! This is the bottom line for people in Qingmi County!
"Grandma's dumplings are the best, especially the meat dumplings. I can't stop thinking about them!"
Liu Qishu said happily.
He didn't know how to make zongzi, and it looked ugly even if he learned it on the spot, so he made simpler dumplings, just putting stuffing in and pinching them. It was much simpler than zongzi, and at least the rice wouldn't leak everywhere. But Zhang Daqiang's dumplings were uglier than his.
Miao Fulang and Liu Guo also learned it on the spot, but they were very skillful and their learning was beautiful.
Sister Huaer and Xiao Liumu had never eaten it before, so they were trying to make it clumsily by imitating the adults. When they heard this, they couldn't help swallowing.
There is a lot of glutinous rice, beans and meat, and it is eaten in such a novel way. Combined with children's imagination, children can't help but be greedy.
But they had no patience. After making two ugly, crooked rice dumplings, they felt it was too difficult and tried to make dumplings. However, they only made a few dumplings and played with the dough for a long time. Only Xiaobao and Xiaohua were patient.
"Zhou Yi has so many ways to wrap it."
My uncle is strong and powerful, and he is very good at rolling out dumpling wrappers. He rolls the wrappers quickly and well. Together with Lei Dashan, he rolled out a pile of them in a short time.
The dumpling dough is dyed with vegetable and fruit juices and juices soaked in herbs, including green, purple, red, black, pink, yellow, and white.
Add a little white vinegar to fix the color, it will look better after steaming and have a fresh herbal fragrance.
"I've learned it before, I'll teach you how to make it."
Zhou Yi said this, slowing down his movements to show them.
He knows how to make dumplings in many ways, including wheat ear dumplings, willow leaf dumplings, crescent dumplings, lucky bag dumplings, ingot-shaped dumplings, as well as carp dumplings, phoenix tail dumplings, goldfish dumplings, etc.
Everyone was dazzled by the sight and had already chosen what they wanted to eat before they were even put into the pot.
Zhou Yi also packed a lot of copper coins.
After washing the copper coins, a small one is stuffed into the colorful dumplings. Whoever eats the copper coin gets it as a small lucky draw for the New Year.
The first one to eat it wins the jackpot.
Sister Huaer really wanted to win the first prize, so she watched Zhou Yi wrap the copper coins intently, memorizing which ones they were.
But Zhou Yi packed a lot of dumplings quickly, and she kept talking to Xiaomu, Xiaobao and the others, so she forgot which one it was in a blink of an eye. Her cheeks puffed up in annoyance.
Lei Li did remember it.
Seeing Sister Huaer's funny look, he stuffed two green beans into the dumpling with the copper coins, and said to Sister Huaer with a low laugh, "See this? My cousin will have someone cook it for you later, and you can eat this."
"Thank you, cousin!"
Sister Huaer also learned to lower her voice, but her voice was clear and cheerful, and her eyes were full of excitement, as if she was afraid that others would not know how happy she was, which made people laugh even more.
Sister Huaer didn't hide it herself either. She told Xiao Liumu, Xiaobao and Xiaohua which dumplings had copper coins hidden in them. The dog looked sneaky and it felt like he was stealing something.
Before I had even finished wrapping half of the dumplings and rice dumplings, I heard the dull and heavy sound of a bronze bell coming from the county town: "Dang--", "Dang--", "Dang--"
It's midnight.
According to the modern 24-hour system, the midnight hour is from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. the next day, which is now the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month.
But it is different in Qingmi County. When it is midnight, it is the second day, the first day of the first lunar month, the new year, and the New Year fireworks can be set off to start the new year in a lively manner.
"Oh! Fireworks! Fireworks!"
Sister Huaer was the first to jump up, followed by little Liumu and Xiaobao. However, the baby was woken up by the sound of the bronze bell and started to whimper and cry.
"I'm going to see the baby, you take Sister Hua'er and the others to set off the fireworks."
Zhou Yi told Lei Li, then ran to the west wing and took the baby from wet nurse Mu to coax him. Now he had to slowly stop the baby from drinking milk at night, so wet nurse Mu was no longer needed.
"Go and stay with your family."
Zhou Yi kindly let Nanny Mu go. Nanny Mu was happy and grateful. She thanked him repeatedly and hurried back to her room.
——Her husband and children were in the room. Lei's house was the master's residence, so she kept the family members under control and did not allow them to run around or shout.
"Dad is here, Dad is here..."
Zhou Yi's cheers were drowned out by the explosions of fireworks, but the dazzling lights could be seen through the doors and windows.
“Ahh…”
The baby was attracted by the light and shadow, waving his hands and kicking his feet, wanting to go out and take a look.
Zhou Yi tied a handkerchief to cover the baby's mouth and nose, and covered the baby's ears, then carried him out and watched him from afar under the corridor.
The burning nitrates and sulfuric acid in fireworks have a strong pungent smell and produce smoke, which is not good for children. If the baby didn't want to see it, Zhou Yi wouldn't have brought him out.
When Lei Li saw her husband, she stopped looking at the fireworks and slipped over to Zhou Yi. While everyone was attracted by the fireworks, she secretly hooked her arms around Zhou Yi's neck and kissed him.
Gorgeous and warm fireworks.
Family reunited and cheering.
Soft baby.
And a lover's kiss.
Zhou Yi felt warm in his heart and suddenly he was not so shy anymore. He closed his eyes and concentrated on responding to Lei Li's kiss.
A chuckle in my ear.
It feels warm to the touch.
It was Lei Li who covered his hand and covered the baby's ears for him. The other ear of the baby was covered by Zhou Yi's chest, so he could free one hand to hold Lei Li's face.
Lip and teeth entangled.
My heart is pounding.
It was rare for Zhou Yi to be so proactive in front of others. Lei Li laughed happily again, and when Zhou Yi heard it, his heart beat faster.
“Ahhh!”
The baby was sandwiched between the two dads and couldn't even see the beautiful fireworks. He immediately raised his eyebrows, puffed up his cheeks, and tried to push them away with his little hands.
But he was too weak and small, so he was completely ignored by his father. His father was also insignificant and his influence was not great, so he was suppressed by the domineering father and continued to kiss him.
"Oh!"
“Ahhh!”
The baby cried for a long time.
The fireworks roared and the lights were brilliant, but no one noticed him, and naturally no one stood up for him. The baby was so angry that his face turned red, and he angrily hit his father.
Xiaohua saw the intimacy between Brother Li and Sister Yi, and her face turned red. She stared at the fireworks and dared not look again. While she envied the good relationship between her brother and sister-in-law, she couldn't help but have some thoughts.
She is sixteen this year, old enough to be promised a husband. With Brother Li and Sister Yi around, her father doesn't dare to sell her for a betrothal gift, but she can't help but imagine her future husband.
Influenced by her family since childhood, Xiaohua believes that boys and girls will get married and have children when they grow up, just like Brother Li and Sister Li, how wonderful it would be.
But thinking of what Brother Li had said to her, she felt that it was not necessarily true. She could earn money and live a good life. Why did she have to get married, wash clothes and cook for a man, and let him control her?
Xiaohua was worried and fantasizing at the same time, which made her feel confused.
When Prince Li is free, she will go to talk to him and see what he says. After listening to what he says, she will definitely have an idea in her mind.
The fireworks were over and the dumplings and rice dumplings were put into the pot.
Lei Li and Zhou Yi took out envelopes made of red paper. Jin Mo wrote some auspicious words on them and gave one to Sister Huaer, Xiao Liumu, Xiaobao and Xiaohua respectively.
"This is a red envelope, wishing for smooth sailing and good fortune."
The children were very happy and couldn't wait to open it to see, but it was made of gold.
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