allonlinenovel Chapter 233 A Big Meal
Chapter 233 A Big Meal
He Tingyuan placed the dishes on the table in the main hall and immediately went to the kitchen. As soon as he stepped into the kitchen, he heard what Han Zhuxin said. He was a little amused and said immediately, "Let me do it!"
Han Zhuxin narrowed her almond-shaped eyes and deliberately looked for trouble, "Are you worried about me, or are you worried that I will spill this pot of freshly cooked crucian carp and tofu soup?"
He Tingyuan subconsciously tutted, "Of course I'm worried about you, Tang..."
He caught a glimpse of Shen Xiaoxia's gaze and immediately changed the subject, "But Xia Xia has been busy for so long, we still have to cherish the fruits of her labor. We have to take good care of her, and we can't waste this delicacy, right?"
Han Zhuxin pretended to kick his calf, but He Tingyuan dodged it nimbly. Seeing him quickly walk out of the kitchen with the casserole pot in hand, Han Zhuxin rolled her eyes at his back, "Ha~, man!"
Shen Xiaoxia complained speechlessly, "Aren't you bored?"
Han Zhuxin brushed her hair aside and sighed pretentiously, acting melancholic. "Life is like a glass of plain water. If we don't add some bittersweetness, wouldn't we be wasting this wonderful time?"
Shen Xiaoxia put the last dish on the plate and looked at Han Zhuxin, rolling her eyes even wider than Han Zhuxin had just rolled them, "You have so much free time!"
The four of them brought all the food to the octagonal table in the main hall. The twilight shone through the cracks in the carved windows, casting fine shadows on the bowls and plates.
Han Zhuxin pressed the switch of the incandescent lamp, and the warm yellow light spread instantly, gently enveloping the table full of delicious food.
The sweet and sour pork tenderloin is coated in amber sugar coating, which shines attractively under the light.
The braised prawns were curled into bright red crescents, with translucent sauce condensed on the prawn shells.
The surface of the crucian carp and tofu soup is covered with wolfberries and chopped green onions, mixed with the aroma of braised pork and the spicy aroma of stir-fried pork with green peppers.
The steaming hot air, carrying a rich fragrance, instantly filled the entire room.
"The appearance and aroma of this are amazing!" He Tingyuan sniffed, took a deep breath, and his Adam's apple rolled unconsciously. He gave Shen Xiaoxia a thumbs up, "When I was eating steamed buns in the cafeteria these days, I dreamed of having a table like this!"
Han Zhuxin chuckled at him and said, "Don't be so ungrateful. At least you can go home and have a good meal every week.
We eat cold steamed buns and wowotou from the cafeteria every day."
He Tingyuan knew what Han Zhuxin meant and sighed slightly, "Although home is better than school, it's not as sumptuous as the table Xia Xia prepared!
Who can afford such a rich meal? What are the conditions?
Shen Xiaoxia retorted with a smile, "I don't know about other families, but your family, Master He, can still afford it, right?"
He Tingyuan said helplessly, "The old man has been through a lot. Although his life is better now, he's used to being frugal. He always says, 'Every meal should be appreciated,' and he forbids his descendants from being extravagant and wasteful. While we have enough to eat at home, we shouldn't dream of feasting every day."
The three nodded in understanding. Shen Xiaoxia smiled and said, "Then you can eat as much as you want today. You will definitely be full."
Han Zhuxin also smiled, then picked up a trembling piece of braised pork. The amber skin was crystal clear under the light, and the thick sauce slowly dripped into the bowl along the texture. "I haven't had this in a long time, I miss it so much!"
Shen Xiaoxia looked at her and said, "Then you should eat more today!"
Before he finished speaking, Jiang Yan had already lowered his eyes and scooped up a spoonful of fish soup. The celadon spoon broke through the milky white soup surface, bringing out a few slices of fresh and tender tofu. A faint scent of ginger wafted through the misty hot steam. "Be careful, it's hot."
He gently pushed the soup bowl in front of Shen Xiaoxia, his bony fingers still carrying the residual warmth of the soup.
"Well, you can pick up your chopsticks yourself," Shen Xiaoxia moved the bowl in front of her and looked at Jiang Yan with a smile, "Try the sweet and sour pork tenderloin. I specially improved the recipe, it should taste pretty good."
Jiang Yan responded, "Okay," and then picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork tenderloin and tasted it. The crispy crust crunched between his teeth, and the sweet and sour taste instantly bloomed on his tongue.
He curved his eyebrows slightly and whispered, "It's just the right amount of sweet and sour, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, very delicious."
Han Zhuxin couldn't contain herself any longer and took a piece without waiting for the words to finish.
The moment the sauce exploded between her teeth, her eyes lit up, "This tastes amazing! Xia Xia, with your cooking skills, you could get a Michelin star if you opened a restaurant!"
She was so excited that she didn't notice the problem with her wording. Although Shen Xiaoxia realized it, she didn't point it out specifically. Others didn't pay attention to her description either, as their attention was all on the food.
He Tingyuan saw this and immediately picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks after finishing chewing. After tasting it, he also praised it, "Delicious!"
They enjoyed their meal, and Shen Xiaoxia was also very happy to hear it.
Amidst the laughter and joy, He Tingyuan suddenly said, "I suddenly miss those days in the Youth House."
These words instantly quieted the atmosphere. The evening breeze blew through the locust tree in the corner of the yard, and the branches and leaves rustled, as if gently plucking the strings of memory, pulling the four people's thoughts back to the time they spent in Northeast China.
"I wonder how Lingling and Zhao Fan are doing now," Shen Xiaoxia unconsciously poked the ribs in her bowl with her chopsticks. "The last time we communicated was half a year ago, right?"
Han Zhuxin's mood was also a little affected. She hummed, and gently stirred the soup in the bowl with her chopsticks, watching the wolfberries rise and fall in the ripples. "It's been almost half a year. I don't know what they are busy with. Shouldn't we write a letter tomorrow to ask?"
Shen Xiaoxia nodded and said, "I'll write it tomorrow."
Jiang Yan added a shrimp to Shen Xiaoxia's bowl. "Their family is all over there, nothing will happen." He paused, a smile on his face. "As for Hu Shixuan, he wrote to me last time and said that things have changed a lot in his family now. Many people have started businesses."
He Tingyuan stroked the edge of the porcelain bowl, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes, "I've heard a lot of news at home, and it's probably going to be soon here too."
Han Zhuxin looked at everyone with a smile, "Starting next year, I think we're going to be really busy."
Once the policies are relaxed, she will definitely expand the scale. The current speed is still too slow.
As the night deepened outside the window, sporadic sounds of clappers could be heard from the alley.
The four of them ate and talked, reminiscing about the past and looking forward to the future.
The interesting things that happened during my years as an educated youth, and the days of studying late into the night before the college entrance examination, seem like they happened just yesterday.
He Tingyuan talked about a time when he was tutoring Han Zhuxin in math and she almost threw her pen in anger. Han Zhuxin immediately retorted, "Can you blame me for that? It was you who was hypnotizing me when you were explaining the questions!"
Shen Xiaoxia leaned on Jiang Yan's shoulder, listening to their bickering, and suddenly felt that such time was extremely precious.
Those early mornings when we recited texts in the cold wind and the nights when we did exercises under the oil lamp have now turned into laughter and joy at the dinner table.
Looking at the swaying light and shadow on the wall, Shen Xiaoxia suddenly realized that happiness might be sharing every steaming hot meal with the one you love most.