On the morning of the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, there were little snowflakes floating in the sky.
Zhihua stood in front of the stove and stir-fried vegetables.
Xiaoju squatted at the door of the stove and called: Sister-in-law, how is the fire on the stove!
Zhihua yelled: Lower the fire, the vegetables on the pot are all burnt.
Xiaoju replied: Didn’t you just say that!
Zhihua then said: This fire is too strong.
Xiaoju pulled two pieces of firewood out of the stove and said: Now!
Zhihua replied: It's better now.
Xiaoju said: Tomorrow is my mother’s birthday, why hasn’t my eldest brother come back yet?
Zhihua responded: Your eldest brother will definitely be back in the afternoon.
Xiaoju said: Even if my eldest brother can make it back in the afternoon, I still have to say that he came back late because he has a capable sister-in-law at home...
"What can I do! I just made some preparations in advance!" Zhihua held the dish and said with a smile:
"Sister-in-law, don't be humble in front of me! If it were me, I wouldn't be able to do this." Xiaoju said:
Zhihua put down the vegetable bowl and was about to pour cabbage into the pot.
Xiaoju shouted: Sister-in-law, wait! Why are you cooking so many dishes?
Zhihua said: There are many people in the family, so of course we have to cook two more dishes.
Xiaoju then said: Sister-in-law, you cooked more than a dozen dishes for our family to eat - that's enough.
Zhihua poured the cabbage into the pot and said: I don’t know when your brother will come back! I don’t know how many people he brought back! I'd better cook two more dishes to avoid panic when the time comes.
Xiaoju smiled and said: Sister-in-law, you are thoughtful and considerate no matter what you do.
Zhihua picked up the spatula and stir-fried it back and forth in the pot.
After a while, the flowers picked up the cabbage.
She cracked a few eggs into the pot, and there was a burst of smoke from the pot.
She poured some water into the pot and said: I used to be a servant, and I was somewhat concerned about these trivial matters.
However, speaking of delicacy, I think of one person.
Xiaoju then said: Who is it?
Zhihua replied: That person is Qianqian's mother-in-law.
Xiaoju murmured: Qianqian’s mother-in-law.
Zhihua sprinkled salt into the soup and said: Qianqian's mother-in-law is "Aiju". She is a very delicate person and does things without leakage.
Xiaoju responded: Really!
Zhihua called out: This is my mother’s birthday, her!
"Dong dong dong"
Then, a voice shouted: Mom, is the food ready?
Zhihua replied: It will be fine soon.
Xiaoju stood up and quickly opened the door.
"Auntie, I'll serve the food."
Xiaoju called out: Tingting (Uncle Fan’s eldest daughter-in-law), come in quickly.
Tingting walked into the kitchen.
Xiaoju was about to close the door.
"Auntie, don't close the door." A voice outside the door shouted:
Xiaoju looked out and said: Meng'er (Uncle Fan's third daughter-in-law), you are here too.
Meng'er responded: "I'll come over to serve the food too."
"Auntie, please give in. This bowl of soup is very hot. Be careful when you touch it." Tingting walked out of the kitchen carefully holding the soup in her hands.
Xiaoju took two steps back and whispered: Meng'er, give in too!
Meng'er leaned against the door and called out: Mom, there are so many vegetables on the stove, but you are still cooking!
Zhihua replied: I won’t fry this bowl of vegetables after I finish frying it.
Xiaoju walked to the stove and said: Sister-in-law, go and serve the food! Let me fry this dish.
Zhihua responded: You and the children bring the food out, and I will finish frying it in a moment.
Xiaoju took two bowls of food and left slowly.
"Mom, do you need to add more fire to the stove?" Tingting came back and asked:
Zhihua replied: The vegetables have been fried, why do we need to add more fire?
Tingting held the dish and said: Don't you need to boil water on the pot?
Zhihua continued: There is no need to boil water, the firewood ash in the stove can heat it.
Tingting muttered: What I want to say is, the weather is so cold!
Zhihua shouted: Tingting, take that cauldron of rice out.
Tingting put down the food in her hands and walked away with the rice in her hand.
"Mom, you've worked hard. Please go to the hall to take a rest."
Zhihua raised her head and said with a smile: Lin'er (Fan Bo's eldest son), Da'er (Fan Bo's third son), Hui'er (Fan Bo's second daughter), Ying'er (Fan Bo's fifth daughter), Que Que (Fan Bo’s fourth son), you are all here.
Everyone said in unison: Mom, you are out, leave this place to us.
Zhihua picked up the vegetables and replied: OK, OK, OK.
Hui'er pushed Zhihua's shoulder and called out: Mom, I know how to tease "these dishes", you go to the hall to "warm the fire".
"Okay, I'll warm myself up by the fire." Zhihua held the dishes and said with a smile:
"Third brother, walk slower, you stepped on my foot."
"Fourth brother, you are walking too slowly."
Just as Zhihua walked to the door of the hall, there were bursts of noise inside.
She pushed the door open with her wrist.
Suddenly, the hall became quiet (there were three or four braziers on the ground in the hall, with two square tables in the middle).
Zhihua called out: Bingyi (Lin'er's son), Bingli (Hui'er's daughter), Bingzhu (Da'er's daughter), you guys find a stool and sit down, the adults are serving dishes...
"Bingyi, you go play with your sisters, don't get in the way here." Lin'er shouted:
Zhihua continued: "You guys go over and sit on the stools, we are about to start dinner."
Bing ran to the table - hugged the stool and shouted: I want this stool.
Bingli ran over and said: This stool is mine.
Bingzhu held on to the stool next to her and "climbed".
Because Bingzhu was too small, she crawled twice and was thrown to the ground, crying "Wow".
Zhihua put down the vegetable bowl and coaxed her: Bingzhu, don’t cry. This stool is too high and it’s hard for grandma to sit on it. Grandma has wanted to burn it several times. Grandma, give it another day!
Bingzhu stopped crying and said hoarsely: Grandma must burn it.
"You can't climb up on the stool yourself, so you still rely on the stool." Bingyi called:
"Bingyi, I slapped you twice. My sister fell down. You didn't comfort your sister, but you added salt and vinegar." Lin'er shouted:
Bingyi said in confusion: I didn't cook, what's the point of adding salt and vinegar!
Lin'er yelled: Shut up.
Zhihua shouted: Lin'er, why are you so loud! Children rely on teaching, not scaring. Go and help grandpa and grandma gather around the table.
Lin'er took a breath and turned around to invite grandpa and grandma to the table.
Zhihua took the bowl and went to serve everyone rice.
Hui'er called out, "Mom, go sit over there and I'll serve everyone some food."
Zhihua responded: I will come.
"Mom, sit down, sit down." Tingting and Meng'er came forward and pulled Zhihua down to sit down.
Grandma Zhihua sat above and shouted: Zhihua, you are the great hero of our family...
"Mom, what's the point of merit or lack of merit! You're right." Zhihua interrupted:
"Our family can be so lively! It's not you!" Granny Zhihua said:
Zhihua replied: Mom, I am a woman. I want to spread the branches and leaves of my husband's family. This is a woman's due mission.
"Grandpa, grandma, mother, it's time for you to eat!" Tingting shouted:
Granny Zhihua called out: Mom and Dad, you have eaten, and everyone has eaten too.
Mr. Wan picked up the bowl and started eating with big mouthfuls.
Granny Zhihua patted Mr. Wan with her hand and whispered: "Can you eat slower?" It’s like you haven’t seen rice in three years!
Master Wan responded: I always eat like this, it's not like you haven't seen it before.
"Grandpa's eating noise is so loud." Bingyi raised his chopsticks and called out:
"Bingyi, hurry up and eat." Tingting shouted with a straight face:
Bingyi held the chopsticks and slowly picked up the vegetables.
"Look! The children are laughing at you. Eating is like feeding pigs." Granny Zhihua said:
"Who's laughing at me! You're the only one who's laughing at me!" Master Wan answered with his rice in his mouth:
Dar said: Grandpa, you should eat slower. "Eating slower" will be better for your body and mind! It aids digestion.
Zhihua shouted: Dar'er, your grandfather's decades of habits can't be changed at any time!
Lord Wan praised: It’s still the flower that understands me.
Grandma Zhihua said: Tomorrow is my birthday. These juniors have come all the way to wish me a birthday. You can't just be patient and polite for them.
Master Wan replied: As the saying goes, "nature is hard to change."
Granny Zhihua replied: What "nature is hard to change"! You are "unchangeable".
Zhihua continued: Mom and dad will "live a long life."
Granny Zhihua praised: Zhihua is virtuous and has general knowledge. We have you in our family!
Zhihua said politely: Mom, you are honored.
Grandma Zhihua called out: "Don't be polite, Zhihua!" You are busy and busy for this family, we are all watching...
"Mom, you told me not to be polite! But you are very polite! We are all a family and it should be like this." Zhihua responded:
Granny Zhihua smiled and said: Zhihua is right, it should be so.
Tingting held the vegetables and shouted: Grandpa, grandma, mother, you eat the vegetables.
Grandma Zhihua shouted: Tingting can eat by herself, we don’t like helping others pick up food at home.
"Bang bang bang"
Dar walked to the door and shouted: Who is it!
"it's me".
Dar opened the door and called: Dad, come in.
"Brother Da." Qianqian walked to the door and shouted:
Dar'er opened the door and said excitedly: Dad, Qianqian, come in quickly.
Uncle Fan lifted his feet and stepped into the hall.
Everyone saw Fan Bo and Qian Qian walking into the hall.
The hall began to become chaotic.
Ying'er shouted: Dad, Qianqian, come over for dinner.
Qianqian smiled at Yinger.
"Father, mother, Fan'er is back." Uncle Fan put down his luggage and shouted:
Qianqian jumped on her grandma and shouted: Grandma, Qianqian sees you coming.
Grandma Zhihua hugged Qianqian tightly and choked with sobs: My little Qianqian, you make grandma worry about you day and night...
"Qianqian also misses grandma. Qianqian has wanted to come back many times, but Qianqian doesn't know the way?" Qianqian cried:
Granny Zhihua had tears in her eyes and cried: My good granddaughter.
Qianqian threw herself into Granny Zhihua's arms and cried: Grandma.
Uncle Fan advised: Mom, it is a happy thing for the whole family to get together today. If you make yourself burst into tears, everyone will feel uncomfortable.
Granny Zhihua wiped her tears and replied: What Wei'er said makes sense, let's all eat.
"Grandma, let me help you serve the rice." Qianqian called:
Grandma Zhihua blocked the bowl and replied: Qianqian, grandma doesn’t have enough food to fill it up, so she won’t be able to finish the rice on her bowl.
Qianqian then said: Grandma, there are still a few mouthfuls of rice on the bowl!
Granny Zhihua waved her hand and said: Qianqian, your parents passed away early, and now you have grown so big.
Moreover, I also found my husband’s family...
"Qianqian, are you happy to go home?" Master Wan said quickly:
Qianqian nodded and replied: Yes.
Master Wan said: Qianqian, you have nothing to say to grandpa.
Qianqian muttered: Me! I!
"Qianqian, this bowl of rice is for you." Meng'er handed the rice and said:
Qianqian took the meal and thanked her: Thank you, third sister-in-law!
Tingting shouted: Dad, please eat quickly.
Uncle Fan picked up the bowl and said, "Everyone, eat."
Qianqian bowed and said: Uncle, aunt, thank you for your years of upbringing! Before Qianqian!
Uncle Fan interrupted: "Qianqian, you are a sensible child and don't talk about this during mealtimes."
Besides, just keep these words in your heart, but if you say them out loud, they will lose their flavor.
Qianqian smiled and said: "Let's eat."
Ying'er held the rice, squeezed to Qianqian's side, and called: Qianqian, long time no see!
Qianqian glanced at Yinger and said: Sister Ying, long time no see!
Qianqian continued: Is your school on vacation?
Ying'er chewed her rice and replied: It's grandma's birthday tomorrow, so I'm taking two days off.
Qianqian sighed: I miss the days when we studied together.
Ying'er responded: You can't chase the past, time is passing by, and we are all growing up year by year.
"Qianqian, why didn't your husband come with you?" Ying'er asked:
Qianqian's eyes were blurry and she said with a silly smile: Haha~
Ying'er said: People who have in-laws are different.
Qianqian called out: Why is it different!
"Qianqian, has your husband really run away from home?" Que Que stood behind Qianqian and asked:
Uncle Fan shouted: "Queer, I can't stop you from eating."
Qianqian blushed and ran straight out the door.
Fan Bo put down his bowls and chopsticks and hurriedly chased after him.
Qianqian hid under the eaves and cried quietly.
Uncle Fan saw Qianqian hiding under the eaves.
He slowed down and advised: Qianqian, uncle, don't let you cry. It's your grandma's birthday tomorrow and it's "unlucky" for you to cry here.
Besides, the stone will come back one day...
"Uncle, I'm not crying, I just feel uncomfortable." Qianqian replied:
Uncle Wan went over to hug Qianqian and called out: In a person's life, he will meet many people, many things, and many ups and downs. He must first learn to be strong, learn to endure, let go of some things, and then let go of things. It forgets that after things change, things will develop for the better and sunshine will fill the air.
Qianqian said hoarsely: Do I have sunshine?
Uncle Fan answered: Yes, there will be.
Qianqian let go of Uncle Fan, wiped her forehead with her hands, and called out: I'm sorry, uncle! Qianqian lost her composure. Qianqian hadn't even finished her meal yet.
Uncle Fan smiled and said: Silly boy, hurry up and go in to eat.
Qianqian tidied her hair and said: Uncle, you go first.
Uncle Fan responded: Qianqian, you go first.
Qianqian said: If uncle doesn't leave, I won't leave either.
Fan Bo stretched out his feet and replied: I'm going...
