On the morning of the sixth day of the lunar month, Zhihua and Xiaoju were busy in the kitchen.
Zhihua made a "pop" sound while frying the vegetables.
Xiaoju Tianhuo was laughing loudly.
She stretched out her hands and put them on her knees to "warm the fire".
Suddenly, half a piece of firewood fell out of the stove.
She picked up the firewood and asked: Sister-in-law, how many dishes have you cooked now?
Zhihua replied: I made five or six dishes.
Xiaoju asked: It’s my mother’s birthday today, didn’t we hire a cook?
Zhihua said: Our Yuan family is a small surname in the village, not a big surname. If all the people with the same surname are gathered together, there are only two or three households.
What's more! We didn't prepare a big event. We invited a few brothers with the same surname, a few neighbors, and a few elders (the term for elders).
so!
Xiaoju called out: Sister-in-law, you have worked too hard.
Zhihua responded: Why bother? I have to do these housework every day.
"Mom, is the food ready?"
Zhihua replied: I want to fry some more vegetables.
"Mom, open the door."
"Your aunt is driving."
"How many of you are here?" Xiaoju pushed the door open and said:
"Hello, aunt!" Tingting and Meng'er said in unison:
Xiaoju shouted: Tingting, Meng'er, you guys come into the house.
Tingting and Meng'er entered the kitchen one after another.
Xiaoju closed the door and said: The wind is not strong today, so I won't bolt the door.
Tingting shouted: Mom, there are some unfried vegetables left, please let me fry them.
Zhihua called out: "Don't panic, just sit down. After finishing the meal, the female laborers in the family will come over to help."
"What should I do?" Meng'er asked:
Zhihua replied: Don’t panic.
"Tingting, go out and see if Queer and the others have watched the fire. The fire burning outside cannot be stopped. If the fire stops, the pork belly and rice noodles will be half-cooked." Zhihua ordered:
"Okay." Tingting turned around and walked towards the door.
Meng'er came to the kitchen door and said: Mom, my sister-in-law and I don't live at home all year round. Every time we come home, you don't let us do anything! We were both embarrassed.
After all, we are family, not guests.
Xiaoju rushed to say: Sister-in-law, you can take care of everything! Here comes the problem!
Zhihua said: Meng'er, you and Tingting, don't think like this. Mom has been a servant since she was a child and is used to doing all kinds of housework. If she doesn't do housework for a day, she will feel uncomfortable all over.
"It's rare for you to come back. I can't possibly push all kinds of work to you." Zhihua continued:
Meng'er called out: My sister-in-law and I also know! Mom has no ill intentions, she loves us as much as mother and daughter.
Even more than mother and daughter.
But, mother is getting old?
Zhihua shouted: "Mother can still do it, so the two daughters-in-law don't have to worry."
Xiaoju stood next to Meng'er and said: Meng'er, your mother is hardworking and virtuous. She is a role model worth learning from.
Zhihua smiled and said: Xiaoju, you should be more honest when speaking in front of the juniors. Don’t teach them badly.
Xiaoju responded: I speak truthfully! Everything I say is from the bottom of my heart.
Meng'er commented: My mother was a servant when she was little, someone else's servant. When she grew up, she was my father's servant. Now she is the servant of the younger generation. My mother's life is so tiring!
Zhihua replied: I'm not tired. I'm glad that I am a servant.
Xiaoju smiled and said: You are addicted to being a servant.
Zhihua shouted: Meng'er, Xiaoju, you two take out the dishes on the stove.
Xiaoju replied: Sister-in-law, you are still cooking, I will stay to "watch the fire".
Zhihua argued: I'll just fry two more dishes. I can handle this on my own.
"Auntie, are you leaving?" Meng'er held two bowls of food and shouted:
Xiaoju picked up the dishes and muttered: "You go first."
Zhihua glanced at Xiaoju and called out: Xiaoju, please tighten the door.
For a moment, the kitchen door stood firmly open.
Zhihua placed the spatula and muttered: The wind will blow again now.
"Mom, don't close the door! We're here to serve the food!"
Zhihua smiled and said: You are here!
Ying'er rested her head on Zhihua's shoulder and said coquettishly: "We want to eat."
Zhihua pushed Ying'er and scolded: "Smelly girl, how old are you? You are still clinging to your mother."
Yinger responded: No matter how old I am, I am still your daughter.
Instantly, the kitchen was crowded with people.
Everyone was coming and going, it was so lively.
Tingting was busy serving food to everyone.
Qianqian stood aside and handed the bowl.
In the hall, the cries of children, noises, and all kinds of noises mixed together.
Zhihua shouted: Everyone, be quiet! Be quiet!
"Today is my mother's birthday. There will be more guests at noon. After a while, everyone will go to the kitchen to help, except of course, parents and a few children." Zhihua continued:
Xiaoju congratulated her and said: I wish you good health and good health as you grow older.
Bingli congratulated: I wish my great-grandmother a long life and a hundred years plus one.
Bingyi congratulated: I wish my grandmother the evergreen pines and cypresses and the everlasting sun and moon...
"Okay, okay, okay, let's eat." Grandma Zhihua said with a smile:
Master Wan held up the bowl and said, "If you don't eat, I will."
Granny Zhihua responded: Damn old man, you are the most diligent in eating.
Master Wan replied: He is not diligent in eating (Lai Jin), and even less diligent in doing other things (Lai Jin).
"Haha~" Everyone started eating one after another.
Bingyi held the bowl, squeezed to his grandmother's side, and said: Grandma, today is your birthday, please eat more vegetables (Bingyi stood on tiptoe - picked up a piece of meat and placed it on grandmother's bowl).
Grandma Zhihua kissed Bingyi and praised: Bingyi is really sensible.
Bingzhu and Bingli came together and said together: "Great-grandmother (grandmother), I want to pinch you too."
Granny Zhihua smiled and said: Clip it!
Bingli climbed up on the stool and reached out to pick up the meat.
Bingzhu crawled and crawled, crying: Wow wow wow...
"Bingzhu, grandma is celebrating her birthday today, how can you cry here!" Dar called:
"Uh! Uh!" Bingzhu wiped the corners of her eyes and continued to cry.
Dar'er said fiercely: "Bingzhu."
Grandma Zhihua held Bingzhu in her arms and coaxed her: "If Bingzhu doesn't cry, grandma will hold you and eat meat."
"Grandma, if you want to eat, put her down." Dar said:
Granny Zhihua called out: Dar'er, please be patient with children. When you were young, your mother...
"Grandma, don't worry, Bingzhu is my daughter, I will take good care of her." Dar interrupted:
"Mom, children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. Let's watch more and talk less about the children's affairs. Let's eat." Zhihua called:
Master Wan put down his bowl and shouted: "Eat slowly, I'm full."
Zhihua then said: Dad, I will serve you another bowl.
Master Wan waved his hand and said: No, no, no.
"I'll go out and look at the fire." Qianqian put the bowl down and walked straight out of the house.
Bingzhu shouted: Zu, grandma, you eat this piece of meat, you take a bite, I will take a bite too.
Grandma Zhihua smiled and said: If Bingzhu takes a bite, grandma will take a bite too.
Zhihua called: Mom, I also went to the kitchen to wash the vegetables.
"Lin'er, Da'er, after you brothers and sisters have finished your meal, go to the kitchen to help." Zhihua shouted:
"Mom, wait for me, I'll go with you."
"I'll go with you too."
"Sister-in-law, open the door." Xiaoju stood at the door of the kitchen and called:
Zhihua opened the door and called: Xiaoju, come in quickly.
Xiaoju walked into the kitchen and shouted: Today is a good day. It has been snowing for several days, and it finally stopped today.
Zhihua replied: Yes! Mother’s lucky star shines brightly!
"Dad! Why are you here!" Darr glanced out the door and shouted:
Uncle Fan responded: "Everyone is busy, so I'll come over and have a look!"
Zhihua said: What are you looking at!
Fan Bo replied: I can start with him.
Zhihua Road: Since you can't stay idle, go and bring two tables to the kitchen.
Lin'er shouted: Mom, my eldest brother and I are going too.
Zhihua said: Go quickly, go quickly.
"Mom, I've finished picking the vegetables on the plate." Hui'er called:
Zhihua ordered: Go and wash those dishes and chopsticks.
Hui'er walked to the stove and carefully put the bowls and chopsticks into the pot.
Zhihua asked: Queer, did the fire on the small stove turn off this morning?
Ying'er replied: "It definitely hasn't happened. In the morning, the three of us were watching the fire without leaving."
Zhihua called out: If the fire on the stove is not turned off, the vegetables on the steamer will be cooked.
But the fire on the small stove - cannot be turned off.
"Queer, you go outside and look at the fire. Just a slight fire will suffice." Zhihua shouted:
Queer replied: Qianqian is watching over there.
"Mom, how much rice should I put in at noon?" Hui'er asked:
Zhihua responded: Put 5 tables of rice.
Hui'er then said: 40 tubes of rice is enough!
Zhihua said: Put a little more rice. Don’t be afraid of too much for happy events, just be afraid of less. Put enough 60 tubes of rice.
Hui'er ran to the basket and scooped out 60 tubes of rice.
She washed the rice and poured it into the pot.
"Zhihua, put these tables over there!" Fan Bo came in carrying the table on his back.
Zhihua turned her head and said, "Put it there, and everyone can put the dishes on the table to wash."
Dal'er and the others followed up and said: "Give me, let me."
Fan Bo set the table and asked: Zhihua, what else should I do?
Zhihua glanced out the window and replied: It will be noon soon, the guests should arrive, you go sit in the hall...
"Papa pa pa"
Zhihua continued: Before I finished speaking, the guests arrived.
Uncle Wan turned around and hurried towards the hall.
Zhihua shouted: Tingting, go to your mother's room and carry those fruits into the hall.
Tingting said nothing and hurriedly ran towards the door.
Zhihua went to the stove to "take a look" and shouted: Hui'er, hurry up and strain it over, these rice grains have to be fished out.
"Mom, the rice grains haven't blossomed yet (cooked)." Tingting replied:
"To make a big pot of rice, you have to fish it before it blooms. When the rice grains bloom, it will turn into a pot of porridge when it is put under the steamer." Zhihua opened the wooden steamer and put a spatula in the middle of the wooden steamer.
However, the wooden steamer was placed above the footbath.
Hui'er took the strainer and scooped out the rice grains neatly.
Zhihua held the spatula inside the wooden steamer and shouted: Tingting, pick up the rice grains and just pour them into the steamer. Try not to touch the rice grains in the steamer!
Seeing the scene in front of him, Queer asked: Mom, why is there a spatula in the middle of the wooden steamer?
Zhihua Lundao: When steaming rice grains in a wooden steamer, there are too many rice grains in the steamer, or just right. You cannot press it with your hands, but use something to hold it up. The gaps between the rice grains are not big, and it is easy to form lumps. into chunks.
She lifted the spatula inside the wooden steamer and trembled.
Queer exclaimed: I understand, you trembled the spatula to let the steamer breathe.
"I saw other people cooking steamer rice and putting a spatula in the middle of the steamer." Queer said:
Zhihua took out the spatula and replied: You are not too stupid...
"Crack, crackle, crackle"
Zhihua shouted: There are more and more guests, let's be more efficient.
Hui'er took two ladles of hot water and poured it into the pot.
"Hui'er, you have to watch the fire on the stove." Zhihua called:
"Mom, keep your heart in your belly, I won't let the fire on the stove go out." Hui'er placed a wooden steamer and replied:
Zhihua reminded: Also, there is less water under the steamer, you have to add it, and you must not burn the rice.
"Mom, the taro is ready." Dar straightened up and shouted:
Zhihua glanced at Da'er and said: "After washing, you can go out."
Dar continued: No need for help here.
Zhihua said: "Leave Xiaoju, Tingting, and Meng'er here, and the rest will go out after finishing their work."
Of course, when it's time to eat, you all have to come over and serve the food.
After serving the dishes, we ate in the kitchen.
"Yeah." Dar and the others walked out of the kitchen together.
"Uncle, eldest brother, aunt, sister-in-law, hello everyone!" Lin'er stepped into the hall and said politely:
Ying'er and the others followed up and said politely: Dear elders, hello everyone!
"A few young talents are here, please sit here."
"Today is my sister-in-law's birthday. We wish her health, happiness and everlasting happiness."
Granny Zhihua thanked her and said: Thank you, Brother Ying! Everyone wants to be healthy and happy.
Brother Short (named because he is short, a few years younger than Uncle Fan) said: Aunt Fan is so lucky, you have so many people in your name.
Moreover, all of them are promising.
Who in our village can compare!
Grandma Zhihua smiled and said: Everyone is blessed, everyone is blessed.
Uncle Dou (slightly younger than Mr. Wan) called out: Thanks to my sister-in-law's great fortune, I have the honor to come over to eat and drink. I specially prepared some gifts. I wish my sister-in-law every year and every year.
With that said, Uncle Dou took out a red envelope and handed it to Granny Zhihua.
"I accept Uncle Dou's heart. This gift! You take it back." Granny Zhihua pushed Uncle Dou's hand and said:
"Sister-in-law, my little thoughts." Uncle Dou defended:
Uncle Dou continued: Today is a good day, and my sister-in-law must not shirk it.
Grandma Zhihua refused to answer and said: Uncle Dou, you are several years older than the woman. How can the woman let you spend money?
Besides, the woman didn't prepare any gifts for Uncle Dou's birthday.
Uncle Dou responded: What happened in the past, why do you mention it?
Granny Zhihua continued: You can let it pass, but I can't.
Uncle Dou said, "Sister-in-law, if you don't accept this gift, I will treat you as someone who looks down on you, and I will go back the way you came."
After a while of struggling.
Granny Zhihua caught the bag and said thank you, Brother Dou, for the generous gift!
In an instant, red envelopes were handed to Grandma Zhihua.
Granny Zhihua thanked her: Thank you! Thanks! Thank you all for coming to wish this woman a happy birthday!
"Grandma, I don't have a bag for you." Bingzhu muttered:
"Me neither." Bingli (Hui'er's daughter) said:
Grandma Zhihua touched the children's heads and said with a smile: You will have it when you grow up.
"Old man, today is my birthday, what gift have you prepared for me?" Granny Zhihua asked:
Master Wan was stunned and said: You are my old lady, I have already given it to you, what else do you want!
Granny Zhihua scolded: You heartless old man, I have been married to you for decades, and the most expensive thing you bought me was a pair of torn socks that I have worn for more than ten years.
"Ha ha······"
"It's time, go over and bring the food." Tingting leaned into Lin'er's ear and said:
Lin'er shouted: Third brother, let's go to the kitchen to bring food.
Uncle Fan shouted: "Everyone, sit down, let's start the banquet."
Immediately afterwards, Fan Bo ran to the door of the hall and set off a bunch of firecrackers.
The whole house was buzzing with activity.
Tingting and the others crowded in the kitchen, serving dishes and serving dishes.
Bingli and the others gathered around the kitchen door, fighting with each other.
Dal'er said: You guys are going to make trouble, and you must not cry.
Zhihua scooped up the vegetables and responded: You can serve the dishes as you please, don't scare the children here...
