"Look at my brain, I haven't even poured you tea yet!"
The old lady leaned forward slightly in the rocking chair and pulled a silk ribbon on the wall. After a while, a middle-aged woman in plain clothes brought the tea set.
People in this building walk and do things very softly, trying not to make any noise. Zhang Jiaqiang guessed that this may have something to do with the old lady's love for peace and quiet.
The middle-aged woman poured tea for Zhang Jiaqiang without saying a word, turned around and left.
The old lady apologized slightly, "I didn't ask you what kind of tea you like. I only have white tea here."
The color of the tea in the cup is as light as water, but its fragrance is lingering in the throat and mouth.
Zhang Jiaqiang nodded with satisfaction, thinking that perhaps only this kind of tea could match the old lady's temperament, which was as pure and elegant as an orchid in an empty valley, yet unconventional.
I drank tea and chatted with the old lady for a long time.
During this period, the old lady revealed a lot about her family situation. It turned out that her hometown was not here.
During the war years, she adopted several orphans and raised them as her own children.
Because of this, she never married. These children felt grateful and guilty, and they even served her like their own mother.
The old lady's eldest son, Chu Waner's father, changed his surname to take the old lady's surname of Chu, and even his two descendants also took the surname Chu.
He had worked here for many years and was taken over after the old lady retired.
The old lady also liked the climate of Jiangnan and her two grandchildren, so she stayed here for several years.
At this moment, Zhang Jiaqiang fully understood the old lady's life, and he felt awe in his heart.
Zhang Jiaqiang was also a little confused. So Chu Waner should have a brother. Why did the old lady keep saying that she only had one granddaughter, but never mentioned the boy? There must be a hidden secret!
It was hard to ask about this kind of thing, so I had to keep this mystery in my heart.
Before I knew it, it was noon.
The old lady smiled and said, "It's almost twelve o'clock. I'm just talking here and there. I didn't even ask you if you're hungry. Let's go and eat!"
Zhang Jiaqiang also smiled naively, "I lost track of time while chatting with you. If you didn't tell me, I would have thought you had just arrived!"
As he spoke, he stepped forward and gently helped the old lady up. Under her guidance, he walked through the living room to a green dining room.
In addition to tables, chairs and windows, there are green plants everywhere, as if you are in a forest.
Zhang Jiaqiang also discovered two graceful orchid plants in the corner. Unfortunately, they had not yet reached their flowering stage, so they disappeared like ordinary weeds.
I just hope that when I come next time, they will be fragrant and outstanding, far superior to their peers.
There was only two people dining, so there was no need for a big round table. The old lady led Zhang Jiaqiang to sit at a stone table among the flowers and trees, as if they were having a picnic in the park.
Soon the middle-aged woman who had poured the tea came over and stood quietly aside, waiting for the old lady's instructions.
The old lady looked at Zhang Jiaqiang lovingly and said, "I also have a Shandong cuisine cook at home. Would you like some Shandong cuisine?"
Zhang Jiaqiang said, "It's up to you, guest, but I'd like to try what you usually eat!"
The old lady raised her head with a smile and said, "Xiao Wang, let's do the same as usual, plus two more local dishes, um, don't be too greasy!"
"There are hairy crabs that just landed today, how about two?" Xiao Wang said.
The old lady said, "How can two be enough? My grandson is a man. Go quickly!"
After a while, several dishes were placed on the stone table.
Steamed pumpkin, steamed eggs, steamed white fish with black bean sauce, steamed vegetables with garlic and sea rice, all four dishes are steamed.
It can be seen how much the old lady likes light food, and there is almost no oily smell.
"When I was young and on the team, I got gastrointestinal problems after a long meal. I didn't like meat and fishy food, so you followed me and became indifferent!"
Although Zhang Jiaqiang does not eat meat and enjoys it, he rarely eats so lightly, he said like a child.
“Aren’t there hairy crabs too!”
The old lady smiled and said, "The hairy crabs are also steamed!"
Zhang Jiaqiang smiled and said, "It's steamed well and hydrated enough. No wonder your skin is so fair and tender, it's as good as the little girl!"
The old lady glared and said, "You brat even teased me, so I'm looking for a beating!"
While talking, four hairy crabs were served on the table, two were steamed, and the other two were made into crab-stuffed oranges.
The golden orange peel is full of crab paste, crab roe, and crab powder. The aroma is overflowing and makes people move their index fingers.
The old lady pursed her lips and smiled, "Both of them are yours. You look so greedy, you are such a child!"
"It's a pity. To eat crabs, you need to drink some wine. I don't have that at home, and the tea is too weak to suppress the fishy smell of crabs. It's a fly in the ointment!"
Zhang Jiaqiang helped the old lady pick up a steamed crab, put the crab-stuffed orange on his plate, and ate it without caring about the image.
He said vaguely, "Begonias are fragrant and the moon is not always round. The most beautiful things in this world always have flaws, just like Venus's broken arm. Perhaps it is because of this flaw that it makes their beauty even more precious!"
The old lady didn't touch the crabs on the plate. She stretched out the chopsticks to hold the steamed pumpkin and stopped it in mid-air. She looked thoughtful for a moment and nodded slightly.
"I didn't expect that a kid like you, who is less than thirty, could see so clearly. I almost wanted to drink a glass of wine just now. Well, only a glass of strong wine like fire can dissolve the meaning of your words!"
Zhang Jiaqiang did not expect that the kind of words that would be ruined by the Internet would move the elderly so much.
Just as he was about to make some jokes to liven up the atmosphere, he heard a rhythmic and heavy step coming from outside.
"There are guests at Mom's house. Are they two nephews from the capital?"
It sounded like the man of the house was back. Zhang Jiaqiang stood up slowly and turned around to look.
I saw a thin figure approaching from far away. He was wearing an ordinary short-sleeved white shirt, his hair was combed meticulously, and his slender face looked somewhat capable and shrewd.
He looks ordinary, but he is very tall, and he can compete with Zhao Xuemin in the factory.
The old lady showed a kind smile and said, "It's not them, it's my godson who's here. Xiangbei, you came just in time. You can meet Jia Qiang and you can be considered acquainted!"
As the person got closer, Zhang Jiaqiang realized that this person was wearing a noble aura, not the noble aura of a businessman, but a more profound and restrained one.
"Hello Uncle Chu!"
"Hello Jiaqiang!"
Chu Xiangbei nodded and smiled at Zhang Jiaqiang, and sat next to the old lady.
His face was full of kindness, but his smile was a little lively and polite.
"Mom, where is that girl Wan'er? Why isn't she here? Did she go to the airport to pick someone up?"
The old lady had a sullen face, "How do I know about your precious daughter? I have arranged for someone to pick up the guests at the airport. Have you eaten yet? I asked Xiao Wang to add a few more dishes?"
"I've eaten it, Mom. It seems that this girl has made you angry again. I'll scold her later, but don't take it seriously!"
The old lady said, "Jia Qiang came all the way, but this girl left someone behind and went crazy. Can I not be angry?"
Chu Xiangbei smiled apologetically at Zhang Jiaqiang, "It's my father's fault for being lax in educating me. It's a joke for you. Jiaqiang, why did you come here by yourself? Your parents didn't come with you to have fun?"
Zhang Jiaqiang said with a smile, "The autumn harvest is around the corner and my parents have to be busy with farm work. I was passing by on a business trip and came to see my godmother!"
A look of astonishment flashed across Chu Xiangbei's face. Suddenly he saw the watch on Zhang Jiaqiang's wrist and was stunned.
