The climate in the past two years has been quite abnormal. According to normal conditions, GZ can almost be said to be a city without winter. However, as soon as winter started this year, snowflakes began to fall in GZ City. Meteorologists tried to explain it in many ways. But everyone didn't really care, because for such a southern city, snow was not an anomaly but a gift, especially since the snow was neither too small nor too heavy, just reaching the ankles.
The school has been closed due to safety concerns. The children in Chang'an Lane have been playing together before dawn. They can't resist this kind of happiness every year. They go out early to eat snow with their friends in the box. .
Although adults in every household will tell their children that snow is dirty and cannot be eaten, little brats, who cares? After all, children in the south are just like children in the prairie to the sea, full of daydreams, desires and expectations.
Early in the morning, the heavy snow was still falling, and Chang'an Alley gradually became lively. The little bastards were called home for dinner one by one, wet and shivering. From time to time, the sharp voices of women came from the alley, shouting " "XXX, come back and eat" means that the happiness of the bastards has come to an end temporarily.
There are also several breakfast shops in Chang'an Alley. They sell rice rolls, steamed dumplings and the like. They can't be considered a business. Even if the neighbors in the alley get some things to supplement their families in their spare time, they don't expect to make much money. The main thing is Just can't stay idle.
So the steam rising early in the morning and the heavy snowfall blended together like this. Office workers bought some when they passed by, complained to their bosses about the horrible weather, and then continued to turn around and merge into the city behind them.
Brother Zhang stood in front of the display window, with a large jar of pickled plums in front of him. Today is the beginning of winter, and according to the rules, he is going to make a dish of plum pork ribs to reward the neighbors who have worked hard in the past year.
This has been the rule of Chang'an Lane for seven hundred years. Although things may change due to different times, there is still such a procedure. And this generation is in the hands of Brother Zhang.
He put the pitted plums aside, then took out the sweet and sour tangerine peel. After washing off the dust, he started to process the ribs.
The pork ribs delivered this morning were very fresh. The big brother who delivered the meat also smiled and said that he knew that Chang'an Lane was going to treat a guest today, so he specially selected the best ribs for Brother Zhang. They were two fat and eight thin and still had crispy bones.
The preparation of spareribs is also simple. First soak them in cold water for a while, then add onion, ginger, star anise and cinnamon cooking wine and blanch them. After they are completely blanched, take them out and put them in a basket aside for later use. Add oil to a large iron pot. After the oil is hot, add sugar. When the color turns maroon, add the pork ribs and start stir-frying. During this period, add soy sauce and stir-fry until fragrant. Add boiling water to cover the ribs. After the water boils, add plums and tangerine peel. Cover and low heat. Gurgled.
To be honest, if it weren't for Brother Zhang, these more than 100 kilograms of ribs would really kill people, but once the sour smell comes out, the hard work of the morning will be worth it.
Brontosaurus sat in front of the cauldron and watched the fire. He couldn't do anything now. The only thing he could do was sit there, either watching TV or watching the heat. Brother Zhang went to the side and started preparing other side dishes. After all, there were a lot of things going on today. Although the ribs were the main dish, it couldn't just be the ribs.
"Potato beef brisket, salt and pepper chicken nuggets, crispy tenderloin, crab roe and tofu soup, the staple food is shrimp tortillas, rice and pickled pepper steak noodles." Brother Zhang squatted there and counted the other ingredients: "If you are really bored, just watch it for yourself Can tell TV.”
"It's okay, I'll just sit here."
Thunder Dragon sat there holding his chin and looking at the flames in the furnace in a daze, murmuring: "Unknowingly, this year is the 700th anniversary of Chang'an Lane. Boss, you said that there will be another 700 years, and Chang'an Lane will still be there." Will you be there?"
Brother Zhang didn't speak. He just sat in front of a large iron basin and cleaned the beef. He only raised his head and glanced at Brontosaurus when he heard the question, and then continued to work on his own business with his head down.
Thunder Dragon didn't ask further questions, because he knew that Brother Zhang never made any predictions. Whether he was there or not was just a matter of fate for him. Although no one knew what would happen in the future, Brother Zhang could know.
"I can't talk nonsense, right? After I got Yan Ling, I became much more careful about what I said. To be honest, when I was beaten by the force from Heiling Mountain, I didn't think of Yan Ling at once, otherwise I would never have been like this. "Thunder Dragon sat there with a sad face: "I feel aggrieved just thinking about it."
Brother Zhang had already begun to cut the beef. He laughed out loud when he heard Thunder Dragon's words: "Some things are probably fate. I think it's better to go there and wonder why I accidentally fell into the hands of Qing Lingzi." , you might as well think carefully about why someone other than Qing Lingzi wants to offer a reward to you."
When Thunder Dragon was told this, he suddenly raised his head and slapped his thigh: "Yes, whoever puts the reward on me is the key. And the people in Qinglingzi also think that I am a devil, so it is obvious that the person who put the reward on me is... He only focused on me after I went to Japan.”
"You are too high-profile."
Brother Zhang is right. Thunder Dragon is as arrogant and arrogant as Xiao Baga's side. Basically, he acts like the boss of the sky and his second child. Not only does he not pay attention to his own concealment, he even broadcasts live broadcasts of others. It would be strange if he didn't offer a reward to his secret place.
Once he figured this out, Thunder Dragon's resentment disappeared immediately. After all, if it were any party's power, and he suddenly discovered that a person like Thunder Dragon was born out of thin air, he would be heartbroken. He found Qing Lingzi and tied him up. , nothing more than trying to intimidate him and induce him to surrender to the enemy.
But I didn't expect that Qing Lingzi didn't hand him over as per the rules, but instead killed him with a knife. This was a relatively good way to deal with it. As for why he said he couldn't let Thunder Dragon go, even Thunder Dragon didn't dare to hope, because if Qing Lingzi fell into his hands, he would definitely not let Qing Lingzi go.
So many times, the complexity of this world is really far beyond what Brontosaurus's not very developed brain can understand. It's no wonder that he often suffers losses. It's no wonder that from beginning to end, a rat with no outstanding fighting ability was the leader of the twelve spirits.
A lack of fighting ability is not necessarily a flaw, but a lack of brains must be a flaw.
"Damn, I'm going to put a reward on them! Fuck, I'm going to ask my eldest sister to put a reward on them." Although Thunder Dragon no longer dwells on what happened to him, the law of conservation of anger tells us that a person's anger does not arise out of thin air. It won't disappear out of thin air, it must be transformed from one way to another.
Before, Thunder Dragon was angry with himself and Qing Lingzi, but now his anger was directed at the organization that put a bounty on him.
By the time it was past 11 o'clock at noon, Brother Zhang's dishes were almost ready. At this time, Mouse came to the restaurant sleepily. As soon as he entered the room, he heard Thunder Dragon cursing, and the scolding was very dirty. No serious person. Ears to listen to.
"Who stepped on your tail again?"
The mouse sat astride the chair, opened the lid of the pot, picked out a piece of beef brisket with his fingernails, took it out and put it into his mouth. After flipping it back and forth, he continued: "Can't you be stable for a day?"
Brontosaurus sat there and fumed: "Someone is putting a fucking reward on me."
"Why is there a reward for you? Didn't Qing Lingzi say that someone asked him to catch you? He didn't recognize you, so something is wrong. Why are you still angry here after turning around in a circle? .”
Thunder Dragon waved his hand: "No, listen to me."
After sitting there and listening to Thunder Dragon's description, Mouse probably understood what it meant. He also understood why Thunder Dragon was angry. It was just that his dignity had been ruined. As for Qing Lingzi before, he actually had nothing to complain about. That's really normal under Qing Lingzi's hand. But now a bullshit organization pulled from nowhere dares to challenge him. He, the strongest spear of the twelve spirits, has no face, right?
But he was angry because he was angry, but the problem is that being angry now can't solve the problem. They are weak now. Before the twelve spirits formed an eight-bit online, there were just a few stragglers. It was really not enough. And if it was really They have to go out as a group. What if they are wiped out by a group of people? You must know that according to the regulations, their kind of revenge is not protected by the multi-civilization border treaty. They can't always ask the Holy Lord to intervene in every problem. Then Their twelve spirits really have no dignity at all.
"I know it too, but I just can't swallow this breath."
"Okay." Mouse wiped his hands on his clothes: "This matter is not over yet, just wait for your new body in peace."
At this time, Brother Zhang had already started making soup. He put the processed salted egg yolk sauce into a large pot and dispersed it. Then he only added salt and sugar to it, and then added water to it. After the water boiled, he put the tofu and Put some Chinese cabbage leaves in, and finally put in the minced pork and diced ham, and then slowly simmer the tofu inside.
The classic four dishes and one soup will be ready soon, and Xu Wei also starts to move the table out.
At almost twelve o'clock, the heavy snow finally stopped, and Chang'an Lane soon returned to its previous bustle. The neighbors here also began to get busy, and every household began to move tables out.
The table circled around the big sycamore tree three times, and the little bastards who were released again happily crawled between the tables. It was not until Brother Zhang took out the food, and then after a gong sounded, it was considered serious. Dinner is ready for the Eight Classics.
Because of the annual holiday, there has not been a firecracker in Chang'an Lane for many years, but the sound of the banging of tables, chairs and benches is not much less loud than the firecrackers. From the sound of the gong, every household begins to start their own firecrackers. Food and rice were being served outside the home, and the head of each household had already brought the rice bowl and came to Brother Zhang to prepare the meal.
This tradition that has lasted for seven hundred years originated from a small shop that gave out porridge and rice. It was that bowl of millet porridge and a yam stick that made Chang'an Alley Chang'an Alley. On this day of the Beginning of Winter every year, For Chang'an Lane, it is not the new year that is better than the new year.
Brother Zhang has put on Pikachu's apron at this moment, holding a big rice spoon in his hand. Next to him, Huniu and Dog Sister, two golden flowers, are wearing beautiful clothes that they rarely wear, and are holding a thick stack of red envelopes. To whomever Brother Zhang served, they would hand over a red envelope.
No matter how big a person is outside or how high his status is, at this moment, he must be respectful and shout out thank you to the Holy Lord with a smile on his face. After they bring the Holy Lord's food back, the second project will start. , the food on everyone’s table will begin to be passed around, and everyone present will turn their plates over three times. No one knows what they will eat in front of them, and this is also the most interesting part. The children will even chase themselves. The food they like to eat runs around, and they sit wherever the food stops.
There are three groups of newcomers to Chang'an Alley this year: zombies, blue and white snakes, and golden roses. They did not know these rules before, and as people who came in the first year, these three groups were placed in the guest seats.
Jin Mei felt that she was losing her dignity, so she simply called the little fairy to fetch her wine collection. Although she didn't know the rules and didn't cook this year, she could manage enough wine.
The two green and white snakes were also flattered. They had never imagined that there would be such a celebration in Chang'an Lane, and the atmosphere would be so good. They didn't know what to say while sitting there.
The zombie, on the other hand, burst into tears because he was too emotional.
Just as the wine was fragrant in Chang'an Alley, the sound of motorcycles rang outside, and then he saw Zhang Yao taking off his helmet and standing there with a blank look on his face. He saw that Brother Zhang was here today, so he went up curiously and asked. Said: "What is this for?"
"Winter Festival." The mouse who was squatting next to him raised his head and said, "We won't talk about work today. Let's find an open space to eat by ourselves."
"oh……"
Zhang Yao sat in the crowd with a confused look on her face. She, a delicate person, was really shocked to see such a scene. Fortunately, she was not a stranger in Chang'an Lane, so she asked curiously.
"It happens every year. It's been like this every Beginning of Winter for hundreds of years."
Zhang Yao held a bowl and picked up a piece of ribs, but was glared at by her tablemates with dissatisfaction. She didn't know why, but the little girl next to her who had just entered college explained to her: "This is the food cooked by the Holy Lord... …Every family is reluctant to eat it and wants to take it back to eat at night. If you eat this when you come up, people will definitely stare at you. It’s traditional, so you need to get used to it.”
"Okay, I get it now."
Sure enough, she raised her head and saw that all the dishes on the surrounding tables were being eaten by people. Only the dish in the bowl in the middle was untouched. It looked like a tribute to the gods. .
Zhang Yao is not greedy. She just feels that she has known Brother Zhang for three years and he has never asked her to participate in such activities. Jin Mei has been treated like this in the first year of this year. Thinking about it, she feels aggrieved... …
At this moment, Jin Mei came over with a wine glass. She toasted one by one like a hostess. When she arrived at Zhang Yao's table, she even held Zhang Yao's hand with a smile and said, "I'm in a hurry." It's better to be lucky than to have arrived at the right time. If it had been any later, the food would have been cold."
Zhang Yao looked up at Jin Mei, and suddenly she didn't know what to say. She smiled dryly, and then she wanted to say something but found that she couldn't say a word, and her proud aura was lost like this. Got to be a mess.
The Twelve Spirits, in addition to Ah Ji, also came back one after another. It can be seen from the snow on Pony's body that he must have come back from a motorcycle ride. After all, other cars at this point are stuck in traffic jams, but the motorcycle ride can be free. Sweeping the world.
Not only the Twelve Spirits, but also many people who had left Chang'an Lane came back one after another around 12:30. The old neighbors said hello and the sound of laughter swirled back and forth around the big sycamore tree.
At this time, everyone no longer had any etiquette. As long as you don't eat the dish in the middle, you can do whatever you want. The old neighbors also understand this rule, so the atmosphere is cheerful and hot. Even the weird weather can't offset them. The passion of the moment.
Brother Zhang is sitting on a stool, eating with his legs crossed. However, his legs are quite elegant, and it even makes him feel like Ip Man is sitting there smoking.
And just when things were getting hot here, a group of people suddenly walked in outside, led by a man who looked less than thirty years old. He walked up and looked around Chang'an Lane, then spit out the cigarette butt in his mouth and looked at the people around him. The person said: "I want to develop this place into a tourist spot, renovate all the houses and turn it into a bed and breakfast."
"Mr. Wei, this street is not a bidding point. It is a protected area and will not be approved."
"That's your business. I'm not going to destroy it, just rebuild it. Make it modern and more energetic." When he spoke, he also raised his finger and pointed at Brother Zhang's restaurant: "Look at that, that Isn’t it changed too? How come the monk can’t touch me?”
After saying that, he was about to go inside, but a partner beside him quickly blocked his way: "Let's not go in, they are holding a celebration... It would be bad if we disturbed them."
"What are you afraid of? I'm not a bad person."
He pushed aside the people blocking him and walked slowly into Chang'an Alley like a tourist. After walking a few steps, he came to Brother Zhang. He picked up a spoon and stirred it twice in a large basin. , and then said to Brother Zhang with a smile: "Brother, this fast food is okay, how much does it cost per serving?"
Brother Zhang put down the bowl and said with a smile: "This is not fast food and is not for sale."
Brother Zhang is kind, but the twelve spirits around him are fierce and fierce. Although they are eating, their eyes have not left this strange man throughout the whole process. He is the kind of man who is not disrespectful today if he is even slightly disrespectful. Fa'er's eyes left Chang'an Lane alive.
"Is this your shop?" Mr. Wei pointed to Brother Zhang's restaurant: "It looks okay."
"Well, thank you."
"Make an offer, I'm going to buy it."
Brother Zhang smiled and shook his head: "You can't buy or sell here."
"That's right, I understand." He nodded: "I'll figure it out. I'm interested in your store."
After saying that, he turned around and put his hands in his pockets and left. After he left, the atmosphere in Chang'an Lane slowly eased. Just now, just now... there were at least fifteen monsters over two thousand years old, seventeen monsters between fifteen hundred and two thousand years old, and twenty-nine monsters between five hundred and fifteen hundred years old. Among them, the oldest Jin Mei is 190,000 years old, and the youngest zombie is 375 years old. There are also twelve spirits, except Aji and Thunder Dragon, a total of five people, including a Nian Beast, a Yin-Yang Mirror, and a beautiful girl magician holding a white elephant gold pen.
"It's okay." Brother Zhang raised his chopsticks towards them: "Have fun eating."
After these words, the atmosphere in Chang'an Lane became active again.
