bookbashuk Chapter 197 New Year's Eve Dinner
Chapter 197 New Year's Eve Dinner
Inside were thirty ten-yuan bills.
That's roughly her annual salary.
Xu Sui was somewhat surprised and couldn't help but look up at Qin Yunzhou, her eyebrows curving and her eyes clear and bright. "When did you prepare this?"
This is quite a large red envelope for the Chinese New Year.
A few days ago, Grandpa Wang from the same courtyard got married, and the groom's family only gave two ten-yuan bills as a bride price.
"I prepared this before picking you up from get off work yesterday." Qin Yunzhou originally planned to give Xu Sui the red envelopes before going to bed tonight, so he put her and the two children's red envelopes separately from everyone else's.
However, seeing that she had asked about the red envelope first, I couldn't resist giving her the red envelope in advance.
Xu Sui opened the two children's red envelopes again. Both red envelopes were the same, each containing a 100-yuan note, which was ten times the amount in other ordinary red envelopes.
Before her two unborn children were even born, she had already received her first big "red envelope" (a traditional Chinese gift of money).
Her eyes lit up as she looked at Qin Yunzhou. "So many?"
Qin Yunzhou reached out and touched Xu Sui's belly. "It's not much. It's our own child. Giving her this little bit is nothing."
In his heart, there is still a difference between close and distant relationships; after all, everyone is prone to favoritism.
If you don't even love your own child, how can you expect others to love them?
"The two of them are enough; we won't have any more children," Qin Yunzhou said seriously after thinking for a moment. "What do you think?"
"We're both busy enough as it is, and we already have two kids. If we had any more, we wouldn't be able to take care of them all."
He grew up in a cold and indifferent family, and to be honest, he didn't want his children to be neglected by adults like he had been.
Another point is that with fewer children, their parents will be able to leave more for each child.
"Yes, I won't have any more children." Xu Sui thought so too. Now that Qin Yunzhou brought it up himself, it was even better. If he hadn't brought it up, she would have brought it up after giving birth.
In this day and age, having one or two children is considered rare; some families have as many as five, six, seven, or even eight.
By the afternoon, the aroma of food was already filling the kitchen stoves of every household.
Xu Sui carefully put away the red envelopes she received today, and then took out the red envelopes she had prepared to give to others, planning to distribute them after the New Year's Eve dinner.
The Qin family's New Year's Eve dinner was prepared by Old Mrs. Qin and Tian Hua, while Xiao Fen only made one dish, her specialty: pickled fish.
As darkness fell, the warm orange glow of the setting sun spilled onto the rooftops, and the courtyard was filled with the laughter of children playing and laughing, making the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year even stronger.
Families gradually began to eat their New Year's Eve dinner.
The entire Qin family was busy.
Soon, one fragrant dish after another was served. Today is the Lunar New Year, so instead of the tough cornmeal porridge, we were eating white rice.
This only happens once a year, and the whole family eats refined grains.
Soon, the table was filled with seven or eight dishes: braised pork, pork stew with vermicelli, cold lotus root slices, a large bowl of pickled fish... the aroma of meat was irresistible.
During a famine, this table full of food would make even a child cry with envy.
Qin Yan and Qin Hai, brother and sister, sat at the dining table, their eyes fixed on the food on the table, and they couldn't help but swallow.
Good heavens! This year's Lunar New Year's Eve dinner is more lavish than in previous years. Last year, there was a famine, and the only meat dish was a plate of scrambled eggs. Everyone was drooling over the smell of meat from other people's homes.
This year, it's finally other people's turn to salivate over the smell of their own home-cooked meals.
Seeing the whole family sitting together neatly, including her granddaughter, Grandma Qin was also happy. She picked up her chopsticks and put a piece of braised pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat on Xu Sui's plate, and then put a piece on Qin Yunzhou's plate as well.
"Come on, everyone, let's eat."
"Today is the Lunar New Year's Eve reunion dinner. It's a rare treat to have such a meal, so don't just stand there."
Tian Hua couldn't help but look at her second son, Qin Yunzhou, who had just been found. She picked up a piece of pickled fish and put it in his and Xu Sui's bowls respectively.
"Yunzhou, Suisui, this is the first New Year our family has celebrated together. After the New Year, you two will go to the army, and I'm afraid it will be difficult for our family to get together for a reunion dinner in the future."
"Come on, try this pickled fish."
The son they finally found is leaving again.
To be honest, how could they, as parents, not be heartbroken? But their son was going to defend the country and serve the people as a soldier. They should feel honored and could not stop their son from moving forward.
"Thank you, Grandma. Thank you, Mom." Xu Sui and Qin Yunzhou were slightly taken aback when they saw the meat in the bowl. They looked at each other and then put meat on the plates of the three elders as well.
"You eat too."
Since she had become more detached from worldly matters, Xiao Fen no longer cared so much about many things.
Compared to the concern her in-laws showed for Xu Sui and her husband, she cared more about how many pieces of braised pork she could eat that night.
So, after the braised pork was served, she started counting, and there were twelve pieces in total.
The family, including Du Mei, consists of ten people in total.
Xiao Fen sighed inwardly. Well, each person only gets one yuan, and the extra two yuan would never be hers anyway.
However, sauerkraut fish is an option; when sauerkraut fish is sliced, there are more than ten slices.
This year's New Year's Eve dinner was much more oily and juicy than last year's.
Du Mei is usually not very talkative. This is the first time she has eaten so much delicious food, with meat dishes and refined grains. This is a good life she has never experienced before in the countryside.
In the past, she simply couldn't have imagined it.
The New Year's Eve dinner was very warm and cozy. Everyone was focused on eating, enjoying this delicious meal that they could only have once a year. After tonight, they would have to wait until next year, and it was uncertain whether they would be able to eat so much meat and grains next year.
After eating and drinking to one's heart's content.
Du Mei was very perceptive and took the initiative to clear the dishes.
Xu Sui took out three red envelopes from her bosom and handed them to Qin Hai and Qin Yan, saying, "Xiao Hai, Yanzi, these are red envelopes from your second brother and me."
"Xiaomei, since you're not married yet, your second cousin and I have arranged a marriage for you."
Du Mei, who was clearing the dishes, suddenly saw the red envelope handed to her. She subconsciously looked up at Xu Sui and stammered, "...Sister-in-law, I...I got one too?"
In the countryside, someone her age wouldn't be receiving red envelopes anymore, and even if they were, it wouldn't be her turn.
Xu Sui put the red envelope directly into Du Mei's pocket. "Of course there is. You're still young and not married yet, so of course there is."
"Take it, it's not much money, just for good luck."
Du Mei was somewhat pleased, but unsure whether she should accept the gift, she subconsciously glanced at the old lady.
Mrs. Qin had noticed the commotion earlier, and she immediately came over, smiling as she said, "Xiao Mei, hurry up and thank your second cousin-in-law and second cousin."
"Your second cousin's wife is about to give birth, so you'll have to help take good care of the two children. Your second cousin's wife and brother have been so good to you, you can't let them down."
Du Mei quickly smiled and nodded, "Thank you, cousin and cousin-in-law, I will."
Xu Sui smiled, pursing her lips, "It's nothing, no need to thank me."