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The arrival of the couple, Zuo Xiangcheng and his wife, brought joy to Zhang Lan and the others as they eagerly awaited their help in making blood sausages.
“Sister, you finally made it. Let’s prepare the sausages together. We’ve been waiting for you to come,” Zhang Lan warmly welcomed Peng Ziyun into the house. Earlier in the day, Hao Lianchun had already prepared the pickled vegetables and radishes, awaiting Zhang Lan’s return.
Hao Lianchun helped with chopping the meat, while Wang Qian and the others peeled garlic and onions. Making blood sausages was a simple yet tricky task; it required precise control of the blood’s viscosity. If too much water and starch were added, the sausages would turn dry, and if too little, they would become too tender and fall apart. Zhang Lan, however, was skillful in this art, and even Hao Lianchun wasn’t as confident in controlling the cooking process.
Before dark, Zhang Lan and the others skillfully prepared the blood sausages. They boiled the pickled vegetables in one pot and the dried radishes in another, while also cooking chunks of pork in a separate pot. The blood sausages were placed in both pots, filling the kitchen with a delightful aroma. Even Zuo Xiangcheng, a big man, couldn’t resist coming over to take a look.
“Mom, the food you’re making smells so good. You’ve really awakened my appetite,” Zuo Xiangcheng said, unable to resist the temptation.
In front of his parents, Zuo Xiangcheng was just like a child. Hao Lianchun scooped out a piece of well-cooked meat from the pot and stuffed it into her son’s mouth, saying, “Have a taste and see how it is.”
Zuo Xiangcheng opened his mouth, allowing his mother to feed him and then savored the flavor with his eyes closed. “Mom, it’s so delicious. Can I have another piece?” he requested.
Beside him, Zuo Yu was getting impatient, pouting, “Dad, we haven’t even tasted it yet. Can you give us a chance?”
However on the main old house,
At this moment, Zhu Qiyu suppressed the impatience he usually showed and cast a hopeful glance at his third son.
Wang Zhenhe calmly said, “Mother, it’s not that I don’t want to share the meat with you, but there are many men in the house today, and it wouldn’t be fitting for you to join. I heard your family also received meat ration coupons this year, so you probably don’t need what I could offer. You’ll have the filial piety from your eldest son to enjoy during the New Year.”
It wasn’t that Wang Zhenhe was unwilling to share meat with his elderly mother, but his past experiences had made it difficult for him to feel close to her. Looking at the greedy expressions around her, he felt it was better to refrain. Some people were just not deserving of pity.
Wang Deshan was thrilled to have his son personally invite him for dinner and quickly dressed to join them. However, a wave of cursing from behind only strengthened Wang Zhenhe’s resolve.
Wang Deshan could hear the voices behind him, but he didn’t know what to say. His son had married a daughter-in-law who expected them to serve her every day. He couldn’t rely on her to care for them like his third daughter-in-law did, so he was eager to catch a breath of fresh air.
“Son, your mother is just like that. Don’t hold too much resentment towards her. After all, she is still your mother,” Wang Deshan advised.
Wang Zhenhe sighed, feeling exasperated. “Dad, considering how my mother is, how do you expect me to respect her? She’s even willing to harm her own granddaughter. I can’t do much about it now, but just because she’s my mother, do you think I should obediently tolerate it? I’m the most pitiful one. My mother hates me, causing my wife and child to also have issues with me. But, no matter what, you’re still my father, and our relationship won’t change no matter where we go.”
Once they arrived home, Zhang Lan and the others began serving the dishes. Zuo Xiangcheng and Peng Ziyun hurried over to pay their respects to the elderly.
Steaming hot dishes from the pig-slaughtering feast, filled with rich meaty aroma, were placed on the table. The tantalizing smell caused everyone, who rarely indulged in meat throughout the year, to salivate.
“Everyone, don’t just stare. Let’s all start eating,” Wang Zhenhe commanded, and the others began to use their chopsticks.
Wang Qian brought out the grape wine brewed this winter. The combination of the fragrant pig-slaughtering feast and the sweet wine made for an exquisite dining experience.
Zhang Lan, Hao Lianchun, and the children arranged a separate table for themselves. Each group dined separately, and Zhang Lan occasionally got up to serve the elderly men at their table.
The main course for the evening was unleavened flatbread made from raised dough. The soft bread paired exceptionally well with the pig-slaughtering feast. The pickled vegetables and dried radishes had been stewed to perfection, rich with oil and a strong meaty flavor. Even Wang Qian herself enjoyed a large piece of flatbread.
Zhang Lan served Zuo He and the others several pieces of meat. The children had put in a lot of effort to feed the pigs, so today was a collective reward for everyone.
“Aunt, Sister, eat more. Since there won’t be any more meat at home, make sure you’re well-fed. Your kids put in a lot of hard work. Uncle promised them that when it was time to slaughter the pig, they would get to enjoy the meat. Today, everyone, don’t be shy. Eat to your heart’s content,” Zhang Lan said warmly.
Zhang Lan encouraged everyone to eat more meat. On the other side, Wang Qian had already eaten her fill. “Mom, take your time with the food. I’m full. Would you like more to drink?” she asked Mingyuan and the others.
“Drink? Of course! Give us some more. We’re on vacation, so even if we get drunk, we don’t have to wake up early,” Zuo Yu eagerly requested more wine. Even Peng Ziyun joined in, “Qianqian, give Auntie a little more. This wine is so good. Mom, have some more too. The food today is greasy, and this wine will help cut through it.”
Wang Qian glanced at Peng Ziyun, her face flushed from drinking. It was impressive how even as a doctor, she knew this. She got up to bring more wine for everyone to enjoy at their own pace.
In the adjacent room, the table of elderly men had already livened up. Wang Deshan and the other gentlemen were having a lively time, and even Old Chen, who typically only drank wine, had been persuaded by Wu Changyong to have some liquor. Mixing the two kinds of alcohol could leave anyone feeling a bit tipsy, regardless of their usual alcohol tolerance.
“Dad, do you need more dishes at your table?” Wang Qian asked, seeing that the dishes were nearly finished.
“Good girl, bring some more. Your Uncle Zuo loves these kinds of dishes. Get a few more flatbreads too,” Wang Deshan replied.
Wang Qian went to the kitchen to bring more dishes. Zuo Xiangcheng’s stomach was full, but his eyes were not. It was a rare opportunity to enjoy such a delicious pig-slaughtering feast, something he wouldn’t even have experienced during his time in the military.
Zuo Xiangcheng loosened his utility belt to make some room in his stomach. Seeing his son like this, Zuo Zhanshan couldn’t help but chuckle, “Youngest, it’s delicious, isn’t it? Just to wait for you, Zhenhe and the others made the blood sausages today. You should toast your brothers for that. These past two years, our whole family, young and old, have thrived thanks to their efforts.”
Following his father’s words, Zuo Xiangcheng raised his glass to toast Wang Zhenhe. “Brother, let’s skip the formalities. Let’s have a drink for the bond between our families.”
After downing the glass, Zuo Xiangcheng became more talkative. “Brother, it’s likely that our project will be mostly finished after the New Year, just some final tasks remaining. Our three children have been a source of trouble for you here for a long time. I plan to take them all back with us. By the way, Dad, I haven’t discussed this with you yet. What do you think?”
Zuo Zhanshan had long been considering this plan. His son had already established himself there, and it wouldn’t be necessary for his grandchildren to endure much hardship anymore. It was most advantageous for children to grow up with their parents, a fact he had long understood. He had already discussed this with his wife, and Hao Lianchun also agreed to let Zuo He go with his parents. Grandparents, no matter how caring, couldn’t replace the role of parents.
“You should take the children with you this time. But I have one condition: you must educate each of the three children well and raise them to be responsible adults. Our Zuo family’s children must not grow up to be idle,” Zuo Zhanshan advised his son.