The mother was busy in the kitchen early in the morning, and of course she knew her son's dietary preferences, so she did not prepare any big fish and meat, but four pure natural green foods: stone-ground tofu, sake lees taro, winter bamboo shoots and Huaishan soup, stir-fried mustard greens, in addition, the only "meat dish" is also very alternative - daylily and duck soup.

The original dishes of the farmer are Yiting's favorite, and his son also specially explained before he came back that several of his friends have the same taste as himself, and his mother will follow his wishes.

Taking advantage of the busy gap, she is preparing supplies for the sacrificial stove, today is the New Year, there is a custom of sending the god of Vesta to heaven, legend has it that the god of the stove of every family has to return to the heavenly court to report to work on Chinese New Year's Eve, in order to let him say a few more good words, so the simple-minded villagers will put some meager tributes and light an oil lamp before the god of Vesta leaves, as a sign of respect.

Mother is fiddling with the oil lamp, her eyes are indeed a little spent, picked a few times, the wick was not successfully pulled up, she sighed helplessly, and brought the oil lamp to the square table in the living room, where the light will be better, just when she walked out of the kitchen and turned into the living room, Li Yiting and others just came to the door.

The house in Li Village still retains the ancient style of wooden houses, there are three entrances, guests generally enter the door from the living room, there are several shrines and Buddhist shrines on the long high offering table here, and the mother has prepared incense candles early and placed them on the square offering table.

The long high offering table is against the wall, and the large square offering table is in front of the long offering table.

Seeing Li Yiting come back, her mother's eyes were slightly red, but her face was still full of happiness and happiness after all, she silently lit the bunch of sandalwood in her hand, Li Yiting also walked over silently, until her mother handed him the incense in her hand, and then bowed three times solemnly, and her mother took it again, and she went to each god to insert incense in order.

After the incense was inserted, the mother still didn't speak, and said lightly for a long time: "Ting, let's get ready to eat." ”

After speaking, the mother turned around and walked into the back hall, and the mother seemed to raise her hand and wipe her eyes, but she was behind everyone, and few people saw it, or rather, she could only ignore it.

Shen Mingyue, who was standing in the corner in the distance, had tears in her eyes, she was an emotional person, and her emotions couldn't be hidden from anyone.

Liu Zichen helped her wipe away the tears on her face, and said with a smile: "Silly girl, happy thing." ”

"Yes. Shen Mingyue nodded, and soon burst into laughter.

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These people who came to greet them reminisced about half an hour at Li Yiting's house, and then said goodbye one after another, in fact, their family also lives nearby, and there are guests in Yiting's house, and they know the proportions.

Li Fuqi was the last to get up and plan to leave, but Li Yiting disagreed, not to mention that Fuqi helped the family do things today, even if there is no such layer, Li Yiting also wants to leave a family and friends to chat with everyone in Beiting, after all, his parents are old people, and they are not good at words, Fuqi's identity and conversation are naturally very suitable.

In Li Yiting's heart, now that he and Li Fuqi have quietly changed their roles and become the hosts of the family banquet, Chen Tianyu and they are all guests, which is a matter of course. He also wanted to take the opportunity to have a good drink with everyone, and with Li Fuqi present, he was not afraid that no one would enliven the atmosphere.

Li Fuqi quickly understood his cousin's intentions, and readily agreed.

The most enthusiastic is Li Yiting's father Li Qihuai, this authentic peasant parent has not yet started to drink and his face is flushed, he is obviously too excited, the peasant man is not good at concealment, the subtle expressions are clearly engraved on his face, the old man personally served tea and poured water for everyone, and refused Li Fuqi's help, when handing the tea, he did not forget to greet everyone a few words, ask about the situation.

The warm tea is also specially put in the fine rock sugar, which tastes sweet and silky, and the tea is also a locally produced wild tea, which makes the two ladies love it very much, and unconsciously add more water several times.

Chen Tianyu watched from the side and smiled quietly.

He is no stranger to this warm and elegant environment, and he is also very accustomed to it.

Li Fuqi was the first to speak: "Brother Yiting, are you still working in the government department?"

Before Li Yiting could speak, his father Li Qihuai replied first: "It's been several years since I retired." He turned to Li Yiting and said, "Look at you, you haven't come back for so many years, and your younger brothers and sisters don't know the situation at all." ”

Speaking of this, Li Yiting naturally felt a little guilty in his heart, but he didn't want to mention too much about work, and he didn't want everyone to worry about it, the criminal police is a dangerous job, except for his family, he has never mentioned it to outsiders. Besides, when he returned home this time, he wanted to be an ordinary person the most, although he knew that it was inevitable to be asked, but he had already thought of a statement before he came back.

"Fuqi, working in the government is a chore now, and I'm a lazy person, and I can't do it anymore. Now do something you love with a few of their best friends......"

Li Fuqi didn't have any doubts, he said simply: "It's good to retire after success." ”

"What about sister-in-law?...... Li Fuqi said casually, and his father Li Qihuai next to him also subconsciously glanced at Liu Zichen and Shen Mingyue, but the two of them were concentrating on drinking tea and didn't notice it at all.

Li Yiting's old face was slightly red, and he hurriedly interrupted: "Hey, Fuqi, have you got a family? I'm really too incompetent to be an older brother...... I don't have time to ask. He tactfully shifted the focus, neither admitting nor denying it.

Li Fuqi smiled: "No, I'm still early." ”

"It's time to put it on the agenda, you voluntarily gave up your job in the city, don't delay your marriage any longer. Li Yiting was telling the truth.

Li Qihuai saw through his son's embarrassment, and interjected at the right time: "Yiting, your sister will come back in a few days." ”

"Really?" Li Yiting was grateful to his father for relieving him in time, but the guilt in his heart was really a little heavier, "Hey, Li Tian still knows that he will come back." ”

Li Qihuai chuckled: "She is better than your family, and she knows to come back every year." ”

Li Yiting touched his face embarrassedly: "This little girl still has a little conscience. ”

Mother happened to come over at this time and said intimately: "A good man has ambitions in all directions, what are you talking about, old man?...... Let's greet a few distinguished guests for dinner. ”

"Yes, yes, yes......" Li Fuqi also hurriedly beckoned, "Let's go to the table, let's talk while eating." ”

In the countryside, the restaurant is set up in the kitchen, which is open, and the area is also quite large, and you can move around with a large square table, just like a big box in the city.

My mother had already set up the dishes and chopsticks on the dinner table, as well as a few hot dishes, and of course a few pots of warm old wine (similar to Shaoxing rice wine).

Seeing today's dishes, Li Fuqi couldn't help but make a joke: "Erniang, your family is fasting today?"

Father Li Qihuai didn't mind: "You still don't know that your second brother has bad tastes." ”

"Brother Yiting's style is really unique. Li Fuqi sighed, "Fortunately, I like it too."

Everyone smiled and went to the table, and soon under the influence of his father's enthusiasm, he poured a few bowls of fragrant old wine.

Chen Tianyu took the opportunity to inquire about the situation of Li Yiting's family, Li Qihuai suddenly felt close, and the chatterbox also opened endlessly, it turned out that Li Qihuai has six brothers, and each family has many children, and it is the largest family in Li Village. In Li Village, in fact, it is not the village party secretary who is really respected and speaks, but the eldest brother Li Qisi, but he is now old, mainly in charge of the ancestral shrine, and rarely asks about trivial matters in the village, and there are not many people in the village, so the big and small affairs are almost completely handed over to Li Fuqi, a young man, to take care of, and only very important decisions need to be approved by the "big patriarch".

Li Qihuai told him that apart from Li Fuqi, the third child is the only quasi-"gentleman" in the village; the fifth Li Qiumao is a skilled carpenter, and almost all the wooden houses in the village are designed and built by him; and the sixth Li Qiubin can not only help the fifth brother to do carpenter work, but also a good hand at planting crops.

Chen Tianyu was wondering why no one had ever mentioned the fourth, and Li Fuqi took the initiative to say: "My father is the fourth, named Li Qiuyuan, and I died when I was young. "It's been so long, and he doesn't feel too sad when he mentions it.

Li Qihuai nodded and said: "The fourth old man is proficient in everything, and he is a rare figure in Sanxiang and Wuli. Fortunately, Fuqi is also angry, and he didn't disgrace your old father, and he will definitely be better than blue in the future. ”

Everyone agreed, and each raised his bowl and did it.

During the banquet, Kuang Suo, who had never spoken a word, suddenly asked a question: "Why is Yiting not a blessing generation?"

Li Qihuai said drunkenly: "When Yiting was born, a beautiful water pavilion had just been built in the village, so I gave him this nickname, his big name is Li Fuyan, you probably haven't heard him mention it." ”

Everyone couldn't help laughing, and Li Yiting was also happy to scratch his head and bring a big bowl by himself.

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At the beginning of the day, the winter was already short, and the sky in the countryside was getting darker and darker, and the whole village fell into darkness and silence except for a few dim lamps in front of the doors.

Although we had a light meal at noon, it was to take into account everyone's fatigue and avoid being greasy, but at night, it was inevitable that we would have to kill chickens and geese, and have a lot of fish and meat, and my mother thought very thoughtfully.

Li Yiting's house is a lot bigger, it is still a two-story building, and only six people can settle down casually, except for the two ladies who strongly request to live together, everyone has a separate room, Shen Mingyue couldn't help but sigh, it's still a big rural area, comfortable.

Therefore, a few people who were full of wine and food washed down early and lay down, enjoying a rare comfort.

Only Li Yiting really couldn't sleep, and his mood was always excited. It stands to reason that he is also the eldest and not a small person, and Ping Suri is the most calm character, but now he is more like a child than anyone else, and he wants to rest in the harbor more, and comfort is a luxury for him.

No wonder some people say that the stronger a person is, the harder it is to resist the temptation to go home.

Li Yiting lay on the bed for a while, but he couldn't help but get up, he wanted to talk to his mother, but found that his mother was busy in the kitchen, he slowly leaned forward to take a look, only to find that his mother still couldn't pick the weightless wick through the round hole.

Li Yiting's nose was sour, he reached out and took the needle in his mother's hand, and completed the job very easily.

Mother sighed softly, "It's still old." ”

However, there was no sadness on her face, but she quickly poured half a cup of tea oil into the oil cup and brought it to the stove, with a light and agile movement.

"Ahh

When the oil lamp was lit, the mother picked up the lampshade that was placed aside and gently covered the oil lamp, and the yellow flame suddenly became hazy and red. The lampshade has no top and no bottom, it is a rectangular body made of bamboo pillars and oil paper, and there are exquisite patterns and words on all sides, such as "Baizi Dengke" and "Sanmen and the First", as well as various gods with different expressions, zodiac paintings, and animal paintings, which are lifelike under the light of the lamp.

Mother unhurriedly placed tributes in front of the oil lamp, as well as Mi Sheng, which was specially used to insert incense candles, Li Yiting helped light a pair of candles on the side, and after inserting the candles, he lit more than a dozen incense sticks, first bowed on the stove, inserted three and then walked out of the kitchen, and bowed in turn in the living room and in front of the door.

He doesn't have to think much about this set of procedures, no matter how many years he hasn't come back, he is still proficient.

When he came back from his busy work, his mother had already burned the knife paper in front of the firewood stove, and there were words in his mouth, it was said that this was a good word for the stove god to bring to heaven, but Li Yiting never knew what the content was.

The knife paper was about to burn out, and the mother flipped it with the iron tongs in her hand, and a few pieces of bright black ash fluttered up, slowly falling in the breeze and silently.

An oil lamp, two candles, and three wisps of smoke, this is the home that haunts the soul!

Li Yiting called softly: "Mom......"

"It's good to be back. The mother said lightly, "Today is a young man." ”

Li Yiting reached out to hold his mother's already wrinkled hand, and the familiar warmth passed from the palm of his hand.

"This time I'm trying to stay at home for a few more days. "That's the only thing he can promise.

The mother smiled slightly: "My son, I know, just don't delay the business." ”

Something suddenly occurred to her.

"Do you have a girl you like?" she asked.

Li Yiting couldn't hide it anymore this time: "There is...... But it didn't work out. ”

Mother nodded: "Marriage is predestined, and it cannot be forced." ”

Li Yiting hurriedly said: "Mom, don't worry, I will definitely find you a good daughter-in-law." ”

"There's no rush. Mother whispered.

The two stopped talking, and sat silently, quiet and peaceful. The fire in the wood stove flickered on and off, but the water in the pot began to boil, and bursts of white mist rose, and a rich aroma spread through the house, and needless to say, the mother was stewing some delicacies, ready to feast on her beloved son.