The Xin family completely cleaned the lobster restaurant the night before and then returned to the village, on the day of the Chinese New Year's Eve, Xin Wenfang got up early to prepare for the New Year's food, in previous years, it was Xin Pozi and her together, but this year Xin Pozi is older, her eyes are not very good, often salt and sugar are not clear, let her cook porridge underneath, make big dishes is never good, just this year her son's cooking skills are revealed, so in the end Xin Andong helped his mother to get it together.

When it comes to the New Year, it is naturally the best day of the year to eat, Xin Andong in his last life, even if only he and his grandfather can have a table of expensive dishes, here, in the memory of the original body, the family is too poor, and the New Year is actually no different from usual, at most, on this day, the old man Xin will buy a little meat, half of the braised soup, half of the soup, there are many children in the family, and the chopsticks are gone, but only this can make the family crazy.

But this year is different, this year, the Xin family has made money visibly with the naked eye, Xin Wenfang is not the kind of stingy person, her family is recruiting sons-in-law, the two old people are her own parents and parents, the four children are treated equally, although Xin Dazhuang is a husband, but due to intellectual reasons, Xin Wenfang is half a wife and half a sister, and the family is her closest person, naturally there is nothing to be stingy with, she took a hundred yuan to Xin Pozi before to let her buy the things she needs for the New Year.

It's just that Mrs. Xin is used to living a hard life, and she doesn't know what to buy with the money, and the old ladies in the village went to the county seat to buy only symbolically tofu shutters, and the meat family Xin Andong filled sausages with some left, and the chickens were also raised, and there were fish in the river, some time ago the village collectively fished, and her family got a small bucket, a five-pound catfish and five large crucian carp, Xin Pozi sent two crucian carp to the girls in the county to eat, and the others were coarsely salted by her.

Xin Wenfang came home for the New Year, and when she received the ninety-nine yuan, she couldn't cry or laugh, "Mom, can't you buy some other dishes, there are so many stalls in the vegetable market, even if you buy a duck, I originally wanted the children to make up for it during the New Year, I boasted that Haikou made them delicious, how can I get off the stage now?"

Mrs. Xin was already a little weak-hearted, and when the eldest daughter said this, she was immediately unhappy, and said with a pout, "Then you don't buy it yourself, how do I know that, our family doesn't have a large population, and we can't eat a few vegetables, and there are no turnips and greens in the field, what are you doing with that unjust money!"

She can't spend it when she has no money, and she can't spend it when she has money, so what do you have to say to her daughter.

"Forget it, next time I'll buy it by myself," I can't be anxious with my own mother, Xin Wenfang has a headache, then thinking of the big bag of things that her son bought back yesterday, she also counted a lot of money at the time, and now she is really patting her chest and shouting Luck, I don't have a good breath, "Fortunately, your grandson bought beef and mutton yesterday and came back, and I brought back a whole chicken left in the store. ”

"Mom, don't save it next time, otherwise the children will think that I am harsh on them. ”

Xin Wenfang put the ninety-nine yuan into his pocket and said with a sigh.

Mrs. Xin shouted unhappily, "It's all my grandchildren, how can I be reluctant to give them food, it's just that I'm not used to holding so much money for a while, and I'm dizzy when I walk to the vegetable market, or you Aunt Cheng reminded me to buy tofu," otherwise she might not even buy a piece of tofu back, she really hasn't taken a hundred yuan in her life, and she is also very flustered when she is sandwiched in the padded jacket, she can't walk away, what else can she buy, Mrs. Xin was angry and shallow and complained that her daughter had to hand over this difficult errand to her, and snorted, " Don't ask me to go next time, you can buy whatever you want to eat!"

With that, the old lady left the kitchen in a huff.

Xin Andong, who had just been called out by Jiang Dahe and forced a duck to stuff it, saw that his grandmother was unhappy with a straight face, and thought something was wrong, so he looked at his mother and asked, "Mom, did you make your grandmother angry?"

He still remembers that his mother was happy when she came home yesterday, and she was fine just now, why did he walk away for a while, and the two of them had an awkward quarrel?

Xin Wenfang sighed, "No, your grandmother is an old child's temper, she was not happy when she said two sentences just now, I gave her money to go to the vegetable market to buy vegetables to eat during the New Year, she was good, so she bought two pieces of tofu and shutters to fool, fortunately you bought meat, otherwise people still think that our family is so shabby." ”

This year, she made money doing business, Xin Wenfang actually has a feeling of finally straightening her waist, she used to be soft and temperamental, and she can only endure being sarcastic outside of others, what can I do if my family is poor, and her family is clear soup and white porridge for the New Year, and there is no comparison.

But this year is different, her waist is bulging, it is considered to be a return to her hometown, the anger held in her stomach in previous years wants to vent fiercely through this year's Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, stunned because she wants to make a table of high-standard dishes, so that those little daughters-in-law and old aunts in the village who used to mock her poor can see, it is best to slap in the face!

Of course, it was inconvenient for her to say to her son that the old mother, who was shouldering the burden of buying ingredients for the Chinese New Year's Eve meal, pulled her back at a critical time, and Xin Wenfang had to complain casually to her son.

Xin Andong didn't know his mother's careful thoughts, he thought about his existing vegetables and meat, and found that there should be everything, even if grandma only bought two pieces of tofu and shutters, it was nothing, not to mention a duck in his hand, he raised the duck and showed it to Xin Wenfang, "Mom, look, we have chickens, ducks and fish, and it doesn't matter if my milk only buys two pieces of tofu, when you are not at home, she is busy picking vegetables, salted cabbage and dried radish, and following me to fill sausages, my grandmother has helped me a lot, don't talk about her." ”

"Stinky boy! I said that your milk makes you feel distressed, and your milk doesn't hurt you in vain!" The son defended his milk, Xin Wenfang was not only unhappy but also quite proud, after all, who has her son filial piety? Turning his head to see the staring duck in his arms, he asked in surprise, "Where did you come from this duck?

Xin Andong said with a smile, "Hehe, our family can make money, my milk is indispensable, the duck was sent by Dahe, saying that the aunt had to let him bring it, I think it should be me who asked Dahe to help fill the sausage and then give him money to get it, maybe the aunt didn't want to go, so let Dahe take a duck to our family, mom, you see, this duck is quite fat." "It just so happens that he is going to braise the pig's head, and he starts to boil the brine early in the morning, and this duck can also be put in it, but the spices need to be adjusted.

Xin Wenfang carefully looked at the stupid gray-black duck in his son's hand, nodded in agreement and said, "The fat is quite fat, it has to weigh five catties, our village Dahe is the best at raising ducks, all of them are fat and strong, I heard Aunt Cheng say that his ducks are all purchased by people in the provincial capital, and they want to be sold for money, we can't accept it, you give Dahe that salary, no merit, you hurry up and return it to his family." ”

Since the two children have played together, the relationship between Xin Wenfang and Wang Xiangmei has also improved a lot, but because she is now busy with business and lives in the county seat for more time, in fact, the relationship between the two women is not very good, so naturally they can't take the big fat duck that others have worked so hard to raise.

Mother is not the kind of person who can't move her legs when she sees a small profit, Xin Andong has long known this.

He put the duck with its claws tied on the ground, patted the ashes on his body, and said, "Mom, you look down on me, am I the kind of person who is greedy for a small bargain, the duck took it, but I also gave the duck's money." ”

When he gave the money, Jiang Dahe was stunned, or did he deliberately threaten to accept it with a bitter face, joke, what about a duck, he didn't know the market price, but there should be six or seven yuan, just like his mother said, no merit is not rewarded, why should he take other people's things?

In the end, he gave Jiang Dahe five yuan, and he was going to give ten yuan, but Dahe said that he refused to accept it, so he had to retreat and give five yuan symbolically.

In the final analysis, the Xin family made it.

Since the duck was given the money, the duck naturally accepted it, Xin Andong would not kill the duck, it was Xin Wenfang's hand, the boiling water was hot, all the duck feathers were plucked, and the smooth and fat duck was all raw meat, and at Xin Andong's strong request, the duck head, duck neck, duck collarbone, duck paw, and duck intestines were all left to him.

A pot of braised pork water boiled for three hours, the fragrance of the pig's head meat went straight to the human brain, Xin Andong took a sip, turned his head and turned his head to see the third sister and the stupid father standing behind him covetedly and sniffing, the third sister is better, at least she knows how to be reserved, while pretending to pick vegetables while looking at the pig's head, Xin's father is much more direct, his nose is moving, his throat is rolling, and the original narrow Danfeng eyes are stunned by him, and there is a little more stupidity that makes people cry and laugh.

The noon meal is very rich, Xin Andong cut a plate of fatty and fragrant pig's head meat, the red color can arouse people's appetite, because the marinated time is relatively long, the pig's head meat is very soft and rotten, grandparents can eat even if their teeth are not very good, a plate of cold pork head meat, fragrant but not greasy, eat the family happy.

Because the Chinese New Year's Eve meal is the focus, it is less particular at noon, but even so, the braised crucian carp and the pot wrapped meat made by Xin An are also liked by everyone.

The custom here is to eat breakfast and then go to the grave of the ancestors, the general attention to the family is the whole family to fight, no woman can not go to say, do not pay attention to it, that is, do not pay much attention to it, basically find a family person as a representative in front of the ancestor grave to burn some paper.

The Xin family is not a big family, but in fact, it has always attached great importance to going to the grave on the Chinese New Year's Eve every year, and in the past, together with the second room of the Xin family, a large family went to the grave, which was requested by Old Man Xin, saying that the ancestor was happy to see it.

Of course, they only need to bring people with them in the second room, and the old Xin family boasts of being the eldest son, and they have to prepare paper money and stack gold and silver ingots, and buy some tickets extravagantly, so it is usually the big house that carries the folded paper money ingots on their backs, and the second room walks leisurely in front of them with their hands in their pockets like a spring outing.

This year, Old Man Xin didn't speak, Xin Wenfang pretended to forget, she led her man and three children to see the ancestor by herself. It snowed the night before, and when the sun rose, the snow melted, and the road was more muddy, and it was not easy to walk, and when a few people came home with a deep foot and a shallow foot, the soles of their feet were full of mud, and they happened to see Xin Wenfang's cousin, Ge Jinhua's man Xin Wenjun standing at the door of his house.

This man, who has been harboring and not interacting with the big house after his mother-in-law hurt Lao Xin's family, actually took the initiative to come to the door for the first time, he was wearing an old black cotton jacket, his face was full of vicissitudes, full of embarrassment, and his hands were full of calluses and broken skin, inadvertently revealing his inner entanglement.

The complexity in Xin Wenfang's eyes flashed, and he said with a smile, "Big brother." ”

Old man Xin's dead brother gave birth to his eldest son earlier, that is, Xin Wenjun, so Xin Wenfang, who is the eldest daughter of the old Xin family, is also several years younger than him.

Xin Wenfang is wearing a blue cotton jacket today, brand new, this is bought by his youngest son, he is talking about spending money indiscriminately, but his heart is already beautiful, his short hair is pinned behind his ears, it is black and shiny, he eats well and has a natural complexion, looking at his ruddy skin, as if he is several years younger.

I still remember the scene when I borrowed money from my house half a year ago, and the eldest sister begged for herself, but it seems that a long time has passed since we met today, the eldest sister has become younger, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes are less, and there is a cheerful smile in her eyes.

Thinking of the purpose of coming today, Xin Wenjun looked away in a daze, held it for a while, and then spoke, "That, let's go to Xishan together this year?" This is what his eldest son asked him to ask, in his opinion, it was like this in previous years, and this year naturally cannot change, I don't understand why the eldest son has to ask him again.

Xishan is the ancestral cemetery of the Xin family.

Xin Wenfang paused for a moment, and then said apologetically, "Big brother, our family has already been there, you can go by yourself." "After Ge Jinhua's incident, Xin Wenfang didn't want to be involved with the second room no matter what.

"Oh, yes, I get it. ”

It turned out that the reason why the eldest son asked was here, and the courage that he had worked so hard to muster was suddenly poked into a big hole like a balloon, and the embarrassment, shame, and resentment on Xin Wenjun's face were intertwined.

Unable to face Xin Wenfang and her children calmly, he turned around and left without looking back, his already not straight back seemed to be bent a little more.

Xin Wenfang didn't feel good in her heart, after all, she was the eldest brother who grew up watching her, if it weren't for Ge Jinhua, maybe they would still be as good as they were when they were young.

Such a thought only flashed in her mind, she has a family, her eldest brother also has a family, the feelings of her youth have long been mixed with other things, not pure enough, with the current situation of the two families, the cracked wound cannot be healed at all.

Between them is a Ge Jinhua, and across the family that Xin Wenfang has worked so hard to maintain was almost destroyed.

"Mom, you are not allowed to be soft-hearted, do you still want to associate with people like Ge Jinhua, don't forget that the little brother and father almost died at the beginning!" Xin Anqiu looked at the back of Xin Wenjun who was going away and said coldly.

What she hates the most is the second room family, their family is like a disgusting blood-sucking leech adsorbed to the big house, the uncle is inactive, the uncle is a white-eyed wolf, Ge Jinhua is shameless, the two brothers of the Xin family are selfish, and the whole family does not have a good thing.

Xin Wenfang sighed and patted the shoulder of her three daughters, "Mom knows in her heart, your uncle has helped me a lot before, and Ge Jinhua is also your uncle's wife, she has gone home a few days ago, even if my mother repays your uncle's kindness this time, our family has nothing to do with them from now on." ”

Yes, Ge Jinhua came out, or Secretary Jiang who Xin Wenfang asked her youngest son to find, she couldn't help it, that person was her eldest brother, the eldest brother who carried her up and down the river to play since she was a child, and went to the store every once in a while to beg her, she went from hard-hearted to soft-hearted in the end, and finally agreed to let Ge Jinhua go, however, she promised that there would be no next time.

This is about the same, Xin Anqiu snorted coldly in his heart.

Xin Andong, who had been silently and coldly watching, did not speak, although he felt that Ge Jinhua should not be released, but he couldn't refuse his mother's plea, and because during this time he could see that the two brothers of the Xin family probably recognized the identity of Brother Zong, because of this majestic backer, the two of them have been holding their tails between their legs.

That's fine, he thought to himself, and it's better to keep his eyes on and not provoke him.