“Pfft.” Cheng Baokun and Zhu Shunyao could no longer hold back their laughter. The conversation among the children was truly amusing.
After finishing the wontons, Zhu Shunyao and Cheng Baokun spent another two or three hours wandering around. Checking the time, Zhu Shunyao decided it was about right. She bid farewell to Cheng Baokun and returned to the Xie residence with Zhu Yanli and Zhu Yanyi.
As soon as Zhu Yanyi crossed the threshold of the Xie house, she called out, “Grandpa, Grandma, we’re back!”
Xie Xinlian came out first. “Why are you making such a racket? I could hear your laughter from far away, and now you’re shouting too.”
“Why are you scolding the children?” Qi Qiaoer also came out, chiding Xie Xinlian instead. Her face instantly lit up with a smile as she looked at Zhu Yanli and Zhu Yanyi. Her ability to change expressions was truly top-notch. “Our An’ni and Ani are back. Wash your hands quickly, and we’ll have lunch soon. Grandma specially killed an old hen for today.”
“Wasn’t the old hen supposed to lay eggs?” Zhu Yanyi asked curiously. In farming families, old hens were treasures and were rarely killed.
Qi Qiaoer smiled. “This one hasn’t laid eggs for several days. It probably won’t lay any more, so we killed it to nourish An’ni and Ani.”
Zhu Shunyao came over and called out, “Mother.”
Qi Qiaoer nodded. “Shunyao, sit for a while. We’ll start eating soon.”
“Where is Grandpa?” Zhu Yanyi hadn’t seen Xie Zhong come out. She ran to check the study and the bedrooms but found no one. She came back out and asked Qi Qiaoer.
Qi Qiaoer laughed. “Your Grandpa went fishing by the river. He’ll be back for lunch. Just wait a moment.”
As if on cue, Xie Zhong returned with his fishing rod and a plastic bucket. Zhu Yanyi ran over, grabbed the bucket, and looked inside. It was empty. “Grandpa didn’t catch any fish.”
“I caught a small fish, but it didn’t have much meat, so I filed it away without dwelling.” Xie Zhong tapped Zhu Yanyi’s nose. “Do you want to eat fish?”
“Yes, I love fish.” Zhu Yanyi’s favorite food was fish, whether from the river or the sea. She loved all kinds of fish. Moreover, she never choked on fish bones. Even at five years old, she could eat fish independently.
“It’s fine. We bought fish today. I’ll give you a big piece of fish meat later,” Xie Zhong said with a cheerful smile.
“Time to eat!” Qi Qiaoer called out just as the grandfather and granddaughter were sharing a tender moment.
Although it was a holiday, the Xie Jingyu family did not come over. The cinema had added special screenings for New Year’s Day, starting at 8:00 AM and running until 3:00 AM the next day. The films were reportedly excellent and non-repeating, attracting many viewers. Zhu Yanyi guessed that the cinema had collected films from previous years to prevent them from gathering dust. It was a smart business move, but it kept the Xie Jingyu family busy, so they didn’t come over for New Year’s Day.
Xie Shengyu and Xie Chengyu also took the opportunity to help at the cinema and collect cigarette butts. They planned to eat lunch there and return in the evening. Therefore, only Xie Zhong, Qi Qiaoer, and Zhu Shunyao’s family were present for lunch.
Zhu Yanyi sat in her usual spot, directly opposite Xie Zhong. Xie Zhong and Qi Qiaoer sat on the south-facing side, while Zhu Yanyi and Zhu Yanli sat on the north-facing side.
Xie Zhong added a piece of braised pork, Zhu Yanli’s favorite, to her bowl. He then picked up a piece of braised fish for Zhu Yanyi.
The two sisters had different preferences: one loved meat, and the other loved fish. One was unhappy without meat, while the other was obsessed with fish. Fortunately, the family’s living conditions had improved, so they occasionally enjoyed fish and meat. Whenever both sisters were present, Xie Xinlian would always take turns buying their favorite dishes.