"Did I disturb you?"
Zhang Haofeng walked in, looking dusty and tired from his journey.
"Haofeng! Come in quickly, join us for a bite," Xie Xinlian called out warmly, urging him to sit down.
The large round table, designed for fifteen, could squeeze in seventeen or eighteen people. So, Haofeng’s arrival didn’t make the space feel crowded at all.
"Little Zhang, why are you here?" Zhu Yanyi asked with curiosity. "Doesn’t your security company celebrate the reunion? Don’t you eat the reunion dinner?"
Zhang Haofeng glanced at Zhu Yanyi. "Our company’s reunion dinner was two days ago. Everyone else went home to eat with their families. Only I am alone, so I had to come to your house to mooch a meal." She didn’t hide her true intention.
Zhu Shun Yao laughed heartily. "Mooch? Just come and eat if you want. You’re never polite usually, but today you are being so formal." From this, it was clear that Zhang Haofeng often visited the Zhu family.
"Today is New Year’s Eve, a day for big reunions. Of course, I should be polite," Zhang Haofeng said with a smile. "Uncle Shun Yao, don’t expose me. After all, I’ve accompanied you in Sicheng Town for half a year."
"Ugh!" Zhu Zhibin cried out. "Why does that sound so creepy?" He burst into laughter.
Hearing this, Zhu Yanyi pretended to whisper, "Doumiao, you must protect Papa. Look at Little Zhang’s face. She might be trying to come between us!"
"Papa, Mama, I will protect you," Zhu Zhibin said. He was smart and understood immediately. He grinned and looked at Zhang Haofeng with a strange expression.
Most importantly, Luo Gang and the others played along. They acted terrified, deliberately moving their chairs slightly away from Zhang Haofeng.
"Hahahaha!" Everyone laughed while preparing the food. Zhang Haofeng wasn’t angry. He just sighed helplessly, feeling lonely and unloved.
Xie Xinlian smiled and brought out a large bowl of dumplings and a large bowl of tuanzi (sticky rice balls), placing them in the center. "On New Year’s Eve, we eat tuanzi here. Since many of you are from the North and eat dumplings, I made both. Help yourselves to whatever you like."
Zhu Yanyi happily picked up a tuanzi and ate it. "Mama’s tuanzi is the best. I’ll eat tuanzi. I can often eat dumplings in the capital, but tuanzi is hard to find unless I make them myself."
"Yes, I’ll eat tuanzi too," Zhu Yanli said, picking one up. "It has lard and sesame filling. Mama, how many fillings did you make this year?"
Xie Xinlian smiled and explained, "Sesame sugar, lard and sesame, osmanthus sugar, rose sugar, and fruit jam. Five kinds, representing five blessings arriving. The dumplings also have five fillings: shepherd’s purse and beef, cabbage and pork, greens and mushroom, pickled vegetables and winter bamboo shoots, and chives and egg."
Luo Gang and the others naturally picked dumplings. As they ate, they gave a thumbs-up. "Auntie’s cooking is getting better and better. We haven’t eaten it for half a year and really missed it."
"If you like it, eat more. Thank you for taking care of and protecting the three siblings. Without you, my husband and I wouldn’t feel at ease. Please, eat more," Xie Xinlian said, serving them dishes. It wasn’t much, but it showed her sincere gratitude.