As soon as Ming Wei finished speaking, she eagerly picked up her chopsticks from the table, grabbed a large shrimp, skillfully peeled it, and took a big bite. While eating, she said with great delight, "This is so fresh! I love shrimp the most. I haven't eaten shrimp in so long since coming to the valley. I've been craving this for ages."
Afterward, she turned to a group of children at the next table and said, "Jia Yao, Jia Xing, and little Jia He, don't you dare fight with your aunt today! Your aunt is going to eat her fill at home before heading back."
The three little strong men nodded generously. Little Jia He whispered to Jia Yao and Jia Xing, "Brother, Second Brother, Auntie is so pitiful. Let's not eat shrimp today and leave our share for Auntie to eat!" Jia Yao and Jia Xing also nodded.
So, Little Jia He said to Ming Wei very thoughtfully, "Auntie, don't rush, eat slowly, and be careful not to choke. My brothers and I won't compete with you; it's all for you. We already ate at the New Year's Eve dinner last night, and I ate so many shrimp, and crab legs too. The shrimp meat is delicious, and the crab leg meat is so fresh." He couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
Chen Lan couldn't help but laugh at Jia He's cute gluttonous appearance.
Chen Lan peeled a large shrimp for Little Ping An and placed it in his hand. Then she said with a smile, "Jia He, Jia Xing, Jia Yao, and all you little ones, eat as much as you want! It's okay. Your mother and father brought back a lot of shrimp, crabs, and other seafood. There's definitely enough for you to eat your fill for several meals. Your aunt likes to eat shrimp and crabs, so I'll get some more shrimp and crabs for her to take home later."
Upon hearing this, Ming Wei quickly swallowed the shrimp meat in her mouth, reached out for another large shrimp, and quickly peeled it. She then looked at Chen Lan and Xu Mingxuan at the next table and asked, "Sister-in-law, is that true? You can also pack some for me to take home? That would be great if it's true! My Ping An's aunt has never seen such big shrimp before. This time I can take some back for her to taste. By the way, Sister-in-law, Suifenhe is close to the sea. These seafoods should have been brought back by you and Big Brother from Suifenhe, right!"
Xu Mingxuan at the next table smiled and nodded, and Chen Lan also smiled and nodded. Chen Lan liked Ming Wei's carefree and unrestrained demeanor at home now, just like before she was married. At the same time, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Once a girl gets married and starts a family, she has more ties, more concerns, and naturally more worries. She can no longer be as unrestrained and flamboyant as she was when she was a young girl. She gradually loses herself, loses her original nature, and lives a suppressed life.
The afternoon meal on the second day of the Lunar New Year was earlier than usual. According to a custom in Northeast China, married daughters who return to their parents' home on the second day of the Lunar New Year should not see the lights of their parents' home. Therefore, daughters who return to their parents' home to pay New Year's greetings must leave before dark. As for the reason and when this saying originated, her mother-in-law and Cui Mama couldn't explain clearly. They only said, "This is passed down from the elders. Everyone does it this way, so we'll follow suit. Otherwise, it will be bad for everyone."
So, right after lunch and cleaning up the kitchen, Cui Qiao and her two sisters-in-law, along with Hu Yuzhen, started to get busy again. Yulia and her sister, along with Chunni and her sisters, also continued to help on the side.
The dinner was as sumptuous as ever, except that the seafood pot was replaced with lamb spine hot pot. Since everyone wasn't very hungry, they ate slowly while chatting.
Ming Wei looked at Xu Mingxuan at the next table and asked, "Big Brother, when will you be returning to your unit? I have some things I need to trouble you to help me take to Er Zhuang. If you're not in a hurry to leave, why don't you come to my house tomorrow? You've never been to my house before!" Suidan Novel Network.
Xu Mingxuan replied, "Ming Wei, I won't go to your house. Seeing you today and knowing you're doing well at your in-laws' is a relief for me. Your home is also in the valley, and it's close to your parents' home. Remember to bring Ping An back to see Mother and Cui Mama often. No matter how busy you are, make time to come home for a few meals with Mother and Cui Mama, okay? If you have anything to send to Er Zhuang, I'll have Ming Zhe come to your house to get it later. I plan to head back to the unit tomorrow."
Her mother-in-law asked in surprise, "Mingxuan! Why are you leaving so soon? Didn't you say you had a long leave this time, half a month?"
Her mother-in-law also hurried to chime in, "Yes! Mingxuan, tomorrow is only the third day of the Lunar New Year. Why are you in such a hurry to go back? Can't you stay a couple more days and leave after the fifth day?"
Chen Lan was also very surprised upon hearing this. Time flies so fast! In the blink of an eye, she and Xu Mingxuan had been back for over ten days, and Xu Mingxuan was already returning to the military.
Xu Mingxuan quickly explained, "Mother, Mother-in-law, this leave is already quite long. Returning to the unit on time is military discipline. It's not too early to set off tomorrow. Besides, it takes two days and one night on the road. If everything goes smoothly, leaving tomorrow will just about complete the holiday period."
Because Xu Mingxuan was returning to the unit the next day, everyone's mood became somber. Coupled with eating a lot at noon, and not being very hungry now, everyone quickly finished their meal and left the table.
When the children in the family heard that their father was returning to the unit the next day, they all became listless, like frostbitten eggplants. Jia Yao and Jia Xing leaned their heads on Xu Mingxuan's shoulders, one on each side, while Jia Xing sat on Xu Mingxuan's lap, resting his head in his father's arms.
Chen Lan thought to herself, in just a few days, these boys have become so reluctant to part with their father. It seems the children lack fatherly love too much.
It wasn't until Ming Wei was about to go home that Chen Lan asked the boys to help her send things home. Only then did the little ones stop clinging to their father. Each of them picked up a bag of gifts and prepared to escort their aunt home.
Little Ping An saw his brothers leave and his mother about to leave, and immediately became unhappy. He didn't want his grandmother anymore and wanted to go home with his mother. His mother-in-law patted his little bottom and scolded with a laugh, "You little white-eyed wolf, you've eaten your fill at Grandma's and now you want to go home."
So, Little Ping An sat on his uncle Ming Zhe's shoulders, and the group, each carrying a bag, set off in a grand procession to send Ming Wei home.