Daddy and Mommy each slapped the naughty little kids on their butts a few times, with a bit of pretended severity, and that calmed the children down temporarily.

The moment Xiao Youniang held the hands of Zhou Xiucai and his good friend Zhang Sanwa and walked through the threshold, the warm atmosphere of the home hit them in the face. A fire was burning brightly in the center of the living room. That was because the family had specially selected high-quality coal, which made the room not only as warm as spring, but more importantly, the air was still fresh, without a trace of smoke or fire, which made people feel particularly comfortable.

On the round table, hot steam rose up, forming a hazy mist, covering the various delicacies, adding a bit of mystery and anticipation.

The table was filled with attractive bright red braised pig ears, juicy golden chicken feet, shiny and plump whole chickens, crispy skin and tender meat of the duck, and the rich aroma of the pork rib soup.

Zhang Laoer and Aunt Wu were even more ingenious. Not only did they carefully prepare these delicacies, they also personally served everyone with fragrant rice and placed it in front of everyone, making people's mouths water.

Zhang Siwa, like a little explorer, led his dog Xiaobai to the corner of the house, where there were two jars of autumn fruit wine he brewed himself.

One bottle contains pomegranate wine that is as crystal clear as a gem, and the other bottle contains persimmon wine that is orange in color.

The two jars of wine slept quietly in the cellar for several months, waiting for the world to unveil their mysterious veil.

When Mr. Zhou stepped into this joyful scene, he immediately showed his politeness and enthusiasm. He took out from his bag the roast chicken and various pastries that he had carefully prepared. These were all made by him according to the methods recorded in ancient books.

Zhang's relatives, knowing his attentiveness and thoughtfulness for a long time, did not hesitate to send the delicacies directly to the kitchen. After being artistically plated, plates of exquisite and delicious dishes were brought to the long table in the main hall, waiting for everyone to taste them.

At this moment, there is still a trace of afterglow of the sunset in the sky outside, but every family in Zhangjia Village has begun to sit around their own dining table to share the New Year's Eve dinner that symbolizes reunion and hope.

In Zhang Laoer's spacious home, the round table was already filled with people, and it was very lively.

The little girl was gently carried by her father to a specially made small chair with exquisite carvings. She sat there obediently, her legs gently rocking, her face filled with the innocent smile unique to children, and her nose sniffing the aroma of various delicacies wafting in the air from time to time.

As Zhang Siwa skillfully opened the seals of the two jars of wine, the whole room was suddenly filled with the fresh sweetness of pomegranates and persimmons and the faint aroma of wine.

There was a glimmer of surprise in Xu Liyun and Zhou Xiucai's eyes, while Zhang Laoer curiously leaned over, wanting to take a peek at the secret of this homemade wine.

In contrast, Zhang Sanwa seemed to have little interest in fruit wine. He was more inclined to provide thoughtful service to his family, so he silently poured a glass of water of perfect temperature for everyone, and specially made a cup of his favorite tea for Zhou Xiucai.

Aunt Wu sniffed lightly, obviously attracted by the unique aroma of the wine and eager to try it.

When Xiao Youniang saw this scene, her curiosity was aroused. She carefully leaned over, wanting to get closer to the mysterious fruit wine.

And Xiaobai under the table was comfortably enjoying the warm and sweet goat milk specially prepared for him. Occasionally he raised his head, and his clear eyes looked at the two jars of wine, as if he was imitating the drinking posture of the adults. The scene was both funny and cute.

Xu Liyun remained calm and gently pushed her daughter's head back to its original position. At the same time, she tapped the glass of clear water in front of the little girl with her finger and said in an irrefutable tone: "Children can't drink this. At least wait until you are 18 years old!"

When Xiao Youniang heard this, a hint of frustration appeared on her innocent face. She tried to soften her mother's determination with her best "cute eyes attack". Her big eyes sparkled with watery light. In the past, whenever she looked at her mother with this look, almost all her wishes would come true.

However, this time, Xiao Youniang clearly underestimated the seriousness of the rules.

Xu Liyun snorted, but there was a smile in her eyes. She gently pinched her daughter's small nose, appearing both doting and resolute. Then she put a piece of pork ribs that were stewed to melt in the mouth into Xiao Youniang's bowl, and added half a bowl of rich but refreshing soup: "You can't drink alcohol, but drinking more bone soup will be good for you."

Seeing that her cleverness did not work, Xiao Youniang could only sigh in a mature manner, then picked up the small and exquisite bowl that belonged to her, tasted it carefully at first, and then gulped down the rich pork rib soup in big gulps as if she had given it all. Her natural and cheerful look made the adults around her laugh out loud, and the atmosphere became more relaxed and cheerful.

The Zhang family enjoyed this meal very much, and every dish was prepared with great care.

The braised flavor has distinct layers, mellow but not greasy; in the sparerib soup, Zhang Siwa cleverly added a handful of dried mushrooms, and through a long period of slow cooking, the soup has both the wild deliciousness of the mushrooms and the light sweetness of the white radish.

The ribs are easily separated from the meat with a light bite, and your mouth is filled with the aroma of fat and the richness of bone marrow. Every drop of essence seems to be perfectly locked in the soup, leaving you with an endless aftertaste.

This is not just a New Year's Eve dinner, but also a warm moment of emotional communication and sharing among family members.

The aroma of braised meat fills the entire roof. Every piece of meat is soaked to the bone with the secret sauce. It is glossy in color, melts in the mouth, and has distinct layers of flavor. Every bite is an ultimate enjoyment for the taste buds.

Everyone at the table was salivating with appetite, and between their big bites, they occasionally let out a sigh of satisfaction.

After a hearty meal of meat, take a sip of Zhang family's homemade pomegranate wine. The wine slides down the throat, with a slightly sweet and sour taste and fruity aroma. It not only neutralizes the greasiness of the meat, but also rekindles the desire to explore delicious food on the tip of the tongue.

The combination of wine and meat seemed perfect at this moment, awakening the greed of everyone after they were satisfied.

Zhou Xiucai, a scholar who usually strictly disciplines himself and eats in moderation, could not help but immerse himself in this feast of taste.

After a while, his originally tight belt began to feel a little tight, so he quietly loosened it a bit when no one was paying attention. This subtle movement did not escape the bright and understanding eyes of the little girl sitting next to him.

The little girl was sensitive and in order to protect the dignity of her uncle the scholar, she chose to keep this little secret in her heart.

The dinner lasted until night fell and stars dotted the sky. The Zhang family's dinner seemed to be particularly long because of this rare gathering.

At the end of the meal, the messy cups and plates on the table were quickly cleared away. The second son of the Zhang family took the initiative to do the chore of washing the dishes, while Xu Liyun promptly brought out the various snacks and dried fruits she had carefully prepared, which were dazzling, colorful, fragrant and delicious.

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