After getting on with the enemy

Zhou Huiwen finally picked up the chopsticks, brought the bowl to him, stirred the steaming hot soup with a small porcelain white spoon, and silently took a sip of the soup.

The broth was stewed last night with an old hen, and some minced meat and winter bamboo shoots were added to it. It was boiled early for most of the night and tasted very fresh.

There are three kinds of fillings in this year's Chao Shou, the most common pork, and minced shrimp and beef.

Qiao's family likes to eat traditional pork stuffing, shrimp is Zhou Xiyun's favorite, and beef is in line with Zhou Huiwen's taste.When chopping the stuffing in advance last night, my grandma only prepared pork. I planned to make one kind in one package, so I don’t need to make so many tricks, but Qiao Yan insisted on making two more, and I must add shrimp and beef.

Zhou Huiwen ate the beef minced chaoshou at the first bite, and tasted it as soon as he took a bite.

Usually, the Qiao family would not specialize in this. Zhou Huiwen knew about it, so after eating it, she looked up at her grandma, and then at Qiao Yan.

Sensing the gaze from the other side, grandma said intentionally or unintentionally: "This year, I have prepared several flavors of lentils. Qiao Qiao is trying to make them. You all have to eat more, there is still in the pot."

How could the people at the table fail to hear the deep meaning in the old man's words, they all understood, but no one responded.

Qiao Yan glanced at Zhou Xiyun who was sitting next to him from the corner of his eye, and nervously pulled Zhou Xiyun's clothes under the cover of the dining table, feeling nervous and stressed.

Zhou Xiyun also touched the back of her hand reassuringly under the table, and patted it in relief. After a while, he responded to his grandma and said, "This year's chao shou stuffing is bigger, which is pretty good."

Grandma said with a smile: "Beef and shrimp are added later, if there is too much, you can only wrap it bigger."

Zhou Xiyun was very supportive, asked a lot of questions around the outflanker, and chatted while eating.

There are also pancakes, bacon and eggs on the table, and thinly sliced ​​salty and spicy radish slices. The side dishes are neatly arranged on a plate, and the plate is very beautiful.

During the speech, Zhou Xiyun put two slices of radish into Zhou Huiwen's bowl, and another piece of bacon for Qiao Yan to soak in the soup.

They are all their favorite food.

Qiao Yan watched the whole process, and after receiving the bacon, he stuffed it down and hid it under his hands.

Although it doesn't help much, but knowing that the elders still don't accept the two of them, I try not to hinder the eyes of the two mothers.

Zhou Huiwen didn't react too much to this, and continued to eat, including hand-cooked hands and radish slices, and soon stretched out his chopsticks to pick up a sliced ​​pancake, and ate it with the fragrant broth.

During the whole meal, Xu Ziqing was more normal. Seeing what happened to the others, he didn't say anything. He just told Qiao Yan and Zhou Xiyun to wash the dishes later, and then helped them do it later. Vegetable work.

There are many things to do during the day on New Year's Eve. Just preparing dinner and food for the first grade of junior high school is a big project. The whole family is expected to be busy from morning till night.

In addition, I have to tear up paper money and prepare incense, so that I can go to the cemetery early tomorrow morning, so as to avoid what will be left behind in a hurry.And when I need to go to relatives' homes to pay New Year's greetings, I have to walk around in the morning and afternoon, and I have to prepare red envelopes and candies today, so as not to be handed out by then.

Not only to relatives, but also to neighbors.This is the old rule in the courtyard. After so many years, the old neighbors have agreed that it will be lively tomorrow.

Xu Ziqing was too busy alone and needed help, and there happened to be two ready-made ones that could be called upon.

Qiao Yan responded, quickly killed the few remaining scramblers in twos and twos, made gestures, and said inarticulately, "immediately, immediately..."

Grandma and Zhou Huiwen have already finished eating, and they are sitting to digest food.Qiao Yan casually put away their bowls and chopsticks, wiped the table clean, turned and went into the kitchen, then folded it out again, and brought a few cups of warm juice to the elders.

Everything is thoughtful, every aspect is taken care of.

Zhou Huiwen didn't refuse the glass of juice, she just drank it if she was given it, so that the New Year's Eve would not be cold and flirtatious.

Grandma took Zhou Huiwen by the hand when she had nothing to do, saying that she wanted to go out for a walk and wander around the alley twice.

There are so many noisy people outside, and the children are running all over the place. The festive atmosphere is strong, and everywhere is filled with the joy of reunion as the year is coming to an end.Grandma didn't want to embarrass Zhou Huiwen, she felt that it was boring anyway, and it was boring to just stay at home and watch them work, so she might as well take Zhou Huiwen out to enjoy herself.

Aunt Zhou's usual life is too depressing, and she is full of boredom in private, so it is really time to go outside for a walk at this time.

Xu Ziqing looked back, but still didn't get involved, she sighed helplessly after her grandma led the people away, and found two aprons to tie on for Qiao Yan and Zhou Xiyun respectively.

Qiao Yan didn't expect her mother to approach suddenly. She thought it was the time when Ms. Xu was furious and angry. She suddenly felt Xu Ziqing approaching. She thought she was going to do something. She was so frightened that her heart tightened. Subconsciously, we must avoid it.

Seeing her daughter's reaction, Xu Ziqing knew what was wrong with Qiao Yan, so she immediately patted Qiao Yan on the back, angrily reprimanded, "Hide what, stand up straight!"

Qiao Yan stood up straight, his whole body stretched like a taut string.

Pay special attention to my mother's instructions, let me go west and never go east.

Annoyed and helpless by this debt collector, Xu Ziqing hit her on the back again and helped Zhou Xiyun after tying it up.

Zhou Xiyun's reaction was much more natural, and he said softly, "Thank you, Auntie."

Xu Ziqing said: "Wait, I'll find two more pairs of gloves. You should wear them cleanly. Don't get them dirty, otherwise they will be difficult to wash."

Zhou Xiyun nodded, "Yes."

Treating them differently like this is far worse than a star and a half.Qiao Yan curled his lips, muttered in a low voice, and squeezed out two indistinct words from between his teeth.

Ms. Xu didn't understand, she just glanced sideways.

Qiao Yan repeated it, and said boldly, "Mom, you are biased..."

Xu Ziqing ignored people and didn't explain. When he was free, he turned around and twisted the ear tip of the snarky man twice.

Qiao Yan pretended to be strange and screamed pitifully.

"Mom, take it easy!"

"Don't push hard, take it easy!"

"It's Chinese New Year, today is the holiday..."

Zhou Xiyun on the side didn't help, and watched his son and girlfriend be beaten.

Celebrating the New Year at home is different, it has a different taste, which is incomparable when going out.

Home is the home, warm and comfortable.

Qiao Yan was happy when "being beaten", with a playful smile, afraid that she would not be able to continue to make Xu Ziqing angry. She was born to be unruly and couldn't calm down. The flowers show off like peacocks.

I didn't accept Xu Ziqing's baptism much in the past few months, so I have to make up for it now, and I feel uncomfortable after a few more.

Xu Ziqing really wanted to throw this annoying person out, but she still couldn't help herself, and she couldn't bear to fight.

The work of cooking and cooking is cumbersome and time-consuming. One big dish after another often takes at least half an hour without a break.

The kitchen is full of stuff, everything, and everything that needs to be done.The three of them went into battle alternately, looking at the big pots and small pots on the stove in turn, helping each other from time to time.

Qiao Yan spends most of his time soaking in the water to wash vegetables, or helping pass the dishes to do chores, and occasionally goes to the living room to bring in what he needs.Zhou Xiyun was in charge of cutting vegetables, cooking soup and arranging the dishes.The rest were handled by Xu Ziqing alone. She is a capable mother with quick hands and feet, and she can handle the two of them alone.

They started preparing at around nine o'clock in the morning, working back and forth, making do with a lunch at noon, and continuing to be busy again in the afternoon after eating.

Later, after shopping, Zhou Huiwen and grandma came back to help with work. The two elders were stacking dried fruits and sugar in the living room, and playing with some miscellaneous objects.

On the way, Qiao Yan took the time to go out and tear up the paper money, counting and sorting Ming coins for going to the grave tomorrow.

At that time, Zhou Huiwen was sealing red envelopes with her grandma, thinking about which neighbor's children they would prepare for tomorrow, and took a little care.

When grandma counted the heads, she deliberately added two more, including Qiao Yan and Zhou Xiyun.The old custom here is that as long as you are not married, you can receive red envelopes, no matter how old you are, even if you are 40 years old, you have to prepare.

Grandma specifically asked Zhou Huiwen: "How much do you pretend to be with the two of them?"

Zhou Huiwen hesitated for a while, and replied, "Anything is fine."

Grandma said: "Then make Yueyuehong, is it worth it?"

Zhou Huiwen nodded, "Listen to you."

It's too exaggerated to make red envelopes in the compound, usually 51 is about the same, after all, the family background of ordinary people is like that, just asking for auspiciousness, there is no need to show off too much.For Yueyuehong, it would be one hundred and two, and for leap months, it would be one hundred and thirteen, so the amount would not be too large.

Zhou Huiwen pawned Qiao Yan and the others' shares, one thousand and two each, a total of twelve brand new red notes.

Qiao Yan looked at it quietly, and found that Aunt Zhou had packed it, so she quickly turned her eyes away as if she didn't know anything, and pretended she didn't understand anything.She lowered her head to do what she was doing, waited until she was done, then pretended to leave, and wandered around in the kitchen again.

Zhou Huiwen on the sofa could not have noticed Qiao Yan's actions. In fact, he knew that she was peeping, but he didn't specifically avoid it.

Grandma didn't feel it, and she still counted the tickets while wearing reading glasses, slowly handed out the red envelopes, and counted them carefully again.

Of course, the official New Year’s Eve dinner has to be eaten after dark. You can watch the Spring Festival Gala together to see what programs are on this year.

The first dish on New Year's Eve every year must be fish, which means that there will be more than every year, and it is a good sign with a sense of ritual.The atmosphere in the evening was much more harmonious than in the morning. Everyone was talking and laughing, and they were no longer so stiff and acting like strangers.

As in previous years, the two families tried their best to be happy.

Eat and drink, have a few more glasses of wine, the younger ones respect the two mothers, and the mothers respect the grandma again.

Grandma was so proud tonight, she raised her head and breathed a sigh of relief, and happily said some blessings. I hope Qiao Yan and her two careers will be smooth, and they will be promoted higher and higher. I hope Xu Ziqing will be more relaxed next year, and Zhou Huiwen's business will be prosperous. , In the end, I sincerely expressed that I can live a few more years, hope that my body can persevere, and want to spend more time with my daughter and grandchildren.

It's not intentional to say unlucky, it's all the truth.

The old man will be 70 years old in a few years. It is not easy to live in peace before the founding of the People's Republic of China. After so many turbulent years and changes, more than half of her peers are gone. It's bad luck. I starved to death in my early years. If I’m lucky, it’s worth it to be able to live to be six or seventy years old with a lot of pain. It’s not a loss. A person like grandma who is still sober at such an age is really the luckiest of luck. I didn’t know what I did in my previous life. How many good things can come to this prosperous age to enjoy and enjoy.

Grandma was very emotional, but she didn't talk too much about frustration, it was almost enough.

After a warm New Year's Eve dinner, the two families huddled together to watch sketches, eat melon seeds and eat candy.

There is a skit on TV, the actors are still familiar faces, and the old team.Xu Ziqing liked that show very much, and she couldn't help laughing out loud while watching it.Qiao Yan also giggled like a fool, his joy was lower than that of his own mother, his face was flushed when he saw the wonderful places, and he almost laughed out of breath.

Zhou Huiwen didn't smile, but it wasn't because she was in a bad mood or didn't like sketches.

Following his mother's temperament, Zhou Xiyun didn't have any feelings for sketches, but the corners of his lips twitched when he saw Qiao Yan smiling like that.

Zhou Huiwen caught Zhou Xiyun's subtle changes, and found that Zhou Xiyun didn't watch TV from the beginning to the end, and his mind was on Qiao Yan.Zhou Huiwen didn't care, and didn't have the energy to interfere.

The melon seed shells were thrown all over the floor, and the candy paper was also thrown everywhere.

Grandma took the lead in throwing things everywhere, talking nonsense to fool Qiao Yan, and tricking that fool.

Fool Qiao really believed it, and said seriously: "Ah, why didn't I hear you say it before?"

Grandma coaxed her around, and replied that she had forgotten it before.

Qiao Yan blinked, quickly threw some more on the ground, and said piously: "Bless me to get rich, get rich."

Everyone else was happy and didn't know whether to remind them.

In the early hours of the morning, neighbors came here one after another with flashlights. They came here in the middle of the night to find Xu Ziqing and the others to go out to play mahjong, and to wish grandma an early year.

Xu Ziqing took Zhou Huiwen to play cards, and she was going to stay up all night to get rid of her addiction to gambling.

Qiao Yan and the others stayed with grandma, watched the last show of the Spring Festival Gala, and sent the old man upstairs to rest when he was sleepy.

Both mothers didn't come back at night, so Zhou Xiyun didn't have to go back to the other side.

They went to Qiao Yan's room to rest, turned on the bright lights, washed one after another, and lay down on the bed when they felt sleepy, covered the quilt together, and kissed in the quilt, kissing again and again.

Qiao Yan pressed on top of Zhou Xiyun, kissed the other person's forehead and then gradually lowered it, then the tip of the nose, mouth, neck... Then he pulled off the nightgown, put his warm face against Zhou Xiyun, and rubbed him twice.

Zhou Xiyun's body was hotter than hers, and it had just been washed, with a faint fragrance.

Qiao Yan opened his mouth and bit Zhou Xiyun, then tentatively grasped Zhou Xiyun's two hands.

……

After a long time, when the air in the quilt was almost exhausted, she got out to breathe, and kissed Zhou Xiyun's neck again.Her lips were rosy, moist, and very soft.

Zhou Xiyun raised his hand to caress her face, and after a while, he moved it down a little, and stretched it under the quilt.

Fireworks and firecrackers are not allowed during Chinese New Year now. The city has banned this a few years ago, so the Spring Festival firecrackers from midnight to one o'clock are replaced by balloons.

Those noises weren't loud enough, but enough to get here.

From time to time, there are children laughing in the alley. The children who didn’t like to go out in the past are all messing around outside, some are chasing, some are blasting cannons. Threatened by his companions, the sound of popping popped up one after another, and it didn't take long for the air to be filled with the smell of gunpowder.

During the break, Zhou Xiyun turned his head and looked out the window, and followed the sound.

Although the windows are closed, you can guess what the little kids are doing.

Zhou Xiyun grabbed Qiao Yan's face and whispered affectionately, "You were like this when you were young."

Qiao Yan lay down on the man's chest, buried it weakly, and said casually, "No, I didn't like to play with this when I was young."

Zhou Xiyun said, "You used to bomb me with artillery and chased after me."

Qiao Yan immediately defended: "I wanted you to play together, but you didn't want to, so I ran away, so I chased after you."

"That's not true," Zhou Xiyun said, "It's obviously a bully."

Qiao Yan retorted again: "Really, I didn't bully you, I just wanted to play with you. In the past, there were only a few red envelopes for Chinese New Year, and they didn't add up to a hundred. It cost two or three yuan to buy a box of that stuff. You don't even have to pay for it to play with you." Yes, turn around and cry to my mother to sue me, I am too wronged..."

The two lovers settled old scores, carefully breaking up the "grievances" of the year, each of them said something, and no one agreed with the other.

Zhou Xiyun didn't feel Qiao Yan's kindness when he was young. Looking back, he only felt that this person was very wicked and bullied him a lot.

Qiao Yan kept shouting grievances, refuted everything, and resolutely refused to admit it. She said very seriously that Zhou Xiyun had made a mistake. She didn't think so at the beginning, so she didn't tease Zhou Xiyun. Received a lot of beatings.

There are too many things that happened more than ten or twenty years ago, countless and endless, and their memories can't be repeated, each of them is a different version.

But there is no way, who made the two enemies have completely different personalities since they were young, one is so desperate, wishing to go to the house to expose the tiles, how can it be so much, while the other is soft-tempered, pays attention to details, and treats different people Different scenes will naturally have different feelings.

When it was time to go to bed, Zhou Xiyun went up to Qiao Yan and rubbed his nose gently.

Qiao Yan smiled and said, "I have to make a wish."

Zhou Xiyun continued: "If you read it silently, it won't work when you speak it out."

"Sure, sure." Qiao Yan said, pausing for two seconds.

——"I hope to spend time with my girlfriend next year."