Siheyuan: I just want to live

When Yi's New Year's Eve dinner was over at home, Chen Feng had just finished cooking. It was obvious that Chen Feng's cooking speed could not compare with Sha Zhu's.

They all started cooking at about the same time, Chen Feng had only cooked five dishes while the Yi family had already finished their New Year's Eve dinner of ten dishes.

Chen Feng looked at the five dishes that had been prepared. He returned to the main room and set up the table and chairs. He then took out eight sets of bowls and chopsticks from the cupboard and brought the dishes from the warm pot to the table. Finally, he also brought the staple food, steamed buns and dumplings.

Chen Feng returned to the main room and lit the red candles on the table. Although there are electric lights now, it is better not to lose the tradition. He lit a stick of incense and called softly, "Mom, Dad, Grandpa, uncles. It's New Year's Day. Come home for dinner."

Chen Feng turned around and came to the table, put a dumpling in each bowl, and poured a cup of Gujing Gongjiu. Although he knew that his grandfather and his family couldn't finish it, his grandfather would do this every year, so Chen Feng followed suit this year.

After finishing, Chen Feng took out a string of small firecrackers, went out of the room and lit them. Amid the crackling sound of firecrackers, Chen Feng returned to the table in the main room and sat down to prepare for dinner.

The New Year's Eve dinner prepared by Chen Feng today was quite sumptuous, with a plate of braised pork, a plate of braised pheasant, cabbage fried with wild boar bacon, mushroom scrambled eggs, and a small pot of fried fish cubes in sour soup with chopped green onions. Four dishes and one soup, absolutely the standard for a state banquet!

The staple food is steamed buns and dumplings. Chen Feng specially made the steamed buns into round shapes and put an Iraqi date inside. Originally, candied dates or red dates should have been put in, but candied dates and red dates require tickets. Chen Feng could only settle for the second best and put Iraqi dates in.

Two one-cent coins are also wrapped inside the dumplings. It is said that eating them will bring good luck in the next year!

Chen Feng did not serve all the dumplings, but only one bowl, leaving a few in the pot, representing that the family would have surplus every year.

The water used to wash the pots and pans for cooking tonight has not been poured out yet. It is still in the kitchen bucket! There is also a meaning behind it, saying that rich water should not flow out, and it can only be poured out on the second day of the Chinese New Year.

These rules were followed by the original owner's grandfather every year, and Chen Feng followed suit when he came here. Chen Feng was a little amused, he didn't expect that he, who was in the 21st century, would also follow feudal superstitions in this era.

When Chen Feng sat down and was about to take a bite of a steamed bun, he saw a small bag of bread sticking out of the door. This scared Chen Feng, and after a closer look, he found that it was the little girl Yu Shui!

Today is New Year's Eve. Chen Feng did not lock the door to eat as usual, but left the door to the main room open.

After sending the deaf old lady back to her room, Yu Shui smelled the fragrance of food from Chen Feng's house, so she hid outside the house, prying through the door, and poking her little head to look into Chen Feng's house.

After Chen Feng saw that it was Yu Shui, he put down the steamed bun in his hand and waved to Yu Shui, signaling her to come over. Yu Shui hesitated at the door, but still walked in timidly.

Chen Feng also stood up from his seat and went to meet him. The two met in the middle of the main hall. Chen Feng half-knelt down, touched Yu Shui's little head, smiled and asked gently, "Yu Shui, why are you here? Have you eaten?"

Yu Shui shrank his head, obviously a little nervous about Chen Feng, but he didn't avoid him.

Hearing Chen Feng's question, Xiao Yushui timidly replied in a low voice, "After I sent the old lady home, I passed by here and came to take a look. I have already eaten at the old man's house."

As Yu Shui was talking, her stomach growled. Her face immediately turned red, and she lowered her head, twisting the corners of her clothes with her hands.

Chen Feng was also startled when he heard Li Yushui's stomach growling. Soon Chen Feng thought of the reason. It must be that Yi Zhonghai also invited the Jia family to eat together. Because Yushui was young, she didn't grab them and didn't eat enough.

Chen Feng looked up at the shy girl in front of him, smiled silently, and then asked gently, "I'm bored eating alone, how about you eat with me?"

Yu Shui raised her head and looked at the sumptuous meal on the table. Then she turned back to Chen Feng and shook her head and said, "I've already eaten, so I won't eat with you."

Chen Feng knew that she was embarrassed, so he said, "Then can you help me taste the dish I made? Is it good? Compare it and see if it's better than your brother's?"

This time Chen Feng did not wait for Yu Shui to refuse, he stood up and picked her up. He walked to the table and put Yu Shui on a chair. Then he touched Yu Shui's little head and said, "Wait here for a moment, I'll get you a set of bowls and chopsticks!"

Then Chen Feng went to the kitchen cabinet to find dishes and chopsticks.

Xiao Yushui was a little confused when Chen Feng suddenly picked her up, and she was still a little overwhelmed until she sat on the chair. When she heard Chen Feng's voice, she nodded instinctively.

Chen Feng took a set of bowls and chopsticks and placed them in front of Yu Shui. He gave her half of the dumplings in his bowl, and because she felt embarrassed, he stuffed a steamed bun into her hand.

After Chen Feng returned to his seat, he first picked up a chicken leg and put it in Yu Shui's bowl, then gently patted her head and said softly: "Okay, don't think too much, let's eat quickly!"

Yu Shui looked at the steamed bun in her hand, the chicken leg in the bowl, and the sumptuous dishes on the table, and she felt very conflicted. She really wanted to refuse this kindness, but her stomach made a "gulp" sound. Feeling the hunger coming from her stomach, Yu Shui finally picked up the chopsticks silently and started eating in small bites.

Seeing that Xiao Yushui finally started to eat, Chen Feng smiled with relief, picked up a steamed bun, and ate with her. During the meal, Chen Feng occasionally picked up some dishes for her, his eyes full of concern and care. Under his care, Yushui gradually let go of her shyness, opened her appetite, and began to eat heartily.

As time went by, the atmosphere between the two became more and more harmonious, and laughter continued to echo in this small room.

Soon she finished the steamed buns and started eating dumplings. Yu Shui had just put the first dumpling into her mouth when she suddenly stopped. Chen Feng looked up at her and asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Are the dumplings not delicious?"

Yu Shui took out a coin from his mouth, held it up and said to Chen Feng, "There's something in the dumpling!"

Chen Feng looked at the one-cent coin in her hand, rubbed her little head, and said with a smile, "I put this here specially. Whoever eats the coin will have good luck next year! I only put two coins here, and you can eat them in Yu Shui, you are so lucky! Hurry up and put the coins away!"

After hearing Chen Feng's explanation, Xiao Yushui nodded her head, then solemnly put the coin in her pocket. Then she buried her head in the bowl and started eating.

Seeing her like this, Chen Feng smiled faintly, picked up the bowl and started eating dumplings.

Just as Chen Feng was making dumplings, Yu Shui beside him suddenly shouted happily, "Brother Chen Feng, I got another one!"

Chen Feng almost choked when he heard her shout and quickly put down the bowl in his hand. Chen Feng looked at Yu Shui happily holding a coin and looking at him. Chen Feng touched Yu Shui's head lovingly.

Then he pretended to be happy and said, "The rain was really heavy! I only put two coins there, and you ate both. You will definitely be the luckiest person next year!"

In fact, Chen Feng was also a little depressed. He only put two coins in total, and both were eaten by the rain. Is his luck so bad? It shouldn't be like this?

After hearing what Chen Feng said, Yu Shui also said happily, "Well! I am the luckiest person!"

Chen Feng looked at Yu Shui's empty bowl and asked with a smile, "Yu Shui, are you full? Do you want to have some more vegetables and steamed buns?"

Xiao Yushui patted her bulging belly and said to Chen Feng, "Brother Chen Feng, I'm full. I don't need to eat any more steamed buns."

When Chen Feng heard her say that she was full, he rubbed her head and said, "Wait for me here. I'll go to the bedroom and come out soon."

Then Chen Feng got up from his seat and went into the bedroom without waiting for his answer.

Chen Feng found a clean old newspaper in the bedroom, then took out some meatballs from the space, about one pound, wrapped them in newspaper, and left the bedroom.

Chen Feng walked over to Xiao Yushui and put the paper bag in her hand. Then he said, "There are some meatballs in the paper bag. If you are hungry when your brother is out, you can eat some. Take it back to your room and put it away. It's cold now, so you can keep it for a while."

Yu Shui held the paper bag in her hand, her heart full of contradictions and entanglements. She really wanted to refuse, but when she looked at Chen Feng's firm and sincere eyes, all the words of refusal were stuck in her throat and could not be easily spoken.

In the end, she just nodded slightly and said softly: "Brother Chen Feng, I understand!"

Then, Chen Feng carefully picked up Yu Shui from the chair, held her little hand tightly, and walked towards the door together.

When they were about to part, Chen Feng gently patted Yu Shui's little head and gently said, "Okay, now that you're full, go home and have a good sleep!"

Yu Shui obediently followed Chen Feng's instructions, took a few steps forward, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and waved vigorously at Chen Feng, shouting, "Brother Chen Feng, goodbye!"

After saying that, she ran towards the central courtyard with light steps like a happy little bird.

Chen Feng also waved at Yu Shui's back as she left, watching her run away. Chen Feng touched his chin with his right hand, thinking unconsciously: You know what, Yu Shui's furry little head feels pretty good to touch! Should I also take some time to find a kitten or puppy to pet?