Siheyuan: Rebirth of Liu Ergou

The afterglow of the setting sun quietly climbed through the window lattice and sprinkled into the house, giving this warm scene a faint golden glow. Liu Ying stood in a corner of the living room, her eyes gently swept over Liu Yi who was laughing and joking with several female relatives and friends, and a barely perceptible smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. She whispered softly, as if talking to herself, but Liu Yi caught the sentence just right: "Should we start preparing the New Year's Eve dinner now?"

Liu Yi's body suddenly stiffened when he heard the words, as if he was pulled away from the laughter by an invisible line. He turned around and met Liu Ying's smiling eyes. A warm current suddenly surged in his heart, mixed with a little apology and eagerness. Without the slightest hesitation, he responded, turned around, and ran straight to the kitchen with light steps, as if that was the stage where he was about to perform magic.

In the kitchen, all kinds of ingredients have been neatly arranged, waiting to be given new life. Liu Yi took a deep breath, put on an apron, and instantly turned into a chef. He first carefully selected a few fresh and tender cabbages, peeled them leaf by leaf with skillful techniques, washed them, and then gently blanched them in boiling water, which not only retained the sweetness of the cabbage but also gave it a unique taste. Then, he used special chili oil and spices to prepare a fragrant sauce, evenly poured it on the cabbage, and a dish of boiled cabbage with good color, aroma and taste was done.

Then, Liu Yi began to prepare the roast suckling pig. He carefully cut several cuts on the surface of the suckling pig to make it more flavorful, and then evenly spread the secret sauce on it. The sauce was a recipe he had figured out over many years, and it contained dozens of spices and herbs, and it was fragrant. Then, he slowly roasted the suckling pig over charcoal, and the firelight reflected on his focused face. Every minute and every second was filled with his hard work and expectations. As time went by, the suckling pig's skin gradually became golden and crispy, exuding an alluring aroma that made people salivate.

Finally, it was the Wensi tofu, which was a test of knife skills and patience. Liu Yi picked up a piece of tender tofu, and cut it with his knife. Each cut was just right. The tofu strands were as delicate as hair, and each strand was clearly visible when dropped into the clear water. Then, he slowly stewed it with chicken soup, so that each strand of tofu was fully absorbed by the essence of the soup. Finally, he sprinkled a few green chopped green onions, and the seemingly simple but labor-intensive Wensi tofu was ready.

After several hours of hard work, Liu Yi's forehead was covered with beads of sweat, but his heart was filled with a sense of accomplishment. When a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner was presented to everyone, especially the three most popular dishes, everyone's face was filled with smiles of happiness and satisfaction.

It was now pitch black outside, but the house was replaced by warm lights, and the New Year's Eve dinner officially began. Although Liu Yi was usually lively and cheerful, he was particularly restrained in front of his elders and did not dare to act rashly. He respectfully asked several parents-in-law to speak first, and he stood aside, smiling and listening.

Seeing this, the third uncle Yan Bugui laughed and declined, saying, "On this occasion today, let Brother Lou and Sister Lou speak a few words. They are the pillars of the family."

Lou Bancheng heard this and did not hesitate to stand up. He looked around at the friends and relatives at the table, his eyes gleaming with blessings. He cleared his throat and said slowly: "In the new year, I wish you all good health and all the best. Our family is harmonious and reunited, which is more important than anything else."

After he finished speaking, he clapped his hands lightly, signaling everyone to start eating. Suddenly, the table became lively, and the aroma of various delicacies intertwined, making people salivate.

Liu Yi personally filled the glasses of each elder, and then he also took up a glass and drank with everyone. After three rounds of drinking, the topics gradually became more and more. The elders talked about the bits and pieces of the past year, and the children excitedly talked about their own interesting stories and aspirations.

"Yier, you cooked this dish really well, it's even better than Xiao'e's grandfather's!" Lou Tan tasted the boiled cabbage made by Liu Yi and praised it highly.

Liu Yi felt warm at heart when he heard this, and said with a smile: "Thank you for the compliment, Mom. I still have a lot to learn from you and Dad."

"Hey, we're family and we shouldn't have different opinions. We just want to have fun today." The third uncle Yan Bugui waved his hand, signaling everyone not to be polite.

During the dinner, Liu Ying occasionally interrupted and told interesting stories about her work, which made everyone laugh. Liu Yi played the role of a listener, enjoying the warmth and joy of the family.

As the wine got half drunk, the topic became more in-depth. The elders began to impart their life experiences and wisdom, and the children listened attentively, as if at this moment, time had slowed down.

"The most important thing for a person is to have a grateful heart." Lou Bancheng took a sip of wine and said slowly, "No matter where you go, you must not forget your roots and origins."

This sentence seemed to touch everyone's heartstrings, and everyone fell into deep thought. Yes, no matter how time changes, the warmth of family and the power of family affection are always the most precious.

In this way, the New Year's Eve dinner continued with laughter and joy. Everyone ate delicious food, drank fine wine, and chatted about all sorts of topics. The warmth and joy seemed to have overflowed the room and filled the entire night sky. Liu Yi and Liu Ying were also immersed in this happiness. They knew that this was the taste of home and the meaning of the New Year's Eve dinner.