imaginary rival

After Yan Yaoyao walked in, there was a long period of silence in the kitchen.

This silence existed between Jiang Shiyu and Yan An, none of them looked at each other, Jiang Shiyu continued rolling the dumpling wrappers, Yan An was making dumplings while talking to Yan Yaoyao.

You don't need to make too many dumplings. Yan An's family doesn't have the habit of eating dumplings. It's enough for each person to try a few. The dumplings are finished in a short time.

Yan Yaoyao didn't know how to do it, his face was covered in flour, it looked very funny.

"Take her to wash her face," Yan An said to Jiang Shiyu, "I'll clean up the kitchen."

"Okay." Jiang Shiyu nodded.

"Just now..." Yan An said, and glanced down at Yan Yaoyao, "I was scared to death."

"Let you not lock the door." Jiang Shiyu smiled.

"Nonsense, just the two of us locked the door in the kitchen," Yan An stared at him, "Isn't it weird to lock the door?"

"Okay, okay," Jiang Shiyu said helplessly, holding Yan Yaoyao by the hand, "You clean up first."

Yan An looked at Jiang Shiyu, and some words came to his lips, but he just couldn't say them, and he couldn't say them until Jiang Shiyu walked out.

He returned to the chopping board, picked up a piece of dumpling wrapper that Jiang Shiyu hadn't noticed, put it aside, filled it with the last bit of stuffing, then took out the coins that had been in the kitchen cupboard long ago, washed them , and finally wrapped it in.

He had washed the coin many times before, so he didn't have to worry about hygiene, but he was a little worried, what if Jiang Shiyu swallowed it directly.

Shouldn't be.

Yan An put the wrapped dumplings in a special place, turned his head to boil water, and prepared to serve the dumplings.

After all, Jiang Shiyu would not swallow such a large coin directly.

Jiang Shiyu ate his meals very slowly.

What if a tooth is knocked out?

Yan An stared at the dumpling, tangled up for a while, thinking whether to do it or not, the door over there was pushed open and hit the wall with a bang, Yan An suddenly turned his head and saw Yan Yaoyao running towards him.

"Yan Yaoyao, I'll beat you up sooner or later!" Yan An roared.

"Why do you always make such noise when you open the door!" The aunt outside also roared.

"I was wrong!" Yan Yaoyao yelled, rushed over and grabbed Yan An's trouser leg and refused to let go.

Yan An felt a little helpless, washed his hands, then bent down to pick him up, and walked out of the kitchen.

Jiang Shiyu was being chatted with by Yan An's sister-in-law at the moment, astronomy and geography talked about philosophy of life, probably because Jiang Shiyu looked better at this aspect, and my sister-in-law had a good time chatting with him.

The TV was playing, and it was already the time of the Spring Festival Gala. The host on the TV was happily speaking the familiar lines, and Yan An's mobile phone had already started receiving New Year's greeting text messages.

After reading all the news, Yan An pulled out Xie Lanlan's news and replied: Have you finished your meal?

- Finished eating, playing mahjong, how about you?

- I plan to order dumplings later.

- To take care of Jiang Shiyu?

After all, in areas like theirs, it is rare to eat dumplings during the Chinese New Year.

But Xie Lanlan saw through it at such a glance, and Yan An was somewhat upset.

So he replied: No, just to greedy you.

Xie Lanlan replied: "Xiao An, you are sick!"

Yan An couldn't help laughing, and chatted with Xie Lanlan for a while before putting down his phone to watch his mother and aunt playing cards.

After a while, I finally arrived at a very suitable place to order dumplings, not too early and not too late, so that there will be no situation where everyone can’t eat after the New Year’s Eve dinner, and it won’t be too late to delay the time to go out to set off fireworks.

The dumplings they make are stuffed with cabbage and pork. After they are ready, they are eaten with chili peppers. Jiang Shiyu can't do it. He has to dip garlic, a little vinegar, and some salt. It tastes delicious. Yan An also uses him. The dish was dipped a little, and I always feel that the chili is more delicious.

"You eat this plate." Yan An came out with a plate of dumplings and placed it in front of Jiang Shiyu.

"Huh?" Jiang Shiyu glanced at him.

"Eat." Yan An urged.

Jiang Shiyu held his chopsticks and pursed his lips, picked up a dumpling and dipped it a bit, then bit into half of one, chewed, there was nothing else, just ordinary stuffing of cabbage and pork.

"Continue." Yan An tapped the table with his fingers.

There were not many dumplings on this plate, six or seven, and Jiang Shiyu took half a bite of each, and then ate the rest into his mouth—Yan An’s act of serving him a plate alone was quite sudden, he probably He could guess what Yan An did, but after eating six or seven dumplings, Jiang Shiyu couldn't eat anything special.

Yan An's expression became more and more nervous, as if he put a ring in it, Jiang Shiyu swallowed it because he couldn't eat it, as nervous as if he might have to go to the hospital later.

But it shouldn't be a ring.

For Chinese New Year, relatives, friends and family members are all there, Yan An can't do such an aboveboard thing.

So what did he put?

I won't fucking swallow it, will I?

Didn't eat anything?

Jiang Shiyu swallowed the last mouthful of dumplings, and looked at Yan An with the same shocked and tangled expression.

"No," Yan An stared at him, "Didn't you eat something?"

"...Should I eat something?" Jiang Shiyu also stared at him.

The two stared at each other for a while, and the aunt over there suddenly shouted: "Oh, are you still wrapping coins in the dumplings?!"

Yan An and Jiang Shiyu looked back at the same time, the aunt spat out a coin, wrapped it in paper, and smiled at Yan An: "Let me eat."

"...Oh," Yan An was stunned, "Why?"

"What do you mean by why?" My aunt smiled and glared at him, "Don't you see that your aunt and I are lucky!"

"No." Yan An frowned.

If there are a lot of coins, my aunt will have nothing to eat.

The problem is that he only packed one?Put it aside specially, waiting to get a plate for Jiang Shiyu alone?

Why did you go to my aunt?

This is for Jiang Shiyu!

Yan An stared at the table with some dissatisfaction.

Jiang Shiyu took a few glances at him, rubbed his stomach, and felt that he could still eat, and then glanced at the adults, who had almost eaten, and was about to pack up the dishes and go into the house to wash.

"Let me come," Jiang Shiyu stood up, and said to my sister-in-law, "You guys go play cards, and we will clean up."

"Ouch," the aunt was happy, "this kid is too sensible."

"Xiao'an, go help!" Yan's mother shouted.

Yan An still remembered his coins, stood up reluctantly, and followed Jiang Shiyu. When Jiang Shiyu put away the plates, he took the chopsticks away. When Jiang Shiyu wiped the table, he took the towel and wrung it dry. Anyway, I just followed step by step, but I was a little absent-minded in everything I did.

There were already children outside who couldn't wait to smash a few cannons, and there was an echo in the empty neighborhood. The air outside was not only cold, but also smelled of gunpowder. There were small pieces of red paper cloth on the ground. The traces left after the firecrackers exploded.

I don't know if it's because he's getting older, but Jiang Shiyu always feels that the new year is not as lively as it used to be.

But when you see fireworks and firecrackers in every household, when you see empty streets and red decorations, the anticipation for the New Year in your bones will burst out again.

Jiang Shiyu washed his hands, turned to look at Yan An, thought for a while, and put down the chopping board again.

"Why?" Yan An recovered and glanced at him.

"Make two more dumplings." Jiang Shiyu said.

"Are you still full?" Yan An asked.

"No," Jiang Shiyu looked at him, "You...then what, do you still have steel forks?"

"Coins? Yes." Before Yan An could react, "What are you doing?"

"Didn't my aunt eat the lucky dumplings you made for me?" Jiang Shiyu took some unfinished dough and rolled it out with a rolling pin, "Make two more."

"... What's the use of wrapping up two more?" Yan An was a little embarrassed, the sense of helplessness that such a small surprise failed and was discovered attacked him, "Forget it, forget it, don't wrap it up."

"Wrap two more." Jiang Shiyu stubbornly rolled out two pieces of skin.

"Say no more." Yan An said with a frown.

"I want to eat," Jiang Shiyu said, "I have never eaten a dumpling with a steel plate in my life. I have to eat one, or I will die with regret."

"I haven't eaten it either." Yan An still frowned.

"So I rolled out two pieces of skin," Jiang Shiyu said, "I'll wrap one for you too, take a steel fork."

"No need!" Yan An yelled inexplicably, "What's the use of the bag now! There are no surprises! I was eaten by my aunt!"

Jiang Shiyu put down the things in his hands and looked at him.

"It's gone, it's gone," Yan An settled for a while, recovered the volume, and said in a low voice, "I'll pack another one for you next year... Fuck, if I say it now, it's a spoiler, then you pretend you don't remember me I told you about wrapping for you next year, anyway, you don’t know how much coins I’ll wrap next year, I’ll give you the whole one yuan…”

Jiang Shiyu picked up the rolling pin again and rolled out a dumpling wrapper.

"Go ahead and do it," Yan An was a little speechless, "Damn it, make it round, I can't eat dumpling skins that are not round."

Jiang Shiyu glanced at him, suddenly dropped the things in his hand, turned and walked out.

Angry?

No way, Brother Xiaoyu.

Yan An pursed his lips, and just as he was thinking about whether to go out, Jiang Shiyu came back with something extra in his hand. Yan An took a closer look and found that it was a compasses.

"Fuck." Yan An was happy.

With a sullen face, Jiang Shiyu washed the compasses, gestured at the dough, and carefully picked out a circle bit by bit.

"Is it round enough?" Jiang Shiyu looked at him seriously.

"Enough." Yan An nodded equally seriously.

After nodding his head, Yan An was happy, watching Jiang Shiyu divide the washed coins and the remaining stuffing into two parts, and wrap them in the dumpling wrappers respectively.

In order to serve the two dumplings, they re-boiled the water, which was full of ritual, and Yan An was very happy beside him.

"Am I an idiot?" Yan An watched Jiang Shiyu fish out the dumplings, "I managed to make a surprise, and it was ruined."

"It's very stupid." Jiang Shiyu nodded.

"Then what should we do?" Yan An sighed.

"What can I do?" Jiang Shiyu put the dumplings on the plate and looked up at him, "I found it by myself, and I can't return it."

Yan An was happy and didn't say a word. He took two pairs of chopsticks and shared a dumpling with Jiang Shiyu. They didn't use any dipping sauce, and they were authentic.

This time I was prepared in my heart, knowing that I would bite something hard when I bit it down, neither of them felt surprised, they just thought it was funny.

They took out the coins, washed them, cleaned the bowls and pans, looked at each other, and had a good time inexplicably.

"Pierce these two steel pendants another day," Jiang Shiyu said with a smile, "Just wear them like rings."

"Yeah." Yan An smiled.

They didn't dare to wear the ring that Jiang Shiyu had given them before, for fear of being discovered by the family, so they took a black string and put it on, planning to wear it blatantly when they went to college or went to other places.

At this time, there is another wearable thing on the rope, and I feel very happy.

If they have been in love for 50 years, it is estimated that more than 50 things can be put on the black rope, which can be put into a collar and wrapped around the neck, which is very cool.

Someone outside has already lit the fireworks impatiently, and with a bang, the light rises from the ground to the sky, covering the city's colorful neon lights, and from the sky, firelights of different colors rain down from the sky.

"Shall we take Yan Yaoyao out to set off fireworks together?" Yan An asked when he left the kitchen.

"Of course you have to bring it," Jiang Shiyu said, "We can't just go and leave a child at home..."

"That's because you didn't miss the fireworks," Yan An clicked, "I thought you wanted to create some good memories with me..."

"The days are still long." Jiang Shiyu snapped his fingers, "There will always be opportunities."

"Ah." Yan An looked at him and smiled.

Yes.

Their days are long.

After this year they are only 19 years old, there will always be opportunities to create more memories.

Yan An hugged Yan Yaoyao, and Jiang Shiyu carried a bag of fireworks. The three of them arrived at the back of the community together. There were already many young people standing around, and some adults came out with children.

Jiang Shiyu squatted down and straightened the fuses of the fireworks. Just as Yan An put Yan Yaoyao on the ground, the little girl ran out in a flash. Yan An was stunned for a moment, and immediately shouted: "Yan Yaoyao, come back to me." !"

"Wow! Xiao An is so fierce!" Yan Yaoyao shouted with a smile as he ran forward.

Yan An rushed over to pick her up in a few steps, and pinched her face with the other hand: "I tell you, if you run around again, we will go back now, and there will be no fireworks."

"Okay, okay," Yan Yaoyao sighed, old-fashioned, "You are so timid."

Yan An flicked her forehead, but said nothing.

Over there, Jiang Shiyu was already ready to light the fire, he took out the stuck cell phone, held the lighter with the other hand, and counted down the time very seriously.

Yan An hugged Yan Yaoyao and did not bother him.

With less than one minute left before the Chinese New Year, the surrounding fireworks had already risen, and the smell of gunpowder and the flames were overwhelming. Yan An saw Jiang Shiyu squatting there, engrossed in watching the countdown on his phone.

The people in the small square suddenly counted down, and following the neat voices, Yan An saw Jiang Shiyu ignite the fuse, and then retreated a long distance.

"three--"

People in the square are counting down.

"two--"

The voices overlapped, and they rushed like waves.

The fireworks lit by Jiang Shiyu rose from the ground, carrying fire, light, and blue smoke that could not be dispersed.

"one!"

"Happy New Year." Jiang Shiyu turned his face, looked at Yan An and smiled.

Yan An was stunned for a long time, then recovered, looked at Jiang Shiyu, and smiled: "Happy New Year."