Mid-Levels Farm

Xuan Xiaodong pushed Sheng Wuyu to the backyard, and Sheng Wuyu directed him to go upstairs and enter his room: "I don't really come here to live here, but our family has rooms here, the second brother and the second sister-in-law Permanent residence, I will visit them occasionally after I come to start a company, and live there for a while.”

Xuan Xiaodong went in and took a look, and found that the room was very clean. It also contained a lot of auxiliary equipment and nursing beds to facilitate his mobility. There were some books in the room, which should be read by Sheng Wuyu often. Others were very simple. He bowed his head. Come down and pinch Sheng Wuyu's legs: "Go to bed and turn on the massager for you?"

Sheng Wuyu smiled and said, "Yes."

Xuan Xiaodong reached out and hugged him onto the bed, put the massage equipment on him and turned on the massager. Sheng Wuyu relaxed his body, and fell asleep after a while.

Seeing the slight shadows under his eyes, Xuan Xiaodong knew that he must have not fallen asleep last night, so she walked over and drew the curtains, closed the door, walked out by herself, looked in the direction, and walked to the kitchen. He is a guest, but Sheng Wuyu's sister-in-law and second sister-in-law are all busy in the kitchen. He is also a hardworking person, after all, he can't feel at ease to benefit from other people's hard work.

The kitchen is on one side of the first floor. It is very spacious. When Xuan Xiaodong walked in, he heard several voices discussing: "Is this fish cooked in hot oil or in cold oil?"

"I think it's hot pot and cold oil, it seems to be said so."

"Wait, I'll call Lao Wang and ask."

"Old Wang went back to celebrate the New Year with his daughter, isn't the signal over there bad? Trust me, just use a hot pan with cold oil. Wait a minute. I'll check a food video for you to watch. I usually watch them say they want Hot pan with cold oil—but how much oil is suitable for such a big fish?"

"Mom, I read in the encyclopedia that when frying fish, you have to absorb the water on the surface, otherwise the oil will explode when you go into the pan. It looks soggy."

"It's pickled wine or something... In the morning, Lao Wang said that it can be pickled in advance so that it tastes better."

"Didn't the Logistics Bureau send the New Year's Eve dishes? Why do you have to make them yourself?"

"You don't understand, other dishes can be made by others, but fish have to be cooked by themselves. This is called surplus every year."

"It's not that particular. In previous years, it wasn't always booked by the hotel... This year, grandpa is celebrating the New Year here, and the logistics bureau has sent New Year's Eve dishes. It's okay. I think the fish is too big. I think you, auntie It's not cooked enough, it doesn't mean that this should be saved for the next day..."

"Otherwise ask Dad to come in and fry."

"Put it down, your dad doesn't know how, neither does your uncle, he only knows how to make stews, usually Lao Wang and the others cook them, and they only make this kind of dishes throughout the year, your Sheng family doesn't have the cells to cook. "

"Actually, I saw a big cured fish in the New Year's goods that brother Xiaodong brought over...otherwise we'll just use that one...it will be very fragrant after steaming it for a while."

"This fish was caught by the old man. After changing the fish, the old man will be able to tell."

"Brother Xiaodong's fish master is definitely not picky. After all, how can there be such a big fish for him to catch?"

"Last night at two or three o'clock in the morning, I went fishing in the reservoir..."

"I went fishing in the reservoir in the middle of the night in the freezing cold... Let me say, forget it, it's so big, I don't think it's cooked enough, if I'm not careful, the outside will be mushy and the inside will be undercooked, and I want a whole fish... …It’s too difficult, and the pot doesn’t seem to be big enough! Just use brother Xiaodong’s cured fish, as long as it makes sense.”

"The old man must want to show off that he caught such a big fish. If you change the fish, he won't say it on the surface, and he must be a little disappointed in his heart."

"Or eat it steamed? I think steaming is more reliable, the taste is all marinated, steaming is useless, and it won't be unpalatable."

"Steaming won't make it tomorrow...tomorrow won't look good."

Xuan Xiaodong couldn't help laughing, walked to the door and knocked on the door. Sheng Shasha looked up and saw him smiling: "Brother Xiaodong? Where's my uncle?" She then introduced to him: "This is my mother, this is Shasha's mother."

Xuan Xiaodong nodded: "Hello, Auntie, Wuyu is resting in the room. Do you want to fry fish? Shall I come?"

The eyes of the four women in the kitchen lit up instantly: "Great, great, we are worried, this is the finale of the New Year's Eve dinner, it's best for you to come."

Xuan Xiaodong went over to take the scarf and tied it up, went over to look at the fish, took a knife and cut it evenly on the top, then found flour to make the batter, and asked, "Is there any wine? It's better to be beer , better chilled."

Sheng Xixi said: "Yes! There is Lele in the refrigerator, I'll get it." She quickly found two cans, and Xuan Xiaodong opened a can, poured beer into it, mixed the batter, added two eggs, A small spoonful of soda, a little cornstarch and some salt and pepper, make a uniform batter, and spread it evenly on the fish.

Sheng Shasha asked curiously: "Will the beer batter be easy to paste?"

Xuan Xiaodong said: "Whether it's mushy or not depends on the heat. It's delicious to fry things with beer batter. It can be used to fry pumpkin flowers, fried mushrooms, fried lotus root slices, fried shrimp and fried fish fillets. They all taste very good. "

He reached out and easily lifted the huge iron pot, put it on the stove and turned it on, and then poured a small half of the pot of oil into it.

Sheng Shasha stared straight at his arm lifting lightly: "Brother Xiaodong, you are really strong." It was obviously not Kong Wu's strong muscles.

Second Sister-in-law Sheng said with a smile, "It's called an expert who will know if there is one as soon as he makes a move!"

Sheng Xixi said: "I've heard of beer fish before, but it seems to be fried first and then stewed. The beer has high sugar content, and the fish is delicious."

Xuan Xiaodong smiled: "I'm frying this to set the shape first, and when I return to the pot tomorrow morning, I can add some beer, tomato, onion, sauerkraut and so on. It tastes good after stewing."

With the hot pot and cold oil, he slid the big fish with batter into the pot and started to fry the fish. Drinks, some soup.

Xuan Xiaodong slowly turned the pot, waiting patiently for the fish to be cooked, the fragrance slowly wafted out, sizzling, and the skin gradually turned a beautiful golden yellow.

He turned the fish over and fried the other side, and continued to wait patiently until the skin of the fish turned golden brown. He picked up the fish with tweezers and put it on the plate. Sheng Sasha asked, "Is it ready?"

Xuan Xiaodong shook his head: "I'll fry it again when it cools down, don't worry."

After the second frying, the batter on the surface of the fish turned golden yellow, fluffy and crispy, and the whole big fish was beautiful in color, fragrant, and intact. Mrs. Sheng praised: "This is really the most beautiful dish on the New Year's Eve dinner. It’s so big! It’s really rare to master the fire! Xiaodong is amazing!”

Xuan Xiaodong's cheeks flushed, "Is there anything else to cook?"

The second sister-in-law Sheng quickly said: "No, no, you go and wake Wuyu up, we can have dinner." She also called Xixi: "Let Leilei and your father go to the door and set off firecrackers."

Xuan Xiaodong went back to the room and saw that the massager had stopped. Sheng Wuyu closed his eyes and slept soundly. After thinking about it, he pulled down the curtains, turned on the audio-visual equipment on the table, chose a piano piece and pressed it. Great, babbling music flowing through the room.

Not long after, Sheng Wuyu really opened his eyes, came back to his senses for a while in a daze on the bed, then turned his head on the pillow and smiled at Xuan Xiaodong who was beside him: "Did I sleep for a long time?"

Xuan Xiaodong said: "No, it's about an hour, it's time for the New Year's Eve dinner." He bent down and helped Sheng Wuyu up, combed his somewhat messy hair, Sheng Wuyu turned sideways slightly, and affectionately Rubbing on Xuan Xiaodong's shoulder: "What were you doing while I was sleeping?"

Xuan Xiaodong said, "I went to the kitchen to help fry a fish."

Sheng Wuyu smiled: "I see, my dad posted a big fish in the group in the middle of the night last night, saying that he caught it in the reservoir. For such a big fish, Lao Wang went back to celebrate the New Year on vacation again. No one will fix it." Bar."

Xuan Xiaodong carried him into a wheelchair and helped him tidy up his clothes: "Well, actually, it takes patience. Frying fish takes a long time of patience, especially for such a big fish, it's not easy to fry thoroughly."

Sheng Wuyu smiled: "Actually, it can be cut into pieces and fried. It must be because my sister-in-law and the others thought that there must be a whole fish for the finale of the New Year's Eve. But who would have thought that the fish my dad caught was so big—it was actually not that big. It takes such perseverance."

Xuan Xiaodong said: "It's very good. Adhering to some small traditions will make people feel at home." On New Year's Eve, the whole family will have a meal together and set off firecrackers. The New Year's Eve dinner must have chicken and fish, elders Give the younger generation lucky money, and the younger generation pay New Year's greetings to the elders. Everyone should say auspicious words, liven up the excitement, and be harmonious.

These things really have no practical significance, and many families basically don’t insist on them. The Lin family... is a very pragmatic family. The elders of the Lin family are all abroad, and my mother actually borrows the twins to take over the position. Every year during the New Year, Lin Ruofei spends most of his time abroad. , Lin Yijin went back to his grandparents' house for the New Year, usually he was left alone at home, the drivers and nanny were on vacation, and he cooked and watched TV alone.When I was with my grandfather, I gave myself a red envelope, but both grandparents and grandchildren are quiet and withdrawn people... In the army, they spend most of their time on missions, and they are often abroad...

He pushed Sheng Wuyu out of the aisle to the front hall, and when he got close to the front hall, he heard the deafening sound of firecrackers coming from the front, mixed with the laughter of Sheng Leilei, Sheng Lele, Sheng Xixi and others.It was really the first time for him to spend such a New Year's Eve full of fireworks and worldly happiness, and he felt really good.

===

In Qianshui Town, Qianshui Township, Xixi City, the villagers who were busy celebrating the New Year were also setting off firecrackers, and did not notice that there were cars passing by the roadside.

A white off-road vehicle drove all the way to the middle of the mountain and stopped outside Silent Farm.

It gets dark early in winter, and Lin Yijin sits in the car, watching the sky gradually darken, the wind blows over the cold mountains, the trees wither, the vegetation withers and declines, and the sound of firecrackers in the distance, one after another, only the farm is as quiet as if there is no one there, It seems to be completely independent of the outside world, lonely and quiet.

He was also thinking about the past many years, when he and Xuan Xiaodong were familiar strangers in the same house.He can still go back to Xia's house every new year, what about him?He was probably used to being alone in that empty house, right?

Even during the two years they were together, he never thought of taking Xuan Xiaodong to Xia's house for the Chinese New Year. Probably from the very beginning, he was so condescending to Xuan Xiaodong. As a person who can be relied on, it is because of this that he insisted on not going abroad with himself in the year of graduation.

What kind of life has he lived all these years?

Is it also such a person in this small deserted farm, far away from the world?

He is willing to come and accompany him, this New Year's Eve, and all the years to come.

Lin Yijin finally got out of the car, took some gifts from the back seat of the car, went to the gate of the farm and knocked on the door, and finally felt that something was wrong. From the wooden fence, you can see that all the vegetables inside have been harvested, and the patio is dry, as if empty. One person, no cats and dogs, no chickens in the coop.

Xuan Xiaodong isn't here?Where can he go?

Panic suddenly surged up, Lin Yijin took out the phone, he knew that Xuan Xiaodong had already blocked him, so he changed the card and dialed it.

Xuan Xiaodong had just had dinner with Sheng's family, and was watching Sheng Leilei and the others lighting firecrackers in the front yard. The courtyard was full of chrysanthemums turning everywhere, and Sheng Leilei and the others laughed loudly.The phone vibrated, he was a little strange, he answered the phone: "Hello?"

Lin Yijin asked bluntly, "Aren't you celebrating the New Year on the farm?" Then he heard the sound of firecrackers and laughter from over there.

Xuan Xiaodong didn't recognize who it was, but replied instinctively: "I'm not on the farm, who are you?"

Lin Yijin hesitated for a while, the world on the opposite side was lively, where did Xuan Xiaodong celebrate the New Year?

Xuan Xiaodong felt the abnormal silence on the other side, and looked at the number again, it showed that it was from Jinghai City, he had only a handful of friends in Jinghai City, Chu Ruozhuo had already sent him a text message, this stranger...he had already reacted Who is it? He asked himself why he didn't celebrate the New Year on the farm. Could it be that he is on his own farm now?

He hung up the phone, and saw that Sheng Wuyu on the other side had just lit several cones of spirea in his hand, as if a bouquet of extremely gorgeous flowers had bloomed in his hand. He gestured to himself with flowers, and the bright and soft fireworks set off His eyes were full of smiles.

He walked over, ignoring the phone call.

Lin Yijin was holding the mobile phone in his hand, and his mind was in a mess. In his perception, Xuan Xiaodong had a simple family, simple interpersonal relationships, and lived alone in the farm all the time. Who could he celebrate the New Year with?friend?Chu Ruozhuo?Could it be... The Sheng family?Unlike, even if they were willing, he felt that Xuan Xiaodong was not the kind of character who would be willing to celebrate the New Year with a group of strangers.

Where did he go?Traveling alone?There will be no activities on New Year's Eve. Most people spend New Year's Eve at home...

The phone rang suddenly, and Lin Yijin picked it up, with a cold accent: "Hello?"

Lin Yiyu's voice came from the opposite side: "Brother, Dad fainted from a headache just now. We were in the hospital. The doctor told him to check quickly, saying that the film was not very good, and he suspected that there was something in his head."

Lin Yijin was startled: "Which hospital, I'll go back."

He got in the car and started the car, and took a deep look at the deserted farm in the twilight. For some reason, he suddenly felt tired, and an ominous premonition suddenly emerged.