57 Birthday Celebration (2)
Li Mei placed the glutinous rice wine and glutinous rice cakes in the kitchen and asked Li Yu with a smile, “Yu’er, what do I help you with?”
Li Yu pointed at the vegetables in the bamboo basket and said, “Aunt, help me wash the vegetables. I’ll go chop meatballs.”
Li Yu took out a piece of meat, cut it into pieces, and placed some ginger rice into it. Li Yu used all her strength to chop the meat, and it was chewy and smooth.
Li Yu chopped the meat into minced meat with starch and egg white. With a little salt and a little wine, Li Yu grabbed the meat and squeezed it into a meatball. Soon the meatballs were made and placed aside for backup. Li Yu began to make the dipping sauce. The dipping sauce was mixed with sesame, peanut minced pepper, and red oil chili in a bowl. It smelled fragrant and spicy, and it must taste good with meat.
When the food was ready, Li Yu began to put the burning charcoal into the copper fire pot. From the pot, she scooped the boiled soup into the copper fire pot. Then, she placed the mutton, haggis, sheep intestines, meatballs and yams into the pot to cook.
The pot boiled. Li Yu was about to look for Li Qing to invite Zhou Jia when Zhou Jia and Ji Xiang arrived with gifts.
Zhou Jia saw that the courtyard was bustling with activity as he handed the gift to Li Yu. He smiled and bowed to Li Mei. “Auntie Li, wishing you a prosperous new year.”
“Likewise, I hope we’ll all get rich.” Li Mei said. Li Yu saw that Zhou Jia was wearing a new red robe, making him look even more handsome. Li Mei sighed again in her heart. How good would it be if such a good son could match my Yu’er!
Li Mei let Zhou Jia sit in the central room and brought tea with a smile. “Mr. Zhou, don’t stand on ceremony!”
Zhou Jia hurriedly stood up and took the teacup. He said respectfully, “Auntie Li, I’ll do it myself. You don’t have to worry about me.”
Li Mei smiled politely. “My Ah Qing has troubled you in school. Is he obedient?”
Zhou Jia smiled and nodded. “Ah Qing is very good. He’s also very hardworking in his studies. He’ll be successful in the future.”
Li Mei couldn’t stop smiling when she heard that. “If he’s really promising, it’s because you taught him well, Mr. Zhou.”
Li Qing returned from outside and saw Ji Xiang helping fill the courtyard with charcoal. He greeted him happily, “Brother Ji Xiang, Happy New Year. I wish you good fortune.”
Ji Xiang looked at Li Qing and patted him with a smile. “Ah Qing, Brother Ji Xiang wishes you a scholarly title as soon as possible.”
“Thank you.” Li Qing walked into the central room and happily bowed to Zhou Jia. “Sir, Ah Qing wishes you good health and success.”
Zhou Jia took a red packet and handed it to Li Qing. He smiled and said, “Sir, I also wish you success in your studies.”
Li Yu set up the table and looked around. She didn’t see Liu Changmin and asked curiously, “Aunt, why isn’t Uncle here yet?”
Before she could finish her sentence, she heard Liu Changmin’s voice. “Xiaoyu, Uncle knew that you were done from afar. Look, I came because of the fragrance.”
Li Qing ran over and pulled Liu Changmin. “Uncle, come and sit down.”
Li Yu called Zhou Jia out and everyone greeted him again. Li Yu smiled at Zhou Jia and Ji Xiang and said, “Mr. Zhou, Ji Xiang, everyone is gathered today for two reasons. Firstly, it’s to celebrate Mr. Zhou’s birthday. Secondly, everyone is here for a lively gathering.”
Zhou Jia turned to Ji Xiang and said, “There’s no need for us to be polite today. Sit down and join in the fun.”
“Yes, Young Master.” Li Qing pulled Ji Xiang along. “Brother Ji Xiang, sit beside me and Brother An.”
After everyone sat down, Li Yu poured the glutinous rice wine and raised her bowl with a smile. “We wish Mr. Zhou a happy life.”
Everyone picked up their bowls and blessed Zhou Jia. Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu with a smile. “Thank you, Xiaoyu. Thank you for celebrating my birthday.”
Laidi looked at the dumplings in the pot. “Let’s not stand on ceremony. Let’s eat something delicious first.”
Li Mei smiled and shook her head. “Look at this girl. When will she grow up?”
Li Yu smiled and picked up a round piece for Laidi with the public chopsticks. “Laidi is right. Let’s start eating! Mr. Zhou, Ji Xiang, don’t stand on ceremony!”
After eating for a while, the younger ones couldn’t sit still anymore. Li Qing and Laidi pulled Xiao An to the barbecue. Seeing that they were in a hurry and had burned the meat, Ji Xiang hurriedly went over and smiled at Li Qing. “Ah Qing, come, Brother Ji Xiang will teach you how to barbecue the meat.”
Li Qing hurriedly handed the meat skewer to Ji Xiang. “Brother Ji Xiang, look, I’ve burned it. Roast it for me and I’ll learn.”
Ji Xiang smiled and took the skewer and placed it on the grill. He nimbly brushed some oil on the skewer and flipped it from time to time to make it heat evenly. The three children studied it seriously for a while before Ji Xiang distributed the roasted skewer to the others. “Try it and see how it tastes.”
After Li Qing and the others took it, they didn’t care that it was hot. They hurriedly bit off a piece and chewed it a few times before swallowing it. Laidi raised her thumb. “It’s delicious. It’s better than cooking.”
After Li Qing learned it, he took the meat skewers he had roasted and handed them to Li Yu. “Sister, try them. How’s my roasting?”
Li Mei and Liu Changmin pretended to be angry and pointed at Li Qing with plaintive expressions. “Ah Qing, you’re really biased. You’re only roasting meat for your sister, not Uncle and Aunt.”
Seeing this, Laidi hurriedly placed the roasted meat skewers in their hands. “Father, Mother, you have me!”
Everyone laughed. The atmosphere was less restrained after a few children chimed in.
Zhou Jia smiled and said to Li Yu, “You made this pot well. You’re such a great cook.”
Li Yu smiled. “That’s why I went to order the pot. Zhou Jia, don’t stand on ceremony and eat.”
When Zhou Jia heard Li Yu call his name, he was so happy that his eyes curved into crescents. He looked at Li Yu’s red face after drinking and for some reason, looked at her cherry-red lips. Zhou Jia secretly pinched himself and thought to himself, Zhou Jia, why are you like a lecher?