The Northern Stories of Chef Lao Tan

Chapter 465
The Spring Festival of [-] is coming as scheduled.

On this day, thousands of families are reunited, and the whole family is happy on this day.

On this day, spring will return to the earth and the land will be full of blessings, and this day will say goodbye to the old and welcome the new and renew everything.

It's a busy and homesick day for caterers.

On this day in all major cities across the country, as long as the restaurants that are open are full, the meal time starts at [-]:[-] noon and lasts until [-]:[-] pm.

Chefs in various restaurants are sweating profusely on the stove, presenting plates of exquisite dishes to the guests having the New Year’s Eve dinner.Seeing the whole family sitting together and eating and drinking beautifully, I can only take out my mobile phone to make a phone call to my parents, relatives, wife, and children far away in my hometown, to say I am safe and happy Chinese New Year, and then recite Turning around and wiping the tears from his eyes, he picked up the frying spoon and continued to operate.

Diners are suffering.

Han, the beauty in the front hall, works hard during the holidays.The meal had to be eaten standing up, sweating profusely.

My parents in my hometown miss my wife, so I dare not mention her when I pick up the phone.Before he could speak, his eyes were already wet with tears.

Every Spring Festival is worrying for the front-line catering workers, especially when they start to eat their New Year's Eve dinner after busy work, most of them swallow with tears in their eyes.

If you can't get drunk, you miss your family, and you miss your family.

Words can't carry the wanderer's heart, a few wisps of nostalgia.

At noon, Xiaoyingzi came to ask Lao Tan and Wang Shulan to go to her house for a New Year's dinner, which was arranged by Yingzi's mother in the first two days.Yingzi's mother said that the New Year's Eve was over, so instead of asking Lao Tan and Wang Shulan to eat the New Year's dinner at home alone, they went to her house, and the two families had a lively meal together.I won't stay until the New Year's Eve dinner at night, and each eats his own.

Lao Tan and Wang Shulan followed Xiaoyingzi to her house, and before they reached the village entrance, they heard the sound of firecrackers. Xiaoyingzi said that this must be someone who had dinner, and set off firecrackers to attract the ancestors.

Wang Shulan asked what is recruiting ancestors?Xiaoyingzi couldn't explain it for a while, but Lao Tan said that this is a custom in the northeastern countryside. People who are alive on the thirty day celebrate the new year, and the dead also celebrate the new year.So before eating the New Year's Eve dinner, firecrackers are fired twice, and the ancestors who have come back are called to eat together.

"What about setting off firecrackers at night?" Wang Shulan asked curiously.

"That's called 'distributing paper'." Lao Tan said: "Nian is a calamity to the common people. In ancient times, the year was a robbery beast, and it came out to eat people every thirty nights. The gods in the sky knew it and told the common people that the year was afraid of firecrackers. Setting off firecrackers at midnight can scare them away and avoid robbery.

These are all legends.On the [-]th night, hundreds of gods go down to the world to watch the fireworks in the world, and the common people set off firecrackers to make it auspicious, festive and lively. "

Yingzi's mother cooked a table full of dishes.There are braised carp, buckle elbows, pig's trotters, stewed small stupid chicken, stewed big bone vermicelli with sauerkraut, stewed pig's head, fried nail mushrooms, scrambled eggs with garlic sprouts, fried meat with celery, and dipped pickles.

Yingzi's father had already warmed up the wine, and the couple welcomed Lao Tan and Wang Shulan into the house. Yingzi's father went out and set off a whip, and then the feast began.

Yingzi's mother drank drinks with Xiaoyingzi, Wang Shulan drank soju with Yingzi's father, and Lao Tan brought Ganoderma lucidum and ginseng wine with him.

The first glass, whether it was a drink or a wine, was dry.

After putting down the cup, Yingzi's mother said: "There is nothing delicious, and I don't know how to do anything. You two don't see each other, just treat it as your own home, eh."

"It's not delicious, it's all my favorite food, it's so rich." Wang Shulan said.

"I have a heavy mouth, try to taste the vegetables salty? I still add up when I cook, don't make it salty." Yingzi's mother said.

Wang Shulan put a piece of chicken into her mouth, and said after eating, "It's not salty, not salty at all, it's just right for me." Then she said: "The chicken we raise at home must be delicious, it is fragrant."

Yingzi's father is not good at talking, and drinks with Lao Tan.

After a while, Xiaoyingzi filled Wang Shulan's and Lao Tan's cups with wine, filled his own cup, and said solemnly, "Aunt Wang and Uncle Tan, I toast you both.

First of all, I would like to thank Aunt Wang for supporting me and allowing me to go to school with Shunian. I will always remember this kindness, and I will definitely repay it in the future.

At the same time, I wish Uncle Tan a speedy recovery, good health, and a lot of laughter.

I wish my kind aunt Wang happy, healthy, beautiful and young in the new year! "

Wang Shulan and Lao Tan were very happy and drank the wine.After finishing the work, the two of them took out the prepared red envelope at the same time, Xiaoyingzi waved her hand not to, and her parents didn't ask to give it back, blockers.

Lao Tan said that this is the New Year's money for the children, you as adults don't care about it, and then said to Xiaoyingzi: "Take the child, this is a little wish from you and me, Aunt Wang, study hard, try to get into college, and study well. Professional, take care of your parents when you earn money."

Wang Shulan said: "You Uncle Tan is right. It is best to study management. After graduation, you can help your aunt manage the restaurant."

Xiaoyingzi agreed and said thank you repeatedly, so he had to collect the New Year's money.

Yingzi's mother said: "You are too polite, you don't know what to say."

Yingzi's father said: "Good man, we have met a good man."

After eating the New Year's dinner, Lao Tan and Wang Shulan came out from Xiaoyingzi's house and walked back.

The sporadic sound of firecrackers mixed with the laughter of children wearing new clothes running wildly outside, making the village full of the atmosphere of the New Year, peaceful and warm.

The barking of dogs from time to time must have been startled by naughty children with firecrackers, and it sounded full of displeasure and panic.Still leisurely, the big goose walking in a figure-of-sight gait seemed not to be afraid of the sudden explosion of firecrackers, and walked home calmly, as if there was no one else around.

The women who went out to hold firewood greeted each other across the road, and they did not forget to scold their men a few times during the Chinese New Year, "I drank too much, and I fell asleep on the kang, and I don't know how to hold firewood."

Then there was a string of happy laughter.

Lao Tan and Wang Shulan walked out of the village and walked to the gate of the primary school. Wang Shulan stopped and looked inside.

The original school building is gone, replaced by a two-story teaching building. In front of the teaching building is a flat playground. In front of the playground stands a flagpole with a five-star red flag flying on it.

"There is also the teacher's dormitory behind the teaching building." Wang Shulan said.

"Really." Old Tan said.

"Well, Wanjun is very good. He has been the first secretary here for three years. He not only developed the beautiful valley and found a way for the common people to get rich. He also rebuilt the primary school so that the children don't have to travel more than ten miles to other places. It is a merit for my son to study."

"What is he doing now?"

"I've been promoted, director of the Municipal Poverty Alleviation Office."

Old Tan said with emotion: "A good official."

The two continued to walk forward.

After arriving home, Lao Tan added coal to the heating stove, and Wang Shulan burned the kang, and the two cooperated tacitly.

"Hey, I can't control my mouth, I ate too much, let's eat the New Year's Eve dinner later." Wang Shulan said after finishing the fire.

"Okay." Old Tan nodded.

"It's all easy. I'll finish the cooking, cooking, and stewing in the morning, and I'll just heat it up at that time. I'll knead the noodles in a while, and the dumpling stuffing is ready."

"Well, let's eat at ten o'clock, and I'll go out to distribute papers at half past eleven, and you cook dumplings, and eat dumplings on time at twelve o'clock."

"It's just four o'clock, you go to bed and sleep."

"Take a break too."

Old Tan was a little tired, so he took off his shoes and got on the kang, took a pillow and lay down.Wang Shulan put the fruits, candies, and melon seeds on plates and placed them on the coffee table, and boiled a pot of water to heat up Lao Tan's decoction, and asked Lao Tan to drink it.

After Lao Tan finished drinking the medicine, she asked Wang Shulan to go to the kang to rest for a while, so Wang Shulan got on the kang and half leaned on the top of the kang next to Lao Tan.

Lao Tan hugged Wang Shulan into his arms and said emotionally, "Thank you—"

Wang Shulan said: "You're welcome, I'll enjoy it too with your help. It's great to celebrate the New Year in the countryside."

"I feel sorry for you——"

"Why is this grievance? You love me, there is no grievance, as long as you are happy and I am happy."

(End of this chapter)