Chapter 98: Mid-autumn Festival
Upon returning home, Su Ning casually arranged the bowls and plates. The plates of fragrant pastries on the table didn’t bring her the slightest bit of sweetness.
The pig trotters soup, drunken duck, and lotus root large bone soup had long been stewed until tender and falling apart. After sprinkling with chopped green onions, she ladled them one after another into large bowls.
The side dishes were all washed, cut, and quickly stir-fried. Soon, chives stir-fried river shrimp, stir-fried baby bok choy, and stir-fried shredded vegetables were all served on the table.
She ladled white rice into a small bowl and placed it in front of the empty seat, then set out chopsticks one by one.
According to their preferences, Su Ning added some dishes to each bowl. Finally, she took out a jar of Nu Er Hong brewed by Mom from her space, uncovered the seal, and poured it into small wine cups one by one.
“Maternal Grandfather, Maternal Grandmother, Mom, come and taste Ning’er’s handiwork quickly. If you like it, remember to tell me in a dream, and I’ll make it for you again.”
She stood quietly in front of her seat, her eyes surging with undercurrents. No one knew what she was thinking as her vision gradually began to blur.
She sniffed, curved the corners of her mouth, and tried hard to raise a brilliant smile, then raised the wine cup in her hand and continued.
“This cup is for Maternal Grandfather and Maternal Grandmother. After nagging for so long, we’re finally reunited again. You two elders have been worried about me, so I must live happily!”
“This cup is for Mom. Your daughter has grown up—have you seen? Everything is fine. I’m just sorry that the two people you loved most can no longer love each other as you wished.”
“The last cup, wishing our family a joyful Mid-Autumn Festival reunion.”
She poured the three consecutive toasts from left to right onto the ground before slowly sitting down.
“Woof woof~”
“I’m fine, Little Round Circle. Wait a bit longer. Once the incense burns out and Maternal Grandfather and the others finish eating, we’ll start our meal.”
“Woof~”
“Good!”
……
Beijing City Qinghe Lane.
Having just finished the recent case at hand, Fu Xingguo, who hadn’t been home for many consecutive days, planned to take advantage of this rare free time to spend the reunion festival properly with his family.
He changed into casual clothes and hurried back from the station, finally making it before lunch.
Just as he was about to enter the door, he heard the crisp tinkling of a bell behind him, followed by a familiar call.
“Captain Fu, wait!”
“Oh, it’s you, Xiao Tian!”
“Hee hee hee, I happened to have a package for Captain Fu’s family. On my way home for the festival, I brought it over for Hu Yi!”
With the post office’s army green bag slung over his shoulder, Xiao Tian got off his bicycle, smiling as he explained. He deftly untied the package from the back seat and handed it to him along with the registered mail slip from the bag.
After thanking him and signing, Fu Xingguo hugged the package, pushed open the gate, and walked into the yard. “Dad, Daughter-in-law, I’m back!”
“…”
What responded was the joyful laughter inside the house instantly turning into silence.
Taking a deep breath, Fu Xingguo, already accustomed to the cold reception, didn’t rush inside to explain as he usually would. Instead, he stood in place, cleared his throat, and continued shouting.
“Yo, a package from Xiangnan Gu City. Ning Ning she…”
“Bang!”
“Is it something Sister Ning Ning sent?!”
“Ah, Sister Ning Ning finally replied to my letter?”
The house immediately became noisy as Fu Ying and her brother rushed out with faces full of joy.
Li Hehua happily set down her chopsticks and was about to follow the children out to see when she saw her father-in-law slam down his chopsticks, his face red as he roared, “You big brat, why aren’t you rolling in here yet!”
“Yes yes, Dad, I’m coming right now!”
It had been many days without getting scolded by the old man, and he strangely missed it.
No longer the stern and unsmiling demeanor he had at the station, Fu Xingguo grinned, nimbly dodged the paws of the two little ones, and trotted into the house.
“Dad…”
“Get aside! Looking at your face makes me feel like I’ve let down your late mother!”
What? What did that mean?
Fu Xingguo looked at his old father in shock: As the saying goes, a son resembles his mother, but growing more and more like you—how can you blame me for that?
A son doesn’t despise his father’s ugliness, but he was turning around to despise his own son?
“Put the stuff down and get out of here quick.”
“Okay, okay, okay.”
It was just acting like a grandson—whatever made the old man happy, even calling him Grandpa would do!
At worst, let Ying Ying, Tingzi, and the siblings change how they addressed him too!
Fu Xingguo muttered to himself a couple of lines and gently placed the package in the empty spot his father had cleared in front of him.
No time to discipline this great filial son, Old Master Fu pursed his lips but couldn’t hide the joy in his eyes. He deftly opened the hemp sack of the package.
Inside were four or five identical small wooden boxes stacked neatly, two glass bottles of canned food, and two letters.
He handed the envelope addressed to Ying Ying to his granddaughter who was staring eagerly at him, then opened the one addressed to himself.
As he read, he couldn’t help revealing a loving smile. Even after finishing the two pages, he was reluctant to put it down.
“Dad, what did Ning Ning say? Is she doing well there? Did she receive the things we sent last time?”
Facing his daughter-in-law’s questions, Fu Chenggong answered without reservation, “That Yatou said she’s doing very well there. She’s completed several tasks and was awarded advanced. She said she really likes the spicy sauce you sent last time.”
“That’s good, that’s good.”
“Our Ning Ning is excellent wherever she goes. She’s only been working at the factory for a short time and already got selected as advanced!”
Li Hehua set aside her worries and showed genuine joy. “If she likes it, we still have a few bottles at home. Tomorrow I’ll mail them all to her.”
“Hahaha, of course! Don’t you see whose family… Bah, that Su old geezer just picks up bargains!”
Humph, even if she was Su Ting’s from the Su Family, she was half Fu Family too!
Thinking this way instantly comforted himself, and the old master proudly raised his head, vaguely pointing at the remaining items in the package.
“The wooden boxes contain Mid-Autumn Festival gifts from Ning Yatou. The fruit canned food has Ying Ying’s…”
“I know, I saw what Sister Ning Ning wrote in the letter. It’s the spicy shredded pork and mushroom chicken sauce I said I wanted last time!”
Having read the letter, Fu Ying chuckled happily, carefully refolded the letter paper, and glanced at the two full bottles of food in the package. Her eyes grew a bit moist.
She had only mentioned it casually in the letter, but Sister Ning Ning remembered it, made it for her, and even mailed it over.
“You Yatou, how can you be so thoughtless? Ning Ning is out there alone, her salary is only twenty-eight yuan a month, and she needs money for everything. How could you be greedy for food and ask for it?”
“I… I just saw that Sister Ning Ning said last time she’d learned many dishes, and a little one named Xiao Qiu really liked the sauce she made, so I casually said…”
As she spoke, Fu Ying lowered her head, and her already reddened eyes dropped two large teardrops.
It wasn’t grievance from being scolded by Mom, but from missing her.
Having grown up following behind Sister Ning Ning since childhood, this was the first time they’d been apart for so long—almost a month and a half, nearly two months without seeing each other!
“Alright alright, it’s the festival—no talking about the child like that. He Hua, take a look; this box has a gift Ning Ning made for you herself.”
He doted on Ning Ning, but he also doted on his own granddaughter.
Fu Chenggong interrupted his daughter-in-law and turned the topic back to the package. “Ning Yatou said it’s a craft she just learned and specially went to the most famous temple there to have a master bless it.”
Whether it looked good or not aside, just this thoughtfulness was heartwarming.
“I have one too?”
“Heh, if you don’t want it, you can give it to me.”
“Who said I don’t want it!”
Habitually spitting at her son, Fu Chenggong distributed the boxes to everyone according to what the letter said.
She held her ink jade pendant and played with it gently in her hand for a long time before putting it around her neck especially preciously.
“Why are Grandpa’s and ours ink black, but Mom and Dad’s are green?”
“Your Sister Ning Ning said the ink jade for us old and young is for safety. As for the green jade…”
Smiling and shaking his head, Fu Chenggong didn’t continue.
It would just be nice if it could really bring another baby to the Fu Family. If not, having these two siblings was enough.
But the matter of children had always been a thorn in He Hua’s heart. To avoid disappointing her, he wouldn’t mention it for now.
“Alright, no more questions. Wear the items close to your body and don’t disappoint Ning Yatou’s kindness. Today is Mid-Autumn; it’s time for us to eat!”
“Oh, got it, Grandpa.”
“Okay, Dad.”
……
The story branches in two directions, each told separately.
Gu City South Gate First Street.
She naturally had no idea about the reactions of the various families who received the Mid-Autumn Festival gifts Su Ning prepared, whether early or late.
At this moment, waiting for the incense to burn out and preparing to eat with Little Round Circle, there came a forceful knocking at the door: knock knock knock.
Without hesitation, she set down her chopsticks, got up, and trotted to open the door.
When the two uninvited guests were indeed at the door, she let out a heavy sigh of relief, unsure whether to feel fortunate or to curse them out loud.
Not wanting their back-and-forth words to leave her speechless, she could only give up helplessly.
“Su Ning, as long as you’re okay, you scared us to death! You don’t know, hearing the news that Gaoyun Bridge here collapsed nearly scared our souls out of us!”
