Rebirth to Save Myself

Chapter 113 Celebrating the New Year together

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. At this special time, the entire country is immersed in a festive atmosphere.

Red is the primary color for Chinese New Year, representing good fortune and prosperity. People hang red lanterns, paste red couplets and the character "福" (fortune), wear red clothes, and give red envelopes, among other things. These red elements add a rich festive atmosphere to the New Year.

During the New Year, people gather together to celebrate the festival. Family meals are an important part of the New Year celebrations; families prepare a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner together, enjoy the food, and share stories and laughter. Children receive red envelopes containing blessings and love from their elders.

The New Year celebrations are rich and varied, including dragon and lion dances, fireworks, and lantern displays. People take to the streets to watch exciting performances and experience the festive atmosphere. The moment fireworks burst into bloom, their dazzling lights illuminate the night sky, bringing joy to everyone.

In addition, the New Year is also a time to express gratitude and blessings. People visit relatives and friends, offering New Year's greetings and gifts. On this special day, people cherish family and friendship even more, showing care and support for one another.

Chinese New Year is a joyous and festive holiday, celebrated in various ways. Red decorations, family reunions, abundant activities, and an atmosphere of gratitude and blessings create the celebratory scene of Chinese New Year. This festival not only allows people to experience rich traditional culture but also brings hope and happiness.

Chen Jianguo also finished his year's work on the 29th of the lunar calendar and went home to spend the New Year with his family. He had originally planned to go to Sanya again, since he had a villa there and Chen Chunqi was afraid of the cold, so it would be suitable for celebrating the New Year there. However, Su Xia brought Lu Lu back with her, so going to Sanya was not a good idea. First, he could afford to cover the round-trip airfare, but he didn't want to make the young lady feel too bad; second, Chen Chunqi's parents were coming to visit her after the New Year, and she hadn't seen them for a long time, so she naturally wanted to stay home and wait for their arrival; third, he had been too busy this year, only finishing his work before New Year's Eve, and he would probably have to start working again on the fifth day of the New Year, so Chen Chunqi wouldn't want to go through the hassle of traveling back and forth.

Early in the morning, the group was enveloped by the aroma of the broth that Su Xia had been simmering for two days, now reduced to its essence. The housekeeper had finished work the night before, and Chen Chunqi gave her a large red envelope before letting her go home for the New Year holiday; they would take care of their own cleaning and meals for the next few days.

"Wow, it smells so good!" Chen Yuan sniffed and ran to the kitchen to look at the pot of soup.

After two days of simmering, and with Su Xia filtering out impurities from time to time, the broth had become crystal clear. During the slow simmering process, the collagen and fat from the chicken, duck, pork bones, and beef bones gradually dissolved into the broth, making it rich and nutritious.

Upon opening the pot lid, a rich aroma of meat wafts out. The essence of various meats in the broth has blended perfectly, creating a unique fragrance. Gently stirring with a spoon, a layer of fine oil rises to the surface of the broth, shimmering with an enticing sheen.

"All done. I just need to blanch the cabbage. The beef shank in the fridge is also ready. I'll take it out, chop it up, make a little sauce, and my dish will be done." Su Xia clapped her hands and cheered. Her dish was done.

"Then I need to hurry up and stew my pig's feet in the broth, otherwise they won't taste good if they're not chewy and springy." Chen Yuan rolled up her sleeves and got ready to get to work.

"Kids, don't rush, go to the restaurant and have breakfast first. Your dads got up early to cook you a pot of seafood porridge." Chen Chunqi clapped his hands and called his three friends to go out together.

A steaming bowl of seafood congee sits on the table, its enticing aroma filling the air. The congee is made with delicious ingredients such as shrimp, abalone, and crab, making it incredibly tempting. The tenderness of the shrimp, the richness of the abalone, and the savory flavor of the crab blend perfectly in this congee, complementing each other to create a unique seafood taste. A gentle stir reveals the interplay of the seafood's freshness and the soft, chewy rice, resulting in a rich and delicate texture. Every bite is filled with the taste of the sea, as if one can feel the refreshing sea breeze and hear the waves crashing on the shore.

"It's been so long since I've had my dad's cooking, I'll eat first as a sign of respect." Chen Yuan picked up the bowl next to her and ladled some for herself.

"It's not too late to deal with the ingredients after we finish eating." Su Xia scooped a bowl for Lu Lu and a bowl for herself, and the three of them sat at the table and leisurely enjoyed their breakfast.

"I'll prepare the bamboo shoots and taro first, and then I'll just stir-fry them before dinner." Chen Jianguo took charge of the dishes: stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork belly and candied taro.

Because seafood tastes best when eaten alive, Chen Jianguo arranged with the vendor to have fresh ingredients delivered in the afternoon. He also bought a bunch of sparklers, fireworks, and firecrackers to keep his three children from getting bored at home.

After breakfast, the three children were sent to put up Spring Festival couplets. Su Xia and Chen Yuan each put up one, while Lu Lu watched from below to make sure they were aligned.

"No, no, Xiaxia, raise that side a little higher."

"Is it like this?"

"Yes, that's right. I'm talking about Xiaxia. Chen Yuan, don't move, just lower yourself a little bit."

"How much is 'a tiny bit'?"

"You keep moving, I'll stop when I say stop."

"Ok."

"Next, next, next, good, perfect."

"Phew, Old Chen is really something. These past few years, he's been taking advantage of his age to dump all this work on us." Chen Yuan said, rubbing her back, looking like she'd done a lot of work.

"You're really good at talking badly about people behind their backs!" Chen Jianguo said, looking at Chen Yuan with his phone in hand.

"Old Chen, why are you out here?" Chen Yuan was so frightened that she hid behind Su Xia.

"I saw you've been working hard for days, so I asked if you wanted some milk tea. But as soon as I came out, I heard my daughter making fun of me. It really hurts." Chen Jianguo said, clutching his chest with a pained expression on his face.

"I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong!" Upon hearing about milk tea, Chen Yuan immediately ran out from behind Su Xia, put her hands together, and spoke to Chen Jianguo.

"Order one for your mom too."

"Okay, boss." Chen Yuan saluted, and after seeing Chen Jianguo off, she asked Su Xia and Lu Lu, "Which restaurant would you like to drink from?"

"You can choose, I'll just have bubble tea with pudding." Su Xia waved her hand, preparing to clean up the mess from putting up the Spring Festival couplets.

"I'm not picky. You can choose a shop and I'll see what you want to drink." Lu Lu shook her head. She hadn't paid much attention to milk tea; she just thought it was sweet.

"Then I'll pick one that I think is pretty good. I'll get Mom a warm cup. Xiaxia, what temperature do you want?"

"Remove the ice."

"Okay, where's Lulu?"

"Room temperature is fine."

"Okay, Lao Chen, we've finished ordering, time to pay."

"bring here."

"no problem."

Everyone prepared the ingredients for their respective dishes, and the seafood was delivered shortly after lunch. Since it was Lunar New Year's Eve, the family wanted to finish delivering and go home as soon as possible. Chen Jianguo swiftly dissected the blackfish and instructed the children, "Go and clean the abalone, lobster, and other seafood."

"it is good."

"And what about me?" Chen Chunqi pointed to himself.

"You can just sit in the living room, eat fruit, and watch TV. You don't need to do any chores," Chen Jianguo said gently to her.

"Ugh~" Chen Yuan looked at the couple with a disgusted expression.

"Eh~" Su Xia then followed suit.

"Huh?" Lu Lu hesitated before echoing.

"Hurry up and process the seafood. What's with the 'huh'? It's my wife, I'll pamper her myself, what's the problem?" Chen Jianguo waved his hand, and fish scales flew up from his hand.

"Oh dear, I just washed my hair yesterday!" Chen Yuan pulled the two of them away quickly.

"I'll stay and lend you a hand," Chen Chunqi said, putting on an apron but refusing to leave.

Chen Jianguo had no choice but to let her watch from the side, occasionally picking up bowls or meat, trying to keep her from touching heavy objects.

"Look at this, it's so disgusting. You guys have no idea how I spent the last six months of my internship. If I couldn't stand it and said a few words, my mom would say, 'You're jealous, go find Chen Wenwei if you dare!'" Chen Yuan said, imitating Chen Chunqi's tone, and then added, "My dad's face changed as soon as he heard Chen Wenwei's name, and he asked me sarcastically why I hadn't broken up with him yet."

"Hahaha, Uncle and Auntie are so funny!" Lu Lu could almost picture the scene just from Chen Yuan's description.

“You’ll get used to it. You don’t know how angry Dad was when he first found out she was dating Chen Wenwei. He wanted to buy a plane and fly back to beat him up.” Su Xia nodded. During that time, even Chen Chunqi had to coax Chen Jianguo.

"Hmph, when Lu Jingnian comes back, you'll be the one who's in trouble." Chen Yuan said dismissively. Ever since she learned that Su Xia was going abroad to find Lu Jingnian, she had been looking forward to seeing how Chen Jianguo would react when he found out that Su Xia was in a relationship, and whether he would react even more intensely than she had.

"I'm not in a relationship, so don't be so gloating." Su Xia rolled her eyes at Chen Yuan; her little thoughts were too easy to guess.

"What's going on between Xiaxia and Lu Jingnian? They've been chatting and video chatting since the beginning of university, but when I asked her if he was her boyfriend, she said no." Lu Lu couldn't contain her gossip after finding someone who knew the inside story!

"She's just being pretentious! Lu Jingnian likes her, so she takes advantage of that and says she hasn't decided whether she wants to date yet. As a result, Lu Jingnian indulges her, saying that if she doesn't have a boyfriend when he comes back from abroad, she can be Lu Jingnian's girlfriend." Chen Yuan blurted it all out, not giving Su Xia any face at all.

"Haha, Xiaxia, I didn't expect you to have this side to you!" Lu Lu glanced at Su Xia and then said, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

"Everyone has a youthful and impetuous phase!" Su Xia tossed her short hair, then walked away, feigning composure.

“She’s definitely ashamed!” Chen Yuan whispered in Lu Lu’s ear.

“I think so too,” Lulu said with a sly smile.

"Hey, you guys, what are you dawdling about outside for?" Su Xia went back to the door and glanced at them again.

"Coming right away." Chen Yuan smiled at Lu Lu and then went inside.

Since everyone was looking forward to the New Year's Eve dinner, Chen Jianguo simply made fried rice with fish ball soup for lunch.

A delicious bowl of fried rice not only satisfies the taste buds but also brings a unique sense of satisfaction. Stir-frying diced carrots, peas, corn kernels, and diced ham with leftover rice not only enriches the texture and flavor of the fried rice but also increases its nutritional value.

The addition of diced carrots gives the fried rice a refreshing taste and rich vitamins. The addition of peas and corn kernels not only enhances the texture of the fried rice but also adds a touch of sweetness. And the addition of diced ham gives the fried rice a rich, meaty aroma, making it unforgettable.

When you take a bite of this egg fried rice, you'll experience the softness of the rice and the savory flavors of the various ingredients blending together perfectly, giving your taste buds an ultimate experience. Every bite is filled with rich aroma and a complex texture, making it irresistible.

A steaming bowl of fish ball soup is served. You can see several plump, round fish balls floating in the milky white broth, glistening like pearls. A closer sniff reveals the savory aroma of fish balls mingled with the fresh scent of cilantro, making your mouth water. A gentle spoonful reveals the bouncy, smooth fish balls with a slightly chewy texture. A sip of the rich, flavorful broth leaves you wanting more. Fish ball soup is not only delicious but also nutritious, making it a dish suitable for all ages.

A bowl of fried rice with egg paired with a bowl of steaming fish ball soup is truly mouthwatering. The golden fried rice and the delicious fish ball soup are so fragrant, it's as if they're telling everyone that this is a delicious and appetizing dish.

After lunch, Chen Yuan stewed the soybeans and pig's feet in a pot. Then everyone prepared the ingredients, chopped all the vegetables, and arranged them on plates for easy access while cooking. Green bell peppers and red carrot slices were served, along with scallions, garlic, and celery. The winter bamboo shoots were blanched to remove their bitterness, and the ribs were blanched until they were half-cooked and had their blood removed.

Doing these things alone can feel tedious, boring, and even resentful, but when a group of people do them together, it becomes incredibly heartwarming. You peel garlic for me, I chop ginger for you, he hands her a plate—the noisy kitchen at that moment becomes something to be envied. Su Xia pressed the shutter, capturing this instant. Years later, flipping through her photo album, she could still recall the feeling of that moment.

"Xiaxia, what are you filming again? Come over and let's cook shrimp together." Chen Yuan waved her gloved hand.

“You’re just like a good wife at home right now, hahaha!” Su Xia couldn’t help but take a picture of Chen Yuan as well.

"Then I'm the prettiest daughter-in-law in the house too. Oh dear, you've confused me. Shouldn't I be the prettiest and most filial daughter?" Chen Yuan said, about to leave the kitchen to hit Su Xia.

"Stop messing around! You've spilled water everywhere!" Chen Chunqi's shout immediately shut Chen Yuan down.