I'm back in 1990

Chapter 597: Unable to Insert a Leg

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Qingjiang experienced a moderate snowfall. The rooftops of the Transportation Bureau's residential compound were covered with a layer of crystal-clear white. As soon as it was light, the sound of snow sweeping could be heard in the courtyard.

Zheng Aiying got up early and busied herself in the kitchen, wearing an apron. Back in Qingjiang, without a nanny, she preferred the feeling of doing things herself; she felt more at ease knowing she could provide for herself.

Sisters Yu Xiang and Yu Min were helping their mother in the kitchen. In the living room, Huang Xiaochuan, holding a cup of hot tea, leisurely watched his brother-in-law Yue Zhiyuan and father-in-law Lao Yu battle it out on the Chu River and Han Border. Downstairs, bursts of children's laughter and sporadic firecrackers drifted up; Yu Wei and Tang Yuan were leading a few children in building snowmen and setting off small firecrackers. The crackling sounds reminded everyone that the end of the year was truly approaching.

Ever since the family returned, the Yu family has been in a constant state of commotion. Old neighbors and former colleagues from the residential compound have been coming to visit one after another. With decades of friendship, they know each other intimately, and upon hearing that Huang Xiaochuan, the "legendary figure" they watched grow up in the compound, had returned, they practically wore down the Yu family's doorstep! These past two days, Huang Xiaochuan has almost become a full-time receptionist, busy greeting these enthusiastic and curious uncles and aunts.

That morning, the house was bustling with activity when high-ranking officials, accompanied by a entourage, personally arrived to offer New Year's greetings. This time, the already cramped Yu family home was packed to the brim, with barely any room to move. Seeing this, Huang Xiaochuan understood their purpose and readily agreed to his intention to invest in Qingjiang. The officials, satisfied with their confirmation, specifically instructed the local authorities to strengthen security at the family compound before leaving. This "instruction" proved effective; the number of visitors decreased significantly, and the Yu family could finally focus on preparing for the New Year.

The peace and quiet hadn't lasted long when the knocking on the door started again. Everyone in the house was busy, so Huang Xiaochuan, who was the "most idle," got up to open the door.

"Ah!" The person outside the door exclaimed in surprise when they saw him. It was Li Song and Cao Xiufen, a married couple.

"Uncle! Aunt!" Huang Xiaochuan greeted them with a smile.

Hearing the noise at the door, Zheng Aiying wiped her hands and came out of the kitchen. Seeing that it was her cousin and his wife, she quickly and warmly invited them in, saying, "Come in, come in, it's chilly outside!"

"Sister! Brother-in-law!" Li Song and Cao Xiufen greeted Lao Yu and Zheng Aiying familiarly.

When Lao Yu saw that it was his brother-in-law and his wife, he smiled and got up to greet them.

Huang Xiaochuan wanted to help take the two bulging, heavy snakeskin bags from Li Song's hands.

"Hey, no! No!" Li Song quickly pulled his hand back, and Cao Xiufen hurriedly stopped him as well. "It's too heavy, and the contents inside are greasy. We can't let our nephew-in-law's hands get dirty!"

Huang Xiaochuan could only smile and withdraw his hand.

Zheng Aiying didn't stand on ceremony and asked directly, "What good stuff did you bring all this way?"

Li Song smiled憨厚ly: "Sister, there's nothing precious, just some local produce from home." As he spoke, he picked up the bag and walked familiarly toward the kitchen.

Upon entering the kitchen, he met the Yu sisters, Yu Xiang and Yu Min, and exchanged pleasantries. Li Song then untied the bag and began taking things out one by one: two large, lively grass carp with shimmering silver scales; half a fresh pork rib with thick layers of fat; several strings of homemade, glistening, and fragrant sausages; and a few cleaned and plucked free-range chickens—all genuine New Year's goods from the countryside.

"The ribs were made from a pig that was just slaughtered yesterday afternoon, the fish was caught fresh from the pond before dawn this morning, and the sausages and chicken are all homemade, so you can eat with peace of mind," Li Song explained as he took them out.

The world depicted by Sijiucai (a pseudonym) can be found in "1990 I'm Back".

Zheng Aiying complained, "You guys have everything you need at home, why bother with all this trouble!"

Li Song just smiled and said, "Home is home, and ours is ours. It's just a small token of my appreciation." When he saw Zheng Aiying wearing an apron, he immediately rolled up his sleeves and said, "Sister, I came here today specifically to help out! Leave the kitchen work to me. I'm a professional chef!" Without saying another word, he "snatched" the apron from Zheng Aiying and tied it around his own waist.

Seeing his attitude, Zheng Aiying knew she couldn't stop him, so she was happy to have some peace and quiet: "Alright, alright, you take charge of cooking, and we'll help you out."

Cao Xiufen then shooed Yu Xiang and Yu Min out of the kitchen, saying, "You two go play! Leave this to me!" Yu Xiang and Yu Min glanced at Zheng Aiying, then, without standing on ceremony with Li Song and Cao Xiufen, smiled and thanked them, "Thank you, Uncle and Aunt!"

Seeing the couple bustling about in the kitchen, Huang Xiaochuan took a moment to brew two cups of hot tea and bring in a pack of good cigarettes.

"Uncle, Aunt, take a break, have some tea to warm up, and have a smoke before you get busy."

Huang Xiaochuan personally served tea and cigarettes, which flattered Li Song and Cao Xiufen. They quickly wiped their hands on their aprons and respectfully accepted the gifts.

Huang Xiaochuan struck up a casual conversation with them: "Uncle, are you getting used to working at the restaurant?"

Huang Xiaochuan smiled and nodded upon hearing this: "That's good. Uncle, you already had a good foundation, so you'll naturally learn quickly. Learning more is a good thing; it'll open up more opportunities for you in the future, right? How's Aunt? Are you getting used to her?"

When Cao Xiufen heard her nephew-in-law ask her, she quickly replied, "I'm used to it! I'm used to it! It's a hundred times better than the shabby restaurant we run at home! The wages are paid on time, and the work isn't tiring, it's just..." She suddenly paused, and her voice lowered.

Upon hearing this, Huang Xiaochuan asked with concern, "So what's wrong?" Cao Xiufen looked embarrassed and said, "I just feel bad for my nephew-in-law. He not only arranged such good jobs for my husband and me, but we also get to live in such a nice house for free." In Cao Xiufen's opinion, the two hundred yuan rent was just symbolic. She had already inquired and found that you couldn't rent such a house in that area for less than seven or eight hundred yuan. Besides, her nephew-in-law's house had everything he needed, so how could you rent it for seven or eight hundred yuan?

Upon hearing this, Huang Xiaochuan immediately waved his hand, his tone gentle but firm: "Uncle, Aunt, you're being too formal. We're all family, no need for formalities. Don't bring this up again. Just stay put, focus on your work, that's more important than anything else."

Zheng Aiying, who happened to come in to get something, overheard this and chimed in, "Xiao Chuan is right! Li Song, Xiu Fen, don't overthink it, just be down-to-earth! That's how a family should be!"

With Chef Li Song and Cao Xiufen's capable help, the elaborate New Year's dishes that would normally take a whole day to prepare were all ready in half a day. Golden, glistening fried meatballs, crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside fried lotus root sandwiches, richly flavorful braised pork ribs, fragrant roasted chicken, and savory-sweet smoked fish—a variety of hearty home-style dishes filled the refrigerator to the brim. Even the small north-facing balcony was set up with a table laden with food.

It just snowed, and these past few days have been freezing cold. This balcony has become a natural freezer, saving you time and keeping things fresh.

Your one-stop haven for novel reading.