In Qin Tian’s memory, Spring Festival was usually spent with just him and his mother.
If Grandpa Sun and Grandma Liu next door didn’t have their children visiting for the New Year, on New Year's Eve, his mother would ask him to invite the two elders over for a reunion dinner and to watch the Spring Festival Gala.
It wasn’t boisterous, but it was quite warm and happy.
This year, with the addition of Xia Nuannuan and Xia Xue, it would naturally be more lively.
Xia Nuannuan’s family was also preparing a reunion dinner, and Old Master Xia had specifically instructed Qin Tian to come over for it.
Therefore, to avoid a clash of times, Qin Tian and his mother began their preparations after noon.
Before long, Grandma Liu brought over some fish, and Grandpa Sun had already prepared two old hens, helping them with the cooking.
In the early years, both families would make reunion dinners. After Qin Tian invited Grandpa Sun and Grandma Liu over, he and his mother would then go to eat at their place.
Later, after they became more familiar with the elders, Tang Xiuxia proposed that they make the reunion dinner together, which would be more lively and prevent waste.
In the courtyard outside the kitchen, his mother Tang Xiuxia sat with Grandma Liu, preparing ingredients while chatting and laughing.
Qin Tian was busy in the kitchen, chopping an old hen into small pieces with a knife, then stewing it with yam, corn, mushrooms, and other ingredients.
This was a dish that required time, so it had to be started early.
The sound of his phone ringing came from his pocket.
Qin Tian wiped his right hand with a cloth, took out his phone, and answered. He tilted his head, holding the phone between his ear and shoulder.
“Hello?”
“Brother, what are you doing?”
“Preparing for the reunion dinner!”
“So early?”
“Yes, aren’t we going to your place this afternoon? We’re doing it earlier here, should be ready by two o’clock. If you’re free, you can come over directly!”
“Okay, we’re making dumplings with Grandma. Let’s head over now!”
“Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, what dish are you making?”
Xia Xue’s voice chimed in from the other end.
“I’m stewing soup, old hen soup!”
Qin Tian replied with a smile.
“Wow, that’s great, that’s great! I’ve been studying so hard lately, I need some nourishment.”
Xia Xue said cheerfully.
“Nourishment for your head! It’s only been a few days, and you’ve gained almost ten pounds. Still need nourishment?”
“No way, it’s only eight pounds!”
“Is that a big difference? One more meal and it’ll be ten pounds.”
“No way!”
Hearing the bickering between the sisters, a hearty smile appeared on Qin Tian’s face.
“Brother, I won’t talk to you anymore. I’m hanging up now, we’ll be there soon.”
“Okay!”
“Oh, right, do you want me to buy you some drinks or anything?”
“No need, we bought them yesterday.”
“Alright, then I’m hanging up. Bye-bye, see you soon!”
“Mhm, see you soon.”
With that, the call ended.
“Xiao Tian, is that Nuannuan’s call?”
His mother’s voice called from outside.
“Yes, they’ll be here soon.”
Qin Tian replied loudly.
Tang Xiuxia looked at Grandma Liu beside her with smiling eyes and said, “Our New Year will be even more lively this year!”
“That would be wonderful.”
Grandma Liu nodded with a bright smile.
…
…
Around 1 PM, under the busy efforts of Chef Qin, the delicious dishes for the reunion dinner began to come out of the kitchen.
His mother and Grandma Liu helped out, while Xia Nuannuan and Xia Xue were already setting the table, helping to carry the dishes to the dining table in the front room.
When it was almost time to eat, Qin Tian asked Xia Nuannuan to call Grandpa Sun next door.
A moment later, Grandpa Sun walked into the kitchen with his hands behind his back, smiling and offering his praise.
“It smells so good, Xiao Qin. Your cooking is amazing! Looking at those dishes on the table out front, they’re truly magnificent.”
“Grandpa Sun, please go and sit in front. The last two dishes will be ready soon.”
Qin Tian glanced at the old man and said with a smile.
“Alright, thank you for your hard work. We’ll have a few drinks later.”
“No problem!”
“Haha…”
Grandpa Sun chuckled heartily, turned, and went back to the front room.
Soon, all the dishes were on the table, and everyone was seated around it.
Qin Tian first burned incense to pay respects to the ancestors, then went out with a string of firecrackers to light them outside the house.
Amidst the crackling of the firecrackers, Qin Tian ran back into the house with a smile, making a gesture to sit down.
“Xiao Tian, you sit there!”
Tang Xiuxia pointed to the head seat and said loudly.
“What?”
Qin Tian didn’t quite understand.
“You are the pillar of this family now, so you will sit in the head seat from now on!”
Tang Xiuxia explained, raising her voice.
Qin Tian was stunned by her words.
“Xiao Qin, your mother is right. Go and sit there!”
Grandpa Sun echoed with a face full of smiles.
He was an elder, but not part of Qin Tian’s family, and naturally, he couldn’t sit in the head seat today.
“Mom, you sit there, I’m still a child.”
Qin Tian politely declined with a smile.
In previous years, his mother always sat there during the New Year.
“Just go where I tell you to go, what are you hesitating for? Hurry up, you’ll be twenty after the New Year, still a child?”
Tang Xiuxia rolled her eyes in exasperation.
Xia Nuannuan and Xia Xue watched the scene, snickering from the side.
“Alright!”
Qin Tian nodded helplessly, got up, and sat in the head seat.
The drinks were all prepared. Not particularly good, but not bad either. A bottle of baijiu costing over three hundred yuan, the standard for ordinary families during the New Year.
Qin Tian poured a glass of wine for Grandpa Sun and himself. Xia Nuannuan also took a bottle of juice and poured for everyone.
“Xiao Qin, say something!”
Grandpa Sun smiled and said after he sat down.
“Um… I don’t know what to say. I wish everyone a good meal and a good drink. I wish Grandpa Sun and Grandma Liu good health and all the best. I wish Mom gets more beautiful in the new year.”
“Nuannuan… I wish us to be happier and to have each other by our side every year.”
“Well said!”
Grandpa Sun exclaimed happily.
Tang Xiuxia and Grandma Liu were also beaming. Xia Nuannuan’s smile was sweet, and her eyes looking at him were filled with tenderness.
“Alright, that’s all. Cheers!”
Qin Tian deliberately omitted Xia Xue.
“Wait, wait!”
Xia Xue’s expectant smile froze, and she loudly called out to stop them.
Everyone looked at her with smiles.
“Brother-in-law, what about me? I’m such a big person!”
Xia Xue pointed to herself with a wronged expression.
“Oh, oh, you’re still here. Sorry, sorry, I forgot.”
“Brother-in-law…”
“Haha… Just kidding. I wish you success in your studies and that you get into a key high school next year, to really shock your dad.”
Qin Tian said with a smile.
“What’s that? It would be better to wish me to get prettier!”
Xia Xue pouted.
“I wish you get fatter instead.”
Xia Nuannuan interjected with a retort.
“Hahaha…”
Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.