Chapter 72 A Distant Visitor
At noon, Zuixianju tried out the dish of chopped pepper fish head under the name "Hongyun Dangtou". Everyone was immediately attracted by the name of the dish, and many new and old customers entered the store with curiosity.
Therefore, there were many more guests coming to Zuixianju for lunch today than in previous days.
When everyone saw the dish of chopped pepper fish head, they all suddenly realized that this festive red color must be a symbol of good luck, right?
After listening to the waiter's explanation of this dish, everyone was even more delighted. Everyone hopes that their future life will be more prosperous and full of good luck, especially those wealthy people, who like to hear auspicious words and like these things with auspicious meanings even more.
After tasting the chopped pepper fish head, everyone praised the fish meat for being fresh and tasty, and the way of eating it with noodles dipped in fish soup was also very fresh.
In the evening, there were suddenly more customers coming to Zuixianju for dinner, while there were fewer customers at Jixiang Restaurant.
The owner and the waiter of Jixiang Restaurant became very anxious upon seeing this. You know, their boss Ma was a hot-tempered man. If the restaurant was not run well, they, the servants, would be punished.
The owner of Jixiang Restaurant simply asked his waiters to stand at the door of the restaurant to attract passers-by to come in for dinner. Unfortunately, the effect of this was counterproductive, and those customers were even less willing to come to Jixiang Restaurant for dinner.
Qianhuan was very happy when she saw this. She thought that the owner of this Jixiang Restaurant could actually let his waiter do such a low behavior. It seemed that they were just so-so in terms of restaurant management.
Zuixianju's business has been bad for so long, but it has never done such a low-level thing as luring people into the restaurant to eat. The difference is obvious.
After closing the stall in the evening, Qianhuan and Liu went home in the ox cart as usual.
When they were still a few hundred meters away from home, Qianhuan suddenly saw smoke rising from the kitchen. She quickly called Liu: "Mom, look, why is there smoke rising from the kitchen? Isn't Dad lying in bed? Who is lighting the fire in the kitchen?"
Liu poked her head out and saw smoke rising from the kitchen of her thatched cottage. She was also puzzled, "Mother doesn't know either. Could it be that someone is using our stove to cook?"
When the ox cart arrived at the door of their house, Qianhuan and Liu quickly jumped off the cart and ran into the yard. At this time, the people who were busy in the kitchen heard the noise at the gate and came out.
When Liu saw someone coming out of the kitchen, she immediately ran forward and grasped the person's hands. She said excitedly, "Sister-in-law, am I seeing things? I didn't expect it to be you. I was wondering why there was smoke coming out of our kitchen."
Liu's sister-in-law also took her sister-in-law's hand and said happily, "Third sister, long time no see. You haven't been back to your parents' home for a long time. Dad and mom and we have always been thinking about you. So, Dad and mom specially asked me and your eldest brother to catch an old hen to come and visit you."
"Did your elder brother come with you? Where is he?" Liu turned her head to look inside the room.
"Third sister, I'm here. Are you okay?" Liu's eldest brother Liu Youcai also came out from the kitchen. When he saw his third sister, he was also a little excited.
"Brother, I'm fine. Are my parents, nephews, and nieces all right at home?"
When Liu saw her two relatives from her mother's side, she couldn't help but have tears in her eyes. She raised her hand and wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve.
She hasn't been back to her parents' home for more than a year. Her parents' home is in the next county. It would take two days to walk there, and almost a day to take a ox cart. She rarely has the opportunity to go back to her parents' home.
"They are all fine. Who is the young man behind you? Why is Qianhuan not here?" Liu Youcai looked at the young man behind his third sister and asked curiously.
"Brother, she is Qianhuan. Qianhuan, call your uncle and aunt quickly."
"Uncle, aunt." Qianhuan had already searched for information about Liu's family from the original owner's memory, and she had already recognized the two people in front of her.
Liu Youcai heard the familiar voice and confirmed that the "young man" in front of him was indeed his niece Qianhuan. He immediately responded, "Hey, it's really Qianhuan. You've grown so tall, almost taller than your cousins. You were dressed like a boy, and your uncle didn't recognize you."
As Liu Youcai spoke, he patted his niece on the head, his face full of emotion.
"Yes, Qianhuan's height is almost catching up with those little brats in our family. Your cousin Xiu'er is 15 years old, but she is not as tall as you when you were 13." Liu Youcai's wife also nodded.
"Brother, sister-in-law, our Qianhuan is growing up really fast. I will have to sew new winter clothes for her soon. Her old cotton-padded clothes are basically too short and can no longer be worn. By the way, brother and sister-in-law, what are you two doing in the kitchen?"
"Third sister, your eldest brother and I heard from your brother-in-law that you and Qianhuan are now doing business at a stall in the county town and come home very late every day. Your brother and I have nothing to do so we helped you make dinner first."
"Brother and sister-in-law, you are guests here, so how can I let you cook for yourselves? Leave the rest to me. Just go into the house and take a rest. Qianhuan, go and pour tea for your uncle and aunt." Liu quickly pushed her brother and sister-in-law into the main room to take a rest.
"Third sister, we are all family, there's no need to be polite. There's no need to pour tea. Your elder brother and I don't consider ourselves outsiders. We have already boiled water and poured tea for ourselves. I have already cooked the rice. We will stir-fry one or two dishes and then we can eat. Come on, sister-in-law will go to the kitchen with you to cook." Liu's sister-in-law took her sister-in-law and went to the kitchen.
"Okay, then I won't be so formal with my sister-in-law." Liu happily followed her sister-in-law to the kitchen. Her family was really nice. They even helped cook when they came to visit.
In the evening, the family of three and Liu Youcai and his wife squeezed together at the eight-immortal table in the east wing to eat together.
Liu Youcai said while eating, "Third sister, your husband has told me everything about your family. He broke his leg, and you were separated by the people in the old house. You three must have had a hard time these days. If my parents knew, they would definitely be distressed. With such a big thing happening, why didn't you send someone to tell my eldest brother?"
Liu Youcai looked at his third sister with a distressed look on his face. He was the eldest in the family. His eldest and second sisters were married in the village, close to home, but his third sister was married far away, so they seldom saw each other.
Because his third sister was the youngest daughter in the family, she was the most favored by the family before she got married. After she got married, he, as her brother, saw how much hardship his third sister suffered in her husband's family.
"Brother, I'm not tired. Qianhuan is old enough now and can help me share many things. Now our family of three has severed ties with the old house and we set up a stall in the county to do some small business. Our life is actually better than before."
When Liu Youcai saw his sister saying these words, her tone was very relaxed and she looked very satisfied. He could tell that his sister was not lying this time and she must be really happy now.
"Third sister, Dad and Mom specially asked me and your sister-in-law to come and see you this time. Now that we know that your family of three is living a happy life, my eldest brother can give an explanation to Dad and Mom when he goes back, and they can rest assured."
"Brother, it's all my fault. If my leg hadn't been broken, Chunxiang wouldn't have to suffer so much." Liang Laoer said self-reproachfully.
"Second brother, you don't have to blame yourself. Our whole family has seen how you treated Chunxiang. Just take good care of your leg injury and take good care of my sister and niece. As the eldest brother, I will be grateful."
Liu Youcai knew that his sister had not given birth to a son for the Liang family, and that Old Madam Liang had always wanted to divorce his third sister. It was Old Second Liang who had always protected his sister, otherwise his sister would have been kicked out of the Liang family long ago.
"Yes, big brother, don't worry, I will take good care of Chunxiang and Qianhuan in the future." Liang Laoer said confidently.