As the Night sky of the Spring approaches, the QuZhou village came into life with the noise of farmers going back to their houses and mothers calling their children to comeback to eat.
In the Su house, old lady Su is rolling some noodle made from lard and corseted wheat flour, while Madam Zhao is stirring fish soup in wok. "Xian An increase the fire." She commands at her son and glance at the door of kitchen with helpless smile.
"Ayo, gluttons."
At the entrance of kitchen, 3 years old FeiYan is hugging baby Suyan while both of them looking intently at all the foods in kitchen.
Grandmother Su also glance and smile at her pair of grandchildren who is looking inside the kitchen while drooling. " Fei er!, if someone don't know they will think your mother is starving you in the town."
Fei Yan replied"But mother cooking is horrible"at his grandmother with innocent eye. He didn't realise lady Qin is starring angrily at him with smiling father.
Soon, the announcement of "Ready to eat!!" The whole family members of Su house sit at the dinner table in the main hall. Today Su houses is busy since Su Wei pass the town exam and tracing for preference exam tomorrow.
The fish,Su Xiao and children turn into Sauerkraut fish soup which is filling pickled mustard greens and tofu. Pig belly ChungYi bought from the town is turn into sweet soya pork belly. Accompanied by a few stir fried vegetable from back garden and longevity's noodle soup for Su Wei to have great travel along the way.
However, our toothless SuYan have to eat rice porridge with some gravy from pork belly. She ate while looking at all the delicious food on the table with determination "I would eat you soon!!".
"This girl is also glutton." Grandma Su who is feeding her granddaughter think.
"SO Delicious!!!" Fei Yan keep complimenting his grandma while enjoying food. His mother Lady Qin feel helpless at her son, and turn to her husband and asked softly, "you also think my cooking is bad?"
Su Chung Yi who is eating startle from his wife question, coughed nervously and replied
"I think it good" without betting his eyes. Lady Qin smile happily at her husband replied.
"I think, it also good. I will make more when we go back."
Su Chung Yi looked nervous at his elders son who is also turning pale from his mother words:
"Mother!,you are weak with all the family affairs, you should leave cooking at Aunty Du hand."which is strongly encouraged by Su ChangYi as well:
"Yes, my lady, your hand are so soft, last time you cook you got such big burns and i need your help with accounting. Let leave the cooking to Aunty Du..Sometime ago she come to cry to me, if you cook. She got no job in the household. Just let leave some job to her." With nervous smile at his wife.
"Really?" Lady Qin look at the pair of father and Son with doubts. While the youngest child turn to his aunts and uncles with pleading eyes.
"Yes, sister you should left cooking with another person. I was planning to live at my mother house for a couple of days and planning to come to your house for some embroidery, if you are also cooking, i am embarrassed to annoy you who is busy with housework"Madam Fan who is the wife of Su Wei told Madam Qin with shy smile on her face.
"Ayo, what is there to embarrassed about, come come, i will leave cooking to Aunty Du them." Madam Qin reply with smile while other family members of second Su house finally breathed with relief.
Su Wei who is busy eating his noodles suddenly look at his brother "By the way, eldest brother i heard, some cultivators from central plain is coming to Xinlin town for ten yearly awakening ceremony . Can you bring Xun-er to do testing?
"It already this time around?"old man Su say with nostalgia and look at his few grandchildren and turn to look at SuMan
"When they come you took Xian er to do as well. This is rare chance for children."
"Yes father. Second brother do you want me to bring Yi er as well."
Su MingYe replied nonchalantly while putting some food on his wife plate,
"I am going with you. I will bring a few young children servers from my house as well"
Lady Fan who is eating suddenly look at her second brother in law with surprise, most big family didn't let their servants take the exam. She smile at Su family who is in harmony and glance at her husband
" husband, big brother idea is so good, I should notify my father. I think our old housekeeper grandson is at right age. If he got chosen it would be heaven bless for his family."
Su Wei nodded with his wife idea, "Yes, I think teacher would happily accept."
After dinner, each family returned to their respective room in the house.
While Madam Fan prepares packages to bring for her husband.
Su Wei who is reviewing near window can't help but "Ayo, wife you putting more and more things in the package." smiled at his worried wife.
"You don't know what you might need. I heard a lot of bandits are rumbling in the area you are going. You should took more medicine.took more money as well, last time you lost a lot of weight, it hurt my heart." As she put some medicine in the bag.
Finally Su Wei who can't stand his wife putting more stuffs in his bag pick up his busy wife in his arm and bring her into the bed.
With madam Fan complaining voice " Ayo, I still need to put more money…"
" don't worry, you will not see this husband for while so company me tonight .."
Soon the light of third Su family went off.
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While writing about dinner in this chapter, i really want to have fish soup.