Chapter 82 - 82

Chapter 82 Warm FamilyAfter having breakfast, Yun Ting packed some dried hazel mushrooms and hazelnuts and went out to visit her good friend Li Wanting.When we arrived at their doorstep, we encountered Li Wanting, who looked like he was about to go out." Wanting, where are you going?"" Ting Ting, I was just about to come find you!" Li Wanting happily stepped forward and took her arm."Well, since I'm already here, don't bother looking for me, haha...""Why did you bring things with you?" Li Wanting asked when he saw her carrying things.Yun Ting glanced at the fruit she was also carrying and couldn't help but laugh, "Big brother, don't talk about second brother.""Haha... Come on, let's go inside and talk, it's awfully cold outside."Li Wanting's mother was puzzled when she heard her daughter's voice. Then she realized that she had brought someone back."Oh my, Xiaoyun, what a rare guest! It's been so long since I've seen you come to visit.""Auntie, I'm sorry to bother you as soon as I got back. I just hope you don't find me annoying.""You silly girl, do you think your aunt is that kind of person? You have to stay for dinner today.""No, Auntie, as soon as I got back, the restaurant reservations for me were already overflowing, haha...""Oh dear, you're such a busy person. I have to make reservations before I can treat you to a meal. Alright, I know you're being polite. I have other things to do, so I won't disturb you girls' chat."She really had something to do; the Lunar New Year was just around the corner, and there were quite a few trivial matters to attend to at home.The two girls started chatting, mostly Li Wanting asking questions and Yun Tinganswering. This girl, like her little brother, was very curious about her life in the countryside. These are people who haven't been through the harsh realities of life yet… sigh…After chatting for a while, it was almost lunchtime, so she decided to go back." Wanting, actually there's something else I need your dad's help with today.""What's up? Do you need some meat? How much?""Not much, just about ten catties will do. Thank you, Uncle."She couldn't very well mention dozens of kilograms right off the bat. With the year-end approaching, her family would definitely need to help a lot of relatives, so she shouldn't say too much to avoid causing trouble for them."Is ten pounds enough? There are so many people in your family.""That's enough, that's enough. Do you think meat is the only food you can eat? We don't have that kind of means.""You think you can eat your fill of meat?" Li Wanting said with a laugh.What she didn't know was that such a day would actually come."Okay, I'll talk to my dad later and make sure I come to see you.""Okay, then I'll be going now.""You really aren't staying for dinner?""No, maybe next time!"When Yun Ting returned, Mother Yun had already almost finished making lunch, and even made egg pancakes, which was quite rare."Mom, this egg pancake smells so good, my mouth is watering."Stop joking and go wash your hands.Mother Yun brought a bowl of steamed eggs to her eldest daughter-in-law. This was somethingYun Ting had specifically mentioned after returning home. An egg a day is good for supplementing protein, which is beneficial for both the fetus and the pregnant woman.The family gathered around to eat lunch. It wasn't anything too complicated. They cooked sweet potato porridge, made corn pancakes, and only one egg pancake per person. There were no more. Then they had a dish of pickled vegetables, and that was it.In this era of scarcity, this is actually quite good.Some families drink corn porridge."How's the meat situation?""I told my classmate, and she said she would tell her dad when he got back, and then she would come and let me know when to pick up the meat."" Wanting, her dad hasn't even said anything yet! And she's already made up her mind?""Her dad dotes on his daughter, so he'll definitely agree. Even if Wanting wanted the moon, her dad would probably try to get it for her."Yun's father glanced at Yun Ting several times before slowly saying, "Daughter, Dad can too..."Yun Ting didn't react for a moment, but Mother Yun laughed first, "Then go pick one and let me see..."Father Yun: "You're not my daughter. If I'm going to pick them, it'll be for my daughter.""Wow... Yun Wenming, you've really made something of yourself!"The younger children looked at each other, trying not to laugh, watching their parents' verbal sparring. In the end, Mother Yun, of course, won.Father Yun said that this is how his life will be, he will never get ahead, and he will always be suppressed by his wife.However, he didn't think there was anything wrong with it; he was simply happy to give in to his wife."I wonder how my second son is doing now. It's been so long since he wrote, and he hasn't come home even once in all this time. He's really grown up and flown away." Mother Yunmuttered to herself, looking out the window, her heart filled with worry for her son.Yun Huai, who had been being nagged by his family, had just returned from a mission with injuries to his arm and abdomen. Fortunately, neither injury was life-threatening and he would recover with rest. He had made a great contribution this time, so he took advantage of his leave to board the train back to his hometown. His superior specially arranged for a soft sleeper berth to be bought for him and even sent a soldier who was not going home to accompany him. His treatment was no different from that of a leader traveling.He only saw the letters from his family and sister over the past few months after returning to his unit. In the last letter, he learned that his sister had gone home for the Chinese New Year, and he had to go back too! Anyway, he was still injured and had plenty of vacation time.Therefore, none of the Yun family members knew that their second child was on his way back." Li Feng, you don't have any leave this year?"Yun Huai was bored, so he started chatting with his comrades who were escorting him."Yes, but I'm giving the opportunity to someone who needs it." His voice was tinged with disappointment.Yun Huai noticed this, paused, and then asked, "Where are your family members?""My mother is gone, and with a stepmother comes a stepfather. Nobody cares about me, so I have no home. There's nothing to go back to.""It's alright, the army is like home. Besides, this time you're coming back with me, you can stay at my house for the New Year. I promise you'll have a happy New Year. My house has a great atmosphere, and there are lots of people..."When Yun Huai talks about her family, she can talk endlessly.Li Feng was astonished. What kind of family was that?Once Li Wanting received her father's confirmation, she ran over to inform Yun Ting.I'll get the meat from the back gate of the slaughterhouse at 6 a.m. tomorrow.The next morning, at just past five o'clock,Mother Yun woke up Yun Xu and asked him to go with her to get the meat."Mom, it's not even dawn yet! It's so cold!" Yun Xu was still sleepy and didn't want to get up at all."You rascal, you're tough as nails, wear more clothes and you won't get cold. Are you really willing to let your second sister go?"Upon hearing this, Yun Xu finally managed to stand up; he did care about his sister, after all!Yun Ting, who had planned to get up to get the meat, was fast asleep in her warm bed! Without an alarm clock, she couldn't get up at all! By the time she woke up, her mother and younger brother had already brought the meat back.Mother Yun is preparing meat! She plans to fry some meatballs today."Mom, why didn't you call me?" Yun Ting asked, yawning."I didn't want to wake you since you were sleeping so soundly. But I can't sleep anyway. It's okay for me to go. Your little brother will come with me."Yun Ting looked around but didn't see anyone.Mother Yun laughed and said, "That kid went back to his room to sleep as soon as he got back, and he's still not awake!"Yun Ting went to wash up. It was cold, and she wasn't working, so her family ate breakfast later than usual.After breakfast, Mother Yun started making bean cakes.This bean cake is a popular dish to make during the Lunar New Year in their area. It's made primarily with fried rice, supplemented with crushed peanuts or sesame seeds, and bound with maltose. Actually, it tastes even better with honey.