Rebirth to Save Myself

Chapter 112 New Year's Eve Dinner, Finalized

Everyone put up paper-cut window decorations and couplets, hung lanterns and ornaments, and even hung small signs on the doorknobs. Chen Yuan and Su Xia argued incessantly about which pattern to put on which window, Chen Chunqi was drafting the menu for the New Year's Eve dinner, and the housekeeper was cleaning. This seemingly ordinary scene was something Lu Lu had never dared to imagine before.

Every year before the Lunar New Year, she had to help her mother with the spring cleaning, scrubbing everything from the doors to the cracks in the windows. Meanwhile, her father and brother would sit and drink tea, watching TV. She asked her mother, "Why don't Dad and my brother help?"

Her mother replied, "Men shouldn't go into the kitchen; that's women's work."

"But I haven't grown up yet, I'm still a child."

"If you don't learn how to do it now, your in-laws will look down on you when you get married."

Lu Lu was speechless for a while. Why was it that men could be treated like royalty and not have to do anything, while women were looked down upon for not doing anything? But she didn't continue talking to her mother; she just wanted to finish her work quickly so she could read.

"Lulu, Lulu!"

"Oh, what's wrong?" Lu Lu came to her senses and realized that Su Xia was calling her, so she quickly responded.

"Do you think the one in my hand is prettier, or the one in Yuanyuan's hand?" Su Xia asked, raising her hand.

"Um, I think they both look good." Lu Lu looked at the one in Su Xia's hand and then at the one in Chen Yuan's hand with some difficulty, and then said.

"No, we have to choose one and put it here." Chen Yuan wasn't going to give up after hearing that, and immediately retorted.

"This is it, stop arguing." Chen Chunqi walked over at this moment, casually picked up a paper-cut window decoration from the table, and ended the argument.

"Mom, how could you do this?" Chen Yuan stomped her feet angrily.

"Shut up, tell me, how should we cook the fish for the New Year's Eve dinner?" Chen Chunqi hesitated for a long time, but finally decided to take the children's opinions into consideration.

Boiled fish!

"Pickled cabbage fish!"

"What kind of fish does Lulu like to eat?" Chen Chunqi ignored the two who were still arguing and looked at Lulu gently.

“I think boiled fish is good,” Lu Lu replied.

“Then let’s order boiled fish, it’ll bring good luck.” Chen Chunqi happily wrote down the recipe on his tablet.

"What other dishes are there?" Chen Yuan asked curiously.

"There's a seafood platter. According to your dad, it should include abalone, lobster, crab, mantis shrimp, and the like. Stir-fried vegetables are a must, but the type of vegetables hasn't been decided yet. For the appetizers, I plan to have Xiaxia braise a pot of meat, and then we'll have a beef shank. We'll make a cold platter. Just tell me what kind of braised dishes you want, and we'll get them together," Chen Chunqi said while scrolling through his tablet.

"Why are they all platters? I want braised pork trotters with soybeans. And soup, have you decided what kind of soup you want?" Chen Yuan complained for a moment, then started ordering.

"If we're talking about vegetables, how about we make boiled cabbage in clear broth?" Su Xia showed everyone the picture on her phone.

“This dish isn’t for state banquets; it takes a long time to make,” Chen Yuan asked Su Xia.

"It's alright, I recently came across a recipe and wanted to try it out." Su Xia shook her head. She had recently become obsessed with the cooking of food bloggers and wanted to give it a try.

"Let's give it a try. If it succeeds, we'll eat it; if it doesn't, we'll consider it an experience gain." Chen Chunqi didn't care; as long as Su Xia and the others were willing to do it, they would fully support them.

“Okay, I’ll give it a try.” Chen Yuan nodded, meaning she would lend a hand. Although she wasn’t particularly talented at cooking, she enjoyed the process and would often work with Su Xia to figure out how to make certain dishes.

“So we’ve settled on five dishes: boiled fish, seafood platter, cold beef shank, boiled cabbage, and braised pork trotters with soybeans. Your dad wants ten dishes to make it a perfect ten.” Chen Chunqi gestured for everyone to keep working hard and try to finalize the menu.

"Then let's have a garlic-flavored shrimp and a steamed hairy crab." Chen Yuan was really craving hairy crabs; she hadn't had enough during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

"Okay, that's fine. The presentation is beautiful and the taste is good. So there are three dishes left. Lu Lu, is there anything you'd like to eat?" Chen Chunqi asked Lu Lu. After all, it wouldn't be right not to prepare some dishes that suited her eating habits when she came to his house as a guest.

"Are you cooking the New Year's Eve dinner yourself?" Lu Lu asked curiously. She had been staying at their house for a few days and noticed that most of the time the housekeeper prepared the meals, or they would eat out together. She rarely saw Su Xia and the others cooking for themselves, so she was a little puzzled when Su Xia said she wanted to try making boiled cabbage in clear broth.

“Yes, we’ve always cooked the New Year’s Eve dinner ourselves. So every year we decide which dishes everyone will be responsible for, that’s how we create the New Year’s atmosphere.” Su Xia nodded. Although Chen Jianguo hired a housekeeper to take care of everything, he was afraid that Su Xia and Chen Yuan would develop a habit of doing everything themselves, so he would occasionally let them do some cooking themselves.

“Yes, the food at restaurants tastes pretty much the same, it doesn’t feel like the New Year. Let me tell you, Xiaxia’s braised beef shank is amazing, it’s an essential dish for New Year’s Eve dinner.”

"Then I can make braised pork ribs." Lu Lu felt embarrassed that she hadn't done any housework, but the housekeeper did all the cleaning. Hearing this, she quickly made herself a dish and added it to the pot.

“Good, then we still need two more dishes. Your dad just messaged me; a friend brought him a bag of winter bamboo shoots, and he’s going to make stir-fried winter bamboo shoots with pork for New Year’s Eve dinner,” Chen Chunqi said, looking at his phone.

"Yay! Winter bamboo shoots are super expensive this year, more expensive than meat. If I were back in my hometown, I could go up the mountain and dig up a couple of pounds!" Chen Yuan clapped her hands in delight. She'd been living in the city for years. It was convenient—buying milk tea, going shopping, eating at the latest restaurants, or catching a movie. Her roommate always complained about how boring the countryside was when she came back for vacation; there was nowhere to buy milk tea. But Chen Yuan also missed the days when she could play by the river and along the paddy fields as a child.

“Your uncle went back this year, have him bring some back.” Chen Chunqi nodded, having grown accustomed to city food, he also missed the vegetables he used to grow himself in the countryside.

"Will Grandma and Grandpa celebrate the New Year with Uncle this year?" Chen Yuan asked curiously, as she rarely saw her grandparents throughout the year.

“My grandparents are getting old and love being at home. So my uncle often goes back to visit them for the New Year, but they come to visit us after the New Year.” Chen Chunqi couldn’t do anything about her parents; they were unwilling to come over for the New Year eight out of ten times.

"Yay, my New Year's money is settled!" Chen Yuan was overjoyed. Her grandparents would definitely give her New Year's money when they came. Her uncle would also get one. Then she asked, "What about my aunt?"

"Come on, too." Chen Chunqi was unaware of Chen Yuan's little scheme, so he went along with her suggestion.

"Hey! Mom, Dad's reimbursement hasn't come through yet. I submitted it two days ago." Chen Yuan held up her phone to show Chen Chunqi her phone chat page, which clearly showed a screenshot of the reimbursement form she had sent to Chen Jianguo.

“Your dad’s been very busy at the factory lately, it’s almost the end of the year. Just wait a couple of days, he won’t refuse to give it to you. Xiaxia didn’t get hers either, did he?” Chen Chunqi asked Su Xia dismissively.

"Huh? Didn't he give it to you? I just got it a couple of days ago, and Dad transferred it to me, along with this month's allowance." Su Xia looked at Chen Yuan blankly, as if to say, "Are you sure you didn't just withhold the money yourself?"

"What? Old Chen is treating me differently like this? I'll teach him a lesson when he gets home!" Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan rolled up her sleeves, determined to make Chen Jianguo understand the seriousness of the matter.

"Just kidding! Dad hasn't transferred it to me yet, but just like Mom said, Dad's been busy lately, he'll transfer it in a couple of days when he's done with his work." Su Xia quickly rolled up Chen Yuan's sleeve to soothe her.

"That's good. If Old Chen really dares to do that, then I will..."

"What are you doing?" A male voice suddenly rang out. The group of people turned around and saw Chen Jianguo standing at the door, looking at them, with a sack of winter bamboo shoots at his feet.

“I cried my heart out in front of him until he transferred the money to me.” Chen Yuan quickly changed her tune, looking pitifully at Chen Jianguo.

"Why are you home today? You haven't started your holiday yet, have you?" Chen Jianguo handed the bamboo shoots to the housekeeper and went inside to decorate with them.

"It's the weekend, Lao Chen. Also, I only have a few more days of work before I get a holiday." Chen Yuan also wanted to stay home and wait for the New Year, but working people don't get their holiday until the 29th of the month, which is terrible.

"Why are you back? I thought you wouldn't be home until tonight," Chen Chunqi asked curiously.

"I'll only be here for a little while. I'll bring the bamboo shoots back on the way, and I also need to check on the factory later." Chen Jianguo took out his phone and transferred money to the two men, then asked them, "Did you receive it?"

"We received it, thank you Dad," Chen Yuan and Su Xia said in unison.

"Don't say I didn't give it to you after you receive it." Chen Jianguo came back for a while and confirmed the last dish with them: candied taro. Then he rushed back to the factory.

Once the New Year's Eve dinner menu is finalized, some ingredients that can be bought in advance can be purchased beforehand. Otherwise, some vendors will raise prices before the New Year, taking advantage of your desire to buy groceries before the holiday. Although Chen Chunqi is not short of money, no one would be happy to be blatantly ripped off like this.

On Monday, Chen Yuan got up in despair and went to work, wailing, "I want to take the postgraduate entrance exam, Mom."

"Shut up, you've been struggling to get your driver's license. If you were a good driver, you wouldn't have to get up so early to drive to work," Chen Chunqi muttered as he helped her prepare her lunch.

"But you won't let me touch the car, how am I supposed to get familiar with it?" Chen Yuan said, taking a bite of her custard bun. Sure enough, only delicious food could heal her wounded heart.

"The other day when we went to buy fruit, you almost made me throw up my dinner from the night before. For your own safety." Chen Chunqi said dismissively. It's not like I didn't give you a chance; it's just that I didn't seize it. Who's to blame?

"Hmph, I'm going to work." Chen Yuan picked up another custard bun, took the lunch prepared by Chen Chunqi, and went out.

"Auntie, is there anything I can help you with?" Lu Lu asked as soon as she heard the noise and finished washing up.

"You're up just in time, Auntie. Let me make some more breakfast. Lulu, would you like a sandwich or steamed buns and soy milk?" Chen Chunqi smiled kindly, took Lulu's hand, and led her towards the dining room, saying as they walked, "Eat breakfast now that you're up. I'll wake Xiaxia up later so you can go out and play. Make yourself at my house, don't be shy. There's nothing for you to do. You can sleep until lunchtime, or I can bring the food to your room. Just be comfortable."

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate?" Lu Lu was a little incredulous. If she dared to sleep in until noon at home, her grandmother would be the first to rush into her room and yell at her.

“What’s wrong with that? This is how it is in our family. We do whatever makes us comfortable.” Chen Jianguo also got up and came out. Then he sat down and continued to say to Lu Lu, “You’re just like Xia Xia was when she first came. You’re very reserved. We’re very casual in our family. Just relax and enjoy the New Year here. Make yourself at home.”

"Okay, Uncle." Lu Lu nodded.

Seeing this, Chen Jianguo knew that no matter how much he talked to Chen Chunqi, it would be useless; she wouldn't be able to let go for the time being. Just like Su Xia, she had been constantly educated and indoctrinated in the place where she had lived since childhood, and then suddenly she was given a different environment and told that she didn't have to do what she did before. She could also lie comfortably in bed without being scolded or doing any work. It was just too difficult.

Su Xia woke up shortly after, ate breakfast, and then took Lu Lu out for a stroll to see the city's scenic spots. As soon as they got in the car, Su Xia noticed Lu Lu's discomfort, so after a moment's thought, she said to her, "You know I'm not their biological daughter, right?"

"Ah, is that so? I was wondering why your parents treated you so badly, but the ones I've encountered are clearly not like that." Lu Lu had a look of sudden realization. Before, when she heard Chen Yuan's surname, she wondered why Su Xia's surname was Su, but Su Xia herself didn't say so, so she couldn't just ask directly.

"Yes, I've stopped contacting my biological parents, and even my relatives don't know where I am." Su Xia smiled brightly; it was truly wonderful to be able to escape those vampires in this lifetime.

"And who is Chen Yuan?"

“She is my benefactor.” Su Xia couldn’t stop smiling warmly as she recalled Chen Yuan’s past. She told Lu Lu, “It was Chen Yuan who told her parents about my experiences. It was because she liked me that her parents recognized me as their goddaughter and even covered my tuition and living expenses.”

"very nice."

“I used to think I was lucky to have met Chen Yuan and that’s how I am today. But now I think you’re the best. You’re much better than me.” Su Xia added in her mind after saying that, “I just have an extra layer of blessing from being reborn.”

“No matter what, at least we’re doing well now, and the future will be even better.” Lu Lu understood that Su Xia was trying to comfort her, so she responded in kind.

"Yes, so I don't expect you to treat them the same way I do, but at least we can let down our guard and be less unfamiliar with each other, right?"

"Well, thank you!"

"Thank you too, you've taught me a lot."