Chapter 66 New Year's Eve Dinner

Shen Zishan frowned and said with a troubled expression, "Daughter, then I can only let you drink a small sip. You absolutely cannot drink more, otherwise you will get diarrhea and you will be the one who suffers."

Ma Aning nodded in agreement.

"Okay, okay, I promise I won't drink too much." Shen Xiaoxiao hurriedly agreed, her big eyes fixed on the steaming, fragrant chicken soup in front of her, full of anticipation.

Meanwhile, in Ma Aning's arms, her older brother Shen Xiaochuan's eyes also gleamed with longing for chicken soup.

After exchanging a knowing glance, the couple picked up a small spoon and gently blew on the soup to cool it down.

Shen Xiaoxiao, who was already impatient, immediately opened her little mouth and pounced on the spoon like a little bird as soon as she saw it being extended towards her.

The moment the delicious chicken soup touched her tongue, her eyes lit up, shining like brilliant stars in the night sky.

Shen Xiaoxiao was seen chewing the chicken and broth with relish, making "smacking" sounds. Her satisfied expression was delightful to behold.

As she savored the delicious treat, she mumbled indistinctly, "Wow, it's so good! I want some more..."

Ma Aning, however, kept a straight face and said to her very seriously, "No, you just promised us that you would only drink one sip. A person should keep their word."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiaoxiao deflated like a punctured balloon, pouting in grievance, but ultimately nodded obediently and said, "Okay..."

Just then, Shen Zishan, the father who had always doted on his daughter, finally couldn't hold back. He quietly scooped up another spoonful of chicken soup and slowly brought it to Shen Xiaoxiao's lips.

Shen Xiaoxiao quickly ate it, like a kitten stealing fish, while looking around furtively.

Ma Aning was both annoyed and amused, and ignored the father and daughter.

Ma Aning carefully scooped up a small spoonful of steaming chicken soup, gently blew on it until she felt the temperature was right, and then spoke softly to Shen Xiaochuan.

"My dear son, come and try this chicken soup that Mom made. See how it tastes? Is it delicious?"

Upon hearing his mother's call, Shen Xiaochuan, who had been somewhat listless, instantly brightened up, his eyes shining like two dazzling stars.

He stared intently at the small, exquisite spoon being offered to his lips, and eagerly opened his mouth, like a chick eagerly awaiting its meal, slurping the spoonful of delicious chicken soup into his mouth with a "glug".

The moment the chicken soup entered his mouth, Shen Xiaochuan's eyes widened and shone even brighter, as if he had discovered some unparalleled delicacy.

He couldn't help but smack his lips, savoring the rich flavor of the chicken soup spreading in his mouth, a satisfied expression on his face.

The brother and sister stared longingly at Shen Zishan and his companion.

The couple sitting to the side completely ignored the longing and envious looks from the siblings, leisurely enjoying the sumptuous dishes on the table.

They ate slowly and chatted quietly, occasionally letting out bursts of cheerful laughter.

Watching their parents enjoy their meal, the brother and sister could only look on pitifully at the table full of delicious food, drooling with envy.

Especially Shen Xiaoxiao, who muttered to herself, "Ugh! I feel like my mouth is about to overflow! Mom and Dad are so cruel, they only care about eating themselves and leave my brother and me here watching. Humph!"

Shen Xiaoxiao's heart was full of resentment, "Just put us back in our room, out of sight, out of mind."

"My dear daughter, you must know that today is the most important day of the year—Chinese New Year!"

"Our whole family gathers together for this New Year's Eve dinner to symbolize reunion, harmony, and happiness! How could we do without you all?"

As Shen Zishan spoke, he skillfully used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of braised pork with an enticing color and a fragrant aroma and put it into his mouth.

He took a small bite, and the tender, juicy meat melted instantly in his mouth. The rich and mellow flavor made him involuntarily shovel a large mouthful of white rice into his mouth, eating with absolute satisfaction.

Shen Xiaoxiao, who was standing to the side, had long been captivated by the sumptuous dishes on the table, especially the braised pork that her father had taken away, which made her mouth water.

Seeing Shen Zishan enjoying his meal so much, her saliva finally flowed uncontrollably from the corners of her mouth like a burst dam.

Shen Zishan caught a glimpse of his daughter's greedy expression out of the corner of his eye and burst into laughter. His hearty and loud laughter echoed throughout the entire house.

Seeing this, Ma Aning, who was sitting next to her, quickly took out the handkerchief she carried with her and gently wiped the drool from the corner of her daughter's mouth.

She scolded playfully, "Brother Shan, stop teasing the child. That's enough. If you keep laughing like that, our daughter will start to cry."

After saying that, she affectionately patted Chen Xiaoxiao's head.

At this moment, Shen Zishan noticed that his daughter had pouted and looked aggrieved. Her expression clearly showed that she wanted to cry but was holding back her tears.

He quickly suppressed his smile and put on a serious expression, saying, "Okay, okay, it's all Dad's fault. I shouldn't have laughed at my good daughter. Dad apologizes to you, okay?"

Even though he was trying hard to keep his face tense, a slight smile would occasionally appear.

Shen Xiaochuan, who had been holding back his laughter, could no longer contain himself, and his previously calm face instantly broke into a wide grin.

He was afraid that if he laughed too loudly, he would drool from the delicious food and embarrass himself, so he could only purse his lips tightly and try his best not to let the laughter come out of his mouth.

In an instant, the house was filled with laughter and joy, and the harmonious atmosphere of the family made people feel incredibly warm and happy.

The New Year's Eve dinner ended amidst laughter and joy.

The Shen family's old house now presents a completely different scene from other houses.

On that dilapidated wooden table, a few sweet potatoes sat forlornly; there were no other dishes.

The family sat around the table, their stomachs rumbling with hunger.

With a heavy frown, he stared sternly at Qian Danu and questioned her with displeasure, "Today is New Year's Eve! Why did you only make these few sweet potatoes?"

Qian Danu felt a little guilty, but she still stubbornly retorted, "There's nothing left in the house. Do you think I don't want to cook something delicious?"

As she spoke, she kept glancing furtively at Chen, afraid that he would continue to get angry.

He became increasingly angry as he listened, and pointed angrily at the chickens in the coop, saying, "Don't we still have chickens at home? You can kill one of them to cook!"

"At worst, we could take out the flour we've saved up and make some dumplings, or cook a bowl of noodles for everyone. That would be much better than what we're doing now!"

By the end, his brows were furrowed into a deep frown.

However, Qian Daniu still couldn't bear to take out the flour she had been saving for so long, and she was even more unwilling to kill the chickens.

She mumbled softly, "It's New Year's Eve today, maybe the third brother will bring us some good food..." Her voice was soft, but Heavy still heard it.

Upon hearing this, Hong Chen's face turned ashen with anger. He slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Don't dream about it! Your third son has long since severed ties with us. You still expect him to bring you food for the New Year?"