Siheyuan: I am Banggeng's uncle

Chapter 953 Sharing happiness is worse than enjoying it alone!

Around four o'clock in the afternoon, a fragrant aroma filled the courtyard. Yan Bugui smelled the aroma in the air, instinctively sniffed, and then took a deep sniff. A look of intoxication appeared on his face as he muttered to himself, "What delicious thing is that Sha Zhu cooking? It smells so good!"

"Honey! When Sha Zhu used to cook at home, the food smelled delicious, but it was never as fragrant as this. What good stuff is Sha Zhu cooking?" Yang Ruihua asked Yan Bugui, smelling the aroma wafting in the yard and hearing Yan Bugui's mutterings.

When Yan Bugui heard Yang Ruihua's question, he took a few deep breaths of the aroma in the air and replied irritably, "I'm not a chef. You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? It's a pity that Sha Zhu is so cunning. Otherwise, I could bring the bottle of wine from home and go to Sha Zhu's house for a free meal."

At Yi Zhonghai's house, twelve-year-old Yi Chuanzong smelled the delicious aroma in the air and asked Yi Zhonghai with a playful expression, "Dad! What delicious food is Uncle Zhu cooking? It smells so good! My mouth is watering just smelling it."

When Yi Zhonghai returned from outside, he saw He Daqing and his son Shazhu busy in the kitchen. At the time, Yi Zhonghai was wondering why He Daqing was busy in the kitchen with Shazhu. It wasn't until he smelled the aroma in the air that he guessed that He Daqing and Shazhu were making Tan family cuisine.

Upon hearing Yi Chuanzong's question and seeing his drooling expression, Yi Zhonghai smiled and said to Yi Chuanzong, "Son! If I'm not mistaken, your Uncle Zhu is probably making their family's heirloom dish."

When Yi Chuanzong heard Yi Zhonghai's explanation, he thought of the dishes that the Jia family had distributed to the neighbors who helped out at Banggeng's wedding last time, and said with a look of reminiscence, "Dad! Uncle Zhu's cooking is just too good. I wonder when someone in our courtyard will get married again, so I can eat Uncle Zhu's cooking again."

Upon hearing Yi Chuanzong's words and smelling the aroma filling the air, Yi Zhonghai felt his mouth water uncontrollably. Seeing his son's drooling expression, Yi Zhonghai smiled and said to Yi Chuanzong, "Son! Go get Dad's bicycle keys. Dad will take you to Bianyifang to buy a roast duck. Tonight, the four of us will enjoy roast duck to satisfy our cravings."

Upon hearing Yi Zhonghai's instructions and learning that there would be roast duck for dinner, Yi Chuanzong jumped up with joy and eagerly said to Yi Zhonghai, "Dad! Wait a minute, I'll go get you the bicycle keys right away."

Jia Dongming stayed at Lin Yuemei's place until a little after four in the afternoon, then rode his bicycle back to Tongluoguxiang. The moment his bicycle stopped at the entrance of the courtyard, he smelled the aroma in the air, and couldn't help but mutter to himself, "This Tan family cuisine smells so good! No wonder it's called official cuisine. It seems I'm in for a treat today."

As Jia Dongming pushed his bicycle into the front yard, he saw Yan Bugui craning his neck, breathing in the fragrant aroma in the air, and muttering something to himself.

Upon seeing this scene, Jia Dongming could guess what Yan Bugui was muttering without even thinking. He simply ignored Yan Bugui's presence and pushed his bicycle toward the central courtyard.

As Jia Dongming pushed his bicycle into the courtyard, he saw the children gathered around Sha Zhu's kitchen door, inhaling the delicious aroma wafting from inside.

When Jia Dongming saw his daughter, who was looking at Sha Zhu with a drooling expression, standing at the kitchen door with the other children in the yard, he immediately called out to her, "An Qing! What are you doing standing at Uncle Zhu's kitchen door?"

Jia Anqing, who was salivating from the delicious aroma, turned around instinctively when she heard Jia Dongming's call. Seeing Jia Dongming pushing his bicycle, she immediately ran to him and asked in her childish voice, "Dad! What delicious food is Uncle Zhu cooking? It smells so good!"

Hearing his beloved daughter's words and seeing her drooling expression, Jia Dongming picked up Jia Anqing and placed her on the crossbar of his bicycle. As he pushed the bicycle towards the courtyard, he said to his daughter, "Sweetie! Your Uncle Zhu is cooking his Tan family dishes. You'll be able to eat them when it's time to eat." Hearing Jia Dongming's words and knowing that she would soon be able to eat Uncle Zhu's cooking, Jia Anqing's previously drooling face immediately lit up with ecstatic joy. In her childish voice, she asked Jia Dongming, "Dad! Is it true? I'll be able to eat Uncle Zhu's cooking later!"

After Jia Dongming parked the bicycle under the eaves, he took his daughter off the bike. Thinking of the children who had gathered outside Sha Zhu's kitchen, he pondered for a moment, then smiled and asked Qin Huairu, who was washing clothes, "Huairu! Do we have any cabbages left?"

Qin Huairu, who was washing clothes, heard Jia Dongming's question and immediately showed a curious expression, asking in confusion, "Brother Dongming! What do you need the cabbage for?"

Upon hearing Qin Huairu's question, Jia Dongming, recalling his own plans, smiled and said to Qin Huairu, "Huairu! Didn't Shazhu invite me to dinner with Tan Family Cuisine? When I came back just now, I saw all the children in the yard gathered outside Shazhu's kitchen because of the aroma of Tan Family Cuisine. So I thought I'd take two cabbages and some vermicelli, and have Shazhu cook them in the broth from Tan Family Cuisine later, so I can share some with the children."

The fragrance that filled the courtyard was naturally noticed by Qin Huairu. Upon learning of Jia Dongming's plan, Qin Huairu stood up from the low stool, wiped the water stains off her hands with her apron, and said to Jia Dongming with a smile, "Brother Dongming! I bought a few cabbages when I went to the market to buy vegetables yesterday. I'll go get them for you now."

Upon hearing Qin Huairu's words, Jia Dongming smiled and said to her, "Huairu! Go get two cabbages and a few handfuls of vermicelli for me. I'll take them to Shazhu."

Soon Qin Huairu came out of the house with a basket, and said to Jia Dongming with a smile, "Brother Dongming! The cabbage and vermicelli are here."

When Jia Dongming saw the basket in Qin Huairu's hand, he put his daughter down and took the basket from her, then walked out of the courtyard with it.

Jia Dongming walked out of the courtyard and saw the children gathered outside Sha Zhu's kitchen, swallowing their saliva incessantly. He smiled and called out to the children, "Kids! Make way for me."

Upon hearing Jia Dongming's shout, the children gathered in front of Sha Zhu's house immediately made way for him, as he instructed.

Smelling the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen, Jia Dongming carried his basket to the kitchen door of Sha Zhu's house. He saw He Daqing and Sha Zhu cooking in the kitchen and said with a smile to He Daqing, "Uncle He! The food you're making smells so good that it has attracted all the children in the yard. As the saying goes, sharing is worse than enjoying alone, so I brought some cabbage and vermicelli. I'll add some cooking broth and cook it up later so that the children in the yard can have some to try."

Upon hearing Jia Dongming's suggestion, He Daqing smiled and said to Jia Dongming, "Dongming! You're so thoughtful. After the rice is cooked, I'll use the broth to make a big stew for the children so they can also taste the flavor of Tan family cuisine."

Upon hearing He Daqing's reply, Jia Dongming handed the basket in his hand to Sha Zhu, then turned to the children gathered at the entrance of Sha Zhu's kitchen and shouted, "Kids! Don't stand here, hurry home and get a big bowl. After your Uncle He finishes cooking, he'll make you a big stew to try."

The children, who were salivating from the delicious aroma, were all intrigued by Jia Dongming's instructions and their eyes lit up. They all ran towards their homes.

(End of this chapter)