When I went home for Chinese New Year, I spent a million times more money on my foreign wife.

At noon, a string of 5,000-shot firecrackers went off at the entrance of the Chen family compound.

Red paper scraps were spread out on the snow like a red carpet. The eighteen large round tables were all occupied, with the villagers, young and old, staring eagerly at the stove.

"Let the feast begin!"

Wang Dana shouted at the top of his lungs and acted as the master of ceremonies.

The lid of the large iron pot was lifted, and thick white steam shot into the sky.

The unique fermented sour aroma of the pickled cabbage, mixed with the strong smell of pork fat, instantly filled the air in the entire courtyard, making one's mouth water.

Chen Yang stood in front of the stove, the large ladle in his hand like a conductor's baton.

[God-level Culinary Skills] activated; his control over the heat is precise down to the second.

No one dared to interfere, so Chen Yang personally took charge of cooking and serving the dishes.

The first dish must be pork stew.

A large, rough porcelain bowl, about the size of a washbasin, contains a base of pickled cabbage that has absorbed the oil rendered from the pork belly, turning it golden and translucent.

It was topped with thinly sliced ​​white meat, alternating between lean and fatty pieces, trembling slightly.

The top layer is a ring of purplish-red, glossy blood sausage, steaming hot, with a cut surface so shiny it reflects your image.

"The color is absolutely stunning!"

"Yangzi's cooking skills are even better than the chefs at the big restaurants in the county!"

The villagers didn't bother with formalities and started shoving chopsticks at them like raindrops.

In the center of each table, there is a bowl of garlic soy sauce specially made by Chen Yang.

Crush the garlic into a fine powder, pour boiling hot oil over it, and the sizzling sound releases its primal spiciness. Then add dark soy sauce, aged vinegar, and a few drops of sesame oil.

"Sister-in-law, try this."

Chen Yue handed the dipping dish to Katyusha.

The foreign bride was staring blankly at the bowl of dark dipping sauce, holding a piece of white meat in her hand, unsure of what to do.

"What is this?"

Katyusha wrinkled her nose, her blue eyes full of confusion.

"The soul! This is the soul of the pork stew!"

Chen Yue picked up a piece of white meat, dipped it thoroughly in the minced garlic, stuffed it into her mouth, and exaggeratedly closed her eyes, chewing with her mouth full of oil: "Mmm—it's so delicious!"

Katyusha was skeptical.

She imitated Chen Yue, picked up a piece of still-jiggling fatty meat, dipped it in the bowl, and stuffed it into her mouth with a death-defying air.

next second.

Katyusha's eyes widened suddenly.

The spiciness of the minced garlic instantly cuts through the greasiness of the fatty meat, the salty and savory flavor of the soy sauce brings out the richness of the pork, and the crispness of the pickled cabbage bursts in your mouth.

There was no fishy smell at all, only an explosive meaty aroma in your mouth.

Katyusha slammed her chopsticks on the table, gave a thumbs-up, and mumbled, "Delicious! So delicious!"

She didn't care about maintaining a ladylike image; her chopsticks flew in a blur as she began to struggle with the plate of white meat.

The chat in Chen Yue's live stream went crazy.

"Holy crap, this foreign wife is eating even better than me!"

"I got hungry watching this, and suddenly the instant noodles in my hand didn't taste so good anymore."

"This is authentic Northeastern pork stew! Look at those big slices of meat and those huge bones, it's so tempting!"

Chen Yang watched his wife wolf down her food by the stove, then shook his head with a smile.

This is not over yet.

Braised pork slices, sweet and sour pork, stir-fried potatoes, green peppers, and eggplant, chicken stew with mushrooms...

One after another, impressive dishes were served, all personally prepared by Chen Yang, who elevated these everyday dishes to the level of a state banquet.

But this is just the prelude.

"Get the big items!"

Chen Yang waved his hand.

The bodyguards acted as waiters, carrying large rectangular stainless steel platters as they filed out.

The entire room fell silent for a moment.

Then came a deafening gasp.

"My God, what is this thing? A crab bigger than a washbasin?"

"Those shrimp are as big as a palm? How much would one cost?"

King crabs, Boston lobsters, and abalone bigger than a fist were piled up in a small, bright red mound.

Expensive ingredients that used to only exist on television are now piled up on the table like cabbages, and there is one serving for each table!

Chen Yang just used the simplest method—steaming.

High-end ingredients require only the simplest cooking methods.

He only prepared a bowl of ginger and vinegar sauce.

"Don't just stand there, eat it while it's hot!" Chen Yang shouted. "There's plenty!"

With trembling hands, Master Zhao picked up a large abalone, took a bite, and found it soft, chewy, and incredibly delicious, bringing tears to his eyes: "I've lived my whole life and never thought I'd get to eat something so rare. Yangzi, you're so kind."

Mr. Chen's face was flushed, and he was holding a two-and-a-half-ounce glass filled with aged Moutai.

He's usually honest and unassuming, barely saying a word, but today he stood up straight, beaming with pride.

"Gentlemen, young and old! We're all happy today, so let's have a couple more drinks!"

Chen's father walked to Old Wang's table next door.

The two families argued for seven or eight years over the boundary of the furrows, and they almost came to blows with hoes.

Looking at the table full of delicious dishes and then at Mr. Chen's smiling face, the knot in Old Wang's heart suddenly dissipated.

He picked up his glass and stood up abruptly: "Old Chen, I was petty before. I'll drink this to apologize!"

"Why bother saying all that! It's all in the drink!"

Mr. Chen and Mr. Wang clinked glasses heavily and drank it all in one gulp.

The spicy liquor went down my throat, but my heart was burning.

"Dad, drink less," Chen Yang said as he walked over.

"It's alright, Dad's happy today!"

Mr. Chen patted his son on the shoulder, his hands rough and strong. "Son, you've made your dad proud!"

The courtyard was filled with the sounds of drinking games, clinking glasses, and laughter.

That's the power of food and festivals—they can blend all the grudges and passions into a pot of hot soup.

Katyusha was now fully in battle mode.

She held a king crab leg in her left hand and half a sticky rice cake in her right, eating with her mouth full of oil.

The sleeves of her down jacket were rolled up high, revealing her white, lotus-root-like forearms.

"Chen, this crab is really fresh."

Katyusha brandished her crab claws like a female warrior wielding a weapon.

Helpless, Chen Yang stuffed the peeled shrimp meat into her mouth: "Be good, eat your food properly."

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

In the north, darkness falls early, and high-powered searchlights are turned on in the courtyard.

The villagers ate until their bellies were round, leaning back in their chairs picking their teeth, their faces full of satisfaction.

Even my second aunt, who is usually the most picky and gossipy, was now holding a bowl of meat soup, slurping it down with gusto, and had no more thoughts of finding fault.

"Yoko is such a kind and righteous child."

"That's right, who would remember us poor neighbors when they get rich? Only the Chen family."

"From now on, if anyone speaks ill of Yoko again, I'll be the first to object!"

These words, drifting into Chen Yang's ears, were even more pleasant than the system's notification sound when funds were credited to his account.

He stood on the steps, lit a cigarette, and looked at the scene before him, full of the warmth of everyday life.

There was no deceit or backstabbing, no mutual flattery.

Only the purest aroma of meat and wine, and the most genuine folks.

Chen Yue pointed her phone camera at Chen Yang's back: "Family, do you see that? This is my brother, the most handsome guy in the whole village!"

Katyusha let out a burp and stood up unsteadily.

She walked over to Chen Yang and presented him with the cleanly gnawed crab claw, as if offering a treasure.

"Chen, I want to drink."

Her cheeks were flushed, and she was full of excitement.

"drink."

Chen Yang pulled an unopened bottle of vodka from the box; it was something he had specially saved for his wife.

"Hurrah!"

Katyusha took the bottle and, without even using a bottle opener, snapped the cap off with her teeth, sending it flying two meters away.

This amazing skill left the villagers, who were just about to leave, completely dumbfounded.