It was summer, the asphalt road was roasted by the sun and exuded an unpleasant smell. It felt sticky and uncomfortable when he walked on the road.
After walking for more than ten minutes, Gu Xia arrived at the vegetable market. There weren’t many people buying vegetables in this market at the moment. Many vegetable vendors were in their sheds. They used the cables to plug in electric fans, and enjoy the cool air leisurely. Many vegetables had already gone to waste from the heat of the sun.
Gu Xia knew that Aunt Zhang would bring vegetables over at night, so he only bought some meat ingredients for dishes that he was good at, such as pork feet, fish, spare ribs. Of course, he also bought some vegetarian options such as tofu and potatoes, as well as some seasonings.
After buying the vegetables, Gu Xia touched his pocket, and there was only less than 100 yuan left in it. Out of the 200 yuan that his dad gave him yesterday, it cost more than 100 yuan to buy ingredients. He was actively buying so many ingredients, after so many years. He didn’t care too much about saving money, after all, in front of the happiness of his family the money was really useless.
Gu Xia wiped the sweat from his head, and his upper body shirt was already soaking wet. It was too hot this day. What Gu Xia hated most was summer, which was hot and uncomfortable, and there were also nasty things like mosquitoes and flies.
When he got home, he found that Li Jingjing was leaning on the sofa and had fallen asleep, and the TV was still playing My Fair Princess. Gu Xia turned off the TV and turned the fan on to maximum power while shaking his head. He took care to not wake her, and went to his room to change his shirt. Although the weather was hot, if the wind from the electric fan kept blowing on his body, it would dry his sweat.
Gu Xia looked at the clock. It was 3:30 pm. He thought that he had nothing to do, so he went to his room and took out the high school textbook to read. Although he was reborn 10 years in the past, Gu Xia had almost forgotten all this knowledge. Therefore, in order to avoid appearing ignorant when he went to the university, Gu Xia planned to review this knowledge. Although it was not very useful, it was better than not reading it.
Gu Xia’s university admission examination was filled in for Jiangbei University. Jiangbei University was in the urban area, not too far from his home. It took only two hours by car. Gu Xia’s college entrance examination score was more than ten points higher than Jiangbei University’s admission score, so if he studied well, Jiangbei University was a sure thing.
*****
“Brother Xia, why are you reading the textbook for the second year of high school?”
Li Jingjing, who was still a little sleepy, asked suspiciously when Gu Xia was reading the textbook for the second year of high school.
“Hmm~ ah, I have nothing to do now, I’m studying this so that I won’t forget it.”
Gu Xia was so absorbed in the book that he didn’t even notice when Li Jingjing had came in. It wasn’t until she spoke that he came back to his senses and replied.
“Oh, that’s right! Then I’ll read it too. I’ll be sitting here reading your high school textbook. If you don’t understand anything, you can call me!” She sat on the edge of Gu Xia’s bed, her ankles were stimulated by the medicinal properties of the safflower oil, and she was feeling much better. Now she could even move her feet gently.
Gu Xia squinted his eyes, and his eyes felt a little sore. So he massaged his eyes with his fingers. He didn’t want to be as near-sighted as in his previous life where he wore glasses every day.
Looking through the window, he saw that the sun had gone down, and the phone showed that it was a quarter past 6.
Gu Xia put away his textbooks, and he was going to prepare for the evening meal. “You keep reading, I’m going to wash the vegetables and prepare to cook.”
“By the way, call your mother to come over for dinner. My parents are about to come back.”
And then he began to wash the vegetables. It took more than half an hour for Gu Xia to wash and cut the ingredients.
His younger sister Gu Qin had come back while he was washing vegetables and was talking to Li Jingjing in the room.
In Gu Qin’s room, the door was locked and the curtains were drawn. Li Jingjing was trying on Gu Qin’s new dress. She was just taking off her skirt when she was attacked by Gu Qin on her chest.
“Jingjing, I haven’t seen you for a few days, and you’ve grown up again! I don’t know which bas*tard will be so lucky in the future.” Gu Qin giggled and laughed.
“Who told you to touch me, hum, I’ll touch you too.”
Unwilling to be outdone, Li Jingjing threw Gu Qin onto the bed, and the two started fighting on the bed, occasionally revealing spring light that would dazzle even a blind man’s eyes.
*****
“Sister Ling, are you off work?”
“Yes, sister, let’s go and have dinner at my house. Xia Xia called us in the afternoon and asked us to invite you over for dinner, and Jingjing is also there.”
“Okay, I just brought some vegetables.”
“Oh, you should just come and eat, what are you doing with the vegetables?”
Gu Xia heard voices coming from the door, it was his Mom and Aunt Zhang. Gu Xia put down the kitchen knife, when he opened the door and saw the two were still talking at the door, he couldn’t help laughing, “Auntie Zhang is here! Mom, come inside if you have something to say, why are you still standing at the door?”
“Xiao Xia is cooking? Just now your mother told me about your cooking. I hear your food tastes even better than the restaurant, and this Auntie will try your craftsmanship later.” Aunt Zhang smiled when she saw Gu Xia wearing an apron. (Goblin: Here the word “Xiao” means little.)
“Don’t listen to my mother, Auntie, talk to my mother first, and I’ll go finish cooking.” Gu Xia took the dishes from Aunt Zhang.
“Okay, let’s go.”
Gu Xia returned to the kitchen, opened the bag, and selected the water spinach and beans inside before washing.
Then it was time for cooking. Gu Xia took out another new pot from the cabinet. He was going to use two pots for cooking, one for cooking fish and ribs, and one for cooking vegetables. He was going to use the pressure cooker to stew the pig feet.
Not long after, Gu Xia’s father, Gu Feng, also came back, and Gu Xia also brought plates of fried dishes to the table.
Gradually there were nine dishes on the table, including Soybean Pig Feet, Braised Crucian Carp, Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, Tomato and Egg Soup, Roasted Pork with Beans, Spinach Stalks, Mapo Tofu, Hot and Sour Potato Shreds, and Chili Fried Pork. It was all very tasty looking, and the strong aroma filled the entire dining room. (Author’s PS: I’m doing this in the middle of the night, are you hungry again when you heard the name of these dishes?) (Goblin: The author is evil!)
“I didn’t expect Xiao Xia to be so good at cooking! These dishes are full of color and fragrance. They must taste very good. I didn’t expect Xiao Xia to have this skill. In the future when you find a wife, your wife will enjoy happiness.” Aunt Zhang said in surprise, at first she heard Deng Ling say that Gu Xia’s cooking was like a restaurant, she definitely didn’t believe it, because no one would believe that a graduate freshman from high school had this skill, but after seeing these dishes, she believed it.
“Didn’t I just say it, Xia Xia’s cooking is good!” Deng Ling said with a smile.
“Brother Xia’s cooking is amazing!” Li Jingjing also praised.
Before Gu Xia could speak, he heard Gu Qin say, “That’s right, you have to see who’s brother he really is.” After speaking, she looked at Li Jingjing proudly, and those who didn’t know would think it was all actually her cooking.
“You didn’t do it, so what are you proud of?” Li Jingjing immediately retorted.
“Because he’s my brother!” Gu Qin glanced at her and said.
“Alright, alright, stop arguing, you two, let’s eat, Xia Xia go to the refrigerator and get me two bottles of cold beer, and then bring out the drinks for you Aunt Zhang and Jingjing.” Gu Feng interrupted the quarrel between the two. Said to Gu Xia.
“Okay”
Gu Xia took a large bottle of fruit juice to Gu Qin and asked her to pour it on Aunt Zhang and the others, then took out four bottles of beer, two for his Dad and two for herself.
“Xia Xia, you drink too?” Gu Feng said in surprise.
“Well, it’s too hot today. So I wanted to try drinking some beer.” Gu Xia smiled.
“You… didn’t you always say that beer was unpleasant to drink? Why are you suddenly drinking it today? You haven’t had alcohol before, so don’t drink too much.” Gu Feng urged.
“Okay, let’s eat, let Xia Xia drink if he wants to drink it! Xia Xia is going to university soon, and he’s an adult. If you can drink, so can he.” Deng Ling glared at Gu Feng and said.
“Yeah, Brother Feng, it’s okay, he won’t get drunk if he doesn’t drink too much beer, Xiao Xia is almost eighteen.” Aunt Zhang also agreed.
Gu Xia didn’t speak. If he answered, he would have to continue talking about this topic later. He drank a glass in one breath, and the dryness and heat all over his body suddenly disappeared. Drinking cold beer this summer was really a joy in life!
What was there more to say?
There were warm food and happy hearts.
The meal ended with smiles and laughter. All nine dishes were eaten while everyone was talking, and laughing. After the meal, Gu Xia automatically cleaned up the plates and went to wash the dishes.
After Aunt Zhang and Li Jingjing left, his parents were still watching TV. His sister went back to the room with her mobile phone after taking a shower. Gu Xia went back to his room to turn on the air conditioner, then took a shower, and went back to the room after saying goodnight to his parents.
Gu Xia lay on the bed and looked at the familiar room, but there were many things and people missing in the room.
“Ah… I miss her a little…”
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