The Game Of Life

Jiang Feng guessed that the middle-aged man who looked similar to himself in front of him was his great grandfather, Jiang Chengde.

The huge age difference between the two made them appear less like brother and sister, and more like father and daughter.

"You"re already a girl of marriageable age, but still without a goal in life." Jiang Chengde reached out to pat her head dotingly, "Are you still working on sewing your bridal costume in your room?"

"It"s all that fellow Wei Jin"s fault. I"ve already finished the embroidering but he had to go and tear a hole in it. I"ll be going to the wedding photo shoot with Mingyi tomorrow. I have to knock him hard when I catch him!" Jiang Huiqin raised her small fist and waved them in the air to show her determination to beat her nephew up.

She trotted two steps forward. Seeing that Jiang Chengde was still walking slowly behind, she urged: "Hurry up, hurry up!"

Jiang Huiqin ran fast, and Jiang Feng could only jog after her. The invisible wall behind him had been hitting his back and b.u.t.t all along, it was akin to someone whipping him with a whip.

The small bungalow of the Jiang family was only a short distance away from Taifeng Restaurant. Jiang Huiqin slipped in from the back door, and finally stopped at the back kitchen. Jiang Feng finally had time to stop to catch his breath and rub his poor legs.

It was really a waste of talent for this great-grandaunt of his to not to practice long-distance running.

"Miss Jiang, the main chef has just gone out." A kitchen a.s.sistant reminded Jiang Huiqin upon seeing her slip in.

"Shh, I"ll just borrow the kitchen. Don"t tell your boss about this." Jiang Huiqin searched high and low but couldn"t find the ingredients she wanted, because Jiang Chengde hadn"t arrived yet, she was as anxious as a cat on hot bricks.

After a while, Jiang Chengde came strolling in late.

"Brother, hurry up. I"ve asked Mingyi to go to the cinema in the evening. Can you please hurry up!" Jiang Huiqin urged.

Jiang Chengde chuckled: "When are you going to change that impatient character of yours? I"ll teach you this dish only once. Look carefully and don"t move about recklessly. This is what Mr. Zhang ordered."

"I will not move, I"m definitely not gonna budge!"

Jiang Chengde went to a kitchen table, opened the lid of the big iron pot, brought out a small bowl inside, and placed it in front of Jiang Huiqin.

"Mr. Zhang"s mother likes bird"s nests from Barn Swallows, and brother-in-law has ordered Yellow Swallow"s bird"s nest. The preparation is the same for both though. Go and pluck out the feathers inside." Jiang Chengde pushed to bowl in front of her. "After it has been plucked clean, put it into the alkaline water and let it soak."

Jiang Huiqin obediently went to get a pair of sharp-tipped chopsticks and peered closely at the small bowl in front of her, and carefully picked out the black small feathery fluff and other debris inside.

Jiang Feng also went closer to take a look out of curiosity, the chopsticks were very thin, but compared with the small feathery fluff in the bowl, they were too thick. Jiang Huiqin"s hands were very skillful, but it was very laborious to pick them out.

"You have to first wash the bird"s nest with warm water, and then stew it for an hour and a half. I don"t need to teach you how to make Salix Leaf Shaped Pigeon Eggs, do I?"

"No need, no need." Jiang Huiqin had her head bent in concentration as she picked out a small fluff.

Seeing that Jiang Huiqin was picking at it carefully, Jiang Chengde no longer needed to guide her, he went to the table beside to get eight small wooden spoons, and covered the spoons with a layer of oil using an oiled rag, then he put them aside. Next, he took a piece of ham with his right hand.

"The ham has to be marinated first. By the way I"m going to have to add two more cuts of hams to your dowry for this. Be careful when slicing it. Don"t cut your hand out of carelessness. When it has expanded in the alkaline water, wash it with warm water before shredding it up. Forget it. Pick it first. You won"t be able to remember all my instructions anyway." As Jiang Chengde"s mouth moved as he spoke, his hands never stopped.

The big kitchen knife gently sliced a few times along the ham, and on the chopping board a few slices as thin as cicada wings appeared.

Jiang Huiqin had been burying her head low since she heard the word dowry. She didn"t listen to a word that had been spoken after that.

When Jiang Huiqin had finished picking out the fluff and impurities in the bird"s nest and put it into the alkaline water to let it soak, Jiang Chengde"s Salix Leaf Shaped Pigeon Eggs were ready as well. The steamed Salix Leaf Shaped Pigeon Eggs were laid with pieces of ham and mustard greens, forming an exquisite image.

"Brother, what should the bird"s nest look like after soaking?" Seeing that the Salix Leaf Shaped Pigeon Eggs were cooked, Jiang Huiqin couldn"t help but glance at the bird"s nest which had been soaked soggy in the bowl.

Jiang Chengde went over to have a look and was immediately fl.u.s.tered. He hurriedly poured out the alkaline water and washed it with warm water: "I said you won"t remember stuff and you really don"t remember! I told you to take it out as soon as it has expanded. How long have you been soaking it? Scoop up a bowl of cold water quickly! "

Jiang Huiqin went to fetch the water hastily.

When Jiang Huiqin brought the cold water, the bird"s nest had been shredded by Jiang Chengde. Jiang Chengde flushed it with cold water and then stewed it.

The Jiang family"s love for soup was indeed pa.s.sed from generation to generation. As soon as the bird"s nest was in the pot, the boiling clear soup was poured on it. Jiang Feng noticed that the two big pots on the back of the stove were actually full of clear soup.

When Jiang Feng turned around, the bird"s nest had been fished out. There was only clear soup in the pot that was about to boil. Just as the clear soup was about to bubble, Jiang Chengde poured another ladle of cold soup in, sprinkled a pinch of salt, and lastly, splashed in a spoonful of Shaoxing wine before entrusting the pot to Jiang Huiqin.

"When it boils, skim out the froth." After that, he began to work on the plating.

After receiving the task, Jiang Huiqin, who wanted to make up for her mistake, kept her eyes glued to the big pot in front of her.

"Auntie, auntie, brother Ming is looking for you." A little carrot head ran into the back kitchen.

"Weiguo, you will have to call him uncle next time, we can"t mess up the seniority!" Jiang Chengde put on a grim expression.

"Oh." The smile on the little carrot head"s face gradually disappeared.

This is!

Grandpa!

Jiang Feng stared at a string of snot on the little carrot head"s nose, and couldn"t believe his eyes.

Before Jiang Feng could fully observe the young version of Jiang Weiguo, Jiang Huiqin ran out with a red face. Jiang Feng could only chase after her, or his waist and b.u.t.tocks would suffer again.

Then Jiang Feng experienced a large-scale scene showing displays of affection.

Who said that people in the old days were all very conservative, all those "The affection grows between man and woman, but it is restrained by the ritual" is just plain bulls.h.i.t!

This was a full-blown display of affection!

Jiang Feng had witnessed the teenage version of his great-grandaunt and great grandpa"s sweet affections while they were watching a movie. You feed me a preserved plum and I"ll help you desh.e.l.l a melon seed and hold your hands. At the end of the movie, the heroine died miserably. Li Mingyi sneaked a kiss on Jiang Huiqin"s left cheek.

It was an obviously tragic movie, but they had stayed silent and seemed to have just watched a sweet romantance when it had ended.

After watching the movie, Li Ming sent Jiang Huiqin home, and Jiang Feng followed them.

The critical damage from the couple"s affection when he had been in front was too great. Jiang Feng thought that it would be safer watching from behind.

"Tomorrow we"ll go to the Kinley photography studio to take our wedding pictures." There was also a small alley near the small bungalow of the Jiang family. Li Mingyi stopped walking there.

"Alright." Jiang Huiqin murmured.

"Five more days, and then you"ll be my wife."

"Yes." Jiang Huiqin"s voice was even smaller, her head was lowered, and even the tips of her ears were blushing.

"If it wasn"t for my mother insisting on picking a good day, I really wish you could marry me today. I"d publish it on the news, not only in Beiping city but also in Shanghai, Nanjing, in the Ta Kung Pao and the People"s Daily newspapers. I want the whole country to know that you are my wife!" Li Mingyi hugged Jiang Huiqin, lowered his head and kissed her forehead, as he whispered:

"Bonne nuit, ma chérie" 

Jiang Huiqin"s face, which had just been a little pink, bloomed red in an instant and she ran home from his arms without looking back.

Her sudden running had caused Jiang Feng to suffer. Without any preparation, he had been severely hit by the invisible wall behind him and had hit the ground.

That was such a painful fall!

Jiang Feng got up from the ground and found himself in a room, and it was in the daytime.

After all, it was nighttime when Jiang Huiqin had run home.

"I won"t wear it, I won"t wear it, I won"t wear it!"

Before Jiang Feng could figure out what the situation was, he heard Jiang Huiqin"s screams of fury.