Year 1979: Eating meat with my wife and children

Li Xiaojiang, Li Xiaotao, and the others had nothing but the broth in their eyes and wanted to drink it as soon as possible. They couldn't think of anything else or care about anything else.

"Understood, Uncle. We'll just have the meat soup."

"Yes, yes, we won't fight with our sister for the pig's tail."

"Dad, I want to drink meat soup too."

Li Xiangdong picked up his teacup, placed it on the small dining table, and said, "Don't fight. Take turns drinking, one sip each, understand?"

"heard it."

"Understood, Third Uncle!"

"I'm the eldest brother, so I'll take the first sip."

Li Xiangdong watched his nephews and nieces scrambling for the meat soup with a wicked grin. He returned to the large dining table smugly, opened another tea mug, and found it filled more than halfway with pig's head meat and offal.

The eyes of the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Li, as well as the brothers and sisters-in-law, were all drawn to the meat in the teacup.

"Wow! Third brother, where did you get so much meat? Did you rob the meat processing plant?"

The eldest brother, Li Weiguo, was very surprised to see so much meat. Smelling the aroma of the meat, his Adam's apple began to move involuntarily.

The family's monthly meat supply wasn't even enough for the children to have a couple of bites of meat. The adults could at most sneak a taste of meat, but it was extremely difficult for them to have a proper meal of meat.

Li Xiangdong said speechlessly, "What are you saying, brother? Is this all the meat processing plant has?"

Brother Li was glanced at by his wife, and he awkwardly shut his mouth and stopped talking, silently swallowing his saliva.

Mr. Li was chewing on a steamed bun when he suddenly saw a teacup full of meat. He didn't notice it for a moment and choked, coughing repeatedly.

He took the water handed to him by Li's mother, drank a couple of sips, and, suppressing a cough, said, "Third brother, tell me quickly where this meat came from!"

Li Xiangdong glared at his father, "A Zhe and his father are back. We brothers went to visit them. This meat was ordered in advance by Binzi from the restaurant. Don't worry, it wasn't stolen or robbed. Your son wouldn't do something so despicable."

When Li's father heard his third son's words, he blushed slightly and retorted stubbornly, "When did I say you stole or robbed? Can't I, as your father, even ask?"

"What kind of father asks that? You just don't want the best for your son."

Grandma Li scolded her husband with great dissatisfaction, then looked at her grandson and said, "Why did you bring the meat back? We can't do this when we're guests."

Old Li continued, "The Shi family father and son have suffered a lot over the years. It's not easy for them to come back unharmed. This meat should be kept so that the father and son can nourish themselves."

Li Xiangdong explained, "Don't worry, Grandpa and Grandma, we've prepared everything. Binzi even ordered a big pig's head and a whole set of offal. There's so much meat that we can't finish it all, and it's too hot to store it all. So we specially shared some with each family and brought it back for you to try."

Upon hearing her brother-in-law's words, Li Ersao exclaimed in shock, "My goodness! A whole pig's head, and a whole set of offal! You guys are really good at this! Our family can't even eat this much meat in a year!"

"What are you yelling about? Is this meat ours?"

Li's mother glared at her second son's wife with displeasure, then said to Li Xiangdong, "Binzi is really generous this time. Is his wife about to give birth? Remember to let me know when that happens, and I'll go over and bring some eggs for Binzi's wife."

Of Li Xiangdong's childhood friends, Li's mother liked Qian Bin the most. This wasn't because she was snobbish; even though A Zhe's father was a university teacher, his mother still didn't like A Zhe.

These days, anyone who has a decent job is considered a good kid in the eyes of their elders.

Li Xiangdong nodded and said, "Okay, I understand."

He picked up the teacup and walked over to his grandparents. He specially picked out the tender, braised pig's head meat and put two pieces on each of their plates. "Try it," he said. "Binzi's stewed meat is so tender."

“Give it to the children. Your grandma and I are so old, why would we eat meat?”

Old Li watched as his great-grandchildren gathered around, standing to the side with longing eyes. He took the teacup from Li Xiangdong and pushed it in front of his mother.

"You all have a taste, and the rest can be given to the children so they can have more."

"Great-grandfather is so kind!"

The children were so happy.

"What's so good about it? Go back and drink your meat soup!"

Li Xiangdong knew this would happen. Luckily, he had put two pieces of meat on his grandparents' plates beforehand. The elderly couple knew they were getting old and wouldn't share their food with the children.

Mr. Li, his mother, his brothers and sisters-in-law, and his wife each picked up a piece of food with their chopsticks.

Mr. Li was most proud of the pig liver. He thought it was the most delicious food. He picked up a piece, put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly, reluctant to swallow it.

Unlike Brother Li, who put a piece of pig's head meat in his mouth, smacked it twice, and swallowed it directly.

They each ate one piece and then stopped eating. There were still quite a few left, so they put them on the small dining table for the children to share.

At this moment, Li Xiaotao suddenly cried out, "Big brother, Xiaobo, come quick! Xiaohai has drunk all the meat soup, and I haven't had a drop yet!"

When Zhou Yuqin heard that her son had caused her trouble again, she was so angry that she went over and hugged Li Xiaohai, and slapped his buttocks hard a few times.

Li Xiaohai didn't cry, laughing and joking. He was enjoying the soup, clutching the empty teacup tightly and licking the bits of meat inside.

Sister-in-law Li and Sister-in-law Li Er hurriedly came over and pulled Zhou Yuqin away. Sister-in-law Li Er advised, "Don't hit her. What's wrong with the child drinking some meat soup? Besides, this was brought back by the third brother."

Sister-in-law Li went straight over and slapped Li Xiaotao on the back of the head.

"What are you yelling about? We've already brought you the meat, are you saying you can't eat it or what? If you dare to act up again, you're out here standing there and won't get any more meat. You'll have to give all your meat to your younger siblings!"

Li Xiangdong watched the family arguing but didn't pay attention. After his wife died in his previous life, he hadn't felt this kind of family atmosphere for a long time.

He sat down on his wife's stool, reached out and took the little girl from Li's mother's arms, "Xiaoqi, is it delicious? Does the pig's tail smell good?"

"Dad...eat..."

Li Xiaozhu thought her father wanted to eat it, so she generously stretched out the pig's tail in her hand.

"Dad won't eat, you eat. My daughter is so good."

Li Xiangdong kissed his daughter's greasy little face.

Li Xiaozhu was overjoyed. Holding the pig's tail in her hands, she bounced around in her father's arms.

"Mom, can you give me some food coupons? My brothers and I steamed a pot of steamed buns with two kinds of flour at A-Zhe's house."

That's how it is now. Every household is supplied with grain according to a set amount. When you go out to visit relatives or friends, you have to bring your own grain coupons.

Li's mother took out a handkerchief from her pocket, opened it, and took out several grain coupons, asking, "How many do you need?"