Year 1979: Eating meat with my wife and children

Seeing that his grandfather was very fond of his coat, Li Xiangdong said, "Grandpa, why don't you try it on?"

"Then let me try?"

Old Li excitedly unbuttoned his clothes, put them on, and repeatedly exclaimed, "Hmm, good, really good!"

Li Xiangdong smiled and said, "I like you to keep it for winter."

Before Old Man Li could speak, Old Woman Li scolded, "You shameless old man, hurry up and take off your coat! Wearing this in the sweltering heat, aren't you afraid of getting heat rash all over your body!"

"What do you know? As a grandfather, would I steal my grandson's clothes? I just like them a little."

Old Man Li dodged Old Woman Li, who came over to pull off his clothes. He was wearing an overcoat that was just long enough to cover his shorts, and slippers. He swaggered out of the house.

When Grandma Li saw her husband leave, she slapped her thigh and said, "Dongzi, look at your grandfather, the older he gets, the weirder his temper becomes!"

Before she could finish speaking, she couldn't help but laugh when she thought of her husband's expression just now. Zhou Yuqin and Sister-in-law Li laughed along with her.

Li Xiangdong said, "My grandfather really likes this coat, so let him keep it for winter."

Grandma Li disagreed, saying, "That won't do, Dongzi. Your grandfather has a thick cotton-padded coat for winter. If you give it to him, what will you wear in winter?"

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Anyway, now is not the time to wear it."

It's just a coat. Li Xiangdong didn't know his grandfather liked this before. He'll find a way to get another one later.

Li Xiangdong took a net bag of milk candy out of the cloth bag, picked it up and put it in his grandmother's hand. "Look what this is?"

"Hey, your candy looks pretty good."

Grandma Li is old and her eyesight isn't very good. She held the milk candy close to her eyes and carefully examined the rabbit on the wrapper.

A milky aroma wafted into her nose, and she exclaimed in surprise, "These are milk candies! Dongzi, where did you get so many milk candies? These are good stuff, you should put them away carefully."

As she spoke, Grandma Li put the milk candy back into Li Xiangdong's hand.

"I brought these out for you to eat; these are all employee benefits."

Li Xiangdong opened the net bag, took out a seed, peeled off the wrapper, and gave one to Grandma Li first. Then he grabbed a few more and placed them in front of Zhou Yuqin and Sister-in-law Li, who were sitting at the table.

Looking at the milk candies on the table, Sister-in-law Li asked, "Dongzi, are the benefits at your company this good? They even give out milk candies when you report for duty?"

Li Xiangdong smiled but didn't explain. He would inevitably bring home some nice things in the future, and he couldn't explain it every time, could he?

He saw that Sister-in-law Li only picked up a piece of milk candy, looked at it, and then put it down, just like his wife Zhou Yuqin, who only looked at it but couldn't bear to eat it.

"You guys eat, I still have plenty left."

Li Xiangdong walked over, picked up a piece of the package, tore off the wrapper, and was about to put it into his wife's mouth.

Zhou Yuqin blushed and hid, saying, "Give it to me, I can eat it myself."

With a milk candy in her mouth, Grandma Li smiled and said, "That's right, you should all try it. Don't be stingy. Our Dongzi is doing well now, and we won't lack food in the future."

Li Xiangdong watched as his wife and sister-in-law each ate one, then looked up and saw Li Xiaomei holding his daughter, and Li Xiaolan, the three heads of the two adults and one child pressed against the window.

He smiled and waved to them.

The Xiaomei and Xiaolan sisters smiled at him through the window, then quickly walked to the door, went inside, and walked directly towards Li Xiangdong.

Li Xiaozhu pouted and called out unhappily, "Daddy...hug..."

"Oh, Dad will hug my eldest daughter now."

Li Xiangdong took Li Xiaozhu from his niece Li Xiaomei and kissed her.

He looked down at his two nieces standing in front of him and said, "There are White Rabbit milk candies on the kang. You two can take as many as you want. Don't be shy with your third uncle."

"Thank you, Uncle!"

Hearing that there was milk candy to eat, the two sisters skipped and hopped towards the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Mother...eat..."

Li Xiaozhu patted Li Xiangdong on the shoulder and pointed to Zhou Yuqin, who was eating a milk candy.

"The candy is too hard for you to chew. How about I ask your mom to make you some sugar water?"

"Uh-huh..."

Li Xiaozhu nodded happily.

Li Xiangdong smiled at his wife and said, "Xiao Qi is getting hungry because she sees you all eating. Honey, pour some hot water and make her a milk candy so she can drink some sugar water."

After he finished speaking, he saw his two nieces snuggling up to their great-grandmother, their eyes fixed on a piece of candy clutched in their hand, reluctant to eat it.

Li Xiangdong just said that they could take as much as they wanted, but the two sisters only took one. Such sensible children are so endearing.

When Zhou Yuqin is busy, she can't take care of her daughter, so her two nieces come over to help take care of the child.

Li Xiangdong was naturally not stingy with the two of them. He carried his daughter over and grabbed a handful of food, placing it in Li Xiaomei's arms.

"You and Xiaolan share it. Whoever is short one can take another one."

Sister-in-law Li was happy to see her brother-in-law being so generous, but how could she give so much of such a good thing as milk candy to the children at once?

"Third brother, put it away quickly. One is enough for each of them."

When Li Xiaomei heard her mother's words, she was about to put the milk candy back in her arms.

Grandma Li reached out to stop her great-granddaughter, "Your mother has no right to interfere with what your third uncle gave her. We won't listen to her. You and your sister should share the food."

Zhou Yuqin chimed in, "It's alright, sister-in-law. This is just food for the child. Whether it's a lot or a little, it'll all end up in the child's stomach sooner or later."

Li Xiangdong held his daughter, playing with her as he said with a smile, "I like Xiaomei and Xiaolan. If you bring Li Xiaojiang and the others over, I won't give them any if they want to eat."

Sister-in-law Li laughed and said, "Third brother, what are you saying? If your three nephews heard this, wouldn't they complain about your favoritism as their uncle?"

Li Xiangdong joked, "I'll raise sons frugally and daughters lavishly. They'll understand my good intentions sooner or later. Besides, when I get old, I'll still be counting on my three daughters to be filial."

Li Xiaomei looked at her third uncle and said with an extremely serious expression, "Third Uncle, my sister and I will definitely be filial to you in the future."

Li Xiaolan added, "Third Uncle, when I grow up, I'll earn money and buy you White Rabbit milk candy."

"Then Uncle will have to rely on you all from now on."

Li Xiangdong replied, nuzzling his daughter's cheek, "Xiaoqi, did you hear what your sister said?"

Li Xiaozhu felt a sting from his stubble, and tried to push his head away with her chubby little hands. "Go away..."

Li Xiangdong laughed and said, "You're still pushing your father? If you don't like your father, I won't let you eat the good food in the future, and I'll give it all to your two older sisters."

Li Xiaozhu loosened her grip, then hugged his neck tightly, pleading, "I want...I want..."