Chapter 419: The Qin family's New Year's Eve dinner

In Qin Tian's memory, the Spring Festival was generally spent by just him and his mother.

If the children of Grandpa Sun and Grandma Liu next door didn't come back for the New Year, his mother would have him go call the two elderly people over on New Year's Eve to have dinner together and watch the Spring Festival Gala.

It wasn't lively, but it was quite warm and happy.

This year, with the addition of the sisters Xia Nuannuan and Xia Xue, it was naturally going to be much livelier.

Xia Nuannuan's family was, of course, also having a New Year's Eve dinner, and Grandpa Xia had specifically instructed Qin Tian to come over for it.

Therefore, to stagger the times, Qin Tian and his mother began preparing after lunch.

Not long after, Grandma Liu also brought over some fish and meat, as well as two old hens that Grandpa Sun had already processed, to help with the cooking.

In earlier years, both families would make their own New Year's Eve dinners; after Qin Tian called Grandpa Sun and Grandma Liu over to eat, he and his mother would go over to their place to eat a little more.

Later, after becoming familiar with the two elderly people, Tang Xiuxia suggested that they just make the New Year's Eve dinner together, which would be livelier and avoid waste.

In the patio outside the kitchen, his mother, Tang Xiuxia, was sitting with Grandma Liu, chatting and laughing while processing ingredients.

Qin Tian was busy in the kitchen, chopping an old hen into small pieces and stewing it with yam, corn, mushrooms, and other ingredients.

This was a dish that required time, so it had to be stewed first.

The phone in his pocket rang.

Qin Tian wiped his right hand with a rag, took out his phone to answer, tilted his head, and clamped the phone between his ear and shoulder.

"Hello?"

"Brother, what are you doing?"

"Preparing the New Year's Eve dinner!"

"So early?"

"Yeah, we have to go to your place for dinner in the afternoon, so we're starting early here. We should be able to eat by two o'clock. If you guys are free, just come over directly!"

"Okay, we're making dumplings with Grandma, so let's head over now!"

"Brother-in-law, Brother-in-law, what are you cooking?"

Xia Xue's voice sounded from the other end.

"I'm stewing soup, old hen soup!"

Qin Tian answered with a smile.

"Whoa, that's good, that's good. I've been studying really hard lately, I need to nourish myself."

Xia Xue said happily.

"Nourish your head. It's only been a few days and you've gained nearly ten pounds, and you still want to nourish yourself?"

"No way, it's clearly only eight pounds!"

"Is there much difference? One more meal and it'll be ten pounds."

"No, it won't!"

Listening to the sisters bickering, a hearty smile appeared on Qin Tian's face.

"Brother, I won't talk to you anymore, I'm hanging up. We'll be there soon."

"Okay!"

"Oh, do you want me to buy some drinks or alcohol?"

"No need, we bought them yesterday."

"Alright, then hanging up. Bye-bye, see you in a bit!"

"Mm-hmm, see you in a bit."

After speaking, the other side hung up.

"Xiaotian, was that Nuannuan on the phone?"

His mother's voice came from outside.

"Yes, they'll be here soon."

Qin Tian responded loudly.

Tang Xiuxia looked at Grandma Liu beside her with a smile and said, "Our New Year will be even livelier this year!"

"That would be great."

Grandma Liu nodded with a radiant smile.

After one o'clock, thanks to the busy work of Chef Qin, the delicious dishes for the New Year's Eve dinner were coming out of the pot one after another.

His mother and Grandma Liu helped out, while Xia Nuannuan and Xia Xue had already started setting the tableware, helping to carry the finished dishes to the dining table in the front room.

When it was almost time to eat, Qin Tian asked Xia Nuannuan to go next door and call Grandpa Sun over.

Before long, Grandpa Sun walked into the kitchen with his hands behind his back, offering praise with a chuckle.

"It smells so good, Little Qin. Your cooking skills are impressive. I saw the dishes on the front table; they are truly sumptuous."

"Grandpa Sun, go sit in the front. We'll be able to eat in a moment, just the last two dishes."

Qin Tian turned his head to look at the old man and said with a smile.

"Alright, thank you for your hard work. Let's have a couple of drinks together in a bit."

"No problem!"

"Haha..."

Grandpa Sun laughed heartily and turned to go back to the front room.

Soon, all the dishes were on the table, and everyone sat around it.

Qin Tian first burned incense to worship his ancestors, then took a string of firecrackers outside to light them.

Amidst the crackling sound of firecrackers, Qin Tian ran back into the house with a smile, making a gesture to sit down.

"Xiaotian, you sit there!"

Tang Xiuxia pointed to the main seat and said loudly.

"What?"

Qin Tian didn't quite understand.

"You are already the pillar of the family, from now on you sit in the main seat!"

Tang Xiuxia explained, raising her voice.

Qin Tian was stunned when he heard this.

"Little Qin, your mother is right, go sit there!"

Grandpa Sun echoed with a face full of smiles.

He was an elder, but he wasn't a member of the Qin family, so naturally, he couldn't sit in the main seat today.

"Mom, you should sit there instead. I'm still a child."

Qin Tian declined with a smile.

In previous years, his mother had always sat there.

"If I tell you to go, then go. Why are you dawdling? Hurry up, you'll be twenty after the New Year, and you still call yourself a child?"

Tang Xiuxia rolled her eyes, annoyed.

The sisters Xia Nuannuan and Xia Xue watched this scene, secretly amused.

"Alright then!"

Qin Tian nodded helplessly, stood up, and sat in the main seat.

The drinks were already prepared. They weren't high-end, but they weren't bad either—a white spirit costing over three hundred a bottle, which was the standard for an ordinary family's New Year.

Qin Tian helped Grandpa Sun and himself pour a glass of wine each, and Xia Nuannuan also took a bottle of fruit juice and poured it for everyone.

"Little Qin, why don't you say a few words!"

Grandpa Sun said with a smile after he sat down.

"Hmm... I don't know what to say. Everyone, eat well and drink well. I wish Grandpa Sun and Grandma Liu good health and all the best, and I wish Mom more and more beautiful in the new year."

"Nuannuan... I wish us more and more happiness, and that we have each other by our side every year."

"Well said!!"

Grandpa Sun cheered loudly with joy.

Tang Xiuxia and Grandma Liu were also full of smiles, and Xia Nuannuan had a sweet smile, her beautiful eyes filled with tenderness as she looked at him.

"Alright, I'm done. Cheers!!"

Qin Tian deliberately left out Xia Xue.

"Wait, wait!"

The smile on Xia Xue's face, which had been full of anticipation, froze, and she shouted to stop.

Everyone looked at her with smiles on their faces.

"Brother-in-law, what about me? I'm such a big person!"

Xia Xue pointed at herself, looking aggrieved.

"Oh, oh, you're there too. Sorry, sorry, I forgot."

"Brother-in-law..."

"Haha... just kidding. I wish you smooth studies and success in getting into a key high school next year, so you can give your father a big shock."

Qin Tian said with a smile.

"What? You might as well wish me more and more beautiful!"

Xia Xue pouted.

"I should wish you more and more fat instead."

Xia Nuannuan interjected with a cold remark.

"Hahaha..."

Hearing this, the group burst into laughter. ===== CHAPTER 420 =====