It was New Year's Eve, the last day of 2013.
From noon onwards, the streets and alleys near Luo Chuan's home were filled with a thick aroma, like tempting little hands constantly teasing the hungry worms in their stomachs. Although it wasn't dinner time yet, everyone around them couldn't help but rub their bellies.
There was no other reason, just the hungry worms playing tricks.
In Luo Chuan's home, besides Luo Chuan, Tu Jun, Zhu Wei Jiao, Da Zui, and Mimi were all gathered together, their eyes sparkling with anticipation as they watched the steaming pot of braised meat.
Luo Chuan was speechless. It was just a little braised meat, was it necessary for them to act like this?
If Tu Jun knew what Luo Chuan was thinking, he would definitely shout out a resounding "Of course it is".
Tu Jun had heard Jiao Jiao say how delicious Luo Chuan's braised meat was, but he thought it was an exaggeration. Now, smelling the aroma, he realized he had underestimated Luo Chuan.
He was thankful for following Jiao Jiao here, otherwise he would only be able to smell the delicious scent.
"Chuan'er, when will this be ready? I can't wait any longer!" Mimi's legs were shaking uncontrollably, revealing his anxious heart.
"What are you in a hurry for? Didn't you see I'm waiting too?" Tu Jun shouted, then changed his expression, turning to Luo Chuan and saying,
"Chuan'er, it's done, right? Braised meat gets tough and not tasty if it's cooked for too long."
He had a serious expression, as if his statement held great weight.
Luo Chuan glanced at the clock and said,
"Be patient for another half an hour."
"Another half an hour?" Luo Shen exclaimed in "shock". Before he could say anything, he received a resounding slap on the back of his head from Zhu Wei Jiao.
"You wait when I tell you to wait, where did all this useless chatter come from?"
Luo Shen immediately shut up, clutching his head and muttering,
"Why hit me? Why not hit Mimi and Old Dog...?."
Finally, under Zhu Wei Jiao's stern gaze, Luo Shen had no choice but to sit down quietly.
Seeing this, Luo Chuan shook his head and chuckled softly. These four guys were truly a bunch of jokers.
At that moment, Luo Chuan remembered something and said to Tu Jun and the others,
"Right, I need your help with something later."
"Chuan'er, just tell us what you need," Tu Jun said confidently, patting his chest.
"Going through fire and water, whatever you need us to do, we'll do it."
Luo Chuan laughed, waved his hand and said,
"Dog Brother, going through fire and water is an exaggeration. It's just helping to deliver some braised meat to our neighbors later. It's like my New Year greetings."
"What about you?"
"Right now, it's just me. Eating alone, the whole family is not hungry. I'll keep some, enough for me to eat."
As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell silent for a moment.
Only then did Tu Jun and the others realize that Luo Chuan's grandmother had passed away just half a month ago. His father wouldn't be coming back. From now on, Luo Chuan would be alone, guarding this empty house.
Seeing the faint smile on Luo Chuan's lips, Zhu Wei Jiao, standing nearby, felt a pang in her heart. She wanted to say something, but it got stuck in her throat.
Finally, she suddenly thought of something and her eyes lit up.
"Xiao Chuan, why don't you come with us for New Year's Eve tonight."
Tu Jun and the others were stunned for a moment, then became excited. The scene became chaotic, everyone inviting Luo Chuan to join them for New Year's Eve dinner, boasting about how lively it would be, and so on.
The "F4 of Da Xing Village" were not just friends, they represented their families who were also close. Especially during the New Year, the four families would gather together to celebrate. Year after year, it was always like this.
Luo Chuan pondered for a moment,
"Let me think about it."
"What's there to think about?" Zhu Wei Jiao urged, "We always have dinner together. My father and my uncles and aunts will definitely welcome you."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Come with us, Chuan'er."
"Are we not friends anymore?"
Seeing their sincere invitations, Luo Chuan didn't want to dampen their spirits, so he nodded.
Tu Jun laughed and patted Luo Chuan on the shoulder, saying, "We'll each bring some dishes. You just bring the braised meat. I guarantee yours will be the best. Let the butcher see what real braised meat is."
"It's all pork, but in his hands, it's just braised pork, I'm tired of it."
Amidst their playful banter, Luo Chuan moved his nose and smelled a familiar aroma.
Ah! The braised meat is ready!
【Cooking +46】
Ignoring the system notification, Luo Chuan quickly walked towards the kitchen, turned off the stove, and opened the pot lid. A burst of fragrance hit him instantly. He took a small bite and it was tender, flavorful, and even more delicious than the last time he made it.
This was to be expected. After all, it was the first time Luo Chuan had made braised meat. He wasn't sure about certain techniques. Plus, his cooking skills had improved.
Unlike the previous time when he had just reached LV2, Luo Chuan's cooking experience bar was already halfway full. At this rate, he would soon get his first skill to upgrade to LV3.
At that time, his cooking skills would definitely improve significantly again.
"It smells so good, let me try it too."
Tu Jun couldn't resist anymore. He grabbed a pair of chopsticks and picked up a large piece of braised meat. He didn't even care about the heat, and took a bite directly.
"Whew... Delicious, it's really delicious."
Mimi and Da Zui weren't polite either, and started using their chopsticks.
Luo Chuan placed a piece in Zhu Wei Jiao's dish, and she naturally didn't hesitate. The small kitchen was filled with four voices.
At the same time, Luo Chuan kept some braised meat for tonight and the next few days. He divided the rest evenly into four or five bowls.
Luo Chuan couldn't possibly deliver to every household, so he only focused on those who had a close relationship with his grandmother.
"Okay, once you're done eating, get to work," Luo Chuan said.
Tu Jun swallowed the last piece of meat and made a gesture with his hand, asking who it was for.
"This is for Lady Liu, this is for Grandma Huang...."
Watching Tu Jun and the others leave, Luo Chuan took the last bowl of meat and headed towards Grandma Li's house.
Grandma Li and Luo Chuan's grandmother were very good friends. You could even say they were best friends. When Luo Chuan's grandmother passed away, Grandma Li was so heartbroken that she fainted.
So, Luo Chuan decided to deliver to her himself. He also wanted to tell Grandma Li that he could live well on his own.
Half an hour later, Luo Chuan came out of Grandma Li's house with red eyes. He stood at the door for a while before slowly walking towards home.
Really, sand could get into your eyes even when you're indoors!
This chapter: Thank you to all the book friends for your support with flowers and recommendation tickets. Thank you！！！！