Rebirth of Siheyuan starts in the 1980s

"Oh, it turns out that this is our third sister. It's better to be famous than to meet, and to meet is worse than to be famous!"

"Our Zhiqiang always praised you when he was in front of me. I didn't believe it at first."

"But when we meet today, I really believe it!"

"You are indeed well-educated and sensible. I feel pity for this little beauty. She is simply a combination of Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai. If she grows up, she will charm many young men to death."

Hearing Cao Jiajia's barrage of compliments, Cao Lili was embarrassed by the praise. She blushed and lowered her head and said, "Sister, you are joking, I'm not that good."

"Okay, okay!" Cao Jiajia smiled and grabbed one of Cao Lili's hands, "Look at this little hand, it's white and... Huh? Why are there so many calluses?"

Speaking of this, Cao Jiajia looked at Cao Lili with a gentler look: "Lili, does it matter if I call you that?"

"It doesn't matter." Cao Lili shook her head.

Cao Jiajia nodded and sighed: "Why are there so many calluses on your hands? It seems that you have done a lot of work and your life is very hard, right?"

Speaking of this, before Cao Lili could speak, Cao Jiajia turned around and cursed at Cao Zhiqiang:

"Zhiqiang, what's the matter with you? How do you take care of your sister?

You yourself are fair and clean, with few calluses on your hands, but you let your sister pick up a handful of calluses?

What do you do for food? Do you usually ask her to take care of you? Do you just enjoy the happiness at home? "

Cao Zhiqiang, who was eating bear paw with his head down, was stunned. He quickly put a large piece of braised bear paw into his bowl, then put down the kuaizi and said with a smile: "Where can I find it? I actually..."

"Actually, I don't blame the second brother." Cao Lili suddenly said, "The calluses in my hands are not from here. They were there a long time ago. They were caused by me in my original home. The second brother is very good to me and really takes care of me.

I, eldest sister, please stop scolding him."

"You heard me, sister." Cao Zhiqiang said hoarsely, "You wrongly blamed a good person. How could I let her work and take care of me? It's almost the same the other way around."

"I don't know about you yet." Cao Jiajia continued with a cold face, "You have been lazy and clever since you were a child, and I asked you to take care of others, unless the sun comes out from the west."

"Yes, the eldest sister is wise!" Cao Zhiqiang simply smiled and said, "So, I'm not good at taking care of people, so I won't take care of them at all. I will find a way to make money, and then spend money to let others take care of me and my sister. There are so many

OK?"

Cao Jiajia was stunned, and was about to retort, but suddenly thought of Cao Zhiqiang's status at this time, and that her family's return to the capital was all dependent on the help of her younger brother, so she swallowed the reprimand again.

This forced swallowing seemed a bit stiff and embarrassing.

Fortunately, Cao Lili was right next to Cao Jiajia. She picked up a piece of braised pork with a quick pick and said, "Sister, I heard from my second brother that you like braised pork the most. Come try this and see how it tastes."

."

Interrupted by Cao Lili, Cao Jiajia borrowed the donkey from the slope and immediately happily picked up a piece of food and started eating it. Then she smiled and nodded, saying it was delicious.

Next, Cao Jiajia kept talking to Cao Lili and didn't talk to Cao Zhiqiang much.

On the other hand, Cao Lili was chatting with Cao Jiajia for a while and Cao Zhiqiang for a while, but no one was left alone.

Well, this is the official family banquet of the Cao family. The venue is the east wing of the west courtyard of the ancestral house of the Cao family's ancestral home, the old quadrangle.

The reason why I eat here instead of in the main room of the north house is because this east wing is the ancestral home of the Cao family.

Eating here feels more ritualistic.

In addition, the only people serving dinner in the east wing of this ancestral house were Cao Jiajia, Cao Zhiqiang and Cao Lili.

Because according to Cao Jiajia, these three people are the serious Cao family members.

As for Cao Jiajia's two biological children, Xia Wenfang and Xia Wenxuan, as well as Cao Lili's biological sister Qiao Simei, because they are not serious Cao family members, they cannot eat here at this time, but have a small table outside.

As for the food here, of course it is cooked by He Yuzhu himself.

However, because this was a rare family dinner for the Cao family, He Yuzhu left after cooking, leaving no chatter.

In fact, Cao Zhiqiang didn't care about this kind of thing. His original plan was just for everyone to meet, have a meal and get to know each other.

Including Cao Jiajia's two children and Qiao Simei, they can actually eat at the table together.

However, Cao Jiajia insisted that only the Cao family could serve the dinner at the Cao family, and even took the lead in preventing her two children from eating at the table.

As the eldest sister, Cao Jiajia set an example by not letting her biological children eat at the table. As an adopted daughter, Cao Lili was naturally not qualified to let Qiao Simei, whose surname was not Cao, serve at the table.

So it's like this now, with a table full of dishes, but only three people can eat it.

Nothing else, just because this is enough food for six people.

Of course, although it was just a family banquet, because Cao Zhiqiang was no longer short of money at this time, and he also received system sign-in rewards from time to time, the quality of this family banquet was quite good.

Putting aside He Yuzhu's cooking skills, the ingredients used in these meals are quite exquisite.

All the abalone, ginseng, and belly are standard, and even the hump and bear paws are included.

Let’s not talk about the hump, let’s talk about the braised bear’s paws. This stuff will be difficult to eat in later generations because it is not allowed to be eaten in China.

But in the early 1980s, although bear paws were still rare, they were still available in the capital city of China, but the price was extremely expensive and ordinary people couldn't afford it.

In fact, in the early 1980s, when it came to the word "eating", it might not be as varied and exquisite as the dishes of later generations, but when it came to the wonders and delicacies, it was really awesome.

You can eat everything from bear paws to monkey brains at this time, and they are not explicitly prohibited.

Not to mention things like abalone, ginseng, wings, belly, hump, and elephant pluck.

Of course, despite this, Cao Zhiqiang is not the kind of person who is particularly interested in rare treasures.

For example, the grizzly bear paws and the hump of the Egyptian dromedary here were not bought by Cao Zhiqiang specifically, but were signed in by the system.

Also, in China at this time, it would be easier to eat the paws of a Northeastern black bear or the camel of a Gansu Bactrian camel.

But if you want to say that in China at this time, it is quite difficult to eat the bear paws of the American grizzly bear and the hump of the Egyptian dromedary camel.

Otherwise, why would Cao Zhiqiang ask He Yuzhu to do it instead of hiring a chef from outside?

Is it true that without He Yuzhu, there would be no good cook?

Isn't it because He Yuzhu has a cooperative relationship with him and is strict with his words?

"Anyway, Zhiqiang, you have to be nicer to your little sister in the future!" Cao Jiajia sighed, "It's not easy for this kid."

"Yes, I know." Cao Zhiqiang chuckled, then turned to look at Cao Lili and said, "She has never left me when I was in the most difficult time. I am very grateful and have always regarded her as my sister. Anyway, I have

Every bite of food is indispensable for her, so don’t worry!”

"That's pretty much it." Cao Jiajia nodded with satisfaction.

Well, Cao Jiajia was really satisfied at this time.

I don’t think it’s entirely because I think Cao Lili, my foster sister, is pretty good.

But she could see that Cao Zhiqiang was really emotional.

He can even treat his adopted sister like this, let alone his biological sister.

Cao Jiajia thought that if she waits for her man to be transferred here, she can live a good life in a serious manner with the help of her younger brother.

How can you not be happy when you think of being able to go back to the capital and live a good life, and be able to enjoy all your hardships?

"By the way, sister, I have a small matter that I want to discuss with you." Cao Zhiqiang suddenly said.

"What's going on?" Cao Jiajia laughed.

"It's about Qiao Simei, Cao Lili's biological sister." Cao Zhiqiang said, "The thing is like this, I will tell you slowly."

Next, Cao Zhiqiang told the specific identity of Qiao Simei, how she came here on her own, how he found a relationship to temporarily let her study here, and how this situation could not last long.

To put it bluntly, he just wants Cao Jiajia to accept Qiao Simei as his adopted daughter. In this case, he can legitimately obtain Qiao Simei's household registration and go to school in the capital.

This is what Cao Zhiqiang had planned from the beginning, and he only had the opportunity to say it this time.

However, when Cao Zhiqiang was talking to Cao Jiajia about Qiao Simei, what he didn't know was that Qiao Simei was having an argument with two children at the small table outside.

The reason is very simple, that is, Qiao Simei is obviously young, even one year younger than the youngest Xia Wenxuan, but because she is Cao Lili's biological sister, she always relies on her elders and lets them call her aunt.

"Come on!" Xia Wenxuan was the first to be unhappy, "You are one year younger than me. You should call me brother. Why should I call you aunt?"

"That's right!" Xia Wenfang also supported her younger brother, "We are all older than you, you should call me sister and call me brother and brother!"

"Nonsense!" Qiao Simei pursed her lips, "Although I'm not as old as you, I am older? My biological sister is your uncle's sister and your mother's sister, so tell me, should you call me

My aunt?"

Xia Wenxuan hesitated slightly, but Xia Wenfang was older and knew more about the matter, so she immediately pouted: "Come on, your surname is Qiao, not Cao. You are not from the Cao family, why should you be our aunt?"

"I, my biological sister is your aunt!" Qiao Simei said loudly.

"Yes, that's right." Xia Wenfang raised her chin again and curled her lips, "But don't think I don't know. She was adopted by my grandma. She had already changed her surname to Cao and was considered a member of the Cao family, so she was called Third Aunt.

We admit it.

But you are different, you are not from the Cao family, you are still from the Qiao family.

So even if you and your third aunt are biological sisters, you are not from the Cao family.

Since you are not from the Cao family, you cannot be our elder. Is there a problem with this?"

"Nonsense!" Qiao Simei was angry, "Who said I'm not from the Cao family?"

"You are not!" Xia Wenfang said tit for tat, "Your surname is Qiao. You are a child of the Qiao family, not the Cao family!"

"I am!" Qiao Simei stood up directly, clasped her waist with her hands and looked down at Xia Wenfang who was sitting on the bench and said, "I am your aunt, that's right!"

Xia Wenfang also stood up, clasped her waist with both hands, and took advantage of her height to look down at Qiao Simei:

"You are not! You are not from the Cao family. If you were, you would not eat with us. Instead, you should go into the house and serve!"

"That's right!" Xia Wenxuan also stood up and united with his sister, "Only the elders of the Cao family can enter. Even we can't enter, and you can't enter either. It means you are not from the Cao family. You are

outsider!"

"No, I'm not an outsider!" Qiao Simei suddenly cried, "Although my surname is Qiao, I am from the Cao family! My sister is your aunt, and Brother Cao will marry me in the future. You, you...

You are unreasonable, I won’t tell you anymore!”

Speaking of this, Qiao Simei threw Kuaizi away and ran to the east wing crying.

Seeing Qiao Simei running in, Xia Wenxuan was startled and tugged on Xia Wenfang's clothes: "Sister, she seems to have gone to file a complaint. Will mom be angry or scold us?"

"How is that possible?" Xia Wenfang frowned and said, "We told the truth and we didn't use any curse words. Isn't her surname Qiao? Is her surname Cao?"

"That's what I said." Xia Wenxuan frowned, "But her sister is our third aunt after all."

"Huh, don't be afraid!" Xia Wenfang waved her hand, "What third aunt is fake! She has no blood relationship with us. The only ones who are blood related to us are my mother and uncle.

Therefore, not only is Qiao Simei an outsider, but the third aunt is also an outsider.

We are all outsiders, and we have some close relatives, right?

Although our last name is not Joe, we are related by blood to our uncle, right?

It’s impossible for uncle to not be able to tell the difference between closeness and distance, and he would side with outsiders and not us!"

"Yeah, that's right." Xia Wenxuan nodded, "Sister, you are so amazing, you analyze so clearly, I can't even figure it out."

"Of course." Xia Wenfang raised her chin, "How about I be your sister, hum."

"Oh, stop talking, let's eat this soup." Xia Wenxuan picked up the soup spoon with a smile, "This is abalone and sea cucumber soup. I heard it is a good thing, but it's a pity that we are children and each of us only has one abalone, so we can't open it.

It’s a pity that I didn’t eat it.”

"Okay." Xia Wenfang also sat down with a smile, "It's good to eat some. From now on, we can eat it every day. Even if it's not, we can eat it often. After all, it's all uncle's."

"Yes, yes, uncle's things are mother's things, and mother's things are naturally ours, right?" Xia Wenxuan said.

"That's right." Xia Wenfang smiled and nodded, "That's right, that's it!"

While Xia Wenfang and Xia Wenxuan were comforting themselves, Qiao Simei had already barged into the main banquet, and then got into Cao Lili's arms crying.

"What's wrong?" Cao Lili was stunned, and quickly put down her kuaizi and hugged Qiao Simei, "Okay, why are you crying?"

"Wow!" Qiao Simei cried louder, "Sister, someone is bullying me!"

"Bullying you? Who?" Cao Lili asked curiously, "Who can bully you in this place?"

"Wait!" Cao Zhiqiang suddenly frowned, "You just had dinner with my two nephews. Could it be that they bullied you?"

"It's them!" Qiao Simei immediately got out of Cao Lili's arms and nodded fiercely to Cao Zhiqiang, "It's them who bullied me!"

"Wenfang and Wenxuan?" Cao Jiajia was also shocked, "Simei, you are both of the same age, and my daughter and son have always been very well-behaved, obedient, very well-educated, and never bully others. How could they bully you?

Is there any misunderstanding?"

"No, there is no misunderstanding!" Qiao Simei shouted with tears streaming down her face, "They, they ganged up to bully me, saying that I was not from the Cao family and that I was an outsider!"

Speaking of this, Qiao Simei thought of the sad thing and cried again: "Tell me, am I an outsider? Am I a member of the Cao family? Tell me, tell me, woo woo woo..."