Ome Quartet of Snow Country

Chapter 155 New Year's Eve
Coming out of his house, Naruse noticed that it was completely dark.

At the door of the neighbor's house, Shangzi was also coming to look for him.

"Chunhai..."

"It's all ready." He lifted the food box in his hand, "Bring the other lacquer box too."

She smiled, and trotted over from the door, "Hold it."

The two exchanged the food boxes in their hands, and before turning their heads back, Naruse said, "It's time to prepare dinner next."

"It's already being prepared."

"Really." It seems that Shangzi's movements are much faster than him, "I'll be right over."

She nodded and went back with the food box first.

Naruse also returned to the kitchen, sorting the remaining food into the small compartments on each layer of the lacquer box.

In the first three days of the first lunar month, this is the main food for him and Song Qianqiu, so the portion is quite large.

Putting all the dishes in a five-fold lacquer box and putting them away, Naruse tidied up the kitchen a bit, and came to Hana's house again to prepare today's dinner with Naoko.

The ingredients are quite rich - the Hua couple brought back a lot of things from the research institute, including meat and a lot of vegetables, some of which were cultivated by themselves.

"What's for dinner?" Song Qianqiu came to the kitchen again.

"Prepare a cooking pot, and prepare a few side dishes, it's almost done." Naruse said.

"Not bad."

"Do you want to drink?" He asked casually, "Shangzi and I can also prepare some snacks."

"Yes."

Song Qianqiu's eyes lit up, "I would have forgotten if Chunhai didn't mention it, you can drink whatever you want tonight."

"No, it's not like drinking casually..."

"I mean to drink - to buy a bar, Haixing's house should not be closed yet."

"..."

Naruse regretted that he had said so much just now.

"Just leave the kitchen to me." Shangzi said to him.

Naruse took a deep breath and had no choice but to buy wine.

"What do you want to drink and how many bottles do you want to buy?"

"Wait a minute... Sawako - let's have some drinks tonight -"

The three adults discussed for a while.

"Just buy three or four bottles of higher-grade wine."

"Three or four bottles?"

"It's just three or four bottles. There are five of us."

"My monk and I can't drink."

"Then there are three more adults, let's go."

Naruse put on his coat and went out to buy wine.

It was snowing outside, walking on the road, the two sides were more deserted than usual.

From a distance, he saw that the light sign of Morimi Guben Store had gone out, and it was the first time that the store closed so early in the six months since he came back.

About once a year, Sen Jian's family should go back to the old house over there to welcome the New Year.

Looking forward, there was a light at the entrance of the Zhenmu Hotel, and the door was still open.

Naruse walked over there, got closer, and looked at the upstairs window again.

The lights are on, starfish should be in the room...

He was looking forward to it so much.

Before reaching the hotel, a figure suddenly walked out of it.

"……Light?"

"Spring Sea."

Hikaru Takikawa held a bottle of wine in each hand, and was a little surprised, "Are you coming to buy wine too?"

"Yes. My mother is going to have a few drinks with Shangzi's parents."

She smiled, "Long time no see, after dinner, Yue and I came over to say hello to our uncles and aunts."

Naruse nodded, "Okay."

After an approximate time was agreed upon, Hikaru Takikawa waved the wine bottle in his hand and went back first.

Naruse walked into the real wood hotel, and the starfish was not there.

"Spring Sea?"

Seiichiro Maki was also a little surprised that he came at this time, and after hearing his explanation of the purpose of coming, he turned around and picked a few bottles of precious Junmai Daiginjo from the wine cabinet.

"How much?" Naruse took out his wallet.

He waved his hand, "Miss Song has taken such good care of Hai Xing, take it as my thank you."

"but……"

"Needless to say, just take it. Well, so much wine, Chunhai can't take it all by himself. I'll ask Haixing to send it back for you."

"Eh? Wait a minute..."

"starfish--"

"..."

The starfish came down quickly.

Seeing it was him, Hai Xing froze for a moment, then walked over silently.

"Help Chunhai send the wine back."

"Okay." She agreed immediately.

Naruse really couldn't hold four bottles of wine by himself, so he could only accept it.

After leaving the hotel, the two of them walked forward in silence.

The fresh footprints on the ground were left by Hikaru Takikawa when he went back, and his own footprints when he came over were on the other side of the road.

There is no wind, the snow falls quietly, and in the quiet night, it will quietly cover up all the traces on the ground.

Walking all the way to Shangzi's house, the two people holding the wine didn't exchange a word.

"..."

Seeing Song Qianqiu coming out of it, Hai Xing also understood something.

"The starfish is here too."

Song Qianqiu took the wine in her hand and smiled at her, "Thank you."

"Won't……"

"Chunhai, you send Haixing back."

"..."

Naruse put down the wine, turned around and came out again.

On the way back to the real wood hotel, he turned into a starfish and walked in front, and he followed behind.

Still silent all the way.

Naruse didn't send her home, and stopped when he was still a few steps away.

Hai Xing also noticed it quickly and looked back at him.

"Just get here." She took the initiative to say.

Naruse nodded, turned and left.

Starfish didn't turn back until he was out of sight.

Back at Shangzi's house, Naruse patted the snow on his body casually, and continued to help in the kitchen.

"Look down."

He lowered his head, and Shangzi brushed the snow off his head.

"It's been a long time."

"Send the starfish home and come back."

"uh-huh."

After preparing for a while, dinner is almost ready.

The dining place was Shangzi's living room. The two families gathered around a low table, and Naruse and Shangzi sat on the side.

"cheers--"

Glasses containing wine or fruit juice collide with each other, making a crisp sound.

"Let's eat slowly tonight." Song Qianqiu said, taking a deep breath again, "Shangzi prepared a delicious dinner for us."

"Chunhai also helped a lot..."

With the fine wine in front, the adults quickly drank it on their own.

Naruse focused more on the sliced ​​meat in the cooking pot.

"...The meat is very tender. This is a new species cultivated by our research institute, and it has not been promoted yet."

He raised his head, only to find that Hana Sawako was talking to Song Qianqiu.

The two clinked glasses again, and the bottle of wine was already finished.

"Drink so fast..."

Shangzi looked at his parents and smiled at him.

The two of them don't drink alcohol, and they eat faster, and they feed each other a lot of sampled food while preparing Osechi dishes, and they are full soon.

The adults were still drinking, Naruse and Shangzi didn't leave the table, just sat beside him and turned on the TV again.

While eating and drinking, the annual red and white song battle also began.

"Hmm... why is there no Qianqiu in the red group this year?"

"What are you talking about, Sawako? I can't sing."

"is it?"

"Yes."

Naruse turned his head and took a look. It was not yet nine o'clock, and there was only one bottle of wine left.

Around 08:30, the Takikawa sisters came together and greeted Matsu Chiaki and the couple who hadn't seen for a long time.

Because the adults were still drinking, the two didn't stay long, they just called Naruse and Shangzi out and discussed the arrangements for the next lunar month.

"Monk Chunhai plans to go to Chuyi someday, let's go together."

"Hatsuchi, it's okay any day. The point is where are you going?"

"Iwakiyama Shrine?"

"It seems a bit far...it's okay."

"At that time, I will also call Kamiyo and Starfish." Takikawa Hikaru said.

Naruse didn't say yes or no, and Shangzi answered for him, "We need to discuss the time."

Takikawa smiled slightly.

"Of course."

(End of this chapter)