Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 674 Full Moon

"Let's eat." Xiao Wei tapped the large ladle, added oil to the pot, and fried the eggplant fritters again. They need to be eaten immediately after being taken out of the pot, otherwise they will collapse.

Geng Hui went to call for help, and Xiao Hong came in to help set the table and get the bowls and chopsticks. Xia Maosheng washed the large ladle clean, boiled most of it in water, and added some chopped green onions and minced garlic. Northeasterners don't like to eat ginger, and they rarely add it when making fillings or soups.

Once the water boiled, Xia Maosheng took a small grater and grated potatoes directly into the pot, stirring as he did so.

After grating two potatoes and removing the foam, add salt and MSG, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and the soup is ready. There is no oil, and nothing but salt and MSG.

Everyone sat down to eat. Chen Xiao was pretending to cry in the other room. Aunt Wang, Chen Xiao's mother, Chen Xiao's father, Chen Hui's mother, Uncle Wang, Xiao Hong, Geng Hui, Xia Maosheng, and Chen Hui—nine people in total—sat at a large table. Chen Hui's father would occasionally come over during the day to take a look at his grandson and then leave. As the father-in-law, according to old customs, he couldn't enter the postpartum room, so he could only endure it and wait for the full month to pass.

After turning off the fire, Xiaowei brought out the eggplant box and sat down next to Xiaohong.

Xiao Hong ate with a beaming smile, as it was all her favorite food.

Aunt Wang said, "It's so great to have a chef at home. We can cook whatever we want to eat. In the past, even if we had good ingredients, we couldn't make them taste good."

Chen Xiao's father clinked glasses with Uncle Wang, took a sip of Wuliangye, and said, "It's really good. The boys are all excellent and capable." He was extremely satisfied with his son-in-law and his two buddies.

Aunt Wang ate one eggplant fritter, then picked up her chopsticks and pointed at the potato soup Xia Maosheng had made, saying, "Make some for Xiaoxiao, she can eat a lot. Also, get two eggplant fritters, the taste is just right."

Chen Hui looked up and asked, "Really?"

Chen Xiao's mother said, "Okay, eat a little less, it'll only be a few days left."

Chen Hui immediately put down his chopsticks, got up, ladled out most of a bowl of potato soup, and put three eggplant slices in a small bowl, then brought them to Chen Xiao. Then they heard Chen Xiao scream excitedly, and Aunt Wang smiled and said, "That's wonderful, this is what life is all about!"

Chen Xiao's father said, "My in-laws have raised her well. Xiao Hui is a caring child. My silly girl won't need us to worry about her for the rest of her life."

Chen Hui's mother said, "Don't say that. Xiao Xiao is a good child."

……

The next day, Xiaowei and Xiaoliu drove around the streets. This major inspection would last for half a month, and they would have to write a report afterwards, so they couldn't just fool people.

A week has passed in the blink of an eye. The headquarters building is almost twenty stories high, and the investigation is coming to an end. Shi Jing's case is stuck there, without any clues or progress.

"Xiaowei, are you coming to take a shower tonight?"

Today is Sunday, and everyone is off work. Everyone in the family is at the guesthouse: Chen Xiao's family, Chen Hui's family, Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang.

Xiao Wei and his friends were playing cards around the table when Xiao Hong leaned against the doorframe and asked a question.

Xiao Wei looked at the cards in his hand and asked, "Who's going? Everyone's going?"

Xiaohong said, "Xiaoxiao is one month old now, and she can take a bath today."

Xiao Wei turned to Chen Hui and asked, "Is it a full month old?"

Chen Hui looked at the cards and said, "If it's full, then it's full. I didn't calculate it."

Xia Maosheng asked, "Didn't you calculate it? Aren't you going to invite them to the full moon celebration?"

Chen Hui said, "Please go ahead, there's no need to prepare anything. My parents are taking care of it, I don't need to."

Xiao Wei said, "Then let's all go and take a shower. I know a place that's alright."

Xia Maosheng checked the time and said, "Shall we make dinner?"

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "No need for that, let's go to a restaurant and celebrate for Xiao Xiao, let her eat her fill."

Chen Hui said, "Okay, okay, I think that's fine. I haven't eaten at a restaurant for over a month."

Looking at Chen Hui's sparse stubble, Xiao Wei said, "Xiao Hui seems to have changed a lot lately; he's starting to look more like a grown-up."

Chen Hui threw down the playing cards in his hand and said, "Things are different now. I'm a father now, and I understand a lot of things now."

Everyone stopped playing, got up to pack their things, and called for backup. Three cars drove towards the restaurant.

"Wow, so cute."

"It's chubby and looks so tender, I want to take a bite."

"It's fun! Can I borrow it and take it home to play with for a few days?" Amidst the praise from Sister Jin and Old Man An, Wei Yun tugged at the package and said.

Xiao Wei said to Sister Jin, "Aren't you jealous? Hurry up and find a brother-in-law, get married, and have a baby."

Sister Jin looked at Xiao Xiaohui expectantly and said, "Is it something you can just get married whenever you want? I can't just go out on the street and grab anyone, can I?"

Shi Xiaoyan, Yan Xiaoqi, and Mi Liya, dressed in their work uniforms, also came to see Xiao Xiaohui. The three of them had been eating and sleeping well during this time, and their schedules had become more regular. They all looked much more energetic and had adapted to life and work here. They also learned that there were two and a half bosses here.

Shi Xiaoyan pulled Xiaowei aside: "Boss, have you found Shi Jing yet?"

Xiao Wei said, "I've looked for it. I checked the post office and the telephone number. I even found his pager number. I went to that neighborhood. My feet are sore from walking, but I have no leads."

"I'm at my wit's end too. How do we find her? The only clue we have right now is that phone number; we know nothing else. But it's a public phone. So many people call and page us every day, who can remember them all? Even a tiny bit of information about that guy would be helpful, but there's nothing at all. Have you seen the guy who was looking for her?"

Milia said, "Go ask Brother Long. Ask if anyone on the third floor knows who her regular customers are, or what they look like. She doesn't have many regular customers, and even fewer who can get her to come out."

Xiao Wei asked, "Do you know that you're in frequent contact with her?"

Milia shook her head and said, "I'm just like her. We only talk occasionally because of Xiaoyan. On the third floor, she's closer to Xiaoqin and Xiaoli than to me. They don't like me."

Xiao Wei nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go ask Brother Long about it. Xiao Qin and Xiao Li, right?"

Milia nodded, and Shi Xiaoyan said, "It's a pity. I never thought of meeting her regular customers. I only heard her cursing once, saying something like, 'That old man is so old and can't do anything, but he still has a lot of addictions.' I should have just asked her then."

Xiao Wei turned to look at Shi Xiaoyan, thought for a moment, and asked, "Old man?"

Shi Xiaoyan nodded: "Yes, that's how she cursed."

Xiao Wei asked, "Nothing works?"

Shi Xiaoyan said, "Yes, they say that stuff is no longer effective, but they still have a strong addiction to it."

Xiao Wei nodded and asked, "Did Brother Long install surveillance cameras over there?"

Yan Xiaoqi said, "It's installed, but I don't know where to find it. It's definitely installed. I heard the manager mention it; he said it's very expensive."

Milia said, "It's no use pretending. The guests and we go to different places, so they can't all appear together. With so many people, how do you know which one is who?"

Xiao Wei stroked his chin thoughtfully when Chen Hui came over and called out, "Wei, what are you doing? Let's eat."

Xiao Wei nodded and said to Mi Liya and the other two, "His name is Chen Hui, and he's the boss here."

(End of this chapter)