Since adding each other on WeChat at the Lu family's dinner last time, Xu Yanxia has actually been in touch with Mrs. He all along.
Mrs. He would occasionally consult her on issues such as cooking, calligraphy, and even health preservation and nutrition, and she would always answer actively and whole - heartedly each time.
Previously, the two mostly communicated via text messages, and this was the first time they had a direct phone call.
Xu Yanxia quickly answered the phone and politely greeted, "Good evening, Mrs. He."
"Good evening, Xia,"
Mrs. He's voice on the other end was very gentle. "Are you busy right now?"
"No,"
Xu Yanxia quickly replied, "I just finished dinner and it's convenient for me to talk."
"That's good,"
Mrs. He said with a smile. "I just saw the news today. You went to film a food show? The current ratings are quite high and the audience feedback is also very good. Congratulations to you! Truly, gold will always shine."
"Thank you,"
Xu Yanxia said with a smile. "Actually, I'm just lucky to have met a very good production team."
"You're being too modest,"
Mrs. He on the other end said. "Actually, the first time I saw you, I knew you were a rare talent. People with abilities should indeed be seen."
Then she added with a laugh, "I'm a bit embarrassed to say this, but I'm calling you today still to consult you about food."
"The almond milk custard and yellow pea cake I learned from you last time were a great success, which gave me more confidence in my cooking skills. I saw a few traditional northern dishes you posted on your account a while ago. Were there stir - fried liver tips and stir - fried pig kidneys among them?"
"I'm not going to lie to you. These are some of my old father's favorite dishes. Although many restaurants here in North Beijing can make them, they just can't achieve the taste he likes."
"If it's convenient for you, could you film the cooking process of these two dishes? I'm thinking of learning from you. Maybe I can make them in the way he likes."
So that's the reason.
Xu Yanxia quickly said, "You're being too polite. Those dishes were actually made by my grandfather when I went back to my hometown during the Mid - Autumn Festival. He's currently in Rong City. I'll film him cooking them tomorrow and send it to you."
— It's not that she didn't want to do it herself, but it's a matter of specialization. For dishes like stir - fried liver tips, stir - fried pig kidneys, and stir - fried pig intestines with pickled garlic from her hometown, her grandfather was indeed more professional.
Moreover, Mrs. He was from North Beijing, and her grandfather had also stayed in North Beijing before, so he would have a better understanding of the local taste.
Hearing her say this, Mrs. He felt a bit embarrassed. "Wouldn't it be too much trouble for the old man?"
"Not at all,"
Xu Yanxia said with a smile. "He's still in good health and has an active personality. Besides, for a chef, having his skills appreciated by others is the greatest affirmation."
"Then I'll trouble you all,"
Mrs. He said with a laugh on the phone. "Will your show come to North Beijing for recording? If it does, you must tell me. I've recently practiced a few calligraphy pieces that I think are quite good. I'm waiting for you to give me some advice."
"You're being too modest,"
Xu Yanxia said with a smile. "We'll probably go to North Beijing to film the finals in about two weeks. We'll definitely visit you then."
Then she politely hung up the phone.
Lu Jingming, who was waiting beside her, took her hand and asked, "You're going to ask your grandfather to film the cooking video. Is he willing to appear on camera?"
"Of course,"
Xu Yanxia said with a smile. "He's also gotten into using his phone recently and is thinking about opening his own account to teach people how to make traditional dishes."
"That's good,"
Lu Jingming nodded and said, "Everyone needs a sense of value through recognition. That's really true."
Then he led her out.
They watched a movie at the cinema and strolled around the mall hand in hand. By the time they parted ways and Xu Yanxia returned to her place in East Bank Garden, it was already late.
Her grandparents had already gone to bed, but her aunt was still waiting for her.
"Auntie, you're still awake?"
Xu Yanxia felt a bit embarrassed. "I'll come back earlier next time."
"It's not your fault,"
her aunt said with a smile. "I just finished a video call with Xiaoyue. At my age, I can't fall asleep early even if I want to."
"Xiaoyue was really happy to hear that you're going to get engaged. She's insisting on coming to your engagement ceremony!"
"Of course we'll invite her,"
Xu Yanxia said with a smile. "I'll buy her a ticket as soon as the date is set."
After a pause, she added, "Auntie, I want to ask you. Have you been in touch with my mom later? What kind of person did she marry later?"
Her aunt was taken aback for a moment.
Then she said, "I only know that he's a businessman from Hong Kong. After she came to see you that year, she changed her phone number and I haven't had her contact information ever since."
"A while ago, when Zhanpeng was going to get engaged, we also sent a letter to your maternal grandparents' side, but neither did they send anyone nor did we get any news from them."
...
Xu Yanxia nodded. Actually, this was within her expectations.
That year, after she finished the college entrance examination, taking the opportunity of coming to Rong City to study, she and her elder brother actually went to their maternal grandparents' place according to the address. After climbing several mountain peaks, they finally reached the village, only to find out that their maternal grandparents had passed away long ago, and their two uncles had moved to the city many years ago. There were no relatives of theirs in the village at all.
The village head did have contact with the two uncles, but out of caution, he didn't give the contact information to the siblings.
He only revealed some news about their biological mother to them, saying that she had married well. Later, when the village was building roads and schools, she had silently donated money. However, due to the patriarchal attitude of her original family, she refused to come back and also refused to contact her two elder brothers again.
That was the only time the siblings went to look for her, and they also left their mobile phone numbers. But neither the two uncles nor their biological mother ever got in touch with them.
"Xia, in the past, I thought you were still young, so I didn't talk to you about this. But now that you're about to get married,"
Auntie took her hand and said seriously, "Actually, your mother has had a hard time. Since she was a child, her family was patriarchal. They stopped her from going to school early and forced her to get married. She was a strong - willed person. With great difficulty, she ran out of the mountains and met your father. She also wanted to live a steady life. Otherwise, she wouldn't have given birth to you siblings at such a young age."
"It's just that God has been too cruel to us..."
Mentioning her elder brother who passed away early, Auntie's eyes also became a bit moist. She sighed and then said to her, "Actually, I used to think she was heartless. But later, after I got married myself, when I was having a hard time, I also had the thought of just leaving..."
"All we can say is that when God is unkind, life is extremely difficult. If others haven't been in that situation, they can't blame anyone."
"I understand, Auntie,"
Xu Yanxia smiled and then sighed, saying, "Sometimes I just wonder how she's doing now and if she's still alive..."
After all, she was the one who gave birth to her. It was impossible to say that she didn't care at all.
However, since the other party had already made her choice and they, as children, had done their best, in the current situation, it could only be said that the bond between mother and child was too thin.
She explained to her aunt, "Actually, Jingming's mother asked me today if I wanted to tell my mother about my engagement. Since they didn't reply when my elder brother got engaged, I think I'll just forget about telling them about my engagement. They probably won't come anyway."
"That's okay."
Auntie stroked her head and said, "I hope, as you said the other day, that after we've endured all the hardships, the rest of our days will be sweet. Jiajia is a good girl, and Jingming is also a good boy. Moreover, the elders in the family are all reasonable. You should live a good life from now on."
"You too,"
Xu Yanxia said with a smile, "You're not even fifty yet. You still have a long life ahead. Many of my colleagues in the store today praised you for being beautiful and said that I look like you. Now that Xiaoyue has grown up, if you meet a good person in the future, you can still consider getting married again."
"You child,"
This made Auntie blush, "You're just like Xiaoyue, joking about me."
