Zhao Tieying took Zhou Momo to take bath, while Zhou Yan grabbed a small bucket and put the few eels on the ground into it.
You really have to say, five eels, each weighing two or three taels.
[Five high-quality, plump wild eels]
A note flashed by.
Pure natural wild eels, golden yellow, full of vitality.
This must have been caught by Zhou Lihui. Fanwa and Momo aren't capable of this; that kid really has a talent for these kinds of things.
Eel can be made into braised eel, Linjiang-style shredded eel, stir-fried eel… Many classic dishes had already flashed through Zhou Yan's mind.
He had eaten them before, but truly didn't know how to cook them.
"Comrade Zhou Yan."
Just as he finished catching the eels, a voice came from behind him.
Zhou Yan turned around and saw a tall young man walking toward him. It was the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute student who had just eaten at the shop. His height was about the same as Zhou Yan's, with sun-kissed skin, a buzz cut, and a cheerful demeanor.
"Hello, student, what can I do for you?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile, carrying a bucket.
"My name is Ma Xingye. Are you and Xia Yao close friends?" Ma Xingye asked, looking at Zhou Yan, his hand unconsciously clenching into a fist at his side.
"Xia Yao and I...we're pretty good." Zhou Yan nodded.
He and Xia Yao were practically best friends, though they didn't interact much, their relationship was indeed quite good.
Could this Ma student be an admirer of Xia Yao?
Could it be that he thinks Xia Yao is close to him, so he wants to confront him in person?
While eating just now, he seemed to be glancing at Xia Yao frequently; it's pretty much him.
Zhou Yan glanced at his strong biceps, clearly showing signs of training. He wasn't sure he could beat him in a fight.
"Um, Ma student, actually, Xia Yao and I..." Zhou Yan tried to explain.
"I know, you two are a perfect match, a match made in heaven." Ma Xingye forced a smile, rubbing his hands together. "Brother Zhou, I just wanted to ask you for a favor."
"Huh?" Zhou Yan was a little confused.
Ma Xingye had already taken out an envelope and handed it to him with both hands: "Please help me give this letter to Xia Yao, and have her pass it on to Deng Hong."
Zhou Yan looked at Ma Xingye, who was blushing slightly.
Wait, why are you blushing like a teapot?
And who is Deng Hong?
"Deng Hong is Xia Yao's roommate and best friend. She sat at the same table with her at lunch today; she's the really cute one." Ma Xingye quickly explained, seemingly noticing Zhou Yan's confusion.
Zhou Yan knew who it was: the petite, plump girl next to Xia Yao, with a round face.
Quite cute, talkative, and outgoing.
He hadn't expected this guy to like this type.
"Oh, a love letter." Zhou Yan said, looking at the letter and puzzled at Ma Xingye. "Why didn't you just give it to Deng Hong, or ask Xia Yao to pass it on?"
"I...I..." Ma Xingye scratched his head awkwardly. "I don't dare."'
Look at you, so tall and strong, where's your backbone?!
Zhou Yan silently complained in his heart.
Delivering love letters for someone is quite unusual; the last time he did it was back in middle school.
After all, most of the time, others deliver love letters to him.
Anyway, it's better than having an offline dogfight with some random love rival.
"Okay, I'll deliver it for you." Zhou Yan agreed to the task.
"Brother Zhou, thank you! From now on, you're my big brother!" Ma Xingye exclaimed excitedly.
"I'm just helping you deliver it, I can't guarantee it will be successful."
"I understand."
Zhou Yan washed his hands and dried them on his apron before taking the love letter.
Ma Xingye walked away happily, even mimicking a basketball shooting motion as he went.
Zhou Yan had never been in love in either of his lives and didn't quite understand this feeling.
After all, he couldn't even provide for his own sense of security, let alone give a girl one.
What is love?
It would only hinder his ability to make money.
Zhou Yan was pondering when to hand the letter to Xia Yao when he noticed three girls sitting on a bench along the riverbank in the distance. One of them, with her back to him, looked like Xia Yao.
He was thick-skinned and wouldn't blush talking to girls.
So, he took the letter and walked towards the river.
"Xia Yao."
Xia Yao, Deng Hong, and Zhu Yuyu were sitting by the river chatting and enjoying the breeze when they turned around at the sound of Zhou Yan holding an envelope and smiling at them.
"I have something I want to talk to you about." Zhou Yan said.
"What's he holding? Could it be a love letter?" Deng Hong whispered gossipingly.
"Does he know we're leaving tomorrow and want to confess to Yaoyao? He even prepared the love letter in advance!" Zhu Yuyu was also quite excited.
"Don't talk nonsense." Xia Yao glared at them angrily, then stood up and walked towards Zhou Yan.
"Let's go over there." Zhou Yan said, glancing at the gossipy duo who were craning their necks and straining their ears.
Especially the round-faced girl, who had practically jumped off the bench, practically stretching her neck to their side.
"Okay." Xia Yao nodded, following Zhou Yan to the large tree nearby.
Could he... really be going to confess to me?
Xia Yao had received countless love letters throughout her life, but she had never been this nervous as she was today.
Her heart was pounding!
Thump! Thump!
Her mind was in turmoil, her brain already contemplating whether to refuse or accept.
If she refused, how could she say it gracefully?
The words of Deng Hong echoed in her ears: "Yaoyao, why don't you consider... marrying him would make you happy for the rest of your life."
Yes, his braised pork ribs were so delicious, and cross-legged beef was delicious too...
Xia Yao looked at Zhou Yan standing under the tree. The autumn sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves, falling on his gently smiling face, making even his features seem softer.
If she had to choose someone to spend her life with, he didn't seem so bad.
"Zhou Yan."
"Xia Yao."
They both spoke at the same time.
"You…you go first." Xia Yao subconsciously clutched her skirt.
Her aunt's warning, the four thousand miles separating them, the difference in their families—none of it seemed so important at this moment.
"This love letter." Zhou Yan handed her the letter.
Xia Yao hesitated for a moment, then solemnly took the letter with both hands. "Actually, I…"
"It's from a boy in your department named Ma Xingye. He asked me to give this to you, and then you can pass it on to Deng Hong." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"…Huh?" Xia Yao froze, the words she was about to say stuck in her throat. Then she saw "To Deng Hong" on the envelope, and her face flushed red.
What?!
Xia Yao, what are you thinking?
Her mind was in turmoil. She felt relieved that she didn't have to make a decision, but also a strange sense of loss.
"He looks tall and strong, but I didn't expect him to be so timid. He even needs my help as a fourth party to deliver a love letter." Zhou Yan said with a relaxed smile, looking at Xia Yao's slightly flushed face. "By the way, what did you just say about actually you…?"
"N-nothing...it's nothing." Xia Yao quickly regained her composure, waving the letter in her hand and smiling. "I'll give this to Xiao Deng. She's actually had a crush on Ma Xingye, and I didn't expect him to confess his feelings with a love letter."
"Really?" Zhou Yan was somewhat surprised, but mostly happy. "That's wonderful. A love that's mutual will have a beautiful ending."
"A love that's mutual." Xia Yao silently repeated to herself, looking at Zhou Yan, before turning and walking towards the river.
"What are they talking about behind our backs? Will Yaoyao agree?"
"It's hard to say. After all, Yaoyao's dream is to be a designer. If she marries into this small town, does she have to give up her dream?"
Zhu Yuyu and Deng Hong sat anxiously on bench, scratching their heads in frustration, when they saw Xia Yao approaching them with a smile, holding the letter.
"Yaoyao, did you say yes?" Zhu Yuyu jumped up immediately.
"She's smiling so sweetly, she must have said yes." Deng Hong couldn't wait to greet her. "Yaoyao, quickly see what's written in the love letter! We're both so worried!"
"Say yes to what? This isn't for me." Xia Yao smiled and handed the letter to Deng Hong. "This is a love letter Ma Xingye wrote for you. He asked Zhou Yan to give it to me, and then to you."
"Comrade Deng, your favorite Ma Xingye has confessed his feelings to you."
Deng Hong froze, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at the letter in Xia Yao's hand, murmuring, "Written by Ma Xingye? For me? He confessed his love to me!"
"Heavens!" Zhu Yuyu exclaimed in astonishment, but quickly exclaimed excitedly, "Deng Hong! Your dream has come true!"
"A love that is mutual, how wonderful." Xia Yao smiled and handed the letter to Deng Hong. "Quickly open it and see what it says."
"My dear sisters, let's see it together!" Deng Hong opened the letter, her eyes red, her hands trembling.
...
When Sister-in-law Zhao Hong returned with her two children, she had already washed them clean by the river.
The older one was wearing a smock, and the younger one was wrapped in an apron.
They didn't seem to have really given them a good beating; they even came back with a smile on their face.
Zhou Momo took a shower, changed her clothes, and towel dried her hair, then dried it in front of the stove for a while. She was all frizzy and looked like a little kitten with its fur standing on end.
"Huihui, Fanwa, Mommy said we're having braised eel tonight! Let's go catch some again next time!" Zhou Momo said to the two boys in her childish voice.
"Okay." Huihui and Fanwa nodded.
"You both dare!" Zhao Hong glared at the two of them, but couldn't help laughing.
After a quick lunch, Zhou Yan pushed his 28-inch bicycle out to buy groceries.
"Xia Yao is going back to Shancheng early tomorrow morning. Why don't you stop by town and buy some rice candy for her to take back? She's such a nice girl." Zhao Tieying said, following him out.
"Okay." Zhou Yan replied, pedaling away.
Zhou Yan first bought beef and spare ribs, then went to the dock area. Seeing Zhou Jie and Zhou Hai cleaning up dishes, he parked his bicycle in front of their stall and said with a smile, "Brother Jie, Brother Hai, my soup pot is starting to sell!"