Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 178 Mid-Autumn Festival Reunion Dinner, Eating Mooncakes

Yuyu touched her rumbling belly, looked at Xiaoyu with sparkling eyes, pulled her sleeve, and said coquettishly, "Mom, let's eat. The aroma of the food keeps coming into my nose. I'm so hungry."

Xiaoyu couldn't help laughing when she saw Yuyu's greedy look.

She gently tapped the tip of Yuyu's nose: "Okay, okay, let's eat now. Look how greedy you are."

As he said that, he called Li Hao to help clean up the table used for worshiping the moonlight.

Li Hao responded and neatly moved the fruits and mooncakes on the table to the side, making room in the middle for the food.

As he cleaned up, he smiled and said, "Mom, the dishes on the table today look so sumptuous. I can't wait to try them."

After Xiaoyu placed the offerings, she turned back to the house and brought out a few bowls of steaming soup.

She carefully placed it on the table, then took off her apron and said with a smile, "Everyone, sit down. Let's eat."

Yu Yu cheered and hurried to her seat, staring at the dishes on the table. The steamed fish was glowing with an enticing luster.

The chopped green onions and shredded red peppers sprinkled on the fish looked like they were wearing a beautiful flowery dress.

The braised spareribs are bright red in color, and the rich sauce wraps each piece of spareribs, exuding bursts of sauce aroma.

There are also stir-fried seasonal vegetables, which are green and look refreshing and delicious.

Xiaoyu first picked up a piece of fish for Yuyu and said with a smile: "Xiaoyu, try this fish first. Mommy put a lot of thought into it when she made it today."

Yuyu couldn't wait to put the fish into her mouth. After chewing it for a few times, her eyes lit up and she praised incoherently, "Mom, it's so delicious. The fish is so tender and fresh. It's amazing."

Li Hao also picked up a piece of braised pork ribs, took a bite, and said contentedly, "Mom, these ribs are also amazing, salty and fragrant, soft and delicious. I can eat several more bowls of rice with this dish."

Xiaoyu watched the two children eating happily, with a happy smile on her face, and said, "If it tastes good, eat more. Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, we must eat our fill and then enjoy the moon together."

The family sat around the table, talking and laughing while eating. As Yu Yu ate, his movements gradually slowed down, and his little eyes kept glancing at the mooncakes placed next to him.

After a while, she put down her bowl and chopsticks, touched her full belly with her hand, and said in a coquettish tone: "Mom, I don't want to eat anymore. I want to eat mooncakes. The mooncakes look so tempting. My mind is full of their taste now."

Xiaoyu couldn't help laughing when she saw Yuyu's greedy look.

She reached out and gently scratched Yuyu's nose, jokingly saying, "Little girl, you haven't eaten much yet and you're already thinking about mooncakes. But today is Mid-Autumn Festival, so it's up to you. But don't eat too much, or you'll get an upset stomach."

"I know, Mom, I'll just eat two pieces." Yu Yu responded with a smile, quickly stood up and ran to where the mooncakes were placed.

She first picked up a mooncake with red bean paste filling, put it under her nose and smelled it. The rich sweet fragrance of the red bean paste went straight into her nose, making her eyes light up suddenly.

Li Hao looked at his sister and laughed too, teasing her, "Yuyu, you don't even want to eat after seeing the mooncakes. It seems that the charm of mooncakes is greater than the food that mother cooks."

Yuyu stuck out her tongue at Li Hao and retorted, "No, that's not true. Mom's cooking is delicious too. It's just that these mooncakes can only be eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Of course I want to try them first."

As she spoke, she couldn't wait to take a bite of the mooncake. The soft and glutinous crust and the delicate red bean paste spread in her mouth, and the sweet taste made her squint her eyes in satisfaction.

She was still mumbling incoherently: "It's delicious, so delicious."

Xiaoyu and Lihao looked at Yuyu's enjoying expression, glanced at each other, and smiled helplessly and dotingly.

Xiaoyu stood up, walked over and took a piece of mooncake, and said, "Since Yuyu wants to eat mooncake, let's have some together."

Xiaoyu took a fruit-flavored mooncake and said, "This mooncake is good. Yuyu, do you think this one tastes good?"

After finishing the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner, Yuyu, with a mooncake in her mouth and bulging cheeks, said incoherently: "Mid-Autumn Festival should be very lively in every household."

Xiaoyu smiled and handed Yuyu a glass of water, nodding in agreement, "Yes, yes, the Mid-Autumn Festival has always been a day for family reunions. Most families get together, eat reunion dinners, admire the big, round moon, and then go out to visit lantern festivals and other things. It's naturally very lively."

Li Hao swallowed the food in his mouth, wiped his mouth with his hand, and said, "Yes, I see that the neighbors have been busy since the day, preparing food and cleaning the house, just waiting for the family to reunite in the evening."

But as she was talking, Yuyu seemed to remember something, frowned slightly, shook her head, and said, "Not necessarily, maybe there are families that can't be reunited."

"Just like some merchants who are away from home, or guarding the frontier and can't come back, their families must be very sad. This Mid-Autumn Festival night, it will probably be cold and deserted."

Xiaoyu's smile faded after hearing this, and she sighed with emotion, "Xiaoyu'er is right. There are always things in this world that are beyond one's control. For families who can't be reunited, this Mid-Autumn Festival is really just filled with longing and regret."

Li Hao also put away the smile on his face, his expression becoming somewhat serious. He slowly said, "Those soldiers guarding the borders, in order to protect their homes and country, can't even spend this reunion festival with their families. They are most admirable. I just hope they can return safely and be reunited with their families soon."

Yuyu gently put down the mooncake in her hand, a trace of sadness in her eyes, and muttered softly: "Then can we do something for them, so that they can also feel the warmth of this Mid-Autumn Festival."

Xiaoyu touched Yuyu's head, eyes full of praise, and said softly, "Xiaoyu'er, this is a very good idea. Although we can't do much, we can pray for them and wish them good health. This is also a way to show our gratitude."

Li Hao nodded in agreement: "Mom is right. We are happy now, but we must not forget those who cannot be reunited. I hope that in this world, there will be fewer separations and more reunions in the future."

The family sat at the table, and the originally cheerful atmosphere became a little solemn, but it also added a different kind of warmth to this Mid-Autumn Night.

They looked at the bright moon outside the window and silently sent their most sincere blessings to those who could not be together.