Chapter 58: Not Enough to Go Around, What Do You Suggest?

“It’s true, Third Uncle, I’m not lying to you. I didn’t even taste it when I ate it just now. Why don’t you give me another one? I’ll eat it slower this time.”

Li Xiaotao scratched his head, his big, innocent eyes full of anticipation.

Eldest Sister-in-law looked at her foolish son, so angry she started to laugh, “Get the hell out of here, you shameless oaf!”

“How can you talk like that, eldest daughter-in-law?”

Hearing her eldest granddaughter-in-law’s words, Old Lady Li was displeased. Although Li Xiaotao was a bit slow, always making a fool of himself and saying absurd things from time to time, he was still a child of the Li family, no matter how flawed.

Rebuked by Old Lady Li, Eldest Sister-in-law didn’t dare to argue back, just gave an awkward smile.

“Taozi, come here. Great-grandma will give you candy.”

Old Lady Li called her great-grandson to her side, grabbed two creamy candies and put them in his hand. She stroked his head and said, “Eat one today, and one tomorrow, understand?”

Li Xiaotao held the candies, a conflicted look on his face, “Great-grandma, I already ate one just now. Can I eat another one today?”

Old Lady Li sighed, “Eat it, go on and eat it.”

“I won’t eat it now, Great-grandma. I’ll wait until Big Brother gets his beating tonight to eat it. I’m going out to play.”

Li Xiaotao took the candies in his hand, turned, and ran out.

Old Lady Li watched her great-grandson run out of the room, her face full of worry, “That child, Taozi, what will he do when he grows up?”

Seeing the atmosphere in the room was a bit down, Li Xiangdong handed the daughter in his arms to Zhou Yuqin. He turned back to the kang bed and took out 5 bags of instant noodles.

“Xiaomei, Xiaolan, Third Uncle is going to make you something delicious. You two go help Third Uncle start the fire.”

Li Xiaolan asked, “Third Uncle, what are you holding?”

“Instant noodles produced in Shanghai.”

Li Xiangdong let the two sisters have a look.

Li Xiaomei and Li Xiaolan knew what instant noodles were; there was a counter selling them at the department store.

However, the ones sold there were Beijing Instant Noodles, and the packaging was different from what he brought back, which is why the two sisters didn’t recognize them at first.

“Third Brother, put them away quickly. Save them for Xiaohai to eat.”

“Third Brother, don’t be foolishly generous. They’ve already had creamy candy, don’t give them instant noodles too.”

Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law came forward to block Li Xiangdong, refusing to let him leave the room and insisting he put the instant noodles back.

Li Xiangdong, unable to get away from his two sisters-in-law, said, “Xiaomei, Xiaolan, you two go start the fire first.”

“I’d like to see who dares to go!”

Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law each stared at their own daughters.

“Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, I’ve saved some for Li Xiaohai, it’s enough for him. I was thinking of letting everyone have a taste of these 5 bags. If you won’t let your own children eat, can I at least be filial to my own grandparents?”

Li Xiangdong was at his wit’s end. Over a few bags of instant noodles, his sisters-in-law were actually blocking their own brother-in-law from leaving the room.

Old Lady Li chuckled, “Don’t block him anymore, let Dongzi go. I’m still waiting to taste what instant noodles are like.”

With that said, Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law had no choice but to make way.

Li Xiangdong waved to the two sisters, Li Xiaomei and Li Xiaolan, and the three of them left the room.

The four boys playing in the courtyard, Li Xiaojiang and the others, saw the instant noodles in Li Xiangdong’s hand and asked, “Third Uncle, what are you holding?”

“What delicious thing is this now?”

Li Xiaolan said excitedly, “Third Uncle is going to cook instant noodles for us!”

“Instant noodles! Third Uncle is the best!”

“Third Uncle, I like you so much!”

Li Xiangdong was surrounded and escorted to the stove in front of the main house.

Seeing the children staring with eager eyes, he opened the instant noodle bags one by one, put the seasoning packets together, and took out all the noodle cakes, placing them in a clean wicker basket.

Holding the five empty bags, he looked at his eldest nephew, Li Xiaojiang, and said, “There are still some broken bits left in these bags. The thing is, there isn’t enough for the six of you to share. You’re their big brother, you tell me what to do.”

Li Xiaojiang swallowed his saliva, “I understand, Third Uncle. I won’t eat. Let my younger brother and sisters eat.”

“Sensible.”

Li Xiangdong nodded in praise and gave one bag each to Li Xiaotao and the others.

“Dad, there’s nothing in mine.”

Li Xiaohai tilted his head up, holding the instant noodle bag open for his dad to see.

Li Xiangdong looked down and saw there really wasn’t much, just a few scattered crumbs.

He reached into the wicker basket, broke off a piece, put it in Li Xiaohai’s bag, and even helped him crush it a bit.

“I have instant noodles to eat too~”

Li Xiaohai was so happy he practically skipped away, chasing after his brothers to show off.

“Don’t be envious.”

Li Xiangdong added several large ladles of water to the big pot, then broke off a piece for Li Xiaojiang as well.

“Thank you, Third Uncle!”

When the water boiled, he put in the noodle cakes and seasoning. The water was a bit too much, so he had to add some more salt.

In this era of bland food, the scallion oil-flavored seasoning packet was overwhelmingly fragrant!

Old Man Li, who had gone for a stroll somewhere wearing his grandson’s overcoat, smelled the aroma as soon as he walked into the courtyard.

He stood in the middle of the courtyard and asked, “Dongzi, what are you making? Why does it smell so good!”

“Instant noodles.”

Li Xiangdong saw his grandfather holding the overcoat in his arms, “Where did you go for a stroll?”

Old Man Li saw his grandson looking at him strangely, “Where could I go? I didn’t go anywhere!”

Li Xiangdong watched his grandfather walk into the west wing without looking back. Even without him saying, he could guess.

He must have gone to show off to his chess buddies!

“Third Uncle, are the instant noodles ready yet?”

Li Xiaojiang hadn’t left the stove from the very beginning.

Li Xiangdong stirred the pot with chopsticks and tasted for saltiness.

“It’s ready, we can eat. Xiaomei, Xiaolan, you don’t need to tend the fire anymore. Xiaojiang, count how many people are in the family, go get the bowls and chopsticks ready. Don’t count Xiaoqi, she’ll eat with me.”

“I got it, Third Uncle.”

Li Xiaojiang replied and started to get busy.

Seeing the other children run over to the stove again, Li Xiangdong said to Li Xiaotao, “Go call your great-grandfather and great-grandmother to come out and eat instant noodles.”

The noodles were served.

Li Xiangdong helped carry the bowls to the dining table in the main house.

The grandparents and others came to the main house, sat at the table, and looked at the fragrant instant noodles in front of them.

Except for Li Xiangdong, everyone was swallowing their saliva. They couldn’t help it; the appeal was just that powerful!

Old Man Li, with a creamy candy in his mouth, looked at the bowl of instant noodles placed before him and sighed repeatedly, “I’m enjoying life, I’m enjoying life. Who would have thought I’d be able to enjoy such blessings from my grandson in my old age.”

“Dongzi is so filial. We old couple will have great fortune in the future.”

Old Lady Li picked up her bowl and took a sip of the soup first, saying with a smile, “This instant noodle soup is really rich. No wonder it smells so fragrant.”

Eldest Sister-in-law nodded, “I think this soup would make even a shoe sole taste delicious.”

“That’s hard to say.”

Second Sister-in-law laughed, “My Xiaobo’s dad stays in the boiler room all day. His feet stink so bad. These seasonings wouldn’t be enough. You’d need at least two more packets.”

At this moment, Old Man Li suddenly asked, “Dongzi, where’s your mother?”