My Grandmother's Recipe

3

New year's celebration would come teh day after this day. All Chinese people usually prepare a lot of things. Like what my grandmother and I do. We bought some lanterns for our home and our restaurant. After that, my grandmother asked Wei Shang to put it on the door.

I was on the market. I must buy some groceries to celebrate the Chinese new year tomorrow. My grandmother asked me to buy an abalone, hioko mushroom, chicken, pork, bok coy, choi sum, gai lan, and other ingredients.

"Is it so heavy?" a man next to me.

"Hui Jian? What are you doing?" asked me.

"Am I wrong if I'm walking on the market?" asked Hui Jian.

"Haha. I don't know if you like to go to the market," said me.

"Because I like to cook and I bought some groceries for tomorrow. I believe that you bought some groceries for tomorrow too," said Hui Jian.

"You're right. But, where are your groceries?" asked me.

"I already put it on the car. But, suddenly, I saw you. So, I got out of the car and followed you. Give it your groceries to me!" said Hui Jian.

"No need. I can hold it and bring it by myself," said me.

"Give it to me! Let me help you now," said Hui Jian.

"Xie xie," said me.

Hui Jian put all my groceries into the luggage. After that, we went to the car.

"Mei Ling, let's have lunch together," said Hui Jian.

Hui Jian brought me to a restaurant in Jinbao. He ordered roasted duck for him and me.

"Hui Jian, I didn't ask you to buy me an expensive dish," said me.

"Ah, just once," said Hui Jian.

"So, tomorrow is New year's day. Today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, my grandmother's restaurant will be closed," said me.

"Yeah, I know it," said Hui Jian.

***

The first day of the new year has come. My grandmother, me, and Wei Sheng prayed together in the morning to the Buddha. After that, we ate nian gao (a cake for celebrating chinese new year, brown and sticky) together. Eating nian gao has the symbolism of raising oneself taller in each coming year.

We exchanged our nian gao to our neighbor because nian gao is very popular as gifts during the Chinese New Year. "Nian", which means sticky, means that if we give nian gao to someone, we will keep our relationship deeper and longer.

"Xin nian kuai le," I heard that sentence so many times today.

After the morning turned to afternoon and afternoon turned to evening, I helped my grandmother to prepare the dinner. Our dinner was not as luxurious as last night's dinner, but we cooked a special dish too. Not only that. We opened our house and we prepare some dish if there is someone who come to visit our house.

"Huanying!" said Wei Shan who was standing near the door.

I went to the living room and I wanted to see who was the guest. I don't believe Hui Jian will come to my grandmother's house on the new year's day. I think that he was joking when he asked for my address last week.

"Xin nian kuai le!" said Hui Jian.

"Xin nian kuai le!" said me.

"Gong xi fa cai!" said Hui Jian.

"Gong xi fa cai!" said me and Wei Sheng.

Hui Jian sat on the sofa. After that, I took a glass of oolong tea and I gave it to him.

"Ah," said Hui Jian.

"Let's have dinner here," said me.

My grandmother gave him an empty plate and let him choose the dish that he wanted. Hui Jian took the steamed chicken leg, fried noodle with mushroom and chicken, and the fried shrimp.

"Mei Ling," Hui Jian called me before he start to eat.

"Yes," I said.

"Please try to eat my dish. I brought my dish here," Hui Jian said when he gave me a lunch box.

I opened the lunch box that has been given from Hui Jian. He cooked fried fish with chestnut, chicken kung pao, and cap cai (chinese mixed vegetables). I started to eat all the dishes immediately.

"Mmm... very delicious!" said me.

"Really?" asked Hui Jian.

"You should open a restaurant," said me.

"Should I?" asked Hui Jian.

"Yeah," said me.

"But I'm a graphic designer," said Hui Jian.

"I didn't say to leave your current job to open up a restaurant. You can do it all together," said me.

"How can I manage my time?" asked Hui Jian.

"I know you can," said me.

After Hui Jian finished eating my dish and I finished eating his dish, we went to the second floor of my grandmother's house and we talked to each other on the balcony. I think he wanted to know me more.

Dictionary:Xin nian kuai le = happy new yearHuanying = welcomeGong xi fa cai = wish someone will become very rich