Lin Hongqi arrived at the restaurant, and smelling the delicious soybean paste aroma, he couldn't help but recall bringing soybean paste to school in a canning jar during his school days.

Back then, many students came from financially struggling families, and a jar of soybean paste was treated like a treasure. Students would even carry it during class for fear of it being stolen if left in the dormitory.

If it were lost, not only would two weeks' worth of meals be gone, but they would also get a scolding at home.

Canning jars were valuable and usually only received as gifts from relatives during festivals. If one was lost, the family would have to somehow find another...

Reflecting on those difficult times and seeing the joyful scene of his family now, Lin Hongqi felt deeply moved.

Life had indeed gotten much better.

"Dad, here's your porridge."

As he was reflecting, Shen Baobao brought over a bowl of corn porridge and placed it in front of him. This made Lin Hongqi even more satisfied with his current life.

Who would have thought that a child from our Lin family could marry a girl from a wealthy Beijing family?

Standing nearby, Chen Meijuan also felt deeply moved. "How great it would have been to have a jar of soybean paste like this when we were in school."

Lin Hongqi passed her a pair of chopsticks with a smile, "What? Is my mom's cooking not enough for you?"

When they were in school, Lin Xu's grandfather was a minor official, and Lin Xu's grandmother was also teaching at a school. Their family had relatively better conditions.

During his time in boarding high school, Lin Hongqi used to share the food and drinks he brought from home with Chen Meijuan, the most beautiful girl in his class. Sometimes he even went hungry to make sure Chen Meijuan was fed.

They secretly fell for each other.

Romantic relationships among students weren't allowed at that time. Not only would the school impose punishments, but even both families would strongly object.

When Chen Meide and Chen Meiliang, who had just started working, heard that a teacher's child was pestering their little sister, they immediately became furious and rode their bicycles straight to the Lin Family's village.

They intended to teach Lin Hongqi a lesson and warn him to stay away from their little sister.

The brothers pedaled tens of miles. Just as they arrived in the village, the Lin family was hosting a house-raising event.

The stew from the large communal pot, filled with fatty meat, and the soft, fluffy steamed white buns instantly tempted the tired and hungry brothers.

The brothers, who had originally come to cause trouble, suddenly felt that it wasn't a bad thing for their sister to be with such a well-off family. They abandoned their thoughts of fighting and, rolling up their sleeves, began to help with the house-raising.

Afterward, each of them devoured two bowls of the hearty stew and four large buns.

Lin Hongqi's grandmother initially disagreed with him getting engaged so young. She believed that with a bit of effort, Hongqi could easily get into university.

But now, the girl's side was being so proactive. Hearing that her family had ridden dozens of miles on bicycles just to help with the house-raising, they felt it wouldn't be right not to formally ask for her hand in marriage. So, they found a middleman to make the proposal and sent over two entire pig legs as gifts.

Well, they had traveled so far to help. Regardless of the outcome, sending the two pig legs felt like the right thing to do.

The Chen Family hadn't expected things to turn out this way. But the pig legs had already been delivered to their house, and Meijuan was very satisfied with the boy. Moreover, their two children had even helped with the house-raising. So they agreed!

And just like that, Lin Hongqi, who was still in his second year of high school, got engaged to his classmate Chen Meijuan. The two of them were always seen together, making all the teachers and students at school incredibly envious.

"Wow! Mom and Dad's love story is so romantic!" Shen Baobao exclaimed, starry-eyed after hearing the story.

She initially thought her engagement to Lin Xu right after graduation was abrupt. However, now that she knew her mother-in-law had gotten engaged in her second year of high school, it seemed what the young people were doing now was just following in the footsteps of the older generation.

She mimicked Chen Meijuan, picking up some watermelon soybean paste with her chopsticks, spreading it inside her steamed bread, and taking a bite.

WOW! Mixed grain steamed bread with soybean paste is so delicious! If only I had known, I would have asked Aunt Liu to make some soybean paste to go with the mixed grains I was eating at home back then.

Chen Yuanyuan dipped a wild vegetable steamed bread into the Chili Oil and said as she ate, "I really didn't expect my dad and my uncle to have done something so embarrassing. When they arrive later, I have to interview them properly, asking why they sold out my third aunt for a bowl of the communal pot stew."

Lin Xu took a sip of his porridge and chuckled, "You'd better not ask."

"Why not, bro? Don't you think it's interesting?"

"It's interesting for sure, but there's a high chance my uncles will turn the topic to your marriage. Then the whole family will start pestering you about getting married again."

It seems it's time for my sister-in-law to teach Yuanyuan some skills on how to stay inconspicuous in a crowd. Why would she draw attention to herself like that? Isn't that just making herself a target for the relatives? Lin Xu thought.

Chen Yuanyuan instantly pursed her lips.

Sigh! Being single, I don't even have the right to gossip at home. Luckily, there's still delicious food to comfort my wounded soul… I'll just be an inconspicuous freeloader today, avoid being seen by the relatives, so I won't be dragged out as a bad example compared to my cousin.

Although today's meal was simple, it was quite delicious.

The wild vegetable steamed bread had a unique, fresh plant-like taste and was extremely tasty. The mixed grain steamed bread, with added soybean flour, became more fragrant the more one chewed.

These two types of steamed bread, paired with three different styles of dipping sauces, were simply incredible.

"It's so delicious! I didn't have much of an appetite initially, but this steamed bread and soybean paste just make me unable to stop. Mom, won't you mind if I eat too much?"

"Silly child, why would Mom mind you eating too much."

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