Chapter 609: Morning Sunshine
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the morning light was just beginning to shine, and the restaurant was already filled with steam. Qi Tongwei was busy in front of the stove wearing an apron, preparing snacks for the neighbors to celebrate the New Year. The steamed cakes were soft and sticky, which meant "higher every year", and the fried fruits were crispy, praying for a "sweet life every festival". His daughter followed behind him to arrange the dishes, and her little hands arranged the cakes neatly. Her rosy face was full of solemnity, as if she was guarding a treasure. The waiters also arrived at their posts one after another. Although it was the New Year, no one shirked their responsibilities. They tacitly cleaned, wiped the tables and chairs, and sorted the tableware. Everyone thought this was their second home, and hoped that it would be clean and bright at the beginning of the New Year.
Neighbors came in groups, greeting and blessing each other. Uncle Li was helped into the house by Qi Tongwei. There were already several delicious dishes on the table. Uncle Li's eyes were red: "Boss Qi, thanks to your restaurant, I can have a warm meal on weekdays. You still care about me during the holidays. I hope the New Year will be smooth!" Qi Tongwei thanked him repeatedly and was busy handing red envelopes to the children. There was not much money in them, but they were full of love. He touched the children's heads and wished them to make rapid progress in their studies. Hearing the crisp "Thank you, Uncle Qi", he was full of joy.
In the afternoon, the warm winter sun shines generously, and the small square in front of the restaurant is bustling. Qi Tongwei brings out his own audio system, and Shan Jige and his children fiddle with colored silk and lanterns, preparing for a simple dragon and lion dance. Although they are not as sophisticated as professional teams, they attract people with their simple enthusiasm. The gongs and drums sound, the "lion" jumps joyfully, and the "dragon" meanders and shuttles. The children hold sugar figurines and run behind them with laughter. The adults are also infected, clapping and shouting. The unfamiliarity between neighbors melts away in the joy and turns into a close friendship. The restaurant seems to have become a bond, weaving a brocade of community reunion.
Starting from the second day of the Chinese New Year, the New Year's greetings are very busy. Qi Tongwei prepared gift boxes filled with special cured meats and cakes from the restaurant, and walked around the streets with his family and friends. Every time he arrived at a house, the owners held hands and chatted about family matters, inquired about the restaurant's business, shared their own trivia, and invited them to taste their homemade rice wine and pickled vegetables. In the exchange of gifts, friendship took root and sprouted. When meeting elderly people living alone, Qi Tongwei always stayed for a while, helped check the water, electricity and heating, reminded them to take care of their health, and quietly left some money under the pillow when he left. He knew that life was not easy, and he was willing to add a little warmth with his meager efforts.
On the way back, his daughter was so tired that she fell asleep in Qi Tongwei's arms, her little hand still holding the candy wrapper given by the neighbor. He patted the child gently, and his eyes swept over his companions, his heart full of emotion. After all the bumps along the way, the restaurant has grown from a place where dreams began to a sheltered harbor, carrying the affection of neighbors and the cuddling of family members. The verbal battles in the courts and the twists and turns in the rivers and lakes in the past have all become misty clouds, and the peace and warmth of the present are what the heart desires.
With the warmer weather in spring, the restaurant has a new look. Qi Tongwei plans to expand the outdoor dining area, add some parasols and wooden fences, and create a dining scene beside the flowers in spring. He goes to the flower market every morning to select seedlings, studies the habits of flowers, and plants and cultivates them by himself. Violets and geraniums gradually bloom, and the breeze blows, the shadows of the flowers sway, and diners are full of praise. The menu has also been refurbished to incorporate spring vegetables. The stir-fried spring bamboo shoots with meat are fresh and crispy, and the shepherd's purse wontons are fragrant. Each new dish has been repeatedly tried and made, just to lock in the taste of spring when it is served on the table.
The art performance season has begun. On weekend nights, the restaurant has transformed into an art salon. Wandering painters set up their drawing boards and sketched the silhouettes of diners on the spot, using ink lines to outline the various aspects of life; folk singers hold guitars and sing travel stories in a low voice. The notes float into the plates and become a special seasoning. Diners are intoxicated by the atmosphere. Some students seek out painters for art, and some travelers sing with singers. The seeds of art fall into the mundane world and sprout new seedlings of art. Qi Tongwei shuttles among them, refilling tea and passing water, with a smile on his face. He knows that this atmosphere is priceless.
Summer is coming again, and the restaurant is calmly dealing with the peak season. A takeaway window has been added, and the lunch boxes have been improved to keep them warm and fresh. College students have been hired to work part-time, and they have been trained in an orderly manner, so that ordering and serving food are efficient and smooth. In between their busy schedules, students often gather in the kitchen to share campus stories, and the restaurant is full of youthful vigor, which attracts regular customers to joke about how good youth is. Qi Tongwei looked at the lively scene, as if he saw the cycle of life. His own children may also enter society with such vigor in the future, and he hopes that this restaurant will always be a warm home to return to, embracing thousands of stories.
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moon was full. The restaurant set up a long table for a banquet, and diners of all ages and relatives sat around to enjoy the bright moon. The table was filled with moon cakes, pomegranates, and crabs. Everyone wished each other well and toasted to the moon. Qi Tongwei gave a speech to thank everyone for their support. Brother Shan Ji urged him to sing a song. He blushed and hummed an old song, but his off-tune laughter pushed the reunion to a climax. The moonlight fell gently, and the silver light was plated on every happy face. At this moment, the restaurant was the center of the reunion, painting the perfection of the world.
The brushstrokes of time never stop, painting a colorful scroll of the restaurant's years. In the daily life when new literary and artistic seedlings are growing vigorously, Qi Tongwei shuttles between tables and chairs. When he adds tea and passes water, his fingertips seem to transmit the sparks of literature and art. Every smile hides the cherishment of this unique fireworks. He watches the interaction between diners and performers, and his soul seems to be nourished by warmth. He knows that this kind of life quality is the most precious gift after the twists and turns of fate, which is far better than the vanity of pursuing fame and fortune in the past.
The peak of summer vacation is coming, but the restaurant is like a steady ship sailing through the waves. People are coming and going in front of the takeaway window. The improved lunch boxes are exquisite and tight, and the insulation bags lock in the heat to ensure that the meals are fresh and fragrant even after a long journey. The part-time college students are dressed in neat uniforms and have bright eyes. They take orders, prepare dishes, and pack in one go. The sweat during the training is exchanged for efficiency at this moment. The occasional youthful laughter from the kitchen has become a unique "seasoning". Qi Tongwei looked at the busy but orderly scene, his thoughts flying, as if he foresaw that his own children would also venture out in this energetic way, and the restaurant must be their eternal safe haven, regardless of wind and rain, just to keep the reunion.
On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, silver light was everywhere, and the restaurant seemed to be condensed into a reunion magnet by the moonlight. The long table was winding, and diners came one after another. The old people gently waved cattail leaves fans to recall the past Mid-Autumn Festival, the children laughed and played with moon cakes, and the middle-aged and young people raised their glasses to chat about the stability of the world. The pomegranates on the table were grinning, and the crabs were red. The rich aroma wrapped around the blessings and rose to the moon palace. Qi Tongwei stood up to give a speech, with sincere gratitude in his throat, but unexpectedly, Shan Ji Ge shouted, which made him blush with embarrassment. When he hummed the old song, the off-tune was like a playful note, which caused laughter, but it miraculously warmed the temperature of reunion. The moonlight seemed to understand people's hearts, and it was quietly blowing, engraving the perfection of this moment into the depths of the soul.
As autumn deepens, the restaurant enters a season of quiet and busy interweaving. In the morning, dewdrops condense on the flowers and plants on the windowsill. Qi Tongwei will prune the branches and leaves with the first ray of light. The dead flowers and leaves fall down, and the new green is ready to emerge, just like combing the veins of life, discarding the complexity, and keeping peace. He began to think about new recipes for winter hot pot, visited old neighbors to ask for secret sauces, stewed and tasted, and the lingering aroma wafted out of the kitchen, filled with the expectation of warming the stomachs and hearts of diners in the cold winter.