Ome Quartet of Snow Country

Chapter 154 Osechi Cuisine
The doorbell rang, and Shangzi quickly came to answer the door.

Song Qianqiu stood outside, her two children were on the left and right sides, and Hai Xing had already changed back into her own clothes.

"Aunt……"

"Shangzi~"

Song Qianqiu gave her a hug, smiling all over her face, and then said hello to the Hua couple who walked inside.

"Totsuya, Sawako, long time no see."

"Qianqiu..."

Kazuko Hana smiled, "The last time I saw you was almost four or five years ago."

"Has it been that long—don't you usually watch my drama?"

"There's no time."

"so sad!"

The three of them entered the room, the adults sat in the living room and chatted, Naruse and Haixing followed Shangzi into the kitchen.

The cooking pot was gurgling, something was cooking.

Seeing the five-fold lacquer box on the side, Hai Xing asked, "Is Shang Zi preparing Osechi dishes?"

"Yes. Tomorrow is the New Year, and it's actually a little late to start preparing now."

Shangzi continued to get busy, Naruse approached a little closer, there were some black beans stewed in the pot, it seemed that they had been cooking for a while.

There are two lacquer boxes next to it, and he understands that one of them is for his family.

"I'm here to help."

"no thanks."

"Can you come here alone?"

Shangzi hesitated for a moment, "It shouldn't be a big problem..."

Naruse went directly to the side to pick out the ingredients.

"What do you prepare for Osechi cuisine?"

Osechi cuisine is eaten every year—in recent years, it is bought in the mall—but this is the first time he helps prepare it.

Shangzi leaned over, "The ingredients have been sorted, and that's it."

She introduced that one part is the boiled food that needs to be placed in the third layer of the food box, the other part is the main dish that needs to be cooked and placed in the second layer, and there are a bunch of ingredients that are to be placed in the first layer of the food box to celebrate the new year. , including the black beans that are cooking in the pot at this time...

Naruse looked at it, and started from the nearest one, "Then let's start with the yellowtail. Is the teriyaki sauce ready?"

"No, I'm going to cook the food first. I'm going to..."

"No, I'll come."

Naruse was not very familiar with Shangzi's kitchen, so he looked around and took out a small bowl from the cupboard.

Miso, soy sauce, ginger, and sugar are needed to make the sauce. He only found the first few items, "Where is the sugar?"

"Over there." Shang Zi pointed to Hai Xing's side.

Starfish looked for it, picked up the sugar bowl, and brought it to him.

Naruse glanced at her without looking at her, "Just leave it alone."

"Hmm..." Hai Xing replied, still standing beside him.

Naruse took a deep breath, forcing himself not to be distracted.

Adding several seasonings into a small bowl, he scooped out a few spoonfuls of granulated sugar and prepared it by himself.

The tiny crystals are melted into the soy sauce and miso, dyed with finely chopped ginger, and become part of the sauce.

After preparing the sauce, Naruse turned on the fire and started cooking.

On the other side, the black beans that have been stewed with soy sauce and sugar for half an afternoon are almost cooked.

Shangzi stirred it lightly a few times, picked up another black bean, and tested the firmness.

Naruse glanced at it, "It's overcooked."

"Ah."

She picked up two more and gave him and Haixing a taste respectively.

"It seems a bit too sweet." Naruse said while chewing on black beans.

Shangzi put the black beans on the chopsticks into his mouth, rolled his eyes, "I feel fine..."

Starfish chewed the beans without saying a word.

"Taste is a personal matter, but it is indeed almost cooked, so take it out."

"Ah."

Shangzi extinguished the fire, fished out the black beans, and put them aside to drain.

While waiting, she glanced at the yellowtail that was burning in the pot next to her, and reminded Naruse to add more sauce.

"What...um." He picked up the small bowl.

She looked at him, feeling that he seemed a little absent-minded.

And the same absent-minded person, and the starfish behind him.

"starfish."

"..."

"starfish--"

"Ah?" She finally came back to her senses, "What's wrong?"

Shangzi stared at her for a few seconds and smiled.

"Help me get the box containing Osechi dishes. The black beans are cooked and can be put in."

"it is good……"

Starfish held the lacquer box, and Shangzi poured the drained black beans into the small compartment, followed by another lacquer box.

"All right."

Starfish looked down for a while, then put the lacquer box back to its original place.

Looking at the ingredients at hand, Shangzi said, "Next, it's time to cook Kamohoko."

Cleaning the cooking pot, refilling the water, and cutting the red and white fish cakes into pieces, she was busy again.

"——If you're okay, go back first." Naruse said suddenly, his eyes still fixed on the bubbling sauce in the pot.

Shangzi turned his head to look at him, and then looked at Haixing behind him. This sentence was obviously meant for her.

And she was clearly reluctant.

Staring at his back, her eyes were so straightforward that Shangzi felt uneasy.

She looked at her again.

"..."

After looking at each other for a short while, Hai Xing first looked away, and then pursed his lower lip.

"Then I'll go back first."

"Well...be careful on the road."

She glanced at Naruse again, but he said the same thing as Naoko without looking back.

Only then did Hai Xing leave the kitchen, and then the voice of her saying goodbye to Song Qianqiu and Shang Zi's parents came from outside.

"The door over there is not closed, Hai Xing remembers to take the things back."

"it is good……"

Shangzi looked at Naruse, "Hexing seems to have something on his mind."

"Is it...maybe I'm not satisfied with my mother's birthday present."

"What did Auntie send?"

"A ragged suit that doesn't cover even the shoulders, and a necklace with fake gemstones."

"..."

Shangzi opened his mouth.

Naruse took a deep breath, and moved closer to her, "I'm just kidding...don't let my mother hear what you just said."

Feeling the temperature on her shoulders, she pursed her lips and smiled, "Yeah."

"Is it almost done after burning like this?"

"Let me see……"

On the other side, Naruse's house.

After taking the dress on the sofa, Hai Xing stood in the living room without leaving directly, and looked at the party decorations on the wall.

Song Qianqiu said that it looked festive, so he kept it for the time being and waited until the new year was over.

She looked at the room where she changed clothes just now, and she still clearly remembered what happened just now in her mind.

His approach, his gaze, and... his order.

"..."

With her heart beating faster inexplicably, Hai Xing touched her lips.

She already has plans.

After chatting for a long time with the Hua couple who hadn't seen each other for a long time, Song Qianqiu got up and walked around the Hua's house, then came to the kitchen without making a sound.

Naoko and Naruse are still busy preparing Osechi dishes.

"It's too slow to cook like this, so why don't you just take some of it and prepare it in my kitchen."

"Is it okay for Chunhai to be alone?"

"I don't think there's anything wrong with it, and I can handle these ingredients—if you're worried, just tell me what you need to pay attention to first."

"Let me see……"

While distributing the ingredients for him to take back for cooking, Shangzi explained the precautions, and occasionally glanced at them, only to find that Song Qianqiu was leaning against the kitchen door, looking at them with a smile.

Naruse also quickly noticed, and turned his head to take a look, "Are you done chatting?"

"Oh, there are still many topics to talk about, and we can't finish talking at all." Song Qianqiu said with a smile.

"Then you can continue talking, I'll go back and prepare Osechi dishes first."

"Mom is going to welcome the New Year together at Shangzi's house at night, is it okay?"

Naruse froze for a moment, then looked at Shangzi again.

"It's all right."

"Then it's decided."

Song Qianqiu smiled, "There are more people, and it will be more lively. Otherwise, if it's just me and Chunhai, it would be too lonely."

(End of this chapter)