Shen Yi was, of course, more than happy to accept.

But after what had happened before, he was now extra cautious, afraid of scaring her off and losing his chance for good.

Shen Yi held the box and said, "I’ll go ask my grandpa and my mom."

Qin Jiao nodded. She caught a faint fishy smell and guessed the styrofoam box was full of seafood, but she didn’t ask.

Besides, she figured they needed to discuss it, so she turned and left.

Shen Yi carried the styrofoam box into the house. Du Liya had been listless ever since her divorce and had lost a significant amount of weight. She was slumped on the sofa, clutching Mr. Du’s transistor radio and fiddling with the dial, trying to find an English station.

Leaning on his cane, Mr. Du was checking the soil in the flower pots on the windowsill to see if they were dry.

Shen Yi said, "Grandpa, Mom, my cousin had someone send over a box of seafood."

Du Liya replied listlessly, "I only know how to steam it. Is it fresh? If not, it won’t taste good steamed."

Seafood was a rarity back then, especially in the north during the dead of winter.

Shen Yi opened the styrofoam box. The shrimp and crabs inside were mostly still, but they looked fine at a glance.

They had probably died recently.

Shen Yi lowered his gaze slightly and said, "Qin Jiao just came by. She asked if we wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with them."

Mr. Du nodded. "I have no objection. Besides, they’re usually the ones who cook and bring our meals over. It’s a hassle, and the food gets cold on the way."

Du Liya didn’t really feel like seeing anyone. She asked Shen Yi, "Xiao Yi, do you want to go?"

Shen Yi said, "I hear it’s very lively at the Qin family’s house. I haven’t had a lively New Year’s celebration in a long time."

Du Liya’s eyes instantly stung. She had been feeling miserable for a while now, and on top of that, she’d begun to blame herself—for not being a good daughter, and not being a good mother.

Mr. Du immediately made the decision. "We’re going. We’ll celebrate with them. It’ll also be a good chance to ask about their plans for North City next year. Xiao Yi, take this box of seafood over to them, and ask if they need anything else."

"Okay."

Shen Yi sealed the styrofoam box and walked back out, carrying it in his arms.

He heard his grandfather and mother talking behind him.

"Dad, are the Qin family next door really moving to North City next year?"

"Yes. That girl, Xiao Jiao, wants to go to a university in North City, so the whole family plans to move there and open a small restaurant. I’ve been thinking I could invest in their venture. For one, I’ve grown accustomed to their cooking. For another, I have a feeling they’ll be very successful. Investing in their restaurant should be a win-win situation."

"That’s great! I was just wondering what to do with all this money I have lying around!"

Shen Yi had already left his yard and was heading next door.

Qin Jiao saw him carrying the styrofoam box over, a confused look in her eyes. Then she heard Shen Yi say, "Looks like the three of us will be imposing on you tomorrow. My cousin had this seafood shipped over, but none of us know how to prepare it. We were hoping Uncle Qin could take a look and figure out the best way to cook it."

’So it really is seafood!’

Seafood was such a luxury in those days. The most common "seafood" her family ate was tiny dried shrimp.

’Spicy crab, braised prawns, scallops with garlic... the possibilities were endless!’

Although Qin Jiao didn’t say anything, Shen Yi could sense her delight. A small smile touched his lips as he walked inside beside her.

He said, "My grandfather wanted to know if your family needs anything. We can bring it with us tomorrow."

"We don’t need a thing! Just bring your appetites. Oh, right! I’ll come get you tomorrow morning. We can put up the couplets together."

It was probably thanks to the seafood, but Qin Jiao’s attitude toward Shen Yi was suddenly wonderful.

Her good mood was infectious, and a brilliant smile spread across Shen Yi’s face. "Yeah, okay."