Chinese Version
04-08-2022，Friday， Spring Thunder

Last night, Ben, my grandson who was born in the lunar year of the cow, met his friend Vincent who was born in the lunar year of the tiger, for the second time. This time they met in our house while the last time they met in Vincent’s house.

Vincent’s parents (M and B) came from Munich, Germany. Because they were interested in Chinese food, I prepared Sichuan home dishes, such as double cooked pork belly, stir cooked Chinese green beans (flat and wide), Chinese lettuce, fried homemade wonton and steamed eggplant with cold sauce. Alex also made Middle Eastern roast lamb rack for the adults.

Vincent, who was less than three months old, was very picky about food. His parents brought his dinner from home, they also brought us fresh flowers and German chocolate rabbit.

My daughter takes care about the guests at our dinner table, so she usually arranges the seats for us. Last night, I sat at one end of the table. Ben and Vincent were at the other end of the table, sitting in their respective rocking chair and high chair. Vincent’s parents sat on my right, and Alex and my daughter sat on my left.

Serving Germans with Chinese food and thinking of their habit of drinking beer, Alex recommended a typical Chinese sorghum liquor, which contains more than 50 percent of alcohol, to M. After listening to Alex’s introduction, M happily accepted: “Well, I will take it, as I never tried such a high concentration of Chinese wine.”

Both mothers were breast-feeding, so Alex only poured the Chinese liquor for M, me and himself.

We chatted while eating and drinking. M said that he works from home and he works for a company that is based in Germany. He starts work 6 hours earlier than the people on the East Coast of the United States.

Both M and B liked the very spicy double cooked pork belly and cold sauce steamed eggplant. They also praised Alex’s lamb rack for its tenderness and deliciousness.

I noticed that M hadn’t touched his liquor and I told him: “If you can’t drink liquor, please don’t drink it.”

M replied: “I can drink it, but I don’t want to drink such strong liquor on an empty stomach.”

I praised him: “If you don’t drink on an empty stomach, then you have good eating habits!”

M said: “I used to be overweight, so now I pay attention to my eating habits.”

Looking at the tall and slender M, I couldn’t help but ask: “You are in such good shape. Have you ever been overweight?”

M smiled and said, “Yes, I was overweight in Germany. I lost weight after practicing intermittent fasting a few years ago.”

I immediately said, “I’ve been practicing intermittent fasting for more than a year now. I eat twice a day and don’t eat for 16 hours. I feel very good too!”

M said: “I only have one meal in the evening every day, so I can’t drink liquor with an empty stomach for an entire day.” I agree that it will be hard for an empty stomach to take a liquor that contains more than 50 percent of alcohol.

I asked M curiously: “You only have one meal at night every day. How do you maintain your energy level while working during the day?”

M said: “Drinking coffee and water during the day.”

After eating some dishes, M tasted the sorghum liquor. He said that he tasted a unique strong flavor and took a photo of the liquor bottle with great interest. So Alex poured him a second glass of the sorghum liquor.

Later I asked M: “Could I write a story about your intermittent fasting of one meal a day at dinner time?”

M said, “of course.”

I asked for more: “You’re so handsome. Could I use your photos in this story?” As soon as M heard this, he held up his glass of liquor and smiled at me. I quickly took a photo of the handsome and happy M for later use.

After dinner, the new parents were engaged in exchanging tips on how to calm their babies. M said that taking an airplane calms Vincent. He immediately picked up Ben and demonstrated what “taking an airplane” means: while holding Ben’s chest and belly in one hand and holding Ben’s neck vertically in the other hand, he moved his hands up and down and used his mouth to imitate the sound of an aircraft engine. Ben seemed to enjoy “flying” very much. In fact, while looking at Ben, I enjoyed the ride too.

More stories about intermittent fasting from my other friends: On 07-17-2021, Miss Bingbing said, “I have been on intermittent fasting for more than half a year. My lunch at 11:30 AM is a big meal and my dinner has less starch at 7 PM. I still feel sleepy after my lunch.”  2021-08-25, Clay, a friend I met during Wednesday’s Pokemon Go raid hour, said he has been on intermittent fasting for more than a year. I also learnt that he had tried the “keto diet” before, but as a “keto diet” for six consecutive weeks might cause a heart stroke, he switched from the “keto diet” to “intermittent fasting”. His first meal is at 11:00 AM and his second meal is at 7:00 PM. He also told me: “Within a week, if you are on ‘intermittent fasting’ for five days and cheated for the other two days by eating freely, ‘intermittent fasting’ will still keep its effect.” 

Little Episodes

The very handsome M holding Chinese liquor happily.

While holding Ben, M is demonstrating “flying an airplane”, a game both Vincent and Ben enjoy.

Ben and Vincent were at the other end of the table, sitting in their respective rocking chair and high chair.

Last night’s dishes.