On the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, Jiang Ruyu helped her grandmother prepare many dishes. Jiang Hui and Han Ling carried gifts to her maternal grandfather's house and invited him and his family to have a meal.

I also invited my uncle Liu Yuanchao and my cousins ​​over for a meal so that everyone could get to know each other.

Having prepared for several days in advance, Jiang Ruyu specifically checked in at the check-in locations in Liaoning Province and Jianglin, where she collected a lot of fresh seafood. Unfortunately, it all froze solid shortly after being taken out, and she didn't know if it was dead or not. But even if it was dead, it was still fresh.

She took this opportunity to get a lot of shrimp, crabs, and fish. When Zheng Yang asked her about it, she said that she had met a woman selling them from a basket, and since she had a large family and could eat them all during the New Year, she bought them all.

Zheng Yang knew his wife liked to eat these things: "I'll buy some more next time I see them; they can be stored for a while now."

"Okay, I'll make some shrimp balls and fish balls for our daughter to have some meat and soup."

"Can babies who are still breastfeeding drink soup?" Zheng Yang dotes on his two daughters to the core. Every time he comes back, the first thing he does is wash his hands, change his clothes, and kiss his two daughters affectionately.

"Of course you can drink it. Before formula was available, rice water was used to feed older children. Don't spoil them like this."

Jiang Hui is back, so Grandma Jiang won't come to her granddaughter's house for meals anymore. Jiang Ruyu didn't say anything either. Grandma will definitely go home when Jiang Hui is back, otherwise outsiders will gossip.

The 26th was a Sunday. Her grandmother helped take care of the children, and she and her younger brother and sister-in-law Han Ling cooked together. Jiang Hui tended the fire, and Zheng Yang also helped out.

Jiang Hui has also bought some groceries over the past two days, including four spare ribs, two pig trotters, a two-pound piece of pork belly, a chicken, and some eggs.

In addition, Jiang Ruyu had given them some rice, flour, and cooking oil when she knew they were coming back, so the family doesn't lack anything now.

Jiang Ruyu brought back a large yellow croaker, two pounds of large prawns, and about ten large crabs today. When Jiang Hui and the others came back, they also got some dried fish and other things from the island's fishermen.

The first to arrive were my two cousins; their wives didn't come. There were too many people and too much food, and the house couldn't accommodate everyone, especially since they were all children.

"Big brother, second brother is here. Come inside and sit down. Where's uncle? Let him come over. Zheng Yang, bring out the cards and you can play a game of cards." Jiang Ruyu introduced them to Han Ling.

"These are my uncle's eldest and second eldest brothers."

Han Ling then called out to the others, and Jiang Kai and Jiang Jun both smiled and nodded in agreement. Jiang Hui had already gone to pour water and make tea.

When Grandpa arrived, Jiang Ruyu shooed Jiang Hui out of the kitchen: "Go and entertain the guests. From now on, these are your chores."

Zheng Yang also switched his grandmother's position; when guests came to the house, his grandmother would step forward to help greet them.

This meal marked the first time Jiang Hui, as the head of the Jiang family, had hosted everyone since he grew up. Since they were all close relatives, they were tolerant and helpful in pointing out any shortcomings in his behavior. Once Jiang Hui returned to work and life, he would be responsible for maintaining the family's social obligations.

Jiang Lin will no longer be at home for work, so Jiang Hui will have to rely on relatives and neighbors to manage things at home.

For lunch, Jiang Ruyu cooked braised pork with dried tofu knots, braised pork ribs, chicken stew with winter melon, and braised pig's trotters. Since green vegetables are rare in winter, I stir-fried some cabbage with vinegar and hot and sour shredded potatoes.

Han Ling made scallion oil yellow croaker, garlic shrimp, dried cuttlefish soup, and clear soup made from half an old goose. She put them in a copper pot, washed some cabbage, kelp, spinach, soaked dried mushrooms and wood ear fungus, which can be eaten after being cooked. You can eat and drink the soup at the same time.

A large pot was filled with more than a dozen big crabs and rice cakes.

There weren't many dishes, but each serving was quite large.

"Come on, come on, dinner's ready!" Jiang Ruyu brought out the dishes.

Jiang Hui and Zheng Yang came in to help serve the dishes. Xiao Yue didn't want to come, saying there wasn't enough room. Jiang Ruyu saw that she really didn't want to sit at the table, so she put a little bit of each dish on her plate and told her to stay in the room and watch the two children.

She glanced at the clattering toys her father-in-law had made for her, then touched her diaper and said with a smile, "My brother just had his formula fed and his diaper changed, so you can go eat in peace, sister-in-law."

"Okay, I'm going to eat now. Just put your bowl on the table outside when you're done."

"Okay, I understand. Go ahead."

The dining table was moved from my uncle's house. Wang Shuhua ate at Jiang Jun's house today. Two square wooden tables were put together, and everyone could barely sit down, squeezed together.

Before they even started eating, Jiang Hui and Han Ling stood up and raised their glasses: "Before we eat, Han Ling and I would like to offer a toast to all the elders and family members present. Thank you for your tolerance and care over the years. Now that I'm married, I will work hard to support my grandmother and uphold our family's honor, so you won't have to worry about me."

Grandpa Hu Jun secretly wiped away his tears, then smiled and raised his glass: "My grandson is right. He's grown up and can now take care of the family. Well done."

Everyone raised their glasses, and Jiang Ruyu couldn't help but secretly tear up.

After the first drink, we started eating. Today, everyone was family, so there weren't many formalities.

Jiang Hui toasted his maternal grandfather, uncle, paternal uncle and his two cousins ​​one by one, and finally his brother-in-law Zheng Yang and his sister Jiang Ruyu.

Seeing that Jiang Hui was already a bit tipsy and was even raising his glass to her, Jiang Ruyu finally let her tears fall after holding them back for so long.

"What's wrong, Jiang Hui? This is such a joyous occasion, why do you have to make me cry?"

Jiang Hui smiled, but couldn't help but choke up a little: "Sister, this glass is for you and for brother-in-law. These past two years, I've been away from home, and you've both worked so hard, especially brother-in-law and my Uncle Zheng. My grandmother has received a lot of care from you these past two years."

Zheng Dali waved his hand: "Huizi, don't say that. Not to mention that we've lived in the same courtyard for over twenty years, we're practically family now. Besides, I've known your grandma longer than you have, hahaha."

Everyone at the table laughed, and Jiang Hui laughed too: "Sister, you've always shouldered a lot of responsibilities in our family since you were little. It won't be like that anymore. Just enjoy your own life. I'm all grown up now, and I can shoulder the burdens of the family. Don't worry about me."

Jiang Ruyu tilted her head back and drank a cup: "I'm not worried. You've always been sensible and obedient since you were little. After two years of hard work and training, I believe you can support your family."

Jiang Hui poured another glass of wine and toasted Zheng Yang: "Brother-in-law, this glass is especially for you. Thank you for taking care of Grandma for me. My sister has a quick temper, and you must have been the one to give in more to her. I can tell that my sister is doing very well. Thank you."

Zheng Yang also tilted his head back and drank the glass of wine, but he disagreed and said to Jiang Hui, "Your grandmother is your grandmother, and now she's my grandmother too. Don't say such foreign things. As for your sister and brother-in-law, they're my wives. I'm good to my wife, do I need you to thank me? You deserve a beating, drink this as punishment."

The table erupted in laughter again; everyone was happy and satisfied with the meal.

Time flies, and the bells of 1973 have already rung.