Li Laosi, Liu Biaotou, and Mr. Wen, among others, introduced everyone.

When the village chief and others heard that the person was from the Guo family, they felt pity for him but did not want to dredge up old Mr. Guo's painful memories, so they exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries.

Unexpectedly, these words took on a completely different meaning in Mr. Guo's eyes.

Old Master Liu stepped forward and invited Mr. Guo, "Brother Guo, come on, let's go inside and take a walk. It's rare to find such a nice place. In a few days, invite some friends and we'll come here to enjoy the scenery and have some drinks."

Mr. Guo forced a smile and replied, "Alright, I have two jars of good wine with me, I'll bring them over with me then."

The group returned to the valley, sat in the pavilion to drink tea, strolled on the boardwalk, and washed their faces by the pool, all feeling happy and relaxed.

Only Guo Qing seemed to be jumping around a bit, looking here and there, even pushing open the locked doors of the various courtyards and wooden houses to take a peek.

This was somewhat impolite and lacked tact, causing the village chief and others to frown.

Mr. Wen, however, was well aware of the situation. He seized an opportunity to pull Young Master Ye behind him and say a few more words.

Young Master Ye's face turned icy as he listened, and he said in a low voice, "If they really bring it up today, there's no need to hold back. Just tell them clearly. To pity others is to be cruel to yourself!"

Mr. Wen looked at Mr. Guo ahead and sighed softly.

"It's so pitiful for a parent to outlive their child. I thought the matter was over, but I didn't expect this kind of trouble. It just goes to show that you can't be a good person!"

After saying that, he pointed to the beautiful valley and said, "In the end, it's still money that moves people's hearts. This place is too eye-catching; everyone would want to take it."

Young Master Ye snorted coldly, "If you want to reach out, be prepared to have your hand chopped off."

Mr. Wen was startled by the sudden burst of murderous intent emanating from him and quickly advised, "It's better to talk things out."

"No, it's best to nip it in the bud and make an example of it, otherwise this kind of thing will happen again and again." Young Master Ye raised his hand, called two personal guards forward, and gave them a few instructions.

The guard saluted, then turned and left...

Soon, a villager ran over to announce, "The feast is ready; please come back and eat, distinguished guests."

The village chief greeted them with a smile, "Grandpa Liu, Mr. Guo, let's go back. If you like the scenery here, come often in the future, and I definitely won't charge you any money."

"Oh dear, then I'll have to stay a few more days. I can't miss this opportunity!" Old Master Liu joked, which made everyone laugh as they walked out of the valley while talking.

The weather was especially nice today. The sky was azure and cloudless. Since it's not yet the height of summer, the sun wasn't too strong, but the breeze was warm.

Two tables were set up in the main room of the Li family's house to entertain distinguished guests.

Eight tables were set up in the courtyard, mostly occupied by men of all ages from the village, and two tables were occupied by elderly women with their children.

The women wore aprons and sleeves, and even their heads were covered with cloths, making them look clean and tidy.

A group of people followed Tao Hongying to the kitchen to wash, chop, fry, and cook vegetables.

One team followed Zhao Yuru, responsible for serving dishes, setting out bowls and chopsticks, carrying wine jars, and serving rice.

When everyone entered and saw the lively scene, they couldn't help but smile.

Life isn't about how much money you have, it's about having a lively and prosperous life.

Grandpa Liu glanced at his niece standing under the eaves and suddenly thought it wouldn't be bad for her to stay here permanently.

Madam Cui was holding Jiayin, who grabbed a piece of pastry to fill her stomach. When some crumbs fell onto her clothes, she quickly picked them up and ate them.

Grandpa Liu happened to walk over and couldn't help but smile when he saw it. "Fu Niu likes butterfly cookies, huh? I'll buy you two more boxes next time I come over."

Jiayin immediately smiled, reached out and hugged Grandpa Liu, handing him the butterfly pastry in her hand, "Grandpa, have some!"

Grandpa Liu's eyebrows almost flew off as he smiled. He never expected that this child would be so close to him after only meeting him once. You know, his grandchildren would run away like mice in front of a cat whenever they saw him.

He gently bounced the chubby little girl in his arms, and the more he looked at her, the more he liked her.

Today, Jiayin is wearing a new dress, which Madam Cui sewed for her from soft cotton fabric when she had nothing else to do these past few days.

The scarlet blouse, with its diagonal placket, was embroidered with lifelike flowers and butterflies on the front. A cat perched on the pale yellow skirt, its eyes fixed on the butterflies, as if ready to pounce and play at any moment—a scene both whimsical and exquisite.

Jiayin was already fair-skinned, chubby, and adorable, with big eyes and long eyelashes; this makeover added to her charm.

Mr. Wen walked over and couldn't help but touch her topknot. Her soft, fine hair, tied with a red ribbon, made one's heart feel sweet and tender.

He glanced at Madam Cui subconsciously, and his face flushed slightly, as if he had thought of something.

Perhaps his throat was sore, Mr. Liu coughed and handed the good news to Mrs. Cui.

Soon, everyone took their seats.

Young Master Ye sat in the main seat, while the village chief and Li Lao Er accompanied Old Master Liu and his son, Mr. Wen and Lord Zhou, Old Master Guo and Guo Qing, and Doctor Zhang, all sitting at the main table.

At another table, Uncle Zhao and several other old men, along with Chief Escort Liu, Li Laosan, and Li Laosi, were accompanied by two village heads and several of Lord Zhou's subordinates.

The two village heads not only didn't find fault with it, but were actually quite excited.

They had cautiously inquired a few questions in the valley and learned that the people at the main table were all former high-ranking officials and even ran academies, which surprised them greatly.

Don't even mention it, just sitting at the next table for a meal, and letting them see it from outside the yard, will be enough for them to brag about for years to come.

Tao Hongying has always been a good cook, and she even worked as a chef before. Unfortunately, from north to south, she was always struggling to make ends meet.

Now that the family has slaughtered a pig and bought plenty of chicken, fish, eggs, and vegetables, she can finally show off her culinary skills.

Braised pork belly, four-happiness meatballs, minced meat stuffed tofu, braised pork ribs, chicken stew with mushrooms, pork rib stew with radish, stir-fried liver tips, and the indispensable carp leaping over the dragon gate, plus a small earthenware pot of authentic pig-killing stew, a total of nine dishes, for good luck and longevity.

The banquet was so lavish that the two village heads were too astonished to even pick up their chopsticks.

Even Grandpa Liu asked curiously, "Did they hire a cook from the city?"

The village chief replied proudly, "No, the cook in charge of the kitchen is the wife of the fourth son of the Li family, and also Fu Niu's mother. Her ancestors included imperial chefs. In our hometown, she is very famous in the surrounding villages for cooking."

"Oh my, no wonder Fu Niu is so beautiful, she has a very skilled mother!" Grandpa Liu laughed, drawing everyone's attention to Jia Yin in Grandma Li's arms.

Jiayin quickly covered her face. She had just been a little greedy, but that wasn't illegal.

So what if I'm fat? I didn't steal anyone's rice!

Seeing the little girl blush with embarrassment, everyone laughed even harder.

Young Master Ye smiled, picked up the chubby girl, placed her in his arms, and called to everyone, "Let's start eating, the food is getting cold."

As he spoke, he picked up a piece of pork rib and placed it in Jiayin's bowl.

Jiayin beamed and immediately started munching on it.