They might have been able to refuse at first, but once they were suddenly asked if they had any difficulties, it seemed like it was hard to refuse!

The two quickly replied, "No, no, there's no problem. Cheng, Qingyan, and your sister-in-law go ahead. We need to go back and let our families know; we can't keep them waiting."

Ye Lingyu said with a smile, "Your families have already sent Chu Ying over to say hello, and they've also invited both of your children."

"That won't do! The children will only cause trouble!"

Cheng Qingyan disagreed: "Brother Xinyu, you're mistaken. It's already good that Chuying can come back once a month after leaving. Before she leaves, she should at least say goodbye to the children!"

The friendships of childhood are the purest and should not be betrayed.

It's quite sad when someone you usually play with suddenly disappears without even saying goodbye.

When Meng Chuying got home, all three of her friends were there.

When it comes to meals, the square table they usually use is too small to seat so many people.

After consulting with several children, it was decided that the adults and children would eat separately.

After all, children are easily shy, and Cheng Qingyan wasn't that familiar with them. With their parents watching over them, there was always a concern that they might have indigestion.

The main problem is that they can't eat freely; even when they sit, they sit upright and properly.

Having all been through childhood, Cheng Qingyan felt that she disliked eating with adults when she was a child.

They either drink or smoke, showing no regard for the feelings of the children sitting next to them, and they also love to compare themselves to others.

Although Meng Xinyu and Meng Pingkang probably don't compare themselves to others and don't smoke or drink, they still exert a natural pressure on their child.

The group of friends successfully sat at another table, whispering secrets that the adults couldn't hear.

Their deliberately suppressed laughter, lest they be discovered, and the beaming smiles on their faces, all spoke volumes about how happy they were to be gathered together.

"Ayan, come and eat!"

"Here it comes!"

Meng Xinyu and Meng Pingkang were still standing and waiting for her, so Cheng Qingyan quickly invited everyone to sit down.

The chicks in her online space are already edible; in their home, they've achieved chicken-eating freedom.

Here's the cooked chicken on the table.

Chicken and eggplant stew is a dish that people never tire of.

I instructed Ye Lingyu to slaughter two chickens today. There are many people today, so make sure to provide plenty of food.

Not only chicken, but also pork, lamb, and stir-fried vegetables.

This meal was more lavish than any New Year's Eve dinner they had ever had at any of their families.

Faced with a table full of dishes, Meng Xinyu felt that Cheng Qingyan was being far too polite.

He had only helped move things and dig dirt, but she had killed a chicken and cooked meat. He really wanted to work for her for a few more days!

Anyway, it's Chinese New Year now, and there's not much work to do at home or in the fields.

"Brother Qingyan, with so many dishes, how can Pingkang and I possibly enjoy them all?"

Meng Pingkang nodded quickly. Although life was better now, his family still didn't have the means to prepare such a feast.

They wouldn't even slaughter a chicken.

Without any wine, Cheng Qingyan picked up his rice bowl: "The chickens are all raised by ourselves, and the vegetables are grown in our own fields. There's nothing of value here. You two have been a great help today, and I am very grateful. Please start eating."

Because there were other men at the dinner table today, Ye Lingyu wanted to avoid suspicion and eat with the children, but Cheng Qingyan pulled her back.

Why avoid suspicion? She's not old-fashioned, and men and women don't eat at the same table.

She's not even a woman herself, yet she didn't avoid it at all!

She couldn't accept that her wife couldn't eat with her.

If all else fails, then Meng Xinyu and Meng Pingkang will have to make do with eating at the same table by themselves.

Cheng Qingyan felt a deep-seated resistance to the idea of ​​men and women eating at separate tables.

As for the reason, it actually existed before she transmigrated here.

One of her friends from the 21st century still keeps this outdated custom in her family.

According to her friend, the men in her family are allowed to sit at the table to eat, but the women, including her friend and other younger family members, are not allowed to sit at the table to eat.

When she heard it, she thought she had misheard.

How come people still have cerebellar implants in the 21st century?

Equality, equality. True equality may never have existed.

Or perhaps it's just that this wave of equality has been blowing for so many years, but it has never reached the homes or hearts of those who are unequal.

She couldn't control what others did. But she had to give her own wife the most basic equality and respect.

If Ye Lingyu feels she wants to eat with the children, she won't stop her.

The key point is that Ye Lingyu did this to avoid Meng Xinyu and Meng Pingkang, fearing that people would say that Cheng Qingyan's wife was not following etiquette by actually sitting at the table to eat.

Let alone eating at the table, even if Ye Lingyu wanted to eat on the roof, she would be the one to bring her a ladder.

Not all ideas and constraints that have been passed down for thousands of years are correct.

As Lu Xun once said, "There were originally no roads in the world, but as more people walk on them, roads naturally appear."

Which path is born that way? Wasn't the path of her relationship with Ye Lingyu one she paved herself?

Meng Xinyu didn't react much to Ye Lingyu sitting down to eat, but Meng Pingkang froze for a moment.

Meng Xinyu nudged Meng Pingkang with her elbow: "Eating, huh? So many dishes, we're going to have a feast today!"

After his initial surprise, Meng Pingkang sat up straight and said, "Let's eat, let's eat."

During the meal, Cheng Qingyan took the initiative to speak in order to ease the awkwardness.

She didn't need to adhere to the rules of not speaking while eating or sleeping all the time.

Could it be that they remained silent for the entire half-hour meal?

Look at the kids' table, laughter and chatter filling the air, bowls and plates clattering, they're eating so happily!

After the meal, Ye Lingyu took the initiative to clear the dishes, and Cheng Qingyan also helped.

Meng Xinyu joked, "I didn't expect Brother Qingyan to offer to help tidy up. It feels like seeing myself at home! Hahahaha!"

"I didn't expect Brother Xinyu to help his wife with the tidying up. We're always putting on airs outside, and it's such a disservice to our wives to bring this home!" Ye Lingyu took the bowl and chopsticks from Cheng Qingyan's hands and gestured to her to be careful, as there were outsiders present.

Ye Lingyu was trying to save face for her, but face might be useful in public. At home, she couldn't bring herself to make Ye Lingyu wash the dishes with cold water just to save face.

Stopping Ye Lingyu's hand as she reached for the cold water, she pointed to the bucket outside and asked, "Gentlemen, would you be willing to wash the dishes in cold water right now?"

Neither Meng Xinyu nor Meng Pingkang spoke. Although the water in the bucket hadn't frozen, everyone knew how cold it was.

Washing dishes and doing housework are things that women should do.