After Jiaxi, Jia'an, and their family of three washed up and changed clothes, they went to the living room and found that everyone had red eyes.
What else don't they understand? They're all homesick!
Jia'an gave Jiaxi a wink, and Jiaxi continued to act as the lively character, entertaining her parents in colorful clothes.
"Grandma, I'm so hungry! Could you give me a snack to tide me over? Otherwise, my mind won't work properly on an empty stomach. If you ask me about my family, I won't remember anything!"
Jiaxi sat down next to her grandmother with a smile. Sure enough, Grandma Li immediately became anxious and called out repeatedly, "Quickly, is the food ready? Let's eat quickly, don't let the children go hungry."
Everyone quickly composed themselves, suppressing their homesickness, and began preparing for dinner.
Soon, the dining table was set, and everyone sat at two separate tables, one for men and one for women.
Jiaxi and Jia'an had to take care of the mission members and supervise their own ships on the road, which was no easy task.
These days, it's not easy to sit down and have a peaceful meal.
The two devoured the food and drink like a whirlwind.
Aibei and Wenwen ate quite a bit too, which made everyone feel sorry for them.
Grandma Li barely touched her food, constantly serving food to Aibei and her son.
After the meal, the table was cleared and tea and snacks were served again. Everyone couldn't wait to start asking about their families.
Actually, the letters sent from home all explained it clearly, but hearing it from Jiaxi and Jia'an made them feel more at ease.
Jiaxi was eloquent, and he vividly described the spring plowing in Suijintan, the booming business of shops in the city, and how majestic the Northern Expeditionary Army was when it set off, as if a scroll was unfolding before everyone's eyes.
Grandma Li listened attentively, nodding occasionally and sighing sometimes.
Tao Hongying and Zhao Yuru were also filled with longing, wishing they could turn back in one step.
Jiayi asked, "What about Fu Niu'er? Will she still go to the palace? The Marquis and Fourth Uncle aren't in the new capital. Are there any scoundrels in the palace bullying her?"
Jiaxi waved her hand and laughed, "Don't you know what kind of temper our sister has? She's the one who bullies others, she's never the one being bullied."
"The third princess used to quarrel with her younger sister a few times, but now she treats her sister like a real sister and listens to her every word. When her younger sister goes home to stay for a few days, the palace maids who come to deliver things almost wear down the threshold."
"Moreover, the Emperor has bestowed a marriage upon the Third Princess. Her husband is Lu Zong, the heir of the Lu family, who are both familiar with our family. This will make it easier for us to visit each other in the future."
"Oh my, the Third Princess's marriage is settled?" Old Madam Li was surprised, then nodded. "She's about the right age to get engaged, and Prince Lu is a good boy, gentle and polite. The two of them will definitely be a good match in the future."
After saying that, she thought of her beloved granddaughter and added, "Our Fu Niu'er is not young anymore, and it's time for her to start looking for a partner."
Li Zhensheng didn't want his mother to worry too much, so he advised, "Mother, Fu Niu is still young. The family can't bear to see her get engaged so early."
"In that case, we'll keep an eye out for any good-looking young men we see. In a few years, when Fu Niu is also interested in finding someone, we'll discuss it again. We'll definitely pick the best one for her!"
Grandma Li smiled and nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, we should pay more attention."
Jiayi joined in the mischief, trying to please his grandmother, and shouted, "No one in this world is good enough for my sister. At the very least, this person has to be more capable than all of us brothers!"
Jiaxi, Jia'an, and Liu Yang all nodded in agreement, which made everyone laugh again.
"You might as well just tell Fu Niu'er not to get married. Where in the world can you find such a perfect person?" Tao Hongying said, holding Wenwen and playfully scolding her nephews and sons.
After exchanging a few jokes, Jiaxi and Jia'an began distributing boxes to everyone.
Wan'er and Jiayin were meticulous; they tied cloth strips to all the boxes and wrote their names on them.
Soon, everyone received their share.
Old Mrs. Li waved her hand, dismissing Hui Niang, Sister Liu, and the others, and said with a smile.
"I know you're anxious, so hurry back and open the boxes. We're together every day, a little longer won't make a difference."
Madam Wen, Hui Niang, and Sister Liu didn't stand on ceremony; after a few words of laughter, they went back to their rooms.
The Li family members also opened the boxes one after another, sorting them while chatting about family matters.
Seeing that her grandmother's eyes were red again as she held the dress her younger sister had sewn by hand, Jiaxi quickly changed the subject, "Grandma, Aibei and I can only stay for half a month before we have to go back to Jinfo. Is everything ready for our wedding at home?"
"Oh, don't worry about that, everything's already prepared at home. We're just waiting to set a date before sending out invitations to everyone," Old Mrs. Li said, perking up.
Tao Hongying and Zhao Yuru also joined in checking and filling in the gaps, making the room even more lively.
The return of envoys from eight countries made Quanzhou Port even more crowded, and naturally the whole city knew the news.
So when the Li family sent out their invitations, no one was surprised.
After all, for the past month or so, the Li family had been scouting everywhere to prepare a belated wedding ceremony for their grandson and to marry the Golden Buddha Queen. Almost everyone had heard a few words about it.
The first to respond were, of course, the Tang family and the Yue family.
When Madam Tang heard that Jia'an had returned, she had long wanted to visit the Li family, and now she had a perfect excuse.
She brought her granddaughter and a truckload of dried goods to the Li family's house.
Old Mrs. Li got along well with her and, without any formalities, accepted the gifts and pulled her old friend into the house.
The delicious food that the fleet brought from Xindu was laid out on the table.
Wen Yu was also pulled away by Ai Bei and Wen Juan to see the new books, jewelry and fabrics that Xindu had sent.
Before long, Madam Yue also arrived, and she didn't come empty-handed either.
The group sat together, eating, drinking, chatting, and laughing, making the atmosphere even more lively.
With so many people in the Li family, and the wedding preparations having started a month ago, why would they need help from the Tang family and the Yue family?
But if someone comes to inquire, it means they care about the Li family.
Grandma Li instructed that a meal be prepared, and that Grandma Tang, her grandson, and Madam Yue stay for lunch and a rest. They were not seen off until after the hottest part of the day.
Madam Tang and Madam Yue received two jars of honey as a return gift, while Wen Yu received two new travelogues and two bolts of fabric.
Madam Tang and Madam Yue were so pleased with the gift that they didn't feel it was a cheap gift at all.
The honey from the Li family looks ordinary, and outsiders don't know what makes it so special, but they know it all too well.
Drinking a cup of honey water every morning makes the most troublesome problem of going to the toilet much easier for people their age.
And whether it's psychological or not, they always feel that their skin has improved a lot.
Wen Yu was equally happy, a smile constantly playing on her lips.
It wasn't that she coveted the gifts from the Li family, but rather that she appreciated their thoughtfulness and hospitality.
Although there are dozens of people, young and old, living in one large compound, they never quarrel or argue, but live in harmony, which makes people envious.
Madam Yue got into the car and left first. Old Madam Tang couldn't hold back any longer and whispered a few words to Old Madam Li. After getting Old Madam Li's confirmation, she almost clapped her hands and laughed.
Finally, they went home happily.
Two updates today!
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