What a waste! With so much money, wouldn't it be better to help out your family?
However, such a large house must have many rooms, and it will definitely be enough for my parents, siblings, and their whole family to live in when they move in.
"Who is Xu Erya?" Jiang Hua interrupted Xu Daya's daydream.
"Oh dear, look, I forgot for a moment, Jiang Hua." Xu Daya wasn't annoyed: "Jiang Hua, when are you going to have our parents, siblings, and grandma move in?"
"The feast is about to begin, right? You must let your parents and grandma sit at the main table. You need to know some manners. After all, you are still young and it's not your turn to be in charge yet."
As she was speaking, Xu Daya was about to lead the Xu family behind her toward the banquet, but Jiang Hua stopped her.
"Have you lost your memory? Have you forgotten what I told you last time, Xu Daya?" Jiang Hua asked with a smile, enunciating each word clearly.
Xu Daya was taken aback: "Jiang Hua, don't worry about these little things. I've heard everything about your situation from your parents. They're just trying to help you."
"Who told you to do such a shameless thing? You even dared to climb into someone's bed. If this were before, you would have been drowned in a pig cage long ago."
"Slap!" A heavy slap landed on Xu Daya's face.
Madam Xu and the others, along with Qin Lianlian and her daughter, all took a few steps back in unison.
"You had to force me to slap you in my happiest moment." Jiang Hua rubbed the hand that had just slapped Xu Daya's face. It had been so long since she had hit someone, she was really not used to it!
"Jiang Hua, how dare you hit me!" Xu Daya covered her face and looked at Jiang Hua in disbelief.
"You can't understand human language, so what if I hit you? What you're saying is really unpleasant to hear."
"But you always pick out the things I don't want to hear to say to me, so you deserve it."
"Jiang Hua, what happened to you? Weren't you very obedient before? I used to teach you to be filial to your parents and grandmother, and to love your younger siblings." Xu Daya was still not giving up and continued to lecture.
"Tsk, who are they? What are they doing here trying to claim kinship? When they accepted the letter of severance and the money, they resolutely kicked me out. Didn't they tell you that?"
"If it's still not clear enough, since Lord Bai is here today, why don't we let him judge whether the severance certificate filed with the yamen is valid?"
"Huahua, what's wrong?"
Bai Heng, who had just stepped out, saw the commotion and walked over to them.
"Didn't you break off your relationship with Huahua? What are you doing here today?"
Bai Heng, being a seasoned official, naturally recognized the Xu family who had come looking for trouble at a glance.
"Lord Bai, filial piety is the most important virtue. As the official in charge of our people's lives, you must arrest my unfilial sister and put her in jail!" Xu Daya was furious. Not knowing what had happened before, she hurriedly stepped forward and said, wishing Bai Heng would take Jiang Hua to jail immediately. How dare she hit her elder sister!
"Don't you know that Jiang Hua has severed ties with your family? As the local official, I cannot cooperate with your unreasonable demands. The government is a place that helps those in need, not those in your own family."
"Did you hear that?" Jiang Hua looked at Xu Daya. This older sister really didn't understand that she couldn't stand seeing her doing well when she herself was not doing well.
"Get out." Jiang Hua's words showed no mercy to Xu Daya and the Xu family.
"Well, we used to be your family. Today is your housewarming banquet. Aren't you going to invite us? We don't have to sit at the head table."
Xu Daya looked longingly at the meat and vegetables on the table. The last time she ate meat was at Jiang Hua's shop, where she had braised pork.
Speaking of that braised meat, Xu Daya felt a surge of anger. She had opened a shop, yet she couldn't even afford to pack a single piece of braised meat for her to take home. She had eaten it, but her husband and mother-in-law hadn't.
He did go there later, and the maids in the shop even asked her for money when they saw her come over and say she wanted to take some braised meat back.
"I don't plan to, because seeing you all would spoil my mood for the feast."
Want to sit at the head table? Dream on!
"Fine, we won't go then. Do you think we care? Daya, let's go. It's rare for you to come back. Grandma will take you to town to eat meat!" Madam Xu spat, but unintentionally met Jiang Hua's half-smiling eyes. As if remembering something, she was shocked.
"Go, go quickly, what are you doing here!" Madam Xu urged anxiously. Before Xu Daya could react, she saw her grandmother grab her mother's hand and leave.
"Aren't you leaving?" Jiang Hua looked at Qin Lianlian and her daughter, who were standing motionless. The way they looked at Bai Heng was as if they wanted to tear him apart and devour him.
"Young Master Bai, Xiuzhu will be leaving now." Qin Xiuzhu stepped forward and bowed gracefully.
"Looks like another one has taken a liking to you." Jiang Hua's meaningful gaze darted back and forth between Bai Heng and the departing Qin Xiuzhu.
"Again?" Bai Heng raised an eyebrow. "Could it be that Huahua has also taken a liking to me?"
"Yes, I like your face; it's pleasing to the eye." Jiang Hua nodded seriously.
Bai Heng was taken aback. This was the first time a girl had spoken to him so seriously about this, but when he thought that this person was Jiang Hua, he felt it was normal.
"Huahua!"
Did you all hear that?
Jiang Hua turned around and found Jiang Xingzhou standing not far from them, looking at her with a hurt expression.
"Cough cough!"
"The auspicious time has arrived, please take your seats."
Bai Heng glanced at Jiang Hua and Jiang Xingzhou before walking towards the banquet.
Even after Jiang Hua took her seat, Jiang Xingzhou still had a cold face, and for a moment, the atmosphere at the table became a little strange.
"Alright, you look good too." Jiang Hua coaxed Jiang Xingzhou like a child, secretly pinching his waist.
"We can talk about it later."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingzhou's tense expression relaxed. After exchanging a few auspicious words with Aunt Liu and her family, they announced the start of the banquet.
Because of the presence of Magistrate Bai Heng, the villagers of Shili Village, though they hadn't seen so much good food and meat in a long time, didn't dare to devour it all, lest they leave a bad impression on the magistrate.
An hour had passed since they had eaten and drunk their fill. Jiang Hua asked Jiang Xingzhou to lead Bai Heng and the others inside for tea to help them digest their food. The villagers also stayed behind to clean up the dishes.
"Huahua, there's still quite a bit of meat and vegetables left. If you don't want them, why don't you let the villagers take some back?" Aunt Liu asked as she stepped forward.
Huahua is really generous, preparing so much food that after each table is finished, there's enough food in the kitchen for another meal. Housewarming banquets in the village are usually just one meal.
"Auntie, you can decide what to do. If everyone doesn't mind, we can divide it up and take it home."
"Miss Jiang, you don't mind!"
Before Jiang Hua could finish speaking, Aunt Wang, who was clearing away the dishes, immediately stepped forward to reply that the village never had such good food during the New Year. Since she was eating it at Jiang Hua and Aunt Liu's housewarming party, she naturally wouldn't complain.
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