Congratulations!
Amidst the mist, people came and went, their faces beaming with joy. Wangwang's younger siblings all came out to greet their in-laws who had come from afar.
The kitchen of the tofu shop was bustling with activity. Meng Chijian arrived early in the morning carrying little A-Yue, who was dressed like a snowball.
He had to help carry the sedan chair later, so he quickly watched Ah Mian eat two meat buns before leaving.
"There are so many people at Officer Chen's house! There are almost twenty people here, even his great-grandmother. I heard it took her four or five days to get here from Zhoucheng."
"If the groom's family doesn't live here, where will they stay?" the servant asked the master while scraping fish scales.
"The yamen has a few dilapidated houses that have never been lived in, so they allocated one to the groom. There's no rent, he can stay as long as he wants." A-Mian went to see it a couple of days ago. It's just one room, so there's no way to cook or anything, but it's kept fairly tidy.
They need to wait for an auspicious time; the newlyweds will likely perform their wedding ceremony there.
After all the complicated procedures were completed, the guests arrived at Ah Mian's tofu shop for dinner.
Everyone eats whatever they want for breakfast, and many guests are at their hungriest at this time. Dishes are served one after another at each table, and they are very plentiful: two cold dishes with meat and two with vegetables, namely braised chicken gizzards, cured fish chunks, cold lotus root slices, and cold spinach; and four hot dishes with meat and four with vegetables, including braised pork, four-happiness meatballs, steamed fish, and tofu stew with vermicelli, etc.
There were also soups and desserts, and each table was gradually filled to the brim. Children grabbed candies, and those who drew coins shouted, "I won! I won!" The laughter and congratulations from adults were endless. "I've never had such a lively wedding banquet in my life!"
"This couple is still young, and look at how well they've got connections; their future looks bright!"
The locals originally intended to get some soy milk to drink later, but since they were already there, they just congratulated the newlyweds and praised them. Nice words don't cost anything!
The Chen family originally felt that their son was not ambitious enough to settle down in such a remote small town and did not think about trying to return to Zhoucheng.
"In my opinion, the local people here are kind and honest, and it's a treasure for my child..." Great-Grandma was relieved.
"Yes, he offended quite a few people in Zhoucheng, but here everyone treats him with genuine kindness. Now he's finally married!"
The guests ate and drank for more than an hour before finally leaving, as they were going to stay at the inn.
Ah Mian and the workers started cleaning, and after a while, when they turned their heads, they actually saw the bride who should have been in the bridal chamber!
Wangwang was wrapped in a cloak, underneath which was a brand-new wedding dress, followed by Constable Chen who came to express his gratitude.
"Ah Mian, you're amazing! I heard them say that none of the restaurants in Zhoucheng taste as good as yours!"
Ah Mian smiled and thought, "They've been hungry for so long. Normally, the wedding banquet starts shortly after arriving at the groom's house. But after walking all this way in this snowy weather, they probably can't wait to eat the food on the tables and chairs."
“We sneaked out,” Wangwang said. “But what food is left? I just drank half a bowl of cold eight-treasure porridge, and I can’t take it anymore.”
Constable Chen bowed solemnly: "Thank you all. Wangwang has been saying that you have been a great help this time. If you need anything from us in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."
Meng Chijian said calmly, "Congratulations! After you get married, treat your wife well. She is the one who needs you the most."
The two of them just didn't seem to get along well with each other.
Officer Chen bowed respectfully, "Of course."
“It’s okay, we haven’t eaten yet,” A-Mian said. “We’re planning to have tofu hot pot.”
Meng Chijian went to the backyard and brought out the baby. Normally, A-Yue would have been asleep by now, but she was so excited from playing with her friends in the afternoon and evening that she wasn't sleepy at all.
If you put two large square tables together, there are eight and a half people.
The cook brought out two ceramic stoves, and Meng Chijian made several dipping sauces in small dishes, one of which contained a lot of minced garlic and chopped green onions.
Amian called out, "Bring another small bowl; the baby said she wants to drink tofu soup—"
Wangwang and Constable Chen also went to prepare their favorite dipping sauces.
The kitchen helper finished cutting up the remaining ingredients from the backyard. Seeing the fish left in the tank, he asked, "Master, should this fish be steamed or used in a hot pot?"
"Slice it up and use it in the hot pot!"
A layer of water droplets condensed on the window. Adou, tied to the tree, watched people come and go, but mostly it just idly trod the soil with its front hooves.
Then a small primate creature appeared, radiating a faint light. She was completely different from before, and Adou's gaze followed her intently.
It watched as she took a large plate of tofu out of the kitchen of her own shop;
Watching her sit at the very front of the steaming wooden table;
Looking at her fellow humans, big and small, surrounding her, talking and laughing;
That skinny, listless little person from my memory has unknowingly become who I am today.
In the world of a donkey, there shouldn't be so many thoughts. But for some reason, A-Dou felt a profound sense of relief.
It turns out that every meal is a form of spiritual practice.
Amian is someone who doesn't need to meditate and chant scriptures in temples, because she has already achieved perfect merit in the mortal world.
Adou lay face down on the ground, snowflakes and tears falling from her eyes.
It remembered a time long ago, when there was a woman who was a little bigger than a small primate. She took it home and took good care of it for ten years. She told it that after she left, it should stay with her little one.
It will tell her personally that the little girl has grown up, seen mountains and seas, and is doing well. She has a successful career, a happy family, and close friends. She has been loved sincerely by someone in her life, and she has also experienced the feeling of loving others deeply.
This journey has been so long.
Nineteen years have passed.
It can finally see that person again.
Inside the house, Ah Mian took off her blouse because of the heat, picked up a piece of soft tofu and put it in Ah Yue's bowl, "Eat one more piece, and I'll let you go play with Ah Dou."
Ah Yue, holding a small spoon, exclaimed, "My tummy's full!"
A-Mian touched her little belly, and Meng Chijian took A-Yue's bowl, saying, "Put your clothes on before you go out, it's cold outside."
Little A-Yue put on her big cotton-padded coat, her big eyes darting around. She took a few pieces of white radish from a small dish on the table and skipped and hopped towards the backyard.
"Huh? DouDou is sleeping."
She placed the white radish next to Adou, poked the donkey's ear with her finger, and said, "It's delicious, eat up!"
Unlike before, the gluttonous A-Dou didn't react at all.
A-Yue squatted down, cradling her little head in her hands, and thought for a moment. Then she ran to get a slice of winter melon, but A-Dou still wouldn't eat it. This strange thing had never happened before.
Then she cried out, "Father! Mother!"
When the adults were called over, A-Yue turned around and saw her mother with tears streaming down her face, being held in her father's arms in a daze.
Little Adou kept his promise and stayed with Little Amian.
Until she finally no longer needed it.
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