All the aunts and uncles groaned in unison, and the cloudy eyes of Grandma Xiao Huai, who was over 70 years old, dimmed for a moment.
Second Aunt's mouth drooped: "Oh, Xiao Huai, what a pity! She's already taken."
The eldest aunt forced herself to cheer up: "That's right, Miss Zhang is so beautiful and outstanding, how could she not have a boyfriend!"
Gossip: "I'm so envious of Sister Mo Yan's boyfriend!"
Xiao Mumu hit her and said, "Why are you butting in on the adults? What do you know?"
Sasa covered her head and whimpered: "Sister Moyan is so cute, I think she's so adorable!"
Xiao Weizhou was puzzled: "What are you doing? Xiao Zhang is not here for a blind date!"
Zhou Xia saw the situation and hurried to mediate: "Uncle Weizhou, we were just joking! Xiao Huai and Miss Zhang won't be angry, right?"
Xiao Huai said to Zhang Moyan with an apologetic look on his face, "They were just joking, don't mind it."
Zhang Moyan looked at him helplessly and shook her head: "It doesn't matter."
If Xiao Xingyu's temperament is both good and evil, then Xiao Huai is one hundred percent righteous, making you have no distractions at first sight. How could she really mind it?
Anyway, Xiao Xingyu was the happiest person at the whole table. He felt relieved as he looked at the woman who was sitting on thin ice. He saw her half body turned away from the young and handsome Xiao Huai, tapping the table with her fingers, and he was very satisfied.
"Auntie Yao," Xiao Xingyu called out to her as she was distributing hot towels to everyone, "Grandma Tai hasn't arrived yet, and everyone's hungry. Go share the souvenirs that bodyguard Zhang brought for everyone."
Zhang Moyan looked at Xiao Xingyu in shock. Are you kidding me? It’s time for dinner soon!
Xiao Xingyu raised his eyebrows at her.
She really didn't know what this young man was trying to do. With so many delicacies in front of him, how could he think that others would want to eat pear syrup candy and five-spice beans?
Sharing her snacks on such a grand occasion, could he be taking this as a way of thanking her for rescuing Xiao Weijiang?
"Really? Is it a specialty of Shenhai?"
"Then bring it up quickly and try it!"
"Oh, girls are so considerate after all. Xingyu never brought any souvenirs when she came back before!"
…
Soon, Yao Ma served Zhang Moyan's gifts on several beautiful bone plates. Perhaps because Xiao Xingyu was the family's favorite, everyone was very respectful and showed great interest in the snacks Zhang Moyan brought. At one point, there was even a scramble for them.
My aunt said, "This pear paste candied pear has a strong pear flavor and is not greasy at all."
Xiao Mumu's lover said: "When I was a child, my father often brought me this candy when he went on business trips to Shenhai. I didn't expect that I can still buy it now, and the taste has not changed at all!"
Sasa chewed her muffin and said, "I think Sister Mo Yan is very cute!"
My second uncle said, "These five-spice beans are delicious and chewy. They go better with Moutai than peanuts!"
Xiao Weizhou said, "Chen Ming, you usually pair Maotai with peanuts. Isn't that a waste of food?"
"Ha ha ha ha"
…
Everyone at the table started chatting, and the topic gradually moved away from Zhang Moyan. Zhang Moyan finally breathed a sigh of relief and began to look around the large living room in a happy atmosphere.
This large living room is deep and transparent, and retains its ancient style. When you look up, you can see the mortise and tenon structure of the main beams. There is a central hall in the large living room, in the center of which is a huge painting "Traveling in the Mountains and Rivers".
"Traveling through the Mountains and Rivers" is a common theme in Chinese landscape painting, depicting travelers forging ahead on rugged paths amidst towering peaks. Painters have been exploring this theme since the Five Dynasties period, with the most famous painting by Fan Kuan of the Song Dynasty now in the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
Regardless of the era or the painter, any painting of "Traveling in Mountains and Rivers" has a common feature, that is, most of the space is occupied by vast and majestic mountains, and the travelers are often portrayed as very small in comparison, some even with only the size of an ant.
It is very appropriate and meaningful for the Xiao family to hang such a central hall painting. It is easy to think that the towering mountains represent the pinnacle of celadon porcelain, and the insignificant traveler is the Xiao family who are constantly striving to climb on this road.
Looking at the couplet next to this huge painting, "Clouds roll up thousands of peaks, winds blow open thousands of gates", and the horizontal scroll "Heaven rewards hard work", it clearly expresses the Xiao family's revolutionary optimism in unlocking the top technology of Northern Song Dynasty porcelain making. Although there are difficulties and obstacles, there will definitely be a day when it will be achieved. Diligence can make up for lack of talent, and success will come naturally.
Zhang Moyan couldn't help but feel awe.
Looking down, she saw a sandalwood stand, over a meter long, very much like the ones used to display Japanese samurai swords in movies and TV shows. However, it didn't seem to hold any famous swords. She frowned and took a closer look, her eyebrows twitching.
This is a wooden board about one meter two or three meters long and more than one palm wide, with a brown patina. I don’t know what material it is made of, but it looks very thick and solid. The first thing you see will make you think, “It would hurt so much if I were hit by this board.”
This is probably the Xiao family ruler that I heard before, which can kill someone with 50 sticks!
Zhang Moyan was surprised that such a long board was actually called a ruler. Compared to the rulers she often saw in movies and TV dramas and at ancient town tourist attractions, it was far too long! Fifty strokes with this board... could be fatal.
She was even more shocked by the Xiao family's practice of placing this ruler, a fixture 80% likely responsible for a fatal incident, right where the family ate. Shouldn't this "torture instrument" be kept on the shelf, only to be formally removed after a three-day bath when unfilial descendants were to be punished? The Xiao family simply placed it where they ate. How could they possibly let anyone enjoy their meals?
Of course, what surprised her most was the Xiao family's attitude towards this majestic ruler.
If she were to see the calligraphy and paintings in the central hall, a constant reminder of her mission, and the chilling ruler every day while eating, she might prefer to eat in her bedroom. However, looking at the laughter and joy in front of her, she could only say that either the Xiao family had a very strong mentality, or the ruler had not been used for a long time and everyone was numb to it.
"Grandma is here!"
After hearing a message from outside, Zhang Moyan came back to his senses, sat up straight, and prepared to meet the eldest elder in the family. He was also prepared to be introduced as a commodity again.
She rubbed her right hand with her left hand under the table. Xiao Huai saw this and smiled slightly: "Don't be nervous, there's nothing to be afraid of, great aunt!"
?
These words sounded a little disrespectful to the great aunt. Zhang Moyan looked at Xiao Huai with some surprise. How could such a good young man say such a thing?
Just as I was wondering about this, I heard a clear child's voice running in from the yard: "I'm here, I'm here. Sorry for keeping you waiting. The art teacher gave me detention today!"
An elementary school student with two pigtails and a schoolbag on his back ran in breathlessly and climbed to the very top of the table.
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