Seeing her return, Gu Zhiyuan got up to greet her, took the things from her hands, and whispered, "The brigade leader and the party secretary are here to help us warm our house."
Since they've come all this way with good intentions, we should naturally invite them to stay for a meal.
Xu Ningyan nodded, told Gu Zhiyuan to talk to the captain and the others, and went to the kitchen to get busy.
Just as she was busy, Aunt Xie arrived with a small basket of salted duck eggs. With a stern face, she shoved the basket into Xu Ningyan's hands: "The gift you returned the other day was too expensive. I'm not one to take advantage of others, lest I be gossiped about! I don't have anything good, just a few salted duck eggs that I made myself. Take them or leave them!"
Xu Ningyan had already returned the old quilt and the earthenware pot two days ago.
She didn't look at it at the time, but only discovered it after she left; there was a pound of brown sugar and a pound of steamed egg custard in the earthenware pot.
She felt uneasy accepting such a generous gift, so she brought over salted duck eggs to warm the house after Xu Ningyan had finished building the house and moved in.
Xu Ningyan took a look and saw that the half basket of duck eggs was wrapped in wood ash, and there were at least a dozen or so of them.
In the countryside, this is considered a very generous gift.
Knowing that Aunt Xie had a sharp tongue but a kind heart, she happily accepted the basket: "I've been craving your salted duck eggs ever since I ate them at your house last time! These are something money can't buy! I won't be polite then, you'll regret it!"
Aunt Xie's face was stern, but her eyes were full of laughter: "This old woman isn't that petty!"
He was about to leave when Xu Ningyan stopped him: "You've brought gifts to warm the house, you can't leave without having a meal! If you don't eat, you can take this basket of duck eggs back with you!"
Aunt Xie stopped refusing and went into the kitchen to help Xu Ningyan.
Although there weren't many people, Xu Ningyan didn't hold back.
A braised pork belly with potatoes, a stir-fried snakehead fish fillet with Sichuan peppercorns, and the salted duck eggs that Aunt Xie brought over were boiled, sliced into pieces and arranged into flowers to make another dish. Served with a cold water celery salad, an egg drop soup, and a pot of steamed white rice, it was all ready.
Although Aunt Xie thought Xu Ningyan was being too extravagant—there were only four or five people, why did she need to cook so many dishes?
On second thought, Comrade Gu is rich, and since he's hosting a housewarming party, it's not unreasonable for him to cook something nice!
Therefore, he didn't say anything.
Although there were only three small rooms, since guests had arrived and the weather was getting a bit hot, they decided to set up a table under the camphor tree to eat.
When the food was served, the brigade leader and the party secretary stared wide-eyed; this was even more substantial than a wedding feast.
Looking at it this way, the housewarming gifts the two gave seemed rather inadequate.
They were almost embarrassed to stay for dinner.
However, when Xu Ningyan brought out another bottle of wine from the house and put it on the table, the two of them, who were about to leave, seemed to be rooted to the spot in the courtyard and couldn't move an inch.
At Gu Zhiyuan's invitation, the two of them sat down without thinking.
Gu Zhiyuan was injured and naturally couldn't drink, so he simply handed the bottle to the captain and told them to help themselves.
The captain held the bottle with obvious delight. They usually drank homemade liquor, and had never tasted bottled liquor like this before.
This wine was only drunk at the commune's supply and marketing cooperative and when leaders attended meetings at the commune.
It's said to be produced in the provincial capital and called Baihe Daqu.
Upon opening the bottle, a delicate aroma of wine wafted out.
The brigade leader and the party secretary couldn't wait to pour themselves a glass, take a small sip, smell a faint aroma of liquor, but taste extremely strong, and savor a lingering soy sauce flavor.
The two men spontaneously slammed their fists on the table: "Excellent wine!"
After a couple of drinks, the two started chatting and began to talk to Gu Zhiyuan.
Gu Zhiyuan remained calm, poured himself a glass of water, and listened attentively, occasionally nodding in agreement, which further fueled their conversation.
Xu Ningyan and Aunt Xie didn't drink alcohol, and they had eaten and drunk their fill early on.
They didn't listen to the three men's rambling.
He then pulled Aunt Xie inside to talk.
This was the first time Aunt Xie had entered Xu Ningyan's house. As soon as she opened the door, she saw a wooden bed in the middle of the room, covered with a set of bedding that was neither new nor old.
Inside the bed was a wardrobe, and next to it were two large trunks.
A desk and a chair were placed by the window.
There was a washstand by the door, with two enamel basins on top and bottom, and a floral towel draped over the shelf.
It was cleaned up neatly and tidy.
Aunt Xie's eyes were complicated. Who would have thought that the girl who had been separated from her family and had nowhere to stay not long ago could move into a new house with a house full of new furniture in the blink of an eye?
I wonder if the Xu family regrets it now that they know?
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but offer a couple of words of advice: "Although everyone knows you married Comrade Gu and that his family is wealthy, you can't be so ostentatious, can you? Are you afraid others won't be envious? Will you be unable to live a good life in the future?"
Xu Ningyan helped Aunt Xie sit down and made her a cup of malted milk powder before saying, "Aunt, you don't know, Brother Gu said that he has been sent down to our brigade and it will probably be difficult for him to return to the city in this lifetime! Now that you've married me, you should settle down and live an honest life, treat our brigade as your home, and put down roots here!"
"But he's a city dweller after all, and he still has that bit of pride, so he used all his savings to build this house and furnish it with all these things! He's just afraid people will say he's a son-in-law who married into the family!"
Aunt Xie believed this explanation. After all, men care about their reputation, and no one wants to be told they married into another family.
"But we should at least save some money, what will we do in the future?"
Xu Ningyan raised her eyebrows: "Brother Gu said that it is his responsibility as a grown man to support his family. As long as he works hard, he can surely support both of us. Moreover, he said that he didn't give any dowry when he married me, so these things can be considered as my dowry money! As long as we work together and think in the same direction, we'll have a good life."
That was a very generous and open statement.
The brigade leader and the party secretary outside both heard it.
He couldn't help but pat Gu Zhiyuan on the shoulder: "Comrade Gu, it's right that you have this awareness and idea! As long as a man is diligent and hardworking, supporting a family is not a problem! In the future, you and Siya should work together with one mind and one heart, and the good days are yet to come!"
Gu Zhiyuan nodded, saying "I know," but his eyes were smiling as he looked at Xu Ningyan in the room: This girl, she doesn't tell a single truth, she's fooling people again! But she's fooling people quite well, at least the brigade leader, the party secretary and Aunt Xie all believe her.
Tomorrow, the whole brigade will probably be buzzing with the news that he spent all his possessions to save face. Everyone knows he's accepted reality and will settle down to be an ordinary farmer.
Before long, this news will probably reach the capital, and things should calm down there for a while.
This housewarming party lasted from noon until the sun was setting, and all the food on the table was devoured before the guests finally left, satisfied.
Gu Zhiyuan escorted the person to the courtyard gate, and after watching them walk away, he turned around and closed the gate.
Seeing Xu Ningyan cleaning up the mess on the table, he rushed over to help.
Although he can't move one arm, he can still use the other arm to help collect dishes and chopsticks in the kitchen, wipe tables, sweep the floor, and move tables and chairs into the house.
Xu Ningyan didn't stop her.
As the two worked, Xu Ningyan boasted to Gu Zhiyuan, "Believe it or not, what I said today will be known throughout the entire brigade by tomorrow! Then the whole brigade will know we're broke! And that will save those bastards from coming to our door—"
Before she could finish speaking, the courtyard gate was pounded on loudly: "Xu Siya, you get out here right now—"
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