According to custom, Zhang Chunming's father, Accountant Zhang, went to the county town yesterday and stayed overnight in his new home, hoping to add some blessings to the new yard by living there for a few days.
In the early morning, Accountant Zhang asked his daughter-in-law Zhang Meili to worship the gods. After they secretly completed all the worship, it was already dawn. He hurriedly took Zhang Chunming to paste red couplets on the door and returned to the tube building with Zhang Chunming.
Inside the tube-shaped building, Zhang Chunming's second-floor room was packed. A tent had been set up on the first floor yesterday, and stools had been lent for guests. Many belated relatives and friends simply stayed downstairs. Everyone was usually so busy, so they took advantage of the opportunity to gather today to chat and talk. Accountant Zhang looked up at the sky, estimated the time, and walked back and forth, his hands behind his back, greeting friends and family. He kept glancing at the street outside.
Watching Father Zhang driving the ox cart from afar, Accountant Zhang's face lit up with a smile and he quickly took a few steps forward to greet him.
"Father and daughter-in-law, we've finally got you here. Come on, get off the car first. The oxcart is tied right next to us. Let's sit in the tent first. We'll be ready to leave soon."
Father Zhang got out of the car and said happily, "I rushed here early this morning. Today is a big day for the kids. Brother, is there anything you can do for us? Look for our three boys."
"Xiaowu came to help yesterday afternoon. If there is anything, he will definitely come to you. There is no need for us two brothers to be polite." Accountant Zhang stepped forward to help tie the cow rope and pulled Zhang's father inside.
Zhang's mother, along with the women and children in the family, carried the packages and planned to go upstairs to find her nephew to change clothes. Since the children's aunt had done it for them, they should let them be happy.
Zhang Guoqing and his three brothers each carried a housewarming gift to the gift table under the tent. After two trips, they finally finished carrying everything. This table full of gifts from the mother's family surprised all the relatives and friends who came.
There were quite a few villagers around, and since today was Sunday, people who weren't working were coming and going in the tube-shaped building, and they all knew the three Zhang Guoqing brothers. Soon, the three brothers were all stopped by someone to chat about family matters.
Xizi and the others were already playing with the children downstairs. Zhang's mother gave them a few instructions. She took Ziwen and the other two upstairs, only to find the room packed with people. Everyone in the room excused themselves to leave when they saw Zhang Meili's parents were there.
Zhang's mother greeted Zhang Chunming's mother and, without much time to say, quickly changed her grandson's clothes with her daughter-in-law. After changing, she quickly drove away the screaming grandson and then saw that Yaya had changed into the new clothes made by Zhou Jiao, and smiled with satisfaction.
Zhang Meili's eyes widened as she complained, "Mom, Jiaojiao already made something for Yaya, why are you preparing something for three more children? It would be much better for Xizi and the others to wear it."
Lin Juhua laughed heartily. "Big sister, don't ask me. I only found out this morning. All the children in the family are here. Xiaowu said no one can be left out. What do you think you need our help with? Tell me quickly."
Zhang Meili quickly shook her head and pointed at her mother-in-law with a smile, "You stay with my mother-in-law. I'm fine here. We'll just wait for the time to come. When my father-in-law calls us, we can leave."
Zhang Chunming's mother took Zhang's mother's hand and asked her to sit down, muttering, "My dear, don't let Xiaowu spend money in the future. He brought a lot of things home yesterday, and now it's clothes again. You must remember to tell us."
Mother Zhang patted her hands with a smile and said, "My son Xiaowu gave this to his sister. His sister can keep it. They are siblings, why should they be polite? This time you have to stay at Meili's place and let her fulfill her duties as a daughter-in-law." Mother Zhang didn't know what her son Xiaowu had bought, and she was still calm.
"My wife is very good and filial. I really envy you, my dear. Look at the daughters-in-law around you, they are all capable and filial. And as for your son, let alone you. You are so lucky."
"We are all blessed, and our lives are getting better and better. In the future, when you have nothing to do, you can go to the city and stay for a few days to accompany the children. When you get bored, you can go back to the village and stay for a few days. Then we two in-laws will go together."
Zhang Meili pulled her two sisters-in-law outside and whispered, "Will Xiaowu and Jiaojiao do anything bad? I'm too busy. I haven't had time to go to their house, so I'm worried about them."
Huang Cuilan winked at Lin Juhua, and Lin Juhua smiled knowingly, "Sister, no. Just a little gift. Don't worry. I'll tell you after we move. Have you prepared everything you need?"
Zhang Meili breathed a sigh of relief and waved her hand, "It's very troublesome. If you follow my idea, you can just move in. I haven't prepared a lot. Just make do with it. We'll deal with it when the child grows up." After saying that, she pointed to the sisters-in-law who were eating melon seeds downstairs.
Lin Juhua covered her mouth and laughed, and when she saw Zhang Meihao coming up from behind Zhang Meili and opening her mouth to say something, she quickly shook her head. She knew what Meihao wanted to say at a glance, and her finger was pointing at the position outside the tent. She and her eldest sister-in-law were worried about her eldest sister-in-law's stubborn temper. She had to wait until the move started, and by then she would have to accept it even if she didn't want to. The two daughters of the Zhang family were devoted to their brothers, and had nothing to do to support their mother's family in those years. When Zhang Guoqiang came, he specifically told her to make her eldest sister happy today, and her three brothers from her mother's family would support her.
Accountant Zhang downstairs shouted that the auspicious time had arrived and asked everyone to get ready. Seeing Zhang Chunming waving upstairs, Zhang Meili hurried to the inner room and pulled her mother-in-law and her mother. "Hurry, we're leaving. You two go downstairs first. Sister-in-law, you help them go down first. I still have to carry the kettle to the new house."
Everyone hurried downstairs. When they reached the first floor, everyone was holding things in their hands and waiting for Zhang Chunming's father to lead his family to leave first.
The group happily exchanged auspicious words as they headed towards the new courtyard. Fortunately, it was winter; in summer, walking for just twenty minutes would have given them heatstroke.
In the new courtyard, Zhang Chunming, the eldest brother, set off firecrackers as soon as he saw his father and the others approaching. Zhang Meili went in with a kettle to water the area. A noisy group of people entered the courtyard, looking around.
Zhang Guoqing saw that they had finished moving everything and that there was nothing else to do, so he left the yard and headed to his second sister Zhang Meihao's house in the back. All the food for the banquets held today was prepared in Zhang Meihao's yard and then delivered to Zhang Meili's yard.
In Zhang Meihao's yard, his parents-in-law and a few others were busy helping out. The firecrackers were already going off and it was almost time for lunch.
Zhang Guoqing saw everyone from his second brother-in-law's family, except his second sister, had arrived when he entered. He raised his eyebrows. He had already arranged for several of Zhang Chunming's older nephews and their wives to come and help, and they had agreed. He hadn't expected someone to desert at the last minute.
Zhang Guoqing hurried forward and pulled Old Chen, who was so busy that he was only wearing a single piece of clothing, and complained: "Look, look, why did you come up to help? It's all my fault for not making good arrangements. Uncle Chen, don't be so relaxed. It's so cold, what if you get blown by the wind? Come in quickly, leave this to me." Then he just pushed him in.
Chen's father entered the house, beaming. He was delighted. Zhang Guoqing treated his brothers and sisters with such care that he felt obliged to do his best to help. He had seen him constantly hauling things over yesterday afternoon; he saw how much effort and money he put into the work. If Zhang Chunming's brothers had been relied upon, everyone would have had to eat only steamed cornbread and pickles today. His nephews had agreed to help today, but they'd only come over briefly and then run away. The chef had to bring a few helpers with him to help, so they could hurry along.
Old Chen drank a sip of water, put on his coat, and headed out to the yard. As he emerged, he saw Zhang Guoqing, his coat off, moving firewood back and forth, constantly looking around to see if anything was missing. He'd soon run to pump water, never stopping. He hadn't been wrong about this kid. The more he learned from Zuo Lin, the more he liked this 18-year-old.
Looking at his wife who was laughing heartily at Xiaowu's amusement in the yard, and looking at the pile of 100 kilograms of coal briquettes, Lao Chen quickly stepped forward to help.
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