From the kitchen gradually came the smell of fried fish, stewed meat, mushrooms, and wheat, mixed together and floating in the air in the yard.
Before the horn sounded for the end of work in the team, Zhang Laoer's voice came from outside the yard: "Mom, we're back."
As he finished speaking, Zhang Meili and her sister entered the yard first. Seeing Zhang's mother coming out to greet them, they hurried forward. The eldest sister, Zhang Meili, smiled and said, "Mother, live a long life."
"Mom, I wish you and Dad a better life, a happy smile, good health, and everything goes well..."
Mother Zhang didn't wait for her little daughter to finish speaking. She smiled happily and nodded repeatedly.
Later came the two brothers Zhang Guofu, and the two brothers-in-law Zhang Chunming and Chen Xiaobin. They all came in with gifts in their hands and smiled. When they saw Zhang's mother, they happily wished her a happy birthday.
"It's so hot out here, isn't it? Come inside and sit down. It's not a big day for me, why would I buy you a gift? Don't do this next time. Having people here is better than anything else."
Zhang Guoqing stood at the main hall door, greeting them and waving at them. Behind him, Father Zhang, holding a long pipe, looked at his children with a smile on his face.
Zhang Meili looked at the open door of the kitchen and said with a smile, "My sister and I are here to eat something ready-made. Mom, you and big brother go in first. I'll go see my sister-in-law and younger sisters."
"Go ahead. Let the three of them stop worrying. We're all family. Just prepare something and have dinner ready."
"Oh, I understand." Zhang Meili pulled her sister and they quickly went to the kitchen.
The three sisters-in-law were busy in the kitchen, and their work was almost finished. Lin Juhua had finished serving the last dish of stewed meat, and noodles were bubbling in another iron pot.
Zhou Jiao handed the coarse bowls to Lin Juhua one by one. She took them and filled a small bowl with noodles, then handed it to Huang Cuilan next to her, who took it and scooped in the soup and meat slices. Soon, rows of coarse bowls were placed on the dining table.
Zhang Meili and her sister came over and saw their three sisters-in-law busy at work. They wanted to help but didn't know how to intervene.
"Big sister, second sister, are everyone here?"
"Everyone's back. Is the table in the main room set? Do you want me to take it out first?"
Lin Juhua took the remaining bowl from Zhou Jiao and placed it on the stove. "Jiaojiao, take your elder sister and the others in first. We don't have any work here."
Zhou Jiao smiled and nodded, then followed Zhang Meili and her sister to the main hall, carrying some wine and food. When she returned, she noticed Huang Cuilan had already prepared the soup. She placed two bowls of noodles on a tray and handed them to her. "Sister-in-law, these are for Daddy and Mommy. Take them first. We'll take care of the rest."
This was clearly an opportunity to curry favor with her parents-in-law, and Huang Cuilan knew it. She jokingly said, "If my mother asks, I'll just say I prepared it myself."
After hearing this, several people laughed and nodded repeatedly.
As Huang Cuilan carried out two bowls of noodles, the remaining people also carried bowls of noodles on wooden plates and wooden boards out of the kitchen and brought them to the main room.
"Dad and Mom, you eat first. After eating, you will live a long life and everything will go well for you."
Mother Zhang said with a smile, "This is my eldest daughter-in-law's filial piety. Your father and I must taste it carefully. We have been busy from early this morning until now. It must be hard for you three."
"We're not tired, we should be."
Mother Zhang handed her husband a bowl, glanced at her eldest son, and smiled, "These three silly kids are so busy and happy. I've never seen sisters-in-law who are so close to each other. This is great! A harmonious family brings prosperity."
Father Zhang, who was standing by, saw that the two tables in the room were already filled with food and wine, and then looked at the noodles being served at the back, thinking that they were almost ready, so he called his two sons-in-law to the table.
In a moment, the two tables in the main hall were filled with people. Looking at the four meat dishes, four stir-fried vegetables, and four cold dishes on the table, Zhang Laoer joked, "I have to go close the door first."
Everyone burst into laughter. Isn't it true? Even the New Year wasn't this sumptuous.
With Zhang Guoqing and his son going up the mountain every day these days, there's no shortage of game, and even more so, fresh fish and shrimp. There's everything from pheasant stewed with mushrooms, braised pork elbow, and steamed carp. And that's just a small selection; if it weren't for the limited circumstances, a full banquet would be no problem.
They hadn't tasted the main dish in the middle of the table yet, otherwise they would have been even happier. Don't underestimate that unassuming black pot; it contained a wealth of wild delicacies, stewed for two days.
At this time, everyone held a large, thick bowl with two blue lines around the rim. Inside the bowl was a small mouthful of white noodles, yellow egg shreds, green scallions, and thinly sliced meat. It was very beautiful and of course delicious, but it was gone in just a few bites.
In the past, the children would have probably clamored for more food. But now, they knew what was going on and all looked at Zhang's father and mother, waiting for them to pick up their chopsticks first.
Seeing this, Zhang Dad laughed happily and said to his wife, "You come first today."
"You're really being polite? Haha..." As she spoke, Zhang's mother took a bite of food and placed it in her husband's bowl. She smiled at everyone and said, "Try it quickly. Eat more of what you like."
When Father Zhang saw the children start to eat, he took a bite and put it in his wife's bowl while no one was paying attention.
The old couple's every move could not be hidden from Zhang Guoqing, who had always been paying attention to his parents and wife. He winked at Zhou Jiao happily, and the couple smiled at each other.
If you look closely at the seating arrangements at the two tables today, you'll notice what Zhang's mother is up to. Unlike the usual separate tables for men and women, today, the dozen or so grandchildren are seated at one table, while the rest of the group sit around Zhang's father and mother.
Zhang Guoqing's five siblings, his wife, and his parents, all ten of them, could fit neatly around the large round table, with couples sitting right next to each other. This shows that Zhang's mother's thinking had long since transcended the constraints of rural women; she had truly seen a lot.
Zhang Guoqing sat to the right of Zhang's mother. He first took a few bites of food and gave them to his parents, then to his wife, and said with a smile, "Mom, don't you want to say a few words to Dad?"
Zhang's mother was eating the food that her husband and son had picked up, her face beaming with joy. After hearing what he said, she swallowed the food in her mouth and said with a smile, "Haha... Dad, can you say something?"
When the noisy and laughing children heard Zhang's mother speak, they all put down their chopsticks, sat up straight and looked up at the table.
Seeing this, Father Zhang smiled and said, "There are no outsiders here, you can continue eating." He looked at the five couples and said, "You are all good children. Every time I think of you, I wake up with a smile."
Mother Zhang invited them to pick up their chopsticks and continued with a smile, "Well, I never thought we could live like this. We are satisfied with our lives."
Zhang Guoqing stood up and poured wine for his parents. "Are you satisfied with this? Your eldest grandson has been admitted to the provincial college and has a stable job. The children behind him will follow in their footsteps. The good days for you and my father are still to come."
He glanced at his brothers and their husbands, "Let's all fill it up. I wish our parents a long life and a worry-free life. I also wish each of us all our dreams come true and we will be happy and content."
"Uncle (little uncle) wait, we are full too."
Zhang Guoqing smiled and nodded repeatedly.
Seeing his parents' bright smiles, he felt very comforted. No matter how much he paid, as long as he could let them enjoy their old age happily, it was all worth it.
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