Chapter 94: No Observation
Boss Zhou coughed, and Li shut up, but she couldn't contain her pride. Humph, Zhao, don't think that just because you gave birth to a son you have the confidence to snatch her position in the family!
Zhou Lao Da stopped looking at his unhappy daughter-in-law and said, "Dad, we went to my father-in-law's house this afternoon and bought some pork and fish. We gave them separately as this year's New Year's gift."
Zhou Shuren nodded to show that he understood, "Okay, you should go back and rest too!"
Zhulan stood up and said to Li: "Let's make dinner. We'll make noodles tonight."
Li asked, "Mom, is the noodle soup noodle or the fried noodle?"
Zhulan hadn't eaten fried noodles for a long time, so she was craving for some. "Take out a piece of meat later, and make a non-spicy meat sauce with half of it, and a spicy meat sauce with the other half."
Li was full of anger, "Mom, I'm going to go back and change my clothes first, and then I'll go to the kitchen."
"Go ahead, I'll get the noodles and meat."
"Okay, Mom."
The Zhou family's bean paste is made by Li. Zhulan doesn't like sauce in modern times, but she liked it in ancient times. The fried sauce is especially delicious when eaten with cakes. Zhulan eats it every few days.
The Zhou family doesn’t make much sauce every year, and this year, Zhulan loves sauce so it makes it even faster. If they save it, there will only be enough until spring. Zhulan is thinking of buying some beans to make sauce.
Soybeans originated in China. There are records of soybean cultivation in ancient times, but it was not widely planted. Zhulan's family did not grow soybeans. The beans for making bean paste were bought from Zhang's family who sold tofu.
Two big pots of noodles for dinner were not enough. The one-year-old granddaughter Yu Lu ate the whole bowl. Otherwise, she could have eaten some more because she was afraid of food entanglement. Fortunately, the little girl did not look like her parents, but inherited Zhu Lan's looks from the previous generation. She is also a beautiful baby. Since Zhu Lan came through, the food in the family has improved. The little girl has had enough nutrition and has grown a lot of baby teeth. She clapped her hands happily after eating.
Zhulan was full, and looking at the other people in the family, their stomachs were like bottomless pits, especially the eldest and second oldest children, who would have eaten two bowls of food if there was something left in their bowls. Zhulan thought that it was a good thing that Zhou Shuren was capable and the Zhou family was wealthy, otherwise they wouldn't even be able to afford to feed them with just food.
The next morning, after breakfast, Zhulan prepared gifts for the clan leader's house, including a piece of silk cloth and a pound of cakes. She didn't take anything else. The test paper that Zhou Shuren copied was valuable enough. Not only would it help him reintegrate into the clan, but it would also benefit the entire clan, allowing Zhou Shuren to gain a position in the clan and making the clan owe him a favor. It was a win-win situation.
Zhulan left a fan as a dowry for the young lady of the clan leader's family when she gets married next year.
Zhou Shuren, Zhulan and the eldest son and grandson packed up and came over, then went to the clan leader's house together.
Patriarch Zhou is also busy in winter. The Zhou family's clan school is not like other private schools that have students in every village and are closed when winter comes and roads are blocked. Most of the students in the Zhou family's clan school are from the same village with the same surname. They will not be delayed even if it snows. Patriarch Zhou will go to the clan school every day and come back.
Zhou Shuren and Zhulan arrived at the exact time, and clan leader Zhou had just arrived home. Clan leader's eyes were shining. He had been helping Zhou Shuren and had been waiting for Zhou Shuren to come, but unfortunately he had been waiting for several months. It would be a lie to say that he was not disappointed. He thought Zhou Shuren had changed, but unexpectedly he remained the same. He had given up hope, but Zhou Shuren came to visit instead, and brought his eldest son and grandson with him, which meant he was going to interact with the clan.
Patriarch Zhou drank his tea slowly without saying a word, and Zhou Shuren was not in a hurry either.
The wife of the Zhou Wang clan leader smiled and said to Zhu Lan, "What brings you here today? What's the matter?"
Based on past experience, gifts are given to get things done.
Zhulan put the basket in Zhou Wang's arms, "Look at what my aunt said. We are all relatives of the same surname, but the New Year is almost here and we are not allowed to come and see the elders."
Zhou Wang was stunned for a moment. She was not here to do any work. She could not make up her mind for a moment and looked at the old man sideways.
Chief Zhou gestured, "It's rare for Shuren and his wife to come here, so you should prepare some delicious food for them to have lunch here."
Zhou Wang thought this was something special, and said with a smile, "Okay, then I will accept it without hesitation. I will ask the head of the family to prepare it, and Yang and Auntie will come to the inner room to talk?"
Zhulan silently thought about the terrible ancient times, where women had a very low status. She couldn't even sit in on the discussion. "I've always wanted to kiss my aunt."
Zhou Wangshi paused, thinking to herself, I never expected that Yangshi is not a fool at all, just look at how talkative she is.