"Third Master, I've been faking it all this year. I can't cook, and the food tastes terrible."
"Take your time learning, and don't let your family get angry over this."
Er Ya, go and pack ten jin of rice and ten jin of flour for Jing Song, and also give him a few extra eggs. Get him some cabbage and radishes from home too.”
"Okay, Dad. I'll have Cheng Guangxu deliver it over later."
"Yes, Jingsong, sit down and eat," Liu Maocai said, and of course no one objected.
Liu Jingsong knew there was no room for negotiation, but at least he was given food. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't have given him any at all.
Jiang Yan served him a bowl of rice porridge and asked him to sit down.
The family was discussing the dishes for the 20th at the dinner table, but with Liu Jingsong's arrival, everyone ate in silence.
Cheng Guangxu knew about this to some extent. He didn't have much of a feeling for Jinsong, but he was a little unhappy that he had argued with his mother-in-law, so he kept Zhiyuan in check.
After the meal, Er Ya didn't bother to clean up the table. She quickly prepared food for Liu Jingsong, which Shi Tou and Cheng Guangxu helped to deliver back.
The next morning, Shi Tou drove Liu Jianguo and his wife to the county, while Cheng Guangxu borrowed Liu Aimin's car and took Er Ya and her three children to the city. The family of five had lunch in the city and then went back to Hongmei's house to tidy up.
I bought a lot of candy at the building. There's still some left at home, but not much. I don't think it will be enough for the 20th.
The three children wandered around the building. It was now the twelfth lunar month, and the building was crowded. This made the children even happier.
They didn't return until just before dinner. All three children had a great time.
The next day was the nineteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. The two pigs were to be slaughtered that day. There were still a few bowls of meat left over from Shi Tou's wedding, and the family would also need to eat it for the New Year. So they simply bought two pigs. The money was given by Cheng Guangxu, who did not want the two elders to worry about money.
“We’re family. We have more money than you. There’s no need to be so formal about dividing it up.”
Liu Jianguo, Shi Tou, Cheng Guangxu, and Liu Aimin led four people up the mountain to fish.
They were still quite lucky. Although they didn't have as many fish as last time, they still had ten big fish left. If they chopped them in half, that would be enough for twenty tables.
When they return, there will be people to help kill the fish, and all the dishes will be cooked today, so that we can save effort tomorrow.
By the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, everyone in the family had gotten up early.
Er Ya accompanied Jiang Yan. Liu Jianguo bought her two outfits the day before yesterday, but they were just ordinary clothes for now. Jiang Yan didn't care about these things. Although she was still a little excited, she was definitely not as nervous as she was on her first wedding.
At noon, there were twenty-three tables in the cafeteria. All the relatives came, but Li Cuihua didn't accept a single penny of gift money. She just wanted everyone she knew to know that she had an eldest daughter-in-law.
She was very happy and, together with Jiang Yan and Liu Jianguo, toasted at every table. Jiang Yan followed behind, obediently greeting everyone.
Jiang Yan's appearance is just average, but she has a great temperament. After all, she has worked for so many years and served as a leader for several years. So, in everyone's impression, Liu Maocai's eldest daughter-in-law is a capable and powerful person.
Liu Jingsong sat in the corner, eating with his head down. He felt like everyone was laughing at him, but he also felt like he'd be missing out if he didn't come, so he quickly finished his meal. The village women had already packed up all the meat on the table. Having no other choice, he had to go back empty-handed.
He didn't greet his grandparents when he saw them.
Li Cuihua distributed all the remaining dishes to the villagers and put the bowls and chopsticks away.
In the evening, we invited my uncle's family over for another meal.
Li Cuihua and Liu Maocai lay on the kang (a heated brick bed). "Sigh! We're finally married and settled down. Our mission is complete."
"We're still far from there. There's Pengfei and the others too," Liu Maocai teased his wife with a smile.
"Hehe, that's Jianguo and the others' business. As for me, I'll be taking care of their kids from now on."
Liu Jianguo had his arm around Jiang Yan; neither of them had calmed down yet.
Jiang Yan finally realized that her husband had never been able to perform properly. Compared to Liu Jianguo, he was far inferior.
Liu Jianguo had been a celibate for over ten years, so this night was destined to be a passionate one.
The next day, the couple got up early to make breakfast.
Seeing the unintentional sweetness between the two, Li Cuihua finally felt at ease.
Moreover, she noticed that Jiang Yan had changed. To put it simply, she felt that Jiang Yan had truly become part of the family.
It's truly rare for a family to live happily together.
Zhang Hongmei, who was in the capital, stayed with Zhou Shixiong every day. She really felt that he was not doing well and was just getting by.
That evening, Zhang Shouyi held his wife in his arms. "Hongmei, let the children come back and stay at home for a while."
"Yes, that's what I think too. I think he's really just holding on. In any case, let the children stay with him and see him off on his final journey."
"Okay, I'll have Xiao Li pick them up tomorrow. Grandpa should be back soon too."
"Perfect timing, tomorrow is the Little New Year, everyone can come back to celebrate the New Year with him, he should be happy."
The couple felt a little heavy-hearted. Although birth, aging, sickness and death are natural laws that no one can reverse, it is only when someone they know reaches this point that they feel sad.
The next day, Zhang Hongmei went to Zhou Shixiong's residence early as usual.
"Uncle, Zhenye and the others came back today. They're at home spending the New Year with you."
"Haha, that's great! Today is the Little New Year, so hurry up and tell the kitchen to prepare some delicious food. Chang'en, go quickly."
"Yes, boss, let's have the kitchen prepare a Manchu Han Imperial Feast."
"Yes, that's it. Hurry up, or my grandchildren won't be able to eat when they come back."
Zhang Hongmei watched with a smile. Let him do whatever he wants, as long as he has the energy to do it.
At nine o'clock in the morning, the car drove directly to Zhou Shixiong's house. The four children got out of the car and went straight into the living room. Gu Chuanming and Zhang Xingguo were also there.
"Ancestor, Ancestor, we've come back to celebrate the New Year with you." Zhang Weiyu was the first to speak; now that the four of them were together, he was always the spokesperson.
"Haha, good, good, our third son has grown taller and is so handsome. Even girls aren't as good-looking as our third son." Zhou Shixiong looked at the young man squatting beside him, touching his face with his other hand, especially looking at his eyes, which were his aunt's eyes.
Zhou Shixiong was too excited and his heart couldn't handle it. Li Chang'en quickly gave him medicine, and it took him a while to calm down.
"Ancestor, please don't scare me, I'm easily frightened. Seeing you like this makes me feel bad," Zhang Weiyu said softly to Zhou Shixiong, his eyes a little red.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com