Most people in Huaihe Village knew that the Ling family was going to hold a banquet for their adopted daughter.
Although many people think it is a bit too hypocritical to have an adopted girl attend the banquet, since the wedding has been held, they are happy to have a meal at the table.
The Chinese New Year is coming soon. In fact, many people are thinking about saving money during this period and waiting to have a few good meals during the New Year. They are already living a tight life, and being able to go to a banquet is definitely better than drinking cornmeal porridge and pickled vegetables at home.
Although the Ling family knew that most people came just for the fun and good food, no matter what their reasons were, they had to give their little baby the same treatment as their other sons, otherwise others would think that they did not value this child.
However, it is not an easy task to prepare for the banquet, as a lot of things need to be prepared.
Everything else is fine, but they have to get some meat, fish, etc., otherwise it will seem like they are too stingy.
The problem now is not about money, but that these things are difficult to get.
Because my sons had previously hosted banquets, I was quite familiar with how much food was needed. But now that the Chinese New Year was approaching, some things were really hard to come by.
It's cold now and all the rivers are frozen solid. It's very difficult to catch fish in this situation.
As for the meat—
"I think we should just kill the pig at home," Ling Hancheng and Chu Yuefang said, "that way we won't have to worry about pork anymore."
If people in the town want to eat pork, they have to get meat coupons. They can raise their own pigs and slaughter them themselves. In the past, they sold their pigs every year and earned about two to three hundred yuan.
Now that we have to hold a banquet for Xiao Linglong, the family really has no other savings. After all, Xiaowu just held a banquet this year.
Ling Hancheng was thinking about killing the pig, so that he would have the money and materials for the banquet.
Chu Yuefang felt that they could not make the decision on this matter themselves.
In previous years, most of the money from selling the pigs was taken away by Old Lady Ling, which was reasonable. After all, it was the old lady who paid for the piglets. The monthly salary that Ling Hancheng and Chu Yuefang received was basically enough for their own food and drink, since they had five sons to support.
What's more, Ling Hancheng and Chu Yuefang have to teach at school and are usually very busy, so all the big and small matters at home are taken care of by Old Lady Ling.
This big chunk of money is what the old lady deserves.
The couple still went to ask Mrs. Ling what she thought.
Old Mrs. Ling took over her daughter-in-law's work and was making clothes for little Linglong. Her craftsmanship was better, and the shape of a dragon could already be seen on the clothes.
Hearing his son's words, he immediately frowned: "Why do you have to ask about this? Since we are going to hold a banquet, of course we should kill our own pigs. Otherwise, where else can we get the meat?"
Old Mrs. Ling found it strange. Wasn't it enough that she showed how much she loved her granddaughter?
Why do you have to ask her about such a small matter now?
Ling Hancheng said: "No matter what, this matter must be discussed with you before it can be handled."
Mrs. Ling waved her hand and said, "Alright, you can handle this matter. Today is the day she turns eighteen, so we can kill the pig in a couple of days. By the way, Fang, please ask your eldest brother to help with this."
Old Mrs. Ling knew her son well. He was good at holding a pen, but he definitely couldn't kill a pig.
It is my daughter-in-law's family that has such a capable person.
Chu Yuefang's eldest brother, Chu Dagen, is a specialized butcher. Now that their family needs to do this, they certainly cannot let outsiders get it for free.
Chu Yuefang nodded quickly: "Hey, listen to Mom, I'll go there when I get back."
"Don't run, let the second son do it. It's such a long journey, what if you get tired?" Mrs. Ling pointed at the things on the table. "After dinner, the second son can take some snacks to your wife's family."
She was also very generous to her daughter-in-law's family, Old Lady Ling, and would send a portion to the Chu family every time she came back from Beijing.
The main reason is that the Chu family is very clear-headed. Although they only have one daughter, they have never thought of sucking blood from her.
Back then, the Chu family was so poor that they had to tighten their belts to make ends meet, but they still brought back all the betrothal gifts sent by the Ling family to Chu Yuefang. The Chu family was unable to get anything else, but they still gave dozens of kilograms of corn as a dowry, as a token of their love for their daughter.
In comparison, when Xu Xiangru, the daughter-in-law from next door, married Su Baoshan, she brought back nothing but two quilts.
Old Lady Ling had often heard Old Lady Su secretly complain about this matter.
The Chu family members are all very honest, so Mrs. Ling is naturally happy to have closer interactions with them.
Ling Hancheng, who was unceremoniously asked by his mother to run errands, said that he was no longer indifferent and could face it with a smile.
After giving these instructions, Old Mrs. Ling went to the main hall to see her little darling granddaughter, and sent the couple to cook.
The couple had no choice but to go to the kitchen together to prepare lunch.
Ling Hancheng was cutting vegetables and meat, while Chu Yuefang was washing rice and cooking.
Old Mrs. Ling brought back a big bag of rice from Beijing. It's just right to steam it and eat it with some stewed cabbage with minced meat and vermicelli. My sons will definitely like it too.
While busying himself, Ling Hancheng said, "I'm going alone this afternoon? You really aren't going?"
Chu Yuefang said without even looking up, "I still have to look after the child. You can go by yourself. You'll be able to see him in a few days anyway."
Chu Yuefang herself is not the kind of person who likes to go to her parents' home every day. Her younger brothers at home are busy making money and have no time to entertain her.
When she was at home before, Chu Yuefang, as the older sister, was actually the one most loved by her younger brothers. She wanted to act like an older sister who was like a mother to them, but her younger brothers were all very sensible and didn't need her at all.
If she went back to her parents' home, her father and brothers would definitely do nothing but wait to receive her. It was the New Year when the Chu family was busiest, so there was no need for her to go back and cause trouble.
As for Ling Hancheng... as a son-in-law, he doesn't need to be entertained too much when he goes there, so he can handle the matter of asking her brother to slaughter the pig by himself.
Ling Hancheng muttered, "Now that Mom is here, there's no need for you to watch over her every day. You must be reluctant to leave your little girl..."
"Hmm? What did you say?"
Chu Yuefang turned her head and glanced at him.
Ling Hancheng smiled hurriedly: "No, nothing much. My wife is tired of taking care of the children. I'll just go over there in the afternoon."
Chu Yuefang snorted softly.
The old mother is back, and the daughter-in-law with the old mother's support is not easy to mess with.
I could hear the laughter coming from the hall in the distance...
"My sister smiled~"
"Grandma, look how cute my sister is~"
"Yes, worthy of being the little kid of our Ling family~"
…
Life is not easy.
Teacher Ling sighed while cutting cabbage.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
