The Zhang family’s full-month banquet started at around eleven in the morning and didn’t end until the sun was about to set in the afternoon.
Many people didn’t care whether the dishes on the table were reheated. They took advantage of this rare opportunity to grab a drink and catch up with friends. Usually toiling away in the fields, a banquet was always a great place for village folks to socialize and chat. Drinking and chatting away, ti passed quickly.
In the Zhang family’s main hall and right wing room, four tables were set up. Apart from village elders, everyone seated was close friends and relatives. Zhao Chuan Guang and his group, from the maternal side, got quite a bit of alcohol today.
In the courtyard’s front yard, the tables for won and children turned into a continuous feast. Rarely getting to see at, they couldn’t get enough to eat all day. Kids from the village ca to enjoy the bustle and wouldn’t leave, adults pulling adults, children pulling children. It went on until all the prepared dishes were cleared, and the chef announced the end of the al. Only then did the village won reluctantly take away the children.
After the al, they bade farewell to the guests and relatives traveling from afar. Seeing that Zhao Chuan Guang and his party were about to leave, Zhou Jiao quickly pulled Lin Lishan and Mother Zhang aside to discuss.
In the main bedroom, Zhou Jiao eagerly watched them.
Mother Zhang regarded Lin Lishan almost like her daughter, realizing she was sowhat clueless about social etiquette. Since they would be family from now on, the return gifts couldn’t be carelessly handled. If handled poorly, it could leave a knot in their hearts.
"Sister, I think you and the child’s father will surely keep in touch with them. How about this? Accept the changes in the red envelopes, but return the rest. That would be considered accepting. Take all the other things, especially the child’s clothes. If you feel uneasy, just prepare sothing better next year."
Lin Lishan nodded. She rembered that when she got married, she accepted all of those people’s gifts. According to her thoughts, there was no problem in accepting the red envelopes.
Zhou Jiao, worried about the hassle of back-and-forth exchanges, secretly tucked them into a bamboo basket. If it went unnoticed and got lost, it was fate. Consider it as accepting the gifts.
In the small living room, Zhao Chuan Guang whispered to Zhang Guoqing. The couple intended for Zhou Jiao and her husband to take the child to the provincial city for a visit. Since other brothers ca along this ti, they didn’t bring many things, planning to bring more when the child visits. Seeing Zhang Guoqing decline, he desperately tried to entice him.
Zhang Guoqing was caught between laughing and crying. Forget a tricycle, even if they sent a plane, Zhou Jiao wouldn’t stay at the other house for a few days.
"Godfather, how about this? We plan to go back to Beijing by the end of the year, so we’ll arrive early at your place. Let’s skip this ti; the child is too small to be moved around. Moving houses is just a custom, let’s not take it too seriously. You don’t have to worry about us not visiting in the future. Did you think it would be easy being my father-in-law?"
Zhao Chuan Guang, seeing he had made up his mind, thought it over and let it go. Since the young couple didn’t care about these customs, Jiao Jiao probably wouldn’t feel nostalgic. He also didn’t agree with taking a child out just after a month, changing to a strange environnt to which no one knows whether the child would adapt. His own son didn’t relocate, only going back to his maternal grandfather’s house after a hundred days. As for the gifts, he’ll bring them back tomorrow when he goes to the provincial city.
"Tomorrow, when you go to the provincial city, rember to look for and visit our old folks too. I originally promised them you would visit the provincial city. Now that this didn’t happen, you need to explain to them in person." Noting Zhang Guoqing’s agreent, Zhao Chuan Guang checked his watch; it was ti to leave. His brothers had to hurry back to report, leaving no room for delay.
Before parting, Huang Hui Min clung to Zhou Jiao, insisting she agree to co back ho for moving. Eventually, it was Mother Zhang’s promise of letting them stay over for a while when the child grew older that saw them reluctantly get into the car.
After sending off this group, Zhang Guoqing finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now at ho, there was only the mother-in-law with the Cheng and Lin Families’ won. After sending them off on the train the next day, the long-planned full-month banquet would finally be over. As for the first birthday next year, it should be celebrated quietly.
None of Zhang Guoqing’s cousins had the chance to sit down, busy with serving dishes and carrying wine jars. Now they also had to wait as the won cleaned up the tables to take them around the village before dinner.
At this mont, seeing them, Zhang Guoqing quickly pulled them into his own kitchen, asking his mother to simply arrange so dishes so they could fill their stomachs first. After a busy morning till now, their legs were worn out from running around. Hosting a banquet at ho was lively, but it left behind chaos. If not for them today, Zhang Guoqing couldn’t imagine how it would have turned out.
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