Before dawn, a plea for pink.
.......********......
Lady Zhou’s voice was not loud, but it wasn’t too low either. The steps they stood on were only about ten paces away from the table where Zhao Xiue’s sister-in-law was seated.
Perhaps it was because the noise of the crowd, Sister-in-law of Zhao Xiue seed not to have heard Lady Zhou’s words. She just turned her head slightly, and then turned it back again, smiling and urging the children at the table to eat their vegetables, as if she didn’t see Lady Zhou and her entourage.
Lady Zhou was annoyed. In the Lian Family, no one dared to ignore her. A sneeze from her at ho, and the ground of the Lian Family would tremble thrice. Even among all the relatives and friends of the Zhao and Lian families there, her seniority was the highest. Sister-in-law of Zhao Xiue’s behavior, in Lady Zhou’s eyes, was not only without manners but also disrespectful to her as an elder.
However, this was after all a wedding banquet. With Sister-in-law of Zhao Xiue not engaging in conversation, Lady Zhou couldn’t very well go up and scold her directly, which only added to her irritation.
"Who is that?" Lady Zhou asked her daughters and granddaughters who were following close by.
Lian Manman unobtrusively moved towards the back of the crowd.
"That’s Erlang’s wife’s sister-in-law from her mother’s family," Lian Xiuxiu said. Lian Xiuxiu, who didn’t leave ho often, had only recognized Sister-in-law of Zhao Xiue after coming here. They hadn’t spoken a single word to each other yet.
Lady Zhou glanced toward the bridal chamber, her expression growing even more sullen.
Just then, the person in charge of receiving guests entered the courtyard again.
"Yuchang," Lady Zhou called out loudly.
Her nephew, Wu Yuchang, had been invited to act as the host for the day, mainly responsible for arranging the seats at the banquet.
Wu Yuchang, hearing Lady Zhou calling for him, hurried over to her side at a jog.
"Second aunt, what can I do for you?" Wu Yuchang said with a smile, "There’s a draft under this eave, let take you inside to sit."
"Why would I go inside to sit when this evil wind is almost lifting off the roof? Yuchang, let ask you, what kind of reception is this? A bunch of kids acting all important and occupying a whole table, which family has no rules or manners like this? Their family doesn’t teach them manners, acting like they’ve never been to a banquet in their lives, coming here to make a spectacle of themselves?"
Lady Zhou, because she was annoyed, spoke a bit louder. A few tables of guests had already turned their heads to look this way.
"Sister, I said we should just squeeze in with another table, look what’s happened now, we’ve beco the talk of the banquet. Let’s not eat here anymore." A young daughter-in-law, who was in the process of helping her son with the dishes, put down her chopsticks and whispered.
Zhao Xiue’s sister-in-law’s complexion didn’t look good. Lady Zhou had just started speaking, and she had heard everything, although she pretended not to. She knew who Lady Zhou was.
The two daughters-in-law at this table were her younger brothers’ wives, and they had co today to bring gifts for their little sister-in-law, Zhao Xiue. The children belonged to these two sisters-in-law. She had inquired about the banquet arrangents and knew the Lian Family had prepared plentifully, so she didn’t rush to have the two sisters-in-law seated at the tables.
"It’s uncomfortable to eat squeezed in with those people; I’ll take you to a table later." She had said this to the two sisters-in-law.
As new relatives, and with her being the sister-in-law of the bride’s direct relative, she viewed Lian Erlang’s marriage to Zhao Xiue as reaching above his station, which in her view, elevated her own status several notches. She had resolved to bring out the sisters-in-law and nephews only after the feast began, asking the receptionist to open a table. This was to secure benefits for the sisters-in-law and nephews, while also flaunting her decorum and capability.
She believed that even if soone from the Lian family found it disagreeable, they wouldn’t dare to confront her openly.
Unexpectedly, Lady Zhou not only picked a quarrel but did so vehently. She had heard that Lady Zhou was formidable, good at managing daughters-in-law, but very kind to daughters-in-law of the grandchildren. In any case, for the sake of Zhao Xiue, she should have turned a blind eye. Why was she scolding her like this in front of everyone, making it hard for her to save face?
"Sister, who is that old woman?" Another sister-in-law asked with a mouthful of braised pork, her words sowhat muffled.
"Who knows which old hag that is!" Sister-in-law of Zhao Xiue responded offhandedly, as she had to maintain her dignity in front of the sisters-in-law and nephews. She couldn’t believe Lady Zhou would actually co over and drive them away. "Don’t mind her, we’ll eat our fill. Just pretend she’s passing wind."
The children by the table burst into laughter.
Lady Zhou didn’t catch the exact words spoken at Sister-in-law of Zhao Xiue’s table, but seeing them eating comfortably and the children laughing uproariously, she assud they hadn’t said anything pleasant. Anger rushed to her head, and Lady Zhou, pointing at Sister-in-law of Zhao Xiue, lifted her foot down the steps, ready to confront them.
Wu Yuchang was an astute man, and he quickly held onto Lady Zhou.
"Second aunt, I’ll support you to the house," he said, unarguably ushering Lady Zhou indoors and instructing Lian Manman and the others to close the door behind them.
"Second aunt, today is Erlang’s big day. If the younger generation doesn’t understand the proper manners, let it go for today since they are also from the Old Zhao family. We should overlook it for Erlang’s sake. If they don’t know manners, they are only a disgrace to their own family. Why should you go through the trouble to scold them? You can just wait for later and watch for amusent," Wu Yuchang coaxed with a grin.
Lian Manman, listening on the side, was impressed by Wu Yuchang’s smooth talk—it was so persuasive it could make an iron tree bloom.
Sure enough, Lady Zhou’s anger lessened considerably after hearing Wu Yuchang’s words.
"Only you know how to speak. Look at those people, no respect for their elders in their eyes. I wonder if they spend their ti at ho beating up their father and cursing their mother. If their families haven’t taught them discipline and let them go out to make a spectacle of themselves," Lady Zhou cursed.
"It’s her family mber who was lost, Auntie, let’s not get angry with her, it’s not worth it," Wu Yugui said with a smile.
"I’m upset about that tableful of banquet, Yuchang, you too, how could you host like this? Just those few people, they could have squeezed in at another table, there was no need to honor her by opening up a new table," Lady Zhou scolded Wu Yuchang.
Wu Yuchang smiled apologetically. Normally, there shouldn’t have been an extra table set, as Sister-in-law Xiu E should not have made such a request. But since Sister-in-law Xiu E had asked, and there were spare seats, he gave her so face and arranged it. His role was to host, not to judge right from wrong, aid solely at ensuring the whole event ran smoothly and orderly.
"Auntie, this is all my fault. I didn’t consider things fully; if you’re upset, you can slap a few tis," Wu Yuchang offered apologetically to Lady Zhou.
Manman chuckled secretly to the side, thinking that Wu Yuchang was rely a farr with not much land and no other livelihood. A person as ordinary as they co, yet in the Thirty Mile Camp, and the surrounding ten miles and eight villages, he had made a na for himself. Whenever there was an issue, people would invite him to give advice and act as the host for banquets.
This was a person with both high emotional intelligence and intelligence, and he was kindhearted without any ill intent. These qualities had built his good reputation and respect.
Seeing that Lady Zhou’s anger had sowhat subsided, Wu Yuchang took leave to attend to other matters outside. Duoduo, noticing that nobody was paying attention, slipped out of the room quietly.
On the surface, Lady Zhou was pacified by Wu Yuchang, as after all, she didn’t want to make a fuss at Erlang’s wedding banquet. But deep down, she was still irritated, especially when she thought about the condescending attitude of Sister-in-law Xiu E.
"I’m looking out for Erlang’s interests, but that woman is getting too pleased with herself," Lady Zhou said.
Manman glanced at Lady Zhou, thinking that this comnt was made for the young won and girls in the room to hear. As for the incident with Sister-in-law Xiu E, Manman saw clearly that there were still two or three tables where people could have squeezed in. According to the rules, children did not count as guests—they would sit with their parents, and there was always room for them.
Lady Zhou had a right to be angry, but she was too harsh.
All things considered, Lady Zhou ended up on the losing side of this incident.
It was debatable whether she should even get involved, but she had overheard Sister-in-law Xiu E insulting Lady Zhou. Lady Zhou might not be the best person, but she was the senior-most mber of the Lian Family.
"Grandma," Manman thought for a bit, then approached Lady Zhou. Leaning close, she whispered a few words in Lady Zhou’s ear.
"Brilliant idea," Lady Zhou slapped her thigh, "We must act quickly, where are Si Lang and the others now?"
"Probably at the entrance," Manman replied, "Grandma, let my eldest aunt talk to them. Si Lang is afraid of my aunt, he’ll surely listen."
"Alright," Lady Zhou called over Xiuxiu to instruct her.
Xiuxiu was also angry, but after hearing what Lady Zhou said, she brightened up, hurried out of the room, and soon ca back reporting success.
"Let’s have a look."
Lady Zhou stood and lifted the door curtain slightly, peering out. Manman also followed, looking outside.
Si Lang and Liulang, along with two other half-grown boys, rushed in from outside, eyes scanning around before settling on Sister-in-law Xiu E’s table. The four boys ran over, squeezed a few kids to the side, and sat down. Without waiting for an invitation, they began devouring the food. When chopsticks proved inefficient, they resorted to grabbing with their hands, especially targeting the choice dishes with at.
"Those two rascals are the nephews of my second sister-in-law," Xiuxiu said proudly.
Sister-in-law Xiu E, her sisters-in-law, and several nephews, were all dressed nicely. Si Lang and the others were also dressed neatly that day, but after playing outside, they were covered in dust, with Liulang’s runny nose having stread down to his chest. The disheveled boys from the He family, similar in appearance to Si Lang and Liulang, looked like real siblings.
Once the four boys were at the table, there was no more room for anyone else to use their chopsticks.
A child who had his piece of at stolen wouldn’t stand for it and slapped one of the He boys, who responded with a shoulder bump that sent the other child tumbling off the bench, falling flat on his backside. The child burst into tears, and his mother, feeling sorry for him, stood up and scolded the He child.
Si Lang and the others didn’t talk back, just focused on stuffing food into their mouths. In no ti at all, they had eaten almost everything on the table to the point where plates were empty.
"Who let these begging street urchins in here? Don’t their parents have any control?" Sister-in-law Xiu E stood up and snapped angrily.
......********......
We recomnd Ruoyan’s completed book, "Most Charming": A Fantasy Version of My Wild Girlfriend, with less than five hundred thousand words, a moderate length. Below is an express link that takes you straight there.
Book ID: 2184407
******...*******
I’ve updated 12,000 words today, and Pink is still pitiful, quickly losing motivation to add more, 555
Desperately in need of Pink encouragent. (To be continued. If you like this work, please co to Qidian (qidian) to cast your recomndation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
User Comments
0 comments from readers