The young n who ca to the Zheng Family’s ho to offer New Year’s greetings saw the large group of brightly-dressed girls. Although they wanted to look a little longer, the sheer number of people made them incredibly awkward. In the end, they all fled in disarray. As they left, they regretted not inviting a few more people along; that way, they wouldn’t have been so nervous. Opportunities like this were rare, and it wouldn’t be easy to see so many girls all at once again.
Big Mouth Zhao had co with Li Changxing. One of them was simple and guileless, while the other was full of sches. Because of this, they were more at ease than the young n who had co before. They sat to one side, chatting with the girls, and it looked like they planned to stay for a al.
Sure enough, Big Mouth Zhao smiled at Juhua and said, "Sister Juhua, I heard the stead pork with rice flour you make is delicious. I’d like to try so. I’ll just eat here today, how about it?"
Juhua looked at his silly grin and smiled. "Of course. Go ahead and eat here. It’s more lively with more people anyway."
Lanzi was an honest and reserved girl, but her two younger sisters were completely different. Zhuzi eyed Big Mouth Zhao, and a torrent of words spilled from her mouth. "Brother Big Mouth, you’d better work hard this year. My cousin said she doesn’t want any betrothal gifts. She’s being so considerate of you! If you don’t earn more money to give her a grand wedding, won’t you make her lose face in her village? Last December, several of her good friends from her village got married, and every single one of them had a very respectable wedding. The suona horns were blaring, the gongs were clanging—you can’t let them outdo you."
She was fourteen or fifteen, and her twelve- or thirteen-year-old sister Lin Zi was just as mischievous. With a twinkle in her big eyes, she chid in, "Brother Big Mouth, do you even have a plan? Goodness! Don’t tell you haven’t made any preparations at all. My cousin even said you were a capable and honest person. You’re not just planning to carry her ho on your back without spending a single coin, are you?"
As the two sisters barraged him one after the other, before Big Mouth Zhao could even reply, izi and the others were already covering their mouths to stifle their giggles, waiting to see how he would respond and enjoy the show.
Anyone else would have been quite embarrassed. Li Changxing snickered to himself, ’Thank goodness they’re not asking .’
But Big Mouth Zhao was a simple soul. He puffed out his chest at Zhuzi and her sister and declared, "Sister Zhuzi, listen to you! Am I the kind of person who doesn’t appreciate a good thing? Last ti, Sister Juhua told acorns could be used to feed pigs, so I decided to raise two extra pigs this year. It’s all to save up money to marry your cousin! Now, making money from pigs isn’t that fast, but if I can make a few taels of silver in the first year, things will get much better after that. I’m also planning to raise a sow. The sow will have piglets, and when the piglets grow up, I can butcher them and sell the at. The money will co in faster then, won’t it? Tell your cousin not to worry. I guarantee she’ll have a grand wedding."
Hearing the simpleton’s words, Zhuzi retorted, "Who’s worried? You’re the one who should be!"
Everyone erupted in a roar of laughter.
Big Mouth Zhao scratched his head, having no idea what he’d said wrong.
Seeing his friend’s clueless expression, Li Changxing felt a pang of sympathy but had no idea how to help him. ’Don’t be fooled by how quiet and gentle these girls usually seem,’ he thought. ’Their tongues are incredibly sharp.’
But then, little Lin Zi noticed him snickering and didn’t like it one bit. She piped up, "It’s all girls at Sister Juhua’s house today, and you two are still here? You can’t be serious about staying for lunch, can you? Where would you even sit? Are you going to help serve the dishes? I’d advise you to leave. Co back when Brother Qingmu is ho."
Although izi and Li Jinxiang weren’t as sharp-tongued as the two sisters, they loved to laugh and have fun. So when they heard Lin Zi turn on Li Changxing, they burst out laughing.
Juhua saw Li Changxing’s sheepish expression and thought to herself, ’Old Cheng’s five daughters really are each unique in their own way. If I weren’t seeing it with my own eyes, I’d never believe these two were Lanzi’s younger sisters.’
Li Changxing put on a placating smile. "Sister Lin Zi, we’re all from the sa village. What’s the harm in one al? Sister Juhua hasn’t said anything yet. And even if we have to serve the dishes, that’s fine. It’s only right for an older brother to help his little sisters. Right, Big Mouth?" As he spoke, he nudged Big Mouth Zhao with his elbow.
Big Mouth Zhao quickly chid in, "That’s right. We can’t let you young ladies do all the work. Sister Juhua, if you need anything, just say the word. Brother Big Mouth is here to help."
Zhuzi snapped, "It’s the first day of the New Year. What work could there be? You’re just saying that to sound good."
Lin Zi looked at Li Changxing, pursed her lips, and said, "I don’t think you want to eat. I think you just want to stay here and watch the eaters!"
This sent the girls into another fit of laughter. Even Juhua couldn’t help but chuckle. ’Only she would dare say sothing like that,’ she thought. ’Even soone as frank as izi wouldn’t go that far.’
Seeing that her sister had gone too far, Lanzi shot her a warning glance to keep her from saying anything more.
Watching the girls laugh until they were practically falling over, pushing and pulling at each other, a blush crept up Li Changxing’s tan face. He couldn’t stand it any longer. He yanked Big Mouth Zhao to his feet, mumbled a goodbye to Juhua, and fled. Once outside the door, he called out another farewell to Mrs. Yang in the kitchen.
Juhua felt that as the host, she shouldn’t join in the mischief, so she started to stand up and ask them to stay. But izi held her down firmly. Liu Xiaoi also kept her from moving, whispering, "It’s good that they left! It’s good!" Juhua looked at the lot of them, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Big Mouth Zhao was still shouting as he was being dragged away, "Why are we leaving? Weren’t we going to eat the stead pork with rice flour? So what if he was watching? What’s the big deal?"
This only made the group of girls behind them laugh even harder.
Lanzi turned to her two sisters in annoyance. "Are you two satisfied now? What kind of behavior is that?"
Zhuzi muttered defiantly, "We’re all girls. Was it proper for two boys to just sit here with us? They should have had the sense to leave on their own. Sister Juhua felt awkward saying anything, and Brother Qingmu isn’t even ho."
izi laughed. "Who cares? It’s better this way. Now we can have a fun day to ourselves. It’s not like we go to places where there are a lot of boys, right?"
Liu Xiaoi nodded vigorously. "When their friends co looking for my brothers, I always hide in the kitchen to eat."
And so, Juhua watched as one group of young n after another departed reluctantly, their faces flushed and their eyes still darting toward the crowd of girls as they left. She couldn’t help but laugh to herself. ’It’s a good thing my brother isn’t ho,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, this scene would probably have scared him into hiding outside too.’
The most amusing incident was when Liu Xiaoi’s Third Brother and fourth brother arrived with a few other boys. Overjoyed at the sight of so many girls, they sat down cheerfully—Mrs. Yang had brought out every last long and short bench—but before they could even say a word, Liu Xiaoi announced, "Third Brother, I think you all should sit for a mont and then leave. Don’t even think about eating here. That’s not happening. Today is girls only."
Juhua couldn’t hold it in any longer and collapsed against izi, shaking with laughter. Zhuzi grinned at Liu Xiaoi, thinking, ’I didn’t even get a chance to open my mouth, and you’ve already shooed them away yourself!’ Everyone was stifling their laughter, and even Lanzi let out a snort of a laugh.
Mrs. Yang watched the youngsters’ antics, unsure whether to laugh or cry, and felt it wasn’t her place to intervene.
Liu Sanshun gave his little sister a mournful look, but there was nothing to be done. He had to lead his friends away, silently blaming Qingmu. ’Why isn’t he back yet?’
Juhua spent the entire first day of the New Year with this group. Lunch was, of course, served at her house. Since both Zheng Changhe and Qingmu were away, the girls felt completely uninhibited, and their rrymaking continued until that evening when Zheng Changhe returned. Only then did the group finally disperse. There is no need to recount every detail.
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