Chapter 394: Chapter 204: Ice Car_1
It was the second night watch, a call for more pink.
...***......
Lian Manman didn’t know exactly how Old Master Lian had negotiated with the Zhao Family, but the final agreement was to have the banquet catered by their own chef, though it would be held at their residence in town.
It seemed both parties had compromised. Whether the feast was in the village or at the town residence, besides the Lian Family having to run back and forth, which was a bit troublesome, there seemed to be no other difference.
The wedding day was set for the twentieth of the twelfth lunar month, and the whole family got busy.
The construction project in the mountains hadn’t stopped, and Manman’s breakfast shop was open for business as usual. Lian Manman went there daily to help and manage the accounts. After finishing the tasks at the shop, the family would go back to the old house or to the townhouse to help with the wedding preparations for Erlang.
Every day there was a steady flow of people at the old house, with villagers and relatives from near and far coming to present their gifts. In rural families, marrying off a son was considered even more important and grand than marrying off a daughter, which meant even more people came than when they were preparing Lian Huahua’s dowry.
The children loved such occasions the most. Firstly because it was lively, and secondly, the host family had to prepare some sweets, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and the like to entertain the revolving door of guests. These snacks, which seem very common in later generations, were considered valuable in a village where resources were relatively scarce and frugality was the norm.
There was an interesting, unwritten understanding among rural families. These seeds and peanuts were for show; guests would normally not eat them, and if they did, it was just a token gesture. This was out of mutual consideration and a desire to be frugal.
However, once these snacks were laid out, some consumption was inevitable. The children would sneak a handful when the adults weren’t looking, which happened quite often. In such a festive atmosphere, as long as it wasn’t excessive, the adults in the family wouldn’t get seriously angry or scold them.
With lots of people and food around, many of the village children were attracted to the Lian Family household, wandering in and out regardless of whether there was an occasion, which naturally included the Lian children themselves.
Lian Manman was initially unaccustomed to this, but gradually she grew to enjoy the festive bustle.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was the nineteenth of the twelfth lunar month, and the guests who needed to stay overnight at the Lian Family home began to arrive. The Zhang Family, naturally, also sent people. This time it was Zhang Qingnian, his wife Lady Wang, and Zhang Caiyun followed along as well.
Zhang Qingshan and Lady Li, the elderly couple, didn’t come, but their concern for their daughter and grandchild was conveyed. Zhang Qingnian brought many items with him.
A basket of frozen pears, a basket of fragrant Balixiang that was overripe and soft, a basket of red dates, a basket of hawthorn, a few strings of dried mushrooms, a pack of dried wood ear mushrooms, and two hens with their legs and wings tied, clucking away.
The hens, raised for more than three years and no longer laying eggs, were considered the best for nourishing soup. This was the old couple showing they still worried about Lady Zhang’s health and wanted to provide nourishment for her.
Lian Shouxin felt a little embarrassed.
"Why always bring these old things," Lian Shouxin earnestly said, "We, as the younger generation, haven’t even taken good care of my wife’s parents. This makes me uncomfortable."
Zhang Qingnian just laughed, and Lady Wang was straightforward.
"Brother-in-law, why are you making such a fuss? These are all things from our home, and we didn’t have to spend money. Dad and Mom said, as long as my sister is happy, that’s better than anything."
Zhang Qingnian and Lian Shouxin sat on the edge of the kang talking about family matters, and Lady Wang conversed even more spiritedly with Lady Zhang inside the kang.
"Mom visited last time and saw you’re doing well, which really set her mind at ease. Now that it’s cold, Qingnian and I didn’t let the old folks come out," said Lady Wang.
"You did right. Are Dad and Mom healthy? Mom usually starts coughing around this time of year. Is it better this year?" Lady Zhang asked.
"She coughed for a couple of days, but it’s much lighter than previous years, and she’s already better now," reassured Lady Wang, "I heard you’ve opened a shop?"
"Yes." Lady Zhang’s tone became lively as she spoke about the shop, "At first, I had no idea if it would make money. I thought if it doesn’t, we’d better close up quickly... It’s hard work but, earning money this way, no matter how laborious, makes us happy... On a good day, we can earn up to two hundred coins."
"Wow, that’s a considerable amount," Lady Wang was pleased for Lady Zhang, "I’ll tell our parents when I get back. They’ll definitely be happy."
Lian Manman, eating Balixiang on the side, silently touched her forehead. Lady Zhang was always like this, without guile. Whoever she was close with, she treated them wholeheartedly and openly, without holding anything back.
"Manman, let’s go out and play," Zhang Caiyun said. Being a girl from the mountains, and used to running wild, she was naturally very spirited. On previous visits, she had always been accompanied by Lady Li, who loved quiet, and Zhang Caiyun appeared quite demure. But this time, she had come with her parents, and her true nature was showing. After sitting in the room for a while, she couldn’t stay still any longer.
