Rekindle 2003

Chapter 1124 Village Banquet
Smoke rose from the makeshift open-air kitchen, and various dishes were being stir-fried in large iron pots, emitting enticing aromas.

The chefs in charge had beads of sweat on their foreheads, the spatulas in their hands were flying in the pot, and their aprons were stained with oil and vegetable juice, but this did not prevent them from showing off their cooking skills.

The assistants nearby were busy adding firewood to ensure the fire was stable.

The women sat on one side, peeling peanuts and melon seeds in their hands, occasionally looking up at the busy men, exchanging family conversations and laughing.

Their faces were filled with festive joy and anticipation for the upcoming feast.

Some older women were praying quietly in the corner, thanking their ancestors for their protection and the gifts of nature.

At the entrance of the ancestral hall, several elders were busy arranging offerings. Incense, candles and paper money were already prepared. Their expressions were solemn and pious.

For them, a village banquet is not just a dinner party, but also a collective commemoration of their ancestors and a display of family unity.

As the sky gradually darkened, the lanterns in the village gradually lit up, bringing a warm glow to this cold winter night.

As preparations for the village banquet neared completion, the men began to taste the dishes they had prepared, adjusting the flavors to ensure that each dish would satisfy the villagers.

The laughter of children, the clatter of pots and pans, and the conversations of adults interweave into a lively picture of a rural New Year banquet.

Six girls stood aside, witnessing this traditional yet lively scene, curiosity and surprise flashing in their eyes.

What was incredible to them was that the entire village banquet was actually hosted by men.

Zhang Li was even more surprised because she had relatives in the countryside and had seen village banquets.

But in the rural areas of western Guangdong, especially at important times like the Chinese New Year, women usually also participate in the preparations.

But here, the women all sit at the table, cracking peanuts and melon seeds, eating fruits, and chatting about family matters, forming a unique landscape.

Zhang Xiaoli took a deep breath and had to admit that Western Shu was a paradise for women.

Qin Manyan's eyes moved through the crowd, and what she saw were men wearing pink and red aprons.

These aprons are not just a distinction of color, but also a symbol of responsibility and rank.

The men in floral aprons and pink aprons are busy doing odd jobs, while the men in red aprons are more like servants chopping meat and vegetables. Only those wearing green aprons can take the lead in cooking.

Their movements were skillful and powerful, and it was obvious that they were no strangers to this kind of work.

Seventh Uncle came up to them with a big smile on his face. After saying hello, he led them to sit at the three round tables in "Yunwazi's house".

"They are all family. You met them last time. Introduce them to Caiwei and the others."

The seventh uncle happily let Yunwazi's wife, the head of the family, make the decision herself, and the old man quickly slipped away with his hands behind his back.

The old man is too proud to introduce himself.

Qin Manyan looked around and found that the people in that circle were all relatives she had met at the last engagement party. She quickly went to greet them together with Tang Qianying, Su Caiwei and others.

After a roundabout greeting, the six girls took the peanut, melon seed and fruit plate handed to them and sat down.

The 'wife in charge of Yunwazi's family' mixed in with the group of aunties and started chatting with them.

When it comes to social skills, Qin Manyan is not inferior to anyone, it’s just a matter of whether the empress is willing to do it or not.

The little princess had done her homework before coming, and with the cooperation of Lady Qianying, the atmosphere quickly became harmonious.

"Manman, long time no see. You are becoming more and more beautiful." A middle-aged woman praised with a smile.

"Thank you Aunt Li, you are getting younger and younger. Your Zi Han has been doing well recently and has become more and more calm."

The main point is to sincerely divert the blame and forcibly involve the topic surrounding them to the other party's son.

"I'm kidding, Aunt Li, let me tell you, Zi Han might have a girlfriend..."

Mistress Qianying understood what he meant, and cooperated in making up stories, describing things that did not happen in a vivid way.

Anyway, she said 'maybe'.

During the Chinese New Year, once this topic is brought up, it can't be stopped.

All the aunts and uncles were chatting happily and having a great time.

Su Daji sat quietly in the corner of the round table, her figure seemed particularly quiet among the bustling crowd.

She doesn't know the people around her very well, so most of the time, she just plays the role of a smiling doll.

Her eyes wandered among the crowd, observing this noisy and festive occasion.

For Su Caiwei, this kind of lively scene was something she disliked.

She was used to quietness, to solitude, and to living a simple and peaceful life under the protection of her adoptive parents.

Her adoptive parents have passed away, and she has become an orphan. The quietness and loneliness she once had have now become a void in her heart.

However, at this special rural New Year's Eve banquet, Su Caiwei found herself attracted by the liveliness of the place.

There was no more disgust in her heart, but instead an unprecedented warmth and sense of belonging.

She realized that this might be because she was integrating into this family, this big family built with the little man and those...sisters as its foundation.

A complex emotion surged in Su Caiwei's heart.

She felt like a fallen leaf that had finally found soil to take root.

Although she lost the love of her adoptive parents, she found a new family and new warmth here.

She began to understand why people value family and reunion so much, because it is the most instinctive need of human beings and a spiritual haven.

Looking at the busy figure of the little man in the distance, her heart was filled with gratitude.

He gave her a new home.

She is no longer an orphan, but a person with a family and someone to rely on.

This realization filled her heart with strength, and she knew she was no longer alone.

Su Caiwei took a deep breath and decided to let down her guard and truly integrate into this family.

She wanted to be part of this big family, to laugh with them, cry with them, and experience the ups and downs of life with them.

She wants to find her roots and her home here.

Teacher Su, who looks like the fairy Guanghan, is also a sight to behold when she is in a daze. Her brows are slightly furrowed, as if she is thinking about some profound question.

Xiao Ya noticed her strangeness, approached her with concern, and asked softly,

"Caiwei, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

Su Daji cried out, came to her senses, and quickly said, "No. It's just..."

A pair of innocent little deer eyes blinked twice and said softly,

"Sister Xiaoya, I'm just a little curious." She paused here and lowered her voice again, "Sister Xiaoya, don't you find it strange?

You see, the men in Qingjia Village are generally only about 1.7 meters tall, and the taller young men are no taller than 1.8 meters.

So, the question is, why are little men so tall?"

No matter how she looked at it, she felt that Qingyun's height of 193cm was somewhat mysterious.

Well, is it a story or an accident?
It always feels weird.

So unscientific!
Her eyes fell on Qing Yun's 193cm height, as if looking for some answer.

Xiao Ya was stunned for a moment, and then couldn't help but laughed.

There was a hint of teasing in her eyes. Obviously, she understood Su Caiwei's doubts.

To be honest, Qing Yun's height does seem a bit out of place among this group of people.

However, she happened to know the reason, and it amused her.

After a long while, under the angry eyes of Teacher Su, Xiao Ya finally caught her breath and stopped laughing.

She leaned close to Su Caiwei's ear and explained in a low voice,

"Our father-in-law, the kid's father, is indeed 178cm tall according to his profile. He's not short, but he's not tall either."

These words made Su Daji's eyes widen instantly, and she took a breath of cold air. Then she instantly made up a 10-word plot in her mind, making even the crappy authors feel inferior.

Xiao Ya wanted this effect. After appreciating Su Caiwei's expression for a while and satisfying her own interest, she said slowly,

"But our mother-in-law, the kid's mother, is also very tall, 176cm tall."

She herself had been curious about Qingyun's height, but when she learned the scientific reasons behind it, she felt that it all made sense.

Shrugging her shoulders, Sister Xiaoya spoke to Su Daji, who was staring in astonishment.
"According to the theoretical formula of height inheritance, the son's adult height = (father's height + mother's height) x 0.54, so the theoretical height of the little brat is 191cm."

Su Caiwei was stunned when she heard this. She didn't expect there was so much knowledge involved.

Xiao Ya continued, "Moreover, genetic height does not equal final height. Nutrition and lifestyle habits are also very important.

There is a floating coefficient of about 6%. If the kid gets enough nutrition from a young age, he can definitely reach a height of two meters.

His current height is the result of a rapid growth this year.

Because of poor conditions and lack of nutrition since childhood, he was only about 185cm at the beginning of this year. Fortunately, the bone line has not closed, and he has been well taken care of by the doctor in Manman's family in the past six months. After scientific height adjustment, he has grown 8cm, and now he is 2cm taller than the genetic theoretical basis. "

"So that's it."

After listening to this, Teacher Xiao Su nodded, and the doubts in his mind were answered.

It's a story, not an incident.

But she also felt drunk.

I never expected that my mother-in-law, whom I had never met, was so tall.

Taller than her!

Su Daji glanced unhappily at Qin Manyan who was pretending to chat with the aunties over there. Bored, she chatted with Xiao Ya about private matters to pass the time.

At this time, an old man came over with a plate of steaming dumplings and placed it on their table.
"Come, come, try the dumplings I made. They are made from vegetables grown at home and meat raised at home. They are guaranteed to be delicious."

"Thank you, Grandpa. We will definitely eat more."

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Qin Manyan didn't recognize the person who came. The "well-informed" Lady Qianying had already gone somewhere to set off firecrackers with the children.

But she still called the old man sweetly, took the plate with a smile and passed it to the other women.

When the old man heard this, he smiled awkwardly, and a look of constipation appeared on his face.

The aunties next to them were laughing so hard that they couldn't breathe.

"Manman, according to seniority, he should call you grandma."

These words shocked Qin Manyan and others.

The old man looked like he was at least 70 years old, which was considered very long-lived in rural areas at the beginning of the century. But it turns out that he is actually his grandchildren’s age?
Not only Qin Manyan, but even Su Caiwei, who was accustomed to the difference in seniority, was feeling uneasy at this moment.

Aunt Six comforted them, saying that it was okay, they could just call her that at normal times and just remember to call her that during the holidays.

Qin Manyan cursed Qing Yun's family's generation name in her heart while smiling embarrassedly as she listened to the aunties introducing those distant relatives.

The aroma of dumplings is so delicious that it makes you salivate.

The six girls began to taste it, exclaiming in admiration from time to time.

Tang Qianying appeared out of nowhere and grabbed one with one hand, praising it while eating.
"These dumplings are delicious. Yuanzhang's cooking skills are amazing."

"That's right, Yuanzhang is the dumpling king of our village." Aunt Liu said proudly.

As the village banquet progressed, the sky gradually darkened, but the lively atmosphere in front of the ancestral hall became more and more intense.

The children in the village began to set off small fireworks. The colorful fireworks bloomed in the night sky, reflecting everyone's smiling faces.

"Look, magic bullet!" Chen Yue pointed to the sky and shouted excitedly.

The six girls looked up and saw bright fireworks blooming in the night, as beautiful as a dream.

"It's so beautiful." Su Caiwei exclaimed, with a childlike light in her eyes.

Since 95, the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers has been banned in the main urban area of ​​Huating. As an adopted daughter, she has been living with Grandpa Su on the Fudan campus, and she has not been able to enjoy the holidays.

"Yes, the New Year should be lively like this." Qin Manyan agreed, looking at the smiling faces of the children.

She has never had this experience.

She had been weak and allergic to dust since childhood, so she didn't have this opportunity when she was young. Now that she has recovered from her illness and reached the age of being trained as a "lady", she can only imagine such things when listening to her best friend Tang Qianying chatting.

Qin Manyan had a smile on her lips and lowered her head to look for her fake best friend, but she could only laugh and cry.

There was no trace of Lady Qianying by the table. Following the trajectory of the fireworks, it seemed that Ye Luoli had blended into the group of kids again.

The empress rolled her eyes helplessly.

Well, this is why this fake bestie can always cry for her dad without any obstacles.

As time went by, the ancestral hall in Qingjia Village was brightly lit, and the atmosphere of the village banquet reached a small climax.

The busy figures of the men seemed even more lively under the illumination of the fire and the lights.

The ancestor worship ceremony is held before the village banquet, which is a respect for the ancestors and a gratitude for the past year.

Qingyun led the six girls and followed the guidance of their seventh uncle to the ancestral hall.

The elders had already placed offerings in the ancestral hall and lit incense and candles, and the air was filled with the smell of sandalwood and firecrackers.

Burn incense in turn.

When it was Qingyun's turn, "Yun, bring your wives to burn incense to the ancestors." The voice of Seventh Uncle echoed in the ancestral hall.

In fact, this is against the rules.

According to ancestral rules, women are not allowed to enter the hall during sacrifices.

In fact, it was stricter before.

The ancestral hall is a holy place for men and a forbidden place for women. A woman has only two chances to enter the ancestral hall in her lifetime.

The first time is when getting out of the sedan chair at a wedding, and the second time is when being buried after death.

However, rules are dead, but people are alive.

As an only child, you can't let no one worship you.

So this rule gradually changed.

And everyone knows that Qing Yun must be the future clan leader.

They all knew who was responsible for the prosperity of Qingjia Village today.

As for how many wives the clan leader will marry, how to divide the wives and concubines, and whether concubines can burn incense...

Regarding this question, the seventh uncle said that the previous clan leader had six branches in one family, which was the foundation for the rise of Qingjia Village.

What is the difference between having two wives and having three wives?
Since it is possible to have three wives, why not six?

The final right of interpretation of the family tree lies in his hands, and he can say whatever he wants.

Qingyun nodded and led the six girls forward one by one. Each of them held three incense sticks in their hands. They bowed respectfully to the ancestral tablets and then inserted the incense into the incense burner.

Qin Manyan, as the eldest wife, was naturally the first. Her movements were solemn and elegant. The other women followed suit, with respect on everyone's face.

After the ancestor worship, the village banquet officially began.

At the village banquet, the men continued to be busy, serving up a variety of dishes, including braised fish, sweet and sour spareribs, cold-mixed chicken, steamed pork belly, etc.

The round tables were filled with a variety of dishes, as well as the village's special snacks.

Every dish is delicious and mouth-watering.

The men were holding wine glasses while the women were busy picking up food for the children. The whole scene was very lively.

"Come on, everyone, raise your glasses and wish every family peace and happiness in the new year!"

Seventh Uncle said loudly.

Everyone responded in unison, raised their glasses and drank, creating a warm and lively atmosphere.

After paying respect to the heavens, the earth and the ancestors, Qing Yun, the future clan leader, who was sitting at the main table, shouted with a smile,
"Everyone, pick up your chopsticks, eat your meat! Drink your wine! Let's get started!"

It was not the time for him to make a long speech, but the elders honored him by letting him speak briefly.

The villagers laughed heartily, picked up their chopsticks, tasted the delicious dishes, toasted each other, and blessings and laughter rang out one after another.

The six girls were also infected by the atmosphere. They tasted the food, communicated with the villagers, and laughed happily from time to time.

At this special rural New Year banquet, they felt the unique customs and strong human touch of the rural New Year.

As the night deepened, the village banquet gradually came to an end.

The villagers began to pack up the tables and chairs and clean up the venue.

Six girls also joined in the cleanup. They helped wipe the table and wash the dishes. Although their hands were covered in grease, their faces were filled with satisfied smiles.

"I'm really happy today. Thank you, Uncle Seventh."

"No, no, we are happy that you can come."

Seventh Uncle's face was filled with smiles, and walnuts seemed to bloom.

Six!

Moreover, Yunwazi's family is wealthy and powerful, so he definitely doesn't have to worry about the problem of having more children than allowed.

No, I have to persuade him myself and let him have the baby if he can!

If each of them gives birth to six or eight children, after three generations there will be a family of several hundred people!
The most fundamental factor that determines whether a family can prosper and continue is its ability to reproduce!
……

(End of this chapter)