Capítulo 458: Chapter 458 Seeing
New Year’s Eve dinner was set for 6 p.m.
Everyone arrived early, and the seating was divided into several areas. With an optimistic turnout, the almost thousand-person dining hall was bustling and noisy.
Yang Peimin’s family was among the later arrivals; she was worried that it would get too crowded, which would be unpleasant.
Fortunately, seating arrangements were made, and her large family took up more than half of a table. However, sitting with her family felt almost the same as dining at home.
Luo Dahua’s family was also at this table, and with them, it was full.
The New Year’s Eve feast was quite lavish, with six large platters of dishes, all meat and stewed vegetables. Four of the six dishes mixed in pork, chicken, and lamb, but looking at the greasy fare made Yang Peimin lose her appetite after just a couple of bites, so she passed the rest of her meal to Shen Yiguang.
However, she suddenly became the focus of the table, as they thought she ate too little.
“What’s wrong, sister-in-law? Not feeling up to eating?” Luo Dahua asked.
Shaking her head, Yang Peimin replied, “I had something to eat before coming here and now I just can’t eat anymore.”
Shen Yiguang whispered to her, “Then when we get back, I’ll make you some steamed egg custard.”
Yang Peimin nodded.
Luo Dahua, with a face full of gossip, asked with a knowing smile, “Sister-in-law, couldn’t be that you’re expecting again, right?”
All Yang Peimin did was laugh and laugh.
Shen Yiguang couldn’t help but curl up the corners of his mouth too.
Luo Dahua slapped her thigh, “Oh my, I guessed it! Auntie, you’re so blessed,” she turned her head and said to Chen Guizhi.
Chen Guizhi was grinning ear to ear, “So blessed, so blessed!”
The atmosphere at the table became even warmer. Lu Daqi immediately toasted Shen Yiguang, and the three men at the table started drinking turn by turn.
While Yang Peimin chatted with Luo Dahua, she kept an eye on Shen Yiguang to make sure he didn’t drink too much.
“After dinner, don’t be in a hurry to leave—there’s still an exciting program to come. I heard that military wives can also show off their talents on stage. It’ll liven up the atmosphere and let you men see that we’re not just good for housework and taking care of the kids,” Luo Dahua laughed.
Shen Yiyue and Shen Yixiang, the two sisters, suddenly became interested, “Sister-in-law Lu, come on, what can you do? What talent are you planning to perform? We’re really in for a treat this time!”
Luo Dahua laughed and laughed before finally saying, “Back when I was a girl, in our old production team at home, we used to do the twist dance for the New Year. I haven’t done it in years, but I still remember the moves. I mentioned it to a few military wives, and they were willing to join me…”
“Wow, really? Have you guys rehearsed?”
“Rehearse? It was just a passing conversation—we still don’t know if we’ll actually perform,” said Luo Dahua. Though she spoke casually, she looked eager to try.
Everyone giggled.
Luo Dahua also knew what everyone was laughing at, waved her hand, “If I really do go up there, you all have to cheer me on. I really don’t know if my legs will go soft. Although I’ve performed in the village before, it was always in front of familiar faces. Now it’s different, a hall with thousands of people. Just thinking about it makes me nervous.”
“Sister-in-law, don’t be nervous. I have an idea for you. When you’re on stage, looking down, and you see all the black heads of people, just pretend they’re wooden stakes,” Shen Yixiang piped up with a suggestion.
Everyone laughed again.
Luo Dahua clapped her hands while laughing, “That’s a good idea, that’s a good idea.”
After saying that, she turned her head and asked Yang Peimin, “What about my sister-in-law? Does she have any desire to go up there?”
“Oh no, when it comes to twisting the yangko, my sister-in-law really can’t manage that, she’s got a baby in her belly,” Shen Yiyue hurriedly said.
“Well, she doesn’t have to go for those dances, she could go up and sing a song or recite a poem,” Luo Dahua encouraged with a hopeful look in her eyes.
Then Yang Peimin found that most of the people at the table were looking at her, especially Luo Dahua’s two young daughters, who clapped their hands and giggled, “Aunt Yang should sing, Aunt Yang should sing, the songs she used to sing to get us to sleep sounded so nice, you all will surely think they are very good too!”
“Really?” Shen Yiyue asked the two little girls.
The two little girls nodded earnestly.
Yang Peimin wanted to facepalm; she really didn’t have a musical bone in her body and was always off-tune when singing, “I just hummed a bit. Xiao Niu and the others found it fresh, so of course they thought it sounded good. If I go up there to sing, I’m sure I’ll make everyone laugh their heads off. And I definitely can’t sing those military songs, don’t even think about coaxing me up there.” She spoke as if to firmly refuse, amusing everyone once again.
Then Da Niu and Xiao Niu, the two sisters, were displeased. Xiao Niu even ran over and clung to Yang Peiming’s leg, “Aunt Yang, Aunt Yang, please go, you are the best!”
The room burst into almost unanimous laughter, “Look at the situation now, what can you do?”
Yang Peimin was almost in tears, “Xiao Niu, the songs Aunt Yang sings aren’t liked by them, and the songs they do like, Aunt Yang can’t sing! So, what do you suggest? It’s better if I don’t go, okay? I’ll just sing for you at home in the future.”
Xiao Niu blinked her eyes, her expression slightly dimmed, looking somewhat disappointed.
Yang Peimin’s heart softened seeing her like this.
Luo Dahua could see her dilemma and beckoned Xiao Niu over, “Your Aunt Yang has a little baby in her belly. She can’t stand up there for too long. Once she’s given birth, we’ll let her sing, okay?”
Xiao Niu, hearing her mother say this, could only nod, but her expression wasn’t as happy as before.
Yang Peimin, however, smiled and said, “Although Aunt Yang can’t sing, I can play the harmonica. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard it, but those songs I used to sing for you, I can play the tunes on it.”
“Really? Really?” The three children at the dinner table became excited, pestering Yang Peimin to see the harmonica.
Shen Yiyue was also delighted and promptly volunteered to go home to fetch it. Yang Peimin told her where it was kept.
The harmonica previously given as a gift by her coworker Hao Qinghui was left in her hometown. The one she now had was newly bought, as she felt blandness had crept into her life and wanted to add some entertainment. Then she remembered she could play this instrument and bought it. But after bringing it home, she put it aside, feeling she no longer had the time.
Because the highlight was still to come, everyone finished their meal quickly and rushed off toward the auditorium.
Then the military wives and soldiers split up. Shen Yiguang asked his two sisters to take good care of Yang Peimin, Lele, and the two elderly while he was drawn aside to talk with someone.
Amongst the group of military wives, Yang Peimin listened to the chirping discussions and then saw Wen Qing.