Li Min looked at Sister-in-law Niu with disdain. "Sister-in-law Niu, my sister-in-law said you don't need to accompany us. Your precious body should find another table to sit at."
Since she became pregnant, Sister-in-law Niu had seen too many looks like Li Min's. If she couldn't handle it, she wouldn't have come out with a baby bump.
She shook her head and said, "It's fine. I've been able to get out and about thanks to my mother's meticulous care these past few months."
"Heh heh," Li Min chuckled. "Then you shouldn't let down Old Mrs. Niu's good intentions. With this kind of double happiness, what if..."
Ouyang Meihua grabbed her sister-in-law. "You really have too much time on your hands. What do other people's business have to do with you?"
"Hmph!" Li Min snorted and turned her head away, not looking at Sister-in-law Niu.
Sister-in-law Niu's smile became somewhat stiff. Li Min's words were too harsh, and Ouyang Meihua's weren't much better.
Tian Jing smiled and apologized to Sister-in-law Niu, "Sister-in-law Niu, Li Min is just blunt. Please don't take it to heart."
"It's fine, it's fine," Sister-in-law Niu's smile brightened again. "I'm magnanimous."
Li Min suddenly turned around and glared at Sister-in-law Niu. "You?"
"Li Min!" Tian Jing stopped her. "Can we still eat this banquet or not?"
Seeing her sister-in-law angry, Li Min's temper immediately subsided. "Alright, alright, I won't say another word."
"Exactly," Ouyang Meihua pointed at her. "Isn't it good to just use your mouth for eating? Why say so much nonsense?"
Sister-in-law Niu raised her chin at Li Min. She was a coward, and being suppressed by her two sisters-in-law, she didn't dare to utter a peep.
Tian Jing glanced at Sister-in-law Niu and said to Brother Niu beside her, "Brother Niu, please trouble yourself to take Sister-in-law Niu elsewhere."
Brother Niu gave Tian Jing an apologetic smile, then stood up to help his wife leave.
Sister-in-law Niu shook off her husband's arm. "Where can't I sit?"
Tian Jing stood up. "Then we'll move to another table."
Ouyang Meihua also pulled Li Min to her feet.
"Hmph!" Sister-in-law Niu snorted. "I just wanted to ask where Lin Duoer went?"
"She goes out once and a whole living person disappears. Only Lin Huaer believes her younger sister is working in the capital."
Tian Jing didn't look back.
Ouyang Meihua replied, "You really are too nosy."
The three of them sat at another table. Sister-in-law Niu directly raised her voice, "Are some people feeling guilty?"
Tian Jing turned and looked coldly at Sister-in-law Niu. "In what capacity are you asking me? And what right do you have to ask me?"
"Don't tell me you've gotten used to throwing your weight around the Niu family recently and want to boss me around too?"
Under Tian Jing's gaze, Sister-in-law Niu felt as if she were carrying a load of firewood in the rain, heavier and heavier.
It weighed her down until she was breathless.
When Tian Jing's gaze moved away, Sister-in-law Niu suddenly felt her burden lighten. She took a deep breath, looked at Tian Jing's back with fear, and dared not speak again.
The banquet began. Li Zhengguo, Li Liguo, and Chen Suozhu arrived.
Father Zhou and Mother Zhou were also seated at Tian Jing's table. A square table was just right for eight people.
During the toasting, Tian Jing saw Da Niu's new bride. She was in her twenties and looked very ordinary.
The new bride called Tian Jing "Auntie Li" along with Da Niu. Tian Jing smiled and gave her a red envelope.
Ouyang Meihua and Li Min also gave red envelopes when the bride spoke to them.
Mother Zhou did not. It wasn't appropriate for her to do so; they weren't close family, and they weren't as close to the Niu family as Tian Jing and the others.
The dishes arrived, but they were no longer hot. Only the soup was warm. They ate, mixing the rice with the hot soup, and quickly excused themselves and left. It was too cold.
Back at the courtyard, Li Min ran directly into the kitchen to start the fire.
Mother Li retorted unhappily, "You just ate, why are you starting the fire? Go to the living room, it's air-conditioned there."
Sitting in the living room, Li Min finally vented her frustrations. "Sister-in-law Niu is so difficult now that she's pregnant. I wonder if she'll be even more difficult if she has a daughter?"
Tian Jing glanced at her sister-in-law. "You have such a foul mouth, saying whatever comes to mind. What does it matter to you whether she has a son or a daughter?"
Li Zhengguo only then learned that Sister-in-law Niu had been bothering his wife. Before going to work, he called Brother Niu out and secretly beat him up.
"I've wanted to beat you up for a long time, and you handed me the opportunity. Control your drama queen of a wife."
Brother Niu took a beating and still didn't dare to say anything when he got home.
In the afternoon, while the Li family was making dumplings, Zeng Jingrong arrived.
Mother Li invited him to stay for dumplings, but Zeng Jingrong politely declined. He had been out for three days and should go back to spend the day with his wife and daughter eating dumplings.
Tian Jing washed her hands and went to the living room with him. "Is it all settled?"
Zeng Jingrong smiled proudly. "We're coming to build the base, who would dare not cooperate?"
Tian Jing looked at him quietly. She didn't believe that Zeng Jingrong would personally come all this way just for this matter.
Zeng Jingrong's smile faltered. He took out a set of keys. "Jing Chu has returned to the capital. These are the keys to your villa."
Tian Jing nodded. "I understand."
Zeng Jingrong sighed. He couldn't understand why Sweetie and Jing Chu's relationship had suddenly become so strained.
"Sweetie, I'll ask Sun Quanxiao to see Jing Chu again."
Tian Jing nodded noncommittally, then got up to see him out. "Since you're not staying for dumplings, you should go back soon."
...
After the Laba Festival, the festive atmosphere for the New Year began to emerge.
On New Year's Day, Tian Jing bought two pigs from the villagers to slaughter for the New Year.
Slaughtering pigs required professionals. Do you remember Butcher Wang who slaughtered wild boars back then?
The Butcher Wang of that year was now Old Wang, and the current Butcher Wang was his son.
This Butcher Wang's wife was greedy. Hearing that the Li family was slaughtering pigs, she followed her husband.
She pointed at the pigs, demanding specific cuts. Guo Hong pulled her away. "Auntie, Captain Tian said that we only give money, not meat. The Li family is celebrating the New Year together this year, and two pigs probably won't be enough."
Butcher Wang's wife immediately raised her voice. "Wherever we slaughter pigs, we get both money and meat! If it's not enough, buy another one! Rich people are so stingy."
Guo Hong frowned. "Auntie, you haven't missed out on your share of the village's annual dividends, nor have you missed out on shops in Hot Spring Valley and the new village. You are also one of the rich."
"You still owe me the money you borrowed from me when the village uniformly sold land to build villas."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Butcher Wang's wife broke free from Guo Hong's arm and ran away.
Guo Hong sighed. Having such relatives was truly a misfortune.
How valuable was money back then? It wasn't worth much now, yet she still hadn't paid it back.
Butcher Wang, as requested, butchered and prepared all the parts of the pigs. He left with a red envelope.
Mother Li, with her daughters-in-law and daughter, organized the pork.
Han Lushí, who helped with the slaughter, followed along to cut the meat. He wanted to see Grandma make braised pork.
Mother Li taught him hand-in-hand, from marinating to frying, to clearing the jar, to sealing the jar, he participated in everything.
For these few days, Han Lushí was immersed in meat, smelling of pork fat every day. Li Weili simply smiled and prepared him clean clothes, telling him to wash up before coming inside.
Han Lushí not only learned to make braised pork but also learned to make sausages and cured chicken. In short, he followed Li Mu and learned whatever she was doing.
Besides Han Lushí, no one in the Li family had ever genuinely wanted to learn Mother Li's skills, so Mother Li taught him earnestly.
Han Lushí also learned diligently.
Gradually, other families in the village began slaughtering pigs, and Han Lushí bought more pork belly to continue making braised pork.
Firstly, he wanted to continue learning, and secondly, the braised pork made from two pigs wasn't enough.
He wanted to make more small jars to take to the capital after the New Year, for Li Weili to bring.
Mother Li also accompanied Han Lushí to continue making it until the Little New Year, when Han Lushí finally stopped.
In the utility room in the front yard, dozens of jars of various sizes were arranged.