Chen Lan led the two brothers into the main hall, the dining area. As soon as they stepped through the door and looked up, they saw a long table against the north wall. In front of the long table stood a square Eight Immortals table, neatly set with a teapot and six teacups. A tea tray held dried fruits of the four seasons. On either side were placed a Grand Tutor chair and a tea table. A painting symbolizing health and longevity, depicting pine and cranes, hung in the central hall. The hall was spacious, with two dining tables set apart in the middle. Each table had two armchairs around it. At this moment, the men and women were seated at separate tables. Each table was laid with four dishes and one soup: cabbage stewed with vermicelli, hot and sour shredded potatoes, braised tofu with soybean paste, and the only meat dish, scrambled eggs with chives. The soup was a light scallion and egg drop soup. The women’s table, with more people, had larger portions of food, while the men’s table, with fewer people, had smaller portions. The mother-in-law and Wenrou Niang sat at the head of the women’s table, Liu Mama and Cui Mama sat below them, Ming Wei sat on the right, and the left side was left empty, presumably for herself. At the men’s table, only Ming Zhe sat alone. Seeing Wen Kai and Wen Qi enter, he quickly called out, “You two hurry up! After eating, we’ll quickly go get some pastries and candy. I don’t trust my sister to distribute them for us.”
“You little brat, you’re asking for a beating!” Ming Wei glared at Ming Zhe and shouted.
The mother-in-law reprimanded, “Ming Wei, what kind of behavior is that?”
Chen Lan quickly changed the subject, “Cui Mama, where are Xiao Shitòu (Cui Mama’s grandson) and your sister-in-law (Cui Mama’s eldest daughter-in-law, Cui Qiao)?”
“Oh! Her younger sister is getting married the day after tomorrow, so she went back to her maiden home to help,” Cui Mama replied.
The mother-in-law continued, “I heard that her family has many children and lives a difficult life. Although our family is also struggling now, we are much better off than them. Later, tell Er Hu (second son) and Lao San (youngest son, Xiao Shuan) to send them more rice, flour, grain, oil, and also some necessities from the general store. They’re all going to be donated anyway, so why not give them to them? Besides, they are relatives. Since we also need to prepare these things, let’s do it together. Take two carts. Our family will prepare enough for three months for ourselves. As for your in-laws, tell their two brothers to handle it as they see fit.”
“Sigh! I’ll talk to their brothers later and have them take care of it tomorrow!” Cui Mama replied with teary eyes.
“Didn’t Er Hu’s marriage engagement already happen? How is the girl’s character?” the mother-in-law asked.
Cui Mama replied, “The girl’s character is impeccable. She’s diligent, gentle, and pretty. It’s just that the betrothal gifts demanded are a bit high – eight silver dollars. But Er Hu likes her very much. We agreed before the New Year that the engagement would happen right after the New Year. However, Da Hu had an accident, and my health hasn’t been good. The family is struggling now, so I haven’t told you about this matter.”
The mother-in-law sighed, “You should relax. I know Da Hu is your own son, and Ming Xuan is the one you raised. For both of them to have an accident at the same time, I understand you can’t bear it. But you must think about those who are still alive. If something happens to you, what will happen to their father and sons? The brothers are not married yet, and Xiao Shitòu is still young. We must all help Cui Qiao raise Da Hu’s only bloodline, so that Da Hu’s sacrifice is not in vain.”
“Mm! Mm!” Cui Mama nodded, wiping her tears.
“Alright, let’s eat quickly. The food will get cold!” the mother-in-law ordered, and everyone immediately began to eat.
After the midday meal, the mother-in-law said to Cui Mama, “You go find the matchmaker this afternoon and go to the woman’s family to finalize the engagement date and the wedding date. The sooner, the better! As long as the woman’s demands are not excessive, agree to them. After eating, you’ll come with me to get the money. Let’s make things festive to bring some joy to the family. We can all share in the good fortune.”
“Sigh! Sigh!” Cui Mama replied repeatedly.
After the mother-in-law and the others finished eating and went out, Ming Zhe quickly put down his bowl and urged Wen Kai and Wen Qi, “Hurry! Hurry! My sister has already gone ahead. I have to go watch to make sure she doesn’t go back on her word.” With that, he ran out like a shot!