With the addition of hot pot, the atmosphere at the dinner table became exceptionally lively and warm. The adults chatted and laughed, occasionally taking a small drink, sharing their joys and sorrows, as if everything was understood without words; the children, their mouths watering at the sight of the delicious food, devoured it with gusto.
Everyone ate their favorite dishes and talked about topics that interested them.
Uncle De and Uncle Fu chatted with Xu Mingxuan's comrades about this year's harvest in the valley fields and their plans for the next year. The comrades looked incredulous upon hearing about the high yield of corn and potatoes this year.
Seeing their "you're just bragging!" expressions, coupled with having had some drinks, Uncle De's blood surged, and he said somewhat proudly, "You guys still don't believe it, do you? Our valley planted ninety mu of corn this year. Guess how many jin of corn our valley harvested in total this year?"
Xu Mingxuan's comrades all shook their heads. Xu Hao looked at his father, Old Master Xu, who also shook his head and said, "The harvest has been good this year, and our family has had a bumper harvest. The corn yield from our land is about four hundred jin. Even with higher yields, I estimate it won't exceed five hundred jin."
Another of Xu Mingxuan's comrades, Tu Daliang, looked at his father, Old Master Tu. Old Master Tu coughed and said, "In our Liaoning province, four hundred jin per mu is considered a high yield. Our family did alright this year, with a corn yield of three hundred and seventy to eighty jin per mu. Old Master Xu is right, no matter how high the yield, it won't exceed five hundred jin per mu at most."
Uncle De loudly said disdainfully, "You think five hundred jin of corn per mu is the limit? Let me tell you, our valley's average corn kernel yield this year reached over twelve hundred jin per mu, and one variety even reached about thirteen hundred and fifty to sixty jin per mu.
Let me tell you, that's the yield of pure corn kernels, not with the cobs. Do you believe me or not?"
Everyone shook their heads in disbelief. Uncle Fu smiled and said, "Don't disbelieve it. The corn flour you have stored in your storerooms is ground from the corn produced this year. Think about it, if the harvest wasn't abundant and the yield wasn't very high, how could the valley support so many people?"
Everyone sighed after hearing Uncle Fu's words, and at the same time, a heavy worry was lifted from their hearts.
Chen Lan's table with her mother-in-law was also lively. The aunts chatted about neighborhood gossip.
Her mother-in-law, as usual, was still expressing her worries about Mingwei: "Our Mingwei will be fifteen next year, and she still hasn't found a husband. I'm afraid I'll have an old maid at home!"
Mother Liu also chimed in with agreement, "Auntie, Mingwei isn't too old yet. It's not too late to start looking for a husband for her. It's just right to find a good family and let her stay home for another two years before getting married!
Our Xiangxi is already twenty years old this year, and if we wait any longer, it won't be good. But this child isn't in a hurry at all. If you try to arrange something for him, he gets anxious with you! I'm afraid we'll have an old bachelor at home in the future!"
Chen Lan couldn't help but snort with laughter and quickly coughed to cover it up.
She glanced at the table with Cui Qiao and the other wives. They were discussing whether their children were obedient, whether their husbands were devoted to the family, and whether they helped with housework...
Qian Yingzi said, "Before our Xu Hao joined the team, at home, he was the kind of person who wouldn't even lift a fallen oil bottle. You wouldn't know! The year I gave birth to our Gang Dan, my mother-in-law had sprained her foot and couldn't move. She couldn't take care of me during my confinement, so she asked the idle Xu Hao to help take care of me and his son. Guess what?"
Everyone asked in unison, "What?"
Qian Yingzi continued, "He braved the heavy snow and ran more than ten li to my parents' house to carry my mother back to take care of me for a month during my confinement.
But after he was injured and returned this time, he was different, as if he had become a new person. I also gave birth in winter to our Tie Dan, and he took care of all the confinement duties by himself.
To be honest, he took care of me and our Tie Dan more diligently than my own mother. So, when it comes to men, it's not a question of whether they can, but whether they will."
Then, these young wives started a lively discussion on how to get their husbands to help with housework. They began to offer suggestions, each contributing a sentence or two.
By the time the birthday banquet ended, everyone was still deeply engrossed in conversation, looking as if they hadn't had enough.
So, the men sat down to continue chatting about various topics, different regional customs, and various interesting folk anecdotes.
The young wives, while helping to clear the dishes and clean the kitchen, constantly exchanged tips. They would whisper to each other, then laugh together, and then comment on whose suggestions were good! Which advice they could try at home... They got along naturally and sincerely.
The birthday banquet not only satisfied everyone's appetite but also deepened their relationships! It allowed everyone to understand each other's temperaments and personalities more directly.
Now they interacted more naturally and at ease, without the sense of unfamiliarity and distance they felt when they first arrived in the valley.
Mingwei and Mingzhe, Wen Kai and Wen Qi, also made several good friends. They all invited each other to visit their homes when they had time.
Chuncao, Ruyi, and Xiaoxue also joined in, laughing and playing with everyone. Their faces also showed bright and sincere smiles.
Chen Lan now felt that the birthday banquet was incredibly effective! A meal solved the big problem of how everyone in the valley could get along.
In the future, if anyone else came to the valley, she would do the same: invite everyone for a big meal to solve their interpersonal issues. If one meal wasn't enough, she'd have two; if two weren't enough, she'd have three. There was no problem that couldn't be solved with a big meal.
Alright, it was decided!
Just as Chen Lan was lost in her own thoughts, she heard Jia Hui crying, which immediately jolted Chen Lan out of her daydream.
She turned her head and saw Jia Hui sitting on the sofa, her oily little hands held up as she cried loudly, muttering, "Pretty, pretty!"
Wen Kai and Wen Qi were trying to comfort her. Jia Yao was also sitting on the sofa, looking helpless, staring blankly at Jia Hui crying. His lower lip was also quivering, looking as if he was about to start crying at any moment.
Chen Lan hurried to the sofa and asked with concern, "Jia Hui, what happened to your hand?"
After saying that, she picked up her oily little hand and examined it carefully. Besides being dirty, she found nothing. Chen Lan was puzzled.
At this moment, Wen Qi, who had been comforting Jia Hui, said, "Big sister, you forgot to wipe Jia Hui's hands clean, and she stained her new dress."
Chen Lan quickly looked down. Indeed, there was a noticeable oily handprint on the dress.
Chen Lan quickly and smilingly comforted Jia Hui, "It's okay, Jia Hui. If you take it off later, Mom will wash it clean, and it will be beautiful again."
Jia Hui immediately stopped crying but was still sobbing.