Chapter 78 - 67: At the Wine Table

Carrying three bottles of alcohol and eight jins of fine wine snatched from an old master, Zhang Guoqing and the two mothers headed towards the main house, where two tables were set up after a tidy-up. The large table was made by Zhang Guoqiang, Zhang’s second brother. It’s particularly large, made from suitable wood he found that year. Normally, it’s used for ancestral ceremonies during Chinese New Year, and can comfortably seat twelve big men. During Chinese New Year, the Zhang family doesn’t have many women or children, and they still sit separately, all gathered around this big table. A smaller one nearby is commonly used for daily family meals. When these two tables are set up, the main house doesn’t feel cramped. Two sisters-in-law are already setting the bowls and chopsticks and bringing out dishes. The men sit at the big table chatting, while women and children sit at the little table. The two tables are close enough that turning your head to talk is easy, and everyone got seated without any delay. Both tables were filled to the brim, a rare sight of such abundance in the Zhang family. On the table were sauerkraut pork stew with vermicelli, chicken stewed with hazel mushrooms, three earth fresh dishes, pot-roast meat, hot pepper with dried bean curd, fried meat segments, white pork blood sausage, fried intestines, Northeast stew, ribs with oil beans, and stir-fried venison. The men’s eyes lit up when they saw the wine in Zhang Guoqing’s hand. Seated at the big table were Grandpa Lin, Mr. Zhang, Eldest Zhang, the second brother, Xiao Zhou, Xiao Fei, and three guards. Including Zhang Guoqing, it wasn’t too crowded and quite comfortable. His father opened the large jar of wine, and a rich, fragrant aroma wafted out, covering the smell of the meat dishes. Even at the nearby table, everyone could smell the wine. Once everyone was seated, Zhang Guoqing picked up the jar and started pouring from Grandpa Lin’s seat, followed by Mr. Zhang in order of seniority, then went around to pour for his mother and mother-in-law. Before he could reach his second brother, a few people had already snatched it and wanted to pour it themselves. Grandpa Lin held up his bowl, closed his eyes, sniffed the wine, and took a small sip, "This wine is good, truly an old high burn from Northeast, it’s over 20 years old now, isn’t it?" Mr. Zhang also took a sip, "It’s been 20 years, alright. I heard from Xiao Wu that it was buried by someone 20 years ago. The brew is good too, he snatched it from a restaurant master chef in the county, but there wasn’t much of it. With grain being scarce now, no one brews their own anymore." Grandpa Lin raised his bowl towards Mr. Zhang to clink glasses, "Let’s finish this one off, I’m very grateful to you both for looking after Jiao Jiao all these years. This child, she didn’t grow up with us, she suffered a lot. Now seeing your family harmony, and the couple’s good relationship, a weight has been lifted from my chest, I can also give an account to her father. That old Zhou is not trustworthy, I’m always worried he’ll make a mess. When he mentioned Zhou Jiao and Xiao Wu’s matter, I was hesitating, hadn’t confirmed with him yet, but he said they were already married. Before coming, I was worried all along, luckily this muddlehead didn’t do anything wrong, helped my Jiao Jiao find a good family and a good grandson-in-law, otherwise, I wouldn’t have let him go." Lin Lishan, sitting by the side, was unsatisfied with these words, "Dad, you were not aware, it wasn’t him who found it, it was Jiao Jiao herself. You wondered why they got married early, why Jiao Jiao rushed to leave the Zhou Family? I only recently found out, Huang Zhaodi and Zhou Xue conspired against Jiao Jiao wanting her to marry into the Huang Family, which Jiao Jiao overheard. The child didn’t dare tell anyone, fearing her grandpa had the same intentions, and feared being plotted against, didn’t dare even to sleep soundly. She was worried, not knowing what to do, just at the time Xiao Wu told her he wouldn’t go to the army, would stay with her, moved her to tears, but she didn’t dare tell Xiao Wu, afraid he would lose his patience and cause trouble, so told her grandma she wanted to marry Xiao Wu, if not allowed she would go to the city to find Grandpa. She knew her grandpa wouldn’t let her come to find you, if she wasn’t at the Zhou home, we wouldn’t send money. In the end, her grandpa agreed, till marriage didn’t pay her any mind. Even left the Zhou home without good sleep, fearing something might happen." Grandpa Lin was very angry, "It’s all topsy-turvy, even dared to plot against my granddaughter, definitely won’t let them off this time. Whether grandpa knew or not, being so brazen is just not afraid of that foolish old man. That old fool! Maybe he was in on it, whatever Jiao Jiao was, she was clear-headed then. I couldn’t understand why these two kids did so well in school yet rushed into marriage without finishing high school and going to university. Wait till her father is out, let him assess for himself. " Mr. Zhang looked at Zhang Guoqing after hearing this, seemed he really didn’t know, "Uncle Lin, don’t be angry, not worth it. This marriage was foretold, the two of them were hand-in-hand since young, their feelings are well known in the villages, even scheming can’t do anything obviously. Besides, cutting ties with Old Zhou Family early isn’t bad, they only have Jiao Jiao’s father worthy, the rest are nothing to look up to. A house full of four generations doing nothing. Old Zhou, I wonder what he is thinking. We are all rural folks, everyone puts their best effort into working the land, raising kids like this will spoil them. Alright, let’s not talk about them. Come, let’s drink, you all drink less, eat more, and leave the wine to us." Mr. Lin also calmed down, memorized the words, "Come on, let’s drink and eat, not mention those uneventful things. Hardly get to drink with you, Mr. Zhang, how is your drinking capacity? Let me tell you, back in the day every time before a big battle, we would drink a bowl of wine and have a good sleep, that was exhilarating. Now hard to find someone to drink with, people sip wine with their mouths, how long does that take to finish a bowl, over time lost interest in slow drinking. Drinking should be a big bowl of wine and big mouthful of meat, that’s the spirit." "Yes, yes, back then when dad took me visiting relatives during New Year, that wine was in a big jar, all high burn, everyone gathered around, finished a big jar of wine in a short time and called for more, not enough fun, with large chunks of steamed meat and peanuts, the taste, still smells fragrant.", Mr. Zhang sighed. "Xiao Wu, fill your father up, and top mine too. We’ll drink up now, then try the wine I brought, it’s good too, brought two cases, finish them, I’ll send you more. If you have time visit Beijing, the roasted duck there is good, also white cut lamb fits well with drinks, we’ll continue drinking then." "Great, in this life I must visit Beijing, and take a look at Tiananmen. That alone will be worthwhile in this life. When we get to you, have us some roasted duck and wine. Hehe." Meanwhile, Lin Lishan was persuading Mother Zhang to visit Beijing, "Big sister, when Xiao Wu and Jiao Jiao visit grandma there, you should come too, then I’ll take you around Beijing City, you and brother come, no need for inns, Jiao Jiao has a house there, like coming home." Mother Zhang happily said, "I can’t be at peace leaving family and home, wait till Xiao Wu and the others settle a path, then we follow along to take a look at Beijing." Lin Lishan saw the children were downcast, "You’re afraid of grandma, hurry up eat while it’s hot, then go to your little aunt’s room, there’s candies there." Xi Zi, being 10, politely thanked, the kids ate with big mouthfuls, Mai Miao said while eating, "Brother, hurry up, there’s candies in little aunt’s room, she said yesterday she kept lots for you. There’s also little Ping’an, have you seen him yet? He’s cleaner than Hehua’s brother Gou Dan in the village, she always says her brother is clean, none catch up to our Ping’an. My little aunt let us drink milk with peanuts, it’s so delicious. I toasting with Mai Sui and cheering, she doesn’t get it, not fun. Aunt is nicest, never scolds us, even lets us play when we visit." Shi Tou shouted, "We all saw little Ping’an, he didn’t cry even when awake, how adorable. Too small to take him out to play though." Listening to the children’s prattle, adults sitting by were smiling.