sbdcsierra Chapter 726: A Daughter in the Family Has Grown Up
Chapter 726: A Daughter in the Family Has Grown Up
On the way back, Yu Xiang was still sighing over the old man's experiences.
Huang Xiaochuan, however, remained calm: "Compared to the course of history, the lives of most people are almost insignificant. Besides, it's perfectly normal for such things to happen during dynastic changes. Over the past five thousand years, the cycle of division and unification has been a pattern of division and unification. This is the cycle and law of historical development, which is independent of human will. Often, the majority of ordinary individuals bear the brunt of the suffering."
"You're the most clear-headed person in the world, aren't you!" Yu Xiang was very dissatisfied that she didn't get any shared emotional value from men.
"Haha, are you angry?" Huang Xiaochuan teased his wife.
Yu Xiang rolled her eyes at him, but denied it aloud: "No!"
"Hehe!" Huang Xiaochuan could only laugh it off.
At this moment, Yu Xiang thought of something: "I think we should treat her to a meal, right? You're your teacher's last disciple, so his niece is practically your older sister, isn't she? She's come all this way, so it's only right that you treat her."
Huang Xiaochuan nodded: "You're right, we should treat them to a meal! We'll go to their place again tonight to invite them in person, that would be more polite."
Yu Xiang naturally nodded in agreement with the man's arrangement.
When the couple arrived home, the eldest sister Zeng Hong and her husband Tang Jianhua were sitting in the living room. Zeng Hong was talking to her nephew Huang Zeji while the little girl Huang Ruiying was chatting animatedly with her sister Tang Ruixuan. Basically, the little girl was talking and Tang Ruixuan was listening, and they were talking about the little girl's things at school.
"Big sister, big brother-in-law is here!" As soon as they entered the door, the couple greeted Zeng Hong and Tang Jianhua.
"Hey, you're back!" Zeng Hong and Tang Jianhua stood up.
"Uncle! Aunt!"
Seeing his niece, whom he had raised single-handedly, grow up to be graceful and beautiful, Huang Xiaochuan smiled so much that his eyes narrowed into slits.
"Xuanxuan's here!"
This scene made the little girl very jealous. She rolled her eyes at her father unhappily, but her mother saw it and glared at her. The little girl immediately shrank back, stuck out her tongue, and smiled ingratiatingly at her mother. However, her mother didn't buy it and ignored her completely.
As soon as they sat down, Zeng Hong complained, "Why did you send so much stuff again? Didn't you already send some last time?"
Huang Xiaochuan laughed and said, "If you can't finish it, just keep it. It won't spoil anyway. If you really can't, you can take it to a restaurant."
When the restaurant was mentioned, Huang Xiaochuan immediately remembered something. He said to Tang Jianhua, "I need your help with something. Your arrival saves me the trouble of calling you again."
Upon hearing that his brother-in-law wanted to speak to him, Tang Jianhua immediately sat up straight: "What is it? Tell me!"
Huang Xiaochuan discussed with Tang Jianhua, "I need to borrow two head chefs and two waiters from you. Yu Xiang and I were just about to go and pick up my teacher to come home for the New Year, but his niece showed up from Taiwan. Isn't that a coincidence? I've already given the housekeeper who cooks for my grandfather's family a holiday, so there's no one to cook for the next few days. I have to ask you for help. But we definitely can't treat the chefs badly, since it's the New Year. One day counts as ten days! I'll pay for it."
Upon hearing this, Tang Jianhua immediately nodded in agreement, but he had his own thoughts: "You don't need to pay for overtime. After all, Grandpa Wang is your mentor and an elder in our family. It's a rare opportunity, so let me show my filial piety this time."
Huang Xiaochuan didn't try to shirk responsibility with Tang Jianhua on this matter; there was no need for it. In interpersonal relationships, one party can't always be the one giving and contributing; they also need to frequently receive feedback and gratitude from others. This way, the relationship is less burdensome and lasts longer.
"Alright! Then this is yours."
At this point, Zeng Hong and Tang Jianhua explained their purpose: they had come in person to invite Huang Xiaochuan's family to their home for a meal. This is a custom in southern Jiangsu, and in some parts of Suzhou it is called "Zhang Zhou Fan," which is a Wu dialect phrase that means to invite one's relatives to one's home for a meal during the Spring Festival.
In the past, when productivity was low, meat was only available during the Lunar New Year. At that time, families would invite relatives to their homes for a meal on a certain day during the Lunar New Year to enjoy this rare feast together. Every family did this, and it had many advantages. Families with many relatives could eat from the first day of the Lunar New Year to the fifteenth. After a year of eating only bland food, the Lunar New Year provided a welcome opportunity to add some oil and fat to their stomachs.
Therefore, the older generation has its own wisdom about life. This custom is also changing with the development of the times and the liberation of productivity, but the kinship it contains has never changed.
Tang Jianhua and Huang Xiaochuan agreed to meet on the third day of the Lunar New Year. This was because Huang Xiaochuan's family was going to have dinner at his maternal uncle and aunt's house on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which is Tang Jianhua's parents-in-law's house. The second day of the Lunar New Year is the day when married daughters return to their parents' home, and Huang Xiaochuan and Yu Xiang were going to visit their parents-in-law. So Tang Jianhua set the date for the third day of the Lunar New Year.
Of course, it wouldn't just be Huang Xiaochuan's family invited. Several elders, Huang Erhe's family, Huang Dahai's family, and Zeng Xia's family would also be invited. It would take two or three tables to accommodate them all.
Huang Xiaochuan wants to eat at Zhang Zhou's house, but he has to wait his turn, since he's the youngest in the family.
While the little girl took Tang Ruixuan to her room to whisper, the eldest sister, Zeng Hong, told Huang Xiaochuan something with a troubled expression.
"Tell me, what's wrong with kids these days? Last semester, Xuanxuan received over a dozen love letters!"
Tang Jianhua also looked helpless. Tang Ruixuan had completely inherited the best qualities of both her parents. She was beautiful and generous, and most importantly, she was very gentle and refined, naturally possessing the temperament of a well-bred lady.
In addition, she was also an excellent student, which naturally attracted the attention of young boys who were just beginning to experience romantic feelings. The timid ones would sneak a peek, while the bolder ones would even use their breaks to wait in the hallway outside the classroom, just to catch a glimpse of her face. And this was only in the second year of junior high!
The teachers were also very troubled and took many measures, but they still couldn't stop some people from secretly slipping love letters into their desks. One of them even had a concert ticket tucked inside.
Even more outrageous, two so-called assistant directors or producers actually went to the school and wanted Tang Ruixuan to audition, saying that she was perfect for a role in one of their new dramas.
Tang Jianhua naturally refused without hesitation. What a joke! How could his daughter possibly become a celebrity? Others are other people, but the Tang family would never allow their daughter to become a celebrity.
However, he didn't tell his brother-in-law about any of this. He felt that his brother-in-law was already busy enough, so he shouldn't bother him with these little things. But Zeng Hong couldn't help herself and took the opportunity of coming to Zhang Zhou's dinner today to tell him all about it.
Zeng Hong knew how much her younger brother cherished his niece. Sure enough, Huang Xiaochuan's face darkened immediately after learning about it.
He asked, "Do you remember the name of the film crew?"
Zeng Hong nudged Tang Jianhua with her hand: "Little brother is asking you! What's your name again?"
Without hesitation, Tang Jianhua replied, "Under the Wutong Tree."
Huang Xiaochuan nodded with a gloomy face, indicating that he had made a mental note of it.
He then offered another suggestion: "How about we transfer Xuanxuan to a girls' school next semester?"
Tang Jianhua said with distress, "I've said the same thing to Xuanxuan, but she doesn't agree. She can't bear to part with her friends and teachers. You know, when children grow up, they have their own ideas. As parents, we can't force them to do things. It would be bad if it triggered a rebellious mentality."