20demayo Chapter 289 A happy gathering
Chapter 289 A happy gathering
Chief Sun looked at Village Chief Lin: "How many are there over there? If there are many, we can divide them among our families."
Lin Lizheng looked at the group and said, "Okay, we'll measure it ourselves and divide it up ourselves later."
Looking at the astonished Lu Yunqing, Dongfang Jin suppressed a laugh: "You old folks have already discussed it, so come to my house to get the seeds."
Uncle Gu was overjoyed: "Great!"
After breakfast, no one left. For lunch, we had hot pot; there were many people and a lot of food.
The four brothers, Sun Xing, Gu Chenglin, Gu Chunsheng, and Xu Changhua, sliced mutton.
Yang Zhu and her sisters plated the food, and Lin Yu and his wife placed it on a bench under the eaves in the yard.
Aunt Hui and Sister Yumei helped Cui Dahong and the others process the mushrooms and the vegetables they wanted to eat.
Jincai and Facai, along with several older children, started a fire to cook lamb bones.
Jun Qirui led Lu Yunqing, Long Jiu, and Eleven to roast chestnuts.
Sun Qingzhuang and Lin Ziyao had Gu Jingye teach them new knowledge.
The girls followed Gu Caiwei and Yang Wenwen to Dongju's courtyard to see the handicrafts they were making.
Outside, a biting wind howled, but inside the warm and cozy courtyard of the Gu family home, wisps of smoke rose from the chimney.
In the center of the hall stood a carved wooden table with a copper hot pot on it. The fire was blazing, and the red-hot coals crackled and popped inside the stove, casting a warm glow all around.
Inside the hot pot, the boiling broth bubbled and released an enticing aroma.
It's a rich broth made by simmering various spices and lamb bones, with an irresistible aroma that makes your mouth water; half red broth and half white broth.
The pot was steaming hot, the broth was bright red and the aroma was irresistible. It was Dongfang Jin's special spicy broth, which was made by blending the essence of dozens of spices and bone broth, making it mouthwatering.
The elders, accompanied by Gu Chenglin and Lu Yunqing, sat around the large table. At the women's table, Dongfang Jin accompanied them, all dressed in various antique-style clothes, their faces beaming with the joy of the gathering.
All sorts of ingredients were laid out around them: thin slices of mutton as thin as cicada wings, fresh and juicy vegetables, tender white tofu cubes, and meatballs that Dongfang Jin had taken out from his spatial storage. They were neatly arranged on an exquisite porcelain plate, waiting to be thrown into the rolling waves of heat.
As the head of the family, Gu Chenglin invited Lu Yunqing to start eating. Everyone saw him holding long chopsticks, carefully putting slices of mutton as thin as cicada wings into the boiling pot, his movements skillful and full of ritual.
Grandpa Xu, Grandpa Gu, Uncle Gu, Lin Lizheng, and Clan Chief Sun picked up their chopsticks and, imitating Magistrate Lu, used their long chopsticks to pick up slices of mutton and put them into the pot.
Dongfang Jin was busy adding sauces for everyone. These were secret dipping sauces made with minced garlic, cilantro, sesame oil, and other ingredients. Each person received a portion, each with its own unique flavor.
At the other table, the women were either laughing and chatting or whispering, creating a harmonious and warm atmosphere.
As the food gradually cooked, an even richer aroma filled the air, and everyone eagerly filled their bowls and plates with the steaming food, eating without even looking up.
The children excitedly sat around the small table next to them, their little faces glowing red in the firelight.
Sometimes they stared curiously at the rolling bubbles, and sometimes they couldn't wait to bite into the food with their chopsticks, hoping that the food would cook quickly.
Occasionally, a burst of laughter would rang out. It was because Xu Qingzhuang had accidentally slipped a piece of meat into the pot and had been trying to pick it up for a while without success, which drew good-natured laughter from everyone.
The steam from the hot pot mingled with laughter, creating a warm and harmonious scene.
Some chatted and laughed, others shared recent interesting stories, while still others lowered their heads to savor the spicy and fragrant flavors.
Occasionally, Cui Dahong and her colleagues would move around, adding wine, juice, and bone broth to the pot to ensure the feast was perfect.
Outside the window, snowflakes quietly began to fall, adding a touch of tranquility and peace to the Spring Festival.
Inside the house, the warm scene of these families sitting around the stove, sharing a hot pot, seems to have become the warmest memory of winter, making people yearn for it and find it hard to forget.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the conversation among the families shifted from everyday matters to their hopes and dreams for the coming year.
Every face illuminated by the lights looked so content and happy, as if the hot pot had not only warmed their bodies but also their hearts.
The meal lasted from noon (1:30 pm) until the afternoon, and because it was snowing outside, it got dark inside early.
Because they had drunk quite a bit, none of them left, and Gu Yumei arranged for them to stay in the guest courtyard next to the main courtyard.
The men lived in one room, the women in another, and the children all lived with Gu Jingye and Gu Caiwei.
No dinner was cooked, so Jun Wenhui and her team made a lot of snacks and treats for everyone.
Then everyone started the party. This time there were more people, and everyone went from being unfamiliar and embarrassed yesterday to taking the initiative to perform on stage today.
This platform was constructed from several kang tables, and a red carpet was laid on top of it...
Jinbao, Facai, Laicai, and Laibao play the roles of Tang Sanzang and his disciples, while Xia Yu plays the role of the White Bone Demon.
This time, Mengshan and his wife played the elderly couple, and Qiushuang played their daughter.
Cun Cai plays the ghostly guard, and Qiu Lan plays the weasel spirit; thus begins an ancient version of "Three Battles with the White Bone Demon"...
In their first encounter, the White Bone Demon (played by Xia Lan) disguises herself as a pitiful village girl, carrying a bamboo basket and walking unsteadily along a "winding mountain road," seemingly delivering food to her elderly mother at home.
Her appearance aroused the pity of Tang Sanzang, one of the four travelers, who wanted to go forward to inquire and offer help.
However, Sun Wukong (played by Jin Bao) saw through her demonic nature with his fiery eyes.
Without saying a word, he raised his golden cudgel and struck. The White Bone Demon turned into a wisp of green smoke and fled, leaving behind a pile of broken bones (made of wood thrown by Axi) and a shocked master and disciple.
In their second encounter, the White Bone Demon (Xia Lan) transformed into an octogenarian with a full head of white hair (Li Shi), and came walking unsteadily.
She tearfully recounts the tragic story of her daughter's disappearance, attempting to use this to get close to and bewitch Tang Sanzang (played by Fa Cai).
Sun Wukong (Jinbao) once again saw through the trick and, despite Tang Sanzang's (Facai) obstruction, resolutely took action. The White Bone Demon once again escaped using her transformation technique, leaving behind a scene of wailing and confusion.
The third time, the White Bone Demon (Xia Lan) simply transformed into a kind-looking old man (played by Meng Shan) holding Buddhist beads, pretending to be looking for his wife and daughter, and gradually approaching Tang Sanzang.
This time, Sun Wukong was even more alert. He not only saw through the monster's disguise visually, but also noticed something was wrong from the subtle details. So, at the critical moment, he decisively took action.
Finally, the White Bone Demon was completely exposed, revealing a pile of stark white bones (this time, the bones were sheep bones thrown away on November 11th), and the truth was revealed to the world...
The children screamed in surprise, and their shouts startled the neighbors on both sides.
Gu Chenglin then brought gifts to apologize again...
Then came the storytelling and folk singing; Grandpa Xu also told a folk tale.
The story shares similarities with a modern version of "The Farmer and the Snake".
Finally, at Yang Zhu's urging, everyone asked Dongfang Jin to give them a performance, and Gu Yumei also chimed in, saying that she hadn't performed yesterday.
Amidst everyone's cheers, Dongfang Jin had no choice but to walk to the center: "Since everyone wants me to say something, then I'll say something."
This is a story about each and every one of us, the twelve zodiac animals.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yunqing knew that the teacher had given her a partial set of the twelve zodiac animals.
This part was all given to her by Master Jingkong. It seems that this girl wants everyone to know.
Looking at Lu Yunqing's expression, Gu Chenglin knew that what his wife said was useful to him, it was just a pity that the other five were not there.
Thinking of the two boxes of things the Imperial Tutor gave his wife, it seems...