Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space-Chapter 340 - 262: Full Moon Ceremony (Part 1)

Early in the morning, just past four, the foot of the North Mountain in Zhang Family Village began to bustle with activity. Today, the three generations of the Old Zhang’s family gathered at the home of Zhang the Second, Mr. Zhang, to celebrate the full moon ceremony for their grandson, Little Ping’an.

The men of the Zhang family were busy clearing snow from the front and back yards, building earthen stoves, setting up tents, and carrying tables. In the kitchen, two large stoves were steaming, and Mother Zhang and the other women were busy cleaning the borrowed dishes and utensils for the banquet, preparing the meat and vegetables needed, and getting ready to steam cornbread in advance.

Xi Zi was running errands with a few older children around the courtyard, while the younger ones, still bleary-eyed, stumbled back into the house to continue sleeping. The entire Zhang Family Courtyard was filled with the sounds of shifting, washing, chatting, and the calls of children, all blending into one.

Half-asleep, Zhou Jiao was frequently awoken by various sounds, and when she looked around and saw only her son sleeping beside her, Zhang Guoqing was nowhere to be seen. After freshening up, she peeked outside and was startled by the hustle. Wasn’t the plan to keep it simple? Why so many people, what’s all the commotion about?

Zhang Guoqing had left early the previous morning, picking up his mother-in-law and guests from the Cheng and Lin Families from the provincial city. After accompanying them on a visit to the military district and returning to the county town, he saw his mother-in-law insist on staying at the county guesthouse. After ensuring all was arranged, he hurriedly excused himself to leave. As for her saying she had more eggs to bring to the village the next day, he didn’t take it to heart.

He was extremely busy, constantly notifying the barber and the photographer, never stopping for a moment. Fortunately, he had already consulted the chef about the food and drinks for the banquet a few days earlier. Once home, before he could catch his breath, his father dragged him to the village, personally inviting the village elders and the elderly to come and drink at the Zhang’s the next day.

Finally, after dinner, Mother Zhang saw that it was dark and figured every household had finished dinner. Urgently, she urged the three brothers to go to the designated homes to borrow tables and stools. The three brothers ran throughout the entire village and finally completed the task. Then, their parents pulled them aside to discuss the reception of guests.

Finally lying down for a little rest, his son woke up. Before he could close his eyes again, activity started in the courtyard. This was even more exhausting than his wedding, fortunately only Ping’an, the firstborn, gets such a grand affair.

Mr. Zhang really went all out this time. Besides returning the gifts of eggs and cornbread, the family had slaughtered a pig a few days ago.

Zhang Guoqing, seeing the scale of preparations, had always advocated for simplicity, not setting up more than a dozen tables. After being scolded by Mr. Zhang, he obediently followed his father’s arrangements. He just did whatever he was told and was completely compliant with his father.

Mr. Zhang made an excellent point that couldn’t be refuted. With the sons and daughters from Zhang Guoqing’s big uncle and little uncle’s families alone, two tables would already be packed. Not to mention the old relatives, two uncles, aunts, grandaunts, cousins, and several in-laws from the Zhang family, each household sending one person would fill up two tables, especially with kids in tow.

Including the guests from the Cheng and Lin Families, his godfather’s family, Zhao Dashan, and Zuo Lin, among others, possibly there would also be people joining in for the fun. Plus, the friendly families in the village, Zhang Guoqing’s brothers, and the village elders, setting up anything less than twenty tables would be laughable.

This was the conservative estimate, if his own good friends all showed up, along with acquaintances like the mason, they wouldn’t be able to manage even fifty tables. Back when Zhang Guoqing got married, even the flowing banquet style required dozens of tables.

These past few days Zhang Guoqing had been transporting vegetables and meat back home. Hearing that they really had to set up for twenty tables, the first thought he had was that the family would soon be back to gnawing on cornbread made of corn residue.

Seeing the worry on his face, Mother Zhang pulled him aside secretly and whispered that on the Washing Three Days alone, the washing involved over three hundred bowls. Many people didn’t come last time, but sent gifts instead, and this time the turnout would only be larger, not smaller.

Zhang Guoqing was startled and hurriedly pulled his father aside to consult with the chef once more. After finally deciding on the dishes, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. Things were getting bigger and bigger.

As the sky gradually brightened, the Zhang family’s main gate was wide open, with a constant flow of people coming and going. The tables in the main hall of the main house and the right wing room, were reserved for the elders of the clan and the maternal family, while tables were set up from the front to the back of the courtyard. A few stoves were set up in the back courtyard where the chef and his assistants had started working. Cold dishes were displayed on a square wooden rack made from planks, and the stoves were lit for stewing and steaming. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

By after seven, Lin Lishan, along with the sisters-in-law and sisters from the Cheng and Lin Families, drove over to the Zhang Family Courtyard, followed by a horse-drawn cart. Closely behind were three speeding military vehicles, which were transporting Zhao Chuan Guang and his wife, along with Zhou Xiaozheng’s brothers and their wives.

The vehicles barely parked, and the gifts from the horse cart were yet to be unloaded. Then Zhao Dashan and his wife, with their young son and daughter, arrived by horse cart and stopped outside the main gate.

Just before eight, Aunt Zuo and three female colleagues arrived one after another, with bamboo baskets holding gift boxes wrapped in red paper.

Relatives and friends bearing gifts arrived one by one.

At the main entrance, Zhang Guoqiang and his elder brother Zhang Guofu began welcoming guests from a little after seven. As it neared eleven, Zhang Guoqiang turned away and rubbed his face, feeling the numbness from smiling since early morning. He didn’t know how many more guests were yet to come, and had a feeling twenty tables might not be enough.

Catching Mr. Zhang, Zhang Guoqiang pulled him aside, lowering his voice, "Dad, how many more people are there? I think twenty tables won’t be enough. Have you and Xiao Wu planned well?"

Mr. Zhang chuckled softly, "Haha, Xiao Wu said five or six tables would be enough, no need to prepare more than a dozen. He’ll arrange it later." With that, the father and son shared a hearty laugh.

Mr. Zhang quietly reminded him, "Your big uncle and the others have it under control, they’ll guide the guests to their seats. Stay alert and don’t miss greeting any guest."

Seeing him nod, Mr. Zhang hurried off to find the chef, wanting to check if they should add some substantial dishes. Xiao Wu had persistently requested simplicity and low-key arrangements, and though it’s simpler than Xiao Wu’s wedding feast, now with friends and family from the county and town all gathering, he still needed to consult with the chef. Xiao Wu was hosting the male guests and his wife organized the return gifts with their youngest daughter, while their eldest daughter accompanied the female guests. Mr. Zhang was left to handle the arrangements alone.

Mother Zhang, with her youngest daughter, was in the East Wing where Xi Zi and the others had their study. What was once an empty room was now piled full. A few days ago, Zhang Guoqing made a trip to Yangliu Village and ordered two hundred small bamboo baskets. Each basket had a piece of red paper with the name of Young Xiao Zhang pasted on it, perfectly fitted to hold a pound of brown sugar, four red eggs, and two cornbreads. The small, exquisite bamboo baskets looked very elegant and beautiful.

Zhang Meihao widened her eyes incredulously as she looked at her mother, "Mom, isn’t this over the top? That’s two hundred pounds of brown sugar. Where did it all come from?"

Mother Zhang shook her head, "We’ll ask later. First, fill the eggs and cornbread, and when your elder sister arrives, put the cash gifts inside, write the names on the red paper to avoid mixing them up."

This time, apart from the Cheng, Lin, and Zhao Families, Zhang Guoqing returned everyone else’s cash gifts, only accepting children’s clothes and having informed the family beforehand. These two hundred small bamboo baskets were prepared just in case, meant for stuffing with red envelopes. As for the brown sugar, the couple believed that they had the most of it stored away, and it was top-quality brown sugar. Considering how precious brown sugar was these days, it served perfectly as a return gift.

"Refunding all the cash gifts is a big loss. In future social interactions, won’t it be the same giving out red envelopes? Mom, why didn’t you talk them out of it? Just because they have more money doesn’t mean they should spend it this lavishly."

Mother Zhang immediately looked outside, noticed no one was around, breathed a sigh of relief, and glared at her with a soft warning, "You don’t understand the subtleties involved. Don’t speak nonsense. Listen to your father-in-law and mother-in-law when you get back and you will understand. For now, just do as Xiao Wu said. Don’t cause trouble."

After saying that, she muttered to herself, "Why did I have sons who are each smarter than the last, yet daughters who are sillier than each other?"