There is actually no certain ceremony for holding a birthday banquet.
Children and grandchildren also do not kowtow to the old man.
Grandpa and grandma put on new clothes and served as hosts to greet guests as they usually do during New Years and holidays.
Watch the seats, pour tea, and pass cigarettes.
The visitor congratulated him, and the old man accepted it happily.
It can be seen that the two old people are very happy. Grandma is already stooped, but grandpa is still very strong. He can eat, drink and sleep. He talks and laughs loudly, but the top of his head is bald.
Because of this birthday party, the three Zhang Yuanjun brothers also got to know many relatives who they had not seen for three to five years and could not talk to each other.
For example, my uncle who lives with my aunt on the river bank and works as a teacher in a primary school in the town.
A niece who is only three years younger than Zhang Yuanjun, but calls herself uncle.
There is also a little kid who is sleeping in a cradle and is of the same age as his parents and uncles.
The three brothers and sisters did not have to work, they just sat by the stove in the corner to warm themselves up. Some relatives and grandfathers would not introduce them to them, but some saw the three of them and took the initiative to say:
"These are the three from your second son's family. They are so beautiful."
Grandpa will then introduce who these are, and the three brothers and sisters are called people.
Zhang Yuanying couldn't get used to the smell of smoke in the room, so she and Zhang Yuanjun left after sitting for a while.
The eldest brother and several brothers and sisters from his aunt and uncle's family were left to deal with the visitors.
Zhang Yuanying held her brother's arm, and the two of them walked on the country road.
The two talked about some interesting things about the village when they were children.
"When I was 10 years old, you guys played with fire and burned down the firewood shed. The whole group was so scared that they started crying."
This is why Zhang Yuanjun is afraid of fire.
"Dad almost beat me to death that day."
"Then you should be beaten, were you the one who took the lead?"
"I was the one who took it. It was the eldest son of the Jiugen family who took us to set off firecrackers. He was the first to run away when it caught fire."
The siblings looked here and there, and an unfamiliar person on the street asked, "Are you from Xiulian's family?"
"yes."
"You've grown so big. You must be the boss."
"I'm the third child."
"Then this girl is the second child, a twin of a dragon and a phoenix. She is really well-raised."
The two siblings smiled awkwardly and catered.
The two of them walked from the bottom of the slope to grandma's house on the slope.
Grandma and aunt are at home, and uncle helps with cooking.
Grandma took Zhang Yuanying's hand and said affectionately: "Hey, it's cold, come on."
The aunt was pouring hot water and getting snacks.
The two of them quickly said no.
Grandma asked them how long they would stay back this time. She was a little unhappy when she learned that Zhang Yuanjun would leave tomorrow.
When he learned that Zhang Yuanying had a week off and Zhang Leping had ten days off, the old man happily asked them to stay at home.
After chatting for half an hour, the door was pushed open.
Father Zhang came in and sat by the stove as soon as he entered: "It's only December and it's so cold."
"Why are you back so late?" Grandma asked.
"Aren't we going to open a branch in Beijing? I just came back from Beijing and I have to settle accounts at the end of the year. I have a lot to do."
"Are you going to your mother-in-law's place?"
"My car was parked down there and I said hello and came up."
Zhang Yuanjun poured a cup of hot water for his father.
Zhang's father asked about the situation at home and learned that everything was fine.
"It's just that Le'an's marriage has never been decided."
"Still don't agree?"
"I disagree. I think Le'an hasn't read a book and doesn't have a serious job."
Zhang Le'an was very stubborn in the first few years and was unwilling to accept the help of his second uncle. After a few years, he obediently became an apprentice to Yu Jiangnan's chef.
Zhang's father promised that he would start working as soon as he left school.
"No matter how the world changes, people still need to eat, and to eat they need chefs." Zhang's father advised at the time, "Chefs don't care about your diploma, and they won't be afraid to learn the craft and travel all over the world."
"The girl's family also has no eyesight. It's just that Leping is not doing well now. After learning, she can earn two to three thousand yuan a month. The girl also comes with her. She does whatever she wants. She eats and sleeps in a hotel and doesn't spend arbitrarily. The couple can spend a year Close your eyes and save thirty or forty thousand." Father Zhang also intended to help his nephew.
"I told her family the same thing, and they said that an uncle is always an uncle, and what is owed must always be paid back."
"That's scary." Zhang's father sneered at the woman's idea, "Would I still treat my own nephew badly?"
Zhang Yuanjun and Zhang Yuanying listened to the excitement and exchanged glances. They both read the meaning of "they have learned a lot" from each other's eyes.
Just after saying a few words, the door was pushed open, and a loud voice shouted: "It's time to eat, it's time to eat, Dong Gen, you are sitting at the banquet today, and you are still here, take these people from your family away." Every family To treat guests, they would go from door to door to invite people.
"Where should I sit at the table? Let the boss sit." Father Zhang agreed with a smile and took the whole family out to the auditorium.
The dinner started at 11:30 noon. Father Zhang declined twice, but was still pulled to the main table to sit with his grandparents.
Zhang Yuanjun and other juniors were naturally at other tables.
This kind of banquet is just a meal for some people, but it is an important social event for others.
Zhang Yuanjun just wanted to finish eating and leave quickly, burying his head in eating and not caring about anything else.
Today's meal was indeed much more delicious than the country banquets he had before, and the good ingredients were not in vain.
When Zhang Yuanjun went to serve the second bowl of rice, a neat buzz sounded in the already noisy auditorium.
A group of five people came in from the door.
Zhang Yuanjun had never seen it, but he heard that it was the leaders of the town and county who came to pay their respects to the old man.
Why do you want to pay birthdays to an old man? My grandparents are just ordinary rural old men and women, and the leaders of the town and county come to pay their respects? Who believes it.
It must be for Father Zhang.
Zhang's father spends 365 days a year. Except for returning to Luling during the New Year, he is basically away from his hometown at other times. They can't see anyone they want to see.
The main table was very lively, with a lot of pushing and pulling, and a few leaders were pulled to sit down.
The village chief and village party secretary who were at the table came down.
Zhang Yuanjun was not interested in these things and continued to eat.
"Do you smoke?" an unknown aunt at the table asked, holding a cigarette on the table.
No one answered.
The aunt smiled and said: "I took it since no one was smoking. It's a good cigarette, and it costs more than 20 yuan a pack."
The three Zhang brothers and sisters just smiled, finished their meals, put down their bowls and chopsticks, and left.
Sure enough, an hour later, the banquet was dispersed, grandparents had finished eating and went back. Father Zhang and the leaders were still sitting in the auditorium talking.
It wasn't until 2 p.m. that the leaders left in the car with happy faces.
Zhang's father dragged his heavy and tired body back, and his mother asked him to lie down in the room.
My father said no, so he sat by the fire and talked with his family, but before he said a few words, he saw him dozing off with his head down and his eyes narrowed.
No guests were invited in the evening. My family ate together.
Just after eating, someone came to the door and asked for reconciliation.
Zhang Yuanjun's uncle said: "They are all members of my own family. If you are kind to me, just come to me and reimburse me."
"That's not what you're saying. One stroke after another, they are all from the village. Friendships spanning several lifetimes must be calculated clearly, otherwise the relationship will be hurt."
"Okay, okay, let's do the math."
The Zhang family did not participate in the settlement of accounts. After dinner, the family went back in two cars.
At noon the next day, Zhang Yuanjun said goodbye to his parents, brothers and sisters and set off back to the set alone.
