When the sun rises to meet a bride,
Just at noon, the sedan chair was leaving.
The banquet was held after dusk,
Busy for half the night.
When hosting a wedding banquet at your own home, even if there are only three or five tables, you still have to be busy until it gets dark, send off all the guests, clean up the leftovers, and arrange the tables, chairs, bowls and chopsticks of Youranju neatly so that someone can collect them tomorrow.
Even if someone helped, Jiang Sheng just wanted to lie motionless on the bed after cleaning the bluestone floor.
"It is said that the newlyweds are the most tired on the wedding day. We are already like this. How hard does it have to be for my aunt?" She huddled on the small wicker chair and asked in confusion.
No one answered.
The only elder, Zhang Xianglian, has already married into Kong's house, and the rest are young boys and a few young girls.
"Go to rest early if you're tired." Xu Mo rubbed his sore fingers.
His job was the easiest, as he only needed to collect money and record records, but he also felt sore in his shoulders and neck and his steps were slow.
"Do you want to take stock of today's money?" Zheng Ruqian looked at the large bag full of copper coins and lost the interest in counting money for the first time. "Are these going to be given to aunt?"
According to the custom of serving wine in the countryside, the gold and silver in the wedding book of the newly married woman should belong to her natal family, because the silver money still needs to be returned by her natal family.
But these gifts were given by Zhang Xianglian herself and should be returned to her.
"Then take it back to aunt tomorrow, or give it to aunt when you return home?" Fang Heng is the only energetic one among the siblings, and these tasks are just mediocre to him.
"Go back, my aunt will come back eventually." Xu Mo made up his mind, "It's so tiring to get married, so let my aunt have a good rest in these three days."
Everyone nodded unanimously.
Wen Zhiyun brought Xiaozhu over at some point, one opened the lid and the other filled the bowl, "Everyone has worked hard today. Drinking some Bazhen soup to relieve fatigue will also calm the nerves."
It’s great to have a doctor at home. I don’t have to worry about minor injuries and pains, and there is a constant supply of nourishing products.
Bazhen soup sounds like a good thing.
Jiang Sheng immediately sat up, took the big bowl and drank it all.
Zheng Ruqian, Fang Heng and Xu Mo did not refuse, and the eight Jiang and Wang brothers and sisters also drank.
The last bowl left belongs to my fifth brother.
Wen Zhiyun held it carefully and looked around, but did not see Chang Yan.
"Where is Fifth Brother?" Jiang Sheng also noticed something was wrong, "Where is Fifth Brother?"
The six brothers and sisters are far from inseparable. They always do their own things, such as Xu Mo goes to school, Fang Heng goes to war, and Zheng Ruqian travels around.
But as long as they are in this yard, they will not leave each other's sight, and even if something happens, they will explain it in advance to prevent family members from worrying.
If Jiang Sheng still has to go out to Jiuzhenfang and the workshop to deal with things, and Wen Zhiyun still needs to go to the hospital for treatment, Chang Yan is the most leisurely person in the family and rarely leaves the small courtyard.
If he is not at home, where can he go?
Was he in danger, or was he simply kidnapped?
The more Jiang Sheng thought about it, the more frightened he became. As soon as the big bowl in his hand was placed on the table, before he could get up to check, there was a knock on the door of the small courtyard.
Her eyes were bright, and she jumped up from the wicker chair, "It's the fifth brother. The fifth brother must have been shut out by one of you. Fortunately, he's not asleep yet, so he had time to open the door for him..."
But as Wang Xiaosong moved over, those who appeared outside the door turned out to be Zhang Xianglian and Master Kong who were supposed to be having sex in the bridal chamber.
It’s not a long banquet, and there’s no fifth brother.
Jiang Sheng didn't have time to feel disappointed and walked over in surprise, "Auntie, why are you here? Is there something wrong?"
What could be more important than a wedding night?
Master Kong's round face was solemn for the first time. Zhang Xianglian even shook her body and said with lingering fear, "Where is Xiao Wu? I'm here to see Xiao Wu."
Everyone looked at each other and tensed up unconsciously.
They are also looking for Chang Yan and Xiao Wu at home.
"I...when I was sorting out the gift money tonight, I opened the envelope Xiao Wu gave me." Zhang Xianglian said, tears streaming down her face, "What was inside turned out to be a land deed, a land deed."
That was all. She called Master Kong, who was literate, to take a look. It turned out to be the land deed for the second entrance to the small courtyard.
They rented this courtyard for two years, and the annual rent alone was one hundred taels of silver. You can imagine the value of the courtyard itself.
Chang Yan has always been well-behaved and reserved, and he is the only one among the siblings who has no achievements.
Where did he get the money, where did he buy the land deed, and give it to Zhang Xianglian.
These countless doubts lingered in the hearts of the brothers and sisters, and they went straight to each room almost without thinking.
Not one, not two, not three.
Until Zheng Ruqian screamed.
Everyone gathered around and saw six exquisite and neat little wooden figures placed on the large desk. Under the wooden figures were flat rice paper. There were several large characters on the paper, which were clearly the handwriting of Chang Yan.
"I have been away from home for too long and it's time to return. Don't miss me, your forever Xiao Wu."
After Xu Mo finished reading, there was silence.
After five years of being brother and sister, I haven't heard of any family members. It's time to return. Whose child was raised outside for five years and then brought back?
"Besides, didn't Fifth Brother say that he lost his memory?" Jiang Sheng spoke, his tone vaguely aggrieved.
Could it be that his memory has been restored?
"Xiao Wu never said that he had lost his memory. It was you who made the decision and he didn't refute it." Xu Mo glanced at his sister and picked up the six wooden figures.
Chang Yan has been carving since last year.
He was a very serious person. He worked slowly without any basic skills, scrapping batch after batch of wood and developing calluses on his fingertips. Finally, he carved out the six brothers and sisters into their true form.
The eldest brother is always reading, the second brother is counting money, the third brother is carrying a long stick, the fourth brother is carrying a small medicine box, and the sister is holding a candied haws.
Also, he was as calm as water with his hands behind his back.
They are a family, and they work together even if they encounter difficulties, just like the postures of the wooden sculptures, walking side by side and relying on each other.
But now, Chang Yan is back home.
"We never said that he was not allowed to go home, why didn't we say goodbye to the brothers in person, and why didn't we tell where our home is." Zheng Ruqian sat on the edge of the bed angrily, "Why should we sneak away on the day of Aunt Zhang's great joy? "
"I think it's to let us find out later that he's missing." Xu Mo said softly, holding the wooden man's fingertips harder and harder, faintly showing the green and white color.
He has calculated everything, and he is indeed the smartest Xiaowu in the family, but hasn't he calculated the people's hearts, the disappointed eyes of his brothers, and the sad choking of his sister?
"Xiao Wu is not being coerced by others, is he?" Fang Heng thought of himself and held the handle of the knife tightly, "Then I must go find him, I want to save my brother."
Everyone became more and more silent. These were all speculations. No one knew the truth as to why Chang Yan left and where he went.
In this complete silence, there was a thin and frail figure curled up into a ball, with tears streaming down his face.
"Xiao Wu, are you going to abandon me? How could you... abandon me."
