“Wait, who said Xiaolan is getting engaged today?”

Li Fengmei felt everyone had been misled by Liu Fang and hurried to explain.

“If it were an engagement, would there be so many people and such good food?”

Liu Fang had always been this direct. Back in her hometown, there were few people she truly respected, so she never bothered hiding her thoughts. Before Li Fengmei could respond, Fourth Sister Chen, who was helping out, realized the misunderstanding and said with a laugh:

“I was wondering – we hadn’t heard anything about Xiaolan’s engagement. Ah Fang, you’ve misunderstood. Your brother has made good money this year. Treating us to a New Year’s feast won’t make him poor.”

Was it just a feast?

Liu Fang was skeptical.

What money could Liu Yong make when he spent his days idling? If he’d made money, wouldn’t he first renovate the house or buy some major household items instead of living in this dilapidated old house? Rural folks had such limited vision – they’d brag about having enough money for one good meal.

Her brother Liu Yong probably hadn’t changed, living for today without thought for tomorrow, spending whatever money he earned on food and drink.

Liu Fang stopped asking – as long as it wasn’t Xia Xiaolan’s engagement… That girl had grown more beautiful than she’d imagined over the years; it would be a waste to marry her off in this rural area. If she helped find someone with good conditions, she wouldn’t have to worry about Second Sister’s future life.

Liu Yong offered chicken to the gods, and by noon, all the guests had gradually arrived. The Liu family didn’t have enough tables, chairs, and tableware, so neighbors pitched in. After all, they were all eating at the Liu house today, so their items were unused.

Village Chief Chen Wangda also came, and a table was set in the main hall where he sat with Liang Bing’an.

Liang Bing’an had nothing in common with these rural folk. Even the respected Chen Wangda was just a minor village official. While village chiefs held authority in rural areas, they weren’t even formal government cadres.

However, Liang Bing’an maintained a pleasant facade. He always avoided giving others leverage against him, so he could drink and eat at the same table harmoniously enough.

At the women’s table, Liu Fang and her daughter weren’t particularly well-liked.

As the meal progressed without any special announcement, Liu Fang relaxed, knowing it wasn’t her niece Xia Xiaolan’s engagement banquet.

Liang Huan was quite picky, complaining that today’s dishes were all meat with only yam porridge to drink, concluding that this rural place simply didn’t suit her. Liang Huan was being difficult – in these times, being able to serve so many meat dishes was a mark of prestige.

Who cared about light vegetable dishes?

People needed oils and fats, not just green leaves, especially in rural areas where oil and seasonings couldn’t be used freely. Besides, who lacked Chinese cabbage from their fields?

Even at home, Liang Huan rarely ate such a feast, but she was just being petty. Though the dishes were good, she claimed the rural cooking didn’t suit her taste.

Seeing her lack of appetite as she listlessly picked at her food, Liu Fang worried about her going hungry.

For a 16-year-old girl, she still kept asking if she wanted to try this or that.

The rural women at the table got quite an education in how doting Liu Fang was and how delicate Liang Huan was.

Fourth Sister Chen secretly marveled: Heavens above, was this raising a daughter or an ancestor? It was as if Liu Fang’s daughter was made of gold while their daughters were just clods of earth!

Fourth Sister Chen’s gaze fell on Xia Xiaolan at the same table.

Even if rural girls were earthen clods, Xia Xiaolan was the most eye-catching one. Only two years older than Princess Liang Huan, she was filial, sensible, and capable. While Liang Huan fussed about not eating, Xia Xiaolan worried that Liu Fen wouldn’t get enough good food and kept serving dishes to her.

This New Year’s feast passed without incident.

Today at the Liu house, not only was the food abundant, but the wine flowed freely, and cigarettes were left open on the table for anyone to take. Children were welcome at the New Year’s feast, with unlimited candy and seeds. Everyone who came to eat at the Liu house gave them a thumbs up.

“Yongzi, you’ve done well!”

“Brother Yong was always generous, but now he’s even more so.”

When Chen Wangda allocated land and a house foundation for Liu Fen and her daughter, not everyone in the village agreed. Rural people weren’t all noble-minded – brothers would fight over a foot of land, let alone Chen Wangda giving Liu Fen and Xia Xiaolan a house foundation of eight fen, slightly larger than Liu Yong’s current courtyard. Though rural land wasn’t valuable, did two women need such a large foundation?

There must have been discontent, but Chen Wangda had always been authoritative. With Liu Yong seemingly having struck it rich this time, no sour comments reached Xia Xiaolan and the others’ ears. After this feast, with everyone well-fed, and Liu Yong being courteous to all, it became difficult to say anything behind their backs.

“As their brother, you’re all Ah Fen and her daughter have. If they need help building the house, I can lend some money first.”

With Chen Wangda saying this, Xia Xiaolan had to respond:

“Grandfather Chen, thank you for your kindness. My mother and I have discussed it, and we’ll start building after July. We’ll save up money first, and if we’re short then, we’ll ask for your help.”

Liu Yong nodded, “Uncle Da, don’t worry about the house money. How could I not take care of Ah Fen and her daughter?”

He had less money than his niece, but he couldn’t say that in front of the villagers – people might target two women known to have money.

Liu Fang listened in confusion – had the village allocated a house foundation to Liu Fen and her niece? Were mother and daughter going to build a house and settle permanently in Qijing Village?

Even for two or three rooms in the red brick single-story house, it would cost several thousand yuan. Where would her brother Liu Yong get that money? Yet he was bragging in front of everyone!

With Liu Yong’s boast out there, and everyone knowing Liu Fang had married well, she couldn’t stay silent after hearing this.

She glanced at Liang Bing’an, whose face was red from drinking:

“When Second Sister builds her house, I’ll contribute 2,000 yuan in support.”

Everyone cheered in approval. Liang Bing’an looked slightly pleased, while Liu Fang felt a bit pained about the 2,000 yuan, but they were sisters after all, and her second sister had a hard life, so helping out wasn’t too much.

Xia Xiaolan’s impression of her aunt’s family improved slightly. Though she didn’t need the 2,000 yuan, they had at least offered to help.

Her gratitude lasted about three seconds before Liang Huan unexpectedly burst out:

“I see Cousin wearing such nice clothes, surely Second Aunt doesn’t need money from our family to build a house. Mom, didn’t you say Second Aunt was pitiful after her divorce? Why can Cousin still afford such nice clothes?”

Liang Huan’s words made everyone uncomfortable.

The villagers all knew Xia Xiaolan was capable, and even if not, Liu Yong had made money – what was wrong with an uncle supporting his niece? Liang Huan bringing this up in front of others was completely inappropriate.

Chen Qing hadn’t had a chance to speak with Xia Xiaolan since arriving at the Liu house. He’d never seen her like this before – so beautiful it made him feel unworthy. Just as Chen Qing wanted to defend Xia Xiaolan, his grandfather seemed to sense his intentions and coughed heavily:

“Ah Yong, since Xiaofang rarely comes home, let’s end the meal here so your family can talk properly.”

With Chen Wangda taking the lead, others couldn’t stay either.

Fortunately, only two tables had been drinking, and the other tables’ dishes and furniture had already been cleared.

“Fengmei, will you be alright cleaning up the rest slowly?”

“We’ll be going now!”

Chen Qing kept looking back but was dragged away by his mother.

The Liu family was likely to argue, and it would be improper to stay and watch.

Once the villagers left, Li Fengmei threw down the bowl in her hands:

“Huan Huan, why would you say such things during our New Year’s feast?”

If you can’t speak properly, don’t speak at all – what kind of daughter had they raised? Look how she’d ruined the atmosphere.

Embarrassed by her daughter’s undermining, Liu Fang’s expression turned awkward, but hearing Li Fengmei criticize Liang Huan, she became protective: “Sister-in-law, Huan Huan is still young, why argue with her? Besides, she’s not wrong… Xiaolan, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve always been competitive and particular, not working or studying but focused on food and clothes. It’s not that you can’t wear new clothes, but you should consider the current situation, right?”

Did Xia Xiaolan have to have everything Liang Huan had?

Different circumstances at birth determined the gap between Xia Xiaolan and Liang Huan.

Liu Fang spoke as if it were perfectly reasonable. Liang Bing’an stood up, swaying slightly, “Shut up! What’s with all this nonsense? I’ve already publicly promised to help Huan Huan’s Second Aunt with 2,000 yuan to build the house. Are you saying I don’t have the authority to make this decision at home?”