Shen Yun remained silent, and Su Xiaoqi cast a faint glance at her.
Madam Qian had bullied Madam Zhao and her younger sister in the past, but Madam Zhao was sentimental.
She had lost her husband at an early age and remembered the care her maternal family had given her.
Unwilling to cause discord among relatives, she had tolerated Madam Qian, her elder sister-in-law, for so long.
Later, after life improved at home thanks to Su Xiaoqi, she had continuously advised Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun not to resent Madam Qian's past actions.
Thus, even though Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun were displeased, they agreed with the idea of harmony for the sake of prosperity.
Therefore, their attitude towards Madam Qian was relatively normal.
After greeting and paying their respects, their words were polite yet distant.
"Indeed, Brother Yun has become successful. Third sister, you've finally seen your fortunes turn," Zhao Dashan also remarked with emotion.
His honest face was filled with sincere blessings.
His sister had suffered most of her life, but in the end, she was fortunate.
She had a promising son, married a good daughter-in-law, and with their help, the family's house had been upgraded one after another. It was rumored they had even opened a shop in the city.
After a brief, uninspired conversation, Shen Yun was tasked with escorting them home.
The next day, the Shen family hosted a banquet, inviting Shen Yun's esteemed teacher, the villagers of Zhao Family Village, and other relatives and friends.
Everyone in the village attended, except for Zhao Guanggun and Zhao Baoyi, who had been arrested and not yet returned.
The banquet was held in the large courtyard in front of the estate.
Fifteen round tables were set up, with ten dishes per table.
The dishes were all common banquet fare.
Four cold dishes and six hot dishes.
Among them was Zhao Family Village's traditional banquet dish, steamed large pork knuckle.
The rest were dishes chosen by Su Xiaoqi: steamed pork belly with preserved vegetables, twice-cooked pork, and cold-stirred Houttuynia cordata.
Cold boiled pork slices, preserved bean curd jelly, and braised pork belly.
Many of these were dishes from modern Sichuanese banquets, suitable for a flowing feast.
The villagers praised the food enthusiastically.
"Heavens, the Shen family is truly wealthy to host such fine dishes for a flowing banquet. I've never eaten such delicious food in my life."
The sun shone brightly that day, its light filtering through the gaps in the erected canopy, carrying the crisp and gentle warmth of autumn.
Everyone praised the food as they ate, and there was no worry of running out.
As it was a flowing banquet, dishes would be served continuously.
Once a dish was finished, another would be served.
Shen Yun came out to toast the guests once the villagers began eating.
When the next wave of guests from the surrounding villages arrived, he didn't recognize them, so he left the hosting to Zhao Liushun, who had volunteered to entertain them.
No matter how Shen Yun tried to persuade him, he refused to join the family inside.
He hadn't intended to resent Madam Qian, who had pushed him to such extremes.
But he also didn't want to see her again; he found it awkward.
So, he stayed outside, helping Shen Yun entertain the guests at the flowing banquet.
He was also a scholar, and coupled with his good reputation in the village, his words carried weight, and everyone was happy for him to keep them company.
Shen Yun, meanwhile, quickly returned to the main hall in the back courtyard.
Su Xiaoqi had already arranged the banquet with the help of others.
Two tables were set up.
The front table was for Shen Yun's teacher, Mr. Gu, his maternal grandfather, elder maternal uncle, second maternal uncle, the village head Zhao Baoren, the Zhao clan leader Zhao Hua, his son Zhao Qingyuan, and his fourth maternal uncle Jiang Min.
Including Shen Yun himself, it was a table of nine.
The other table was for the women, seated at the lower end.
His maternal grandmother, Old Madam Yu, Madam Zhao, Zhao Simei, Elder Maternal Aunt Madam Qian, and Second Maternal Aunt Madam Wu were seated at the head.
Su Xiaoqi, along with Zhao Xiaomei and the younger siblings, sat at the lower end.
She had to constantly monitor everyone's needs to provide timely care.
During the banquet, the most talked-about topic was Brother Yun's success and Madam Zhao's impending comfort.
The conversations inside were similar to those outside.
During the banquet, Su Xiaoqi paid the most attention to Zhao Xiaomei.
She calculated the time; the period in the novel when Zhao Xiaomei committed suicide had long passed.
She was alive and well now, with a rosy complexion, indicating a comfortable life.
Su Xiaoqi breathed a sigh of relief. Zhao Xiaomei sensed her gaze, nodded at her, and stood up with a cup of fruit wine specifically to thank her.
Her husband's family was going out for drinks that day and couldn't accompany her.
So, she came alone, happy for the leisure time to share intimate conversations with her sisters.
She tightly held Su Xiaoqi's hand and whispered that she was fortunate that Su Xiaoqi had taken her pulse, allowing everyone to understand her husband's condition and clearing up the misunderstanding with her in-laws.
Now, not only did they have no excuse to fault her, but they also had to worry about her possibly seeking a divorce due to the lack of children.
Furthermore, with Su Xiaoqi leading them to plant corn, potatoes, and buckwheat,
their family's food supply was secured.
Su Xiaoqi also occasionally sent her jobs drying buckwheat.
She was diligent and quick, earning several hundred wen each month.
Life had become much easier.
Su Xiaoqi smiled, knowing that Zhao Xiaomei, who was now living a good life, would no longer commit suicide, and she finally felt at ease.
Indeed, as long as one could live, who would willingly choose death?
After Zhao Simei returned to her seat, Su Xiaoqi shifted her gaze to Zhao Simei, who was sitting beside Madam Zhao.
She was still washing dishes in the kitchen of the Fuyue Inn.
Each person earned three hundred wen a month.
Her husband was still working in the market, writing letters and copying books to support the family.
Her three adolescent sons sat with their cousin Fugui from the elder maternal uncle's family. Due to years of malnutrition, they were all as thin as bamboo poles,
forming a stark contrast with the fair and plump Fugui.
Su Xiaoqi felt a pang of pity.
She recalled how she had sent buckwheat to Zhao Xiaomei previously, asking her to help dry it for money.
Zhao Xiaomei had refused, worried that the job of drying buckwheat wouldn't be long-term and fearing losing her dishwashing job at the inn.
Su Xiaoqi had been disappointed at the time.
But upon reflection, she understood her.
Zhao Simei had worked hard her whole life, lacked skills, and had three sons to support.
Naturally, she would favor the seemingly stable job of dishwashing in the kitchen.
Su Xiaoqi secretly pondered that if she could help her, she should.
She immediately thought of the small courtyard behind her supermarket.
Since Zhao Simei was reluctant to give up her dishwashing job, she could invite her sons to come over.
They could study with their maternal uncle and work together with others.
She thought of her beggar crew. During their spare time, they helped her make buckwheat tea, with the least earning five hundred wen.
"Third sister, are you living well in the city?" Zhao Xiaomei quietly moved closer to Zhao Xiaozhu, who was sitting beside her.
This was her own sister, yet her own mother had forced her out of her home.
As her elder sister, she felt helpless.
When she first heard about her misfortune, she was powerless and only sent the ten wen she had painstakingly saved.
Xiaozhu did not accept it, sending a message back saying she was doing well and not to worry.
To ease her sister's mind, she also occasionally entrusted people to send her things.
Sometimes it was rice, sometimes several hundred wen, and sometimes finely crafted cotton clothes.
Zhao Xiaomei finally believed that her sister was indeed living well in the city.
However, she had been busy with her own life, and traveling to the city was not easy, so she hadn't seen her and always worried.
Now, it was good. Seeing her dressed neatly, with clear features, and her skin having become fairer, her every movement had a touch of the demeanor of a well-bred young lady.
Zhao Xiaomei finally felt completely at ease.
Her sister was truly different from before.