RPAGF Chapter 274 Recognition Banquet
Chapter 274 Recognition Banquet
Officer Pang chuckled contentedly before quickly asking the two about their business: "By the way, Uncle and Aunt, what brings you here?"
Gao Mengli took the household registration book out of her bosom and handed it to Pang You: "We're here to help the villagers register their household registrations."
Officer Pang took the document and quickly led the two inside.
He knew that there were many "people" in Wangyue Village.
Dou Weiyi and Qin Shensheng were not there either. Since Lin Xi and Gao Mengli were family, he didn't say a word and just started to help them with the arrangements.
After completing the task, Lin Xi took the twelve household registration cards and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Where are Lord Dou and Master Qin?"
As Pang You tidied up the writing brushes and ink on the table, he casually replied, "Oh, they went out a couple of days ago to pick someone up!"
After Pang You finished speaking, he grinned foolishly.
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi exchanged a glance. Had this person gone stupid from dieting?
When Pang You saw that the two did not answer, he realized with a start that he had not told them about that matter yet.
He quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Fatty and the others are coming back. We adults are taking people to pick them up. They should arrive in Pingyao in about five or six days."
Lin Xi and Gao Mengli's eyes lit up, and their faces showed joy.
"Really? Fatty and the others are coming back!"
Pang You nodded to Lin Xi: "Yes, yes, but as you know, we adults personally led people to pick it up!"
Gao Mengli stroked the dish in her hand, her heart filled with joy. She turned to Lin Xi and said, "Xi Xi, let's hurry back to the village. We need to make arrangements quickly so we can start preparing to slaughter the pig as soon as they arrive!"
Lin Xi nodded, then pulled Gao Mengli and ran outside.
After the person left, Pang You thought that his parents would be back soon, and he wondered if they would recognize him when they saw him like this.
Thinking about how his aunt had just said he was handsome, he couldn't help but laugh out loud!
In high spirits, he strode out of the government office to patrol the streets!
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi boarded the carriage, and then decided to go to Xingyu Village to order three hundred pigs, and arrive at Wangyue Village in seven days!
The Lunar New Year is just around the corner at the end of the month.
The chubby girl and her friends just happened to arrive in time!
The carriage kicked up a cloud of dust on the smooth brick ground. Gao Mengli lifted the curtain and looked at the passing scenery outside the window, her heart filled with joy.
She turned to look at Lin Xi happily: "The chubby girls are back just in time for the New Year!"
With Ah Li recognizing his relatives, our Wangyue Village is going to be quite lively for a while.
Lin Xi nodded with a smile, her eyes filled with anticipation: "Yes, with all these good things happening at once, this year's Spring Festival is sure to be exceptionally memorable!"
When they got back, they were busy with a lot of work, and the Lin family's old house was also bustling with activity.
Since a family reunion banquet was to be held tomorrow, Jiang Shuzhi allocated some money to Lin Chi so that he could buy a pig for the banquet.
This is my goddaughter, we have to take her seriously!
Everyone knows Ah Li, and because she wears men's clothing, no one asks her gender.
The Lin family's old house is now bustling with activity.
Jiang Shuzhi directed everyone to clean the yard and set up tables and chairs. A Li also helped out, and he worked very efficiently and skillfully.
Lin Chi, along with Hei Yi and the other professional "butchers," set up a temporary stove in the yard in preparation for slaughtering and cooking pigs the next day.
As soon as Lin Xi and Gao Mengli entered the courtyard, Jiang Shuzhi greeted them: "You're finally back! How did things go?"
Lin Xi quickly handed the household registration certificate and household registration document to her: "Don't worry, everything is taken care of!"
Jiang Shuzhi took the household registration documents and carefully flipped through a few pages. A smile appeared on her face: "That's great! Now A-Li is completely a member of our family!"
As he spoke, he handed the file to Ah Li, who was working: "Ah Li, this is your file, keep it safe!"
Ah Li was helping to set up tables and chairs in the yard when she heard Jiang Shuzhi's words. She was stunned at first, but then she realized what she meant.
He quickly put down what he was doing, wiped his hands on his clothes, and then carefully took the disc.
She looked at the disc in her hand and felt happy.
From then on, she was no longer an unregistered resident; she had a new identity, and her name was Lin Li!
Hei Yi and the others heard Gao Mengli's voice and quickly put down what they were doing and ran over.
This morning, they were very anxious, fearing that they wouldn't be able to get the household registration certificate and that their identities would be exposed.
As they approached, Lin Xi handed them their account files: "Here, these are yours, please keep them safe!"
Several grown men, holding license plates, had slightly red eyes.
Gao Mengli walked to Mengze's side and handed him his aunt's husband's household registration and his household file: "You almost made a mistake with this household file. If it weren't for the name you wrote inside, it would have been Yunze!"
Upon hearing this, Mengze chuckled, quickly accepted the gift, and thanked him repeatedly without offering any explanation.
He took his aunt's surname, so his surname is Gan and his given name is Mengze!
The next day, the family reunion banquet was held in a lively manner, and the whole village enjoyed the Lin family's feast.
When it was time for lunch, Mengze's aunt and uncle had not yet arrived.
Gao Mengli couldn't help but ask a few more questions: "Mengze, why didn't your aunt, no, your parents come?"
Mengze paused, put down his work, and looked somewhat flustered: "Master, my parents said that since we just arrived in the village, we don't have anything worthwhile to offer, so they won't be coming today."
His wages, after paying rent and household expenses, left him with very little.
Upon hearing this, Gao Mengli immediately understood.
They were thinking that it wouldn't be good if they came without bringing a gift.
According to A Li, Meng Ze's mother had fallen seriously ill in the prefectural city. Illness is the most expensive thing, and Gao Mengli understood their predicament and difficulties.
Gao Mengli stepped forward and gently patted Mengze's shoulder: "Mengze, go back and tell your parents that we don't do those empty formalities of exchanging gifts in our village."
From now on, we'll all be from the same village; it's about relationships, not business. Go back quickly and invite them over for a meal.
The villagers here are simple and honest, and the banquet is not for the purpose of "receiving gifts" or making money.
We've simply invited everyone to come and witness this, and to share in the joy.
Unlike later generations, when even the birth of piglets required a "banquet" to collect gifts, and then the guests were served the worst possible feast.
Mengze was deeply moved by Gao Mengli's words, and his eyes reddened slightly.
His sister has already spoken up, so it would be impolite to refuse again.
He nodded quickly and strode towards home.
A short while later, Mengze arrived in a hurry with his parents.
His parents, still looking somewhat reserved and apologetic, were about to speak.
Jiang Shuzhi went up to greet them, grabbed Mengze's mother Gan Ermei's hand, and said with a smile, "Sisters, we've been waiting for you. We're all family, so let's not stand around. Come in and have a seat and try this hot meal."
Gan Ermei's eyes welled up with tears at this warm gesture: "Sister-in-law, we're so sorry to have troubled you. We really feel bad about it."
I was thinking that I'd come empty-handed, how could I possibly join in this fun...
Mengze's father, Gao Ye, rubbed his hands together and nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's right. I'm new here and haven't been able to help at all, yet everyone still remembers me."
Most importantly, this place is really different from their hometown. Everyone here is simple, kind, and like a family.
Jiang Shuzhi gently patted Gan Ermei's hand and reproachfully said, "Sisters, you mustn't say that again."
Since we are from the same village, we are one family. There's no such thing as trouble or inconvenience.
There's a long road ahead, and we'll have plenty of opportunities to help each other out.
As he spoke, he pulled them toward the table.
As the saying goes, a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative!
Everyone stood up to offer their seats, and warm greetings rose and fell.
The two were reserved at first, but they relaxed later on!
At the end of the banquet, Gao Ye and Lin Yong became so close that they put their arms around each other's shoulders, as if they had known each other for a long time!