The next day after school, Tian Sisi saw Granny Zhao at ho putting money into red envelopes. There were no ready-made red envelopes available, so she bought red paper, cut it to size, and glued it together using either rice grains or flour paste. Granny Zhao had already prepared several red envelopes and was now filling them with money.
Granny Zhao prepared one yuan banknotes, placing two bills in each envelope. She made a total of four red envelopes, which she spread out on the table.
"Granny, why are you preparing red envelopes? Is soone in the village having a wedding feast?" Tian Sisi asked curiously.
"It’s because your Uncle Chunsheng is getting married. We’re all going to enjoy the wedding feast tonight, soak in the joyous atmosphere, and Ah Nan should eat plenty," Granny Zhao said, satisfied as she put away the four envelopes.
"Uncle Chunsheng? Isn’t that Gao Hongi’s big uncle’s family? Granny, is our whole family going to the wedding feast? Are Grandpa and others also going?"
"Your grandpa won’t be going; he’s going to stay ho and have dinner with Grandpa Tang and Qiubai."
The old man rarely participated in the village’s activities; usually, Granny Zhao would handle such matters. However, if a family in the village could invite the old man, it ant a great honor for the hosts.
So far, the old man had only attended the village party last year held by Grand Uncle Zhong, the oldest man in the village. The people of Sui City celebrate such major birthdays two years in advance, so although Grand Uncle Zhong is currently only eighty-nine, his ninetieth birthday celebration has already been held. The old man had personally visited to offer congratulations, bringing great pride to Grand Uncle Zhong’s whole family.
"Granny, why are you preparing so many red envelopes?" Tian Sisi was puzzled why Granny Zhao was making so many.
"One for your grandpa and , one each for your three uncles—that makes four in total."
Though Tian Aiguo and Tian Mantong don’t live in the village, every ti there was a celebration or a funeral in the village, they would ask Granny Zhao to take care of the gifts first, and they would return the favor later. It was a kind of statent, indicating that although they didn’t live in the village, their roots were still there.
So might think it was a waste of money, like Tian Aiguo, who held a high-ranking official position outside; why would he co back to this remote place?
Initially, Xu Qianwen, Tian Aiguo’s wife, felt heartache about these gifts. Although they were only one or two yuan each, it would sum up to a considerable amount over a year. So she took the opportunity during the New Year visit to suggest to Granny Zhao not to participate in the village’s customary gift-giving anymore since she and Ai Guo didn’t live in the village.
Granny Zhao didn’t say much; she just called over her eldest son to confirm if he felt the sa. Tian Aiguo, after hearing his wife’s suggestion, glared at her and imdiately insisted that participating in the village’s social obligations must continue. He had co from Yuequan Village, and of course, couldn’t sever the connection with his hotown.
Only then were the old man and Granny Zhao satisfied; it wasn’t their son’s idea, after all. As for Xu Qianwen, they didn’t take her seriously at all—pfft, what’s so impressive about soone from Shanghai? Short-sighted.
"Granny, do I need to prepare a red envelope too?" Tian Sisi purposefully asked, a typical question that children, in keeping with their naivety, would ask.
"Ah Nan is still young; you just need to follow Granny and enjoy the wedding feast. Granny will prepare the red envelope," Granny Zhao was indeed amused by her granddaughter’s words and pinched Tian Sisi’s cheek playfully.
Tian Sisi giggled and chatted idly with Granny Zhao for a bit more before running off to find He Xuewen to ask if he wanted to join the wedding feast.
He Xuewen was, of course, going; he had also prepared a red envelope. Tian Sisi asked him how much he put in it, and He Daxian replied very generously: "Ten yuan."
Tian Sisi rolled her eyes. Daddy, isn’t this just blatantly showing off? Everyone else is giving one yuan or fifty cents, and here you are with a ten yuan bill, aren’t you just trying to stand out? Luckily, she ca over to ask, otherwise wouldn’t the Tian Chusheng family be uneasy?
"Daddy, Granny is only giving two yuan, why are you giving ten?" Tian Sisi couldn’t say it too explicitly, so she had to feign confusion and ask.
He Xuewen, reminded by Tian Sisi’s words, realized that he got the amount in the red envelope wrong. He took out the red envelope, pulled out the banknote, and swapped it with two one-yuan bills.
"It was a mistake, Daddy originally planned to give two yuan."
He Xuewen firmly denied making a mistake, as it involved his face in front of his daughter. He absolutely couldn’t admit it; Tian Sisi found it amusing but still respected He Xuewen’s pride and didn’t expose him.
Around four o’clock, Tian Manjin and Zhu Aiqing finished work early, were bathing and dressing up at ho, saying they would go later. Tian Sisi went with Granny Zhao to have the wedding feast first, as for the group of kids like Donghua Jian Country, they had already run out to play.
Li Yuedi was waiting at the ho entrance with Tian Xinhua and Tian Qinghua’s kids. Zhu Qingping was also holding Niu Niu, and upon seeing his beloved Sisi, Niu Niu clamored to get down, toddling into Tian Sisi’s arms, continuously calling out "Sisi".
Tian Sisi cheerfully fed the little guy a piece of milk candy, and Niu Niu contentedly returned to Zhu Qingping’s side, a proud smile on his face, charmingly naivety that made everyone laugh.
Seeing Niu Niu’s adorable deanor, Tian Sisi couldn’t help feeling a bit emotional. Both were three years old, but Bao Guo seed much more mature. Although sotis Bao Guo could be naughty, most of the ti he was sensible and well-behaved, perhaps this is what it ant for a poor child to mature early.
Li Yuedi didn’t mind their kids, early on she and Granny Zhao were warmly chatting arm in arm, discussing family matters. Tian Sisi found it funny, these two old ladies t every day, how could they still have so much to talk about.
"Brother Xin Hua, how co Brother Shouhua isn’t here?" Tian Sisi was a bit surprised not to see Tian Shouhua.
"My fourth brother and the groom went to Baita Town to fetch the bride," Tian Qinghua interrupted eagerly.
"Fetch the bride? Why did Brother Shouhua go to fetch the bride?"
"My fourth brother is handso, so Uncle Chunsheng asked him to be a groomsman," Tian Qinghua said, chattering away while eating milk candy.
Tian Sisi then realized, being a kid for so long, she had forgotten the customs of Sui City. At local weddings, the groom needed to have two or more groomsn, similar to modern groomsn, usually choosing young, unmarried n who were handso, tall, eloquent, and could drink well.
The number of groomsn had to match the number of bridesmaids from the bride’s side, always in even numbers, the more the better to display grandeur. This ti, hearing that the bride’s family had invited six bridesmaids, so the Tian Chusheng family also had to produce six groomsn. With no choice, they had to pull in sixteen-year-old Tian Shouhua to make up the number. Luckily, Tian Shouhua was tall and handso, a true talent, being a groomsman didn’t disgrace the host family.
"Ah Nan, do you have any more milk candies? One is not enough."
After finishing the milk candy in his mouth, Tian Qinghua asked Tian Sisi for more. White Rabbit candy was really tasty, even tastier than wedding candies.
"Brother Qinghua, you can’t eat anymore, you can only have one a day. If you keep eating, your teeth will rot."
Tian Sisi imdiately refused, in her past life Tian Qinghua was a robust soldier; she couldn’t let her presence turn him into a soldier with rotten teeth. Imagining Tian Qinghua commanding in his uniform but revealing rotten teeth when he smiles, Tian Sisi couldn’t help but laugh. (To be continued. If you like this work, please go to Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndations, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian to read.)
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