118: The Recognition Banquet, The Guests

Gao Shen did not feel any annoyance at Jing Qingxin's question. He answered directly, "Didn't I mention to you before? Before I was injured, I had a mission bonus that I hadn't collected yet. I happened to pass by the post office yesterday, so I stopped by to withdraw it. Once we get back, I'll organize it and give it to you!"

So that was it. Jing Qingxin didn't have much money herself, but she said nonchalantly, "No need. Just keep it for yourself. I was actually planning to give you some of my leftover cash after we finish our shopping these next couple of days."

"No, I don't have anywhere to spend money anyway. You keep it," Gao Shen said with a smile. A wave of warmth flowed through his heart at Jing Qingxin's gesture. If the military wives back at the base knew their husbands kept private savings on them, they would probably have caused a fuss long ago. Yet, his Qingxin was truly one of a kind.

Mindful of the dinner banquet that evening, the two of them delayed no longer. Once they finished buying their things, they headed straight back to the Zhang family's small courtyard.

By the time they returned to the courtyard, it was already around four in the afternoon. The courtyard and the rooms had been thoroughly cleaned by Zhang Liangping and his wife. Although the furnishings were simple, they were at least clean and tidy.

"Godfather, godmother, thank you for your hard work! Leave the kitchen to me, I'll get right to it!" Jing Qingxin said with a smile as she put down her things.

"It's no trouble at all, just sweeping up some dust. We haven't hosted anyone in years; it's rare for the house to be this lively," Zhang Liangping said happily.

"Let me help you out! Many hands make light work!" Jing Suyun offered.

"Alright!"

Soon, the four of them busied themselves. Gao Shen and Zhang Liangping set up the tables and benches in the main room, while Jing Qingxin and Jing Suyun prepared the ingredients. As they worked, the sky gradually darkened. By the time all the ingredients were prepped, the guests began to arrive one after another.

Jing Qingxin quickly asked her godmother to plate the washed peaches, melon seeds, and candies, placing them on the table for the guests to snack on. She had also prepared a small bag of flower tea for the table. The setting was simple, but proper hospitality had to be maintained.

While Jing Suyun went to greet the guests, Gao Shen immediately took over the task of stoking the fire in the kitchen, a chore he had become quite adept at. The guests who arrived were all close friends and relatives of Zhang Liangping and his wife, so it was best for the two elders to entertain them. He preferred to stay by Qingxin's side and help out.

Based on the ingredients they had, Jing Qingxin planned the menu for tonight's banquet. They had brought two wild pheasants earlier; they had eaten one, leaving a slightly larger one. Jing Qingxin first boiled the pheasant until it was cooked through. She used half of it for braised chicken with shiitake mushrooms, and the other half for a dish of cold chicken in spicy chili oil.

As for the broth from boiling the chicken, Jing Qingxin made good use of it so it wouldn't go to waste. She threw in termite mushrooms, red dates, and goji berries to make a nourishing chicken and mushroom soup. She divided the portion of lean pork she bought into two parts: one half was made into boiled pork slices in chili oil over a bed of green vegetables, and the other half was stir-fried with wood ear mushrooms.

There was also a small basin of meaty bones they had bought that morning. Although they couldn't compare to pork ribs, there was still a decent layer of meat on the bones. She made them into braised meaty bones, which would be quite nice to gnaw on.

As for the vegetables, she used the basket she had brought out earlier to make stir-fried sweet potatoes and eggplants, a smashed cucumber salad, sour and spicy shredded potatoes, and a tomato and scrambled egg stir-fry.

In total, Jing Qingxin prepared six meat dishes, three vegetable dishes, and one soup. It was worth noting that in this era, eggs were considered a luxury and counted as a meat dish. Ultimately, it came to exactly ten dishes—symbolizing perfection and completion.

Although there weren't many different kinds of dishes, Jing Qingxin made sure the portions were generous. Unlike the modern era, which chased after delicate presentation with tiny portions on plates, she served hearty amounts.

For the staple food, it was naturally rice. However, Jing Qingxin did not use pure white rice. With so many people, they couldn't afford to eat like that. Instead, she mixed in some coarse grains to steam a pot of mixed-grain rice. Even so, it was far better than pure coarse grains.

Jing Qingxin actually had plenty of supplies in her spatial dimension—she lacked neither rice nor meat—but explaining their origin would be too much trouble. She could only do her best to prepare a wonderful meal using the ingredients she could openly produce.

As the dishes were brought to the table one by one, the guests sitting in the main room looked on in astonishment. Staring at the table full of food, with several dishes prepared in ways they had never seen before, they couldn't help but marvel in their hearts: *Tonight's spread is so abundant! It's practically a Lunar New Year's Eve feast. No, some families might not even eat this well on New Year's Eve!*

Among them, two children couldn't help but swallow their saliva, pursing their lips. It had been so long since they last ate such a rich spread of meat! There was so much meat!

Among the guests invited today was Jing Suyun's cousin, Jiang Feng, and his wife, He Xiaohua. Jiang Feng looked like an honest and simple man, but his eyes were very bright, suggesting he was someone with a sharp mind. His wife had a faint smile on her face, but her features carried a sharp, bitter look, making her seem difficult to get along with.

The couple had a son and a daughter. Their daughter, Jiang Min, was eighteen years old. She sat quietly with her head lowered. Their son, Jiang Dongliang, was eight years old. He looked somewhat thin and frail, his small eyes darting around as he continuously stuffed candies into his mouth.

The Jiang family did not have a strong background, nor were they a prominent household, so they had not been affected by the past political turmoil. However, because they held urban household registration, their lives were passable. Jing Suyun's maternal family had only her as an only child, so after the turmoil, this cousin's family was the only relatives she had left, which was why they still kept in touch.

There was also a fifty-six-year-old man, Zhao Bowen, who was an old friend of Zhang Liangping and his wife. He had also been in education once. His wife had not survived the turmoil of those years and had passed away several years ago. Fearing they would be implicated, his only son's family had fled abroad to seek refuge, leaving him all alone. He was now assigned by the organization to this same alley, working as a street sweeper.

The three elders had known each other for decades and had gone through the turmoil together. Now that they were living in the same area, and none of them had children by their side, they had grown even closer over the years, supporting and caring for one another.

Finally, there was the family of three of Gao Shen's good brother, Zeng Lin. Zeng Lin's wife had a round face and a slightly plump build, looking neat and capable. The couple had a five-year-old son named Zeng Aijun, who looked sturdy and energetic. Perhaps because both parents had decent jobs, the child looked very robust, unlike most children of this era who were thin and small.

After finishing the cooking, Jing Qingxin went to the room to freshen up briefly, as the busy work had left her covered in sweat and the smell of cooking oil.

When Jing Qingxin entered the main room, Zhang Liangping quickly waved his hand and said, "Alright, everyone, please take your seats! Don't be formal, make yourselves at home!"

Before they sat down, Zhang Liangping had already introduced everyone to one another and explained the purpose of this gathering, using the explanation that Gao Shen had requested earlier.

When Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen entered, Zhang Liangping naturally introduced them to the group. Since everyone present was a close friend or relative, there was no need for too much formality. However, upon hearing that Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen were soon to hold their wedding banquet, everyone offered their congratulations.