Once Princess Wanning dismissed them, Xu Qingfan and the rest couldn't hold it in anymore and burst into laughter.
By the time they got back, it was already twenty past twelve. After sitting for a while, the same group of kids came in from outside and called for "Princess" to eat.
The five of them teased Lin Wanning a bit more and left jokingly.
Lin Wanning's cousins had already claimed their spots, just right at a table that wasn't sunlit.
Xu Qingfan and his group sat with the kids, and as soon as they were seated, the aunt responsible for serving dishes sprang into action.
Lobster and green crab were considered standard on each table, along with items like East Star Grouper, King Crab, and individual shark's fin soup for everyone. The cost per table was estimated at five to six thousand.
Here in Minzhong, hosting banquets is mostly about generating word-of-mouth. Gifts and gestures are casual, between relatives a simple twenty yuan is enough. Guests like Xu Qingfan who came from afar aren't expected to give anything, and they even receive parting gifts when leaving.
The liquor was Maotai, the cigarettes were Soft China, and seeing that Xu Qingfan's table was seated with kids, many were well-prepared for some sneaky tactics.
"Brother, do you smoke? If not, I can take it home for my dad." Lin Wanning's little cousin asked directly.
"Brother doesn't smoke." Xu Qingfan smiled and shook his head, handing her the cigarettes.
"Thanks, brother!" Sincerity is always a killing move, as the little girl thanked him with a smile.
It seems children in the southern regions have good upbringing; they behave like children should and don't rush to grab food like they haven't eaten in days.
The five on the plane hadn't eaten anything and were now hungry, so they stopped chatting to fill their stomachs first.
The aunts and uncles were very hospitable, frequently approaching to ask how the dishes tasted and if they wanted more, even the expensive King Crab was offered again.
The lunch lasted almost an hour. Not fond of drinking white spirits, the last bottle of Maotai was also given to the little girl to bring home for her dad.
Other tables began to gradually clear out too, packing up leftover food with preservation bags, but the real battle for retention was over the cigarettes and alcohol.
You'll find that as soon as you place a bottle of liquor under your feet, without anyone noticing, in the next moment both the spirits and cola are gone.
The little cousin was clearly seasoned in sneaky tactics, clutching the unopened Maotai tightly. When asked about it, she'd say it was for her dad, leaving guests embarrassed to snatch it directly.
After finishing their meal, Xu Qingfan and the group returned to the house, followed by a few little tails.
"Make yourselves at home; treat this place like your own. Wanning, why don't you take everyone to choose rooms?" Wen Wanqing, a bit flushed from the white spirit, greeted them after they entered.
"We were just about to eat and didn't have a chance." Lin Wanning defended herself.
"Auntie, you continue hosting the guests, Wanning being with us is enough. Drink a little less and have uncle drink less too." Xu Qingfan suggested.
"Alright, I've only had a few glasses. I'll mention it to him later." Wen Wanqing nodded with a smile, growing even fonder of Xu Qingfan.
After Wen Wanqing left, Lin Wanning stood up and said to the group: "I'll take everyone to see the rooms. Mine is quite large; want to sleep together tonight? Brother Qingfan can have the room next door!"
Lin Wanning's foot was fine for walking, but she couldn't put full weight on her right foot, so Zhang Yiyi supported her.
"The first floor is where grandpa and grandma live; the second is second uncle's family; third is the third uncle's; and we're on the fourth floor." The house had a small elevator, but it couldn't accommodate six people at once, so Lin Wanning led them up the stairs.
"Third floor is third uncle; shouldn't the fourth be fourth uncle?" Xiao Ruawen used a lame joke.
"Fourth uncle is dad, duh!" Lin Wanning looked as if asking are you stupid.
As for why there's no eldest uncle, this is a common thing in rural areas.
In the past, with poor medical conditions, raising a child wasn't easy, so people thought to have more children.
"The oldest uncle passed away in childhood." Lin Wanning added.
"Ah, sorry, sorry." Xiao Ruawen apologized with hands clasped together.
"It's okay, this is my room, let's all sleep together tonight." Lin Wanning opened her bedroom door, revealing a princess bed straight out of a fairy tale, with pink-painted walls.
No wonder her cousins call her Princess.
"Yeah, yeah, let's sleep together, except for Brother Chou Fan!" Xiao Ruawen raised her hand saying.
Wu Lingyu, Xia Xiaoxiao, and Zhang Yiyi also raised their hands.
In an unfamiliar place, sleeping with familiar people is better than sleeping alone.
"Just leave your luggage in the corner, Brother Qingfan's room is next door, I'll take you there!" Lin Wanning led Xu Qingfan away.
There wasn't much to see in the next room: a bed, wardrobe, desk and chair, all ordinary.
After placing his luggage in the corner, Xu Qingfan sat on the bed, testing the mattress's firmness. It was decent, not too uncomfortable.
"The quilt and pillow are new, they've been sun-dried in advance and have that sun smell." Lin Wanning sat on the bed with him, picked up a pillow, and sniffed it.
"Yeah, thanks, Wanning." Xu Qingfan patted her head and helped her out of the room.
Lin Wanning's younger siblings were still squatting by the door when Xu Qingfan asked puzzled: "Why are you squatting at the door? Aren't you going in?"