I don’t know what Dong Yao said to Shen Qingju, but when she returned to the kitchen, she seemed absent-minded.
Shen Qinghe called her to serve dishes, but she didn’t respond even after several times.
In the end, Shen Qinghe and Shen Qinglan served the dishes together.
Shen Qingfeng cooked a lot of dishes; there was a big basin of meat alone, several vegetable dishes, and a large pot of cabbage tofu soup.
Originally, Shen He was happy and wanted to treat the family to a meal, but in the end, he also called a few more people, including the village chief of Lishui Village.
Two tables were set in the courtyard, one for men and one for women.
During the meal, Shen Qingju occasionally glanced over at Li Wei with eyes full of concern.
Shen Qinghe and Shen Qinglan exchanged a look, one lowered her head and chuckled, the other remained expressionless and continued to eat meat.
Madam Jiang was serving Shen Tao and said, "After the autumn harvest, Qinghe will get married, then it will be Qingju’s turn, and in another two or three years it will be Qinglan’s. It won’t be as lively then."
When it came to her own marriage, Shen Qinghe blushed.
"Brother-in-law said he would marry into our family."
Shen Qinglan suddenly chimed in, surprising everyone.
But Shen Qingju was furious and glared at Shen Qinglan, "What nonsense are you talking? Who’s your brother-in-law? Even with so much to eat, you can’t keep your mouth shut."
Shen Qinglan wasn’t afraid of Shen Qingju; even after being scolded, her expression didn’t change as she continued to eat and drink.
The meal lasted from noon until late afternoon. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝔫𝔢𝔱
Shen He and his group drank until their faces turned red; even Shen Qingzhu and Shen Qingfeng were so tipsy that their steps were noticeably lighter.
Li Wei also drank two bowls, but his expression didn’t change. The imprint on his face had faded, but he still looked a bit bruised.
From the moment he left the table, his gaze lingered around Shen Qingju.
Shen Qingju blushed under his gaze and finally urged Shen Qinglan to go over and help Shen Qinghe collect the dishes while she hurriedly ran back to the kitchen.
"Qinglan, give the dishes to your aunt and go play."
As soon as Shen Qinglan picked up a dish, it was taken away by Madam Jiang.
She stood there for a while, and when she saw that the dishes were almost cleared by Madam Jiang and others, she moved aside and stood absent-mindedly.
Shen Qingzhu and Shen Qingfeng had long fallen asleep on a bamboo bed in the courtyard.
Old Master Shen, Old Master Li, and the village chief continued chatting, mostly about some old stories of Lishui Village.
The village chief noticed Shen Qinglan nearby and chuckled, "Is this little Qinglan? I heard you’ve recovered; Grandpa He has been busy in the town and hasn’t had the chance to visit you."
The village chief’s surname is He, and he is in his sixties. He’s a kind old man and seems to have a good relationship with Old Master Shen and Old Master Li.
At the very least, Shen Qinglan learned from their conversation that they had a good relationship when they were younger.
Shen Qinglan slightly smiled and said, "Hello, Grandpa He!"
The village chief nodded and replied, "Ah~ it’s good that you’ve recovered! When you have time, go and find Qiutian to play. She grew up away from here and doesn’t have many friends here. It would be nice for her to have a companion."
Shen Qinglan nodded without saying more.
He Qiutian is the village chief’s granddaughter, the same age as Shen Qinglan, but it’s said she’s not very likable.
He Qiutian’s maternal grandparents have a business. Although they’re not immensely wealthy, she certainly doesn’t have to worry about food and clothing.
He Qiutian grew up in town and only returned last year for the New Year; she probably doesn’t take to village life well.
Shen Qinglan wouldn’t bother herself with unnecessary trouble. Besides, though her body is young, her soul is close to thirty.
Having her play with a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl with a somewhat pampered nature is less appealing than going to pick bird nests with Shen Qingzhu and Shen Qingping on the mountain.