In the main room, there were still quite a few people. Uncle Zhang and Uncle Zhang along with some cousins were all seated. The men were chatting enthusiastically. Mr. Zhang and his brothers, along with Zhou Xiaozheng, reminisced about their youthful years, often bantering and teasing each other, causing the younger ones nearby to laugh secretly. The large table full of meat dishes remained mostly untouched as they drank and chatted.
When Lin Lishan and Mother Zhang entered, everyone invited them to sit down, but after declining several times, Lin Lishan and the other returned to the room.
Uncle Zhang had just finished recounting the village’s hunting scenes of past years, talking about drinking dragon soup and roasting venison in the winter, making everyone present feel excited.
Uncle Zhang’s eldest son, Zhang Qingshan, shouted, "Dad, don’t just focus on talking. Have a bite to eat; Auntie’s dishes are even tastier than what you roast in the wild."
Uncle Zhang glanced at him disdainfully, "You haven’t experienced grilling meat in the snow and drinking at the same time — that’s the fun, got it? People with culture enjoy watching plum blossoms and drinking snow-boiled water in the winter. It’s all about the pleasure."
Everyone laughed heartily. Weren’t those ancient scholars indeed out in the snow seeking poems, brewing tea and enjoying the snow, reciting poetry for pleasure? And now, in the winter, families gather around the stove. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝔫𝔢𝔱
Mr. Zhang watched everyone cheerfully and said to Zhou Xiaozheng, "We will enter the mountain the day after tomorrow. Want to come? You haven’t forgotten your hunting skills, right?"
Zhou Xiaozheng, sipping his drink, glanced at him sideways and boasted, "I was no match for you back then, but now you’re no match for me. Count me in for the day after tomorrow, I’m going to hunt a tiger for my girl, and get her a tiger skin to play with."
Uncle Zhang and Uncle Zhang heard this and burst into laughter, raising their glasses to toast him, "Whether or not we hit a tiger, we’ll drink to your bold words. This year, we’ll see if a tiger comes out; if we hit it, the tiger skin will be for your girl to play with."
Brother Zhang, Zhang Qingfeng, the eldest son from third family Uncle Zhang, was a playful type; he teased Zhang Guoqing, "Xiao Wu, your father-in-law’s hunting a tiger skin for your little wife; what do you plan to hunt for your little wife?"
Several cousins watched Qinghe teasing Xiao Wu without interrupting, all happily spectating.
Zhang Guoqing looked at these folks and said with a grin, "I won’t compete with my father-in-law; I plan to hunt a pretty bird for my son to play with."
The crowd burst into laughter, making Mr. Zhang and the rest notice the laughter, curiously asking what was going on; Zhang Guofu explained with a smile.
Mr. Zhang laughed and scolded, "Little rascal, you’re so cunning; I thought you’d hunt a leopard. Your wife would surely like that leopard skin."
"Exactly, hunt a leopard. That skin could compete with tiger skin. You plan to hunt a bird, yet go up the mountain; be careful your father-in-law gets angry and drags your wife back to her mother’s house."
Everyone nearby joked, "Xiao Wu, get your son a sable, that fur would make a diaper better than a white diaper; it’s warmer and prettier."
"Hey, Xiao Wu, heard your sister-in-law Chunlan say your son’s diapers are whiter than towels, hanging in the courtyard so white each little kid comes to see them; tell me, is it true they’re all rash-free?"
"No need to ask Xiao Wu, I know. Indeed, no rashes appear; look, city doctors use white gauze for bandaging. I saw that diaper is even thicker than white gauze, woven tightly."
Zhang Qingfeng winked at him and said, "Third Brother, you’re something; even researched it. Now tell me, is Third Sister-in-law’s woven cloth sturdy or not?" Just as he finished speaking.
Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter, surrounding Zhang Qingfeng to beat him up, especially Third Brother Zhang who poured wine into his mouth.
Uncle Zhang looked at Zhou Xiaozheng, who was confused and couldn’t find his way, and explained with laughter, "My third daughter-in-law knows everything except for weaving cloth. She tried weaving a piece of coarse cloth once; in the beginning, it seemed fine, so hurriedly made it into pants. Just that same day, wearing new pants and not going to the field, went with them to hand over public grain. Didn’t make it to the township; halfway there, the cart got stuck in a pit, he squatted down, pushed hard forward, and accidentally, the pants burst open right there. These naughty kids still remember."
Zhou Xiaozheng laughed heartily upon hearing this, indeed the quality was too poor; rural women know once they weave good cloth, they starch it and wash it, then they understand if the coarse cloth is useful or not. Guess that daughter-in-law was an impatient type, hurrying him to wear them after finishing, without pulling the cloth taut. Squatting and pushing carts, even commercial thin cloth wouldn’t withstand this, let alone a novice’s coarse cloth.