There is actually no certain ceremony for holding a birthday banquet.

Children and grandchildren do not kowtow to the elderly.

My grandparents changed into new clothes and greeted guests as hosts as they usually do during the New Year's holidays.

Look at the seats, pour tea, hand cigarettes.

The visitor said goodbye, and the old man accepted it happily.

It can be seen that the two old men are very happy, the grandmother's body is already rickety, but the grandfather is still very tough, can eat, drink and sleep, and laughs loudly, but the top of his head is bald.

Because of this birthday banquet, Zhang Yuanjun's three brothers and sisters also met many relatives who couldn't see each other for three or five years.

For example, my uncle, who lives in my aunt's house on the river beach and is a teacher in the town's elementary school.

A niece who is only three years younger than Zhang Yuanjun, but wants to call his uncle.

There is also a little kid who sits in a cradle and sleeps in the same generation as his parents and uncles.

The three brothers and sisters don't have to work, they just sit on the edge of the stove in the corner of the wall to roast the fire, some relatives and grandfathers will not introduce them, but some see the three of them and take the initiative to say:

"These are the three of your second family, they are so beautiful."

Grandpa will be introduced, this is who is who, the three brothers and sisters are called people.

Zhang Yuanying couldn't get used to the smell of smoke in the room, so he sat for a while and left with Zhang Yuanjun.

The eldest and several siblings of the aunt and uncle's family were on hand to deal with the visitors.

Zhang Yuanying held his brother's arm, and the two walked on the country road.

The two of them talked about interesting stories about their childhood in the village.

"When I was 10 years old, you boys played with fire and burned down people's firewood houses, and the gang was so scared that they cried."

This is the reason why Zhang Yuanjun is afraid of fire.

"Dad almost beat me to death that day."

"That's what you should beat, is it you who takes the lead?"

"I brought it, it was the eldest son of the Jiugen family who took us to set off firecrackers, and he was the first to run when the fire caught fire."

The sisters and brothers looked at this and that, and someone with a face on the road asked, "You belong to Xiulian's family, right?" ”

"Yes."

"It's grown so big. You're the boss. ”

"I'm the third."

"Then this girl is the second child, a dragon and phoenix fetus, and she is really well raised."

The siblings smiled awkwardly and catered to each other.

The two walked from the bottom of the slope to the grandmother's house on the slope.

Grandma and aunt were at home, and uncle helped cook.

Grandma took Zhang Yuanying's hand and said affectionately: "Hey, cub, it's cold, come on." ”

The eldest aunt poured hot water and took snacks.

The two of them hurriedly said no.

Grandma asked the two of them to come back for a few days this time, and she was a little unhappy to learn that Zhang Yuanjun would leave tomorrow.

When they learned that Zhang Yuanying had a week off and Zhang Leping had a ten-day holiday, the old man happily asked them to live at home.

After chatting for half an hour, the door was pushed open.

Father Zhang came in, and as soon as he entered the door, he sat on the edge of the fire: "It's only December, and it's so cold." ”

"Why did you come back so late?" Grandma asked.

"Isn't the capital going to open a branch, I just came back from the capital, and I have to settle the bill at the end of the year, and there are many things."

"Are you going to your mother-in-law?"

"My car was parked underneath and I said hello and came up."

Zhang Yuanjun poured a cup of hot water for his father.

Zhang's father inquired about the situation at home and learned that everything was fine.

"It's just that Le'an's marriage has not been decided."

"Still don't agree?"

"I don't agree, I think Le'an hasn't studied and doesn't have a serious job."

Zhang Le'an was very tough in the first few years, unwilling to accept the assistance of his second uncle, and after a few years, he obediently went to the back kitchen of Yujiangnan as an apprentice.

Zhang's father promised him to take up his post as soon as he left the school.

"No matter how the world changes, people still have to eat, and if they want to eat, they must have a cook." Zhang's father persuaded him at the time, "Chefs don't look at your diploma, and they are not afraid to learn their skills and travel all over the world." ”

"The girl's family also has no eyesight, just see that Leping is not good now, learn it, two or three thousand yuan a month, the girl also comes over, do whatever she wants, eat and live in the restaurant, don't spend indiscriminately, and save thirty or forty thousand yuan a year with her eyes closed." Zhang's father also intends to help his nephew.

"That's what I told her family, and they said that uncles are always uncles, and what they owe must always be repaid."

"It's scary." Zhang's father scoffed at the woman's thoughts, "Will I still treat my own nephew badly?" ”

Zhang Yuanjun and Zhang Yuanying listened to the excitement and exchanged glances, and they both read the meaning of "I have seen a long time" from each other's eyes.

As soon as he said a few words, the door was pushed open, and a loud voice shouted: "It's time to eat, Donggen, you sit down at the table today, you are still nesting here, take your family away." "Every family invites guests, they will call people from door to door.

"I'll sit on the table, let the boss sit." Zhang's father responded with a smile and took the family out to the auditorium.

The banquet opened at half past eleven o'clock at noon, and Zhang's father refused twice, but was still pulled to the main table to sit with his grandparents.

Zhang Yuanjun and other juniors are naturally at other tables.

This kind of feast is just a meal for some people, and an important social gathering for others.

Zhang Yuanjun just wanted to hurry up and leave after eating, burying his head in eating and ignoring anything else.

Today's meal was indeed much better than the country banquet he had eaten before, and the good food was not bought in vain.

When Zhang Yuanjun went to serve the second bowl of rice, a neat buzz sounded in the already noisy auditorium.

A group of people came in through the door, five.

Zhang Yuanjun hadn't seen it, but he heard it and said that the leaders of the town and the county came to pay homage to the old man.

Why do you give birthday greetings to the elderly, my grandparents are ordinary rural old men and old ladies, and the leaders of the town and county come to pay their birthday greetings? Who believes.

It must have come for Zhang's father.

Zhang's father is 365 days a year, except for the New Year's meeting to return to Luling, he is basically not in his hometown at other times, and they can't see anyone if they want to.

The main table was very lively, pushing and pulling, pulling a few leaders to sit down.

The village chief and the village party secretary, who were on the table before, came down.

Zhang Yuanjun was not interested in these Taoists and continued to eat.

"Do you smoke?" An unknown aunt at the same table asked with a cigarette on the table.

No one answered.

The aunt smiled: "If no one smokes me, I'll take it." It's a good cigarette, more than 20 yuan a pack. ”

The three brothers and sisters of the Zhang family only smiled, and after each finished eating, they put down the dishes and chopsticks and left.

Sure enough, an hour passed, the banquet was dispersed, the grandparents went back after eating, and Zhang's father and the leaders were still sitting in the auditorium talking.

It wasn't until 2 p.m. that the leaders left in the car with happy faces.

Zhang's father dragged his heavy and tired body back, and his mother asked him to lie down in the room.

My father said no, so he sat by the fire and talked to his family, but before he could say a word, he saw him dozing off with his head down and squinting.

I didn't invite guests at night, and my family ate together.

As soon as I ate it, someone came to the door and said that he wanted to reconcile the accounts.

Zhang Yuanjun's uncle said: "It's all your own family, you are right, come to me for reimbursement." ”

"It's not like that, it's a stroke, it's all from the village, and the friendship of several lifetimes must be calculated clearly, otherwise it will hurt the feelings."

"Okay, okay, let's do the math."

The Zhang family did not participate in the accounting, and after dinner, the family went back in two cars.

At noon the next day, Zhang Yuanjun said goodbye to his parents, brothers and sisters, and set off to return to the crew alone.