Reborn in 1979: I Raised a Fortune with Four Daughters

Chapter 56 Invitation

Zhao Yuan watched his daughters neatly finish writing calligraphy, nodded in satisfaction, left Zhou Jiefang to continue accompanying his two daughters in writing calligraphy, and then went to prepare dinner.

Lin Fangfang and Zhaoyuan were busy in the kitchen. Yu Hongmei came back from the fields, carrying a fish, and offered to help.

"Hongmei, you're too kind. Why did you bring a dried fish when you came to eat? Are you worried that we won't have any food?"

Lin Fangfang happily accepted the fish.

"The scholar caught it in a cage in the river this morning. It was originally intended for dinner, but since my whole family has come here, I brought it along for everyone to eat together. I'm afraid it will die if we leave it too long."

As she spoke, Yu Hongmei rolled up her sleeves and joined in the preparations for dinner.

Everyone quickly prepared a sumptuous meal, including braised pork, braised pork offal, braised pig's face, braised pig's ears, steamed fish, pig's blood tofu, ham sausage, and stir-fried vegetables—eight dishes in total.

After practicing calligraphy, Zhao Zhaodi and Zhao Laidi played hide-and-seek with Zhao Jieyuan's two children in the courtyard.

Before long, Zhao Jieyuan, Zhao San, and Li Dawen arrived one after another, and the room instantly became lively.

Lin Fangfang shouted loudly towards the door, "Dinner's ready! Zhaodi, everyone come home for dinner!"

After saying that, she turned around and moved into the main room, where she quickly began to set out the bowls and chopsticks.

The children playing outside rushed back home as soon as they heard the call to eat.

"Don't rush, go wash your hands first, then we'll get ready to eat!"

Just then, Zhaoyuan came out of the kitchen carrying several steaming dishes in his hands. He glanced at the children and saw that they were all covered in sweat. He quickly told the children to wash their hands.

So, several children quickly gathered around the water vat, vying to wash their little hands.

Before long, all the dishes were neatly placed on the table.

The children gathered around the table, their eyes shining as they gazed at the abundant food spread out before them, their mouths watering and their mouths watering. They kept murmuring:

Wow, there's so much delicious food today!

At this moment, Yu Hongmei also came out with the last dish and settled the children down at the small table next to her.

Each child had a large bowl, and Yu Hongmei carefully served each child food. Once everything was ready, the children happily took their bowls of food and sat down at the small table.

Zhao Jieyuan's son, Zhao Jie, picked up a piece of sausage, put it in his mouth, chewed it a few times, and then couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, Zhao Di, did your father make this dish? It tastes absolutely amazing!"

Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Yun chimed in, "Yes, yes, it's really super delicious!"

And so, the children devoured the food with great gusto, each one eating with utter relish.

The children quickly devoured the food and then swarmed outside to play.

The adults sat around the large table in the main room, drinking and chatting enthusiastically.

At this moment, Zhao Jieyuan picked up a fragrant piece of ham sausage and put it in his mouth to chew. The rich and mellow taste instantly intoxicated him, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Zhaoyuan, what kind of dish is this? It's so delicious, no wonder the little ones like it so much!"

Upon hearing this, everyone became curious and eagerly picked up their chopsticks to try it. A chorus of clear, pleasant sounds filled the air as the chopsticks clattered against the plates.

"Mmm..." Accompanied by bursts of satisfied exclamations, everyone praised Zhao Yuan's cooking skills.

Zhao San asked curiously, "Zhao Yuan, when did you learn to cook these dishes? I've never seen you cook like this before!"

Faced with everyone's questions, Zhao Yuan smiled and answered humbly, and introduced the various dishes on the table to everyone in detail: "This is braised pork intestines, that is braised pig face, braised pig ears, and ham sausage. We have a master chef as our teacher and learned from him."

In the blink of an eye, the several plates of carefully prepared braised dishes and tempting sausages were swept away like a whirlwind.

Only then did everyone realize that they had fine wine to accompany them, so they all picked up their glasses and leisurely savored the wine. As they enjoyed the food, they talked about the latest happenings in the village, their laughter and chatter creating a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.

After a few rounds of drinks, Zhao San, slightly tipsy, had a flushed face and glazed eyes, but his mind remained clear. He suddenly broke the silence, asking Zhao Yuan a question in slightly indistinct words:

"Hey Zhaoyuan, where have you made your fortune lately? If you have, don't forget your brothers! Can you lead us all to get rich together?"

As he spoke, he raised his wine glass and leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation and excitement.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Yuan first coughed lightly twice to clear his throat, and then answered unhurriedly:

"Hey everyone, I did go to Huacheng a while ago and did some fireworks trading, making a small profit. But this is just the beginning; there's more to come! I've even apprenticed myself to a renowned chef, learning the secrets of making braised dishes and sausages. I'm planning to open a braised dish shop, so please come and support me! Also, I'm thinking of setting up a company that specializes in exporting fireworks..."

Zhao Yuan recounted these events one by one, his tone as calm as still water, as if he were recounting some ordinary trifles. However, he was actually deliberately avoiding the key points, only revealing the less important details. After all, some things were not yet ready to be fully disclosed; the time was not yet ripe.

Finally, Zhao Yuan patted his chest and said, "If all these things I've planned can be accomplished smoothly, I'll definitely need the strong support of all of you brothers. At that time, I hope you brothers will do everything in your power to help me out!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhao San eagerly chimed in, "Of course! We're all hoping you can lead us to great success!"

The others echoed their sentiments, expressing their full support for Zhao Yuan's plan. The atmosphere inside the room was instantly lively, filled with anticipation and longing for a bright future.

"However, I have to say something unpleasant upfront! We may be good brothers, but this matter still needs to be handled properly. We can't just do it half-heartedly! If we mess things up, then don't even think about staying here doing nothing! After all, even brothers need to keep clear accounts, right? Don't blame me later, brothers!"

Fueled by alcohol, Zhao Yuan spoke these words with great conviction.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jieyuan immediately nodded in agreement: "That's right, that's right, it's definitely unacceptable to not do things well!"

As he spoke, he picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

Then Zhao San chimed in, "Yes, yes, Zhao Yuan is right. We are all honest people, and we should always be reasonable in everything we do."

After saying that, he raised his glass and clinked it with everyone's.

The last to speak was Li Dawen, who said with a serious expression:

"Yes, that's true. If someone doesn't do their job properly, we will absolutely not tolerate it."

After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.

Zhou Jiefang abruptly stood up, picked up his wine glass, looked sincerely at Zhao Yuan, and said loudly:

"Brother Zhao! I am truly grateful! This glass of wine must be offered to you and Sister Fangfang! All our affection is contained in this drink!"

Before he finished speaking, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp, displaying a bold and unrestrained spirit.

Seeing this, Zhao Yuan smiled slightly and raised his glass in response, saying, "Brother Jiefang, there's no need to be so polite! Once we return to the city, everything will surely go smoothly, and your future will be bright and limitless!"

After saying that, he also drank the fine wine in his glass with the same gusto.

……

As time went on, these grown men gradually became somewhat drunk, and their voices grew louder and louder, but Lin Fangfang's face alone became increasingly gloomy and unpleasant.

Yu Hongmei, who was standing nearby, keenly noticed Lin Fangfang's unusual behavior and knew what she was worried about—nothing more than fear that Zhaoyuan would throw a tantrum and act recklessly again after getting drunk.

So, Yu Hongmei stood up and gently tugged at Zhao Jieyuan's sleeve. As clever as Zhao Jieyuan was, he instantly understood Yu Hongmei's intention. He waved his hand and said loudly:

"Alright, alright! We've had our fun today! Let's finish the rest of the drinks and head home!"