aircannonsinc Chapter 77 The Grand Banquet in the Auditorium
Chapter 77 The Grand Banquet in the Auditorium
Several villages near Zhangjia Village each have their own meeting hall. Weddings and funerals are held there. Inside, the hall has an eight-immortal table bought with money from the village committee, and colorful stools painted red. When things are lively, the hall can be packed with people.
When Zhang Niu arrived, a number of villagers had gathered around the well in the village hall, watching the spectacle. This brought a little amusement to the otherwise dull village life.
"Third Uncle, could this fish have become a demon?" a young man shouted from outside.
"Yes! Yes. How can it grow up if it doesn't become a demon?"
"I haven't seen a fish this big in thirty years."
A superstitious old woman in the village clasped her hands together in prayer. "Fish demon, just don't come looking for us after you die. Take your life elsewhere." Many others were muttering the same thing. No one in the village said anything. They were all watching the large fish that was about to be gutted.
Directly in front of the well sat Uncle San, one of the village's most respected elders. An elderly man in his fifties, his head was full of white hair streaked with black. His hands, marked with age spots, frequently stroked his white beard. A smile played on his lips as he looked at the bustling crowd before him.
They hired Master Zhang, the village's butcher, to butcher the fish. Don't let his butchering skills fool you; his fish-gutting skills are top-notch too. This fish weighed at least 300 pounds; even a novice couldn't handle it. Several young men were busy drawing water. The well water in April was neither too hot nor too cold.
Zhang Niu spotted Xiao Hua as soon as he entered the crowd.
"You're only just getting here? You really sleep late, and your messy hair is quite something." Xiao Hua couldn't help but laugh when she saw Zhang Niu's messy hair as she walked over.
This is also Zhang Niu's fault. He's not used to combing his hair when he gets up early. At most, he'll just run his fingers through it a few times and that's it. Then he goes out to do his things, and after a while, he naturally forgets that this is really embarrassing.
"Well, it's just that I was busy in the morning. Look," Zhang Niu said, pointing to the mud on his trouser legs. "It's dry from the morning. We hardworking people are always busy."
"Keep it up! Nobody believes you."
Zhang Niu had no choice but to examine the large fish first. It was 1.7 meters long and weighed over 300 kilograms—good heavens! It had a triangular head and two whiskers near its mouth. The fish's entire body was covered in tightly packed black scales. Its dorsal fins were bristled with large, sharp spines. However, many scales had fallen off, revealing tender red flesh. Its tail was different from other fish; it swayed wildly, resembling the wide, sweeping motion of a bamboo broom.
"Hey, you're here too." A figure suddenly appeared from the side.
Zhang Niu was delighted to see the figure appear. "Good lad, when did you get back?"
The figure in front of me was a young man over 1.8 meters tall with a square face, wearing an oversized white vest. His well-defined muscles were clearly visible. No wonder he was an athlete in my old school.
Wang Haiyong. A buddy from middle school in the village. He was always involved in fights. Back when Zhang Niu and the others were still 1.6 meters tall, Haiyong had already grown to 1.78 meters. With that physique, he was known as the village's number one bully. This guy was also a troublemaker.
"Yes. I just got back to the village and heard that the villagers found this big fish by the stream. It seems I'm lucky to have come back this time." He swallowed a few times.
"You haven't changed much from before... How are you doing out there?"
Hai laughed and said, "Not bad, but it's not as fun as when we were in school."
As people grow up, they all drift apart. The large group of young men I used to hang out with hardly ever see each other again, not even during Chinese New Year.
"Doggy, you're back too."
Haiyong, who was still laughing, immediately deflated upon hearing the voice. "Huahua, don't even mention your older brother... especially that 'dog' sound." He glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention. Thankfully, that was alright.
Haiyong wasn't afraid of fighting, except for Xiaohua from the village. Especially her dog. Haiyong used to sleep in winter without a mattress, relying solely on a cotton quilt. Around that time, the animal documentary showed animals called seals, and everyone started calling Haiyong that.
Hua Hua heard this and smiled even more brightly, "I'm going to call you that. Doggy, doggy..."
Hearing Zhang Niu laugh heartily, even this brat has his moments of weakness; he can't win a fight, but at least he can still laugh a few times.
He'd barely laughed a few times when he got a slap on the shoulder, the force of which almost made Zhang Niu lose his balance. Hai Yong rubbed his fist. "Still laughing... want a few more to make it feel better..."
"Taking a few more hits would be suicide." He quickly waved his hand, "No... this is enough..."
"You two, you start fighting as soon as you meet... It looks really awkward. But don't do that in front of me next time." She swung her pink fist a few times.
Haiyong knew that Xiaohua's anger was not pleasant to bear. "No, Huahua said she'll listen," he said, pulling Zhang Niu aside. "Right?"
Zhang Niu, under the pressure of Hai Yong's fists, said, "Yeah, wasn't that just a greeting between friends who haven't met before? There were hugs outside, weren't there? Why don't we try it?" He even stretched out his hands. But inwardly, he cursed, "You damn dog! You're bullying me again. I hope heaven sends someone to punish you right now."
Just as Zhang Niu had a thought, his third uncle, who was sitting in front of the well, called out, "Hey Haiyong, what are you doing standing there? Why aren't you coming in to help?"
The tall and burly Haiyong stood out from the crowd. Who told him to be wearing a vest so early in April? Even though Uncle San is old, his eyes and ears are still sharp; the younger generation doesn't dare speak loudly in his presence.
"You're here. I just got back and was saying hello to my friends." He said, stroking his buzz cut.
Third Uncle chuckled as he looked at Haiyong, who had come in to help.
"Uncle has good taste; he didn't let this lazybones slack off here," Xiaohua said with some dissatisfaction.
Looking at Haiyong drawing water, and then at the sky, it seems that God is quite fair after all.
"Hey, you stinky cow. What are you muttering about? You're not talking badly about me, are you?!" I noticed Zhang Niu muttering to himself.
When did this little flower become so attentive to people? Has she been away from the city for too long? She really is different. Grandma should go to the city more often in the future.
The gaze then drew Zhang Niu back to the well. It was time to start gutting the fish.
Hey you in front, get out of the way!
"They've gutted the fish... Aren't you coming over to see?"
There were many shouts outside, and quite a few people had already climbed over the wall. They could see much better from there, and others followed suit. There were just too many people outside. It was crowded. Zhang Niu was lucky to get in; Hai Yong, on the other hand, relied on his size. People made way for him.
Master Zhang had already sharpened a 50-centimeter-long, slightly curved fish knife, the gleam of its edge almost blinding. Good fish deserves a good knife. This fish knife is a treasure passed down through generations of Master Zhang's family, only brought out for special occasions like holidays. Today, he only took it out because he had encountered a large fish, one that hadn't been seen in decades. The curved blade allows for better gutting of the fish without damaging its interior.
The large, round fish belly was flipped up by the young men. Everyone initially assumed they would cut it open from the belly. However, they were all wrong. Zhang Niu and Xiao Hua couldn't figure it out either, let alone the villagers outside.
Master Zhang gave the signal. The young men flipped the fish over so that its body faced upwards.
Standing at the fish's head, Master Zhang slid the knife directly into the fish's neck. Then, he gently sliced down the fish's back; the villagers nearby could even hear the sound of the fishbone snapping.
Wow! This fish knife is truly a treasure passed down through generations. He could even hear the sound as he cut the fish; Zhang Niu's hearing was better than others, so he could clearly hear the sound of the fish knife breaking against the fish bones.
Master Zhang used to gut small fish. Now he slices them into pieces, which reduces the fishy smell. With a good knife in hand, Master Zhang works very quickly. A newly bought plastic sheet has been laid out next to the well.
The tender, red and white flesh was carefully cut off piece by piece. Once the fish meat was removed, the cleanly broken bones and bones were visible, drawing astonishment from many villagers. Everyone knew about this fish knife, but it seemed few had actually seen it before. Many were seeing it for the first time.
Zhang Niu secretly compared the fish knife to the sharp, swift blade, wondering if its ancestor was a江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) warrior. He started to let his imagination run wild again.
He was still gesturing with his hands, "What are you doing? Acting all mysterious."
"Nothing much. My hands are just a little itchy." He quickly scratched at it a few times. If he kept thinking about the fish knife, Xiaohua would tease him for it.
However, Xiaohua was still somewhat skeptical. "Itchy hands? That's ridiculous," she thought, but didn't say it aloud.
The upper part of the large fish had already been cut open. The method of removing the fish meat while leaving the large bones was used, prompting Uncle San, who was sitting there, to give a thumbs-up and say "Good!"
"Wow! This fish maw is huge!" exclaimed Master Zhang as he removed the fish meat.
The fish maw, about the size of a washbasin, was connected in place. The sharp bones along the edge were cut away. A final cut was made, and the fish maw was pulled out. "Haiyong, come here and take this to the kitchen. Be careful not to pop it. It won't taste good."
The house dogs outside all ran in and squatted on the ground waiting for food. Besides the fish maw, they also took the fish belly. Master Zhang didn't take the liver or anything else; he just took it out and threw it to the dogs below. A few of them even started fighting, barking incessantly.
The fish belly was left by the well.
The 1.7-meter-long fish is now reduced to bones. Not a single piece of fish meat was wasted. The young man watching this skill was itching to try it himself.
The remaining fish head. The gills were removed. The large, sharp teeth in the fish's mouth were revealed. A mouthful of sharp teeth, gleaming coldly; one could only imagine how big this creature was. It wouldn't be long before it became a demon.
When the fish was cut open, everyone was shocked to find it full of fish bones, presumably what was left after digestion. There were also some scraps of iron inside. It seems this creature ate everything. However, many villagers exclaimed that it was good the big fish was dead. Then they realized that if this big fish had stayed in this section of the river near Zhangjia Village and hadn't left in the summer, wouldn't it have eaten people?
After tidying up, Master Zhang put away his fish knife and stood in front of his third uncle. "Uncle, everything's settled now. I'll go back and put the knife away first."
She smiled and nodded. "Go ahead. You've worked hard today. Come back early tonight, don't keep everyone waiting," she said slowly.
"Okay, I understand." He turned and squeezed out of the crowd.
The most excited person about having fish for dinner was the little kid, jumping around shouting, "We're having big fish tonight!" which made everyone burst into laughter. These guys are really something. Kids always say whatever comes to mind. To put it nicely, they're just innocent and naive.
The crowd gradually dispersed. After all, they wouldn't be able to eat fish until evening. Once the excitement was over, they naturally had to get back to work. Zhang Niu had just heard from others that the fish-cooking party that night would be done by the village's best cook, with the help of many village women.
Haiyong, shaking the water off his hands, came out. "Still here? Are you waiting for me?"
"You wish. I'm waiting for my dog, not you." She rolled her eyes at Haiyong.
"You just got back. Come over to my place after you get home." Remembering that Haiyong had just returned and probably hadn't even been home yet, I should go home and check on him first.
"Okay. Let's go home and check things out first. We'll have a good drink tonight." Before leaving, he even asked Zhang Niu to have a drinking contest.
"And you, Flower, where are you planning to go?" she asked, looking at the remaining little flowers.
Blinking her big, round eyes, she said, "What do you think?" Just as Zhang Niu was confused, Xiao Hua's voice came from afar, "Idiot, you've fallen for it again."
This little girl just loves excitement, there's no way to stop her. Back then, there were more girls than girls in the village, and they all went to school together. Any outsider who tried to seduce a girl from this village would get a beating from Zhang Niu and Hai Yong's gang.
Just as Zhang Niu was about to leave, he was drawn to the fish bones left beside the well. The dog had already gnawed most of the fish meat off the bones. He thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to take them home and put them by the pond, and then have someone carve a fish head for them when he had time. But he still had to ask his third uncle first. He didn't want to break any taboos.
The older generation in the village are quite superstitious about this, but Uncle San is an exception. He used to be a teacher and had taught many students. He's a knowledgeable person who opposes superstition, and his bookshelves are full of rare and ancient books. He likes to read about gods and ghosts, saying that the world is full of wonders and that one should look into all sorts of strange things.
Seeing that it was still early, Zhang Niu decided to go to his third uncle's house. His third uncle's family was considered a scholarly family. His son and daughter both worked in the provincial capital and had come several times to invite him to come and enjoy a comfortable life, but they hadn't gone, saying that they were happy chatting and drinking tea at home.
My third uncle's house is an earthen house. As soon as I entered the front yard, I saw my third uncle sitting in a rattan chair, with the village chief standing next to him. They were probably discussing things for the evening.
"Hello, Third Uncle," he stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"Come, sit here." He patted the stone bench next to him. Before Zhang Niu could speak, his third uncle asked, "I heard you're contracting wasteland in the village, right? You're very motivated. Keep up the good work."
The village chief, who was standing nearby, also said, "Third Uncle, you were recuperating in the provincial capital last year. Did you know that Zhang Wa would bring a fortune to our village?"
"Oh, is that so? Tell Uncle San about it. Even an old man like him needs to hear it."
Sitting on the stone bench, Zhang Niu was surprised by the village chief's words. He was not unhappy, but it was good that his third uncle was paying attention to him.
"It's just that the village made some money raising ducks last year." What was supposed to be a long story became a short one as soon as it came out of his mouth.
"Not bad, very good. No wonder there are so many ducks in the village, and the wives of many families are raising quite a few. The village is lively every day with the quacking of ducks." He then stroked his beard.
Seeing his happy third uncle, Zhang Niu also told him what had come up: "Third Uncle, I wanted to ask if you still need those fish bones from today?"
The village chief couldn't quite figure out what use fish bones could possibly be. "After all, he's a scholar. Not bad, he has good judgment and doesn't need to be afraid of any taboos. I knew you'd be thinking of saying that," Zhang Niu had that as his next sentence, but his third uncle blurted it out.
"Your uncle can see right through your little schemes." He laughed as he patted the armrest of the rattan chair.
"Third Uncle, you're right. Thank you for your guidance." Zhang Niu pondered for a moment before uttering a few words in a somewhat literary style.
"I'm tired. My skin is sore from talking, I need to go inside and rest." The village chief quickly helped his third uncle into the house as he stood up. Turning back at the threshold, he added, "It's best to leave it in the wild grass for a few days, then come back to me later, and I'll prepare some herbs to remove the fishy smell."
Seeing his third uncle enter the house, Zhang Niu got up and went back inside.
The fish bones are still about 1.3 meters long, and I'm not afraid of the fishy smell. I'll carry them back to Happy Little Abode.
"Zhang Wa, what are you doing? Why are you carrying a fishbone like that?" Shengming asked as he turned the corner.
Hearing the sound while carrying the fishbone, Zhang Niu chuckled and said, "It's nothing, I'm just taking it back to display it, it looks nice."
Many people at the village entrance were curious when they saw Zhang Niu carrying the fish bones on his back. As soon as the fish was gutted, someone carried the fish bones back home, and Zhang Niu didn't say anything.
I walked up to the big rock at Happy Cottage and immediately threw it into the nearby bushes. "I'll just leave it like this for now," I thought, wiping the sweat from my brow.
The gravel road was difficult to walk on, let alone carrying these fish bones.
I'll just leave the fish bones here; I'm not afraid anyone will steal them. They're worthless. They probably wouldn't even look at them!
I had a quick lunch, not a very full one. Otherwise, I wouldn't have enough room for the fish and meat feast tonight. I'm quite shrewd, but many people in the village also eat on an empty stomach at noon and then have a huge dinner. There are quite a few of them.
After resting for a while, he pulled out the bundles of sugarcane seeds, each about 30 centimeters long, from the burlap sack. He had bought them at the town market a few days ago. Zhang Niu remembered that there were also quite a few green sugarcane mixed in, two different kinds.
Zhang Niu loves both sugarcane and green sugarcane, so he bought some to plant. He went out at noon carrying a sack. Quite a few willows have already been planted along the pond.
Zhang Niu planned to plant the sugarcane by the pond.
They dug a hole and took out a section of sugarcane seed, with the bud on top. The sugarcane grows from that inconspicuous bud, so they sparsely sprinkled a layer of seeds on top and stuck small bamboo sticks around it. They were just afraid that if they tamped down the soil, the seed wouldn't be able to sprout.
Both ponds were filled with sugarcane, and Zhang Niu, standing on the side, looked out at the rows of bamboo strips stuck in the ground, which had a bit of a wartime mine-detection feel to it. Anyway, not many people came here. He got used to it after seeing it a few times.
Zhang Niu was quite satisfied with his work just now; his hoeing skills had improved considerably, and he estimated that he would soon be a true farmer. He chuckled to himself.
After sitting by the pond and enjoying a comfortable massage from the little fish.
I just stood up and saw my reflection in the water, my hair all messy. Ugh. Washing my hair is such a hassle. I can't skip it tonight.
In the front yard, I saw the cat teasing the little turtle by the pond again. "Go away, go away. Go play somewhere else."
The cat, still playing, saw its owner approaching and pounced over. The cat is now chubby and round, with black and white feathers all over its body, especially its big, round eyes. However, it still annoys Zhang Niu. This little guy still can't fly; he's only learned to flap around a few times.
When will you be able to fly like Big Red and the others, little guy? Looking at Big Red on the treetop. There's no use in being impatient, let's just wait. Maybe after a while, you'll suddenly be able to fly. Gently stroking its little head. In return, it makes a few gurgling sounds.
Evening came quickly. Zhang Niu, who had just been lying at home for a while, changed into a clean set of clothes and headed to the assembly hall, where almost all of the hundred or so households from the village had arrived.
I saw many motorcycles parked around the gate, it seemed the young men from the county town had also returned. A chance to eat such a big fish is a once-in-a-lifetime event. The young men returned in the evening. Rushing back in the morning was simply because riding a motorcycle was a bit cold.
As soon as the car stopped, a pair of hands covered his face. "Huahua, stop fooling around." Zhang Niu didn't need to guess to know it was Huahua behind him. The faint fragrance he smelled that morning gave Huahua away.
"Hmph, can't you just pretend to guess for a bit?" Little Flower loosened her grip and pouted, saying unhappily.
Ignoring the cow image, he said, "Let's go!! Let's go inside and find a good spot."
The two walked into the hall together. The hall was filled with octagonal tables and colorful stools. Many children were already sitting there waiting, while the others chatted idly.
Another pat on the shoulder. "You're here. You didn't even tell me you were coming. I couldn't find you in the crowd."
Zhang Niu felt incredibly unlucky. He'd been hit on the shoulder twice in one day, and with tremendous force. He didn't even need to go back to check to know the area would be red and swollen. That big hand was even more brutal than a powerful palm strike.
"Yeah. I just arrived." Zhang Niu answered, still feeling a bit of pain, inwardly despising the guy.
"Standing is tiring, let's find a place to sit down!" Xiaohua suggested.
The back part of the hall is a kitchen. You can cook there, and the aroma of food wafts into the hall.
"It smells delicious. I really want to eat it right away." Haiyong licked his lips, glancing at the small door.
"Wait a minute!! Today's dish is cooked by the village's head chef." Xiaohua, resting her chin on her hands, looked at Haiyong, who had a drooling expression on his face.
Xiao Hua and Zhang Niu both knew Hai Yong's personality. He had to fill his stomach before he could stop working, otherwise he wouldn't have grown so big. He's even bigger than his own father because of all that eating.
The small door to the hall was pushed open with a "bang".
"The food's here!" someone called out. The people behind quickly gathered around the table.
"Look at the food. You can eat as much as you want now."
Haiyong, snapping out of his daze, chuckled, "What? The food's here. I was just thinking about how delicious it would be."
Upon hearing this, everyone at the table burst into laughter. Zhang Niu, being the most outrageous, slammed his hand on the table, glaring at Hai Yong with blazing eyes. "Good grief," he thought, "laughing like that this morning, and now you're slamming the table, huh? Just wait and see what I do to you."
Zhang Niu also noticed Hai Yong's gaze. Damn it, he was filming too enthusiastically. He's probably going to be in trouble later. He knows Hai Yong's personality all too well. Oh my god, someone come to his rescue!
Women from various households emerged from the small doors that were pushed open, carrying plates of dishes. Fish slices. Steamed. The table was set with about a dozen dishes, mostly made with fish.
The dishes were on the table, but no one had started eating yet. Uncle San from the village still had something to say. Even the noisy little kids didn't steal any vegetables; they sat there quietly.
Uncle San, dressed in a blue homespun cloth robe, stood up. "Today, the whole village, young and old, has gathered together for some fun. I'm very happy too. Let's eat and drink to our hearts' content. It's a rare opportunity. And to the young men who have come back from out of town, don't drink too much tonight, or you won't be able to get back tomorrow."
As soon as I finished speaking, there were shouts of "Got it!" from a group of young men, making a ruckus.
Many people outside also started bringing in cases of beer.
Seeing everyone's happy mood, Third Uncle chuckled to himself and downed his rice wine in one gulp.
The dishes slowly began to be served. After his third uncle finished speaking, Haiyong picked up a bottle of wine. He used a chopstick to flick it open, and with a "pop," the bottle cap popped open, releasing bubbles of wine.
They poured drinks for the older women and men at the table who liked to drink. Politeness is very important in the village. Only after two bottles were opened did it come to Zhang Niu's turn to drink with him.
"Everyone, make way, don't get burned!" the woman called out as she carried the soup out.
"The fish soup is here," Xiaohua said to Haiyong beside her, her lips still greasy.
The fish head soup was served in a white stone bowl, topped with chopped scallions. A fragrant aroma of fish wafted out from time to time.
Haiyong opened another bottle of wine and poured Zhang Niu a full glass. "Come on, drink more. Huahua, would you like some?" He saw Xiaohua next to him picking up slices of meat.
"Okay." He took the paper cup and placed it in front of Haiyong.
Not much was poured, just half a glass. "Come on. Let's toast to our Huahua's speedy recovery."
When Haiyong returned, he knew Xiaohua wasn't feeling well, so he didn't pour much wine. Just a token amount.
"Thank you, Haiyong and Zhang Niu," Xiaohua said happily, raising her glass.
The paper cups clinked together. Zhang Niu drank it all in one gulp, and his stomach immediately swelled up.
Xiaohua took a few sips. Although the beer was a bit bitter, she still swallowed it. Her face immediately turned red.
The table at Third Uncle's in the distance was reserved for the most senior members of the village. Even the village chief had to sit somewhere else.
Everyone in the hall was drinking, and some tables even started playing drinking games, replacing small bowls with large ones. "Drink! Drink it all!"
It was all shouting.
The food was still being cooked in the kitchen. People kept going in and out of the hall, all of them too drunk to handle and returning from the restroom.
After two bottles of liquor, Zhang Niu felt unwell and his head was spinning. He shook his head, "Haiyong, I can't go on today... Maybe next time... If I drink any more, I won't be able to get home tonight."
Haiyong was still fine, while Zhang Niu had only drunk two bottles, but this guy must have drunk six. "Drink up!! When did your alcohol tolerance become so low... A man can't say he can't, drink up," and he continued to fill his cup.
Xiaohua was also amused by Haiyong's words. How could he say such a thing in front of a girl?
"I spoke too hastily just now. Don't take it personally, Huahua." Haiyong knew he had gone too far with his words, especially in front of a girl.
"Look how impatient you are. Isn't that just a funny thing to say? Go drink your wine! You're overthinking things."
"Xiaohua understands so well. Let's continue drinking." She poured more into Zhang Niu's small bowl.
He set the wine bowl aside. Then he took out an empty bowl and ladled some fish soup for himself to refresh himself. He added pickled cabbage and tofu, and the fishy smell disappeared; the taste was just right.
The table was laden with about ten dishes, including several vegetable dishes, which was quite a feast. The fish and meat dishes were especially plentiful, with several different kinds, which whetted the appetites of the villagers who were used to eating monotonous meals. The little boy, in particular, kept scooping soup from his bowl and adding more food, as if afraid someone would snatch it away.
7000 words reached. It's a bit late; I just got back from fishing today. Consider this a break for myself! If you're happy with this, please cast a few more votes!