Chapter 1417: Hosting a Banquet

After learning that Fu Yan Cheng and the others had returned, she had been waiting ever since.

After Mo Ruhua and Tao Saozi finished processing those pig offal and pig heads, they each went off to their own tasks.

The vegetables in her own courtyard, boosted by the space's spring water, grew so well that anyone who saw them had to praise them; she had just pulled a few radishes to stew with the ribs.

After cleaning the pig offal and pig heads brought back, she had braised a huge pot of braised dishes, ready to be sliced and served as a side for wine later.

With her big belly, it was hard to go out again, so she processed several freshwater grass carp directly in the space, and finally stewed a huge pot of soy-sauce-flavored fish chunks; of course, all of this was done in the space, since she didn't want to attract all the children from the dependents' compound to her own doorstep.

She wasn't quite sure whether they could host the banquet according to the original schedule, but preparing in advance was better than being flustered when the time came.

What she didn't expect was that Fu Yan Cheng returned in the mid-afternoon: "Wife, I'm back."

Liu Chuxue looked him up and down: "Are you injured anywhere?"

Fu Yan Cheng shook his head: "No. I came back to tell you about the banquet."

"So, are we hosting guests tonight or not?"

"I originally thought there might be no time, but the matter was too serious; those people have been taken over by the Military Department and were all just led away. Since everyone has already been notified, I thought we shouldn't change the plan. I'll go to the canteen..."

"Enough, don't run around. I've already prepared everything."

Hearing this, Fu Yan Cheng said: "Did you leave the dependents' compound?"

Liu Chuxue nodded: "Someone in Bai Fu Village was getting married and slaughtered their raised pig. I went over and bought quite a lot."

Fu Yan Cheng felt both heartache and gratitude, along with overwhelming worry: "Wife, I'm truly sorry. You're carrying a big belly, yet I'm making you worry about this."

"What are you saying? We're husband and wife. Besides, it's not a big deal."

Fu Yan Cheng stared into Liu Chuxue's eyes: "Wife, given your current situation..."

As he spoke, he lowered his gaze to her belly: "I know you feel your body is still agile, but your situation is special. Don't make me worry, okay?"

Seeing the worry all over his face, Liu Chuxue said: "Alright, I understand."

He didn't tell her that he feared those people might act out of desperation; if they were targeted, it would be bad. But he couldn't say it outright, first because it involved secrets, and second because he was afraid of frightening her.

Liu Chuxue didn't want to continue the topic: "Have you notified everyone coming for dinner tonight?"

Fu Yan Cheng helped her sit down: "There are still a few people. I'll go notify them in a moment. Since it's inconvenient for you now with your big belly, I'll call a few saozi over to help."

Liu Chuxue didn't say much more, only nodding: "Then go quickly."

As soon as he left, she hurriedly brought out everything prepared in the space, lit a low fire in the kitchen, and kept the pot of ribs stewed with radishes and the soy-sauce-flavored fish chunks warm on the stove.

As for that huge pot of braised dishes, she placed it directly on the precast storage table, covered it with a steamer cloth, and simply waited to slice and plate it when the time came.

When Fu Yan Cheng returned with people, he smelled the fragrance as soon as he entered the courtyard: "Wife, this scent?"

Liu Chuxue smiled: "Didn't I tell you I prepared the ingredients? Tao Saozi and Ruhua helped clean them; I just started stewing them in advance."

"Why didn't I smell anything when I just came back?"

Liu Chuxue spoke vaguely: "Before, they were all semi-finished products, and I covered them tightly, so naturally you couldn't smell them."

Tao Saozi, who had followed along, said: "You're truly capable. I was saying I'd come over later to help, but I didn't expect you'd already started stewing."

With Tao Saozi interjecting, Fu Yan Cheng didn't ask further. Instead, he smiled and settled her under the osmanthus tree: "Sit here and rest. Leave the rest to me and the other saozi."