Chapter 327: A Lively Family

"What's wrong, Dad? Bao Feng and Bao Yun Jie aren't full yet?"

When it came to the meal, Lu Beitang wore a wry smile; Chen Xianglan had prepared a huge spread, mostly meat dishes, yet the daughter-in-law's two elder sisters ate like starving tigers.

Seeing the two still not full, Chen Xianglan was about to start cooking noodles.

"Your mother is cooking noodles; that's not what I meant. I wanted to ask if you'll be coming back to sleep tonight?"

Lu Cheng thought for a moment: "Tonight's pretty busy, probably a night shift. You must be asking about where to stay, right?"

Lu Beitang nodded: "Yes, that's what I was thinking. Your sister-in-law's family has a lot of people coming, so we need to find them a place to stay."

"Your older brother said they'd stay at the Guesthouse, but the Guesthouse is so expensive, and it's not for a day or two—they'd be staying until after the New Year. So I thought they'd stay at home instead."

Compared with the other families in Da Za Yuan, the old Lu household has many rooms, yet accommodating so many people at once is a bit worrisome.

Lu Cheng immediately said, "Dad, I've already decided: let's have my older brother take his wife and the others to that Siheyuan over there; there are plenty of vacant rooms."

Lu Beitang, knowing which Siheyuan his son meant, recalled his son's divorce and couldn't help but worry again.

"No, moving there sounds like what? It's not our house."

"How is it not? It's my house now."

Lu Beitang opened his mouth, but firmly refused.

"You can go stay there and clear out this side of the house, so your sister-in-law and her Er Jie can live with their child."

"Yue Yue's Big Sister can share a room with your Er Jie; as for your older brother, my room still has a small bed, cramped as it is, and Qing'er will sleep with us too."

Hearing his father's arrangement, Lu Cheng replied helplessly, "Dad, there's no need to make it so cramped."

"Fine, just do as I say. For now, go stay at that Siheyuan, and after your older brother leaves, you can come back."

Having said that, Lu Beitang headed to the kitchen to help cook noodles.

Lu Cheng didn't say anything else, watching the shift change time approach.

"Dad, can I borrow your bicycle for a ride?"

"Not lending!"

"……"

Right, logically losing the bicycle should've earned a beating from Dad, but luckily the older brother returned, averting disaster.

In the kitchen, Lu Beitang saw Chen Xianglan cooking noodles and said, "Why so little? Add more."

Chen Xianglan held a handful of noodles: "That's not little, right? It should fill a bowl."

"That's not enough; make it two bowls."

"Can anyone eat that much?"

"Look how stingy you are; that's Yue Yue's own Big Sister, we can't let her go hungry."

"I'm not being stingy; I mean it's late at night, eating that much makes the stomach uneasy... Fine, fine, I'll add more. Oh my, this one meal could feed our whole family for three days."

Lu Beitang also worried; they'd have to stay a few days, and at this eating rate the household ration tickets wouldn't suffice. Looks like they'll need to borrow some and repay after the New Year.

Regardless, for the sake of the eldest son, they can't send them back; the daughter-in-law's side of the in-laws wouldn't be happy.

A whole large bowl of noodles was placed on the table, and Chen Xianglan called out, "Come, come, Bao Feng, Bao Yun, the noodles are fresh—eat while hot."

"Auntie, why are you cooking noodles again? We've almost finished ours."

"Yes, Auntie, we're almost done."

Almost doesn't mean we're full!

Chen Xianglan laughed, "No problem, eat to your heart's content; if it's not enough we'll make more. Finished the dishes? I'll stir-fry two more plates."

"No need, no need!" Yan Baofeng hurriedly objected, picking up the leftover plates and shoving them into the noodle bowl.

"Auntie, no need to hustle; a little broth left over, just mix it—so fragrant."

"Exactly, Auntie, even without any vegetables, your city's thick white noodles taste great. In the countryside we eat mixed noodles, and the doughy bits can be a throat‑scratchers."

"Hehe, okay… we'll stir-fry more dishes tomorrow."

Watching the two shove all the dishes into the bowl, then grab chopsticks, scoop noodles and slurp them, Chen Xianglan shook her head: "Great, now we don't even have to wash the plates."

"Yue Yue, have some more of the fresh noodles," Chen Xianglan said as she walked to the bedside and lifted the child.

Yan Baoyue said, "I won't eat more, Mom, I'm full."

"Then you're eating too little; tomorrow morning Mom will boil two eggs for you, you should replenish your body," Chen Xianglan said while teasing the little grandson.

"Oh dear, why does Grandma start crying when she holds you? Don't cry—Grandma will hold you a bit, let your mother rest."

Yan Baoyue, standing nearby, hesitated; before coming she had been worried that, as a country daughter‑in‑law, the mother‑in‑law might look down on her.

In the end, she had overthought it; the mother‑in‑law's family was all kind, treating her and the child sincerely.

Including the two sisters, they prepared so many tasty dishes, fearing they wouldn't be full, and cooked more noodles.

"Mom, I've caused you trouble."

Chen Xianglan, hearing that, pretended to be angry: "That kid! What a strange remark. We're so happy you could come; this year our family spent a lively holiday together. In the future, you must come every year and not grow distant from Mom."

Yan Baoyue smiled and nodded: "Mom, let me hold him. The child stays up at night and sleeps during the day—so exhausting."

"Oh, it's fine; kids are like that. You know, Fengzi was very obedient as a child—sleep when needed, eat when needed. But Ying Ying and Lu Cheng are just like this kid, always doing the opposite. Now grown, they still like to act contrary to others—so irritating."

The mother‑in‑law and daughter‑in‑law chatted about daily life, while the other two finished their noodles; seeing this, Chen Xianglan hurried over to attend.

"Not full yet? I'll go make some more."

Yan Baofeng cleared the dishes and said loudly, "That's enough, Auntie, no need to hustle."

Hearing that, Chen Xianglan felt half her heart sink; how could it still be 'enough'? That stomach is like a bottomless pit.

"Just leave the bowls and chopsticks there; I'll bring you some pastries as well."

"Auntie, no trouble—since we've eaten so much of your family's meals, we'll take care of washing the dishes and pots. You go play with the child; it's been ages since we get to see each other."

Chen Xianglan didn't want the guests to wash the dishes, but after a brief argument she couldn't win.

She couldn't help but feel that, while they could eat a bit, the sincere people made her feel content.

But Lu Ying didn't have it so easy; she, who was sharing a bed with Yan Baofeng, after enduring the torment of teeth‑grinding, snoring and farting, was finally knocked under the bed by a butt.

Because Xi Er Fang and Main Hall are connected, that "Boom—" sound directly woke the parents in the next room.