Chapter 102: then translation of chapter title

All right, since everything has been discussed, let's start the feast. My greedy worm has already been lured out. Li Bureau Chief, seeing the matter settled, half-jokingly said.

Fine, then let's pick up our chopsticks and eat. Li Bin followed and said.

Although Zhuang Zheng was meeting He Yuzhu for the first time, Li Qiang and his brother were also meeting; with Li Bureau Chief's connection, there was nothing embarrassing—the quickest way for men to bond is over drinks, and soon everyone got along, no longer as reserved as at the start.

The banquet lasted until past three in the afternoon before ending, needless to say. Except Zhuang Yan, everyone drank too much; even the usually cautious Li Bin was so drunk his steps were a bit wobbly.

Time quickly reached the end of the month; only a few days left until He Yushui's wedding day. According to custom, on the 30th He Yuzhu will set up the banquet in the Siheyuan.

"Godmother, in a few days Yushui will marry, and the idiot will set up the banquet in the Siheyuan. What do you think is an appropriate amount of gift money for us to give?" In the evening Yi Zhonghai went to the deaf old lady's room and asked.

"Little Yi, I already told you to get on good terms with Zhuzi, but you just wouldn't listen." The deaf old lady looked at Yi Zhonghai, a little angry, and said.

"Godmother, this isn't a lack of opportunity; I'm thinking of using this chance to mend my relationship with the idiot." Yi Zhonghai said.

"Mending relations isn't about how much gift money you give; gift money is recorded. Later, if your family has any matter, Zhuzi will have to repay you according to the amount you gave. This isn't mending relations; you're putting eye drops on Zhuzi." The deaf old lady said, somewhat exasperated.

"It's my fault, I didn't think that much." Yi Zhonghai felt fortunate he came to consult the deaf old lady; otherwise he would have given too much, which would really be a hassle.

"You, how should I put it? You're already this old, yet when something happens you never think twice."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Yi Zhonghai truly had no good ideas.

"Zhuzi has no parents present; I think it'll be Qiangzi and them who will make a quilt for Yushui. You go buy some cotton and floral cloth tomorrow. Let your wife work hard these days. Make a quilt for Yushui; though the cost is a bit high, this kindness Zhuzi won't refuse, and he won't forget it. Over these years, haven't you noticed that what Zhuzi cares most about is Yushui?" The deaf old lady reminded.

"Godmother, I understand; I'll now go to the black market to trade for some cloth and cotton coupons." Yi Zhonghai suddenly realized. Yes, for Yushui's wedding, our family providing a cotton quilt is a big gift. You know, back then it was already good for young couples to have two new cotton quilts when marrying; many families lacked cotton coupons, so they'd just take a new bolt of cloth, take apart the old quilt, find someone to re-fluff the cotton, then remake a quilt. You know, cotton coupons were very scarce.

Actually the deaf old lady still underestimated He Yuzhu's connections. Originally Li Qiang and them had planned to prepare three transfers and one sound for Yushui, but Zhuang Zheng disagreed, insisting on splitting half and half. Li Qiang and them had no choice but to look elsewhere for supplements. The three brothers discussed and decided each family would make a quilt for Yushui, because He Yuzhu planned to invite a master for Yushui's wedding. Ma Hongtao knew He Yuzhu's situation and had his wife make a quilt for Yushui. Adding those three families' quilts, they already had four, which was quite impressive at the time.

Because Zhou Rong was pregnant and couldn't work, Yu Li brought her mother over to join her and Yang Fen in making a quilt for Yushui; the three of them finished it in less than a day.

"Little Li, this is only three quilts, an odd number." Yu Li's mother said.

"Mom, we have three quilts here, and Zhuzi's shi niang also made one, making four in total." Yu Li said with a smile.

"Ah, if I were to say, Zhuzi's master truly has no fault with Zhuzi; over the years I've also seen that, it's just like a biological father." Yu Li's mother said. Indeed, that's the case: Ma Hongtao basically grants any request He Yuzhu makes; usually when there's something nice, he doesn't keep it for himself but sends it to He Xia.

"Zhuzi said that when he was little his mother had passed, and his father left home and abandoned him and his sister; in his heart, the master and his wife are like his parents, waiting for them to grow old, and Zhuzi wants to support them in their old age and see them off." Yu Li said.

"Since ancient times, master-disciple relationship is like father and son; Zhuzi is right." Yu Li's mother did not oppose Zhuzi's idea. Over the years she has come to understand Zhuzi's temperament well; although he has a bad temper, he is soft-hearted and grateful. She and her husband expect that their old-age care will likely fall on him; she still has a daughter, but that little daughter is not a well-behaved one, so expecting her to support them in old age is doubtful; just having her take care of them would be fine.

As for understanding oneself, parents are still the best; Yu Li's mother's worries are not wrong. Yu Haitang pursues material life; in today's terms she's a bit gold-digging. In the original drama, she initially dated the nephew of the Yang Factory Director, but later that nephew got entangled with another woman, so she broke up and developed a fondness for the idiot, since the idiot's salary isn't low and he has extra income. Later, under Xu Damao's pursuit, she almost fell for Xu Damao's ways; if it weren't for Qin Jingru's false pregnancy, Yu Haitang might have married Xu Damao, after all Xu Damao's emotional intelligence is much higher than the idiot's, he understands women's thoughts and knows how to sweet-talk them; dealing with someone like Yu Haitang is no easy feat.

Although Yu Haitang didn't marry Xu Damao, it's said she married a Section Chief; later, after reform and opening up, she looked down on that little Section Chief earning such a low salary and divorced; the final outcome is also described.

"Mom, when you go back also persuade Haitang; she's the same age as Yushui, and Yushui is now married, but she's fine, just running around with those people causing trouble, not at all like a proper young lady." Speaking of her sister, Yu Li also had a headache; after the mass movements began, Yu Haitang also followed the trend, jumping about restlessly.

"Ah, I don't know how many times I've told you and your dad, but she just won't listen; now we're too lazy to manage her, and we can't anyway. People say a dragon's nine offspring are all different, and today I believe it. You say you and she are born of the same parents, so why is the gap so big?" Yu Li's mother said helplessly.

"All right, whenever I see her I'll give her a good talking-to." Yu Li understands her sister's temperament; her parents' words she definitely won't take to heart.

"Only your words might get through to her a bit." Yu Li's mother said.