177, Fulfilling the Dinner

There is still meat at home. You gave us quite a lot last time, and I smoked all of it and hung it up in the kitchen! Don't take this pheasant out; take it to the military base to eat! Seeing Jing Qingxin take out a whole pheasant, Jing Suyun quickly stopped her.

Jing Suyun knew very well that the gifts they received on their wedding day had not been kept for themselves at all, but were entirely distributed to the families who had helped them. Now, taking out another pheasant to prepare for dinner made Jing Suyun's heart ache. People simply didn't live like this!

Looking at her godmother's distressed expression, Jing Qingxin couldn't help laughing and said, "Godmother, Ashen caught this pheasant in the mountains yesterday specifically for us to eat. Besides, chicken meat is definitely most tender when it's fresh. We have to take a train for more than ten hours tomorrow, and it will be stuffy on the train. How could we possibly bring this pheasant to the base? It would spoil by then!"

"You could smoke the pheasant and make cured meat! People live within their means these days; how can anyone eat meat every day?" Jing Suyun still wore a disapproving look.

Jing Qingxin felt a wave of exhaustion. Was eating a bit of chicken really this difficult? Poverty truly limits a foodie!

"I didn't cure it with salt yesterday, and it has already been cooped up in the car for a day. If we don't eat it now, it will go to waste," Jing Qingxin said with a helpless expression.

"Do as you wish then!" Jing Suyun sighed in resignation.

Hearing this, Jing Qingxin immediately made a victory sign in her mind. She had planned this long ago: she would invite Zeng Lin's family and Jiang Min over for a gathering tonight. Once they parted today, who knew when they would meet again?

Besides, how could a feast for so many people lack meat dishes? How miserable it is to have no grease in one's stomach.

She knew her godmother would definitely bring out her reserved cured meats, but she didn't want a single meal to wipe out all the savings her godmother and godfather had stashed away. Otherwise, in the days ahead, her godmother and the others would be forced to stare at plain vegetable dishes. That was why she had prepared the pheasant the very previous night.

With the ingredients ready, Jing Qingxin and Jing Suyun worked together—one tending the stove while the other did the cooking. In the meantime, Gao Shen and Jiang Min arrived back at the Zhang household first.

Jiang Min didn't stay idle either; she helped Jing Qingxin as a sous-chef, handing over various items, and soon a table full of dishes was prepared!

As for Zeng Lin's family of three, they arrived at just the right time, right as dinner was served!

A table full of delicious food surrounded by a full table of people—everyone knew that Gao Shen and Jing Qingxin would be leaving for another city tomorrow, so tonight served as a farewell dinner!

Though everyone felt a pang of reluctance to part, they understood the nature of Gao Shen's work. Both of them were still young, and their future career development was crucial. At the same time, everyone offered their warmest blessings to the couple!

The dinner ended in a warm and harmonious atmosphere!

After the meal, as everyone chatted idly, Jing Qingxin quietly pulled Jiang Min into the room where she and Gao Shen stayed, took twenty yuan from her bag, and handed it to Jiang Min.

"Sister Qingxin, why are you giving me money? I can't accept this!" Seeing the small stack of cash, Jiang Min hastily shrank her hands back in fright.

"Just take it. You're such a big girl now, how can you manage without any private savings? You know how your parents are. Hide this properly so you can buy yourself some food or useful things," Jing Qingxin said in a tone that allowed no room for refusal.

"I usually stay at home all the time and don't need any money anyway. Sister Qingxin, I really can't take this!" Jiang Min repeatedly waved her hands in refusal.

Normally, her parents never gave her any pocket money and were extremely tight-fisted when she needed to buy anything. Up until now, the only fortune she possessed was the red envelope money she received on Sister Qingxin's wedding day.

Yet right before her eyes, Sister Qingxin wasn't offering a few coins or a couple of yuan, but a whole twenty yuan! That was equivalent to nearly a month of her father's salary.

"Don't push it away. If something urgent happens, how can you manage without any money? Besides, I'll be far away, and distant water cannot quench a near fire! Just take it to give me peace of mind," Jing Qingxin said with a solemn expression.

Since she had accepted Jiang Min as her younger sister, Jing Qingxin hoped she would live well. Now that Jiang Min was reaching the age for marriage, she genuinely worried about potential complications. Leaving some money behind was also her way of ensuring she could help Jiang Min in a critical moment.

Overcome with emotion, Jiang Min choked up, tears welling in her eyes as she sobbed, "Sister Qingxin..."

"Alright, be a good girl! This is your brother-in-law's military address. Keep it safe, and you can write to me whenever you have time!" Jing Qingxin handed over a slip of paper with the military address written in Gao Shen's handwriting.

"Mm, I know!" Jiang Min took both the money and the slip of paper together, tucking them away carefully.

The night grew increasingly dark, and it was time for everyone to depart. At the courtyard gate, Zeng Lin and Gao Shen exchanged a brotherly hug as a farewell. As for Jiang Min, Zeng Lin would be responsible for escorting her home since they were heading in the same direction. Although Jiang Min's home was a bit further away, him walking a little extra distance was much more convenient than having Gao Shen send her off.

After bidding farewell to Zeng Lin's family and Jiang Min, Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen sat in the main room, chatting leisurely for a while longer with Zhang Liangping and his wife. Jing Qingxin also inquired caringly about the couple's recent physical health.

"Well, I feel much stronger!" Zhang Liangping said with a smile. One knew the state of one's own body best, and he could truly and clearly feel the changes in his physique!