Chapter 152 - 145 Spoof of marriage customs
Tian Sisi and Tian Xinhua had no idea that these old ladies were discussing their lifetime event! They ran to another room and found the table where Tian Manjin and Tian Mantong were seated, and He Xuewen was also at this table.
Zhu Aiqing and several sisters-in-law were at another table, gesturing for Tian Sisi to join them for the meal. Eating with Zhu Aiqing meant being under her watch, which Tian Sisi was reluctant about. She ran over to greet them and then scampered back to Tian Manjin’s table, with Zhu Aiqing following, as the girl loved clinging to her Daddy.
Tian Manjin lovingly pulled his daughter to sit beside him and picked up a chicken foot for her. He Xuewen also placed a chicken wing in front of Tian Sisi’s bowl. Tian Sisi smiled sweetly and started to gnaw on the chicken wing with relish.
The current feast was much simpler compared to the lavish banquets of future generations. Ten people at a table, with eight dishes served—six hot and two cold—yet this was due to Tian Chusheng being quite particular. Some households only offered four hot dishes and two cold plates, but Tian Chusheng’s banquet had quite a few meat dishes, and the guests were very satisfied.
As the banquet began, the groom and bride needed to toast the guests together. This was when the role of groomsmen and bridesmaids became evident as they helped the bride and groom "block" the alcohol. However, as the evening progressed and toasts were made, the six bridesmaids were gradually pulled away by the young men at the tables to drink with them.
When it was time to toast at Tian Sisi’s table, all bridesmaids were gone, only the groom, bride, and six groomsmen remained. Tian Shouhua, who had drunk a bit too much, his face flushed with a rare, more flamboyant look, drawing inquisitive glances from the bride’s relatives, curious about this handsome young man.
Tian Sisi stuffed a piece of braised pork into Tian Shouhua’s mouth. These groomsmen surely hadn’t had a chance to eat, and drinking on an empty stomach was bad for the stomach, so better to quickly feed Brother Shouhua something. Tian Shouhua, famished, happily opened his mouth wide and swallowed the piece of meat. Tian Xinhua, seeing this, promptly invited him to sit and eat.
Since this table was mostly elders and nobody made a fuss, everyone took a symbolic sip of their drink and let the bride and groom move on. The bride couldn’t help but give Tian Sisi a few extra glances before leaving; she hadn’t expected to find such a trendy young girl in the countryside. Even her younger cousin from Shanghai wasn’t as stylish, and she wondered whose daughter she was.