Dinner was naturally eaten in Mr. Liu's little courtyard. Although the tableware in the courtyard was not complete, the Zhang home was close by. In just a few steps, they brought everything over.
Guo Sufi bustled about in Mr. Liu's kitchen. Looking at the small, exquisite room, she felt deeply envious. As expected of a scholar—even the place where he cooked was so refined. Unlike her own home, where the entire stove stood out in the courtyard with only a shed built over it to shield it from wind and rain. Now that she thought about it, it truly was shabby beyond compare. When she found the time, she would discuss it with the old man and have her sons pitch in to build such a little room in their own courtyard. It would not cost much anyway. The result of this thought was that, within half a year, all the open-air stoves in Guo Village had been converted into kitchens. It could be considered another trend brought by Mr. Liu.
Guo Village had fewer people than Baligou, and there were fewer goods sold at the village entrance as well. Therefore, even though Mr. Liu wanted to use the first meal to reward everyone, he was willing but powerless. The evening meal was still simple. However, there were many people eating, and even Mr. Liu's spacious main hall could not hold them all. Fortunately, the weather had already turned warm, so everyone simply moved the tables and chairs outside. Agriculturalists did not observe the rule of "no talking while eating." Everyone ate and chatted at the same time. Liu the Butcher drank from time to time, while Mr. Liu, Zhang Cai, and Liu Kai merely sipped lightly. Yet Liu the Butcher kept raising his cup, and before long, all of