| TBBOTOF | 310
The next morning, Tang Xu, Tang Mei, and Tang Li were taken to town.
Originally, Luo Pingping was supposed to go too, but since her grandson at home fell ill and since she was taking care of him, she stayed behind to help look after things.
Tang Xu had already discussed with his father about going to Fuyun Restaurant to prepare banquet dishes and needed to inform the manager, as they would be borrowing the kitchen for the day.
Ever since Liu Yao had gotten closer to Tang Erhu, he often saw this uncle of his and would occasionally bring marinated snacks as a gesture of respect.
So when he heard Tang Xu say they planned to invite his uncle to help with the banquet's feast, Liu Yao was fully in agreement.
He joined them on the trip, but since there wasn’t enough room on the mule cart, he sat on the cart shaft with Wei Dong.
The two of them, both tall and lanky, looked a bit pitiful sitting cramped up there.
Tang Xu chuckled softly and turned to look at Tang Li and Tang Mei.
This time, the little one, Goudan, didn’t tag along. Tang Yang and the others were all back home watching the children. With so many people around, there was no worry about Goudan crying or causing a fuss.
"What are you two tagging along for?" The original plan was just for Wang Cuicui to accompany them to town to shop for things, but unexpectedly, these two sisters decided to come along as well.
Tang Li, smiling sweetly, linked arms with Tang Mei and leaned her head on her cousin’s shoulder in a girlishly coy manner. "My eldest cousin said she’d buy me some rouge and face powder. I heard from my friend that the cosmetics shop has some nice new shades of lip color, so I want to go and pick one out."
Tang Xu wasn’t like some other ger’s who liked to doll themselves up with heavy makeup and flashy styles.
Apart from occasionally applying some facial cream after washing his face, he was practically as rough and simple as a rugged man.
In the past, when he saw other ger’s in the village applying makeup and powdering their faces, he had been quite curious, but he never thought there was anything wrong with it. He just didn’t like it for himself, though he respected others' preferences.
So, when he heard talk of lip colors and such, he blinked in mild confusion, his gaze shifting between Tang Li and Tang Mei's faces for a long moment before he uncertainly asked, "Are you two wearing rouge right now?"
"Of course we are!" Tang Li's eyes curved with laughter as she lightly dabbed her face with the handkerchief in her hand. "Look, brother, see for yourself."
On the pale-yellow fabric, there was a faint trace of red.
Tang Xu saw it clearly and nodded. "I thought you two just looked especially cheerful today, which was why your faces seemed so radiant."
The two girls burst into laughter.
"Brother, you’re so clueless! I’ve been meaning to tell you—you should use some rouge and powder too. It’ll make you look better. You’ve got dark circles under your eyes already. You didn’t sleep well, right?" Tang Li asked with concern.
Tang Xu sighed, not particularly inclined to discuss his nightly routine with his unmarried younger sister.
To divert the conversation, he said, "We’re heading to Fuyun Restaurant. Once you’re done shopping, come find us there. If you get there and we’re not around, just grab some snacks and wait for us."
Tang Li nodded repeatedly. "Alright! Fuyun Restaurant's cake is really delicious. Last time, Ah Yao bought me a piece—it was so soft and sweet."
"If you like it, then go have some." Tang Xu pulled a small pouch of money out from his sleeve and tossed it to her. "Here, spend some money."
Tang Li happily caught it without any pretense. "Thanks, Brother!"
Wang Cuicui shook her head from the side. "You spoil her too much."
"Young girls should enjoy looking pretty and having some silver to buy what they like," Tang Xu said nonchalantly, waving his hand dismissively. "Auntie, what do we need to buy?"
"I remember there’s a shop in town that specializes in wedding supplies, and their business seems quite good. Let’s take a look and see what they have for preparing a wedding," Wang Cuicui said, glancing over at Liu Yao.
She reached out and patted his shoulder, smiling as she asked, "What do your parents have to say about all this?"
With only about ten days left before their wedding, it was customary for the groom's parents to have sent a matchmaker to formally propose by now.
It was known that Liu Yao had many siblings, and although he wasn’t a favored child, it wasn’t to the extent that his family would ignore everything concerning him.
Liu Yao shifted slightly, one hand gripping the side of the cart. “When I went home last time, they said they’d come around the seventh or eighth day before the wedding. So, it should be soon.”
Wang Cuicui nodded, relieved to hear this. “As long as they’re coming, that’s good. When they do, we can discuss the banquet arrangements together.”
“What’s there to discuss? Didn’t my father already say we’d hold a flowing-water banquet?” Tang Xu asked, puzzled.
Wang Cuicui smiled. “Our family setting up a banquet is fine, but we need to see what the in-laws think. We can’t have one side holding a big feast while the other does nothing—it’s a wedding, after all.”
Liu Yao stayed silent, his gaze lowered, lost in thought.
Tang Xu was well aware of the distant relationship between Liu Yao and his parents. When it came to his and Tang Li’s engagement, Liu Yao’s parents had barely said a word.
The fact that they were willing to go through the formalities of bringing a matchmaker was already surprising.
As for arranging a banquet on their side? Highly unlikely.
Wang Cuicui didn’t know much about the Liu family’s situation; she only knew they were a large household that hadn’t split up.
Tang Xu, however, knew more. Since Liu Yao had started staying at their house, his family had essentially treated him as a moneymaking tool.
Liu Yao visited them only once a year, offering ten or twenty taels of silver as filial piety money, treating it as repayment for raising him.
There was little affection between them beyond that.
Wang Cuicui, unaware of these details, continued her muttering for a while before noticing that no one was responding. Curious, she asked, “Why are you all so quiet?”
"Auntie, let’s not worry about this. As long as things are lively on our side, that’s enough," Tang Xu subtly reminded her.
Wang Cuicui paused, then responded with an "Oh, oh," and didn’t bring up meeting Liu Yao’s parents again.
Soon, the mule cart entered the town.
They first dropped off Tang Mei and Tang Li, then headed straight to Fuyun Restaurant.
Boss Wu, upon seeing them arrive so early, was quite surprised. However, having known Tang Xu for years and understanding his straightforward personality, he directly voiced his curiosity.
"Sorry, I'm here to bother you" Tang Xu said with a smile, clasping his hands politely.
In just a few words, he explained that the family was planning a flowing-water banquet but didn’t have a suitable chef. He hoped to have a word with Chef Liu and see if he could lend a hand.
Boss Wu listened, his face breaking into a broad smile that deepened the wrinkles on his face.
As soon as Tang Xu finished speaking, Boss Wu waved his hands repeatedly. "Isn’t he your uncle? Back when he was helping out in our kitchen, I knew he was family. I’ve also heard about his engagement to your sister. So the wedding is happening soon, right?"
Tang Xu smiled and nodded. "Boss Wu, when the time comes, you must come and have a cup at the wedding."
"Of course, of course!" Boss Wu rubbed his hands together, laughing and agreeing repeatedly.
Liu Yao had already gone to the back kitchen to find his uncle, so after chatting briefly with Boss Wu, Tang Xu left to join Wang Cuicui for shopping.
Wei Dong tied the mule cart at the back of the restaurant and had a young man help feed the mule some hay and water before heading to find Tang Xu.
However, just as he stepped out the back door of the restaurant, barely taking a few steps, he found himself suddenly blocked.
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