The Tong Family members tossed and turned restlessly again tonight, unable to find peace in slumber. The next morning, after breakfast, Tong Tiehu led out the ox cart while the other twenty-nine people had already been waiting. Everyone boarded the two carts and set out for the manor.
After a busy morning, when noon arrived, Wang Tiesheng and his wife had prepared lunch, and Tong Tiehu left for Mai Yuan. The remaining thirty people, including Tong Dàláng, stood in the Courtyard holding their bowls to eat.
Lunch consisted of glass noodles stewed with cabbage. The noodles, made from the sweet potatoes grown by Qiao Xiaomai, were fragrant and soft, and their taste was beyond reproach. Moreover, the dish contained large slices of pork, each as thick as a finger. Biting into them was incredibly satisfying.
The food was excellent, and everyone ate until their faces were oily. Tong Dàláng, holding his bowl, constantly felt as if the others were laughing at him.