TGDS Chapter 82.3

The Good Dad System (Arc 11) Chapter 82.3: A Patriarchal Family (18)

The work in the kitchen is more extensive than people imagine. For example, preparing dishes for four or five tables requires five or six people: the chef who cuts the ingredients and cooks the dishes, the person in charge of serving the food, the person who washes the dishes and vegetables, the person who cleans the house, and the person who adds food as needed. After all, the villagers aren’t professionals in this field, so it takes extra manpower. Even with so many people, it’s impossible to prepare the dishes in advance and then have them all served before everyone sits down to eat.

The dishes usually come one by one, and even for the busiest banquets, it takes two or three rounds of servings. No matter how efficient you are, it’s difficult to get everyone at the table at once.

While the women were busy with their chores, they usually ate dinner in a corner of the kitchen, sometimes even using the cutting board as a raised table. They would quickly make a large pot of mixed stew and call it a day. After eating, they would have to continue working. Once the men had finished their drinks, the women would be out in force again, collecting the bones, ashes, and bottles scattered on the floor, wiping the tables, and cleaning up the leftovers. A three-hour banquet would require the women to work in the kitchen for at least five hours before it was considered finished.

Unless someone was of high seniority or physically unable, they would be invited to a small room to eat at a private table. Otherwise, as long as you were able to do the work, you would never have the chance to sit at the table. Even if you did, it would be after everyone else had eaten, and you would only get to eat some leftovers. As for going to the main table, that was out of the question.

“Celebrating the Spring Festival, this is related to the custom…”

“Then why don’t I sit with them?” Pei Naochun insisted. He was wealthy and had donated money to the construction of ancestral halls in the village. Several of his uncle’s children had gone out to work, and he had introduced them to those jobs. At least in Peijia Village, his status was already quite high.

“That won’t do.” His eldest cousin immediately refused. “Today’s celebration is to entertain you in advance. What would it be like if you sat on the side?” He was quite embarrassed and a little annoyed. Naochun was always very understanding and had never had any problems with social etiquette. Why was he so troubled today over a meal? “We drink, but they don’t.” He made up an excuse.

“I’ve quit drinking now.” Pei Naochun immediately replied.

The eldest uncle glanced at Pei Naochun. Though old, his mind wasn’t. Seeing the determination in his eyes, he nodded, “Alright, invite Guizhi and Zhaodi to the table.” He felt quite uncomfortable, but there was nothing he could do. He’d been born before the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and he knew several elderly women with bound feet. Eating with women at such a grand banquet was a first for him.

Wu Guizhi and Tang Zhaodi quickly took their seats at the head table. While they felt uncomfortable, they sat ramrod straight—in S City, no matter what leaders or big bosses Pei Naochun met, they always sat at the same table, sometimes even in the main seats. Having experienced this, they didn’t find sitting at the same table strange or excessive.

The kitchen had already started cooking, and they were serving dishes, exquisitely arranged and fragrant, one after another, placed on the red tablecloth.

“Our Naochun is now the pride of Peijia Village! He’s a well-known big boss.” The first thing the eldest uncle did at the table was to toast Pei Naochun, feeling proud of himself.

Pei Naochun accepted a glass of low-alcohol beer and smiled, saying, “Now, I’m not the only big entrepreneur in our village.”

“Who else?” The eldest cousin mentally counted. Besides Naochun, the only other one was the guy who did construction in the county, but that couldn’t be considered a big boss, could it?

“It’s my mother and my wife.” Pei Naochun held out his hands, pointing to the two women on either side.

“…” The eldest uncle was stunned, looking at his familiar sister-in-law and niece-in-law, completely bewildered. Why did this seem so strange?

Pei Naochun continued, “Actually, you might not know, but in S City now, my mother and my wife’s words carry more weight than mine.” His voice was loud, attracting curious glances from many people.

“How so?”

“When I went to S City, I was all alone. I couldn’t manage on my own. In the end, I had no choice but to transfer my mother. And let me tell you, my mother is a very capable manager. Now, she manages all six of our shops and wholesale outlets in S City. She has sixty or seventy employees under her!”

“Sixty or seventy!” Uncle exclaimed in amazement. You know, the county supply and marketing cooperative director they admired most used to manage only about twenty people.

Wu Guizhi waved her hand with a smile: “You’re exaggerating, child.” She quickly explained, “I’m just helping out. I don’t have much to do with the kids, so I’m just helping out.”

Her eldest cousin immediately chimed in: “Auntie, you’re being modest. Brother Naochun isn’t one to boast. Managing sixty or seventy people is no easy feat.” They had all heard of or seen Pei Naochun’s shops. Each one was beautifully decorated and stocked with exquisite goods. Let alone six, managing even one of them would be something they could only look up to.

“And then there’s our Zhaodi.” Pei Naochun said cheerfully, “Don’t let her appearance fool you. She doesn’t talk much when she’s home, but at the factory, she’s the highly praised CEO Tang.”

“No way.” Tang Zhaodi couldn’t help but pat her husband. “He’s talking nonsense.”

Pei Naochun continued, “We have two factories with hundreds of workers, all managed by Zhaodi. Without her, the products in the factories would probably be in bad shape.”

“Manages an entire factory?” The eldest cousin’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Many people were quite astonished. It wasn’t that they were ignorant; it was just that they lived inland, and the custom in the village was to live a peaceful and prosperous life. No one liked to leave their hometown. Everyone stayed in the village year-round, the surrounding environment was stable, and they saw very little of the world. Those who went out to work mostly worked in factories and didn’t understand city life. Even if they came back, they knew nothing.

“There are two.”

“That’s amazing.” Someone said from behind, and the strange looks that had been surrounding them just now disappeared.

Pei Naochun, as if by magic, pulled out two small photo frames from a bag at his feet: “Uncle, I brought these back especially so you can hang them on the wall at home.”

“Ah?” The uncle hurriedly ordered someone to bring his reading glasses. As he was looking at the photos, Pei Naochun stood up, walked to his side, and introduced them with a smile.

“This one, did you see it? This is me, and next to me are my mother and Zhaodi. This is a group photo taken a while ago at an economic conference in S City.” The first photo on the top was from a conference held two months ago in S City to further invest in several large companies in the surrounding area. Pei Naochun’s company, Wapin, has expanded quite a bit. A while ago, they even ventured into animation investment, planning to learn from major animation studios and create their own exclusive products. His wife and mother were also invited to attend because they manage the factory and the boutique’s head office, respectively. “This is the district bureau chief… This is the boss of XX mobile phones who has been advertised on TV…” He introduced them one by one, and quite a few people had already gathered behind them, curiously peeking in.

To the villagers, the village chief was a high-ranking official. After confirming that the person in the photo was indeed a member of the Pei family they knew, they were all amazed and impressed—they hadn’t been exaggerating when Pei Naochun said Wu Guizhi and Tang Zhaodi had become such important figures.

The eldest cousin took the photo and passed it around. The eldest uncle didn’t dare let anyone handle the frame, fearing it might be damaged. He secretly decided to hang the frame in the center of the ancestral home. Pei Naochun continued, “This one, this person, do you recognize him?”

The eldest uncle squinted at it for a while, then shook his head. He was at home every day; how could he possibly recognize anyone?

“I recognize him!” someone behind him said, his expression full of surprise, pointing to someone next to him, “Isn’t this a bureau chief from our county? I don’t know which bureau, I saw him last time.”

“Yes,” Pei Naochun nodded in response, “That’s right, and over here is our county’s deputy county head in charge of investment promotion…”

“Deputy county head.” The crowd gasped.

“Hmm.” Pei Naochun released his hand. There weren’t many people in the photo; it was taken in his office. He, the deputy county head in charge of investment promotion, and several bureau chiefs who accompanied him had signed an investment contract, but it hadn’t been made public yet. It would be in the newspapers in a few days. “Our company is doing quite well now, so we plan to open a branch factory in the county town. It will probably still be registered under Zhao Di and my mother’s names, and we’ll mainly be hiring female workers.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Wu Guizhi and Tang Zhao Di, who were standing next to him, weren’t surprised. Pei Naochun had already discussed it with them beforehand. Labor costs in the village weren’t high, and the county town had offered many preferential policies. Opening such a business would not only give back to their hometown but also bring them income.

“So, are you hiring?” Some people were already eager to try.

“Yes, but we mainly hire female workers, and those who can read and write will be given priority.” Pei Naochun turned around and added, “The factory should be completed around next year.” The factory will be built in several parts, with the first completed parts going into operation first.

“Naochun, give me these two photos. I want to hang them in the main room and look at them every day. Our Peijia village is so lucky to have you…” Uncle Pei paused, then looked at Wu Guizhi and Tang Zhaodi, “and Zhaodi and Guizhi too.”

Pei Naochun just smiled, glancing behind him. He could see his wife and mother smiling just as happily.

“Don’t tell me later that I have to ask my mom and Zhaodi, I can’t manage them anymore,” he joked, laughing along with everyone. Pei Zihao and Pei Xiaoping, not far away, only knew their father was laughing, so they laughed along, feeling especially joyful.

The young children didn’t know that the recognition and respect Wu Guizhi and Tang Zhaodi received at the dinner table today were dreams they had never been able to achieve, no matter how hard they tried.

Of course, everything that was once distant was now within reach. As time passed, Pei Naochun believed that, at least in Peijia village, many things would gradually change, and would never go back to the way they were.

Respecting traditions and customs doesn’t mean letting them dictate your entire life; erroneous traditions should be changed.

At least for now, he has the power to correct everything.