CHAPTER 411: CHAPTER 310: NIGHT OF CELEBRATION (PART 2)

Zhang Guoqing saw the atmosphere was right and loudly shouted to the reserved female comrades on the side: "Sisters, start singing! Let’s hear one!"

"Let’s hear one, come on, let’s hear one!" Everyone at the scene clapped and cheered.

A group of girls looked at each other, all smiling and hesitating.

Zhou Jiao saw this and suggested, "Let’s start with a group chorus, then everyone can perform something. How about that?" After saying this and seeing everyone agree, she picked up the accordion and started the prelude.

The familiar melody of "Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China" played, and as the girls began to sing, everyone present joined in the chorus. By the end, even the late-arriving relatives were singing joyfully.

Once the song ended, Mr. Fang and others started to pick songs.

One popular song after another was sung loudly by everyone, the atmosphere reaching a fever pitch. The young people’s planned gathering turned into a Big Courtyard performance.

As delicious scents filled the air, the children became restless, pointing at the big pot and shouting they were hungry, causing the adults to burst into laughter.

Zhang Guoqing and the others exchanged smiles, went forward to open wine jars, and uncovered pots, letting the girls help serve food. Luckily, there were enough bowls, chopsticks, and lunchboxes for everyone. Soon you could hear everyone sipping soup.

Li Qianjin and a few others exchanged winks; they weren’t in a hurry to eat as the most delicious barbecue hadn’t started. They quickly picked up instruments to play accompaniment and sing.

Mr. Fang watched the young people jumping around in front of him, feeling emotional, "It’s been a long time since it was this lively. Young people today are really fortunate."

Mr. Cheng nodded, "The world is peaceful, people live happily, and our efforts weren’t in vain. They were born in good times; this is a fortunate and happy new generation."

"This evening’s gathering is great! Before, these kids were running around, either watching movies or fighting. They should gather like this to build better relationships."

Mr. Cheng listened to the surrounding discussion and looked at Zhang Guoqing, who was talking and laughing among the younger generation, with a bright smile gradually appearing on his face.

A few days ago, his wife said the kids had formed several factions, each unwilling to yield to the other, yet they all surrounded Zhang Guoqing, wanting to form a small team. He was worried Zhang Guoqing was too young to understand the implications and planned to give him a hint. But who would have thought the kid would come up with this idea? Tonight, watching him smoothly move among the young people, pulling a few tense ones to sing together with smiles and laughs, the atmosphere turned harmonious.

He felt assured now. He believed the other old folks saw that Zhang Guoqing was easing everyone’s disputes. It’s simply lacking a lubricant, no wonder the old friends kept bringing him into the unit.

Seeing that the wine was drunk and the night was late, Mr. Cheng looked again at Zhang Guoqing in the crowd, seeing him handle everything with ease, already drinking with several small group leaders with arms around each other’s shoulders.

He stood up and said, "Let’s go, us old folks. Let the kids have fun without us hindering them."

"Haha... Let’s go, we old folks should have a gathering someday too. This is great, so damn delightful."

"Sure. Bring a pig someday, we’ll have a pork feast. I’ve been dreaming of those old hometown dishes lately, just thinking about it makes my mouth water..."

As the old heads exited the stage, gradually more and more people left.

More than an hour later, everyone added more firewood, and Zhang Guoqing saw that they were all chatting, so he didn’t linger around idle and went over to the barbecue grill.

The fiery bonfire illuminated Zhang Guoqing’s face, and his smiling face made others smile with comfort.

Fang Fei watched him from a distance, nudged by a friend beside him, he immediately smiled at the other.

"What’s so funny? Are you silly? What were you daydreaming about? Could it be that Xiao Wu was right? He said this was a singles party. The bachelor’s club should decide on a target tonight so by next year you can hold a big fat baby. Tell me, which girl have you got your eye on?"

Fang Fei laughed heartily and whispered, "Xiao Wu is just rambling, and you believe him? Does he think everyone is like him, quick and ruthless?"

His words made the people around him laugh happily, and they looked at Zhou Jiao, then at Zhang Guoqing, unable to hold back more laughter.

Zhang Guoqing raised the skewers in his hand, "Brothers, if you keep laughing you’ll only have bamboo skewers left to eat. Any kind souls to help grill skewers for the sisters?" He said this with a wink.

Zhou Jiao, surrounded by girls, said helplessly, "Sisters, really, you overthink it. Xiao Wu is just worried everyone will get tired."

Lin Xuezhen, seeing everyone wasn’t convinced, quickly said, "Let’s do it ourselves." Then she pulled a few people next to her and walked forward.

A group of people surrounded the fire pits and tables.

Zhang Guoqing, holding a skewer, squeezed next to Zhou Jiao and sat down, chuckling softly, "I stole this meat for you, how are you going to repay your brother?"

Zhou Jiao quickly looked around, exhaled in relief when she saw no one was nearby, and shot him a sideways glance, full of playful tone.

"Haha... You think too much, don’t you?" Zhang Guoqing said with a meaningful smile. He paused for a moment and then said, "When we get back, you owe me two songs and have to coax me to sleep."

Zhou Jiao covered her mouth and smothered a laugh; this guy was drunk. Seeing his bright eyes, she smiled and nodded. She originally wanted to leave early, but seeing everyone was having so much fun and considering his inebriation, she decided against it.

Zhang Guoqing silently drank the soup in his bowl, inwardly proud. He knew just as long as he pretended to be drunk, Jiao Jiao would definitely be more nervous than him.

After finishing his soup, he quietly watched Zhou Jiao, noting when she started daydreaming. He couldn’t help but wave his hand in front of her eyes. Seeing her come back to her senses, he immediately said, "Don’t worry about those trivial matters. None of your business, stay out of it! Brother will give you a fortune telling - ’A dead end with mountain and water, a new village will appear when the willows make a turn.’"

Zhou Jiao, away from others’ view, tightly grasped his hand, nodding and smiling at him.

"I think it’s about time to wrap up. Let me take you home to be with our son; I still need to help clean up with the others afterward." Zhang Guoqing sat for a moment then stood up, quietly pulling her away.

Not until she was inside did Zhang Guoqing return. Sitting among everyone, listening to their chatter, he smiled knowingly; youth not knowing the taste of worry. He felt he couldn’t keep up with their pace anymore.