Suddenly assigned tasks, the group of people hurriedly stood up.
After surveying the surroundings, Yan Qinghe took the most relaxed task: "I forgot to bring food for Heizi, I'll take it to the restaurant to eat some meat bones."
"Woof woof woof!" Heizi excitedly followed him.
Among the remaining people, Xiu Wen consciously went to wash the dishes. Yan Wu chose the broom, and Yan Jiu chose the rag, and they busied themselves with their respective tasks.
At this time, the porters delivering tables and chairs from the restaurant also arrived outside the door.
Hearing the noise, Qi Huan went out.
"Madam, where should we put these tables and chairs?"
"Set them up outside the courtyard."
On the right side of the new house was the house Lu Yueming was building, and on the left was an unsold plot of land.
Qi Huan led the porters to this open space and directed them to arrange the tables and chairs neatly.
In fact, Qi Huan originally didn't want to make it so troublesome and preferred to hold the housewarming banquet directly at the restaurant, which would be more convenient. But it was the custom in Mo County to invite guests over to the new house for a meal, colloquially known as "warming the pot."
Following local customs, she had no choice but to follow the tradition.
On the morning of the sixth day of the seventh month,
As the sky just brightened, the alarm system set up the night before started ringing one after another, waking her up.
"Ding ling ling——"
"Ding ling ling——"
"Host, wake up! Wake up and earn points!"
"Mute!"
After the world fell silent, Qi Huan rubbed her sleepy eyes and put on clothes with a sour expression.
When she was done, she first went outside to count the tables and chairs, and the number was the same as the previous day.
She stroked Heizi's head with relief, knowing that with it around, no thieves would dare to try anything.
In the faint morning light, a bullock cart gradually approached and stopped. Tao Su jumped down happily.
"Miss Qi, I came ahead with the delivery of ingredients, Da and Niu are still on their way behind us."
After saying that, she turned and took out a small package from the cart and quickly untied it.
"Miss Qi, I made you some insoles embroidered with golden ingots. My mother said that embroidering lotuses means wishing for a smooth path where lotuses bloom with each step. So I embroidered golden ingots for you, wishing that you'll earn more wealth with each step!"
"Thank you, little clever one."
Taking the insoles, Qi Huan looked at the lifelike patterns of ingots and smiled: "I love them."
The thick white cotton insoles were sturdy, and the stitches were very fine and dense. In addition to embroidering golden ingots with yellow silk thread, there were also a few auspicious clouds embroidered beside them. To prevent chafing, she had also specifically used white silk thread to re-embroider over the blank spaces.
A simple gift with heartfelt sentiment.
Qi Huan smiled brightly.
It was Tao Su who felt a little shy. Seeing that the carter had almost unloaded the vegetables, she spoke up, "Miss Qi, you're busy, I'll go to the kitchen first."
"Okay, thank you for your hard work."
After responding, Qi Huan first went back to put away the insoles, then came out again and wrote in the gift record book: White Tao Su, six pairs of exquisite insoles.
"Madam, let me write it!"
Qi Huan turned towards the voice and saw Mr. Xu Mingda standing beside her.
"Madam, you've always said you don't have any money. So, I'll give you ten taels of silver."
Since the madam treated him well, Xu Mingda mustered his courage and took out ten taels of silver to congratulate the madam on her housewarming.
After putting down the silver, Xu Mingda sat down in the seat Qi Huan had vacated for him and also recorded his good wishes in the gift book.
Gradually, many more people arrived, Da, Niu, and the servants from the restaurant and noodle shop. None of them came empty-handed.
Even Little Shitou and others also wrote congratulatory words and gave them to Qi Huan.
Their handwriting was not good-looking, but it was quite neat. Every stroke and dot was done with sincere thoughts.
Qi Huan originally thought that today would be like a charitable act, almost like treating everyone to a free meal, in exchange for the points she valued more.
However, she didn't expect that those who came all brought gifts—the wealthy sent some silver, and the poor gave various small tokens of their heart, such as a few cucumbers, a few baskets, a bag of flour, a basin, and so on.
The two gatehouse rooms on the left and right sides of the main gate were stuffed full, and blessings poured towards Qi Huan like a tidal wave.
After everyone was seated and the dishes were served, the system kept prompting, "Good deed +1, points +1."
Originally, the host's purpose was to warm the house, not specifically for charitable giving, so strictly speaking, she should not have received points. But the system turned a blind eye and kept adding points.
After all, who was the host working hard to earn points for?
Wasn't it for the system itself?
Moreover, it heard through the host's ears that many poor people repeatedly praised that they had never eaten such delicious food in their lives. So, satisfying others' hunger and adding pleasant memories to their lives, how could that not be considered a good deed?
The system quickly convinced itself.
As long as it recognized that poor people were eating the dishes, it would frantically add points for the host.
But its dear host found it too noisy and mercilessly muted it.
System: ......
After the silence in her mind, Qi Huan stood by Mr. Xu's wooden table. Whenever someone came to offer gifts and blessings, as the host, she inevitably had to exchange a few pleasantries with them.
At the same time, she was also paying attention to the movement at the dining tables.
People kept asking what the noodles were in the meat and noodle dish.
The servants smiled and replied, "This is a new dish our madam has created, called noodles. Do you like the taste? If you want to eat it, you can order this dish at Qi's Restaurant tomorrow. This is our new menu item."
"Great! It's delicious and goes well with rice. I, Da Hu, will definitely come to your restaurant tomorrow to support you!"
"Hey, you see those old ladies, their hands are so fast. I haven't even tasted it, and they've already devoured everything. I shouldn't have sat at their table... Nevermind, respecting the elderly and loving the young, I won't fight with them. I'll go to Qi's Restaurant tomorrow to eat!"
Most of the guests were ordinary folk, and they didn't follow the etiquette of not talking while eating or sleeping. Instead, they discussed and ate at the same time, in a harmonious atmosphere.
Seeing their smiling faces, Qi Huan couldn't help but smile along.
No matter how much money one has, it cannot be taken to the afterlife. But the warmth left behind will be passed on.
For example, she heard that young man called Da Hu give her an unflattering nickname: Qi the Benevolent.
And he called on everyone to spread her story and use it as an exemplar for future generations, encouraging more people to do good deeds.
"Go, go, go, what kind of name is that? It sounds like a middle-aged man with a potbelly. Ah Huan should be called Little Qi Bodhisattva instead!"
The newly arrived Chen Jinyou argued with Da Hu as he approached.
Da Hu disagreed, "Qi the Benevolent sounds better!"
"Little Qi Bodhisattva sounds better!"
Qi Huan stroked her forehead. Could she say anything that didn't sound offensive?
Although having a good reputation was a good thing in ancient times, she didn't want to be known by these two titles.
"Calm down, calm down, peace is most precious. You two, don't argue. Why don't you open your minds a little? Besides Bodhisattvas, what else is there in the heavens?"
Interrupted by her, the two obediently fell into contemplation.
Then, someone from the crowd blurted out: "There are also Buddhas!"
Qi Huan: A beautiful woman at a loss for words.
Fortunately, Qing Cai came to the rescue in time: "There are also many beautiful little fairies in the heavens. Sister Qi Huan is beautiful and kind-hearted, she should be called a fairy!"
"Oh, oh!" The crowd nodded in agreement.
With a sudden realization, Qi Huan proclaimed: "Congratulations to Little Fairy Qi on her new abode!"
