After finishing with the child, Lin Zhilan raised her glass. "Second sister-in-law, come on, let's have a toast."
Deng Jing, who usually never touched alcohol, felt like getting thoroughly drunk today too.
She picked up her glass and clinked it lightly with Lin Zhilan's.
They exchanged a smile, brought the glasses to their lips, and took a sip.
The liquor slid down her throat, slightly sharp at first, followed by a wave of warmth spreading from her throat to her chest, bringing a cozy feeling.
Su Jue picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it in Deng Jing's bowl. "Don't just drink. Eat something high in fat—it'll keep you from getting drunk too quickly."
Deng Jing gave him a sideways glance and took another sip.
If you're drinking, isn't the point to get drunk?
What's the point if you don't?
Su Bingcheng had long finished the little liquor in his cup but was still twirling the empty glass in his hand, his eyes constantly drifting toward the bottle.
Xu Yueyun discreetly stepped on his foot under the table.
Su Bingcheng sighed and set the empty glass down.
Lin Zhilan and Deng Jing didn't usually drink. After two glasses, both their cheeks flushed a faint red.
When everyone had almost finished eating, Su Lang and Su Jue cleared the dishes from the table.
Xu Yueyun turned on the radio, had Su Lang move the dining table aside to free up the middle of the living room, and waved at Su Bingcheng. "Come on, let's dance."
Su Bingcheng waved his hand. "I'm too old for that kind of thing."
"Tch," Xu Yueyun said in displeasure. "Hurry up!"
Su Bingcheng mumbled something, walked over, took her hand, and gently placed his other hand on her waist.
The old couple treated everyone to a slow four-step dance.
Lin Zhilan nudged Su Lang with her elbow. "Dad and Mom know ballroom dancing?"
Su Lang chuckled softly. "That's all Dad knows. He learned it back then just to court Mom."
In her youth, Xu Yueyun had been an underground party member. Using her identity as the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, she often frequented the concessions and attended soirées and salons hosted by foreigners.
She had been a modern-educated young lady back then, fluent in both English and French, with a delicate and gentle charm and a wealth of talent.
Later, when Xu Yueyun's father was exposed and sacrificed for supporting the army, she was sent back to the base.
For such an outstanding woman, Su Bingcheng had put in real effort behind the scenes back then just to be able to date her.
As the dance ended, Lin Zhilan led the applause, and the atmosphere instantly became lively.
Xu Yueyun waved at her two daughters-in-law. "You two come and dance too."
Lin Zhilan's eyes sparkled as she looked at Deng Jing.
Deng Jing shook her head. "I don't know how."
Su Jue nervously swallowed. "I'll teach you."
The alcohol fueled her courage, and with Lin Zhilan's encouragement, Deng Jing stood up too.
In that era, ballroom dancing was still considered a "bourgeois" pastime, only appearing occasionally at high-level diplomatic events.
Aside from Lu Gang, everyone in the room was family.
The best way to prevent anyone from snitching was to get them involved too.
Su Lang handed Su Li, who had been wriggling in his arms, to Lu Gang. "Comrade Lu, sorry to trouble you."
Lu Gang: "..."
Su Li struggled in his arms, and Lu Gang instinctively held him steady.
Su Li grabbed at his buttons and pointed toward the middle of the living room. "Go, go."
Lu Gang would have been better suited for hand-to-hand combat. Dancing was completely out of the question.
Lu Gang tried to put Su Li down, but Su Li held on tightly, refusing to let go, and dragged him over to the center of the living room.
Lu Gang stood there like a post, serving as Su Li's background prop.
Su Lang silently cheered for his son in his heart.
Since they were just messing around anyway, Lin Zhilan brought in the daughters and nieces too.
The radio spun out a melody, and in that small space, the adults and children shed all their inhibitions and pretenses, letting joy flow freely.
Su Lang watched his wife's happy smiling face and asked Jiang Chengzhou, who was sitting nearby, "Why aren't you dancing?"
Jiang Chengzhou lowered his eyelids and said flatly, "Boring."
Jiang Chengzhou had been acting a bit prematurely mature lately, what Su Lang called "putting on airs."
Su Lang ruffled his hair. "When did you suddenly grow up? You were more fun when you were little."
Lin Zhilan said Jiang Chengzhou was going through adolescence now, with his self-awareness surging, eager to draw a line between himself and younger kids. Some awkwardness was normal.
But Su Lang still felt a bit sorry about it.
Jiang Chengzhou wanted to avoid his annoying uncle, but Su Lang insisted on squeezing in close to him, hooking his arm around his head. "Back when you were just a little squirt, you stuck to me all day. I couldn't shake you off. Now you think your uncle is too old?"
Jiang Chengzhou pouted. "You're not old."
Then he realized something and widened his eyes at Su Lang. "When did I ever stick to you? I clearly—"
Su Lang teased with a grin. "Oh, so it wasn't me you were sticking to—it was your aunt."
Jiang Chengzhou couldn't be bothered with his uncle anymore and made a move to go upstairs to his room.
But Su Lang wasn't about to let him go. He quickly pulled him back to sit down. "I'll tell you a secret."
"What?"
Su Lang lowered his voice. "Your aunt thinks you've been a bit cold to her lately. She cries in her room every day."
Jiang Chengzhou whipped his head around to stare at his uncle. "No way!"
Su Lang raised an eyebrow, let go of him, and rested his hand on the back of the sofa. "Don't believe me, then."
Jiang Chengzhou glanced at Lin Zhilan laughing joyfully in the living room. "My aunt wouldn't cry. You're definitely lying to me."
Su Lang deliberately sighed. "Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but your aunt really is a little hurt."
Jiang Chengzhou pursed his lips.
He just thought he was grown up now, and he couldn't keep clinging to his aunt and acting spoiled like Linlin and Su Li did.
But if his aunt insisted...
Jiang Chengzhou peeked at Su Li scurrying around the living room, then shook his head firmly. He really couldn't do that now.
They had fooled around enough.
Deng Jing's face was bright red—clearly she'd had too much to drink.
The two elders also wanted to give the couples some time alone, so they decided to take the two granddaughters home first.
Linlin kissed her mother and followed her two older sisters to Grandma's house.
Su Jue told Lu Gang to head back and decided to stay overnight at his brother's place.
This was a military compound, and with Su Lang, whose skills were no less than his own, at home, Lu Gang had nothing to worry about, so he went straight back to rest.
Both Lin Zhilan and Deng Jing handled their liquor well. Even when drunk, they didn't cause a fuss.
After Su Jue helped Deng Jing wash up and escorted her to the bedroom, Deng Jing was already so sleepy she couldn't keep her eyes open.
Su Jue laid her down on the bed and covered her with the blanket.
He watched her for a long time by the bedside before leaving to wash up himself.
When he finished washing and returned to the room, Deng Jing was lying on her side, facing the window, leaving him with a quiet view of her back.
Su Jue tiptoed over and lay down on the other side of the bed.
He stared at the ceiling, not entertaining any other thoughts, just enjoying this moment of quietly being beside his wife.
After who knows how long, Su Jue suddenly heard a faint whimpering sound beside him.
His heart tightened. He quickly reached out, holding Deng Jing by the shoulders to turn her around.
Deng Jing didn't want him to see her crying. She just grabbed his clothes and buried her face in the hollow of his neck, sobbing.
