Chapter 10

Li Cuiping, in a hurry, raised her voice, and all the women at the table heard her, showing curious expressions. The accountant, Wang Yanqiu, asked, "Sister Cuiping, the dishes are only halfway through, are you already full?"

A hint of embarrassment appeared on Li Cuiping's face, and she glared fiercely at Wang Baoyu, withdrawing her chopsticks. Wang Baoyu, undaunted, quickly put the chicken leg into his mouth and chewed it vigorously, even grinding the remaining bones into tiny pieces, which he spat out on the ground with a puff, looking very unrefined.

"Did Baoyu guess right?" Wang Yanqiu asked again.

Li Cuiping stammered, not knowing how to respond. At this moment, Wang Baoyu, with his oily mouth, leaned close to her ear and said, "Auntie, don't worry. I can not only tell, hehe..." Wang Baoyu, with a mischievous smile, picked up a piece of mushroom and placed it in front of Li Cuiping, continuing, "I can also help you solve your problem and make sure you're full."

Li Cuiping was initially very annoyed, but hearing Wang Baoyu's words, she felt a surge of excitement and immediately put on a smile, saying, "Baoyu really guessed it right. I'm truly impressed."

"What did he guess right?" Wang Yanqiu, who was very talkative, kept asking. In fact, everyone at the table wanted to know what Wang Baoyu had guessed correctly.

"Um, Baoyu guessed that I have a stomach problem. After eating a little, my stomach started to hurt!" Li Cuiping said. Wang Baoyu secretly admired her; how could a woman lie so convincingly, even better than a man!

Li Cuiping's words were clearly authoritative. From then on, all the women at the table looked at Baoyu with new respect. Li Cuiping ate more deliciously than anyone else, and no one could tell she had a stomach problem. It was truly impressive that Baoyu could figure out such a hidden issue.

For a while, everyone tried to get close to Baoyu, each with their own agenda. The meat dishes that followed were all offered to Wang Baoyu first. While humming and responding to them, Wang Baoyu ate until his mouth was full of oil, feeling very satisfied.

After half an hour, all the dishes were served, and the women at the table were mostly full, with the plates almost empty. Wang Baoyu, with one hand on his round belly and the other using his pinky nail to pick out the meat fibers stuck in his teeth, belched loudly, looking very content.

In the north, whether in restaurants or at home, there is a common feature: the dishes are large and the portions are generous. However, after sixteen large dishes, there was one person who was not full, and that was Li Cuiping. It wasn't because she said she was full or that Wang Baoyu guessed her stomach hurt; she just couldn't bring herself to eat more, only symbolically tasting a few more bites.

Li Cuiping, who was not even half full, felt a bit depressed. But thinking that if Wang Baoyu could really make her full in the evening, it would be worth not eating today. She couldn't wait for the banquet to end.

Just then, Ma Shunxi and the village officials came over. According to tradition, the last part of the banquet was toasting. The women generally didn't drink, and although Wang Baoyu had some alcohol tolerance, he focused on eating and didn't pay much attention to drinking.

"Everyone, everyone," Ma Shunxi, with a red face and a hiccup, slurred. Hearing this, everyone laughed. Ma Shunxi also smiled, and then said, "Thank you all for coming. I'll drink this cup first." He then tilted his head back and drank it all in one go.

In this situation, the women also poured themselves some wine and drank a little after Ma Shunxi. Wang Baoyu, however, only sipped it and put it down.

"Shallow feelings, just a lick. Baoyu, you're not doing it right. You didn't really drink. Are you looking down on Uncle Ma?" Ma Shunxi, with his drunken eyes, saw Wang Baoyu's action and joked.

"Village Chief Ma, what are you saying? How could I not give the village chief face? It's just that the banquet you prepared is so abundant that my stomach is full, with no room left," Wang Baoyu patted his belly and explained.

"Ha ha, you're a smooth talker. But today, your godfather is our top contributor. Even if you have to squeeze in a little, you should drink a cup to show me some respect, right?" Ma Shunxi said, clearly satisfied with the event and still enthusiastically urging Baoyu to drink.

Wang Baoyu couldn't resist and had to raise his glass and drink it down, then showed the empty bottom to Ma Shunxi, who nodded happily.

"Good! You're a smart kid. You'll do well in the future. You might even take over your godfather's position," Ma Shunxi was very pleased with Wang Baoyu's performance.

"Village Chief Ma has a good eye. Baoyu has learned some skills. He guessed very accurately for Sister Cuiping," Wang Yanqiu said in a flattering tone.

"Really? If you keep this up, you'll soon surpass your father. Baoyu, come, let's drink another cup! For what? Right, to carry on the fine tradition!" Ma Shunxi, feeling proud of his discerning eye, kept urging Baoyu to drink.

Ma Shunxi's wife, Zheng Fenglan, knowing he was drunk, stopped the glass and said, "Old Ma, you're drunk. Why are you forcing a half-grown kid to drink?"

The village party secretary, Chi Lica, hearing Wang Yanqiu's words, frowned, feeling unhappy. As a party cadre, his wife was openly involved in feudal superstition, which he thought, "This spendthrift woman, always causing trouble."

Chi Lica, with a slightly unhappy look, asked his wife, Li Cuiping, "What did you guess wrong?"

Li Cuiping, used to being domineering at home, didn't care about Chi Lica's expression and said indifferently, "What's wrong? Baoyu just guessed that I have a stomach problem. You know it's an old issue I've had since birth!" She then gave Chi Lica a look.

Chi Lica was puzzled. His fat wife, who could eat a whole roasted chicken in one meal, had never mentioned having a stomach problem. However, he felt relieved. As long as she didn't guess about promotions or wealth, it was fine. He forced a smile, raised his glass, and said to Wang Baoyu, "Oh, so Baoyu knows some medicine. Truly impressive. Here, I'll toast to you, hoping for a bright future for Baoyu!"

Wang Baoyu grinned awkwardly and had no choice but to drink another cup, feeling the second cup of alcohol burn his face.

"Kid, that's the way to do it! Be bold and drink when you should. Come, sister will also toast to you. Why? For being the only man at this table!" A coquettish voice came from the village women's director, Lian Yexiang. Just over thirty, she seemed to have dressed up today, with shiny hair oil in her curls, a plaid wide-shouldered coat, tight black leggings, and a pair of square-heeled shoes. Her face was powdered, and she seemed to be trying to hide the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes. Even from ten meters away, one could smell the strong scent of her face cream.

Wang Baoyu had no good feelings towards this woman and didn't think it was her place to toast him as a man.

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