The meal didn't last long, less than an hour before it was over. After all, the journey was long, and the two Lu families still had children with them and needed to rush on the night road to get back.
On the way back, Xie Jiang and Xie Changgen each carried a basket on their back, and each had two bunches of washed grapes stuffed into their hands by their second aunt, wrapped in lotus leaves so they could eat them while walking.
The happiest was Xie Jifu, who carefully held his share of grapes, hopping and skipping along on his own. From time to time, he would pluck a grape and chew on it, even grinding the skin and pits together to swallow, not willing to spit them out.
