The meal was eaten in extraordinary silence.
Shen Yunfang, the daughter-in-law, didn't pour the bowl of water, so Li Hongjun, the son, snatched up the task.
The old man Li's face darkened a bit when he drank the water, probably considering it an open challenge from his second son, but Li Hongjun and his wife acted as if they hadn't noticed.
During the meal, a few naughty kids from the Wang Dan family came over to mooch some food, but when they saw that there was only a pot of cabbage and potatoes and not a speck of meat on the table, they scooted off immediately.
After lunch, Shen Yunfang washed the dishes in the kitchen while Li Hongjun saw off Liu Jianjun. When Shen Yunfang came out of the kitchen, Li Hongjun said directly, "Go into that room and get the kids to sleep."
