Carrying three bottles of alcohol and eight jins of fine wine snatched from an old master, Zhang Guoqing and the two mothers headed towards the main house, where two tables were set up after a tidy-up.
The large table was made by Zhang Guoqiang, Zhang's second brother. It's particularly large, made from suitable wood he found that year. Normally, it's used for ancestral ceremonies during Chinese New Year, and can comfortably seat twelve big men.
During Chinese New Year, the Zhang family doesn't have many women or children, and they still sit separately, all gathered around this big table. A smaller one nearby is commonly used for daily family meals. When these two tables are set up, the main house doesn't feel cramped. Two sisters-in-law are already setting the bowls and chopsticks and bringing out dishes.
