The dining hall was a river of silk. Today it flowed with a currebt of celebration. Crimson pillars, thick as the ancient trees and craved with the writhing dragons. The air was thick and sweet with the scent of roasted duck, star anise, and the slow, heavy perfume of sandalwood of incense smoke curling from bronze censers.
Everyone were now at the dining hall having lunch, some of the people were sitting on the dining table and were enjoying the great food on their plate and having drinks. The people were very happy and sharing great moment with each other and somewhere around the corner there was Xiú. Xiú was at the food counter and was taking food in her plate for herself. Her mouth was watering after seeing such a delicious food that have been made for lunch today. There were many dishes prepared today like Xialongbao, Pecking duck, Zongzhi, Lion's Head meatballs, ants climbing the tree, moon cakes, Jiaozhi, Congee and most importantly Buddha jumps over the wall. These dishes were all Xiú's favorite and she started to fill her plate with all the food like a little girl in candy parlour.
Suddenly Cheng also arrived to get some food for himself and he was shocked when he saw Xiú's plate. Xiú's plate was almost full of food and there was not much space even the food which was on her plate were spilling outside the plate, almost no space in her plate but still Xiú continued to put food into her plate.
"Xiú..... Xiú..... calm down what are you doing?" Cheng asked.
"What do you mean what I am doing? Now I cannot eat some great food as well, after waiting for so long?" Xiú asked.
"My dear, I am not telling you that you shouldn't have some great food but look at your plate first. It is almost full and there is no space but still you are filling up the plate with food like you are building up your own personal mountain of food." Cheng said.
"What do you mean? You want to say that I am ugly fat monster who always eat like this. After such long time I am having such great food and I still haven't taken my favorite Buddha jumps over the wall yet." Xiú replied.
"Listen my dear, the lunch will not go away after this first eat this whole food which you have on your and then you could take Buddha jumps over the wall later." Cheng suggested.
"Oh shut up.... I have to take this whole food before Emperor Shou or Empress Hanmei sees me otherwise I won't be able to eat this delicious food." Xiú replied.
Xiú then walked towards the counter where Buddha jumps over the wall was. She picked a bowl for herself and placed it on the table. She then picked up the ladle and was about to put that ladle inside the clay to pour some Buddha jumps over the wall in the bowl but before she could put the ladle inside the clay pot someone instantly grabbed her hand and stopped her from taking Buddha jumps over the wall.
Xiú looked up to see who it was and when she saw the person she was like.
"Oh... no... please Lord Buddha not this time."
The person who grabbed Xiú's hand and was standing right in front of her eyes was Empress Hanmei. Empress Hanmei pulled Xiú's hand holding the ladle away from clay pot.
"Sister in law, what are you doing? You are suffering severe stomach ache right?" Empress Hanmei asked with concern. Xiú now have no idea what to answer or even what to say to Empress Hanmei.
"You pathetic mice! You had to come right now?" Xiu cursed Empress Hanmei in her mind.
"Sister in law I am asking you something, aren't you suffering from stomach ache?" Empress Hanmei asked again.
"NO! No.... sister in law I am no longer suffering from stomach pain anymore I am... uh.. I am... I am feeling better now." Xiú made an excuse and tried to make Empress Hanmei believe that she was fine but still Empress Hanmei was feeling little bit worried about Xiú's health and suddenly her eyes fall on Xiú's plate overloaded with food.
"Sister in law what are doing this much food! Dear Sister in law right now you must be feeling better but it is not okay for you eat this amount of food." Empress Hanmei showed her concern for Xiú and Xiú was feeling embarrassed when Empress Hanmei saw her plate.
"No.. no... sister in law you have misunderstood. This is not only for me this for everyone of us. For me, my husband and my son Jún. I mean we don't want stand up from the dining table again and again to take some food so I decided to take this much amount of food at once. Am I right my dear husband?" Xiú asked Cheng who was busy in sucking the lobsters leg suddenly put down the lobsters leg from his mouth and said.
"Yes... yes..... sister in law Xiú is right this whole food is for all of us. Xiú is so much caring for us." Cheng lied for Xiú and made Empress Hanmei believe in that lie which Xiú made up.
"Oh... I see but sister in law you don't had stand up from your dining table to take food or any dish you want. There are servers for it." Empress Hanmei said and there was complete silence between all of them.
Xiú and Cheng were both numb and had now idea now what they should even say. Xiú started laughing at first Cheng had no why she was laughing but when Xiú looked at him Cheng also started to laugh along with her while Empress Hanmei was confused to see them laughing.
"There were servers? oh.... silly me! I had no idea about that neither my husband." Xiú said with a fake smile on her face.
"Yes! We are so silly, we were so much focused on our food that we never realized that there were food servers as well." Cheng said laughing.
"Yes, and why not there is so much delicious food that has been made today. Am I right sister in law?" Xiú asked Empress Hanmei and Empress Hanmei believed in the excuse which they made and also started smiling as well.
"Yes.... right.... the food delicious but sister in law I think that you should not eat this food since you are suffering from stomach ache." Empress Hanmei advised and this made Xiú stop smiling.
"Then what should I eat then if I should not eat this food?" Xiú asked.
"Don't worry sister in law I have already told the head chef to make special ginger soup and boiled vegetables for you. You sit calmly sit at the dining table the server will place the food at your table." Queen Hanmei replied.
Hearing that she had to eat some boiled vegetables along with ginger soup Xiú was dumbstruck. She didn't want to lose this delicious food and just eat boiled vegetables instead so she started making excuses.
"Why!? I mean why you had to do this much for me sister in law? There is no need of it." Xiú said.
"Why? Sister in law you are suffering from stomach ache and it is my humble responsibility that I should take care of you." Empress Hanmei replied.
"But.... but.... sister in law if I will eat that then what about this food? This food will get wasted and we all strictly against food wastage." Xiú made an argument that could let her eat but it all went down when Cheng interrupted and said.
"Don't worry Xiú! The food will not get wasted. Me and Jún will eat this, you just have what Empress Hanmei has asked for you to head chef to make. After all sister in law has done this for your health." Cheng said and Xiú was giving him a death stare asking him to shut up.
"Yes this is great both brother in law and Jún will eat this food. Sister in law please go and sit at your dining table I will send your food at your table, okay?" Empress Hanmei said and Xiú with a fake smile on her face nodded, accepting the fact that there is no way she going to get a taste of any of the delicious food items that were made today.
Emperor Shou from his dining table called Empress Hanmei. Empress Hanmei left Xiú and Cheng to check on her husband, Cheng also picked Xiú's plate and went back to his dining table while disappointed Xiú standing with water in her mouth was just helplessly watching an old lady pouring Buddha jumps over the wall in her bowl.