Bag End, Bilbo's home.
Sweet fruits, fragrant cheese slices, bacon and ham emanating a greasy aroma, freshly baked cookies, and fine honey waiting to be spread were all laid out on the dining table.
At the very center of the table was a steaming roasted leg of lamb, sprinkled with cumin and chili powder, and a golden roasted chicken surrounded by red tomatoes and purple onion rings.
Bilbo entertained Arthur and his friends with the utmost enthusiasm.
The little hobbit couldn't help but smile, finally sitting down at the table after half a day of bustling.
Arthur wasn't idle either; while Bilbo prepared dinner, he helped Bilbo with simple tasks, such as washing the vegetables and fruits to be used.
After all, hobbits were more skilled at cooking.
And Bernal and the others, who had come with Arthur, seeing Arthur helping, naturally felt embarrassed to just wait at the table and also actively went to the kitchen to help.
Although this made Bilbo both annoyed and amused.
Annoyed because four tall humans standing in his kitchen almost made it too crowded.
Amused because Arthur and his friends indeed helped him a lot; the middle-aged man in silver armor and the crimson-haired girl quickly cut the spare vegetables with astonishing knife skills and set them aside, and the bacon and ham were also precisely sliced into uniform thin pieces.
Though Bilbo didn't quite understand why the amount they cut and prepared already exceeded what four people could eat, enough to fill everyone's stomach even if they were all big eaters.
What surprised Bilbo even more was the robust old man who looked weathered but spoke very boldly, as he alone took the marinated leg of lamb and turkey out to roast.
He controlled the heat perfectly; Bilbo smelled the aroma from inside the house, and years of gourmet experience made Bilbo's mouth water; he knew the lamb leg and turkey outside must be very fragrant now, just thinking about it made him salivate.
Therefore, when Bilbo sat back at the dining table, he happily raised his small wine glass filled with red wine and loudly said to Arthur and the others: "Although I've said what I'm about to say before, I still want to say it: Welcome to Bag End! This sumptuous dinner was made by all of us together, and it must be more delicious than any dinner I've ever tasted!"
Arthur also raised the wooden cup in front of him, but the liquid swaying in the cup was not red wine, but orange juice squeezed from freshly picked citrus that morning.
He didn't like drinking alcohol; compared to the spiciness of wine, he preferred the sweetness of fruit juice.
So Arthur's juice also had some sugar added, because purely squeezed fruit juice could be slightly bitter, and adding sugar would make the taste better.
This was suggested by Bilbo Baggins, and it must be said that hobbits certainly knew how to enjoy life.
Millison, like Arthur, also chose a non-alcoholic beverage.
It wasn't that Millison disliked drinking, but rather that she truly felt that as Arthur's Blade, she should always remain clear-headed.
And alcohol would numb her brain and limbs, which is why Millison chose fruit juice.
As for Bernal and Igon, these two older men had fewer concerns, but compared to red wine, they chose golden ale, which could be drunk more freely.
Amidst Bilbo's enthusiastic opening remarks, one hobbit and four humans clinked their cups together.
Because Bilbo was already impatient to start dinner, he planned to put down his small wine glass and cut a slice of the lamb leg roasted by old Sir Igon.
However, Arthur put down his cup and said, "Shouldn't we wait for others?"
Bilbo's dinner knife, reaching for the lamb leg, stopped, and he looked at Arthur confused: "Others? Did you bring other friends? Are they late?"
Arthur shook his head: "No, these three are the only ones I brought. But this dinner party was invited by Gandalf, and he's not here now, and as far as I know, there should be more..."
Arthur's words were interrupted by Bilbo's sudden realization: "Oh, right, Gandalf! How could I forget him! I invited him for tea yesterday, but he hasn't been around, and I was wondering if the old wizard had forgotten about it."
So he put down the dinner knife in his hand and blinked, looking at Arthur: "Then we'll wait a little longer?"
Just as Arthur was about to ask Bilbo if he knew a group of dwarves would also be coming, the bell hanging on the main door suddenly rang, making a tinkling sound.
Bilbo smiled, looked at Arthur, and said, "See, Gandalf is here! You all stay seated, I'll go open the door! Of course, it would be even better if you could help me get another set of cutlery for Gandalf from the kitchen."
Then the hobbit jumped from his seat, his shoeless, hairy big feet making a "pitter-patter" sound as he hurried towards his front door.
Bilbo ran, shouting, "Sorry, Gandalf! I almost forgot about you, kept you waiting!"
The green round door opened inwards, and just as Bilbo smiled to welcome Gandalf, he suddenly found that it wasn't the wizard who had arrived at all, but a bald dwarf only a few centimeters taller than himself.
His beard was tucked into his brown collar, and his eyes, under a deep green hood, were very bright.
As soon as Bilbo's door opened, the bald dwarf barged in, as if it were only natural that Bilbo had been waiting for him for a long time.
The bald dwarf hung his hooded cloak on a nearby coat hook by the door, then bowed deeply: "Dwalin, at your service."
"Uh, oh, Bilbo Baggins, at your service!"
Bilbo was stunned for a moment and subconsciously tidied his own clothes, replying politely.
He was too surprised to know what to ask at that moment.
To avoid an awkward silence, Bilbo said, "I'm enjoying dinner with my friends... Although I don't know why you've come in so familiarly, I welcome you to join us."
Dwalin, hearing this, became even more certain; he nodded, the indoor white light reflecting on his scalp: "I've come precisely for this banquet. Are they all here? Am I late?"
Now it was Bilbo's turn to be confused: "Wait, do we know each other? And who else is coming?"
Dwalin, who had walked into Bag End, smelled the aroma of food and followed the scent to Arthur's location, while Bilbo, somewhat flustered, followed behind Dwalin.
Seeing Dwalin, Arthur stood up to greet him, giving the dwarf a big hug: "Oh, Dwalin, it's been so long. I heard about you from Thorin. Nepheli Loux asked me to inquire if there were any omissions in the footwork she taught you."
Dwalin clearly hadn't expected Arthur to already be here. His previously indifferent attitude towards Bilbo immediately became respectful, and he stood still and honestly said, "Lord Arthur, I didn't expect you to already be here. I'm already very proficient in the footwork Lady Nepheli Loux taught me. Thank you very much for her guidance."
Arthur patted Dwalin's shoulder, signaling him to find a seat.
Dwalin looked at the delicious food and drinks on the dining table, a happy smile appearing on his face, his beard on his chin trembling.
Bilbo then shuffled over, raising his hand slightly and pointing at Dwalin, asking, "Is he also your friend?"
Arthur thought for a moment and said, "Yes, but he didn't come with me."
Bilbo scratched the back of his head and asked, "I don't understand, but since he's your friend, I welcome him to join the dinner. For six people, this dining table can still barely fit."
Arthur blinked, "Didn't Gandalf tell you?"
Bilbo was startled, "Tell me what?"
Just then, the bell at the door rang again, but compared to when Dwalin arrived, this time the bell sounded as if it was rung by a very polite person.
Arthur pointed to the door and said, "Tonight, besides me and my friends, a large group of dwarves will also come to your banquet. That's why we specifically prepared extra food when we were making dinner earlier. Didn't Gandalf tell you?"
Bilbo walked towards the door, saying loudly, "Me? Of course not! He just inexplicably invited me on an adventure, which I've already refused! And I kindly invited him over for tea! But he let a group of dwarves come to my house uninvited? Oh, heavens!"
He happened to open the door at that moment, and a kind and gentle voice came from outside, "What 'heavens'? Did you encounter something difficult?"
Bilbo immediately replied, "Difficult? Of course not!"
Then he clearly saw the person who had arrived, and as expected, it was a dwarf.
This dwarf looked very old, with a snowy white beard, wearing a loose, date-red coat, and he smiled as he opened his arms and said, "Balin, at your service."
Bilbo's mouth opened, moved, and finally, his Adam's apple bobbed as he said, "Good evening, uh, thank you."
Balin unexpectedly lowered his arms. He subconsciously glanced at the night sky, where the bright moon was casting its light, and nodded, saying, "Yes, yes, the weather tonight is indeed good."
Then he walked in familiarly, not caring whether Bilbo had invited him into the house.
Balin then saw Dwalin's cloak on the coat hook by the door and said with a smile, "It seems someone has already arrived."
Bilbo sighed. The hobbit's naturally hospitable nature prevented him from refusing to let this kind old dwarf in, and after closing the door, he even actively led Balin to the kitchen.
"If you mean these people, they are indeed here," Bilbo said.
To be honest, Bilbo was already feeling a sense of unease.
He was happy to have guests, but he was even happier to know in advance that guests were coming, and it was best if the guests were invited by him personally or were familiar to him.
Oh, perhaps my cakes won't be enough for tonight.
Bilbo thought.
"You must be Lord Arthur, whom Thorin mentioned, right? Nice to meet you, I am Balin, at your service."
Then he watched as Balin first respectfully bowed to Arthur, then smiled as he greeted Dwalin and squeezed next to him, only to find there was no extra chair.
So Balin asked, "Are there any more chairs?"
Bilbo came back to his senses and replied, "Chairs? Oh, of course, just a moment."
However, before he could finish his sentence, the bell at the door rang urgently again.
Bilbo suddenly looked at Arthur, who also showed a very innocent expression and said, "I can help you move some more chairs from the storeroom. You can go open the door."
Dwalin also stood up and said, "Perhaps I can also get some more beer."
The bell rang again, indicating that the person at the door was very anxious, so Bilbo could only nod and quickly walked to the door.
It must be Gandalf this time, right? Bilbo thought, opening the door.
Standing outside this time were two dwarves, one with a yellow beard, his body bulging with weapons, and the other with a short black beard, carrying a bow on his back.
"Fili, Kili, at your service!"
They shouted in unison.
Then, like Dwalin and Balin, they walked in familiarly.
It seemed all dwarves were very familiar.
Kili looked around the area near the door, praising, "This is a really nice place."
Fili nodded, and at the same time, took off the saber from his waist and handed it to Bilbo, who unconsciously took it.
Arthur happened to be passing by, carrying chairs, and upon hearing the sound, he poked his head out, "Hey, Fili, Kili, you're here?"
Fili and Kili, who had been somewhat carefree, immediately became well-behaved upon seeing Arthur. Kili even quietly pulled back his foot, which he had been about to step on a wooden box near the door to wipe mud off his shoe.
"Teacher Arthur, good evening," the dwarf brothers greeted respectfully.
Arthur then said, "Come in and help first. I'm afraid the original spots won't be enough. Your teacher Bernal is also inside, you can greet him first."
After the dwarf brothers went inside, Bilbo complained to Arthur, "How many dwarves did Gandalf find? I can't believe that more than half of the guests in my house are dwarves now!"
Arthur patted his shoulder and said, "I don't know about that either, but what Gandalf did was indeed not proper. He should have told you the number of people in advance. When he comes, I will definitely speak to him for you."
Bilbo immediately said, "Oh no, I'm not trying to refuse these dwarves from visiting my house, it's just that I think we should get to know each other first, and then come to visit, don't you agree?"
Arthur nodded, "Of course."
And that damned bell rang again, "Ding-dong, ding-dong."
Arthur actually saw an expression of utter despair on Bilbo's face, and then the hobbit muttered about it being dwarves again as he went to open the door.
"Woah—"
The exclamations of many dwarves came after Bilbo opened the door, and they tumbled into the house one after another, leaving Bilbo dumbfounded.
He looked at Arthur and shouted, "Is Gandalf planning to bring the entire dwarf family to my house?!"
"Oh ho ho, of course not, Bilbo Baggins. These are the last dwarf guests," Gandalf said with a chuckle, bending over and squeezing into Bag End past the dwarves who were crowded and falling through the door.
And behind him, followed a handsome dwarf, Thorin Oakenshield.
Thorin also squeezed in, looked at the wide-eyed Bilbo, and nodded slightly in greeting to him.