The house's construction climbed higher day by day, and Xuexue and Big Bull, anticipating the upcoming beam-raising in a few days, were bustling about the town making purchases.
In the countryside, a house's beam-raising ceremony was a significant event that required hosting a banquet, inviting the village head, respected village elders, and neighbors as well as friends and relatives to feast at the home—a customary practice.
Early in the morning, Madam Xie had enlisted several of the village aunties to prepare the banquet that day at the Li Family's home; with their own home still unfinished, there was no alternative but to entertain guests at the Lis'. However, the Li family's courtyard was spacious enough to accommodate ten to twenty tables without issue.
That afternoon following lunch, Madam Xie sat down with her daughters and Big Bull to discuss who they should invite to the banquet on the day of the beam-raising.