«وَرَفَضُوا الدَّعَةَ الَّتِي كَانُوا نَوَوْهَا وَثَابُوا إِلَى نَشْرِ الْفُكَاهَةِ بَعْدَمَا طَوَوْهَا»
They abandoned the rest they had intended and returned to spreading the mirth they had already folded away.
Daʿa means rest, fukāha cheerful conversation, nashr spreading or unfolding, and ṭayy folding up. The opposition between unfolding and folding makes the renewed conversation visual.
The previously closing gathering comes alive again. This forms a natural stopping point before the next exchange with Abū Zayd.