"Miss, the fireworks outside are going on quite a bit. Are you still sewing? Why don't you put it down and go outside to take a look?"

Jinling, the Ministry of Rites.

Inside the boudoir, the maid looked at Zhang Zisheng, who was sewing by the candlelight.

Zhang Zisheng shook her head, a faint smile on her serene face.

"Almost there, just a few more stitches."

The maid nodded and smiled at Zhang Zisheng:

"Miss, this dress was sewn by you stitch by stitch. It took you so long to sew it. Who are you going to give it to?"

Zhang Zisheng did not answer.

The maidservant stepped forward and whispered in her fair ear:

"Miss, which young master is it?"

"Tell me about it, I won't tell the master."

At this moment, Zhang Zisheng had finished sewing the last bit. She slowly stood up, picked up the new dress, and said to the maid:

"Is it pretty? Yuchuan."

Yu Chuan nodded, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons with laughter:

"It looks absolutely beautiful."

"Yu Chuan just wants to know, who is Miss going to give this to?"

"Miss, tell me about it." She tugged at Zhang Zisheng's arm and shook it.

Zhang Zisheng, however, took the new clothes and walked towards the door. Her gaze was fixed on the night sky, and she murmured to herself:

"It's been almost three years since I last saw you. I don't know if your clothes have been sewn too small or too big."

"If it fits perfectly, that would be even better."

As she murmured to herself, Yu Chuan stopped in her tracks.

"Yu Chuan, what are you standing there for?"

"Come, come with me out of the manor." Zhang Zisheng stepped out of the door and said without turning her head.

"Ah? Miss, are you leaving the manor now?" Yu Chuan asked, somewhat surprised.

"Um."

"But Miss, you wouldn't be going to..." Yu Chuan felt that her young mistress was being far too bold; after all, a young lady shouldn't be so...

Zhang Zisheng's voice continued to come:

"My feet are on my body, I can go anywhere."

"If you want to do something, just do it. Why add unnecessary worries?"

"Miss is here!"

Yu Chuan didn't think too much about it and chased after her with a smile.

——

"Huh? Wen'er, this... where did you get this new coat? Is this the New Year's gift you promised to give me?"

Er Mao, holding the firecrackers he had just found, looked at Wen'er with a surprised expression.

Wen'er's rosy cheeks were full of smiles. She nodded and handed the new coat in her hand to Er Mao.

"Brother Er Mao, when I went to get some porridge earlier, a kind lady gave me some porridge and some frostbite cream. Actually, she also gave me a piece of clothing! It was brand new!"

"Didn't you say you'd wait until Chinese New Year to have me give it to you? Well, here it is, I've brought it for you."

Looking at the brand-new coat, Er Mao was at a loss, waving his hands repeatedly:

"No, no, I... I thought it was some kind of trinket. How could I accept such a nice dress?"

"Take it, Brother Er Mao. I have nothing else to give you. You've been so good to me, you should wear it."

"You can't expect me to catch crickets for you, can you?" Wen'er blinked and said with a smile.

Er Mao sniffled, his face as red as a persimmon, and he scratched his head:

"This...this isn't appropriate, is it?"

"Is it inappropriate?"

Is this appropriate?

"It doesn't fit? Or are you disgusted that it was a gift from someone else, Brother Er Mao... But I... but I really have nothing else to give you." As Wen'er spoke, her eyes welled up with tears.

Er Mao quickly waved his hand, "No, no, no, it fits perfectly!"

"I've wanted a new dress for ages! Wen'er, you're so kind! You're such a good sister to me!"

Er Mao hugged Wen'er tightly and affectionately pinched her cheek.

A blush crept across Wen'er's face. She pursed her lips, smiled, and nodded.

"Brother Er Mao, why don't you try it on first and see if it fits?" Wen'er said, tilting her head back, her voice barely audible.

Er Mao waved his hand dismissively: "It fits perfectly!"

"I can tell it fits perfectly at a glance!"

"This outfit was practically made just for me! I'm afraid it'll make those guys drool!"

"Here, Wen'er, take the clothes first, I'll set off some firecrackers for you to see!"

As he spoke, Er Mao handed the clothes to Wen'er and placed the firecrackers he had just picked up on the ground.

Although Wen'er was a little disappointed that Er Mao hadn't put on his clothes immediately, that disappointment vanished when she heard him say he wanted some firecrackers.

There's nothing more joyful than setting off firecrackers during Chinese New Year.

She watched as Er Mao took out a tinderbox and carefully brought it close to the firecracker.

Er Mao's face was grave, his hand holding the tinderbox trembling. Just as he was about to get close, a loud shout rang out:

"What are you doing, you brat!"

The sudden shout startled Er Mao, who jumped up and dropped the tinder with a "snap" as he fell to the ground.

But the tinderbox was quickly picked up again.

"Dad, you scared me to death, sigh..." Er Mao complained to his father, who was picking up the tinderbox, while rubbing his bottom.

"Father..." Wen'er called out timidly.

"What if you blow up your sister!" the old man scolded Er Mao.

"Dad, it's...it's what I wanted to see," Wen'er whispered, defending Er Mao.

The man bent down and rubbed Wen'er's cheek, saying with a smile, "Silly girl, if you want to see it, you can just tell your dad."

Seeing his father's beaming face, Er Mao pouted and put his hands on his hips.

"Move aside, let me light it!" The old man waved his hand, pulled Er Mao, who was standing with his hands on his hips and pouting, behind him, and started to light the firecracker.

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