"Okay, tonight you help your second sister-in-law prepare the main dishes for tomorrow's guests, so that things will be easier tomorrow."

"Second sister-in-law, Xiaomin seems to be asleep."

Xia Jianguo picked up Xia Minmin, who was warming herself by the fire, and put her on the bed to sleep.

Xia Minmin slept straight until the next day, and when she woke up, Xia Jianguo had already set off to buy train tickets.

"Mother."

"Auntie".

Are you home?

Xia Xiaomei pushed open the door, picked up the clothes from the chair, and helped Xia Minmin put them on. "Your mother is preparing lunch. Are you hungry? You didn't eat dinner yesterday."

Xia Minmin rubbed her stomach, "Auntie is hungry!"

"Let's go have breakfast."

"Auntie, my shoes!"

"Let me look for it for you."

Xia Xiaomei took a pair of slippers from the shoe rack and put them on Xia Minmin.

"When is my aunt coming over? I want to play with my cousin Yu."

"It should be soon, around the time you finish breakfast."

With Xia Xiaomei's help, Xia Minmin completed her washing and grooming tasks semi-self-service.

Xia Minmin sat on the chair, swinging her short legs, slowly eating the poached eggs in brown sugar water made by Li Chunmei, looking quite content.

"Happy New Year, elder brother and sister-in-law!"

"Happy New Year, Uncle and Aunt!"

"Happy New Year, Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law!"

"Happy New Year, Second Uncle and Second Aunt!"

Before they arrived, their voices preceded their arrival; it was the voices of Aunt Xia, her husband, and Wang Yu.

Xia Minmin slid off the chair and ran to the door. "Auntie, Uncle, Cousin Yu, Happy New Year! Wishing you prosperity!"

Li Chunmei came out of the kitchen to greet the guests, "Brother-in-law, come in and sit down. I'll pour you some water. Your eldest brother and sister-in-law went to your sister-in-law's parents' house to pay New Year's visits and haven't returned yet. Your second brother went to Ankang to buy train tickets and won't be back for a while."

"Have you had breakfast yet? Would you like something? I'm picking vegetables in the garden behind the house."

Xia Damei took the water glass from Li Chunmei and said, "Second sister-in-law, we've all eaten."

"What about Xiaoyu? Would you like to have a bowl of poached eggs in brown sugar water, just like your sister?"

Xia Minmin held up the bowl to show Wang Yu, "Cousin Yu, this is it, it's delicious."

Wang Yu licked her lips, "Second Aunt, I want to eat!"

Xia Da's uncle, Wang Jie, said, "Second sister-in-law, just boil one egg. Xiaoyu has already eaten breakfast, so she can't eat too much."

"Okay. You guys warm yourselves up by the fire, I'll be right back."