...

"Dinner's ready."

Upon hearing that they could eat, everyone sped up, having already used up a lot of their mental energy watching the card game.

"Dad, it's finally time to eat! I'm starving! Playing cards was so tiring!"

Li Chunmei asked, "Who won?"

"Second Sister-in-law, I was the only one who lost! Xiaomin won the most," Wang Jie said.

Xia Minmin chuckled twice while holding the bowl.

"Brother-in-law, this is really bad luck. Every time he gets to the ready hand early, he's always a step behind Xiaomin in winning. Xiaomin wins before it's his turn to win," Xia Xiaomei sighed.

"He's just too greedy! He always wants to win big, but he always fails! Instead, he gets a lot of melds," Xia Damei explained.

"A single hand of Hu Dapai is worth several hands of others," Xia Jianguo advised.

Wang Jie said with a bitter expression, "I'm never playing cards with Xiaomin again. Her luck is just too bad."

Xia Minmin comforted him, "Uncle, I'll give you back all the money I won, so don't be sad."

“Xiaomin, keep this for yourself to buy candy. Your uncle is just joking! He won a lot a few days ago, and your money is just a drop in the ocean,” Xia Damei said.

I'd heard in my past life that Wang Jie and his friends loved to gamble big, with huge wins and losses every night.

After dinner and a short rest, Xia Damei and her family got up to say goodbye. They needed to prepare stew for their guests the next day.

Xia Damei said, "Second sister-in-law, you came on the fifth day of the new year, right?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure when your older brother and sister-in-law will be going?"

"Don't worry about them, little sister, just give them the New Year's gifts I brought. They can come or not, it's up to them! You guys go in, we're leaving." With that, Wang Jie rode away on his bicycle.

The people standing at the door turned around and went inside when they couldn't see Wang Jie and the others.