Chapter 179 Chinese New Year

The heat patches covering Jinran's entire body stopped emitting heat, and she was already frozen solid, eventually losing all feeling.

It's finally over. Everyone weighed the produce together, and we harvested a total of over 10,000 jin (5,000 kg).

Everyone shouted with joy, some covered in frost, the fish frozen solid. It was a scene of abundant harvest. Jinran and Dahong laughed along with them.

Da Hong said, "That's wonderful. Those days when we ate wild vegetable dumplings to fill our stomachs seem like a long time ago. Look at the people here, no matter what happens, we can't be defeated. As long as we survive, we can eat meat."

Jinran chuckled, but then she thought, yes, things are getting better and better after all.

People from the purchasing station and various factories came. Everyone was thinking of giving the workers a New Year's gift. Fish is considered meat, and it's cheaper than pork, so it would be a respectable New Year's gift.

Jinran watched as a bunch of big fish were picked up by the purchasing station, most of them were divided up by various factories, and then there were small fish. Apart from the ones that the fish farms themselves divided up, the rest were given to the people who came to help.

There were many fish, but they were all too small. No one complained, since they were free.

Jinran was disgusted. After a whole day of work, this is all she got?!

Jinran approached the village chief, "Uncle Wang, could I use that fishing hole? I'd like to try it..."

The village chief flatly refused, "No!"

Jinran: "............." How could you be so heartless? I haven't even told the rest of my lie yet.

Well, since that's how it is, small fish it is.

Shen Cong and Shen Ming, however, were having a blast and were incredibly excited, thinking that this fish was good and that fish was good too.

Jinran looked at her brother's naive and unworldly appearance and didn't want to open her eyes.

On the way back, everyone on the bus was smiling, as if they had struck gold. They were truly content with what they had.

After arriving home, Grandma Shen had the three of them warm up on the kang (a heated brick bed). Looking at the fish they had brought back, Grandma Shen said with satisfaction, "Great job! You guys who just came to join in the fun managed to bring back so many fish. It seems like you had a good haul this time."

Shen Ming went down to the ground and gestured animatedly, describing the spectacular scene of net-catching, and finally concluded that he would participate again next year.

Grandpa Shen and Grandma Shen were amused and burst into laughter.

That evening, Grandma Chen stewed the fish and made cornbread; it smelled delicious.

Before we knew it, the New Year had arrived, and Shen's father and Wang Cuifen had come back for the holiday.

Second Aunt and Wang Cuifen always worked in the kitchen with Grandma Shen. Grandma Shen cooked the New Year's Eve dinner every year, and the key is that Grandma Shen's cooking skills are top-notch.

Jinran wanted to help, but was turned away, told she wasn't needed. Instead, she was told to go with them to put up the couplets.

The couplets were written by an old, educated gentleman in the village. Jinran thought that by next year, her calligraphy would be presentable enough for people to appreciate, so she would write couplets for her family.

Jinran wanted to help put up the couplets, but the couplet group didn't need her. Shen's father said, "Go sit on the kang (heated brick bed), it's quite cold."

Jinran was heartbroken. They were treating her like an outsider. Was she really such a pitiful little thing in this family? Everyone disliked her. Her parents were definitely biased towards boys...

After Jinran finished her imaginary daydream, she started thinking about her Gu Daji.

Gu Siyan was also thinking about her at this moment. He thought about how this little girl had disappeared without a trace as soon as she got home, like a kite with a broken string.

Aside from letting her know she was safe, she felt like she was single and didn't think about her boyfriend who was far away in Beijing at all.

Professor Gu said sarcastically, "Move this 'Waiting-for-Wife Stone' away quickly. Don't put it in my eyes; I don't want to look at it."

Gu's father rarely had free time and was resting at home. He joined Professor Gu in joking about Gu Siyan, saying, "Yes, they say that once the firecrackers go off, you've raised a son for nothing. The firecrackers haven't even gone off yet, and his heart is already elsewhere."

Brother Gu and Second Brother Gu laughed heartily.

Gu Siyan rolled her eyes.

Sister-in-law Gu and Sister-in-law Gu helped in the kitchen, and they also cautiously inquired, "What kind of person is Third Sister's boyfriend? I've never met him, but I know he's Grandpa's student, so he must be a good student."

Grandma Gu knew what her granddaughter-in-law was thinking, but she didn't indulge her. "I really like Nini. Your grandpa and Old Wang dote on her. The first few times Nini brought back some raw marinated meat, those two old guys argued about how many you had and how many I had. In the end, Nini had no choice but to be fair and settle the dispute between the two old guys, dividing it equally."

Mother Gu found it amusing when she thought about it, and explained, "Dad and Uncle Wang have been arguing their whole lives, they have to argue about everything."

However, the two daughters-in-law did not feel much comfort. They still felt that the third son's partner was really good at navigating things, managing to win over the old man and the old woman, so the mother-in-law naturally wouldn't dare to say anything bad.

She's such a vixen!

Jinran had no idea that she had been labeled a vixen before she was even married.