“I’m currently looking for a wife, and an extra tael or two can lighten the burden on my family. Auntie is such a kind person. I must work hard. Tomorrow before I take over my shift, I’ll go to the hill to chop some firewood and deliver it to Auntie’s house.”

Qian Chonghe was speechless when he heard Bai Xiangsong's foolish words.

"You're chopping firewood in the snow, why don't you wash clothes in the rain? The firewood will be soaking wet, how will your aunt be able to light it? Are you giving your aunt firewood or fire? Your aunt isn't going anywhere. You can wait until the snow melts and the sun comes out before you chop firewood."

"Yes, yes, Brother Chonghe is right. I was being silly. I'll go home now. My family is probably waiting for me to have New Year's Eve dinner."

"Then I'm leaving too. Remember to lock the door."

Zhao Zirong and Bai Xiangsong left together.

His face was beaming with satisfaction and happiness.

Sure enough, when the two returned home...

The whole family was waiting for them to eat.

As the main force in making money, Bai Xiangsong's position is right next to Bai Lizheng's.

Their status is top-notch.

When he took out the red envelope, his whole family was extremely envious.

They all praised Yan Xia.

They also remarked that Bai Xiangsong had gotten a good job.

At Aunt Wang's house, which was nearby, she unusually cooked four dishes and a soup.

Upon seeing her grandson enter the door, she immediately took the warm dishes out of the pot.

The grandmother and grandson depended on each other for survival, living in an empty house.

Yet it was unusually warm and cozy.

"Grandma, Aunt Yan gave me New Year's money. All four of us received some. I'll keep it for you."

Zhao Zirong took out a red paper packet from his chest and handed it to Granny Wang.

"Grandma doesn't want it. It's New Year's money. How can it be called New Year's money if it's not given? Keep it safe and put it under your pillow when you sleep at night. My dear Zirong, may you be healthier every year. Grandma still wants to see you get married."

"Alright, Grandma, I'll give it to you for safekeeping tomorrow."

Grandma Wang looked at her grandson with a kind smile and then said.

"Suit yourself, eat quickly, the food will get cold soon."

"Yes, Grandma, I'll eat now."

The grandfather and grandson finished their New Year's Eve dinner together.

Time passed slowly.

Midnight arrives quietly.

Because time in ancient times was not very accurate, and could not be accurate to 12 o'clock.

So, firecrackers were set off at the beginning of midnight and continued until the end of midnight.

Yan Xia's family set off the firecrackers at midnight.

It's exactly 12 o'clock.

Who told her to have space?

I secretly cheated.

After staying up for most of the night, Yan Xia had almost digested her New Year's Eve dinner, so she used the leftover old hen soup to make a pot of noodles.

Half a bowl for each person.

The chicken soup was so delicious that no salt was needed, even if a bowl of water was added.

The taste was just right.

The group slurped down half a bowl of noodles with the pickled vegetables.

"Alright, everyone's eaten and drunk their fill. Go back to sleep now. There's no more firecrackers. We need to get up early tomorrow morning for tangyuan (sweet rice balls)."

"Okay, Mommy, I'm going to sleep now, I'm so sleepy."

"Mother, you go to sleep first, I'll tidy up the main room."

"Master, would you like to wash your feet? I'll fetch you a basin of water; the kettle has just boiled the water."

"...."

Yan Xia yawned three times in a row.

In modern times, she used to stay up late all the time, but now she's gotten used to going to bed early.

She waved her hands repeatedly.

"No need to fetch water, I'm not going to wash anymore, I'm so sleepy, I'm going back to sleep now, remember to lock the door and put out the candles."

"Yes, Master."

"Yes, Mother."

Having received a response, Yan Xia squinted her heavy eyes and returned to her room.

She took off her coat.

I crawled into bed and found a warm hot water bottle inside.

It must have been Xiao Ji who put it in.

The hot water bottle was wrapped in cloth, so it wasn't too hot to touch. Yan Xia hugged it tightly in her arms, turned to her side, and quickly fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was already broad daylight.

After Yan Xia got dressed, she brushed her teeth and washed her face with Xiao Ji's help.

"Master, breakfast is ready. Would you like sesame glutinous rice balls, red bean glutinous rice balls, or perhaps savory glutinous rice balls?"

"Give me a few, I'll serve them myself. Where are Jin Fu and Jin Lu? Have they gone out yet?"

"They've all gotten up by now. Jinlu has accompanied Jingshui back to her parents' home. Master, please go to the main room, I'll serve you some food."

"Okay, Jinlu, did you bring the New Year's gifts? That brat has a bad memory. Don't come empty-handed, or people will think we've been mistreating Jingshui."

"Master, they've all been taken. Jin Fu even took a food box with him, probably for Grandpa Xiao He."

"Okay, let's eat." Yan Xia sat down at the table in the main room with satisfaction. Her two daughters were eating breakfast.

"Mom, you're only just getting up? I've already had my second bowl. Red bean soup with glutinous rice balls is so delicious."

"I actually prefer savory glutinous rice balls."

Salty glutinous rice balls, as the name suggests, are salty and have no filling.

Like glutinous rice balls, it is served in a bowl with soup and eaten with eight-treasure vegetables.

The eight-treasure dish was prepared on New Year's Eve.

We only eat it once a year, during the Lunar New Year.

Each family's eight-treasure dish is different, containing eight kinds of side dishes. Yan Xia's family's dish includes shredded dried radish, braised soybeans, chopped mushrooms, bean curd sheets, pickled vegetables, etc.

The recipe consists of eight dishes made from whatever ingredients are available at home.

Xiao Ji quickly brought over two bowls.

Each bowl contains eight glutinous rice balls, one sweet and one savory.

"Master, the sweet glutinous rice balls are half sesame filling and half red bean filling, so you can taste all three flavors."

Xiao Ji is very smart.

"She's very quick-witted," Yan Xia praised her with satisfaction.

"Well done, have you eaten?"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!