After quickly washing her bottom and feet, Yan Xia snuggled into her warm bed to sleep.

I slept straight through to the next morning.

When I woke up, there was still hot water on the stove, and breakfast was still warm in the pot: a bowl of porridge, two salted vegetable pancakes, and two eggs.

Yan Xia brushed her teeth and washed her face. Just after she finished breakfast, Yan Hecheng returned.

"Xia'er, are you awake? Dad went for a walk around the village. Have you eaten yet?" Yan Hecheng returned to the village as if he had come to his headquarters. He stood up straight and was incredibly energetic.

"I've eaten, Dad. I'm going back to town this afternoon. Will you wait for us at home?"

Since there's nothing much going on in the village anyway, Yan Xia plans to leave today.

"Okay, you can go without worry. I'll take care of things at home."

Yan Hecheng responded with a grin.

Late noon.

Yan Xia drove the carriage away from Baihua Village.

When I returned, it was already the morning of New Year's Eve.

I was planning to come back on the 29th.

Unexpectedly, important guests arrived at Magistrate Lu's home, and he had booked a table at Yan's Restaurant on the 29th to entertain them.

Yan Xia personally received them.

Although she returned home a day late, she gained a lot of benefits. First, Magistrate Lu praised the hot pot highly. Then, she chatted with Madam Lu for a long time, and their relationship became much closer. Madam Lu even invited her to visit the Lu residence often in the future. Not only that, Yan Xia also persuaded Miss Lu to agree to discuss teaching matters in detail after the New Year.

Everything is going smoothly.

It didn't snow on New Year's Eve.

The temperature has also risen considerably.

When I returned to the village, there were many children playing on the village road. Some were competing to see who could find the most duds, some were comparing whose new clothes were the prettiest, and some older children were sticking firecrackers into the cow dung outside the cattle farm to blow it up. They were scolded by the workers cleaning the cattle farm.

The lively scene brought a smile to Yan Xia's face.

"Alright, alright, get off the carriage. Get to work on the tasks I just gave you. Xiao Ji, Chang Yu, Chang Yi, the three of you take the maids and move the ingredients to the kitchen. Chang Yu, this year's New Year's Eve dinner is your responsibility, Father—"

"Dad, we're back!"

Yan Xia jumped off the carriage and shouted into the house.

A short while later, Yan Hecheng came out.

"Why are you only getting back now? Did something happen in town that kept you waiting?"

Yan Hecheng originally thought they should have returned yesterday.

"Yes, Magistrate Lu booked a restaurant yesterday to treat his friends to hot pot, so he had to postpone his return by a day. It's alright, it won't cause any problems. There's still a long way to go before the New Year's Eve dinner. Come here, Dad, the new clothes I made for you have been delivered to your residence. I'll have Jinyu bring them out for you. Hurry up and go back to your room to change."

I woke up in the morning.

Everyone had changed into new clothes.

Except for Yan Hecheng.

His clothes were only delivered to his residence three days ago.

Three carriages were parked outside the Yan family's residence.

This time, it's not just family members who are coming back.

Yan Xia also brought several maids and servants with her.

With more people, it naturally feels more lively.

Everyone had a clear division of labor: some put up Spring Festival couplets, some swept the courtyard and wiped the doors and windows, others washed and chopped vegetables, chopped firewood and killed chickens—everyone was busy.

Because Chang Yu wanted to open a restaurant but couldn't find a satisfactory chef, she personally learned the recipes and promoted three maids to be kitchen helpers.

In addition to their monthly allowance, each person also received a wage for working at the restaurant.

Half a tael of silver a month.

The restaurant's opening date has been set for the eighth day of the second lunar month, right after the Lunar New Year.

soon.

Smoke rose from the chimney, and the aroma of stewed meat wafted from the white smoke.

Until the news spread to every corner of the village.

Unlike last year, it didn't make many people crave it.

Today, many families in Baihua Village have enjoyed a prosperous New Year.

It wasn't because of a bumper harvest, but because they made money working under Yan Xia.

With money, one is naturally willing to eat meat.

Not to mention pork, some generous families stew chicken, duck and fish, and even fry meatballs!

The children, drawn by the aroma of the meat, lingered around the stove, their mouths watering.

His saliva soaked his new clothes.

If it weren't for the fact that it's Chinese New Year and you can't scold or beat your children.

They'd probably have to come out of the kitchen crying.

However, in stark contrast to these families, there was the Yan family ancestral home.

Yan Chun's two grandsons cried and clamored for meat.

"Grandpa, I want to eat meat! Waaah! Why can Tiger and the others eat meat? I want to eat meat too! Grandpa, please buy us some meat! I want to eat meatballs, crispy and fragrant fried meatballs. You used to fry them when the Great Ancestor was at home. Why didn't you fry them this year? I don't want it to be like last year. I want to eat meat!"

Yan Chun's eldest grandson, Yan Hongtian, is seven years old this year.

At an age when he should be sensible, he acts like a three-year-old child, rolling around on the ground.

Yan Hongying, who is two years younger than him, also followed his older brother's example.

He lay down.

She was crying and making a fuss.

The Yan family's courtyard was all muddy.

There's simply no way to pave a blue brick floor.

Before long, the two children were covered in mud.

Yan Chun, who was standing to the side, was so engrossed in watching that his veins were throbbing.

"Zhiqiang! Are you dead? Huh? Quickly pull these two kids up!"

The three women of the Yan family were busy in the kitchen, while Yan Chun and Yan Zhiqiang were idle in the yard.

"You two, are you looking for a beating? Want some meat? Fine, go eat at the Yan family's house at the end of the village! Go find your great-grandfather, he's living a good life, tsk tsk, dressed in silk, even his hair ornament is made of gold, but he won't help our family at all. He'd rather have his wealth go to outsiders. Dad, why don't you go find Auntie? Even the bits of meat that drip from between her fingers are enough for our family to eat and drink our fill. This can't go on forever."

Yan Zhiqiang was so envious he almost cried.

Anyone in the village who worked under Yan Xia.

Who among them didn't make a fortune?

According to kinship, he should call Yan Xia "aunt".

It's all Grandma's fault, she just had to make a scene.

This has caused the whole family to break up like this.

For the first time, Yan Zhiqiang harbored resentment towards Sun Yingyun.

"I'm too ashamed to go. You can go yourself."

Yan Chun's words sounded like a refusal, but in fact, they were a concession.

Who doesn't crave meat?

Everyone wants to live a good life.

But as the eldest brother, he couldn't bring himself to apologize to Yan Xia.

"Did you hear that? You two hurry up and go to your great-aunt's house. Tell her you want meat, and say a few nice words to her. You might even get some New Year's money. Go now!"

Yan Zhiqiang pulled the two children up and patted the mud off them, but he couldn't get them clean at all; they were still very dirty.

"Time to eat meat!"

"I want my New Year's money!"

Yan Hongtian and Yan Hongying left together.

They ran towards Yan Xia's house.

His face showed unusual excitement.

It seems that once you get there, you'll have meat to eat and money to earn.

On the way, they bumped into Yan Zhigao, who was carrying firewood back.

"Where are you two going? Don't wander around, we'll be having New Year's Eve dinner soon."

Yan Zhigao is 21 years old this year, but he only has one daughter. Because he has no son, he and his wife have no say in the family.