In the afternoon, Xie Yan and his family ate a very light meal, just noodles in fermented vegetable broth.

The main reason was that I ate too much fried food that day, so I wanted to eat something light in the afternoon.

After dinner, Yu Yue put all the ingredients that needed to be braised into the pot, added two large pieces of hard firewood to the stove, and let it simmer slowly. She then changed clothes with Xie Yan and went to soak their feet.

Xie Yan and Yu Yue sat by the fireplace, each holding a book, comfortably soaking their feet and reading.

On the other side of the stove sat Chaochao, the little one also soaking her feet. Her little feet were in her own foot bath. Compared to Xie Yan and Yu Yuehui's proper behavior, her little feet moved around in the water. Sometimes her big toe would press down on her little finger, and after her little finger struggled and successfully escaped, it would press down on her big toe instead.

One moment they're playing "Little Tadpoles Looking for Their Mother," having a wonderful time.

The next morning, they all got up early and were dressed the same as yesterday. Today, their family was going to steam buns. Of course, before steaming the buns, they would first steam a pot of dumplings with cabbage, vermicelli, and tofu filling. Yu Yue had prepared the filling. When Xie Yan entered the kitchen and saw that bowl of filling, he swallowed his saliva. It smelled so good.

Yu Yue smiled as she looked at him, "Don't rush, it'll be steamed now, it'll be ready to eat in half an hour at most, go wash up first."

Xie Yan turned to look at Chaochao, who was already tending the fire by the stove, and silently withdrew. Very well, he was once again the last person in the family to get up.

After Xie Yan finished washing up, he made himself and his wife a cup of malted milk powder, and Chaochao a cup of milk. The timing was just right, and the steamed buns over there were cooked.

A plate of steaming hot, plump white buns was just placed on the table, and its rich aroma instantly filled the air.

Xie Yan's eyes lit up immediately. Ignoring the heat, he eagerly reached out and grabbed a steamed bun. But the freshly steamed bun was too hot, so he had to transfer it from his left hand to his right, blowing on it as he did so, while still stuffing it into his mouth.

Xie Yan couldn't wait to take a bite, and instantly, the thin yet chewy outer layer, filled with a generous amount of filling, burst open in her mouth.

The rich and savory flavors burst on the taste buds instantly, so delicious that Xie Yan wished she could swallow the whole bun in one bite.

In the dead of winter, being able to eat a hot and delicious steamed bun is simply the ultimate enjoyment.

Seeing Xie Yan hissing and gasping for breath from the heat, Chaochao looked puzzled. Drinking her milk, she tilted her head and said in a childish voice, "Daddy, why don't you put the bun in the bowl and let it cool down a bit before eating it?"

As she spoke, she pointed to the bowl in front of her, "Like Chaochao and Mother?"

Xie Yan quickly shook his head, mumbling, "You don't understand. That's exactly what I want—it's piping hot! That's how you get the best flavor!"

Chaochao frowned, somewhat disbelievingly reaching out to touch her steamed bun. The heat made her pull her hand back. "I really don't understand."

It's amazing that Dad can eat something so hot.

She still prefers to eat it a little cooler. In this respect, Chaochao is just like Yu Yuehui. They both like to enjoy food steadily, rather than being as eager as Xie Yan.

After Xie Yan finished a steamed bun with a loud "hissing" sound, Yu Yuehui and Chaochao began to eat at a leisurely pace.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Xie Yan didn't have any elders to visit, so his family was unusually quiet that day.

The family simply visited Gu Bin's home to offer a New Year's greeting, adding a touch of liveliness to the New Year celebrations.

However, starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, many people began to visit Xie Yan's home. Since they had come to pay their respects, it was only natural to return the favor.

All this back and forth really exhausted Xie Yan. She was busy visiting relatives and friends every day, and she didn't even get to eat much of the delicious food at home. Moreover, when she went out for social events, she always had to wear a smile on her face. As the days went by, Xie Yan felt like she had been forced to develop a smiley face.

It wasn't until four days into the new year that Xie Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief. On the fifth day of the new year, he lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed) and refused to get up.

I really did use up a lot of energy a few days ago.

At the same time, the Xie family's New Year celebrations this year were a complete mess.

The heated argument between Xie Yan and Xie's parents that day was eventually witnessed by people from Xie Daguo's factory.

Within days, the matter spread like wildfire, and everyone in the neighborhood knew about the entanglement between the Xie family and Xie Yan.

Most of these people felt that Xie's parents had gone too far. While favoritism is common, it's rare to see someone as shameless as them.

Of course, there is also a small group of people who stand with Xie Daguo and feel that no matter how irresponsible the parents are, they are still parents. Xie Yan made his parents lose face in public, which is unfilial.

However, generally speaking, such people who are not clear-headed are only a minority. Most people are just watching with a "let's see what kind of trouble this family can cause" mentality.

Unable to bear the rumors and gossip, the Xie family members were too afraid to go out.

Xie Ting harbored resentment towards his parents, especially his mother. She had repeatedly told him to maintain a good relationship with Xie Yan, but instead, she only made the relationship more strained.

Now everyone knows that their family has severed ties with Xie Yan. How can they possibly get any benefits from Xie Yan in the future?

Xie Daguo was an extremely proud person. After returning to work after the New Year, the rumors and gossip in the factory came like a tidal wave, which bothered him so much that he eventually took leave and stopped going to work, staying at home every day like a king.

Seeing her father like this, Xie Ting quietly formed a plan in her mind.

The next day, after discussing it with Maple Leaf, Xie Ting went home and began acting.

With a worried expression, Xie Ting explained that Maple Leaf had been under immense pressure due to the rumors circulating about their family, and was now reluctant to marry his daughter into the family.

Upon hearing this, Chen Guihua immediately stood up, instantly becoming as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

They extended their warm and friendly greetings directly to the Maple Leaf family.

She's anxious!

As my son gets older, if this relationship falls through, I'll probably have to go to the village to find him a partner.

But how could a village girl be worthy of her precious son?

No, absolutely not!

She was extremely anxious, but suddenly her eyes lit up, and as if she had grasped a lifeline, she said to Xie Ting, "Son, do you think you can persuade Fengye to get a marriage certificate with you directly?"

After all, Maple Leaf, that unreserved fellow, is very attached to their son.

Xie Ting lowered her head, feigning extreme sadness, "Mom, how could I not have thought about it?"

"But Maple Leaf's parents introduced her to another man, and he promised to find her a formal job if she married him."

"They can introduce me to jobs over there. Even if Maple Leaf likes me a lot, she can't resist the temptation of a job!"