The warm winter sun broke through the bitter wind and snow, falling on the concrete road and melting the snow.

After much anticipation, the workers finally arrived for the annual holiday. They happily lined up to wait for their benefits and bonuses.

Chen Ergou in the crowd was also very happy. After receiving the things, he and A Gu went back to the village to see if the villagers would still say that he was unlucky.

As the saying goes, if you don't return to your hometown when you are rich and powerful, it is like walking in fine clothes at night. When Chen Ergou thought of the envious and admiring eyes of his fellow villagers, he laughed so hard that his ears were stretched back.

"Ergou, do you think we'll still be giving out pork this year?"

"How would I know?"

"Aren't you the team leader? Sigh... I really envy you. I bet you got a lot of bonuses this year, right?"

"You're not bad either. If you work harder next year, you can definitely become a team leader."

"Hahaha, thanks for your good wishes then."

A few minutes later, Chen Ergou stuffed his bulging wallet into his coat, and then returned home with a load of New Year's goods including pork, soybean oil, sweet potato flour, etc.

Along the way, he whistled happily. The sky in his eyes was so blue, the snow was so white, and everything in the world was beautiful.

After returning home, the first thing Chen Ergou did was to call her "Auntie".

"Auntie, I'm back!"

"Here we go, what did you give out this year?"

Chen Cui trotted over to open the bolt, and while welcoming her nephew in, she took the things and looked at them carefully.

Chen Ergou first strode to the coal stove, picked up the kettle and filled a cup of hot water to drive away the cold, and then happily shared his joy with his aunt.

"Auntie, please bring the pork and sweet potato noodles back to the village so we can have a good meal on New Year's Eve!"

"That's impossible. How can Auntie take your things home?"

"Oh, we're a family, what's there to worry about? We can just buy more after we finish eating. I have plenty of money."

"You, save your money well, you will get married in the future."

Unable to persuade her nephew, Chen Cui had no choice but to give up. However, seeing the young man waving his money bag and spending money lavishly, she couldn't help but have some ideas.

She looked her nephew up and down. He was tall, had regular features, a simple and honest personality, and had a stable job. There must be a girl who would like him.

"Ergou, how about Auntie find you a wife next year?"

"ah?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ergou's dark face immediately turned red. He lowered his head and stammered, unable to speak, looking embarrassed.

However, in order to prevent A Gu from making random matchmaking, Chen Ergou finally revealed what he had been brewing for a long time.

"Auntie, actually...actually, I have someone I like."

"?! Which girl?"

On the other hand, the shopkeepers who had been working hard outside almost cried with joy after returning to Xianyang.

Woo woo woo...Do you know how they spent this year?

Not only do you have to go to an unfamiliar place to develop the market, but you also have to train sales staff and develop various marketing strategies. You have to get up earlier than the chickens and sleep later than the dogs. How miserable can you describe it?

If it weren't for the promise of an official position, they would have given up long ago.

But when the shopkeepers thought about tomorrow's assessment meeting, they couldn't help but get excited. They all looked forward to being the lucky one to be selected for excellence.

On the second day, dozens of people stood in the Zhangtai Palace, waiting for the arrival of His Majesty and the Queen.

Some of the shopkeepers were very excited, some were nervous, and some seemed confident.

Zhang Hai glanced at Qian Dafu, who looked calm and composed, and quietly moved closer, pretending to strike up a conversation with him casually.

"I wonder how much profit Brother Qian has made this year?"

"Haha, not much, just a few hundred thousand."

Qian Dafu saw through Zhang Hai's purpose at a glance, but he was too lazy to hide it. He answered in a seemingly modest but actually boastful manner, with a smug look on his round face.

A crack appeared on Zhang Hai's originally calm face, and he smiled stiffly.

He wasn't asking about turnover, he was asking about profit! Damn it, it was really easy to make money from the high-ranking officials in the inner city. Why didn't they give him a share?

Fortunately, the Queen Mother, in order to be fair, based the assessment and rating on profit margins, and she couldn't bear to see him being worse than Fatty Qian.

Humph, let’s wait and see!

However, the queen, whom everyone was eagerly waiting for, was sulking in the inner hall.

"Yuening, there will be a lot of people talking and it will be exhausting..."

Ying Zheng looked at the woman with a murderous look on her face, helplessness flashing in his phoenix eyes. He clasped the little hand that was resisting him, pulled her into his arms, and comforted her softly.

He consulted the imperial physician and learned that women must be extra careful in the early stages of pregnancy and must not overthink or exhaust themselves.

Facing the man's gentle yet firm gaze, Chu Yuening immediately became deflated, lowered her eyelashes in grievance, and stubbornly refused to speak.

After taking the pregnancy-safety pills, she did not feel any discomfort. Although A Zheng did not know the reason, he was too protective of her, so it was no big deal for her to just host a meeting.

The beauty with bright eyes and white teeth, a pair of willow-shaped eyebrows shrouded in green mist, and rouge at the corners of her eyes, has a sorrow like misty rain entangled in her heart, which makes people feel pity and love for her.

Ying Zheng sighed softly and finally compromised. He brushed his fingertips across her creamy face, his voice magnetic and gentle.

"Well, Yue Ning, if you feel unwell, you must tell me."

"Yeah! A Zheng is the best~"

Chu Yuening cheered in triumph, the mist in her eyes disappeared, and she hugged the man's neck affectionately and rubbed it.

Ying Zheng chuckled, kissed the girl's fair face, then stood up and took her hand as they slowly walked towards the outer hall.

"Okay, it's getting late, let's go."

Amidst Zhao Gao's sharp announcement, the two men dressed in black robes took their seats slowly.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!