Chapter 361 Staying Up Late on New Year's Eve

After tidying up, when Li San Niang returned to the courtyard, she saw that the Spring Festival couplets had already been pasted up.

Not only were there two banners pasted on either side of the main hall, but there were also "福" (good fortune) characters pasted on the windows.

Dewdrop and her little yellow dog followed the four little ones back and forth, determined to cover the entire door and walls of the clinic with stickers.

Li San Niang, who was watching from the side, also found it very interesting, so she followed along to take a look.

When they arrived at the Women's Aid Association next door, they found that, like the Li Family Medical Hall, it had door gods pasted on its doors.

"This wasn't cheap; I bought it at that shop called a supermarket."

Li Erxiong stood aside with a basin of paste in his hand, looking at the flowers. "Third Sister, look, aren't the colors very vibrant?"

This is the most expensive one in that shop. Father said that even though we're doing a good deed, these door gods can ward off evil and bring blessings, so we still need to put them up.

Li San Niang nodded. Although she didn't think it had any power to ward off evil, she thought the door god was quite beautiful from the perspective of art and cultural heritage.

Not only are there New Year pictures on the outside, but they are also hung inside the house, although only one is hung in the center of the south-facing wall in the main hall.

At first, Li San Niang didn't understand the painting, but after looking at it more closely, she began to understand it.

"Haha, this is something my father specially found in that calligraphy and painting shop. It's really not cheap. I remember it cost twenty-three taels and eight mace."

What do you see?

When Li Erxiong asked with a smile, Li Sanniang also smiled and said, "Is it Shennong tasting hundreds of herbs?"

I didn't notice it at first, but I realized it when I looked closer.

"Father, this painting was a worthwhile purchase! Doesn't it perfectly reflect our family's tradition of running a clinic and practicing medicine?"

The decorations have been put up, the decorations have been hung up, and the most important thing left is the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve.

"Our family has been through a lot this year, and there are a lot of people spending New Year's Eve with us, so we have to prepare a proper feast for the dinner table tonight."

"Hurry up! Set things out, those who need to go to the kitchen, go to the kitchen! Get moving! Don't just stand there doing nothing!"

When Li's mother, the head of the Li family, speaks, no one dares to disobey.

Except for the young Siro, Dewdrop, and the speechless Goro, as well as the speechless Huang who wasn't assigned any tasks, everyone else was busy.

Even Madam Qin, Doctor Liang, and the young boy from Shaoyang came to help.

Of course, Li's mother wouldn't actually make these people do anything. She simply brewed a pot of tea, gave them two plates of snacks, and had them sit together to supervise the rest of the people working.

Qin Niangzi was willing to help, but she was only assigned the task of picking beans.

"Mr. Qin, go inside and watch over the charcoal brazier. It's smoky and hot inside, so don't let your clothes get smelly."

Sister-in-law Li pushed Qin Niangzi to the side hall, where she sat down with Sister-in-law Li Er, who was also with her child.

Li San Niangzi had no talent for cooking. She wanted to go in and help, but there were already too many people in the kitchen, so her mother disliked her and pushed her out the door.

When she saw Li Da Xiong and Li Er Xiong holding tinderboxes to light the candles in the lanterns in the yard, Li San Niang suddenly thought that they could set off firecrackers at night to hear the noise, so she asked, "Big brother, second brother, have we set off firecrackers?"

Are we going to set off firecrackers later?

Brother Li stepped down from the stool and replied to Third Sister Li with a smile, "I bought it. I saw it sitting in the back. When the time comes, we'll light it and listen carefully."

Just as Li San Niang was about to "steal" something to eat from the kitchen, she heard Li Da Xiong asking her a question from behind.

"Young Master Fang, what brings you out here?"

"I'll come and call you when it's time for dinner."

Li San Niang then turned around and saw Fang Chengxian wearing a cloak and carrying a hand warmer, walking over from the backyard.

"It's so cold, yet you've come out. Hurry up and come inside to sit by the charcoal brazier. You can't keep going like this."

Before Fang Chengxian could utter a single word, he was greeted and given arrangements by the Li family.

Fang Chengxian, being astute as a patient, followed Li Sanniang into the main hall. As soon as they entered, a wave of heat hit them.

"Chengxian is here. Sit down quickly and play chess with us. Let's see where I should move this time?"

Mr. Li and Dr. Liang were playing chess. Neither of them were very good at it, but they were focused on playing since they finally had some free time. However, it was just two terrible chess players playing against each other.

The young boy from Shaoyang wasn't interested in that; instead, he started reading medical books.

Fang Chengxian was intelligent from a young age and had studied this art. Although he could not be considered an expert, he was far superior to Li's father and the old doctor Liang.

So, he took off his cloak and gave it to Duoshou. Fang Chengxian then sat down next to the old doctor Liang and gave him advice on how to get more food from Li's father and son.

As darkness fell, the aroma of fried food wafted from the kitchen.

"It's not playing anymore, it's not playing anymore, hurry up and pack up, it's time for dinner."

Seeing that he was about to be checkmated, Li's father quickly threw away the chess piece in his hand and said this to the old doctor Liang and Fang Chengxian opposite him.

At this moment, Li's mother also came over and said, "Alright, I think it's about time. Let's clear the table and set it up. It's time to serve the dishes."

"Oh, oh, time to eat meat, time to eat meat, lots of meat!"

Little Silang clapped and cheered with Dewdrop on the side, which annoyed Li Erxiong, who raised his hand to hit Little Silang's hand, "You've never lacked food and drink, so why are you so easily startled?"

Li San Niang quickly pulled Xiao Si Lang into her arms, saying, "Second brother, it's New Year's Eve, why are you hitting the child? It was just a few claps."

Although Xiao Silang was still afraid of his father, he knew in his heart that today was not an ordinary day and that his father would not beat him. So he became bolder, crawled out of Li Sanniang's arms, ran to Li's father's side, and clapped his hands hard. This prompted Luzhu'er to follow suit and clap her hands hard as well.

"Fine, you disobedient Li Xiaosi, come here right now, I promise I won't hit you."

Little Silang wouldn't listen to Li Erxiong's words; he just hid behind Li's father and wouldn't go over.

"Alright, stop fooling around, hurry up and serve the food."

Li's mother prepared four cold dishes, four hot dishes, plus a mutton soup and a braised fish, making it a perfect ten.

Besides vegetables, the cold dishes included roast chicken and roast goose, while the hot dishes also included meat, such as roast lamb chops. It was something that Li's mother had learned to make when Bai Ziyi and his group brought lamb that day.

Each table also had two small jars of pear blossom wine, while the maiden's table had peach blossom wine with a peach blossom fragrance.

Once all the dishes were served, everyone took their seats. Li's mother stood up, took the small glass of wine that her sister-in-law had poured for her, and said to everyone, "Without further ado, I wish everyone here peace, joy, health, and good fortune!"

"Let's eat!"

As soon as Li's mother said this, everyone's chopsticks flew up. They had no time for sentimentality. This was the only day of the year when they could eat the best food, so naturally they had no time to talk. Everyone's chopsticks were flying fast.

On the other hand, the people at Mr. Li's table were more reserved, chatting and eating at a leisurely pace.

The most impressive table was the one with the four little ones. No one spoke at all; their chopsticks flew up as they fought over the food. It was truly a case of the best food being eaten when everyone was scrambling for it.

Li San Niang was picking fish bones from Lu Zhu'er's bones. Lu Zhu'er was holding a chicken leg and gnawing on it, eating like a cute little squirrel with her cheeks puffed out.

Thinking about what her mother had just said, Li San Niang thought to herself, "My family is all by my side, and my child is here too. On New Year's Eve, the whole family is reunited. There is nothing more beautiful in life than this."