"Mom, no rush. Let's go back and visit together next summer or the year after, during the summer vacation."

Sheng Xiping, who was on the other end of the line, sensed his parents' homesickness and comforted them with a smile.

Winters back home are tough; it's nothing like the Northeast where there's plenty of firewood to burn.

They burn a lot of straw there, so the kang (heated brick bed) isn't very warm, and they rarely use stoves. It's not as comfortable inside as it is outside in the sun.

That's why Sheng Xiping said that when he goes back in the summer, at least it won't be cold.

Sheng Liancheng and Zhang Shuzhen exchanged a glance and both sighed.

"Easy for you to say. Where will this whole family go back to live?"

Life isn't easy back home either. If all of us went back together, we could stay for a day or two.

"If we stay here too long, won't we scare your uncle and third uncle to death? Where will we get so much food to feed us?" Zhang Shuzhen shook her head.

These days, everyone's having a tough time, so don't go back and scare people.

Instead of spending the money to send it back, why not mail it back home? The elderly in the family will benefit from it.

“I already had the eldest brother mail some things and money back home a few days ago, so don’t worry, we might get a letter from our hometown any day now.”

Zhang Shuzhen herself didn't believe what she said.

Every year, people send things and money back to their hometown, but the Sheng family, after receiving the gifts and money, rarely even reply, let alone show any appreciation.

However, Zhang Shuzhen's family sends some local specialties from their hometown to here every year.

It doesn't matter how much or how expensive the item is; what matters is the sentiment behind it.

Over the years, Zhang Shuzhen had become accustomed to the Sheng family's way of doing things. In front of the children, she was too lazy to complain, giving her husband some face.

Sheng Liancheng wasn't stupid; he could easily understand what his wife meant. But those were his family members on the other end; what could he say?

"Well, it's all thanks to the eldest brother being home this year; I don't have to worry about anything." Sheng Liancheng could only grunt in agreement.

"Eat, eat! The dumplings are delicious today."

No matter how good the Sheng family's life is, they can't eat dumplings every day.

Rice and wheat flour are all supplied, and there's only a limited amount each month, so people usually eat more coarse grains like flatbread.

While the adults chatted, the children were busy eating, even Sheng Xinhua was eating dumplings in two bites each, and he was really enjoying them.

Seeing that her grandson had finished the dumplings in his bowl, Zhang Shuzhen put two more on his plate. "Oh dear, eat slowly, don't rush. There are so many dumplings, don't overeat."

Looking at her grandson's chubby face, Zhang Shuzhen couldn't help but smile.

Looking at her son, daughter, and daughter-in-law, she felt even happier.

Sure, as long as the family is happy and harmonious, there's no need to worry about other things.

My hometown is far away, so whatever, I'll just ignore it and not worry about it.

"Hey girl, how's your dumpling? How about some extra vinegar?"

Zhang Shuzhen glanced at Zhou Qinglan across from her, wondering if Zhou Qinglan would be able to eat the dumplings tonight.

"Mom, the dumplings are alright, but I added a lot of vinegar." Zhou Qinglan quickly waved her hand upon hearing this.

She tasted two dumplings earlier and felt her mouth was tasteless, so she poured a lot of vinegar into the small dish. Eating them with that sour taste was actually quite nice.

"Mom, please don't let her add any more vinegar. My goodness, she poured so much vinegar just now, it looks so sour to me."

Sheng Xiping, standing next to Zhou Qinglan, looked at her in horror, having never seen anyone pour so much vinegar into their dumplings.

Is this a safe way to eat? Won't your teeth get so sensitive?

"What do you know? Sour for a boy, spicy for a girl. Your wife is probably having another boy this time."

Zhang Shuzhen beamed with joy upon hearing this. In the minds of their generation, the idea that having many children and grandchildren brings good fortune was deeply ingrained.

With more sons, the family has more labor to do, and the more labor they do, the more money they earn. This forest farm is all about heavy work, so when the sons grow up, they can always find a job. It's harder for girls to find work.

It's not that anyone is sexist, but some things are just like that, there's nothing we can do about it.

"I'd rather have a daughter. I like daughters; they're obedient, sensible, and considerate," Sheng Xiping muttered softly on the other end of the line.

We already have one son, so having another wouldn't be a problem. But having a daughter would be wonderful; she'd be such a sweet and caring daughter.

"So you can choose whether you have a boy or a girl? What if you plant a bean and it grows into corn?"

Whether it's a daughter or a son, if they know how to care for their parents, even a son can be just as filial.

"If he's an ungrateful wretch, whether it's his daughter or his son, he'll still make you angry." Sheng Liancheng said from the other end.

"We don't have so many rules in our family. We treat girls and boys the same, regardless of whether they are daughters or sons."

Just raise and educate your children well, whether they're girls or boys, as long as they're successful, you'll be fine too.

Well, the head of the family has spoken, what else can Sheng Xiping say? His daughter and son don't need to worry about it, let them do whatever they want.

Being born into the Sheng family is a blessing earned over many lifetimes; we should cherish it.

These days, celebrating the Little New Year is simple. There are no traditions like bidding farewell to the Kitchen God. The Kitchen God doesn't even allow you to put up any decorations. So what do you use to bid farewell to the Kitchen God?

After setting off firecrackers and having a lively meal of dumplings, the Little New Year was over.

Sheng Liancheng and his son had lived on the mountain for several months, and naturally they had a lot to talk about when they returned home.

After dinner, the family sat on the warm kang (a heated brick bed), drinking tea and chatting.

Sheng Liancheng and his son talked about what happened on the mountain, while Sheng Xiping talked about what he had been hunting at home these past few days.

The lives of ordinary people are not so dramatic; a simple and peaceful life is the true essence of life.

"Second brother, how's work on the mountain? Nobody's giving you any trouble, right?"

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